Senior Bowl Thoughts and Interests

It's never to early to start thinking about the draft and what the Broncos' future looks like, at least through my eyes. What better way to do that than a recap of the Senior Bowl? Exactly. Here are the players I payed attention to and what I thought of their performance:

Tony Pike (QB Cincinatti)

Firstly, I wish he played longer. He started at QB for the north and started 3-3 in passing but finished 5-12. Not too good but I feel like there wasn't a whole lot to go off of. I like his size and his throws (he can make them all) as well as his feet. Good pocket presence as well as ability to extend plays. He seems like an ideal candidate to run McDaniels' offense but I've read that there are concerns about his work ethic which is disheartening. I want anyone who might be in a Broncos uniform to want to be great in it.

Dan LeFevour (QB Central Michigan)

Dan closed out the game at QB for the north and I really enjoyed seeing him play for the first time. The coaching staff didn't seem to design any run plays for him but he did a good job of knowing when to try to gain some yards himself and finding the open man. He threw for 2 TDs (one was nullified by a penalty) which were both very impressive. I like how he throws the ball and how competitive he is. Also, he's got the best name of any prospects which could lead to some awesome headlines (I caught LeFevour). He's not very comfortable taking snaps under center and doing drop backs and would be a project in that regard so i can't see him as a 2nd or 3rd round pick (as some are projecting) because those are fundamentals at the position. If he's around in rounds 5 and 6, maybe even 4 I'd take him.

Dan Williams (DT Tennessee)

One of the tackles who could be a good candidate for nose tackle in a 3-4 after some proper teaching (since Tennessee uses a 4-3). He wreaked some havoc when the north tried to run and looked pretty good BUT the senior bowl defenses were also 4-3 with no blitzing. Somebody to keep an eye on, maybe second round but Josh may be able to move wherever to take him.

Terrence Cody (DT Alabama)

Could also be a legitimate nose tackle for 3-4 but i've read a lot of concerns about his weight that suggest he couldn't play nose tackle full time. Broncos need run support and a guy as big as him could certainly provide it.

Jeremy Williams (WR Tulane)

This is a guy Woody Paige likes the Broncos to take somewhere in the mid rounds (3-5). He's got decent size and caught a good number of passes at the Senior Bowl and looked good doing it. There could be potential but there will be plenty of receivers to choose from who did not play in the senior bowl.

Obviously, there's a long way to go to April's draft and I'll be sure to update as often as I can with who I think the Broncos should draft. These are just guys to think about in the meantime.

Sports at a Glance

It's been a while since my last post (since the Nuggets were in contention for a Finals birth) but that was not to be. So much is going on in the Sports world so instead of dedicating entire posts to just a couple, I have quick blurbs on everything I've paid attention to, at least. Here it goes.

Marshall See Marshall Do
Months after Jay Cutler bullied his way out of Denver, Number 15 is looking to do the same. The (current) star wideout in Denver argues that his compensation is not matching his on the field production (100+ receptions in the last 2 seasons). Brandon Marshall has had numerous encounters with the law since he became a Bronco and is showing no real sign of change, hence Denver's reluctance to renegotiate his current contract. As a fan, it would be sad to see our best 2 offensive players gone, but Marshall's extracurriculars are getting pretty tiresome. Here are some ideas: stay out of trouble, have another pro-bowl season, and get paid! That's how things work in the NFL.

Deja Vu
After firing Clint Hurdle, the Rockies were streaking like it was 2007. Before dropping their last two to the Angels, the Rockies had won 17 of 18 and starting to believe. After dropping the last two, they need to figure out if they can contend for a playoff spot and keep up some sort of consistent play or whether they'll just be satisfied. As someone who thought the organization was content with its state before, I was surprised to see the departure of Hurdle in order for change. I just hope the rest of the team is working for change too.

LSU wins College World Series
After winning game 1 in extra innings and letting Texas tie up the series at a game a piece, LSU was able to lay a smackdown on Texas to clinch the title. Go SEC.

Manny in the Minors
You want proof that baseball doesn't care about steroids? The provision in Manny's "punishment" that allows for a Minor League stint to get back to form should be all you need. He took a women's fertility drug that was listed on the banned substances list! If he was suspended for 50 games, it should be 50 games with ABSOLUTELY no allowance of minor league time or anything close to that. If he needs to go to the minors to get "back to form" that should happen after the 50 game suspension, not during it. If he was worried about being out of form, he should have considered not taking a banned substance!

Wimbledon
On ESPN, many are questioning whether Roger Federer winning Wimbledon "would count" without him having to face Rafael Nadal. If he does win, he will have 15 Majors, most all time in addition to the career grand slam he just achieved at the French Open. It shouldn't and doesn't matter who you beat in any sort of championship, especially a milestone one. Anybody discounting Phil Jackson's 10th title after facing the Magic? I didn't think so.

Shaqtus No More
Highlighting the trades that have gone on leading up to tonight's NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns traded future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. For the Cavs, it is a much improved shot at post at least for the year. If they do win the title, Shaq will have given Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James their first championships. If nothing else, maybe Shaq can teach LeBron how to be a good sport.

Other trades include a trade between Orlando and New Jersey sending Vince Carter to the Magic in hopes for another shot at a title. During the draft, my Nuggets aqcuired Ty Lawson of UNC in a trade with Minnesota so props to Denver. I do still hope they can sign at least Chris Andersen to another deal other than their other free agents but all of them would be great.

USA USA USA!!!
If you're not chanting that, you should be. After the miracle that launched the US Soccer team to the semifinals against top ranked Spain, we beat them and will play in the Final vs. Brazil. Some are calling the upset of Spain a miracle on grass, I wouldn't go as far as to compare it to the miracle on ice but it is always great to beat other countries that plan on walking all over us. In the immortal words of Stan Marsh, "Go America, Go Broncos."

Western Conference Finals: Nuggets v. Lakers v. Officials v. Nuggets

Don't worry readers, that title is NOT a typo. I wrote it that way because the Nuggets are apparently playing against the NBA's officials (sic) and the Lakers in the same series. In addition, they're killing themselves in shooting as evidenced in their surrendering of Game 3. In a game where they led by a handful of points at any given moment and up 8 going into the 4th, they couldn't seal the deal and are now down 2-1 to the Lakers.

The first reason I'm blaming the officials (sic) is because they are making terrible calls and completely prohibiting any sort of pace for the 3 games of this series so far. They called 5 technical fouls in a playoff game for any sign of physicality. The most absurd of these came at the end of the third quarter when J.R. Smith hit a buzzer beating 3 pointer that put the Nuggets up 79-71. Call me old fashioned, but if I did that after not being on my game for a while I'd feel pretty good about that shot too. LeBron didn't get T'd for his celebration after his buzzer beater to even the series with Orlando. That call effectively killed the momentum Denver had going into the final quarter and again succeeded in impairing any sort of pace in the game. Well done NBA.

The second reason, which is hand in hand with the first, is all of this Lebron vs. Kobe hype. King James vs. the Black Mamba. Enough already. Since the Cavaliers and Lakers are both tops seeds of the Eastern and Western Conferences respectively, it makes sense. I get it. I'm just saying it sure would be a shame to spend all that money (looking at you Vitamin Water, Nike, ESPN) on advertisements and specials previewing this matchup that may not happen. Frankly, the Cavaliers don't deserve it and might not make it. They've choked on two huge, early leads and could easily be down 0-2 to the Magic but they have the MVP so he's keeping them in there. Lakers have had a pretty so-so showing in the playoffs overall but have finally realized they're in the playoffs since they've started playing the Nuggets. I'm just tired of the sports media in general acting like these Conference Finals don't matter at all. They're not exhibition series, they're playoff series! I wouldn't be surprised if one or both of them were not in the Finals. At least they get their vitamins.

As for the last part (v. Nuggets), wake up guys! Chauncey Billups has not played like Finals MVP Chauncey Billups this playoff series. He's missed more free throws this series than he does in a single year and has not been "Mr. Big Shot" against the Lakers. Chris "Birdman" Andersen, as usual, thrived off the energy of the crowd and had a solid game. Others like J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin have not shown up against the Lakers of Los Angeles. Collectively, the Nuggets were just 33-84 from the field and were 5-27 beyond the arc. Not exactly clutch play. Denver will lose if they have to keep playing the officials (sic) and the Lakers. They need to prove the naysayers wrong and close a game. The bench as well as players like Billups need to get in playoff mode and contribute because basketball is a team sport despite worshipping the individual (Kobe v. LeBron).

I hope I'm wrong, but the NBA has done a good job so far making it seem like these Conference finals don't matter. It has been decided since before the playoffs even started. Kobe v. LeBron, 24 v. 23, East v. West, Integrity v. Ratings.

Basketbrawl

In one corner, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking at another shot to claim a title. In the other corner, the Denver Nuggets who haven't won a championship ever. Chauncey Billups is back in his hometown and has given the Nuggets leadership, continuity, and defense.

Somewhere in the background of this [hopefully] great matchup lurks a surprising foe. The Pepsi Center (where Denver plays home games) double booked Monday the 25th. Game 4 of the Western Conference finals are going to take place then, but WWE's Monday Night Raw was also scheduled to take place and had been for quete some time. It sucks for Vince McMahon and the entire WWE that they have to reschedule and relocate with very little notice, BUT Denver is the Nuggets' hometown, not the WWE's.

Game 1 between the Lakers and Nuggets is tonight and the Nuggets have not played a game since last Wednesday. I hope that the extra time to prepare for either the Lakers or Rockets helps the Nuggets steal at least one of these games in L.A. Go Nuggets!

Maverick Malice

After giving up a tough home loss to the Nuggets with some controversy, the Mavericks (players, owners and the like) had plenty of words for the officials who they believed missed the foul on Carmelo Anthony before he took the shot that won the game.

With all the calls the refs made throughout (61 total), I think it was about time they let them play the game. Of course, the Mavs and those in their camp will suggest otherwise. The reality of it is they have nobody to blame but themselves.

The Nuggets shot a dismal 33 percent in the first half but managed to go into halftime up 48-45. If I'm at home in the playoffs going against that, I should be up by 20. Denver's Chris "the Birdman" Andersen fouled out with just over 9 minutes left in the game where Billups and Anthony were both in foul trouble. Dallas had plenty of opportunity to take advantage of a game that was served to them on a platter. Instead, the Nuggets took care of business and dealt the Mavericks only their second home loss since the All Star Break.

The first? Also at the hands of the Nuggets in the regular season.

Denver now has a chance to close out this series Monday in Dallas. They're still flying under the radar because of the epidemic that is east coast bias, but this team is going to work and getting the job done.

Riddle me this: 2009 Draft Recap

With the coming and going of the 2009 NFL Draft comes change and dreams of a bright future. With all the changes that have occurred with the Denver Broncos since the end of December, I almost don't recognize them anymore. Denver brought surprise and great maneuverability to this year's draft which resulted in mixed feelings by fans and analysts alike. As for this fan (because that's why you're here) here are my thoughts on this year's selections.

1. Knowshon Moreno - I think Moreno is an excellent pick for Denver (not just because he played for UGA) because of the help and stability he will bring to a position that was filled by 9 different players last season. Whether Kyle Orton or Chris Simms will be under center remains to be seen but either of them will be under much less pressure because of the threat Moreno will bring to opposing defenses. He'll also give us back red zone efficiency, where we really hurt last year with all of the picks and fumbles that happened there.
   
2. Robert Ayers - Mike Mayock likes him and that's always a good start. Upon further inspection, looks like he could be a steal for where we got him. I saw some Senior Bowl vids in which Ayers crushed #6 pick Andre Smith. Here's hoping he can bring a spark (and some sacks) to a suspect d-line.
3. Alphonso Smith - came in the second round but Denver gave up their first rounder next year for him. Many who believe the Broncos will not be as good this year worry that it will be a top 10 pick for a 5'9 corner from Wake Forest. Besides Champ (6') Smith is only a couple inches shorter than the rest of Denver's corners. Plain and simple, it is a position that needed addressing with the aging of their defensive backfield. He is awesome to watch in the couple games I saw him in and still got a few (21 total) picks despite his height. During his press conference he was smiling ear to ear the whole time and I could tell he really wants to be a Bronco. Who better to mentor him than Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins?
4. Darcel McBath - didn't really see a whole lot of his play when i watched a red raiders game, but I like the pick because he can play safety or corner and will, like Smith, learn from some of the best in the league.
5. Richard Quinn - This is the one pick I don't really understand. Twelve career receptions at UNC, he'll be a blocking specialist but this move was made even more surprising because they still have Tony Scheffler. I guess we'll see but I think they could have just waited to get him in the 3rd round.
6. David Bruton - Notre Dame's lone draftee, Bruton should also help in the defensive secondary and McD says he's quite the special teams player. We could definitely use more fair catches and better punt coverage although I hope we're not punting as much. That does it on defense
   
7. Seth Olsen - As long as he helps keep (insert QB here) upright and open up lanes for Moreno, we should be in good shape.
8. Kenny McKinley - McDaniels shows his McBias to McNames. McKinley is the all time leading receiver for South Carolina and could be quite the steal. He's built for the slot role and could bust out in McDaniels' system.
9. Tom Brandstater - moved up to get him at top of the 6th round so that tells me he's definitely who McDaniels wanted. I hope McD is around long enough to groom him to be our long term answer at quarterback. Brandstater is definitely smart and finished his Masters in Sports Psychology so surely that could translate and help him better adapt to McDaniels' intricate system.
   
10. Blake Schlueter - Center that might need some beefing up before he's ready to take over in a year or two. Again, aging position that will need someone ready to take it over.
    

In a draft highlighted by good character and versatility, Denver brings on 4 defensive players and 6 offensive along with a late round quarterback named Tom. Time will only tell how good McDaniels' and Xanders' incumbant draft really is. I did expect more defense and was surprised that no DTs or LBs were drafted but they must be confident with what they have. Obviously, I hope it's a great class that can have some immediate impact players like last year's draft highlighted by Eddie Royal and Ryan Clady.

Big Easy Mode

I can't just ignore the Nuggets tying the largest margin of victory by a road team in the playoffs. What kind of sports blogger would that make me?

After their close rally in game 3 of their series with the New Orleans Hornets, the Nuggets came out and played some ball. Denver ended up losing that game in a heart breaker by a mere two points but went into the Hornets' house again in game 4 and crushed them by 58!

Now, the Nuggets have a chance to close out this series at home and advance to round two. Since they won games 1 and 2 by double digits as well, they can hopefully carry this momentum to Wednesday's game and the next series. Go Nuggets!