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Saturday, December 8, 2012

DE-COMMISSIONED


The Autumn of Podcasts with Blots Continues as we discuss:
 
1. Intro (0-2)
 
2. Jovan Belcher (3-10)
 
3. Goodell's New Kickoff Plan (10-22)
 
4. Urlacher and the Bears (23-28)
 
5. The Heisman (29-31)
 
6. Cam Newton (32-38)
 
7. Adderall (38-46)
 
8. The Lakers (47-53)
 
9. Stern's Spurs Fine (54-58)
 
10. The NHL (59-1:07)
 
11. MLB Free Agency and Replay (1:07-1:12)
 
12. Rank the Commissioners (1:12-1:16)
 
13. Model American (1:16-1:21)
 
 
Read my writing at: www.footballpros.com
 
 
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Saturday, November 10, 2012

SAME OLD PHIL-ING


 
A BLOT-LIKE AUTUMN CONTINUES, BLOTS IS ON AS WE DISCUSS:
 
1. Intro (0-2)
2. Lakers, NBA, Phil Jackson, Harden (3-15)
3. Bears-Texans (16-31)
4. Other NFL Stuff, Luck, Cowboys, Eagles (32-54)
5. NCAA Gets More Money (55-1:03)
6. Model American (1:04-1:08)
 
 
Search iTunes: "polishguypodcast"
 
Twitter: @PguyPodcast
 
See my writing at Cris Collinsworth's www.footballpros.com
 
 
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Saturday, October 20, 2012

SOMEONE NEEDS THEIR BOTTLE


A TRIP AROUND ALL SPORTS WITH BLOTS
 
1. Intro (0-2)
 
2. Goodell, Bountygate, Tagliabue (3-15)
 
3. NFL News, Is Anyone Good? (16-40)
 
4. Athletes and Mortality- Lance, Jeter, Lewis (41-58)
 
5. World Series Talk (58-1:12)
 
6. NHL Problem (1:13-1:18)
 
7. College Football (1:18-1:26)
 
8. Model American (1:27-1:32)
 
 
 
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Saturday, September 22, 2012

A TRIP AROUND THE NFL- SEPT 2012


Blots is on Again as we do All Things NFL
 
1. Intro
 
2. Schiano (3-10)
 
3. Cardinals and Fake Refs (11-22)
 
4. Peyton's Arm (23-27)
 
5. Cardinals and Seahawks (28-35)
 
6. Chris Johnson (36-42)
 
7. Jay Cutler and the Bears (43-55)
 
8. Chiefs, Saints, Chargers, Raiders (56- 1:08)
 
9. Browns (1:08-1:13)
 
10. Model American
 
 
 
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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Are You Ready for Football?

 
Hack returns to the podcast for the Mega NFL Preview.
 
The AFC- First Podcast
1. AFC East (0-26)
2. AFC North (27-46)
3. AFC South (47-57)
4. AFC West (58-1:05)
5. Playoff Predictions (1:05-1:15) 
 
The NFC and Playoff Predictions- Second Podcast
1. NFC East (0-32)
2. NFC North (33-47)
3. NFC South (48-1:03)
4. NFC West (1:04-1:21)
 
 
 
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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Los Angeles Wins


Blots is On for the Return of the Podcast as we discuss:
 
 
1. The Dwight Howard deal and the NBA (3-20)
 
2. PEDs/MLB/Melky Cabrera (21-32)
 
3. Lance Armstrong (33-45)
 
4. Roger Clemens (46-54)
 
5. NFL Preview First Thoughts (55-1:15)
 
6. Model American/ Red Sox-Dodgers Trade (1:15-1:22)
 
 
 
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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Trader Bud's Goof Emporium


The Annual Podcast That Looks at All the Things Baseball Does Wrong.


1. Introduction (0-10)

2. MLB and Instant Replay (11-18)

3. MLB and the All-Star Game (19-30)

4. MLB and the Schedule (30-35)

5. MLB and the Playoffs (35-42)

6. MLB and Marketing (43-47)

7. Model American



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Monday, June 25, 2012

NFL'S TOP TEN ROOKIE SEASONS OF ALL-TIME




Introduction

After a great statistical season by Cam Newton this past year, I started to wonder how it ranked in the pantheon of the best rookie seasons of all-time. Of course, this meant a list had to be made and it felt like a good time to do another Top Ten here on FootballPros. So, I put one together (only NFL draft era players are considered, 1936-present) , got some feedback, changed my address after some suspect emails got sent back as a response to the original list, revised it, paid an outstanding debt I had in the Saints bounty program, closed my eyes and ended up with this:

1. Lawrence Taylor, 1981, New York Giants
Lawrence Taylor (The Original “L.T.”) may have one of the worst statistical seasons on this whole list. What nobody else has on this list is the overall impact on the game and a team that Taylor had. Unofficially, Taylor had 9.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception and 25 pairs of pants wetted by opposing quarterbacks. The last number counts several back-up quarterbacks who could not control their bladders just from watching Taylor streak toward their brethren.

Hyperbole aside, Taylor began a new era of linebackers in the mid to late 1980s who would try and often fail to become the man that came before them. Derrick Thomas came close. There is no question that Taylor help form new blitzing schemes, blocking schemes and new offensive strategy due to the terror he inflicted.

The biggest question about Taylor is exactly what he could have become if he did not play the game with the reckless abandon that defined his life. Those actions led to a career that is filled is some question marks, a need to do what he wanted on plays, arguments with the coaching staff and a general uneasiness towards him by management that led to him being drafted #2 instead of #1 in the first place. Maybe he needed the edge that the life brought. Maybe he could have been even better than he was. Maybe he was just born to be a great linebacker.

While it is easy to forget numbers that forge a career, it will never be easy to forget one of the biggest defensive superstars the sport has ever seen. He still is the only player to ever earn Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and Defensive Player of the Year honors during his first NFL season. That’s pretty fitting for a guy who was rumored to idolize a guy nicknamed “Hollywood.”

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...7953A3&first=0

2. Randy Moss, 1998, Minnesota Vikings

Second place on this list of great seasons is another player that had plenty of question marks about attitude along with zero questions about talent. Randy Moss always looked like a man playing against Pop Warner clubs during his college career. Rumors about work ethic and drug use and an exit from Florida State bombarded his draft stock during the 1998 off-season. No one took a chance on Moss until the 21st pick of the first round.

The Vikings, who already had a wide receiver who began his career with questions, took a chance on the physical specimen and reaped the benefits of his great rookie season on their way to a 15-1 campaign that ended in usual Viking heartbreak.

Despite how the season ended, the Viking offense did things the league had not seen for a very long time before 1998. It was still a season before “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Their offense reigned over their peers like Norse Gods and Randy Moss was the man catching manna from the skies. They racked up 556 points and averaged 6.2 yards per play. Moss finished with 69 catches for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns along with several plays that made NFL corners seem like mortals going against a special man created by the Gods.

Like Achilles, fans and teams now know that Moss has his weaknesses. They have led to a trail of bad divorces from teams, but no team will ever talk about how the 6' 4" wide receiver from West Virginia was not the best talent that they have seen at the position.

Randy Moss’ first TD catch (4-95-2TD for game):

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...CFEAAD&first=0

3. Gale Sayers, 1965, Chicago Bears

Most of the fans of the NFL know Gale Sayers from the mesmerizing highlight reels voiced over by the late, great John Facenda and this quote: “Just give me 18 inches of daylight; that’s all I need.” Before watching highlights of Sayers, many would think that the comment is egotistical. After watching highlights of Sayers, many would think that the comment was too modest.

Gale Sayers burst on the scene in the NFL during a time when the brand new AFL was gaining steam as a new, more wide open league that could compete with the NFL. In fact, Sayers could have been matched with Otis Taylor and Len Dawson on the Kansas City Chiefs if he had chosen that route. The NFL and the Chicago Bears are glad he chose them.

Nicknamed the “Kansas Comet,” Sayers spent 1965 weaving, swerving, meandering, stuttering, stopping, cutting and running over opposing defenses. He toted the ball just 166 times during the season, but scored 14 touchdowns and had a 5.2 rushing average. He returned punts at 14.9 clip along with a TD. He had a 31.4 (His career average is still #1 all-time) kick return average with another score. He added 29 more catches for 6 tallies and over 500 yards.

Like a comet seen from earth, though, the flash of light was short-lived after a devastating 1968 knee injury. Sayers, refusing to retire, came back and finished his career as a bruising, between-the-tackles runner. No one will ever forget that first season.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...ers?r_src=ramp

4. Dick Lane, 1952, Los Angeles Rams

Dick “Night Train” Lane entered the league fresh out of an aircraft factory and promptly swooped down to nab 14 interceptions during a 12 game season to pace a 9-3 club. Those 14 interceptions still stand as a NFL record for one season. A modern player would have to pick off 19 balls to beat the record in terms of interceptions per game.

Of course, contemporaries of Lane’s day might remember him more not for the interceptions but the brutal hits upon the head and neck that were legal at the time. Lane was a complete player in the secondary.

The funny thing is that Night Train was not even supposed to be a defensive back. When he showed up, coaches thought he had promise as a tight end and gave him the number 81. Instead, Richard Lane became a feared leader in the defensive backfield and just never changed his number. The NFL record book may be changed forever.

5. Eric Dickerson, 1983, Los Angeles Rams

After a Super Bowl appearance that was deemed a surprise during the 1979 season, the Rams had one more good season before the team began to fall from grace. The Rams combined for 8 wins in 1981 and 1982. From 1983 to 1985, the team won over 10 games each season. Why? Well, they drafted Eric Dickerson.

With apologies to Vince Ferragamo and Dieter Brock, Dickerson was the only thing to really fear from the Rams offense. Dickerson normally would be seen as a blue, yellow and white blur due to his uniform and trademark full neck roll. The other trademark, his goggles, were not usually seen by defenders since they stared at the back of his helmet as he ran away from them. He was a spindly combination of speed and high knees that was just hard to take down.

Drafted second in the draft out of SMU, Eric Dickerson ran roughshod over opponents to the tune of 390 carries for 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns while totaling 2,212 yards from scrimmage. He had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage during three of his first four seasons.

6. Barry Sanders, 1989, Detroit Lions

Before Barry Sanders entered the NFL, no one quite like him existed. Since he has retired, no one quite like him has existed. On the field, he was probably the most elusive and talented pure runner of all-time. Despite the skills and despite the 2,850 yards (Including the bowl game) he put up at Oklahoma State during the 1988 season; there were question marks that surrounded his demure frame.

All Barry Sanders did in 1989 was rush for nearly 1,500 yards, score 14 touchdowns and average 5.3 yards per carry. He also led the league in broken ankles. He made 4 yard runs look like the best of Tarkenton’s scrambles. He did all of that in just 13 starts and began a new era of hope in the Motor City. Before Barry, the Lions went to the playoffs three times in nineteen seasons (once with a fluky 4-5 record during the 1982 season). After Sanders was drafted, they went to the playoffs 5 times in 9 seasons.

7. Earl Campbell, 1978, Houston Oilers

Since Mel Kiper did not post detailed breakdowns on players in 1978, there may have been a few defenders that were not sure what to expect from the #1 Overall Pick from Texas. To quote Mr. Clubber Lang (As played by Mr. T), they should have expected “Pain.”

The beginning of an Earl Campbell run would begin with a simple thrust of a pigskin into his abdomen, the middle would be a whirling dervish that resembled a Texas Tornado and the end result would be a scattered mess of defenders, jerseys, shoes and other various items. Bruises and power signified Earl Campbell.

His first year in the league saw him pound out 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Oilers won 32 times during his first three seasons while he scored 45 times. There nothing confirmed about the rumor that Campbell still takes a portion of the profits from Chattem, Inc, the makers of IcyHot.

8. Ronnie Lott, 1981, San Francisco 49ers

In 1980, the San Francisco 49ers were 26th in the league in defensive points allowed. By the end of 1981, they were 2nd in points allowed and had become Super Bowl Champions. There was no period of time when Ronnie Lott wasn’t a dominating player in the NFL.

Ronnie Lott was a player who did not need to play with all his limbs and would try to remove some from his opponents. Lott played in the defensive backfield from day one of camp and turned in one of better all-around seasons by a corner in history by garnering 89 tackles and seven interceptions. He returned three of those picks for touchdowns.

The only problem with Lott’s first year is that it happened to be the rookie season of Lawrence Taylor.

9. Dan Marino, 1983, Miami Dolphins

After a quarterback is drafted, the natural question is when he will be ready to start. How long will it take? Does he have the right mentality? Should he sit one year? Dan Marino entered a NFL regular season game in place of an ineffective David Woodley against the New Orleans Saints in The Superdome on October 2, 1983. The Dolphins waited too long.

Marino began his career as a NFL starter one week later during a game that would signify a pattern during a large portion of his career. Marino threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns only to see Joe Ferguson notch 5 touchdowns and 419 against the Miami defense during a Buffalo overtime win. Despite the first result, Marino led the team to a 7-2 record when he started.

What happened for the next 8 games was a precursor to what was to come for Dan Marino’s career statistics. In just over half of a season in playing time, Marino threw for 20 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards with only 9 interceptions as a rookie. It took Marino one more year to break all-time passing records for touchdowns and yards in a season. Slacker.

10. Devin Hester, 2006, Chicago Bears

A special teams player? Let’s remember the context of what Devin Hester gave the viewing world in 2006. Hester was a second round draft pick by the Bears who was thought to help as a nickel back and on returns after he showed that ability at the University of Miami (FL). Most draft experts hated the pick since the Bears of 2005 had a terrible offense. It turned out that Devin Hester was an amazing offensive player; just no one knew it.

He returned three punts and two kicks for touchdowns, becoming the first person to have five return touchdowns in a single season. He became the first person to return the opening kick for a touchdown during the Super Bowl (even with all the hype leading up to the game). Without him, the world is never entertained with the “crown their ***” rant from Dennis Green. He also had a 108 yard return of a missed field goal against the New York Giants.

He ended up breaking Brian Mitchell’s return records in about 40% of the amount of touches and he is still going. To date he has 12 punt returns, 5 kick returns, that field goal return and the Super Bowl return. Since the slow phase-out of return plays has already begun, Hester may be the last man to hold the return titles.

Honorable Mentions (In no particular order):

-Jevon Kearse, 1999, Tennessee Titans- “The Freak” had 14.5 sacks in 1999 and had 26 during his first two seasons.

-Clinton Portis, 2002, Denver Broncos- 273 att-1508 yards, 5.5 ave, 15TD, 33 catches and 2TD.

-Edgerrin James, 1999, Indianapolis Colts- Edge was really hard to leave off of the list and was one of the final cuts. His rushing average of 4.2 was not as good as the guys in the Top Ten, but his addition to the Colts was important for their run a 10+ win seasons. 369-1553, 13TD, 62 catches, 4TD.

-Cam Newton, 2011, Carolina Panthers- Count this one as the one most likely to supplant one of the others on the list. We just don’t know his overall impact on the league or future results yet. 35 combined TDs while setting a record for QB rushing touchdowns is nothing to sneeze at.

-Ben Roethlisberger, 2004, Pittsburgh Steelers- Rookies are not supposed to go 13-0, no matter the offense being run or because how dominating his own team’s defense is. It was him or Marino at #9 on the list. I went with Marino. I won’t laugh at lists with Big Ben on them.

-Billy Sims, 1980, Detroit Lions- 313 carries for 1,303 yards and 13TDs with 51 receptions. Gave hope to the Lions when the team had either 6 or 7 wins during seven of ten seasons before he arrived.

-Franco Harris, 1972, Pittsburgh Steelers- 5.6 yards per attempt, his best. The 1974 Draft is long remembered in Pittsburgh, but 1972 helped, too.

-Mike Haynes, 1976, New England Patriots- The Patriots were 3-11 in 1975. Without the Ray Hamilton game, Haynes’ 8 interceptions and 2 punt return touchdowns may have put the Pats in the Super Bowl.

-Derrick Thomas, 1989, Kansas City Chiefs- The Chiefs had other things happen, but in the 8 years after Thomas arrived, Kansas City never won less than nine games. 10 sacks.

-John Jefferson, 1978, San Diego Chargers- He made goggles cool before Eric Dickerson did. His 56 catch, 1,001 yard, 13 TD rookie year helped him become the first WR to gain 1,000 yards receiving during his first three seasons.

-Steve Van Buren, 1944, Philadelphia Eagles- Had to go real old-school on one of these. His 5INT was 2nd on the team and he had five rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.6 a carry. He also returned a kick and a punt for a touchdown.

-George Rogers, 1981, New Orleans Saints- The move to draft him over L.T. looked okay for exactly one year, but Rogers was no slouch. 1,600+ yards and 13TD.

-Ottis Anderson, 1979, St. Louis Cardinals- 1600+ yards, but team was still 5-11. Became more famous during Giants Super Bowl a decade or so later.

-Curt Warner, 1983, Seattle Seahawks- Did you know that there was once a Penn State RB that was really good in the NFL?

-Bob Hayes, 1965, Dallas Cowboys- 21+ yards per catch, 12 touchdowns and 1,000 yards.

-Aldon Smith, 2011, San Francisco 49ers- Yeah, so, during the research, I found out that 14 sack seasons are rare for rookies.

-Al “Bubba” Baker, 1978, Detroit Lions- Had 23 unofficial sacks in 1978. I wish I knew the numbers were real. We need to get a weekend with a Sabol for this.

-Mark Carrier, 1990, Chicago Bears- I was alive for this one! Okay, I’m getting batty, time to wrap this up.


ONE FINAL MENTION EVEN IF IT DOESN’T EVEN FOLLOW MY OWN RULE:

THE GRAND MARSHALL OF THE STONECUTTERS SPECIAL MENTION OF ALL-TIME IS:


-Red Grange, 1925, Chicago Bears- If it is proven that this season was not a huge reason the NFL was saved, then I’ll remove his name from the list.

Friday, June 15, 2012

They're Everywhere, Man


Busy Sports Week Needed an Emergency Podcast with Blots
1. Intro
2. US Open (0-11)
3. Rome v. Stern (12-25)
4. NBA Finals (26-34)
5. Sandusky Trial (35-45)
6. Truth About Lance and Sports and PEDs (46-1:05)
7. Model American (1:05-1:10)
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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Around The World in 80 Mintues


Houston Colleague Blots is on as we Discuss:

1. Intro

2. NHL Stanley Cup and How to Win One (0-15)

3. NBA Playoffs, An Ode to Pops, Durant (15-35)

4. MLB Injuries, Josh Hamilton, AL Central (35- 1:05)

5. Last NFL Draft Thoughts (1:05-1:15)

6. Model American

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Saturday, May 26, 2012

OH, BROTHER:


How Philadelphia became mis-understood.


"Curtis" from FootballPros.com joins as we talk PEDs, Alex Smith, How Philly got it's rep, PSLs and more.
1. Introduction
2. How Philly Became Hated (3-20)
3. Alex Smith (21-27)
4. Baseball and Eras and PEDs (28-50)

5.  The Current Phillies and Philly's Mentality (51-60)

6. PSLs, Transplant Fans, Future of Fans (61-85)

7. Model American (85-91)

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Friday, May 11, 2012

TRY OR TRY NOT, THERE IS NO "DO."


ATHLETES AND TRYING

1. Athletes and the Fans and Trying (0-15)

2. NHL Playoffs

3. Early Returns in the MLB

4. NBA Playoffs

5. Terrell Suggs and Phil Taylor

6. Model American


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Friday, April 27, 2012

2012 NFL Draft Time-Stamp Article


2012 NFL DRAFT TIME-STAMP ARTICLE

It’s the night truly about luck. It’s not just about the Stanford quarterback that is soon to be taken by the temporarily re-named Indianoplace Colts; but about the luck every other team will have over the next five years. It is also the time of year I re-visit one of my favorite articles; the NFL Draft time-stamp article. It happens, I write it, I quickly edit it and turn it in.

This year, as usual, Hack is here to end up hating what the Browns do and so I can get a few lines in about his reactions. Also here is New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton because, well, he has nothing to do. (He’s not here, but he could be). We’re talking about his time as Chicago Bears quarterback and whether or not Mickey Loomis might be listening to us right now. Things seem calm... other than that black Crown Victoria that seems to be driving by my house every four minutes. The give-away as to who it is is the huge “NFL” logo on the hood of the car. It’s the NFL: secretive, yet marketable!

Of course, we are treated with the crew of ESPN again this year, but not for the entertainment purposes that Mel Kiper’s hair provides, but because the Polishguy moved from Polishguy Grounds to Polishguy Manor. The new abode does not provide any cable service other than Time Warner and Time Warner does not provide the NFL Network. I have no choice. Alright, let’s have some fun....

7:16pm- The first trade has happened about an hour before the official start of the draft.  The Browns trade up to the three spot and give up a 4th, 5th and a 7th to do it. I am very curious on how the Vikings sold this one. Maybe Tampa wanted to trade up for Richardson and Cleveland had to block it. Maybe Leslie Frazier is laughing right now.

7:56pm- We’ve tuned in. We see excellent highlights of Luck handing off. Gruden loves it. We are waiting for him to be mildly excited at some time.

7:58pm- Berman’s ego just screamed for no reason.

8:00pm- Gary Clark Jr. and Ray Lewis open the show. I am not sure how I feel about this. None of these guys play guitar like Clark Jr. I feel this is setting the bar too high for some of these prospects.

8:03pm- Darth Goodell gets slightly less boos than last year.

8:05pm- The Colts select Ryan Leaf even though there is a warrant out for his arrest. They just wanted to correct that whole Peyton Manning mistake. Just kidding, it is Andrew Luck. I mean, did he even need the cell phone?  Couldn’t he just have walked on the stage after Goodell finished? How many weeks were they sure of it? Luck even got handed a “12” jersey instead of the typical “1.” It takes four weeks to sew on each of the numbers.

8:13pm- Redskins fans are excited that Andre 3000 is their new quarterback. It’s a really bad move. Andre 3000 peaked in 2001. His beard is trimmed nicely, though.

8:15pm- Wow, even Kiper made the mistake of comparing Griffin to Newton. Great job. He’s only 3 inches and 30 pounds lighter than Newton.  Kiper likes the way he moves and the color of his socks. I never said Andre 3000 was not stylish.

8:20pm- Browns select Trent Richardson. I hope those aren’t his kids. They look 8 years old. This guy may be 28.

8:25pm- Gruden just said “Maurice” Claiborne. I’m thinking he may not know the names of the corners, but he knows the favorite book of every quarterback available in this draft.

8:27pm- Vikings select Matt Khalil. I’ll just say this to everyone. I was right; ignore crap two days before the draft. They wanted him the whole time and got three extra picks with a nice sales job.  Unfortunately, the Vikings will be playing in a parking lot soon. Other than not having a stadium, they’re fine. If they end up in LA, Norwegians better learn how to tan.

8:32pm- The Jags select Justin Blackmon. They have blocked the Rams from getting him and now the Rams have traded the 6 pick to Dallas. This draft would be fast and furious without the 5 minute ESPN dog and pony show after every pick.

8:34pm- The trade meter is already up to 4 and only 5 players have been picked. This is crazier than a night with Charlie Sheen, Mike Tyson and 1990s Robert Downey Jr.

8:36pm- Ed Werder is in Dallas. Also, the Kardashians made the tabloids today.

8:37pm- The Cowboys select Morris Claiborne. Jerry definitely goes all in and now has Carr and Claiborne in the secondary. Interestingly, Claiborne’s pick number is just slightly higher than his Wonderlic score.  Clearly, he is unaware of this fact. He is unaware of many facts.

8:42pm- Gruden just called him Clayburn. Someone get him some coffee and Ryan Tannehill. He is in QB withdrawal.

8:44pm- The Bucs select Mark Barron, S, Alabama. Gruden calls him “Red Barron.” He must have gone to Berman’s School of Bad Puns during the draft off-season.

8:47pm- The Dolphins have their pick in. We want to laugh. Please be Tannehill…….

8:49pm- IT’S TANNEHILL! This is why the team should never listen to the fans. Tannehill was 55th in passing efficiency in 2011. He was 11 spots behind Cody Fajardo. ESPN struggled to find highlights of him NOT throwing across his body. He also has no receivers to throw to.

8:53pm- The “Insider Alerts” on the broadcast are as laughable as the last pick. The last one showed that the Rams have three 2nd rounders now. That involves counting, not research or a few well-placed calls. I wouldn’t call that “Insider.”

8:55pm- Smart pick by the Panthers to take Kuechly. Let’s hope he does not have the same injury problems Dan Morgan did. Seriously. Talented player with a bright future. Had about 6 million tackles in college.

8:57pm- ESPN is proving right now that you do not want the #3 quarterback in a draft. Anyone need a reminder of who that is this year?

8:58pm- Bills are up. Stephon Gilmore is the pick. They must have been one of the teams who had him as their #1 corner. This is the biggest curveball of the draft so far.

9:03pm- Chiefs select Dontari Poe. The Podcast nailed one again. Apparently, only quarterbacks and guys with dreads can be picked in this year’s first round. This is bad for Reilly Reiff. Kiper is mentioning money might make him want to play good football. But, he played in college, right?

9:10pm- Kind of surprised the NFL is allowing commercials to run that have Saints highlights in them.

9:11pm- The Eagles trade up and select Fletcher Cox. Not much to say about this pick except now it seems that the Rams have missed on their player twice in the first 13 picks. Of course, a big receiver is still on the board. Nice drama right now.

9:14pm- Of course, we’re mad because we can’t make the “Rams + Cox= What a Package” joke.  Well, we did it anyway.

9:18pm- The Cardinals select Michael Floyd out of Notre Dame. All the lobbying from the team’s best player paid off. Plus, if the new receiver drives off the road, he’s likely to hit sand. So, that’s good.

9:23pm- Will Smith has to go back in time to save the planet this summer. I swear going to the MIB well has nothing to do with his lack of recent roles.

9:27pm- Rams select Michael Brockers. Since when did this draft get so predictable? Jeff Fisher type of pick here with the receivers gone. They can still get that position later. Not sure how much he helps the pass rush other than giving some support to Long.

9:30pm- Seahawks have their mystery pick in. It is Bruce Irvin, OLB, out of West Virginia. We now know why Seattle wasn’t worried about their guy getting taken. He is a pure pass rusher. He’s been in jail for robbery and dropped out of high school. I predict a future as the best new-age grunge talent in Seattle. FWIW, situational pass rusher Mark Anderson was a 5th round pick.

9:36pm- Amazingly, we just heard Tebow’s name for the first time tonight. All those people playing draft drinking games went ahead and chugged the bottle anyway after that last pick.

9:39pm- And the Jets take Coples with Upshaw and Ingram on the board. It is pretty interesting what the Jets are doing. Concern areas are: “Inconsistent effort, disappears for stretches and stays blocked.” So, um, about this draft. It looks like the GMs stopped their draft boards at #12 like we should have.

9:42pm- I’m thinking a workout room shown before the commercial breaks with the red walls and flashing lights would not let me concentrate too well on my workout. I hope they did not do the combine in that room.

9:46pm- The Bengals select Dre Kirkpatrick. They went with need over a luxury pick and we finally nail a positional pick. Cincy fans will like his size. If Whoopi Goldberg passes on, he can help host “The View” in her absence. People only can see her hair anyway.

9:52pm- Chargers pick is in. It’s Melvin Ingram. Apparently, WR and QB are not the only two positions the NFL does not trust from Steve Spurrier.

9:53pm- Bears are up. I am trying to not get angry yet…..

9:55pm- Pick is in. I said I did not want Wright or Mercilus. Let’s see….

9:57pm- Again, great stats by ESPN. Bears were 7-3 with Cutler and 1-5 without. What inside knowledge.

9:59pm- With a LT on the board and the guy they “loved” on the board; the Bears select a OLB/DE right after they sign Geno Hayes. We’re going to have to pretend this did not happen. This hybrid DE thing never works. McClellin is a guy I like, but he is not Terrell Suggs. This thing has me wishing it was Mercilus. A decent OLB/DE hybrid is around everywhere in this draft. Actual truth: I recently bought a puppy and named her Shea. This pick makes me want to sell her.

10:02pm- Pats trade up to #21. Interesting. Shefter announcing it is Chandler Jones. We will see.

10:06pm- Titans select Wright. Podcast nailed the pick. I feel a tiny bit better. Wait, no I don’t.

10:10pm- Pats pick is in. It is Chandler Jones. Pats get the guy they wanted. Props to Shefty for being right again. Maybe Bill Belichick is bored with football altogether and wants to start a MMA career. I think he is younger than Randy Couture.

10:12pm- Browns take expletive, expletive, deleted, hat throw. Whoops, spelled that wrong. It’s Brandon Weeden. This is too high of a pick for him. We’re both pissed now.

10:15pm- Here comes the Armed Forces marketing ploy. Time for the hair report: Berman has “that can’t be from a human head” stuff from last year, Kiper used less shoe polish on the right scalp this year and Gruden seems to be thinning in the back himself.

10:17pm- Random draft note that everyone should never forget. Guards never go high. DeCastro is still there.

10:19pm- The next player to be felled by the Madden Curse, Megatron, selects the Reilly Reiff, a left tackle that allows the Lions to move Jeff Backus. He’s the perfect type of guy to block Shea McClellin.

10:20pm- Steelers waste no time. They take DeCastro for two straight years of the perfect interior offensive selections. The entire AFC North just cringed. This is why you don’t overdraft quarterbacks who were in one read offenses who would have been available at pick #37.

10:23pm- Pats trade up again. They select Dont’a Hightower. You have to think the Pats will use him in the perfect way. The Pats and Steelers will make the playoffs again. It seems like everyone is making smart picks right now… well, except for a couple teams who border a Great Lake.

10:28pm- I guess Wade Phillips has a clause in his contract that the Texans have to take defensive players in the first round. Of course, they have to figure out how to use Whitney Mercilus. Gruden had no problems using the word “mercy” right after a Berman “merciless” pun. This is getting pretty unbearable.

10:34pm- Bengals take care of the second of their three big needs with the guard here. Zeitler has good toughness and should be a good player for years to come. We can’t give ourselves credit on this, but we did have them take this position in the second round.

10:39pm- The Packers select Nick Perry. In true modern NFL fashion, the Packers pass rush will feature a billboard calling Matthews and Perry the “Trojan Men” paid for by Trojan brand condoms. Paradoxically, this move makes opposing quarterbacks feel more exposed and unsafe.

10:45pm- Vikings trade up to get the #29 pick. They select Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame. Not sure they needed to trade up for this one. The good news is that he only has to be better than Andrew Sendejo.

10:50pm- The Niners select AJ Jenkins. We understand that they needed a wide receiver but it seems like there was better prospects available. Michael Crabtree better get the message.

10:53pm- Trade count is now at nine (including the pre-draft RGIII deal). Hack guessed ten on the podcast. Bucs are the next team to trade up.

10:54pm- The Bucs select Doug Martin here. To jump ahead of the Giants when they did not have the juice to get Richardson earlier is not a surprise at this point. This move may prove that Vikings did have something in place before the Browns jumped to get Richardson.

11:00pm- Apparently, the Giants were ordered to use up the full ten minutes for the final pick because the teams finished a half hour faster this year.

11:02pm- I bite my thumb at Chris Berman. I was just going to make another Tom Coughlin always gets fired joke.

11:04pm- The pick is in. Some fans cheer. The Giants select David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech. I guess they really, really felt like they needed another speed back who may have fumbling issues. Don’t they already have Ahmad Bradshaw? The Maras are now working on cloning devices. I mean, they could save a ton of money over time.

11:06pm- We’re done for the evening. The only thing more confusing than the plethora of trades was the crowd treating Darth Goodell like he was Vince McMahon. Maybe he is. Finally, word has it that another 450 veterans have sued the NFL in the last hour.


What do the tallies look like?
2010-11 exact picks, 4 positions, 24 players
2011-6 exact picks, 8 positions, 26 players
2012-Final: 6 exact picks, 5 positions, 24 players:


Despite the madness, we continue to hold our own on these things.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Choosing Wisely


A Night of Polish Pronostication

Annual NFL Draft Two-Round Mock

1. Intro (0-10)
2. Round 1 (10-60)
3. Round 2 (60-75)
4. Model American


Search iTunes: "polishguypodcast"


Player:

Saturday, April 14, 2012

A Time For New Beginnings


IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR THE NFL DRAFT

Welcome KabaModernFan from Footballpros.com as we discuss:

1. RGIII
2. Draft Rumors and Musings
3. David Decastro
4. Other Draft Notes (Draft talk goes until the 50 min mark)

5. MTV "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes" Review
6. Model American (About 90 min mark)


Search iTunes: "polishguypodcast"


Player:

Friday, March 30, 2012

Angels in the Infield


THE MLB PREVIEW

PART ONE
1. NL Central
2. NL East
3. NL West
4. Model American

PART TWO
1. AL Central
2. AL East
3. AL West
4. MLB Predictions
5. Model American


Search iTunes: "PolishguyPodcast"



Friday, March 9, 2012

Let The Frenzy Begin!


Hack is on as we discuss:

1. Intro

2. Saints (Sinners) 0:05 to 0:15

3. Browns Draft Scenarios 0:16 to 0:32

4. Peyton Manning Suitors 0:33 to 1:02

5. NFL Free Agent Destinations 1:03 to 1:38

6. Model American


Search iTunes: "PolishguyPodcast"




Friday, March 2, 2012

MLB Should Have Used Quicker Picker Upper for Braun-y

The Podcast Returns as I give my Thoughts on:

1. The Ryan Braun Situation

2. The New MLB Playoffs

3. The Saints Hitman Policy

4. Upcoming Podcast Schedule


Search iTunes: "PolishguyPodcast"



Saturday, February 4, 2012

46 THINGS ABOUT SUPER BOWL 46

New York at New England 6:30pm- 

Forty-Six facts, farces and forecasts for a fantastic football fantasy on February fifth. This game really should be a national holiday observed on the Monday after it is played. Or, we could start playing it on Saturday night so we all have a day to recover from the 17 pounds of wings and Doritos we just ate, not to mention the six (dozen) beers, uh, sodas we consumed. 

First, the things that won’t be mentioned:

1. How the Giants lost to a bad Redskins team in 2007 and 2011 during week 15 before their run to each Super Bowl. (22-10 in 2007 and 23-10 in 2011).

2. The Tyree catch.

3. How the Giants beat a one seed and a two seed on the road during the 2007 playoffs and won the Conference Championship in overtime by a field goal after a turnover. You know, like this year.

4. How a Giants win can give the Manning family a 2-0 record against Tom Brady in the Super Bowl or how Eli can have more Super Bowl wins than his brother. 

5. Any connection between Bill Belichick and the Giants.

6. Any reference to a winning streak by each team coming into the game. 

7. Any joke talking about how elite cannot be spelled without “Eli.”

8. Peyton’s neck. 

Didn’t I just mention everything I promised I would not mention? Um..Nevermind. Let’s just move on. Here are things that should be mentioned more:

9. That Tom Coughlin seems to be on the chopping block every single year, but averages more than nine wins a year and is 7-3 in the playoffs. 

10. That Tom Brady is 3-0 without Randy Moss on his team in a Super Bowl and 0-1 when he is. 

11. That Tom Brady has ten meaningful seasons (Minus 2000 and 2008) under his belt and has a chance for 140 total wins during that time. His record overall so far: 139-40. He is credited with one win as a starter in 2008, so many report this as 140-40. 

Things that matter:

12. The Giants are a tough match-up for New England because they can provide pressure with their front four. This allows them to mix up their coverages better than other teams. Good quarterbacks who know their offense like Brady does love to be blitzed. They consider it a free 8 yards or more.

13. The Giants will not be able to run a lot of the plays off guard that Bradshaw likes because Vince Wilfork is two people.

14. The Giants receiving corps has a big advantage on the Patriots secondary.

15. The Patriots have a big advantage with the size of their tight ends versus the Giants secondary. 

16. Is Chase Blackburn healthy enough to cover the underneath drags and crosses?

Things that don’t matter:

17. Previous records.

18. The game played earlier this season between the two teams. 

19. That not even the Giants know who Sterling Moore is.

Fun facts and farces:

20. Jacquian Williams, the man who forced the Kyle Williams fumble in overtime against San Francisco, went Fort Scott Community College and then played at South Florida. So did Jason Pierre-Paul.

21. Being the little brother, Eli was picked on by Peyton his whole life. Eli got back at him once when he stole Peyton’s girlfriend after the prom. He even made out with her in Peyton’s room.

22. Tom Brady had surgery after college to get a more manly, pronounced chin. After the recent UGG commercial, his management team forced him to reverse a portion of the procedure.

23. Tom Brady doesn’t have to say he is better than any of us, he just is.

24. Rough life of the NFL. As a rookie in 2006, Steve Weatherford was signed and cut three times in three months. Of course, Pats story Ross Ventrone has had over 20 roster transactions involve him this season.

25. There are as many players from the University of Massachusetts on the rosters as there are from the University of Alabama. 

26. Bill Parcells once had both Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick on his staff. (I did not technically mention the Giants here. Okay, fine. A Super Bowl article can’t be done without mentioning the Belichick Giants thing or that he has been to 7 Super Bowls in some capacity. Also, that last fact is not allowed to be mentioned within Cleveland city limits.)

27. The school fielding the most players on rosters: Boston College (6): Chris Snee, Mark Herzlich, Mathias Kiwanuka, Will Blackmon, Dan Koppen, and Ron Brace.

28. Contrary to what has been reported, Bill Belichick did not steal lunches in junior high, he just would just make the lunch less effective by taking its' best ingredients away. 

History:

29. Brady and Manning passed for a combined mark of over 10,000 yards passing during the regular season. This is the most combined for the quarterback match-up in Super Bowl history. In 2007, they combined for over 8,000. That total still ranks 4th all-time. 

30. When the Patriots lose to the Giants during their franchise history, they average about 11 points per game. When they win, they average about 24. The series stands at 5-5. 

31. Of the major players and coaches with the Patriots there for Tom Brady’s first win over the Giants in 2003, only Brady, Belichick and Kevin Faulk remain. 

32. Of the 44 players who saw the first play on each for their teams during SB42, only 14 of them will see action in this one.

33. There is not one player on the Patriots roster who was on the Giants for any significant amount of time. I really can’t find one on the Giants who was on the Patriots for a significant time, either. 

Possible Headlines:

34. Sons of Ross Ventrone! (If the Pats rookie with the great story makes huge play).

35. Giants Cruz to Victory, Eli Owns the House a Manning Built.

36. Tom is the Most Terrific QB Ever.

37. Never a More Sterling Ending (If game ends on Sterling Moore pick).

38. Two For Two, Manning to Manningham (If WR catch wins game).

39. From The Onion: Peyton Gives Brother Atomic Wedgie After Losing Big Game.

40. From Sports Pickle: Tom Brady Triple-Dog-Dared Eli Manning to Put His Tongue on an Icy Flag Pole; Damage to Manning’s Tongue Key to Patriots Victory.

Predictions:

41. The Giants will not rush for 100 yards.

42. Tom Brady will throw less than two interceptions.

43. Mario Manningham will be the game’s leading receiver.

44. The Giants will record less than three sacks. 

45. The only wardrobe malfunction will be whatever Madonna wears. Also, we may have to get a look at her creepy arms. Seriously, Google “Madonna Creepy Arms,” you’ll hate me for it. 

46. The final score will be Patriots 30, Giants 27.