David Stern: "Rondo Obviously Bumped Him" (UPDATED)

NBA commissioner David Stern, appearing on an ESPN Radio show Monday morning, implied the league won't buy Rajon Rondo's explanation that he did not intentionally make contact with referee Marc Davis during Sunday's game in Atlanta. Rondo appears headed for a suspension of at least one game.

"I don't want to pre-judge on what the recommendation is going to be," Stern told Colin Cowherd. "But as a fan, he obviously bumped him. And you know what happens with respect to that (WEEI)."

We all know Rondo bumped him, and we all know what happens when you bump a ref. You can say it was a bad call, you can say the refs were terrible that whole game (they were), but you can't touch a ref in any sport. Rondo will not be playing in Game 2, and now you have to question if he will be playing in Game 3.

I think it's stupid that Stern is ever talking about this before a decision has come out. I think that is irresponsible. The bottom line is Rondo did a stupid thing, and it's going to really hurt the Celtics. Hopefully it's just one game, because I don't see the Celtics winning without him.

My honest opinion is that Rondo gets two games. I really hope I am wrong, but it isn't Rondo's first time, and with Stern already shooting off his mouth I just don't see this going well. We should hear later today, and I'll update this post when it is announced.

***UPDATE***

Rondo has been suspended 1 game, which I think is probably the best outcome we could've hoped for.

A's @ Red Sox Preview

The Red Sox went 6-1 on their road trip, adn now they head home where they actually have a losing record. They will face an A's team that they should beat every game, but I have to admit I am worried about this game.

Buchholz has been terrible this year (2-1 8.87 ERA), and his numbers against he A's in his career aren't any better (1-2 with a 7.84 ERA in five starts). On top of that, the Red Sox have to face Tommy Milone who has been very good (3-1 2.00 ERA).

The Red Sox SHOULD win this game. They have a better lineup, and even though Buchholz has been terrible this is a lineup that is currently hitting .205. So even though I am worried about tonight, I just can't pick against the Sox when they are facing what is basically a AAA team.

Red Sox win 4-3
Player of the Game: Pedroia
Game starts at 7:10pm

Why Not?

Why not use smokebombs in everyday life?

Smokebomb - watch more funny videos

Cook Heading To Red Sox Bullpen?

We have been so focused on where Aaron Cook was going to fit into the Red Sox rotation that we really haven't even thought about him heading into the bullpen, but then again this is a guy who has been a starter his entire career, so why would we.

Well, we are getting rumors today that could be the most likely outcome, at least for the short term, for Cook. There are a lot of rumors that the Red Sox could just carry an extra pitcher, and send Lars Anderson back to the minors. Since I think Lars Anderson fucking blows I am fine with that.

The reason for all of this is because they have committed to Bard as a starter, and on top of that he seems to be getting better with every passing start. Doubront has also given the Red Sox no option, but to stay in the rotation, especially since I could make the argument he has been the most consistent Red Sox starter. The guy that deserves to lose his spot, based on his play, is Buchholz, but unless he gets really lit up 2-3 more times I don't see him going anywhere.

The Red Sox don't want to just hand Cook to another team, so it seems like the most likely scenario is that he will join the Red Sox bullpen. The question now is will he be able to handle that?

Top 25 Under 25: #16 Johnathan Toews

Born: April 29, 1988 (age 24)
Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Position: Center

For a 24 year old this kid has certainly already accomplished a lot in his career. He is the captain of the Blackhawks (after only 64 games), he has already won a Stanley Cup, while winning the Stanley Cup he won the Conn Smythe (MVP for finals), he is the youngest person ever to be part of the Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship Gold Medal), voted best forward in the 2010 Olympics, voted 3 times to the NHL All-Star game, and already has 144 goals and 180 assists in his career.

Yea, that's pretty damn good for a 24 year old. We could be talking about a future Hall of Famer here. He has the size (6 foot 2, 208 pounds), and obviously has the skill with everything I listed above.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 14

The second round is underway. The NHL is probably pleased with the mix of big market teams (New York, New Jersey, Philly, Los Angeles) and southern teams (Nashville, Washington, St. Louis, Phoenix).

RANGERS 3, CAPITALS 1 - (Rangers lead series 1-0)

BC alum Chris Kreider, who hasn't even played in a regular season game, scored a goal and added an assist. Braden Holtby only made 11 saves. And Lundqvist only saw 18 shots. Yup, those numbers are correct. Brad Richards also scored his 3rd of the playoffs. Unlike the Bruins, the Rangers' best forwards are producing goals.

Game 2 tonight at MSG.

KINGS 3, BLUES 1 - (Kings lead series 1-0)

Vezina nominee Jonathan Quick stopped 28 of 29 shots. LA's Matt Greene scored a shorthanded goal that turned out to be the game-winner. The Blues were also 0 for 3 on the Power Play, which was a major weapon for them against San Jose. Now that Power Play is at -1. Jonathan Quick might be able to carry this LA team very far.

Game 2 tonight in St. Louis.

FLYERS 4, DEVILS 3 (OT) - (Flyers lead series 1-0)

Danny Briere might be one of the best postseason performers in Stanley Cup history. He scored twice (has 7 already this postseason) in this game. In his 105 playoff games, he has 49 goals and 57 assists (106 points). He has an absurd 20.2% shooting percentage in the playoffs. Giroux also scored his 7th of the playoffs, on the Power Play. The Devils' relied heavily on their PK in the regular season. They've already allowed 10 PP goals in the postseason.

Game 2 Tuesday night in Philly.

COYOTES 5, PREDATORS 3 - (Coyotes lead series 2-0)

With Mike Smith facing Pekka Rinne, everyone thought this would be a low scoring series. That was 15 goals ago. Mike Smith was solid in this game, but Shane Doan was outstanding. This is his first taste of the 2nd round and he's making the most of it. He had a goal and an assist in this game. The Coyotes are simply making the plays, big and small, and Nashville needs to turn things around at home.

Game 3 Wednesday night in Tennessee.

Tonight's games:
7:30pm - Capitals @ Rangers - NBC Sports - NYR lead series 1-0
9:00pm - Kings @ Blues - CNBC - LAK lead series 1-0

-The Captain

Why Not?

Why not hit a bicyclist?

Patriots Draft Defensively

The Patriots selected 7 players in the 2012 NFL Draft. And 6 of them play on the defensive side of the ball. Two linemen, a linebacker, and three defensive backs. Although one of those DBs is essentially a pure special teamer.

We know about Jones and Hightower. The fanbase seems pleased with that. But I'm sure they'll find something to bitch and moan about once Training Camp starts.

In the 2nd round, the Patriots drafted Tavon Wilson. Which shocked the experts who projected Wilson to go in the 6th or 7th round, if at all. Certainly not with the 48th overall pick in the draft. He wasn't even invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Wilson is strong and versatile. He's 6' 0" and 205 pounds. He started three years at Illinois and switched between safety and cornerback. He also plays special teams. The more you learn about him, the more he seems like the type of guy the Patriots want and need.

Last season, the Patriots' defensive backfield was a hodgepodge, to put it politely. The 8-15 yard curl in the flat was open on every down. The Pats' secondary focused on not allowing 40 yard TD passes, and didn't even bother to cover huge swaths of territory underneath that.

They need versatility. They need reliability. Wilson is not a shutdown corner. That type of guy would be great, but I don't know if that would be enough to solve the Patriots' problems. Huge holes in the zone would still be there.

Wilson seems like a smart player. One that's easy to coach. The Pats' DBs last season were not very savvy. The defense had to be simplified to suit their talents and their awareness.

This guy will find his way onto the field. He'll play special teams, obviously, and the Pats' DB depth chart presents an opportunity for any young player to work his way to a starting role.

In the 3rd round, the Patriots took Jake Bequette, a defensive end from Arkansas. The all SEC pass rusher recorded 10 sacks his senior season. He's 6' 5" 271 pounds and can play as an OLB or a DE.

He missed 3 games because of a hamstring issue. And the word is he's not that great as an edge rusher. But I'll take an All-SEC defensive end with the 90th overall pick. That's fine. He seems like he has tremendous upside. And even if he doesn't fully reach that level, his versatility will help him find a role on the team.

The Pats didn't pick again until the 6th round. They took Nate Ebner, who didn't play football in high school. He played rugby. And he walked on to the Ohio State football team and became a special teams specialist. He was drafted as a safety but only played three snaps at that position his senior year.

Ebner's true position is a special teams psycho. He claims to enjoy the "mayhem" of kickoff coverage most of all.

Rugby players are crazy.

In the 6th round, the odds are slim of drafting a guy who will make an impact in one of the 22 regular positions. So draft an insane rugby player and put him on special teams. You're much more likely to get a positive contribution from him than from a 6th round RB or offensive tackle.

And maybe if the Dolphins try to get clever with some sort of Wildcat 2.0 formation, or if the Jets use Tebow in the option, Ebner can use his rugby experience to counter that. Especially the option, which is very similar to rugby plays.

The Patriots drafted a project/accused criminal in the 7th round. Alfonzo Dennard has ridiculous talent, and was a shutdown corner in the Big Ten for Nebraska. But he ended his senior season with an ejection in the CapitalOne Bowl.

Then he had a disappointing combine.

Oh, and he was in jail as recently as last week for resisting being placed in custody and assaulting a police officer. The story is that he was being belligerent outside a bar, was asked twice by police to leave the area, and was later seen pushing and punching another person in the same area. Police tried to put him in custody, he resisted, more pushing and punching with the cops, and hence the arrest.

This is a first round talent taken in the 7th round. This guy might sound like a bit of a loser, but the Patriots can't lose on this pick.

I have no idea how well Belichick and the locker room leaders will do to help Dennard to get his act together. But if he doesn't, he won't get 3 chances like he did with the cops in Lincoln. He'll get 1.

In the entire NFL Draft, Dennard might have the biggest gap between his potential upside and his potential downside. He's talented enough to be in the Pro Bowl. He's also capable of winding up in prison. Belichick is probably thrilled with this pick. And so is whoever coaches football at the Correctional Institution in Walpole.

The Patriots took a receiver with their last pick. Jeremy Ebert out of Northwestern. He caught 75 passes his senior season, for 1,065 yards and 11 touchdowns. That's nothing to dismiss lightly. He might have trouble finding a roster spot considering how many people are vying for a spot on the WR list.

He's 5' 11" and 200 pounds, but this guy might just find his way on the roster in September.

I definitely give this pick two thumbs up (get it? because his name is Ebert). As I give to the whole draft. Exciting playmakers in the first round, a guy who seems like a reliable defensive back in the 2nd, an All-SEC pass rusher in the 3rd, then it got weird. A rugby player in the 6th, an alleged criminal in the 7th, then a guy with great numbers to end the 7th.

It's always tough to gauge the success of a draft before any of these players even get numbers assigned to them, let alone take the field, let alone play a game. But I think the Patriots have drastically improved the potential quality of their defense. And if just one or two of these guys work out, the Patriots' defensive unit will be much better in 2012.

-The Captain

Draft Grades

New England Patriots: B
Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 21 DE Chandler Jones Syracuse
(1) 25 LB Dont'a Hightower Alabama
(2) 48 S Tavon Wilson Illinois
(3) 90 DE Jake Bequette Arkansas
(6) 197 CB Nate Ebner Ohio State
(7) 224 CB Alfonzo Dennard Nebraska
(7) 235 WR Jeremy Ebert Northwestern
I would have given the Patriots an A if they didn't reach on Tavon Wilson and trade that last 2nd round pick. Wilson seems like an absolute special teamer for life. However, I love the Chandler Jones pick, it may take some time and he may not be THE GUY immediately, but he can be a monster later. The only thing I ponder is whether the Patriots would have been better off taking Courtney Upshaw who can play immediately and be as impactful THIS year. I love the Dont'a Hightower pick, he's a mean motherfucker, he's somewhat versatile, I'm intrigued by how the Patriots are going to use him. I also love the Alfonzo Dennard pick, I see no risk in taking a potential top 2 talent in the 7th round, could be a steal here and potentially way more impactful than Wilson who they took in the 2nd.

Pittsburgh Steelers: A

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 24 G David DeCastro Stanford
(2) 56 T Mike Adams Ohio State
(3) 86 LB Sean Spence Miami (FL)
(4) 109 NT Alameda Ta'amu Washington
(5) 159 RB Chris Rainey Florida
(7) 231 WR Toney Clemons Colorado
(7) 240 TE David Paulson Oregon
(7) 246 CB Terrence Frederick Texas A&M
(7) 248 T Kelvin Beachum Southern Methodist
I have never been so excited to see my team select offensive line players. David Decastro was supposed to be selected mid first so for him to fall to them in the late 1st is a steal. he is already getting Alan Faneca comparisons, always a good thing. Mike Adams was another steal here, who could have been a 1st round player if he didn't get caught smoking pot, he convinced the Steelers he's not an asshole and he will be a good soldier from now on. The Steelers line is finally coming together with Pouncy, DeCastro and Adams. Sean Spence is your token Dick LeBeau guy, will be a fast rushing LB and Alameda Ta'amu will be the heir apparent for Casey Hampton. Ta'amu isn't the best pass rusher but he is perfect for a 3-4, he's fat and will clog up the middle. Chris Rainey will be an explosive option in every facet in their offensive game.

Philadelphia Eagles: A

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 12 DT Fletcher Cox Mississippi State
(2) 46 LB Mychal Kendricks California
(2) 59 DE Vinny Curry Marshall
(3) 88 QB Nick Foles Arizona
(4) 123 CB Brandon Boykin Georgia
(5) 153 T Dennis Kelly Purdue
(6) 194 WR Marvin McNutt Iowa
(6) 200 G Brandon Washington Miami (FL)
(7) 229 RB Bryce Brown Kansas State

Fletcher Cox is a god damn monster. The Eagles were atrocious with their stopping the rush, so what did they do? Got Flethcer Cox at DT than Mychael Kendricks at ILB and then Vinny Curry at DE. These are 3 guys who can be groomed into that defensive line and be a huge factor. I also love Nick Foles, I like his crazy hair, and I like his arm. It's not a bad thing to add a QB with fragile Vick back there.

Baltimore Ravens: B

Round Pick Position Player College
(2) 35 LB Courtney Upshaw Alabama
(2) 60 T Kelechi Osemele Iowa State
(3) 84 RB Bernard Pierce Temple
(4) 98 G Gino Gradkowski Delaware
(4) 130 S Christian Thompson South Carolina State
(5) 169 CB Asa Jackson Cal Poly
(6) 198 WR Tommy Streeter Miami (FL)
(7) 236 DE Deangelo Tyson Georgia

I loved their first 3 picks. They traded out of the 1st round and still ended up with Courtney Upshaw, it's ridiculous. How do teams allow this to happen? Upshaw is a huge talent and a mean defensive player and the Ravens find a replacement for Jarrett Johnson right off the bat. Osemele is a starter on the line and Bennard Pierce is a great "in case" player if/when Ray Rice goes down.

Green Bay Packers: A

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 28 DE Nick Perry USC
(2) 51 DT Jerel Worthy Michigan State
(2) 62 CB Casey Hayward Vanderbilt
(4) 132 DT Mike Daniels Iowa
(4) 133 S Jeron McMillian Maine
(5) 163 LB Terrell Manning North Carolina State
(7) 241 T Andrew Datko Florida State
(7) 243 QB B.J. Coleman Chattanooga

Love everything they did here. The Packers were horrendous on defense, so they drafted mostly defensive players. Nick Perry can be a monster and adds versatility, Jerel Worthy was a 1st round talent and Casey Hayward is going to be able to be huge in that nickle formation. They just got a whole lot better on the pass rush and now will not be a defense composed of 3 people (Matthews, Raji and Woodson).

New York Giants: B

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 32 RB David Wilson Virginia Tech
(2) 63 WR Rueben Randle LSU
(3) 94 CB Jayron Hosley Virginia Tech
(4) 127 TE Adrien Robinson Cincinnati
(4) 131 T Brandon Mosley Auburn
(6) 201 T Matt McCants UAB
(7) 239 DT Markus Kuhn North Carolina State

They didn't need much, but they still got some excellent talent. I would have preferred Lamar Miller over David Wilson but whatever they needed RB help. But the pick I love is Rueben Randle. Randle is a big receiver who was not talked a lot about in the SEC because shitstain Jefferson was throwing him the ball at SEC. Randle can be a big time replacement for Mario Manningham and will be another tool for Eli to throw to.

New Orleans Saints: C

Round Pick Position Player College
(3) 90 DT Akiem Hicks Regina, Can.
(4) 122 WR Nick Toon Wisconsin
(5) 162 S Corey White Samford
(6) 179 G Andrew Tiller Syracuse
(7) 234 T Marcel Jones Nebraska

Akeim Hicks was at LSU before moving to Canada and has some upside, and Toon sounds awfully like Marques Colston.

New York Jets: B

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 16 DE Quinton Coples North Carolina
(2) 43 WR Stephen Hill Georgia Tech
(3) 77 LB Demario Davis Arkansas State
(6) 187 S Josh Bush Wake Forest
(6) 202 RB Terrance Ganaway Baylor
(6) 203 G Robert Griffin Baylor
(7) 242 S Antonio Allen South Carolina
(7) 244 WR Jordan White Western Michigan

I love the Coples pick and I love the Hill pick. Quinton Coples is a hell of a talent, there are reports that he took some games off at UNC, but this kid can be a huge talent for Rex Ryans defense. And Stephen Hill can replace Plaxico Burress as that tall receiver, it also doesn't hurt that he runs a 4.3 40. I know he only had 40-something catches at Georgia Tech his WHOLE career, but they ran an option offense, so you can't really hold that against him.

Cleveland Browns: A

Round Pick Position Player College
(1) 3 RB Trent Richardson Alabama
(1) 22 QB Brandon Weeden Oklahoma State
(2) 37 T Mitchell Schwartz California
(3) 87 DT John Hughes Cincinnati
(4) 100 WR Travis Benjamin Miami (FL)
(4) 120 LB James-Michael Johnson Nevada
(5) 160 G Ryan Miller Colorado
(6) 204 LB Emmanuel Acho Texas
(6) 205 DT Billy Winn Boise State
(7) 245 CB Trevin Wade Arizona
(7) 247 TE Brad Smelley Alabama

I absolutely love what the Browns did this draft, they got the next Adrian Peterson, and they got the 3rd best QB in Brandon Weeded late in the 1st. Brandon Weeden is 28, but is a much better option than Colt McCoy. You got a starting tackle in Schwartz (plus a funny name) and travis benjamin is a decent WR.

That's all I care to write on this, if you have any more questions, ask.

White Sox 4, Red Sox 1

The Red Sox went 6-1 in the Midwest, with Gavin Floyd spoiling a perfect 7-0 trip yesterday afternoon in Chicago. He took a no-hitter into the 7th inning. And even after that was broken up and the Red Sox chased him from the game, Chicago's bullpen was able to get the last 7 outs for him.

Beckett settled down after a 3 run 1st inning. In his remaining 5.2 innings, he only allowed 3 hits and struck out 7. The outing was certainly good enough to win on a normal day. But not when facing Gavin Floyd.

Beckett threw 126 pitches. And that's a day after Lester threw 122 pitches in his 1-0 win. That speaks to how unreliable the Sox' bullpen has been. But I don't think this will be a common trend throughout the season. Both Beckett and Lester will be making their next starts on 5 days rest. So why not take advantage of that?

The Red Sox should try to avoid Gavin Floyd in the future. He's now 7-0 in his career against Boston. I'm glad he pitches in the AL Central.

With all due respect to Floyd, the Red Sox' offense has been exceptionally inconsistent this season. The Red Sox have played in 21 games, and in 17 of those they've scored either 3 runs or less, or 9+ runs.

Youkilis missed the game with tightness in his back. He was just starting to get a few hits lately, but I'm concerned there might be a physical problem that's keeping him from hitting with consistency. Hopefully it's a problem that can be solved without an extensive absence from the lineup. However long it takes though, you don't want to have to deal with lingering back problems all season long. If something is wrong with Youkilis, he needs to get healthy now so he can contribute down the stretch.

Sox return home just 1 game under .500. They host the A's tonight. Buchholz opposes 3-1 Tommy Milone, who's coming off an 8 inning 3 hit win against the White Sox.

-The Captain

83 Hawks, 74 Celtics

Before I get to Rondo, let's talk about the game.

The Celtics started off flat, they were awful in the 1st half, The Hawks were hitting everything and the Celtics were missing everything. It was evident that the Celtics were a little rusty from having some extended time off. They dug themselves into a hole in the first having the score be 31-18 and even were down 19 at one point.

The Celtics eventually clawed their way back into the game cutting the lead to 4 and then IT happened. There was a loose ball and people were jumping all over the place and Brandon Bass and Josh Smith got tied up with the ball, automatic jump ball, right? WRONG. They called a personal on Bass (his 6th), and this call was right after they jobbed the Celtics out of a ball that was blatantly off Josh Smith that cost the Celtics ANOTHER possession, but Rondo lost it. Immediately after the ref called a personal on Bass, Rondo turned an screamed at the ref and as he was getting T'd up he moved towards the ref and bumped him, which resulted in his second technical and ejection. To be honest, Marc Davis just blew 2 huge fucking calls, the Hawks were on ropes and ALL the momentum was on the Celtics side and his 2 blown calls cost the Celtics the game, it wouldn't surprise me if Davis was on the mafias salary, he pretty much had to bump him.

The only thing that sucks is that Rondo could and probably will be suspended next game and that could cost the Celtics a game. Do I think he should? No. But it's up to that man Delmon Young probably wouldn't like to decide. This also takes away from the hell of a game Rondo had he had 20 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Paul Pierce had a dreadful game shooting 5-19 and 0-6 from 3 and Avery Bradley went 4-12 and KG had a rough game as well. The bench also had 4 points. The silver lining in this is that the Celtics had the refs act like a bunch of assholes, they played like shit and almost won the game IN Atlanta.

Quick Playoff Predictions

MIAMI vs Knicks
Miami in 7
Chicago vs Philly
Chicago in 6
Indiana vs Orlando
Indy in 7
Boston vs Atlanta
Boston in 6

Thunder vs Mavs
Thunder in 5
Spurs vs Jazz
Jazz in 7 (I'm rooting for big Al)
Clippers vs Grizzlies
Grizzlies in 6
Lakers vs Nuggets
Lakers in 5


Lock it up!

Stanley Cup Preview: Predators vs. Coyotes

Some NHL people are probably happy about this meeting. Two warm weather cities get to experience a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I'm not pleased. While fans in Nashville have taken to their Predators, the fans in Phoenix are only now showing up to fill their rink. There might be a future for hockey in Tennessee. But in Arizona? I hope not.

Anyway, both these teams advanced thanks to their goalies. Mike Smith was a wall for the Coyotes. Pekka Rinne was Pekka Rinne for the Preds. So who is going to be the difference maker on offense that will separate these two teams?

His name is Shea Weber, or Zdeno Jr. as I call him. Big strong defenseman, powerful shot, he scored 19 goals this year. He's excellent on the Power Play and that is where the difference will be made. Nashville's Power Play is a weapon. Phoenix's did well in the first round, but it's not very consistent.

With the goaltending as good as it will be in this series, every little edge counts. The Predators have their Power Play, and they have Shea Weber.

Nashville in 6.

Series schedule:
1: Friday 4/27 - 9:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
2: Sunday 4/29 - 9:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
3: Wednesday 5/2 - 9:00pm - PHX @ NSH - CNBC
4: Friday 5/4 - 7:30pm - PHX @ NSH - NBC Sports
5: Monday 5/7 - 10:00pm - NSH @ PHX - NBC Sports
6: Wednesday 5/9 - tba - PHX @ NSH - tba
7: Friday 5/11 - tba - NSH @ PHX - tba

-The Captain

Rondo Wins Assist Title

Not only did Rajon lead the league in assists and not only did his 15 last night push his streak to 24 games his 11.7 a game was the most the NBA has seen since John Stockton had 12.3 in 1994-95.

Rajon beat out Steve Nash who averaged 10.7 came in second. Last year Nash beat out Rondo 11.4 to 11.2 assists per game.

This just goes out and shows how good this kid is to add to his wall of accomplishments in his young career. He has been through a lot during his short career in Boston whether it being here during the 24 win season, to the big 3 era, and now he is the man going past the Big 3 era. Many people wanted to trade him this year and he made everyone eat their words with his excellent MVP like type of play.

I can't wait for the playoffs to see the Celtics and Rondo to take care of business.

Another Story About the BCS Moving Toward a Playoff

Here comes the latest story of BCS bigwigs getting together and deciding that college football's postseason needs to be fixed. All the conference commissioners have agreed that there should be a four team, three game playoff at the end of the season. Now comes the tricky part: hammering out the details.

The first hurdle is taking the plan to the individual conferences. And each school at each conference will have their say.

Significant questions will be asked. Actually, the questions are basic but significant sums of money depend on the answers. When would the games be played? Where would the games be played?

Who would control the money from TV contracts, tickets, and sponsors? How would it be distributed? Would the 6 conference BCS still exist as an entity, or would conferences get cash rewards for sending teams to this 4 team playoff.

Would it be the top 4 ranked teams, regardless of conference? Would it be the top 4 conference champs?

What about the bowls? The conferences love them because they guarantee a consistent stream of money each year. But their luster is fading. Conference championship games are drawing funds from fans that would otherwise be spent on bowl games. And when smaller programs reach the top tier bowls, they struggle to fill their hotel allotment. UConn lost money when they went to the Fiesta Bowl.

The Rose Bowl is still stuck in the 1930's and wants their BigTen/Pac-12 matchup protected. So a compromise will have to be made there.

If the conferences are truly motivated to get this done, it'll get done. These are hurdles, not roadblocks.

I think we all want to see a playoff system. I think 8 teams would be perfect. I'd settle for 6. But for right now, I'll take a 4 team playoff.

I just hope that the scumbags that run the bowls and the old bastards that run some of the conferences don't ruin it.

-The Captain

Crawford Out 3 Months

The Boston Red Sox announced Thursday night that Carl Crawford has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left (throwing) elbow, the injury that often results in Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.

But rather than opt for surgery, the team said the outfielder will follow a protocol of more conservative treatment. ESPN

This scares the shit out of me, because I had a similar injury to this and it always acts up, and I wish when I had better insurance I actually went ahead and got the surgery. I'm afraid that Crawford is going to go through the same thing and then be out longer, later by not getting it done. I wish that he just got it done and then this would be over with. I don't want him to be in the OF and throw a ball home and have his elbow blow out. Crawford has been an absolute disaster in Boston so far, but I do feel bad for him. It seems like it's just horrible injury built up on horrible injury.

I hope he comes back and is fine, but I kind of wish he just got the TJ.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 11

The first round is over. The Champions are out. The President's Trophy winners are out. The top seed in the East was nearly knocked out. We have teams from Phoenix and Nashville, but also two teams in the New York metro area, along with Philadelphia.

RANGERS 2, SENATORS 1 - (Rangers win series 4-3)

Going to a hockey game with Spike Lee would be something to write an entire book about.

Alfredsson scored, and maybe had he participated in the entire series things would be different. But another Swede came through big for New York. Henrik Lundqvist allowed a mere 13 goals in the series. We all saw last year what a defensive minded team can do with a red hot goalie. Maybe the Rangers will be this year's Bruins.

They'll face the Capitals in the Conference semifinals.

DEVILS 3, PANTHERS 2 (2OT) - (Devils win series 4-3)

22 year old Adam Henrique hadn't scored in this series. He scored twice in Game 7, including the game-winner. Florida wasn't expected to make this an interesting series, but they did. And it was actually because of their Power Play which scored 9 of their 17 total goals in the series. New Jersey had the best PK in the NHL in the regular season.

The Devils will face Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia in the Conference semifinals.

Tonight's game:
9:00pm - Predators @ Coyotes

-The Captain

Why Not?

I wish this monkey got Violent

87 Celtics, 74 Bucks

This was basically a walkthrough for the Celtics starters and they won pretty easily, there was a brief scare with Paul Pierce where he went back into the trainers room in the 1st, but he returned in the 2nd quarter, so thats all gravy. He finished with 12 points. KG only played the 1st half and struggled a bit. Rajon was himself after hurting his back dishing out 15 dimes 2 rebounds, 4 steals and 0 points.

Sean Williams & Ryan Hollins combined for 12 rebounds & 5 blocks, and E'Twaun chipped-in a nice 8 pts, 4 assists & 3 boards. Pietrus had 9 points but looked very rusty.

Playoffs start in Atlanta Sunday
Game 1: Sunday, April 29 Boston at Atlanta 7:00PM (TNT)
Game 2: Tuesday, May 1 Boston at Atlanta 7:30PM (NBA TV)
Game 3: Friday, May 4 Atlanta at Boston 7:30PM (ESPN2)
Game 4: Sunday, May 6 Atlanta at Boston 7:00PM (TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, May 8 Boston at Atlanta TBD (TBD)
Game 6: Thursday, May 10 Atlanta at Boston TBD (TBD)
Game 7: Saturday, May 12 Boston at Atlanta TBD (TBD)

UBUNTU

Red Sox 10, White Sox 3

The 9 runs that Philip Humber gave up last night were the most ever allowed by a pitcher in the start after pitching a perfect game. Credit the Elias Sports Bureau for unearthing that factoid.

How sweet would life be if the Sox could play in the AL Central? And why not also send the Tigers to the East in that trade. That'd be perfect.

Another double digit output of runs last night. Youkilis hit a Grand Slam and went 3 for 4. His numbers are steadily increasing as this road trip progresses. Aviles is hitting. Gonzalez, Ortiz, and Ross are knocking guys in. Everything is clicking on offense right now. Even when the manager fills out a lineup card incorrectly.

Which means all you need from Felix Doubront is 6 innings and 3 earned runs. And an old-fashioned 3 inning save from Tazawa.

This team is going to win and lose with its bats. And for the last 4 nights, they've been winning.

Daniel Bard is back to his starting role tonight. He faces John Danks. Danks is 2-2 with a 5.11 ERA. And someone tell Bobby V that Danks is a lefty.

-The Captain

Patriots Shock Everyone By Doing Exactly What Fans Wanted

Yesterday I wrote a lengthy preemptive explanation of how the Patriots draft. I was expecting the fans of New England to be pissed today, as they usually are the day after the Patriots' activities in the first round.

Instead, the fans are happy. I'm happy. And I think that the Mayan end-of-the-world prophecy is happy too.

When Roger Goodell announced that the Patriots had made a move up in the draft, he might as well have been opening the Fifth Seal of the Apocalypse.

The Pats sent their 27th overall pick, along with their 3rd round pick (93rd overall) to the Bengals for the 21st pick. And they selected DE Chandler Jones from Syracuse.

Jones is a big man (6' 5" and 265 pounds) that has a big frame he can grow into. He only played 7 games of his junior year due to a knee injury in the middle of the season. But he totaled 4.5 sacks, 38 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception. Which he returned for 32 yards.

He's an edge rusher. And if he lives up to his potential, the combination of him and Vince Wilfork could present opposing offensive lines with serious problems.

Minutes later, as the First Round zoomed by, the Patriots did it again. They made a deal with Denver, sending their 31st overall pick, along with their 4th rounder (126th overall) in exchange for the 25th pick.

With that, they drafted Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

Hightower is another large man. 6' 2" and 265. He can do just about everything that a linebacker could do. He can play in all defensive situations. That's something that Bill Belichick covets. And so does Nick Saban. Belichick loves drafting Saban coached players.

With Hightower's flexibility, he'll find a place in the Pats' LB corps. Which was already kind of good, if a little bit dull. Mayo is solid. Spikes showed some sparks last season.

The Pats like to mix up defensive formations, especially up front. Hightower's versatility enhances the Pats' ability to do that.

I'm not a huge fan of trading up. But the Patriots didn't give up much to move ahead. As Belichick noted in his post-draft press conference, they didn't give up any of their 2nd round picks to do so.

And I think these two particular players struck them as good fits. They didn't just get a pass rusher and a linebacker, they got two guys that they feel will excel in Foxborough.

So enjoy it, Pats fans. The Patriots did what you wanted.

Draft Recap Day 1

PICK TEAM PLAYER POS
1 Colts Andrew Luck QB
2 Redskins Robert Griffin III QB
3 Browns Trent Richardson RB
4 Vikings Matt Kalil OT
5 Jaguars Justin Blackmon WR
6 Cowboys Morris Claiborne CB
7 Buccaneers Mark Barron SS
8 Dolphins Ryan Tannehill QB
9 Panthers Luke Kuechly ILB
10 Bills Stephon Gilmore CB
11 Chiefs Dontari Poe DT
12 Eagles Fletcher Cox DT
13 Cardinals Michael Floyd WR
14 Rams Michael Brockers DT
15 Seahawks Bruce Irvin DE
16 Jets Quinton Coples DE
17 Bengals Dre Kirkpatrick CB
18 Chargers Melvin Ingram DE
19 Bears Shea McClellin DE
20 Titans Kendall Wright WR
21 Patriots Chandler Jones DE
22 Browns Brandon Weeden QB
23 Lions Riley Reiff OT
24 Steelers David DeCastro G
25 Patriots Dont'a Hightower ILB
26 Texans Whitney Mercilus DE
27 Bengals Kevin Zeitler G
28 Packers Nick Perry DE
29 Vikings Harrison Smith FS
30 49ers A.J. Jenkins WR
31 Buccaneers Doug Martin RB
32 Giants David Wilson RB


Winners;
Patriots: Chandler Jones DE and Dont'a Hightower ILB. I may hate the Patriots but I love this draft. The funny thing about this is that when our own Captain of Bill Belichick Jr wrote this longwinded post about how he figured out how the Patriots drafted and that all us normal people are too stupid to figure out. The Patriots did exactly the opposite of the formula he created, the Patriots traded up TWICE to get to positions of NEED. I'm not the biggest Jones fan but I do like what he brings with his potential pass rush upside. Dont'a Hightower is my boy from Alabama and he is one nasty motherfucker, that being said, I don't know where he will fit in the Patriots system (I thought Courtney Upshaw may have been a better fit to be honest) but with the Patriots being awful on the defensive end, I don't see him hurting them. Drafting a Nick Saban player is always a good gamble.

Cleveland: Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden. They got two players that will help them immediately. People shy away from having a RB be a dominant force of your offense, but I think Richardson has Adrian Peterson upside. And With Brandon Weeden (who I liked better than Tannehill) they will have a solid QB for at least 5-6 years. Weeden may be 28, but he can hurl the ball. People are hating on the Browns, but I like their go for it attitude.

Vikings; Matt Kalil and Harrison Smith, they traded back a lot, and they still got what they wanted in Kalil and a good safety in Smith. I loved what they did here and it will be huge later.

Losers;
Seattle Seahawks: Bruce Irvin OLB, There were so many other options available and they chose someone they could have got in the 2nd round. I hated this pick and it seems they panic'd after watching Luke Kuechly going 9.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Missed out on Claiborn and Richardson. I'm not saying that Mark Barron and Doug Martin were bad picks, but they missed out on the best defensive player and best non qb offensive player.

I'm Disgusted With Boston

So this is some bullshit right here. After Joel Ward scored the game winning goal Boston Tough Guy asshole fans took to twitter and facebook to drop N Bombs. None of this shit should be surprising, because I have said it from day 1, that most hockey fans are racist because it's meant for rich white people that have no interaction with other races and the Bruins by far have the biggest trashbag scumbag fans than the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots. Listen, I'm not going to sit here and act like I have never partook in any racist jokes or laughed at racist shit. But dropping hard Ns over a game is fucking bullshit and is embarrassing as shit. You want to know why people think our city as racist, here it is. I really wish these fucking douchebags said this shit to Joel Ward's face and see how tough they are. The Bruins lost, big deal, but this I have no tolerance for.

Red Sox @ White Sox Preview

It's the battle of the Sox. Haha, sorry that just sounds funny. Anyways, it is an interesting game tonight, because the White Sox have Phil Humber on the mound and the past time he took the mound he threw a perfect game.

Not to be a dick about his perfect game, because it's amazing no matter what, but he did it against Seattle. If you do that against the A's, Seattle, or the Twins I'm impressed but not amazed. Yea, I'm a dick, but it's the truth, those teams can't hit for shit.

Now to credit Humber he has actually been pretty good over the last two seasons going 9-9 last year with a 3.75 ERA. I still don't really understand why he is good, he kind of came out of nowhere, but he it's been a pretty good sample size and he has been good.

Going against Humber will be Felix Doubront, who has yet to record a win or a loss this year, but has been very good with a 3.94 ERA and last time out gave up a run, four hits and struck out seven over six innings against the Yankees before all hell broke loose.

I like Doubront a lot, but he could be pitching for his job tonight. Cook needs to get brought up and it's between Bard and Doubront, so I think these next two days could mean a lot for those guys.

I like the Red Sox chances tonight. I always feel better when they face a righty, so I say the Red Sox win again tonight.

Red Sox win 6-5
Player of the Game: Gonzalez
Game starts at 8:10pm

Bucks @ Celtics Preview

The NBA season ends tonight and the Celtics are actually still playing for something. Boston can earn home-court advantage in the first round against Atlanta if it beats Milwaukee and the Hawks lose to Dallas.

The question is who will be playing for the Celtics. Word is Ray Allen and Greg Stiemsma were the only ones not at the shoot around, but we also hear that Rondo is saying...

"For what it's worth, Rajon Rondo told me he is currently feeling 71% healthy. This is up from the 39% he gave me after Monday's practice (Carolyn Manno)"

I expect KG to play tonight, and Paul Pierce. I think that will be enough. Garnett has totaled 41 points and 20 rebounds in two against the Bucks this season, and Boston has won each of the last 5 times these teams have played.

Celtics win 96-94
Player of the Game: Garnett
Game starts at 8pm


***Side Note***

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Atlanta will be on Sunday, regardless of venue/home court.

DP's Mock Draft 1

1. Indianapolis Colts; Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Andrew Luck is your prototype for QB, Big, Decent arm, looks the part, probably could have been the number 1 pick LAST year. He is in for a long year with the Colts only having Reggie Wayne back.

2. Washington Redskins; Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
I have said it from day 1, I like Griffin's upside A LOT more than Andrew Luck. He has Mike Vick speed, and a better arm and I will argue better accuracy than Luck. He's shorter 6'2 and thin, so that is his only knock. Much like faster QB's he wants to stay in the pocket and throw.

3. Minnesota Vikings; Matt Kalil, OL, USC
I wanted to pick a sexier guy like Morris Claiborne or Justin Blackmon, but Kalil is the best tackle in a draft that doesn't have that many. They have to figure out a way to open holes for AP and protect Christian Ponders blindside. Kalil will be a pro bowler for years.

4. Cleveland Browns; Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
The Browns have a 1 CB in Joe Haden, but with all offenses going crazy with passing you can never have enough cornerbacks. Haden and Claiborne would give the Browns an unbelievable young tandem at CB for the next decade.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
The Bucs are stoked that Richardson fell into their laps. Richardson has Adrian Peterson like talent and is amazing with both catching and running. With most teams going to a duel runningback offense, the Bucs won't need to do that with Trent.

6. St. Louis Rams; Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
What a great fit. Sam Bradford needs some weapons around him and they get the best play making WR in the draft in Blackmon. He's 6'1 and about 210, but is explosive. He has good hands and is a strong route runner.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars; Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
The Jaguars have plenty of holes and tons of options here which makes me think they will trade down. However, Coples is the only "Elite" pass rushing option here. People question his work ethic, but I'm sure he will be fine. They could reach for Stephon Gilmore or Michael Floyd here.

8. Miami Dolphins; Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
Has anyone jumped as high and fast as Tannehill? This makes perfect sense as he will be reunited with former coach Mike Sherman. Personally, I like Brandon Weeden more than Tannehill, but he's 28. A lot of risk here with Ryan as he was only a QB for a limited amount of time.

9. Carolina Panthers; Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
This is more of a want than need pick. The smart pick here would be the DT Fletcher Cox, but I want to see more of Cam Newton and his awesomeness. Floyd is a good WR and there is a big drop off from him and Alshon Jeffries.

10. Buffalo Bills; Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
This makes an annoying ball hawking defensive backfield into a more annoying ball hawking defensive backfield. The Bills have done a great job building that defense.

11. Kansas City Chiefs; Fletcher Cox, DT, Auburn
Cox is the best defensive player on the board, and will be a big player in KC for that front 7. Could also pick up an offensive guard.

12. Seattle Seahawks; Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
The Seahawks need to add some pass rushers but if Kuechly makes it this far he will be a perfect fit after losing David Hawthorne in free agency.

13. Arizona Cardinals; Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
Levi Brown is awful and they have a giant hole at the T spot. Reiff is a great fit.

14. Dallas Cowboys; Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
mark Barron makes too much sense here, but the recent rumor is that Jerry loves Poe, and whatever Jerry wants, Jerry gets.

15. Philadelphia Eagles; Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
With the Eagles playing a defense in wide 9 that often allows huge running lanes, it would be wise of them to get a big DT. Brockers fits that, he is big, athletic and long.

16. New York Jets; Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina
Ingram is a great fit for the Jets, he has a lot of potential for pass rushing and Rex will fall in love with him. He can play both DE/OLB so that flexibility in an attacking defense is huge.

17. Cincinnati Bengals; Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
He could have gone as early as 7 here. So grabbing him helps the loss of Jonathan Joseph (which was probably a lot bigger than the Bengals anticipated). Gilmore is a good cover CB and will be a staple for the Bengals for years.

18. San Diego Chargers; Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Upshaw would give them a very good linebacker to occasionally rush the passer.

19. Chicago Bears; Nick Perry, DE, USC
They were hoping that Coples was around, but he isn't, so they have to settle for the next best thing.

20. Tennessee Titans; Peter Konz, OC, Wisconsin
The Titans entered the off-season with a big need at center. They were unable to fill it because they were busy chasing Peyton Manning. Konz is the best in the draft and makes sense here.

21. Cincinnati Bengals; Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
The Bengals signed BenJarvis Green Ellis, but they need another back because I don't believe Benny is all that good. Doug Martin will be a great complimentary back.

22. Cleveland Browns (via Atl); Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
Cleveland would be so happy to come out of the 1st round with Claiborne and now Wright. There have been questions on Kendall recently as he showed up to camp out of shape, however, he will be fine and they need to give Colt McCoy some weapons.

23. Detroit Lions; Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
PROTECT MATT STAFFORD! That should really be the only goal.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers; Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
Perfect fit with James Farrior not being around anymore, he is mean, he is rugged and he would be a perfect Pittsburgh Steeler. I know they need help with the OL, but this team needs to fill up their defense.

25. Denver Broncos; Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
A Smart move would be getting a defensive player, but with Peyton Manning in town they want to have fun with him. Georgia Tech only produces Tall, Fast, WRs and they did it again with Hill here, who will be a hell of a tandem with former Yellow Jacket Demerius Thomas.

26. Houston Texans; Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
Since they missed out on Hill, they get the same player in Randle. Randle didn't get much publicity due to being in a shitty offense at LSU, but is really good.

27. New England Patriots; Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
You would think he would be a perfect fit here for the Patriots. He's a DB, he's really good, and he should be a playmaker. If the Patriots can look past the off field incidents, which they often do, they will have a steal here.

28. Green Bay Packers; Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois
Mercilus can play DE and OLB and give the Packers someone to rush the pass opposite Clay Matthews. The Packers need some defensive help in that atrocious defense.

29. Baltimore Ravens; Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
Jones’ brother Arthur is a DT on the Ravens and Jones plays the physical type of game the Ravens love.

30. San Francisco 49ers; Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State
If Konz is off the board then the next offensive guard that would make sense for the 49ers is Silatolu. They need to find a way to open up the running lanes for Gore, Walker and Jacobs.

31. New England Patriots; Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State
I will bet anything they trade down with this pick, but if they take McClellin here they get a pass rusher off the corner. He has that motor word surrounding him.

32. New York Giants; Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
Getting Eli another weapon is never a bad thing.

BMack's NFL Mock Draft

DP did his mock draft a little while back, and I have been putting mine off because... Well I don't really have an excuse other than it's damn time consuming. Anyways, here is what I see happening tonight.

(Note- I don't factor in probable trades)

1. Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
No shock here. We have known this pick for awhile. I believe it is the "safe pick", as RG III I think has the higher ceiling, but more unknowns. Luck is a proven winner. He took a horrible Stanford program and turned it around. He'll have to do it again with the Colts.

2. Redskins - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Gave up a king's ransom to get him so it better work out. Has the highest ceiling in the draft, and really could be worth it. The Redskins have been looking for a franchise QB forever, this could finally be the guy they can turn to.

3. Vikings - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Best cornerback in the draft for a team that let 5th most passing yards in the league. Reports say they are really trying to trade out of this pick, but if they stick I think Claiborne is the right one.

4. Browns - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Browns have to be pissed they aren't getting a top QB out of this draft. Since they don't have anyone that can throw you might as well have one of the best RBs in the league. Richardson is that guy.

5. Buccaneers - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Josh Freeman took a huge step back last year. What better way to get his confidence back then giving up the best WR in the draft?

6. Rams - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
The Rams are so pissed right now that Blackmon went off the board. After punching the wall several times they decide that keeping Bradford healthy is their #1 priority.

7. Jaguars - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
DP was 100% correct. Best pass rusher in the game, and I think one of the few options here for the Jaguars that I wouldn't consider a reach.

8. Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
The Dolphins are going to do this and it's such a mistake. Sure he has upside, but you are drafting pure upside with the #8 pick in the draft. That's silly. I think Matt Moore is better then this kid.

9. Panthers - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.
Offense seems to be the strength now it's time to rebuild that defense, so Cam Newton doesn't have to score 50 points a game. Always good to anchor the middle and build out. Fletcher is a strong and fast DT that can get pressure on the QB.

10. Bills - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
It's a passing league. The Bills have a good start with Johnson, but it doesn't hurt to add to that.

11. Chiefs - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
True DT weighing in at almost 250 pounds. Chiefs drafted Dorsey last year maybe this guy can get him more space.

12. Seahawks - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
Seahawks need a pass rusher, and Ingram is the best on the board. He is the "pure rusher" the Seahawks need. Had 10 sacks last year.

13. Cardinals - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
OL has been a problem for years, it is time to fix that and this is as good of a start as any.

14. Cowboys - Mark Barron, S, Alabama
Fill a need and thrilled he actually fell to them.

15. Eagles - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
Eagles were so weak up the middle last year it was a joke. It's time to get off the sexy position and finally gets a guy who can play in the trenches.

16. Jets - Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
Jets need help at DE and Jones is a great fit. He can rush the passer, but also has very long arms that could help against quick throws from things like Brady-to-Welker.

17. Bengals - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
Bengals actually had a pretty decent defense last year, and Gimore would be a steal.

18. Chargers - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
Maybe I just hate BC, but fuck it he drops. Spikes is really old, and Kuechly and Butler could be good for a long time.

19. Bears - Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
They need a DE and they get a DE.

20. Titans - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Replacement for Finnegan and actually has a decent shot at being an upgrade. Would've love for this guy to fall to the Patriots, but I can't justify it.

21. Bengals - David DeCastro, G, Stanford
They have a passing game that is heading in the right direction, now it is time to protect it.

22. Browns - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
Got Richardson early in the draft, now it is time to giving him some running room.

23. Lions - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
For the love of God please protect Stafford.

24. Seelers - Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
The Steelers get their next LB that will probably turn out to be a Hall of Famer. Some things never change.

25. Broncos - Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
I have seen some boards that don't have this kid going in the first round and I don't get it. He is a steal right here and will be very good for a long time.

26. Texans - Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
You never know how much Johnson is going to play, but if he is healthy and they add this kid to the mix they could be very dangerous.

27. Patriots - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Can play DE and OLB, seems like a perfect fit, but the Patriots will probably do something weird like trade the pick or select another TE.

28. Packers - Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise St.
Packers were one of the worst pass rushing teams last year and McClellin is said to be the best fit.

29. Ravens - Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
Would've liked to get a DE or LB, but another hole is the middle of their offensive line.

30. 49ers - Jeff Allen, OT/G, Illinois
They have the talent to throw and run, but you can do either if they don't have holes and time to do so. All is a nice fit and has flexibility.

31. Patriots - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
Dude is crazy, but maybe the Patriots can figure that out. He might be a top 10 guys if he can get his head on straight.

32. Giants - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
Everyone seems to have them taking a TE, so what the hell I'll agree.

Patriots Draft Preview

In this century, the Patriots are the most successful Boston sports team. Yet their moves are also the most heavily critiqued. Perhaps because those moves are the least understood by their fans.

That's not a knock on Pats fans. The football salary cap is the most complex in of all sports. Football rosters are also more than twice the size of the other sports. The pursuit of the best talent at the best price in the NFL is more complicated than buying and selling options on the Taiwanese bond market.

I have no idea who the Patriots will draft tonight. I have no idea what position he'll play. I don't know if the Patriots will make any trades with their picks. But I do know that the Patriots' Draft Day isn't random. There is a system in place, a strategy. There is a certain approach to the Draft that is distinctively Patriot-like.

There's an assessment of value, risk, and payoff. The Pats' War Room is more like the Chicago Board of Trade or New York Stock Exchange than a gathering of football minds.

As an outsider, I've tried to understand how and why the Patriots draft the way they do. And these are the rules/guidelines/strategies that I see:

TRADING FOR A BETTER PICK IS USUALLY A WORSE RISK:

Fans lament that the Patriots don't trade up and draft superior talent. There's a good reason they don't, and it isn't just to hoard picks for the future. There's a risk involved with every pick. In the NFL Draft, you're only selecting talent. With each player, there's a significant chance that they won't work out in the NFL. There's no way to predict how a player will react to the independence, to the money, to the competition, to being a big fish in a big pond.

If you trade up in the Draft, you are going to acquire superior talent. Which means the potential payoff is higher. But you're also risking more. Since you used other picks to move up, you're paying a higher price. Unnecessarily so. It's like betting more on a roulette wheel. You'll win more if you win, but lose more if you lose.

If the pick doesn't work, you'll also have inferior remaining picks to make up for the shortcoming. So not only do you risk more when you trade-up, you have weaker insurance to recover if the pick doesn't work out.

And typically to move up in the draft, you have to overpay. Look at what the Redskins paid to draft RG3. Even if RG3 turns out to be a superstar, the price was still ridiculous. And too much of a risk. RG3 might work out in Washington, but it's still a bad move. Bad moves sometimes work out. Good moves sometimes don't.

FUTURE PICKS ARE WORTH THE SAME AS PICKS NOW:
Speaking of the RG3 trade...

You see these kinds of deals all the time. Team A sends future picks to get Team B's superior picks in the current draft. And what you also see is the Patriots emerging from each draft with a load of future picks in their pocket.

Some teams seem to think that a 2013 pick is less valuable than a 2012 pick. And it isn't. They're worth the same. You can draft the same caliber of player and retain their talent for the same amount of time.

We're all fans and we all want our team to improve as much as possible right now on Draft Day. And every team has some area that it really needs to improve. But the need to improve will be just as pressing next April. The value of a pick now is the same as a pick next year. The Patriots take advantage of teams that are desperate to improve right now and are willing to sell future picks for a low cost.

Let's say I offered you a Hawaii vacation for $1,000. Does it matter if you take the vacation now or a year from now? Not really, not in the long run. And now let's say I offered you the same vacation package for $1,000 if you go now, or $800 if you go next year. Which would you take?

TWO PICKS ARE BETTER THAN ONE (AND NOT BECAUSE TWO PLAYERS ARE BETTER THAN ONE, THEY USUALLY AREN'T):
Two good picks are better than one great pick because of risk. As I mentioned earlier, each player drafted might not work out in the NFL. There's unpredictability. A way to manage that risk is to make more picks.

The Patriots love to increase their number of picks. And it's not because they want more players. It's because they want to have a better chance of getting players that will produce in the NFL.

Let's say I have $1,000 to gamble on NFL games. I could put it all on one game. But something crazy could happen, like an injury or a missed field goal. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket. It's safer to bet $200 on 5 games. A crazy thing might still happen, but one or even two crazy things won't mess up my entire day of betting.

That's kind of what the Patriots do with their vast pool of draft picks. They know that each player has a chance of failure. So they'd rather spread that chance of failure around instead of hoping one guy works out. It's a safer, smarter way to invest.

And that's what these picks are: investments.

DON'T DRAFT BASED ON POSITION:

This is a classic gripe of Patriots fans. The Pats don't draft based on their needs or wants at certain positions.

The Patriots draft the best talent available when they pick.

If you have the 30th pick, and you need a linebacker, and there's one available. Why not pick him? If he's worth a 30th overall pick then fine. But if he's worth the 40th pick then it's a bad move to take him.

Why reach? Why use the 30th pick to take someone who is worth a 40th pick? Picks are like money. And players are like groceries. It's like spending $10 on a head of lettuce just because you need a salad to complete a meal. Just go without the salad and buy more pork because it's on sale. You won't go hungry. You'll just have a different looking meal that's stronger in another area.

Besides, drafting based on what you need tends to be a bad idea anyway, even if the price is right. There is a significant chance that the player drafted won't work out. So you spend that pick to get someone, he doesn't work out, and you're in exactly the same situation only you've lost that pick.

If you really need help at a position, it's better to sign and trade for players who have NFL experience. It's much easier to predict how well they will fill that need.

You'll end every draft with needs. You'll start every season with needs. You should try to fill them. But if you overspend picks and cap space to fill that need, you'll just create needs at other positions. And you'll have fewer resources to try to address those needs.

The Patriots need a CB, for instance. If they acquired Asante Samuel and his hefty contract, they'd address their need at CB but create a need somewhere else because of all the cap money Samuel would consume.

You don't help yourself, you hurt yourself.

We're all fans, and we're all excited to see the Patriots improve themselves. We get giddy at the idea of some star linebacker wearing a Patriots jersey. But the guys running the Pats' Draft aren't fans. This is their business. And they treat it like a business.

Fans like to point out anecdotal evidence of picks not working out. I know 98.5's Felger and Mazz were heavily criticizing the Patriots' Draft strategy yesterday. I think it makes sense. I think it works out. It builds consistency. The Patriots don't draft amazingly well, but they always find themselves rich with picks. Which allows them to stay competitive year after year.

And for this year's Draft, the only thing I can predict is that Pats fans will be upset after tonight.

-The Captain

NFL Draft Love Hate

The NFL Draft is tonight and although we haven't done much coverage of it this year, I just want it on the record who I love and who I hate.

Who I love:
RGIII- This isn't a knock on Andrew Luck by any means, I jut think the future is brighter with Griffin III.
Trent Richardson- I predict he will slip a little bit with the focus coming away from RBs, but he is Adrian Peterson/ Emmett Smith good.
Mark Barron- He is going to be the next great safety in the NFL
Dont'a Hightower- Next awesome ILB, mean, high motor, perfect for that roll.
Kendell Wright- He will be better than Michael Floyd, underrated, great route runner
Janoris Jenkins- Super talented and is going to slip because he is a shithead, but has a chance to be Morris Claiborn good
Brandon Weeden- 28 but I think he's a plug and play QB who will be better than Tannehill
Alshon Jeffrey- overlooked because he came to camp overweight, but has a chance to be a big play maker.
Lamar Miller- If Trent Richardson wasn't in this draft he would be my favorite RB
Kirk Cousins- Winner, won't mess up, will be better than QBs now like Colt McCoy, Christian Ponder, Tim Tebow
Nick Foles- Has more upside than Cousins, could be a steal.
Rueben Randle- Can be as good as Michael Floyd, could be a WR steal

Who I Hate:
Ryan Tannehill- I want to root for him but if Matt Barkley and Landry Jones was in this draft, we wouldn't hear of Tannehill's name.
Michael Floyd- Fast, 2 inches taller than Justin Blackmon, but I don't like him for some reason
Melvin Ingram- I really don't think he's that good, I haven't been impressed with him as a DE
Doug Martin- I like Lamar Miller better who will be likely picked after Martin
Lamichael James- Too small to succeed in the NFL as an effective back
Stephen Hill- I want to like him, but I could see him being a bust as him as his skills only take him so far (Darius Heyward Bey type)

Top 25 Under 25: #17 Matthew Stafford

Born: February 7, 1988 (age 24)
Team: Detriot Lions
Position: QB

When you think of Stafford you really don't question how talented he is, but his health. In his first 2 season Stafford was only able to play 13 games, but in 2011 he was finally able to stay healthy and we saw what this kid can do. Stafford threw for 5,038 yards, 41 TDs with a completion percentage of 63.5%. For that he was named to the Pro Bowl, and won AP Comeback Player of the Year.

Sure, he is made a better player by Calvin Johnson, but 41 TDs is 41 TDs, and if the Lions can protect this guy we might just be starting to see what he can do. I mean he is 24 years old and already holds 3 record for the Lions...

Most passing yards in a single season: 5,038 (2011)
Most passing touchdowns in a single season: 41 (2011)
Highest completion percentage in a single season by starting QB: 63.5 (2011)

Yea, it's the Lions, but still impressive. I can wait to see what he and the Lions can do moving forward, because their team is just oozing with talent.

NFL Finally Going To End Pro Bowl

"Sources say that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has previously voiced his displeasure with the lack of competitiveness in recent Pro Bowl games, is strongly considering suspending this year's game, sources say. Beyond 2013, another league source believes the Pro Bowl is "DOA (dead on arrival) (ESPN)."

THANK GOD.

There is nothing worse. It's a terrible game, no one wants to play, and there is no such thing as playing "safe football". With so many players dropping out every year there are a bunch of guys that "make" the Pro Bowl that have no business there (Example - David Garrard).

The NFL should name who made the Pro Bowl, and then just have a fun skills competition. Who is the fastest? Who is more accurate thrower/kicker? Best hands? Best Bench Press? Best arm? DE/LBs run through obstacle courses, you know that kind of thing. Like a big combine, but for bragging rights. That's all you need.

Why Not?

Watch Obama on Jimmy Fallon

Michael Pineda Out For The Year

Remember the blockbuster trade this summer where the Yankees traded hitter Jesus Montero for Seattle Ace Michael Pineda and all of us Red Sox fans were pissed because Pineda was going to be a surefire Ace? Things just got a lot more tricky as Michael Pineda will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder and will be out for the rest of the season.

This is a big deal for the Yankees as shoulder issues are a big risk on pitchers. Curt Schilling, Tommy Hanson and Jake Peavy have all survived the scare. The surgeon described himself as "cautiously optimistic" that Pineda will regain his ability after surgery, because Pineda's rotator cuff is undamaged, but he acknowledged that "shoulder surgery is challenging." The fact that the surgery will be performed arthroscopically rather than with an open incision also works in Pineda's favor.

I have a feeling Pineda will be back and be fine next year due to that, but this is certainly not what the Yankees thought they were trading for. Luckily for them Andy Pettite will be there to eventually unseat Freddy Garcia.

The Carl Crawford Nightmare Continues

Within a few days, Carl Crawford will have an appointment with noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews for an examination of what one baseball source characterized yesterday as “lingering soreness” in his left elbow. Herald

Dr. James Andrews is synonymous with Tommy John surgery and with Carl Crawford visiting him, that probably means Tommy John is in the not so distant future. This would blow, because I talked to my uncle the other day and he wasn't worried about the Sox because he said the Sox are getting 2 really big players for nothing in Dice K and Crawford soon, and that should help. I started to believe that too, until this came out.

If Crawford gets Tommy John then we would have a lot of payroll on the DL due to that in Lackey, Carl and Dice K.

I've been ignoring this whole Crawford situation, but this certainly sucks.

7 Red Sox, 6 Twins

The Red Sox eked out this win and I'll take the win here, but Clay Buchholz is the worst. This was the guy that was untradeable? He's completely hittable, walks a lot of people and just overall bad. Luckily for the Red Sox they were facing Liam Hendricks who's even worse than Buchholz. The Sox bats jumped on Hendricks early and often by an RBI knock by Cody Ross and then a 3 run homerun in the 2nd. And then Salty knocked in 2 more in the 3rd and A Gon knocked in pedroia in the 5th.

The 6th inning was tough for Clay as he let up 4 of his 5 runs. Albers, Morales and Padilla all held down the fort getting into the 9th and of course Aceves did his best to blow it by walking a man and letting up a hit, but was able to get the job done with his 4th save of the season.

Capitals 2, Bruins 1 (OT)

On the bright side, I get to trim my beard. That's good because it was getting a bit unruly. Some tomato sauce got caught in it and since my beard has a reddish hue, I was never certain that I got all the sauce out.

Anyway, to the game and the series.

The Capitals played to 100% of their potential. The Bruins fluctuated between 80% and 100%, mostly hovering around 90%. Rarely reaching 100%.

We're going to here the theories. It's amazing how small minded people come up with the biggest and most complex explanation of things. They'll blame the so-called "Cup hangover." They'll say the Bruins celebrated too much in the off-season. They might even point to Tim Thomas not visiting the White House.

I'm more simplistic. I see David Krejci not scoring goals and just think that he's not a very consistent player. I see Milan Lucic skating up the ice before he has full possession of the puck, turning it over on his own blue line. That's something the Bruins have done many times, both before and after winning the Cup. I see brad Marchand trying too hard to make plays on his own.

These aren't complicated things. The Bruins didn't execute. It happens. It happened in the 2011 Cup run too. Just not 4 times in a 7 game stretch.

Krejci and Lucic made the right plays at the wrong time. They'd fling the puck in front of the net, but not when the Bruins had any bodies in front. They didn't do much in the offensive zone that had any purpose. Only Seguin did a good job supporting the play. Only Seguin looked dangerous in the offensive zone.

I missed Mark Recchi in this series. His timing to get to the front of the net was something the Bruins were sorely missing all series long. Holtby was giving up rebounds, struggling to smother loose pucks, and frequently made mistakes with his glove. But there were no Bruins hovering around the net, pouncing just as the shot got in, and getting body position to capitalize on rebounds.

Holtby was the story of this series, but not the star. He did a great job, but the Bruins did a poor job of making him work to make saves. No traffic, no second-chance opportunities. Lots of perimeter shots that he was able to see clearly.

Anyone who wants to blame Thomas for this series loss is a fool. He wasn't godlike, as he was in 2011. But how perfect would he have needed to be last night?

Defensively, the Bruins did a good job shutting down the Caps. But most of the top 6 Bruin forwards did nothing on offense. Kelly's line produced at the start of the series. Then the defensemen took over. Seguin and Peverley combined for 5 goals, which is 1/3 of the Bruins' total offensive production. Bruins forwards only scored 11 goals. The top 6 scored 7 goals, and 5 of those were Seguin's and Peverley's

Krejci had 1 goal. Marchand had 1 goal. Lucic had 0 goals. Bergeron had 0 goals.

One of these guys needed to produce. Just one.

The Bruins needed their scorers to score. They were never going to outmuscle the Caps. These aren't the Canadiens, the Lightning, or the Canucks. Alex Ovechkin is 230 pounds. He doesn't shy away from physical contact, he initiates it.

So now comes a long off-season. Will Thomas be back? Will the Bruins get a "scorer?" Will they try to construct a true top line. We have plenty of time to find out.

-The Captain

BMack's Take

The closest series in the history of the NHL came to an end last night, and ever fittingly it happened in overtime. Joel Ward slammed home a rebound at 2:57 of overtime to give Washington a 2-1 victory over Boston in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series. No team has repeated as Stanley Cup Champions since Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98.

You really can't point the finger at any one thing. This series was so close. All games decided by a goal, four of the games went to overtime, and 2 others were decided with less than 2 minutes left in regulation. A puck bounces a different way and this series could've gone different. Give credit to the Capitals though, they really changed their style for this series and it worked.

This is a tough pill to swallow as a Bruins fan, but before we start saying "choke" or anything like that remember that these team were only separated by 4 points in the standings, and like I mentioned before no one seems to ever repeat.

We will get to all the offseason stuff later, but I guess there is one more topic we are going to have to cover, because I am sure there is going to be a ton of press about it in the coming days. After the game last night "Boston fans" took to twitter and let out a bunch of racist comments, and it is not making our city look very good. Boston has always had a stigma of being racist and this is just another check mark next to that.

If you want to actually see what was said and reaction you can read it HERE.

Capitals @ Bruins Preview: Game 7

The Bruins forced game 7 by winning in Washington in game 6, and to be honest I thought they were a little bit lucky. The Bruins have outplayed the Capitals almost the entire series, but near the end of that 3rd peroid I thought the Capitals were playing better, and in particular Ovechkin was starting to take over. It doesn't matter now, but that scared the hell out of me.

This series is the closest series of all time. There has never been a series that went 7 games where every game was determined by just 1 goal. Yet, I have come away from basically every game in this series thinking the Bruins were the better team. The better team doesn't always win in playoff hockey, so this is really up in the air.

The Bruins won 2 Game 7's in Boston last year in the playoffs. They are used to this atmostphere. The Capitals have a young goalie that might not be able to handle it, plus the Capitals seem to fizzle out every playoffs early. Is this the year they finally break through? Or is this just what "Bruins hockey" is now where we expect every series to go 7 games?

Thomas has been solid, not great, but not bad either. There are so many storylines heading into this game, but one of the most interesting (and/or upsetting) is the fact that this COULD BE TIM THOMAS' LAST GAME AS A BRUIN. It's really odd to think about, but he has a big salary, the Bruins need to commit money to Rask in the offseason, which makes Thomas very likely to be traded.

That doesn't matter tonight, but it's hard to get off my mind. I think Thomas is going to come up huge tonight. I think the Capitals are going to fall apart, and although I don't see a blowout I think the Bruins do what they did so many times last playoffs. WIN GAME 7.

Bruins win 4-1
Player of the Game: Thomas/Peverley
Game starts at 7:30pm

Red Sox @ Twins Preview

The Red Sox are going for the sweep tonight over the Twins, as Buchholz will try to right the ship against 23-year-old Liam Hendriks. This will be Hendriks first start against Boston in his career, which isn't all that shocking since this is only his 7th career start. He has yet to win a start yet in his young career, but has pitched decently in his 2 starts this year going a total of 11 2/3 innings allowing 5 ERs. Still, this is yet another pitcher that the Twins throw out there that is a righty and not overly impressive. That should mean Boston puts some serious runs on the board again tonight.

This has been a horrid start of the season for Clay Buchholz. He is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA. He has let up at least 5 ERs in each of his 3 starts. If you want to try to stay positive this is a guy who missed the whole 2nd half of last year, and has had to go against 3 very good offense so far (Yankees, Rays, Tigers), so maybe this is just him shaking off some rust.

It would be really nice to see Buchholz have a night where he goes 6-7 innings allowing no more than 3 runs. Just something to build on, and give the Red Sox a little more confidence that he can turn back into the pitcher he once was.

I think the Red Sox offense is rolling, I think they pitcher they are going against is subpar, and I think the Twins lineup is poor. This will be the last time the Red Sox play the Twins until August, which is too bad.

Red Sox win 9-4
Player of the Game: Ortiz
Game starts at 8:10pm


Sox Lineup:

Mike Aviles SS
Ryan Sweeney RF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
David Ortiz DH
Kevin Youkilis 3B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Cody Ross LF
Marlon Byrd CF

Falcons Trade For Asante Samuel (UPDATED)

Adam Schefter is reporting, that Falcons-Eagles trade is nearly complete. According to various reports, it sounds like the Eagles would receive a sixth-round pick in exchange for Samuel.

We reported a couple days ago that Asante was on the block, and we all knew he would be dealt fast. It is pretty surprising that the Eagles are only getting a 6th round pick for him, but this trade is more about getting him off the books as he is due $21.5 million over the next 2 years.

Like usual I am kind of dissapointed the Patriots didn't make a run at him, especially if it really only would've cost them a 6th round pick. Samuel is still only 31, so maybe they could've worked out a deal to restucture and extend his contract another year. I know he is a poor tackler, and gambles too much, but he can be such a difference maker and to me seemed like he would've fit in nicely back with the Patriots.

For the Falcons this is a nice pickup. They now have Samuel, Grimes and Dunta Robinson, which should workout to be a very good defensive backfield.

***UPDATE***

"The Atlanta Falcons acquired Philadelphia Eagles Pro-Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel for a late-round pick, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Wednesday. As part of the deal, Samuel restructured his contract, agreeing to a three-year, $18.5 million contract with the Falcons (ESPN)."

That works out to $6.17 million a year. I said that if I was to grab this guy I would've done the same thing. Great job by the Falcons.