Niblets from around the net for 5/2/09

By Bill Smith

Best comment of the week:

From ReverseCellPhones on AFC Draft winners and losers:

Great material Bill. I am a little worried about the Bengals picks. They have had character issues with players in the past but still continue to draft those players on the fringe of being trouble.

Everything I read about the Bengals 1^st pick Andre Smith (OT Alabama) isn’t a bad kid but just VERY immature. A couple of “expert’s” final projections showed Michael Johnson (DE Georgia Tech) taken in the first round. He has never matched the hype he had coming into college let alone at the beginning of this season. But in the 3^rd round, he was a great pick. I loved the picks of Rey Maualuga (ILB USC 2^nd round) Chase Coffman (TE Missouri 3^th round) Jonathan Luigs (OC Arkansas 4^th round). All are outstanding values where they were picked. MAYBE, just maybe, the Bengals are turning things around.

Updates on previous columns:

A few names in the draft you won’t recognize but should know.

QB Stephen McGee Texas A&M—Dallas 4^th round pick 101

RB Gartrell Johnson Colorado State—San Diego 4^th round pick 134

RB Ian Johnson Boise State—URFA signed by Jacksonville

FB Jorvorskie Lane Texas A&M

WR Mike Thomas Arizona—Jacksonville 4^th round pick 107

WR Jarett Dillard Rice—Jacksonville 5^th round pick 144

TE Bear Pascoe Fresno State—SF 6^th round pick 146

OL Seth Olsen Iowa—Denver 4^th round pick 132

OL Sebastion Vollmer Houston—New England 2^nd round pick 58

Defensive sleepers in the 2009 NFL draft

DL Ty Steinkuhler Nebraska—URFA Jets

DL Stryker Sulak Missouri—Oakland 6^th round pick 199

DL Matt Shaughnessy Wisconsin–Oakland 3^rd round pick 71

DL Nick Reed Oregon—Seattle 7^th round pick 247

DL Myron Pryor Kentucky—New England 6^th round pick 207

LB Lawrence Sidbury Richmond—Atlanta 4^th round pick 125

LB Scott McKillop Pittsburgh—SF 5^th round pick 146

LB Marcus Freeman Ohio State—Chicago 5^th round pick 154

S Tony Clark Georgia Tech

CB Morgan Trent Michigan—Cincinnati 6^th round pick 179

Boston Vs. Chicago—Tackle basketball is back!

As predicted, the NBA chose not to suspend Celtic Rajon Rondo. There is nothing wrong with a hard foul attempting to block a shot. However, when a player acts only to attempt to injure an opponent, that must be punished.

Niblets fresh off the cob:

The Yankees have cut the price of their premium seats in half. That would be a class move if the price wasn’t $500 up AFTER the reduction. The Yanks have their heads …

Cleveland was not able to get a 1^st and 3^rd round pick for WR Braylon Edwards prior to the draft.

Given his near terminal case of dropsy and his contract demands for an extension, that is not a surprise. According to reports, the best offer the Browns got was a 2^nd this year and a 3^rd to 5^th next year depending on catches (and probably drops as well).

Arizona Cardinals released RB Edgerrin James

James was scheduled to earn 5 million dollars this year. Much of that money will be used to try to rework the contract of WR Anquan Boldin. The team was not able to get enough prior to the draft to tempt them to trade their outstanding WR.

As I predicted:

The Bulls have pushed the Celtics to a 7^th game.

Despite nearly every “expert” talking about a sure first round pick, both James Laurinaitis (ILB Ohio State) and Rey Maualuga (ILB USC) went early in the second round. They will both be very solid starters in the league for a long time. But ILBs just don’t go in the first round normally.

Columbus Ohio is still without a NHL playoff ready hockey team. We would like to thank the Blue Jackets for participating. Be sure to pick up your parting gift—a home version of our game—on your way out.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer forand editshttps://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and edits.

My email is[email protected].