Happy Earth Day! Wait, you didn’t know it was Earth Day? 
It’s been around for 40 years, supposedly and it sure seems like it is officially an overblown and meaningless “holiday” like “Sweetest Day” or “Patriots’ Day” in Boston. Are you or anyone you know doing anything different today than any other day? The whole “going green” thing seems like a way for people to quiet the loudest whining environmentalists when nothing has drastically changed. I haven't seen any studies recently about the ozone layer - is that still an issue? Has the hole gotten bigger or have we solved that problem? Or was that all just a bunch of crap to make a point politically?
With the draft starting tonight, here are a handful of predictions for what I think will or will not happen tonight:
- The Redskins will draft and offensive lineman. Mike Shannahan will want to draft a quarterback with every fiber of his soul, but he has to be smart enough to know that the trade for Donovan McNabb can only be successful if he is upright more often than he isn’t. Wouldn’t it make sense to trade down to around #13 and look at a guy like Dez Bryant to give McNabb a receiving option that isn’t a midget like Santana Moss or a project like Malcolm Kelly?
- The 49ers should draft Jimmy Clausen. They have two picks at #13
and #17, so they have the ability to get a quarterback that can be the face of the franchise and make a great team with Vernon Davis and Michaeel Crabtree. Alex Smith is not the long-term answer for a team with enough talent to win the NFC West this season. They have a talented defense and a solid core of guys at the skill position except at quarterback. Wouldn’t it make sense to get a guy who can utilize those weapons?
- If the Packers do anything other than draft an offensive lineman, the
fans will revolt. Ted Thompson went against everything he’s ever done last year by trading up to get Clay Matthews, and it was the best move he’s ever made. So if he needs to trade up again to get one of the top offensive linemen that Thompson loves (Maurkice Pouncey, Bryan Baluga and Anthony Davis – according to Bob McGinn), then he should absolutely make that move. The Packers have the right pieces in place other than guys to protect Aaron Rodgers which would allow him to make a run at the MVP. He’s already making MVP moves off the field, as word has it he’s dating the lead singer from Lady Antebelum.
- Ben Roethlisberger will still be a Steeler after Round 1 tonight, but there is a better chance that he gets
traded tonight than any other time. Let’s say that for some reason Colt McCoy and maybe even Jimmy Clausen slide all the way out of round one. If you’re the Steelers, don’t you think they’re calling all of those teams that have picks in the low 30’s and offering Big Ben for a chance to draft Clausen or possibly McCoy? And if you’re a team like Cleveland at #38, Oakland at #39, Buffalo at #41, or especially Denver which holds #43 & #45, wouldn’t you give up that pick for a proven quarterback, even with his off the field baggage? Seems like a great deal for the Broncos to make and Roethlisberger is a tremendous upgrade over their own partying quarterback, Kyle Orton.
- Tim Tebow will still be available tonight. There has been an increase of chatter that some team will fall in love with him and either draft him late in round one or trade back into the late first round to get a shot at him. I just can’t see it. Why? The salary structure is still pretty high even for a late round pick, so you would be paying Tebow a pretty healthy salary while he learns the game and is not contributing to your team. I just don’t see it at all. I think he is a good pick sometime around the late 2nd or 3rd rounds, but not in the first round.
- Mel Kiper will take a swing at Todd McShay during the telecast.
Okay, that’s unlikely to happen, but it would make for great television. I like the debates between Kiper and McShay because they actually seem to like and respect each other and understand that they will have differing opinions on players. It is unlike the pathetic skits on SportsCenter in the past when Sean Salisbury and John Clayton would debate topics and it was obvious that they truly disliked each other. They couldn’t help but make personal attacks on each other, and I was always half expecting Clayton to end all discussion by telling Salisbury he has something on his phone he wants to show him.
It’s been around for 40 years, supposedly and it sure seems like it is officially an overblown and meaningless “holiday” like “Sweetest Day” or “Patriots’ Day” in Boston. Are you or anyone you know doing anything different today than any other day? The whole “going green” thing seems like a way for people to quiet the loudest whining environmentalists when nothing has drastically changed. I haven't seen any studies recently about the ozone layer - is that still an issue? Has the hole gotten bigger or have we solved that problem? Or was that all just a bunch of crap to make a point politically?With the draft starting tonight, here are a handful of predictions for what I think will or will not happen tonight:
- The Redskins will draft and offensive lineman. Mike Shannahan will want to draft a quarterback with every fiber of his soul, but he has to be smart enough to know that the trade for Donovan McNabb can only be successful if he is upright more often than he isn’t. Wouldn’t it make sense to trade down to around #13 and look at a guy like Dez Bryant to give McNabb a receiving option that isn’t a midget like Santana Moss or a project like Malcolm Kelly?
- The 49ers should draft Jimmy Clausen. They have two picks at #13
and #17, so they have the ability to get a quarterback that can be the face of the franchise and make a great team with Vernon Davis and Michaeel Crabtree. Alex Smith is not the long-term answer for a team with enough talent to win the NFC West this season. They have a talented defense and a solid core of guys at the skill position except at quarterback. Wouldn’t it make sense to get a guy who can utilize those weapons?- If the Packers do anything other than draft an offensive lineman, the
fans will revolt. Ted Thompson went against everything he’s ever done last year by trading up to get Clay Matthews, and it was the best move he’s ever made. So if he needs to trade up again to get one of the top offensive linemen that Thompson loves (Maurkice Pouncey, Bryan Baluga and Anthony Davis – according to Bob McGinn), then he should absolutely make that move. The Packers have the right pieces in place other than guys to protect Aaron Rodgers which would allow him to make a run at the MVP. He’s already making MVP moves off the field, as word has it he’s dating the lead singer from Lady Antebelum.- Ben Roethlisberger will still be a Steeler after Round 1 tonight, but there is a better chance that he gets
traded tonight than any other time. Let’s say that for some reason Colt McCoy and maybe even Jimmy Clausen slide all the way out of round one. If you’re the Steelers, don’t you think they’re calling all of those teams that have picks in the low 30’s and offering Big Ben for a chance to draft Clausen or possibly McCoy? And if you’re a team like Cleveland at #38, Oakland at #39, Buffalo at #41, or especially Denver which holds #43 & #45, wouldn’t you give up that pick for a proven quarterback, even with his off the field baggage? Seems like a great deal for the Broncos to make and Roethlisberger is a tremendous upgrade over their own partying quarterback, Kyle Orton.- Tim Tebow will still be available tonight. There has been an increase of chatter that some team will fall in love with him and either draft him late in round one or trade back into the late first round to get a shot at him. I just can’t see it. Why? The salary structure is still pretty high even for a late round pick, so you would be paying Tebow a pretty healthy salary while he learns the game and is not contributing to your team. I just don’t see it at all. I think he is a good pick sometime around the late 2nd or 3rd rounds, but not in the first round.
- Mel Kiper will take a swing at Todd McShay during the telecast.
Okay, that’s unlikely to happen, but it would make for great television. I like the debates between Kiper and McShay because they actually seem to like and respect each other and understand that they will have differing opinions on players. It is unlike the pathetic skits on SportsCenter in the past when Sean Salisbury and John Clayton would debate topics and it was obvious that they truly disliked each other. They couldn’t help but make personal attacks on each other, and I was always half expecting Clayton to end all discussion by telling Salisbury he has something on his phone he wants to show him.
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