Navy Bound

It's been a while and a lot has happened.

Joining the Navy was a big decision on my part, but I know it is for the best and it is going to open up so many doors for me. I am really excited for this opportunity.

I moved back home to save some money, but the eastern shore of MD is starting to wear on me. There is nothing to do around here and I know no one. It just feels like I am in purgatory, which for someone like me is one of the worst feelings in the world. I need to have direction and know where I am going and actually doing something to get there, but right now it is just sitting in a metaphorical lobby with only magazines that I have already read spread out on the coffee table in front of me.

I am just ready to go.

Second Mock Draft

Well...what can I say? I am a huge football geek and there have been some legitimate changes going on in the NFL. Here is my second version of the upcoming draft:

1. Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell, I don't care what anyone says, the Raiders need a franchise QB and Russell has much more upside than Brady Quinn does. Unless they trade down (which is a possibility) for someone else's 1st and 2nd and probably 3rd...I can't see them passing on a QB like Russell and continue with Andrew Walter as their only QB option. There is the rumor going around that the Raiders would trade Randy Moss to the Packers for Aaron Rogers and a pick, but I can't see the Pack parting ways with their future QB right now. If that trade does happen then I think the Raiders will absolutely take Calvin Johnson.

2. Detroit Lions - Joe Thomas, They seem pretty set on Kitna being there for at least a year or two. I also think that they are going to bank on some young QB's coming available next year and later in the draft. The Lion's O-Line is terrible and Thomas definitely helps here. Especially now that they traded for Tatum Bell to share time with Kevin Jones.

3. Cleveland Browns - Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis only signed a 1 year contract and there is no way that he has enough juice to be the #1 there for more than a year or two AT MOST. There is the possibility of them trying to trade up for JaMarcus Russell, but I don't think Russell will make it out of Oakland.

4. Tampa Bay Buccs - Calvin Johnson, I think it is pretty set in stone that if Oakland doesn't take CJ then he will land in Tampa, which isnt a bad place for him...Tampa has a lot going for them on the offensive side of the ball.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Jamal Anderson, New head coach Ken Whisenhut just came from a team that ran the 3-4...so, it wouldn't surprise me to see a 3-4 come to fruition in AZ. Jamal Anderson has the size that you look for in a DE in the 3-4.

6. Washington Redskins - Gaines Adams, plain and simple: their defense was terrible last year. Now, the 'Skins have an interesting situation. They have a 1st round pick and then nothing again until very late. I know there are rumors floating around that if Brady Quinn is still on the board (which I think he will be) The Vikings or the Texans are willing to pay handsomely for the chance to move up and draft Quinn (more so the Texans to get him before the Vikings). If the Skins are smart they will do this to acquire more picks. Dan Snyder hates building teams with young talent and loves overpaying over-the-hill vets...but if he wants to not have his head on a pike in DC he should consider trading down.

7. Minnesota Vikings - Robert Meachem, I do think there is a possibility of Brady Quinn going here, but I can see the Vikings taking a WR and trying to deal for the Texan's David Carr. The Vikings do need a receiver very badly right now and if they deal their cards right they might be able to get a vet QB somewhere along the lines too. I know that the Texans would like to get Carr out of Houston to free up some cap room.

8. Houston Texans - Brady Quinn, David Carr obviously isn't fitting well in Houston. I think a lot of it has to do with their lack of an o-line and their lack of a running game and oh yea, their lack of receivers. So, why not throw another young and talented QB back behind a weak o-line and let him feel what it's like to be sacked 100 times a season.

9. Miami Dolphins - Ted Ginn Jr, The 'Phins are another team that I really think would be interested in trading up to get Brady Quinn, but if not then they could definitely use Ted Ginn Jr in their return game and as a 3rd WR since they traded Welker to the Pats. The Welker trade gave them another 2nd round pick too, so they could def find some talent on the defensive line in the second round, but Ginn's speed and return-game is becoming a covetted position.

10. Atlanta Falcons - Dwayne Bowe, The Falcons have GOT to get someone who can catch the ball and hang onto the ball. Bowe had a hell of a combine workout and in my opinion he is a better receiver than Dwayne Jarret and Steve Smith. I think the Falcons can hang onto their secondary for one more year and their defense was not their weak side last year. They couldn't hang onto the ball and as a result of that Vick had to run and teams ganged up on Warrick Dunn.

11. San Francisco - Alan Branch, 6'6" 330lbs. I don't think I really need to say much more in regards to how well he will fit in as a DT in the 3-4 scheme.

12. Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch, They traded Willis McGahee and their only looking at Corey Dillon and Chris Brown as a possible replacement. I think Lynch is the type of runner that Dick Jauron can use in a variety of ways. Not too mention that the Bills still have the A-Train as a back-up, which isn't SO bad...

13. St. Louis Rams - Adam Carriker, they need someone who can stop the run and get after the QB. Carriker is a hulk of a D-End and will be able to start immediately.

14. Carolina Panthers - Patrick Willis, Dan Morgan might be done and they need someone to be a monster in the middle of the field. Patrick Willis is, in fact, a monster.

15. Pittsburgh - Jarvis Moss, They let Jerry Porter go and they need someone to step in and provide a good pass rush and run support. Jarvis Moss really upped his status at the combine and the national championship game against Ohio State.

16. Green Bay Packers - Chris Henry, Lynch and Peterson are off the board by now in my opinion and the Pack needs a good runner. I would think that this wont be the only RB taken by the pack in this draft. Chris Henry is 230lbs and ran a sub-4.4 40 yard dash. The other possible RB's for the Pack to look at that I think would be good fits are Michael Bush and Tony Hunt.

17. Jacksonville Jags - LaRon Landry, Deon Grant went to Seattle and Ken Hamlin is available, but I think Jacksonville will look no further than Landry. He play's like a beast out there and is a ball-hawking saftey. He fits in well with the Jag's nasty D.

18. Cincinatti Bengals - Paul Pozluszny, Brian Simmons is out and who knows if Odel Thurman will make it through an entire season without getting arrested or shot at...or something else involving a law-infraction. Poz doesn't seem like a trouble-maker to me and I think he would be a good fit to step into the OLB position mainly because of his stability as a person and a player. I also could see them leaning towards Greg Olsen for a TE.

19. Tennessee Titans - Dwayne Jarrett, The Titans picked up Justin Gage and Brandon Jones seems to be a decent receiver, but they definitely need someone who can be a franchise WR. I don't think Dwayne Jarrett is the best receiver available in the draft, but he has a knack for coming down with the ball and that is something that Vince Young was used to at Texas.

20. New York Giants - Lawrence Timmons, LaVar Arrington busted in NY (weird) and they need a speedy OLB who can get after the QB and stop the run. Timmons is definitely the kind of linebacker that the Giants need.

21. Denver Broncos - Amobi Okoye, This is assuming that Shanahan thinks he can get good pressure out of the rest of his D-Ends. So, my other choice here would be Charles Johnson or Anthony Spencer.

22. Dallas Cowboys - Anthony Spencer, Gregg Ellis is ANCIENT! The other way I see the Cowboys rolling is towards a safety like Brandon Merriweather.

23. Kansas City Chiefs - Steve Smith, Daunte Hall and Eddie Kennison are the only receivers for KC. They need some help here drastically and Steve Smith ran a solid 40, but the thing that scouts like about Smith is his route running ability and sure-hands.

24. New England (From Seattle) - Brandon Merriweather, Rodney Harrison hasn't had a healthy season in two years. The other way I see them going here may be Chris Houston to add depth to their secondary.

25. New York Jets - Greg Olsen, They don't need a runningback and Jericho Cotchery, Laverneus Coles, and Brad Smith seem to be doing well at receivers. The one thing they are lacking is a big time receiving TE. Olsen could be just that.

26. Philadelphia - Buster Davis, Dhani Jones sucks. I dont care what anyone says. I think Trotter has a few more good years left in the tank and Omar Gaither is involved on every play. Buster Davis isn't the exact height you want in a linebacker, but the guy is quick and built like a tank, but more importantly, he makes the tough plays.

27. New Orleans - Aaron Ross, Remember that play that whatshisface missed and resulted in Bernard Berrian making a spectacular catch and getting up AND scoring, which led to the Bears going to the Super Bowl? Yea, I think that The Big Easy finally has an offense and a solid defense, but they need to really sure up their secondary. Aaron Ross is a big physical corner who plays the ball well.

28. New England - Daymeion Hughes, They re-loaded on offense...a lot. So, I think that this draft is going to be primarily focused on defense.

29. Baltimore Ravens - Justin Blaylock, Who knows if Ogden is going to stick it out for one more year and they released vet guard Mulitalo. Blaylock played both guard and tackle at Texas and as far as I am concerned is one of the better offensive linemen available this draft.

30. San Diego - Anthony Gonzalez, They have got to get someone who can create seperation in the receiving game. Vincent Jackson is enormous, but plays terrible position. McCardell is a great receiver, but is in the twilight of his career and Parker is incredibly inconsistent. Gonzalez has wheels, great hands, and is a very good route runner.

31. Chicago Bears - Jon Beason, I had thought that they may look at taking Zack Miller or maybe a Ben Grubbs, but I seriously think that Briggs is going to sit this season out or be traded. If that is the case then the Bears are going to need someone to step in and play the LB position. I think John Beason has a lot of upside as a LB because of his speed.

32. Indianapolis Colts - David Harris, If their defense plays like that ALL year long there won't be much they need to draft. The biggest thing that they need since Cato June left is a LB, but Nick Harper is also out so they might look at CB.

My Own 2007 Mock NFL Draft

I have been reading so much hooplah on the 2007 Draft and where everyone predicts everyone will go...etc etc etc.

Well, I agree with some of them and I disagree with a lot of them.

So here is my mock 1st round for this years NFL Draft:

1. OAKLAND RAIDERS - Brady Quinn, QB out of Notre Dame. The Raiders have a talented young defense, so I dont see them addressing anything there in the first couple of rounds. Randy Moss still has game and if Art Shell can get Moss and Jerry Porter to jump on his bandwagon then the Raiders could have a fairly potent offense next year. Though I dont see both Moss and Porter coming to Shell's side, I think that Moss would if given the proper QB to give him the consistent passes that Moss desires. The O-Line is solid as is the running backs with LaMont Jordan. Aaron Brooks is not the answer here for the QB position and Andrew Walter is absolutely TERRIBLE. Brady Quinn would instantly be able to step in and provide a young, talented, smart QB to build a franchise around.

2. DETROIT LIONS - JaMarcus Russell, QB out of LSU. This guy has a cannon for an arm and is a hulk of a man. Russell gets compared to Daunte Culpepper a lot in regards to his physical attributes and arm strength. I think that the Lions have a lot of talent at the receiver position and Russell could be the big arm they need to really stretch the field with Roy and Mike Williams as well as Mike Furrey. Kevin Jones is a very talented running back that has yet to have a full season due to injuries, but rookie Brian Calhoun and Arlen Harris could provide Detroit with a lot of options for running back. The Lion's D is stacked with young players who possess speed and talent. Other than the QB position I feel that all this team needs to be great is chemistry, and that comes down to Rod Marinelli.

3. CLEVELAND BROWNS - Adrian Peterson, RB out of Oklahoma. Cleveland has made it apparent that they are sticking with hometown-hero Charlie Frye at the QB position and in all honesty I think Frye has a lot of potential to be a winner in the NFL. The Brownies did a lot to rebuild their defense last year at the linebacker position and I do see them addressing their D-line and secondary later in the draft, but I think that them having the opportunity to grab Adrian Peterson with the # 3 pick is a must for their offense. Reuben Droughns has had plenty of time to emerge as a solid RB and he just hasn't done so. Peterson is quick to hit the holes and has great vision to go along with his 6'2" 215lb frame. With the Brownies getting their multi-million dollar O-line back and healthy next year Peterson should be able to step right in and have a great rookie year and help the Brownies' struggling rushing offense.

4. TAMPA BAY BUCS - Leon Hall, CB out of Michigan. Tampa has a lot of holes to fill on defense this off-season. Ronde Barber is getting older, Simeon Rice is in the twilight of his career as is Derrick Brooks. They picked up Chris Hovan, but got rid of Booger McFarland. I see them taking Hall because he brings starting capabilities to the Buc's defense. Hall excells in pass coverage as well as being able to come up and stop the run if need be. I think that Hall would flourish under Ronde Barber's wing. I don't expect Tampa to address to much offensive issues this draft, I would expect them to go after a vet WR to aide in the development of Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall.

5. ARIZONA CARDINALS - Joe Thomas, T out of Wisconsin. Zona has a promising offense with Edge, Leinart, Boldin, Fitzgerald, Bryand Johnson, and Leonard Pope. That is a hell of a line-up. What Arizona really needs on offense is a big time lineman to aide the running game. Edge didnt have nearly enough of an impact because of how dismal their o-line is. I expect the Cards to pick up a couple of defensive players later in the draft, but Joe Thomas is the best lineman available and he would be an immediate starter on the Arizona line.

6. WASHINGTON REDSKINS - Gaines Adams, DE out of Clemson. Adams is only 260 lbs and as a DE in the NFL, that isn't all that big. However, Dwight Freeney is only 255 lbs and he is one of the more feared pass-rushers at the DE spot. The Redskins have a lot of work to do and Joe Gibbs really needs to figure out how to get his team of individuals to play like a team and become the elite team that they have the capabilities to be. Gaines Adams brings the speed and work ethic to a very sluggish D-line. The Redskins got hardly any pressure on the QB this past year and that is very very unlike a Greg Williams defense. Adams would be able to give the Redskins that quickness on the D-line that they lack.

7. MINNESOTA VIKINGS - Calvin Johnson, WR out of Georgia Tech. Johnson is 6'5" and 235lbs and runs a 4.35 40-yard dash. He has incredible hands and a 47" verticle jump. He is, by far, the best athlete coming out in this years draft. The Vikings dropped Marcus Robinson this year and their only real WR threat is Troy Williamson, who potentially can be great because of his burner speed, but they have no one other than him who can consistently make plays. I think Johnson combined with Williamson and Travis Taylor will provide the perfect scenario for head coach, Brad Childress, to groom his young QB, Tavarres Jackson into the next Donovan McNabb.

8. HOUSTON TEXANS - Justin Blaylock, T out of Texas. I said it last year and I will say it again, the Texan's biggest downfall was not providing QB David Carr with the proper protection. Bringing in Eric Moulds and Jeb Putzier are great as far as weapons for Carr to throw to, but it means nothing if he can't get the ball off. I hope the Texans don't give up on Carr just yet and they actually put an O-line in front of him because when they do I think the Texans will be able to do some damage. Blaylock is a big and powerful tackle and a huge reason why Texas beat USC two years ago in the National Championship. He is an instant starter in the NFL and will remain injury free most of his career as he has not had any major issues while at college.

9. MIAMI DOLPHINS - Dwayne Jarrett, WR out of USC. At 6'5" and 215lbs, Jarret will give the Fins the height they desperately need in their passing offense. WR's Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, and Wesley Welker are all under six feet in height. I think Culpepper comes back to full-force and anyone remember the last time Culpepper had a 6'5" receiver to throw too? He had one of the best seasons any QB has ever had in the NFL.

10. ATLANTA FALCONS - Jeff Samardzija, WR out of Notre Dame. Everyone thinks that Michael Vick is not that great of a QB, myself included. However, this year he really seemed to try and become a "pass-first" QB, but all of his receivers dropped pretty much every ball that he threw at them. Samardzija brings the height (6'5") and hands (147 receptions, 2200 yards, and 26 TD's in 2 years) to Atlanta, which is exactly what Vick needs. The only receiving threat for the Falc's is TE Alge Crumpler and he can only do so much.

11. SAN FRANCISCO 49'ERs - Alan Branch, DT out of Michigan. Branch is 6'6" and 330 lbs. He would be the perfect fit for the 49er's 3-4 scheme, which allowed 412 points this past season (the worst in the NFL). Branch is great at stopping the run and can provide a lot of penetration in regards to rushing the passer.

12. BUFFALO BILLS - Troy Smith, QB out of OSU. Smith may not have the most "desireable" height that NFL scouts look for in the QB position, but Smith is an accurate passer who is incredibly mobile and always brings his A-Game to the field. Smith plays the best in the biggest games and that intangeable attribute is something very few players have. Not only that but Buffalo loves Ohio State players (Ashton Youboty, Donte Whitner, Nate Clements). JP Losman is too much of a roller-coaster QB and Buffalo has too much talent on the offensive side of the ball to be as unproductive as they have been the past couple of years.

13. ST. LOUIS RAMS - LaRon Landry, S out of LSU. The Ram's need someone to replace Adam Archuletta and they need a solid run-stopping safety who also posseses the ability to make plays on the deep ball. LaRon Landry is that safety and will play alongside Corey Chavous beautifully.

14. CAROLINA PANTHERS - Paul Posluszny, LB out of Penn State. Poz brings a lot to the table as far as understanding the game and is arguably the best LB in this years draft. The Panthers are known for their defense, which is why I think they will take a top LB as their first pick. Dan Morgan has been injured the past two seasons and there are concerns on whether or not he will even return to playing. Poz would be the perfect person to fill that role.

15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS - Reggie Nelson, S out of Florida. The Steelers defense was so up and down last year, but the loss of safety Chris Hope was felt all year long. Adding a hard hitting and ball-hawking safety like Reggie Nelson will allow Troy Polamalu to be able to go back to being the roaming safety that he plays best in.

16. GREEN BAY PACKERS - MarShawn Lynch, RB out of Cal. The Packers are prepared at QB if Favre decides to leave, they have some talent at WR, but I wouldnt be surprised to see them address that later in the draft. The Pack's defense is solid if they can keep everyone healthy, but I think the one obvious spot they need to fill quickly is their running game. A balanced running attack is imperative in the NFL today and Ahman Green is constantly sidelined with injury and really hasnt been productive the past couple of years. Nick Herron showed some signs of life, but is certainly only a situational back and Vernand Morrency is nowhere near a #1. MarShawn Lynch is the perfect choice for Green Bay and because he is leaving early he will provide the Pack with a lot of years.

17. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - LaMarr Woodley, DE/OLB out of Michigan. The Jag's defense is their cornerstone and while most people would argue that they are giving up on Leftwich and need a QB, I tend to disagree. I think Del Rio won't give up on Leftwich that easily. I think the Jags need to bring in some veteran receivers on offense to assist Leftwich in the passing game. However, I think that adding a pure pass rusher like LaMarr Woodley will only help this defense in a division where they have to keep Peyton Manning from throwing a thousand TD's per game. You can line Woodley up at DE or at an outside linebacker position. Reminds me a lot of Terrell Suggs for the Baltimore Ravens.

18. CINCINATTI BENGALS - Quinn Pitcock, DT out of OSU. The Bengal's defense needs some serious help with stopping the run as well as getting to the QB. Marvin Lewis seems to not be interested in bringing back Odel Thurman at the LB position, but considering that David Pollack will probably never play again, Lewis doesnt seem to have much of a choice in my opinion. However, I think adding someone like Pitcock on the D-line will really boost the Bengal's defense with stopping the run and Pitcock will take up blockers, which in turn will open up lanes for pass rushers to get through.

19. TENNESEE TITANS - Ted Ginn Jr, WR out of OSU. Ginn is by far the fastest player in the NCAA right now and has the capability of developing into a solid receiver. Definitely fits right into Norm Chow's offense with stretching the field and giving Vince Young another weapon to throw to. Since Brandon Jones emerged as the Titan's #2 and Travis Henry eats up yards on the ground, Ginn would be the perfect "x-factor" in their offense. Someone like a Steve Smith from the Panthers. Or a Bernard Berrian from the Bears. Not too mention the fact that Ginn + PacMan Jones returning kicks and punts is by far the scariest special teams returners the NFL has ever seen.

20. NEW YORK GIANTS - Kenny Irons, RB out of Auburn. Now that Tiki is retiring the Giants are left with a huge blank spot on their offensive roster. Brandon Jacobs is a hulk of a RB that can definitely carry the load on offense, but Tiki provided that homerun threat to the Giants offense because he was an incredible runner with great vision and had very good hands out of the backfield. I think that Irons will provide that quick, home-run threat that the Giants will need to replace.

21. DENVER BRONCOS - Greg Olsen, TE out of Miami. Who knows how long Rod Smith will stick around and Javon Walker and Brandon Marshall are going to be a great tandum for Jay Cutler to throw to, but why not give Cutler a big body to go to in the red-zone and Olsen also has the speed and size to create mismatches for opposing defenses.

22. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (f/trade with Seattle) - Sidney Rice, WR out of South Carolina. This was actually a tough call for me because New England has a lot of holes on defense, but I think the focus of this franchise is on Tom Brady and giving him weapons to throw to. Chad Jackson has a lot of promise and Doug Gabriel could be good as well as Reche Caldwell, but I think that New England needs WR's desperately.

23. DALLAS COWBOYS - Levi Brown, T out of Penn State. A lot of analysts see the Boy's taking a safety in the first round, but I think there will be some quality safeties left in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, which is why I think that the Cowboy's will draft to replenish their aging offensive line. Tony Romo is a fairly mobile QB, but he still needs protection and the Boy's o-line is lacking that ability.

24. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - Antoine Cason, CB out of Arizona. Let's face it, Ty Law isn't going to be around forever and has already lost a step or two and who knows how long the Chiefs are going to be willing to pay his bloated salary. I think that Cason brings is the best CB available at this time of the draft and the Chiefs could use him right away in Nickel and Dime schemes.

25. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - Patrick Willis, LB out of Ole' Miss. Talk about a LB who hunts for the ball and punishes whoever has the ball, then you must be talking about Patrick Willis. The Saints were all ready to take AJ Hawk last year with the 2nd pick until Reggie Bush fell into their laps so, it would be no surprise at all for the Saints to add to their remarkable over-achieving defense. Patrick Willis FTW in the Big Easy.

26. NEW YORK JETS - Alley Broussard, RB out of LSU. There is a lot of contention that Leon Washington will be capable of filling the role of the #1 running back for the JEt's franchise, but I dont think they will feel too comfortable without options. I forsee the Jets dropping power backs Kevan Barlow and Cedric Houston and drafting a much younger powerback such as Alley Broussard. I think that he and Washington could be a great duo to build an offense around.

27. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - HB Blades, LB out of Pittsburgh. I think that Dhani Jones is one of the most overrated linebackers in the NFL and I think he is a weak spot on the Eagle's defense. Omar Gaither is going to be great for them and they need someone else to replace Jones. McCoy is a good special teams player, but I question is capabilities in regards to play recognition. Blades has been a standout linebacker at Pittsburgh his entire career there and has been healthy his entire career also. Andy Reid likes going after hometown players so it wouldnt surprise me whatsover to see him go for someone like HB Blades. Plus with that name, couldnt you see him Trotter and Dawkins getting along very well?

28. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - Tom Zbikowski, S out of Notre Dame. New England has a lot of holes to fill on their aging defense but I think that Zbikowski is that hard-nosed type of player that would fit right in with the rest of thew Patriots. Not too mention that Zbikowski can add a return threat to special teams. I can't see him replacing Rodney Harrison just yet, but Harrison has been plagued with injuries the past two years, I can see Zbikowski being worked in sporatically throughout the season and being a starter beside Harrison at the end of the season.

29. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - Adam Carriker - DE from Nebraska. The Colts need to draft nothing but quality defensive players. Their defense was so ugly this past year that I dont even know where to begin. I would lean towards them going after a linebacker or a safety, but if Bob Sanders stays healthy and their D-Tackles stay healthy then I think that improves their defense ten-fold. Their biggest problem is that their ends are undersized and when both big DT's are out (Corey Simon and Booger MacFarland) they need another DE who can stop the run and get to the QB. Carriker is 290 pounds and moves like a linebacker. The Colts get a steal with Carriker.

30. DA BEARSSS - Drew Stanton, QB out of Michigan State. The reason I suggest this is because of the inconsistency of Rex Grossman. I can never see him being the leader of the Chicago Bears for the long haul. I think Kyle Orton is a great back-up, but lacks the talent to be a true #1. Griese is getting older and no one likes a QB controversie. Stanton brings tremendous mobility and a cannon of an arm to the table. I think behind Brady Quinn and Troy Smith, Stanton is the best all around QB in the draft this year.

31. BALTIMORE RAVENS - Tony Hunt, RB out of Penn State. The Baltimore Raven's pride and joy is their defense. They have tremendous depth at all of the positions on defense so I cant see them taking anyone defensively in the first round. I think that with the acquisition of Steve McNair the Raven's passing offense is going to continue to improve with Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams emerging as the #1 and #2 receivers. However, the running game is what really appears to be the area of focus this off-season. It was only a few years ago that Jamal Lewis joined the ranks of the game's elite by rushing for over 2,000 yards in one season, but since then he has struggled. He seems to be lacking that certain spark that he once had. Maybe it is time for him and Baltimore to part ways, maybe not, but the Ravens need to bring in someone else who can push Lewis for the starting role and eventually become the starting role and I see Tony Hunt being that player. Hunt has great vision and speed for a larger running back (6'1" 225lbs) and I see his type of downhill running being perfect for Baltimore's grinding offense.

32. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - Steve Smith, WR out of USC OR Robert Meachem, WR out of Tenn. I couldn't really decide in this situation because the Chargers need someone else for Phillip Rivers to throw to besides LT and Antonio Gates. If Meachem comes out then I see the Chargers taking him because of his size (6'3" 210 lbs) and his speed for that size. If Meachem doesnt come out then I can see them going with Steve Smith because he also has good size at 6'1" but posses explosive speed that can stretch defenses downfield.

Middle Class America

The middle class is a purposeful construct, a buffer keeping the poor from the throats of the rich. The continued destruction of the middle class will result in class warfare, social strife, social revolution in our country, if the trend is not reversed



My thoughts in regards to the above quote:

The quote is right on the money, no pun intended, because the middle class is becoming obsolete. The poor get to be supported by government funding and or get government breaks all the while the rich just keep raking in money. I am not going to throw out the "it's not fair" card because life isn't about fairness or a level playing field, but in this case it really isn't fair. It almost seems more worthwhile to become poor to gain access to all of those wonderful programs that assist low-income families.

A classless society would not be the utopia that everyone desires, but the problem is that our social system is headed towards a serious backlash similar to what happened to the USSR in the late 80's/early 90's; so we are looking at a pretty terrible situation anyway. This may not happen tomorrow, I am not saying that, but I do think that it will happen eventually.

A great point that proves that the middle class is being essentially "squished" by the two other classes is the rising costs of colleges and universities. I know I use this as an example often, but the reason I do is because the rich will always be able to pay for college and the poor will always be able to qualify for government aid and financial aid. However, a vast majority of the middle class falls within that range where they don't really qualify for much at all, but they don't really have the money to outright pay for college either. The problem is that college and universities plug you and your parents into an equation with minimal factors involved and quite literally compute you into a number and if that number is above their minimal financial aid number then you wont qualify for aid; maybe a little, but certainly not enough.

Another example would be the rise of inflated costs vs. the average wage. The wages do not increase with inflation, which makes your money deteriorate more and more with each percent of inflation.

The middle class will eventually cease.

There are things that can be done, but the government is all composed of the rich, so they dont care and arent going to jump to their feet to do anything.

If They Dont Want To Play, GET RID OF THEM!

I dont know what the deal is with most teams in the NFL today, but it amazes me that these teams feel the need to hang onto players who obviously don't want to be there. Now, I am all for players owning up to the contract that they signed, but I do think that the players deserve the option to leave if they feel that they need to; especially because in the NFL, 99% of the contracts are not guaranteed to any player. How do you think most teams can afford such high payrolls?

I dont think that players should just be able to opt out of playing for a team if the team is no good because I am a believer in that old school leadership. You don't see Brett Favre requesting to be traded from Green Bay and he has hardly ANY team around him whatsoever. He had the worst year of his career last year, but he still went out there every week and gave it his all and I believe that he (as well as Green Bay) are better for it.

Deion Branch was a special case this summer because he wanted to re-work his contract and New England didnt want to re-work his contract, so he chose to opt out until they traded him or re-worked the contract. The squeaky wheel gets the oil and shortly after the season started Branch was traded to Seattle.

My reason for writing this piece is because of the situation in Oakland right now with receivers Jerry Porter and Randy Moss. Let me first start off by saying that Al Davis is a terrible owner and whoever is in charge of player personell and offensive play calling needs to be shot. Why in the world you would bring in Aaron Brooks and expect his inability to make good decisions EVER to make your team better? In fact, Brook's only consistent aspect of being a QB in the NFL is his ability to make ridiculous decisions when pressured that usually ends up in the hands of the opposing defense or if he's lucky, an incomplete pass.

Jerry Porter hasn't played a down all season and now is suspended by Art Shell indefinitely. Jerry Porter requested a trade at the beginning of the season and nothing has come of it yet. So, what does he do? He becomes a problem and causes drama because he wants out! He doesn't want to play in Oakland anymore. What does Oakland do? Nothing. They keep him there and let him become a problem and then fine him and suspend him.

Randy Moss will still play for this team, but they have got to involve him in the game more. Whoever is calling the plays should have three sets of plays.

1. Run plays for Lamont Jordan
2. Pass plays to Randy Moss
3. Run/pass plays to everyone else if need be

That is how they would win ball games, but unfortunately they aren't doing that at all so why should one of the best receivers in the game not be frustrated?

Here is what I think should happen and why.

First of all Randy Moss has been in the league for 9 years and Jerry Porter has been in the league for 7 years. That is a significant piece of their NFL career that they cannot get back and neither of them has won a championship and it doesn't look like the Raiders are going to make a run for the Super Bowl any time soon. If they are lucky they will have 5-6 more years left in the league and that is not a lot of time for an NFL player because they could suffer a career ending injury at any point in practice or in a game.

Oakland - TRADE JERRY PORTER AND TRADE RANDY MOSS.

They could absolutely get at the minimum a 1st round pick for both of those receivers and there are a lot of teams right now that could use a big play receiver (New England, Miami, New Orleans, San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennesee, Jacksonville, Baltimore, etc). Out of those teams I mentioned 7 of them are serious playoff contenders and 4 of them are Super Bowl contenders.

The main reason I say trade them both is because you need team unity above all else. Losing game after game is hard enough on a team, but having two of your best players being disruptive and causing preventable drama just brings the team down even more (Look at Philly last year with TO). I am not saying that Porter or Moss are as bad as TO, he is on a level by himself, but I am saying that trading these two guys for two top picks in the draft or maybe another top guy that you can use to replace them is not a bad idea if it will help your stagnate team mesh better. Any team that gets to the playoffs and goes to the Super Bowl is a team that plays well together and has a bond and a unity that is unlike any other. That is when teams can start to really shine and that is what I think one of the biggest problems in Oakland is.

Get rid of Jerry Porter and then get rid of Randy Moss if he wants out. Something has to be done there and there are a lot of other teams out there who are just waiting for someone of their caliber.

New One Soon

I am in the process of working on a new blog. Please stay tuned...have a few drinks and chill out.

In the meantime, check out The Rev. Fred Phelps here at www.godhatesfags.com

He is, unintentionally, one of the funniest people that I have ever seen/heard/or read about.

What a fucking loon!

VOTE OR DIE

200 years ago the average "Joe" could just walk around his town, county, and state gathering support from everyone he spoke with and get elected into office. Maybe not the Presidency right away, but it wasn't out of question for people to use such grassroots-esque methods to get their voice heard and gain a following which would vault them into the political arena. Back then being a politician wasn't just a job, but more along the lines of a service. The Framers of our constitution had intended on politicians acting as soldiers do in our military; service to our people and our country. So, what happened to all of that? Why is it now that you can have a career in politics? In reality, what do politicians do? It really all comes down to us as a people coming together for a specific purpose and cause.

The "operators" of our government aim to do one thing and that is keep the status quo. Change is bad in their eyes because the "operator's" eyes change will lead to their demise. They are a bunch of wealthy old white men who keep getting wealthier and wealthier as they stay in office and what is worse is that they don't even get wealthy from being in office! They get wealthy from being CEO's of companies that front money for them to remain in office. When anything looks daunting for them they call on the ultra-conservatives and the Christian Right to come in and preach the word of God through politics and then the whiney liberals shout at them from afar because they are too scared to go toe-to-toe with such a large entity. Hence, why we are only given, essentially, two choices for President each 4 years. the Incumbent and someone from the other party.

The problem exists due to Americans becoming too blind and naive to see that by them making a choice between two people that were CHOSEN for us to choose from really isn't making a choice at all, but rather selecting the lesser of two evils. Sure, third party candidates offer other choices for the Presidency, but in all honesty the only third party candidate to ever substantially take away votes from the Republican and the Democratic candidates was Ross Perot when he ran against Bill Clinton and George Bush (1992). It is almost like the "operator's" are dumbing down the American public. Especially the middle class, which ironically enough, happens to be the majority of America! Weird how that works...

The reason why choosing between just two candidates is bull-shit is because how can that be making a free choice? What if both candidates just suck? One of them will be elected no matter what, right? So, what happens if I want to vote for my roomate? I can, but what is the point? Just looking at this system right now, it is very contradictory to what our constitution alotts us as freedoms and rights. We have the right to vote, but only on who they say we can vote for? How does that make any sense whatsoever? How does that make us a free a democratic society? I believe that is more along the lines of drastically teetering on a Constitutional Monarchy...especially when you have families that are ALL involved in the government (Kennedy's, Bush's, etc.)

The thing that really bothers me is that when it comes time for us to briefly glance at our "choices" (if you want to call them that) we are made to feel like scum if we dont "exercise our right to vote". Campaigns from either party tell us it is our civil duty as American Citizens to go and vote. P-Diddy and a bunch of other celebrities tell us to "Vote or Die" on cable network channels and whatnot. In reality though, if either candidate leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth and I choose not to vote for either because I think both of them would make terrible leaders, is that not a vote in itself? I voted to not vote. I am exercising my right to vote by not voting for candidates who I despise and were chosen for me, not by me.

It is all a political ploy. Every bit of it. They seek to only purchase votes and pander to people and make you feel Anti-American if you don't vote. The operators of our once great country have completely bastardized the political system that our terrorist fore-fathers fought and died to achieve.

I say to you all, if you feel that the candidate chosen from the Democratic Party is a loser and you feel that the candidate chosen by the Republican Party is even more of a loser, then I beseech you to exercise your rights and freedoms to be a free-thinker and NOT vote for either of them. That is a choice in itself and that is voting. Don't let political propaganda fool you into thinking that you are Anti-American if you don't exercise your right to vote. They aren't allowing us to fully exercise our rights and they haven't for quite some time, so who is really the Anti-American?

Not voting because you dislike each candidate is making just as much of a statement as voting for either of them. Why vote for someone you dislike slightly less than the other? It isn't worth it and because the operators of our government like to keep things status quo, it isn't like it is going to matter anyway.