J-Marc goes pro

The Oakland Raiders and their #1 pick in the draft are all the talk these days. The obvious contenders are LSU's 6'6", 270 pound QB, who happens to have an artillery piece for an arm, and the big, fast WR from Georgia Tech. That fact that the Raiders have a big, fast receiver, and don't have anyone to throw that big fast receiver the ball, makes the LSU QB the more obvious choice for them at #1. Still, no matter how big and strong J-Marc is, few QB's are instant successes in the NFL, and most draft gurus think that the Raiders prefer to find a veteran QB, like Culpepper, and then draft the big, fast receiver from Georgia Tech.

The gurus are probably correct, but J-Marc will impress scouts with his 80 yard arm. Still, I believe that only a team with a quality QB should draft a 1st round QB. QB's rarely produce early in their careers. For instant team improvement, teams should draft RB's, DE's, LB's, and TE's in the early rounds.

The Saints really need a Corner Back, Linebacker and Wide Receiver. This years draft has plenty of good WR's, so don't be surprised to see the Saints grab a WR in round one. The need for cornerback is greater, but the talent there is not as deep. Still, expect to see the Saints grab a CB in the second or third round. They may trade up for a shot at one of the top CB's, like Aaron Ross from Texas, but I expect them to stay put and hope Ross or one of the hot shot WR's is still available. They could use a LB like Patrick Willis, but don't expect him to be around. The other LB's that project for the first round are a bit on the small side, and I can't see the Saints jumping around for a shot at them. Still, if Timmons is still available, the Saints might take a shot at him.

NFL Draft

The most important day in college football occurs on the first week of December: the conference championship games. These are the only legitimate championships is Division I-AA college football are the conference championships, which are the only championships established on the field rather than by ballot.

The second most important day in college football is the NFL draft. This is the day when the best NFL scouts tell us who the best college players really are. The teams with the most number of high picks are generally the best teams, and this status really helps in recruiting.

Duke Rapists?

Well, the Duke boys are off, so to speak. Apparently they are considering lawsuits now. The lacrosse players are angry that the nation seems to have forgotten the presumption of innocence. But the Duke boys seem to have forgotten that they did not go to jail. They have been free for the entire year of the investigation. That freedom is based on the presumption of innocence.

That their lacrosse season was canceled is of great concern to them, but canceling a lacrosse season does not presume guilt. Lacrosse schedules are not rights guaranteed under the constitution, contrary to what the sporting media and sporting fans may think. The university canceled the season as damage control. University sports teams represent the university. When the players do charity work or win national championships, we boast that they reflect well on the university. When they hire strippers to their parties and get accused of rape, the boasting gets a bit trickier.