Yeah, You're That Guy

He really said this:

In a speech to a construction industry trade group in Washington, Mr. Bush said he was “confident that with good will on both sides, that we can move beyond political statements” and agree on a new measure.

But he continued to criticize Congress for trying to use the bill to dictate timelines for withdrawal.

“The question is, ‘Who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders?’ ” Mr. Bush said. “As you know, my position is clear — I’m the commander guy.”

That's the type of guy I think of when I think of him: the commander guy...and not, the idiot guy, or the douchebag guy, or the jackass guy, or the plain old dumb guy.

I think he's done enough playing the role of commander guy.

The Last Fight

For years I've been awaiting the official arrival of the beginning of UFC dominance, and the end of boxing, and it has seemingly arrived. Now I say that I've been awaiting it, but I cannot say that I'm excited to see it happen. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy MMA (Mixed Martial Arts, for those who do not know) a lot more than I do boxing, but I did love watching great boxing fights. However, these days, there are no great matches in boxing because there are no great fighters.

Proof that boxing has no more great fights comes to us this weekend in the form of Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr (whose father, meanwhile, is training MMA fighters in Las Vegas, NV...I've been to the gym). It can be argued that De La Hoya has not been a great fighter in almost 7 years, since losing to Trinidad, and then soon after to Shane Mosley. Mayweather, on the other hand, is awesome. It'd be great if he had a true rival, for that could possibly lift boxing. But it's just not going to happen. This fight with De La Hoya could be a great fight, although I wouldn't bet on it. With Oscar still being the biggest name in boxing right now, at least to the general sports fan, this is, for the most part, the last big fight.

HBO has been doing everything possible to make as much of this fight as they can, featuring their almost nightly show about the upcoming event. Yet the fight is not even on HBO, which is the beauty of it. It's on HBO Pay-Per-View, of course. Meanwhile, the UFC, just recently aired a main event on Spike TV. This will not be common place, but when's the last time boxing did that? Also, HBO is soon to be airing UFC fights, although the details are being worked out still. In other words, HBO is moving towards MMA, and the world is moving away from boxing.

Why is boxing fading one has to wonder? You can make the case the UFC TV show The Ultimate Fighter played a role, but I don't buy that. UFC was on it's way before that show ever aired, although it helped, and boxing was already in the crapper before any sports writer even knew who Dana White is. The real reasons MMA has risen above boxing is the fighters themselves; their personalities, backgrounds, lifestyles, etc. Oh, and the possibility of a ridiculous knockout at any weight class is also huge.

Rather than go on about why MMA, in particular the UFC, is blowing up, I'll just make the point of this being the "The Last Fight." I once got into a discussion with Bert Watson, who coordinates the entire UFC event with regards to where the fighters have to be, and when they have to be there. Watson makes this whole thing come together every event. So we got to talking one evening over a Heineken, and I told him why I thought the UFC was taking over boxing. I mentioned that no one cares about foreign fighters, and that the UFC fighters have personalities. Plus, fans identify with these guys more so than the boxers. Watson agreed, but said the real reason was guns and money. Huh? Yeah, guns and money.

Watson has been running events not just for the UFC, but for the major boxing events as well, so he knows. He's been in this game for decades, since he returned from 'Nam. When I asked him what he meant about "guns and money" he said simply, "Years ago, when I was growing up you had to fight your way out of the hood. These days it's not that way. No one wants to get their hands dirty. They shoot each other, become rappers, or play basketball because that's where the money is. They don't use their hands and fight their way out of the hood..." Well, I think Watson was just telling it like it is, and could not be more on the money.

As of right now there are no super up and coming fighters, unlike in the MMA world, where there are many. Many of the ones who are on top, especially in heavyweight, are foreign, and no one cares. Chris Byrd has still been in big fights years after getting anhilated by Ike Ibeabuchi. The UFC has personable fighters who have also grabbed hold of the pop/fashion culture, something that hasn't been seen in boxing since Muhammad Ali. All of this points to the rise of the UFC, and end of boxing.

This is why this weekend's fight is "The Last Fight." And minus all the hype these fighters and networks have created for it, it's not even that special.

Love Hate the NBA

I've been watching this Warriors / Mavericks serious waiting for the car wreck, but somehow the Mavs avoided it last night. One could say that Dirk Nowitzki came alive to help his team stave off elimination. One could also say that these officials are doing a terrible job, and doing what they can to keep the Mavs in it. Now I'm no fan of either team, so I could care less, but seriously, every touch foul goes against the Warriors, as does every close loose ball. You know you're not going to hear about this elsewhere because the coaches and analysts cannot challenge the refs without fear of retribution, but trust me, it's really poorly officiated. There's a reason the tension is so high other than the fact the Mavs are down, and that there was bad blood before the series. The refs have no control, and it seems like there could be a fight on nearly every series down the court.

Having said all of this, I'd like to focus on the other fascinating aspect bubbling to the surface. The first is that Baron Davis is the best player in the NBA. Did you know this? Apparently he is, according to every analyst and radio talk personality. Now I'd like to throw out the disclaimer that when he was drafted I predicted dominance for the former UCLA guard, so I'm not surprised. But EVERYONE ELSE seems to be stunned by what he's able to do. I hardly watch the NBA, but was well aware of what he can do. And yes, I would take him straight up over the supposed MVP, Dirk Nowitzki.

Now, onto Dirk. The reverse racism going down is phenom, led by none other than Steven A. Smith I've been trying to figure out what the "A." stands for, and I have a couple of guesses, for sure. Mr. Smith has referred to Dirk as the "closest thing I've seen to Larry Bird..." Mr. Smith is not alone making this claim. But what about Dirk's game makes him Larry Bird? Is it the fact that he shoots well, that he's white, or both?

Larry Bird's best skill was making other people on the floor better, something Dirk does not do at all. I'd be willing to bet Bird averaged over 6.5 assists per game over his career, and if that's the case then he's a lot closer to say Tracey McGrady or Lebron than Dirk. Yes, they are both white, and yes they both shoot well, but so do McGrady and James, and both can shoot the ball and rebound.

Dirk has a lot of ability, but top to bottom he's not a great player because he doesn't raise the game of his teammate the way Magic and Bird did (and so many others). Regular season is one thing, playoffs and titles, which define Bird, are another. Yes, Dirk had a good game last night, but he was invisible for major parts of it. Even when Bird is not scoring, he was able to have an effect on the game. His presence was always felt, and this is not something I see with Dirk at all, which, again, completely defines Bird.

Like in 2004 or 2005 or 2006...

The President doesn't like the current bill funding the war, but not just because of the "artificial" withdrawal date. But because of the other stuff that makes it bad too:

“I am about to veto a bill that has got artificial timetables for withdrawal, but that’s not the only bad thing about the bill,” he said in response to a question. “It also adds domestic spending that’s unrelated to the war.”

Oh, gotcha. You're a conservative, so you don't want to overspend......


like you did in, say, 2005?

The government watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) said the supplemental bill is stuffed with projects that have little or nothing to do with the military or national security.

Included in the bill is $20 million for a road project in Mississippi, $5 million for the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery in Montana, $2 million for an upgrade of chemistry laboratories at Drew University in New Jersey, and $1 million for the Woody Island and historic structures in Philadelphia.

Such a douche/liar.

Ze Draftnik

Some draft thoughts in general.

I realized this weekend what Pete Prisco of Sportsline, Lenn Robbins of the NY Post, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper of ESPN, and myself have in common: We don't know crap about the NFL Draft. Unlike Clark Judge of Sportsline who seems to know quite a bit more. At least Judge got SOME of the picks right.

I decided to shake it up and make the correct Raiders pick at #1 by selecting Calvin Johnson. But no, no no, for what would the draft be if not for clueless GMs/experts making so many wrong calls? A big difference between myself and any of these "experts" is they got paid to be wrong, where as I don't. Websites, radio stations, and tv shows are selling ad-space based on their horrible predictions. My inaccuracies come for free.

Lets put some perspective on recent drafts. Looking first at 2000, of the top Top 10 picks you can make the case that 6 are busts, considering their draft position. Of that first round almost 17, more than half are busts. I'm sure the experts were saying that then. However, 2000 beats 2001, because the Top 10 that year featured no less than 8 busts. Count 'em, 8, and I'm sorry, but that includes Michael Vick, especially considering that San Diego traded back, moved to 4, took LaDanian Tomlinson (the best player maybe ever), and then took Drew Brees with the first pick of Round 2. The rest of the studs from that Top 10 include Leonard Davis, Gerard Warren, Justin Smith, David Terrell, Andre Carter, Koren Robinson, and Jamal Reynolds. No one outside of their family members could identify these guys if you walked past them.

2001 should not be picked on too much because there's always 2002. Oh 2002, where would we be without the experts? 2002 was the year Houston HAD TO HAVE A FRANCHISE QB instead of the best player available: Julius Peppers. Now they don't have a quarterback, and tried to draft a guy last year who hopefully could one day become, ehh hemmm......Julius Peppers.

The '02 draft featured: David Carr, Joey Harrington, Mike Williams (Texas), Quentin Jammer, Ryan Sims, Bryant McKinnie, Roy Williams (Oklahoma), John Henderson, and the one player Mel Kiper said was a "bad pick by the Cincinnati Bengals", Levi Jones. Jones was a "reach" according to Mel. Of course, Jones is one of the better tackles in the league, and was a Pro Bowl alternate. He's better than McKinnie. Peppers is the only one worthy of a Top 10 pick, was considered a sure thing, if we can even place a value on what that means.

Ohhhh, 2002, how I long to speak about you longer, but I just cannot. I must move on to the incredible year that was 2003, a time when GMs and experts could not miss...and by that I mean, could not miss a chance to be wrong...UHHGAIN.

In 2003 we had Carson Palmer on top, and rightfully so. I've always been a huge fan, although many believed he'd be a bust after not playing his first year. I was sure he'd shine. Then the onslaught of talent started to get picked right after Palmer. Our Top 10 featured the talented, yet teamless Charles Rogers at #2. A guy praying to make the Giants this season. A Giants team with few WR options. At #4 the Jets took the dominant, yet undersized, defensive tackle Dwayne Robertson from the college football powerhouse Kentucky. Dwayne is a household name throughout Freeport and Bethpage, Long Island. And who could forget cornerback Terrance Newman at #5, also from a football powerhouse, Kansas State. Newman plays in Dallas, in case you wondered, locking down wideouts slightly better than Charles Rogers. So you need to plug a hole on the defensive line? Well, if so, who better than tackle Jonathon Sullivan of Georgia to do that? And don't think he's not available to your team right now because last time I checked he wasn't even on a NFL roster. The great Byron Leftwich filled the #8 slot, and he now is locked in a gunslingers' battle down in jacksonville, Florida with world-beater David Garrard, formerly a Conference USA star. That's right, David Garrard! C'mon, you know who that is. He was the guy drafted 108th right after Penn State RB Omar Easy, and just before Purdue's Kicker Travis Dortch in the 2002 draft. You know that guy, right? Travis Dortch Bag!

The highlight of the 2003 Draft was the major error made when the Minnesota Vikings got so caught up in trade talks that they actually missed their pick! Remember that insanity?!?!? And man, did they pay a dear price for that By missing the #7 pick, and having Jacksonville snag Leftwich and Carolina quickly grabbing the incredible O-Lineman Jordan Gross, the Vikings got stuck with defensive tackle Kevin Williams! Sheezus, what a bad move. Not only did they have to pay Williams less money, but they've had to sit there for the last 4 seasons and watch him DOMINATE. Idiots! Rounding out the 2003 Top 10 was Terrell Suggs, a "tweener...who doesn't have a true position", so we were told by Kiper and other experts. He has 40 sacks in 4 years for the best defense in football.

Experts.

Finally, 2004, a year when almost half the first 10 picks seem to be good! On top was Eli Manning, and while the jury is still out on him, I think he's good and will be better. Phil Rivers went 4th to the Chargers, and he's going to be great as well. However, at #11 Ben Roethlisberger was picked. He now has a Superbowl ring (and a face like Al Pacino after flying out off his motorcycle). This top 10 featured only 4 busts, which is apparently good. They are "can't miss" Robert Gallery, Dunta Robinson (average), Kellen Winslow (probably not a bust...except he too crashed his motorcycle), and Reggie Williams, who is down in Florida trying to make Leftwich and Garrard look good. Not bad! Only 30-40% of the Top 10 suck!

Alright, 2005 and 2006 we cannot judge just quite yet. While there are clearly busts in these drafts, it'd be unfair to not let these stars play out their first contracts. However, I am seeing 3 to 4 to 5 solid busts in the '05 and '06 classes.

With all of this said, I have to predict the future...which, if you saw my picks, I was not so good at.

There are going to be at least 3 in the Top 10, and that's being kind, so lets begin. Way-Way-Way-Way-Wait, hold on, one more thing I need to add: What defines a "bust" anyway? Is it enough that the player doesn't play great? What if the team stinks even if that player excels, example, Andre Johnson? What if looking back you can say, "Well, he's awesome, but if they had taken Ken Davis they'd be doing so much better now."? For example, the Arizona Cardinals took WR Bryant Johnson from Penn State in 2003 after having Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin on the roster. Johnson may shine in 'Zona, but in all likelihood, considering the other players they have to pay, he'll be gone after this season (I don't know his contract). He's not a bust, but it was a BUST pick because they could have taken Penn State teammate Larry Johnson who was still available! Don't tell me you didn't see the game film because you had to fast forward through a lot of Larry plays to get to Bryant plays. Now they signed Edgerrin James instead, an older back who can't hold Johnson's cleats. So, not a bust player, per se, but clearly, a bust pick for the Cardinals. Words of wisdom.

Ok, so, here we are, discussing the busts of this draft in the Top 10. Now lets start right at the top with #1 pick: Jamarcus Russell. We were told the Raiders did not need a wide receiver because of the depth of talent at the position, so they passed on a sure thing. Amazing, looking back at history, a team actually passing on a sure thing. Cheers to Matt Millen for taking him. Anyway, the depth of talent experts are now referring to include Ronald Curry and the always reliable Jerry Porter, a guy who just didn't want to play. With Randy Moss off and soon to be winning Superbowls, these are the targets Russell has to work with. But in my opinion you could bring in a time machine, reincarnate Fred Biletnikoff, Jerry Rice and Dave Casper, and it still would not matter. This guy was 'Born to Bust'. Hello Dan McGwire. Hello Daunte Culpepper. Kiffin has lost his job before he has even left the tunnel for the first preseason game.

The second bust, well, it has to be someone, so I am going to say it's Laron Landry. Clearly, he will not be a terrible player, but I do not see the talent here that I see with teamate Sean Taylor. Good player, sure. Not a top 10 pick. In fact, I have a hard time EVER taking a Safety in the Top 10. It's pretty much, in my opinion, the easiest position to fill. You're basically saying, "We think we're getting Ronnie Lott here..." You're not. But it is safe, which is more than you can say for most first round picks. Plus, with Sean Taylor surely working on sending that will send him to a prison, it's good to have depth.

Again, someone has to bust, and I am a believer that turf kills. Well, Adrian Peterson has never proven durable, and he loves to take hits. He also loves to fall into the endzone and break a collarbone. He didn't even get hit when he was injured. He was diving! Well, he'll help the Vikings continue their plunge. Peterson will start the first 3-4 games as one of the leaders in rushing yards in the NFC, and then, he'll be hurt...again and again and again. Not a fact, just a guess. If he was durable he'd be a sure fire #1 pick, IMO.

I know, you want me to say Ted Ginn Jr., but I won't. I'm sorry, but he is the one player in this draft that no one in this draft can stop! The experts talk about Hall and Revis and Houston and others. Like any of these guys could ever stop Ted Ginn? Do you really think in a one on one situatuon the great Deangelo Hall would stop Ginn? I do not. And yet, all the analysts are saying, "What a bad pick...he might be injured" Wait, so he's a "great value" at #19 with the Titans, but bad value for the Dolphins at #9? Please. You get one pick in the first round, and you take the guy you think will work. He only runs 3 routes? And your point? Stop 1 of the 3 and he'll stop running those 3 routes. I'm sure no one in the league wants Devin Hester who also starts at WR.

My last bust is Amobi Okoye of Louisville, and it's not because of his talents, or lack there of. I think this guy has talent, and unfortunately for him he has no more eligibility left. I say this because he's still a teenager, and considering he's playing in the trenches, he's in serious trouble. His body is still growing, and i think the wear and tear of playing DT, slightly undersized, is going to really hurt him. It's like when teams use their young pitchers in baseball before their bodies grow into themselves. They tend to breakdown. I see that happening with Okoye, which is unfortunate.

So those are my four for now. I'm sure I'll be as correct as say, Mel Kiper Junior.

Picks I love.

Jamaal Anderson, Atlanta, Timmons to Pittsburgh, Harrell to Green Bay, Jon Beason to Carolina, Olsen to the Bears, and Anthony Gonzales to the Colts. Other than Harrell, who could miss, these will be the future great picks of this draft below the Top 7.

Pittsburgh did a fantastic job, and so did Carolina, picking up their top 4 picks, Tim Shaw late.

You just have to love

Draft Advice

This is not a piece on who to pick, but more or less, how to pull off following it, and the absurdity about much of it.

First off, watching versus listening to the draft: no comparison. Listening on the radio is the way to go. If you are the type of person who can sit in your living room, and watch the first round of the NFL Draft, well then, I have something for you to do: anything.

(Un)Fortunately for me I was returning from a Friday night wedding in Long Island, replete with Melville's Gang Green fans. I was sitting at that MAXIM table because of my girl. One would think this would be the hot and exciting table. One would think...Sooo, this late night affair is one of the few things that could keep some of these steaks from attending the draft itself, which is unfairly held every year in New York City. It was hard for me to not comment about the Jets and Giants in the bar room at the famed Bethpage Country Club. But, to avoid problems, I did just that. The NFL can lead to fights, especially amongst drunk New Yorkers.

On another note, please, NFL, move this thing draft around the country. Stop embarrassing only the NY and Philly areas (and Oakland) with pictures of overly adoring fans, including the one guy who was missing 5 front teeth. I do appreciate the comedy of ESPN for focusing right in on that guy, for it was priceless and a telling sign of the people who attend these things. Seeing these images on tv convinced me that at least 1 of 3 hardcore fans at the draft are closet homosexuals. Just watch the celebrations, and you'll know I speak the truth. I don't mind this, but it is somewhat telling.

Now, back to the radio. My girlfriend and her friend were privy to being in the car with me, and listening to the draft, which I forgot was on. Had we been in front of a TV there's no way in hell it would have stayed on. But in the car you're afforded the opportunity to explain why any of this matters (knowing full well it does not), and how it works. The ladies asked many questions, which we're explained to them perfectly by Ze Draftnik, via life analogies. I realized, the draft is no less exciting on the radio then baseball or hockey is. The radio afforded me the chance to explain the mistake the Raiders were going to make, and that the QB being selected would have been the 4th QB taken last year.

"So why didn't they take someone last year?"

"I don't get it. If he's the best player, why don't they just take him first? It doesn't make sense."

"I KNOW!"

Upon arriving back to NYC, we got back into bed. We both had that post-wedding/breakfast buffet tiredness, so we wanted to nap. I immediately turned on the tele to watch the draft. I was doing my best to explain the Brady Quinn free fall, which I did accurately predict in the car. This held Erin's interest for 3 more minutes, until she reached for the remote. I told her I loved this, and that it only happens once a year. This rationale held her for another 3 minutes. I guess she realized that I use that excuse every time Ohio State plays basketball or football, or the UFC is on. "Babe, this is the only thing I watch all week!" Was not working. She wanted to "do something with the day..." So we did. We hopped back in the car, went to the beach, and then to Atlantic City. Once again, in the car, draft on the radio, we talked about things, and yet there was no complaints about the audio.

The lesson here for draft fans: plan a long drive on draft day. A day trip to Boston to see the Red Sox, or maybe Washington D.C. I suggest Atlantic City since there's gambling at the other end, and TVs everywhere displaying the draft. Plus, most gambling dudes care somewhat about the draft, and will happily engage you in draft conversation. Plus, you're near Philly, and if you can impart some positive wisdom, they will listen. It gives you the opportunity to learn somethat as well, or to tell the willing how much you know, which if you know anything, is a lot. It's like you get to be an expert on draft day.

"Oh, Marshall Yanda? Yeah, uhhhh, he's, uhhh, he's really good. Yeah, he was on Iowa. They have Scott Chandler..." Knowing anything about the team the guy you were just asked about is on gives you serious DC (draft cred). I don't know a lot about Marshall Yanda, but I sure as hell acted like I did at the poker table. "I'm sure it's a good pick...he blocked for Drew Tate..." Who was running for his the entire season...

So again, radio draft good. TV draft bad. But don't push it like I did. If you bore them with too much information they will ask to listen to Jack FM. Like when the Cardinals took Levi Brown, and I said, "I knew they were going to do that...just like the Bengals."

"What are you babbling about," she asks?

"Oh, well, the Cardinals just lost Joe Thomas to the Browns, and the two announcers had no idea they were going to take Brown. I knew they would...Gotta take the guy you like, just like when the Giants took Petitgout and the Bengals took Levi Jones."

"Oh, what?...Can you shut this off now?"

"Umm, yeah, uhhhh. Can we just hear the next few picks?"

"What-ever."

"We haven't finished our bet yet..."

See, here's a little trick I employed. Earlier I came up with a genius plan to keep the draft on. I captured her attention by making a wager with her, being that we were in Atlantic City spirits. This kept her interested for most of the drive. "Babe, do you think Brady Quinn will get picked before we get to the beach?" This after she felt bad for him. Chicks dig the human interest story. It's good to listen to them sometimes; you can gain info that may help you down the road...literally and figuratively.

"Yes. Definitely."

"Really? What do you want to bet?"

She says, "Whatever. Anything."

"Winner buys dinner tonight?"

"Fine."

This enabled me to keep the draft on for over another hour. Unfortunately, Quinn was drafted 8 miles before the beach, and I lost. One more reason to hate him. But it was worth it. I got to hear most of the draft while remaining with my girlfriend rhe entire time. Plus there's the added benefit of hearing just how little the New York radio announcers know about college football.

This leads me to the fans who attend the draft in New York. So, so, sad. What are you doing? There are fans who attend draft parties in Minnesota and elsewhere who have absolutely nothing to do in those parts of the country. It's too cold to swim, and too warm to ice fish. They've spent weeks watching their teams fail. Draft day is a day of celebration for them. There is no losing. But to the Jets, Giants and Eagles fans who come to the draft, what are you doing? It's not only that they apparently don't have anything better to do, but they don't know what they're cheering or jeering for! They've spent weeks listening to Mel Kiper Jr. tell them what they want to know, and we've seen how wrong he is year in, and year out. If they followed their own histories they'd save themselves a lot of pointless pain.

Worst about these fans is I know they know nothing about the players being selected because I am a person who listens to sports radio in this area a lot. Rarely, if ever, do I hear a great phone call about a college football player. Even when Rutgers was winning games this year few fans could call up and make a comment about the players on RU, or the opposing team. The only types of college football calls I hear from local sports fans is how boring college football is! These are the calls you'll hear during bowl season on an almost daily basis. And the local NY area hosts, they know about as much, which is very little. For these fans or hosts to complain or cheer in any serious way is completel theatre. But then again, what should I expect from the local know-everything New York and Philly fan? Especially their radio hosts?

As for me, yes, I love the draft, for I am a huge tool, but I would not wait on line for 4 hours, drink all day, just to wait for my team to pick a player I know nothing about. Talk about a waste of time (the irony of me writing this piece).

In all honesty, there's no reason to get upset at all. Browns fans would have jumped through the roof if Brady Quinn was drafted third, as would have Dolphins fans had they taken him at #9. Meanwhile, the Browns will suffer as they lose the #4 pick next season and Quinn forever blows, and the Phins fans will revel in Beck and Ginn Jr. At best Quinn is Pennington. Is that what you want leading your team? C'mon.

Finally, a word on the draft expert himself, Mel Kiper Jr. Mel, why is he so mad? Why is Mel sitting on the podium with former professional football players, commentating on the draft? Why was he hired?!?!? The other day I heard Michael Kay of ESPN Radio tell Mel, "Mel, I wish I knew as much about anything as you do about the NFL Draft..." Okay. ESPN, self-promotion, it's a beautiful thing.

All Kiper does is watch college football on TV, then scour hours of game films and highlight reels sent to him from teams, and then give his opinion, which year in, year out, is wrong. So he sits there being wrong with no credibility since he never played football on any meaningful level, if at all. Who is more of an expert to me? Keyshawn Johnson or Kiper? Steve Young or Kiper? Mortensen or Kiper? Kiper is so average ESPN added Todd McShay, who is equally as inaccurate.

If I were Kiper I'd be furious as well, but I'm not sure I would put my disgust on display for a national audience. Learn to hide it. "These teams don't know what the draft is about!" Really? Check the history! He's furious. Afterall, this guy has spent months mocking and re-mocking, only to be wrong. He has been lied to by every team, day in, day out, and yet he has to call most of these people again the next season, kiss ass, only to be lied to again. For why in the world would a GM tell that guy anything?

At the end of the day, Kiper drives traffic to the ESPN website, and that's it. He knows nothing more about the first and second rounds than any fair weather college football fan. Beyond that, he knows the ins and outs of the players selected late in the draft, when most fans don't care. But that's not a talent at all. Anyone can study names and tapes over a few months. I just can't understand why ESPN doesn't get someone who played football, who knows the ins and outs, who has connections, to do his job. Someone with connections would probably get more information than Kiper, who has clearly burned some bridges over the years and gives teams no reason to trust him. Get credibility, so when the draftnik is wrong, at least there's still a sense this person has access.

At the end of the day Kiper is a blowhard know-nothing. Although, it is great to watch him squirm on the podium for over 5 hours. That is the highlight. Oh, then he has to do it the next day, when no one cares.

For now...