Revised Top Ten

Revised Top Ten:

1. (CAR) Cam Newton, QB Aub

2. (DEN) Marcell Dareus, DT Bama

3. (BUF) Von Miller, OLB TAM

4. (CIN) AJ Green, WR Georgia

5. (ARI) Blaine Gabbert, QB Mizz

6. (CLE) Robert Quinn, DE NC

7. (SF) Patrick Peterson, DB LSU

8. (TEN) Nick Fairley, DT Aub

9. (DAL) Prince Amukamara, DB Neb

10 (WAS) Aldon Smith, DE/OLB Mizz

First 10 picks in the NFL Draft

Here are my first ten selections of the 2011 NFL Draft:


1. (CAR) Blaine Gabbert, QB, Mizz

• This guy is not the best player in the draft but every team needs a QB they can build around for the future. Yes they have needs on defence, yes they have a defensive head coach but if they don't get a QB now it could really hurt their rebuild.
• Other possible picks: Patrick Peterson, Da'Quan Bowers or Cam Newton

2. (DEN) Marcell Dareus, DT, Bama

• This is a dominant D-Line guy who can play all over the defensive line but is especially good at the defensive tackle position. He will really help this Denver D-Line which has stubbled of late.
• other possible picks: Da'Quan Bowers, Robert Quinn or Nick Fairley 

3. (BUF) Cam Newton, QB, Aub

• Buffalo needs a QB. They didn't get one last year and they can't pass up Cam Newton if he is there this year. Newton is a great athlete and can make a lot of throws but his decision making and character has come into question. I think this is a good fit because Newton does not have to come in and start. Fitzpatrick can run the offence in Newton's first season and continue to run it until he is ready to be a NFL QB.
• other possible picks: Patrick Peterson, Da'Quan Bowers or Nick Fariley

4. (CIN) Patrick Peterson, DB, LSU

• The Bengals may loose Joseph to free agency which will leave a hole in their secondary. Peterson is a great corner and will really help the Bengals defence.
• Other possible picks: Prince Amukamara, AJ Green or any of the QBs if they drop this far

5. (ARI) Von Miller, OLB, TAM

• The Cards are making the switch to a Steelers style defence and Von Miller is the perfect guy to fit in as a rushing LB. This will be a great fit for Miller and the Cards will address their QB needs through free agency
• Other possible picks: Robert Quinn, Prince Amukamara or any of the QBs if they drop

6. (CLE) Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clem

• Cleveland could go a lot of ways with this pick. Yes they have needs at the receiver position but they also need guys to play in the new 4-3 scheme. Bowers is a great DE in a 4-3 and can really help a Browns pass rush
• other possible picks: AJ Green, Robert Quinn or Nick Fairley 

7. (SF) Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, NC

• This guys is a great pass rusher and could play as a rushing LB is a 3-4 scheme which could go a long way to improving this 49er defence. 
• other possible picks: Prince Amukamara, Von Miller (if he drops) or Aldon Smith

8. (TEN) Nick Fairley, DT, Aub

• They too have QB issues but I don't think Gabbert or Newton will be available when they pick. Fairley is an impact DT and will cause any opposing QB problems.
• other possible picks: Robert Quinn  

9. (DAL) Anthony Castonza, OT, BC

• This is a team that needs an OT. This may be a littler high for Castonza but I think Dallas will go for him here or, possibly, trade down to get one of the other tackles. 
• Other possible picks: Prince Amukamara, Gabe Carimi or JJ Watt

10. (WAS) AJ Green, WR, Gerogia

• I know it's hard to see AJ Green falling this far but weird things can happen on draft day. The redskins receiving core needs an upgrade and this guy is a great playmaker. However, the Skins need to address their 3-4 defence and find some guys to fill those holes
• other possible picks: Julio Jones, Aldon Smith or JJ Watt

The 'Beautiful' Game

Football (soccer) is often refereed to as the Beautiful Game. The way some of these guys can strike the ball and the amount of girls (and some guys) who find Cristiano Ronaldo attractive certainly make the case that it is a beautiful game. However I don't think Football is the Beautiful Game, not anymore at least. Football has become a business and, to be honest, it has become ugly. Now I may come across as some hard core humanitarian and that isn't really my intention. I think the amount of money in football is just disgusting. In 2009, Real Madrid paid 80 million Pounds (130 million US) for Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. Also, that money did not include Ronaldo's salary at Madrid. How can the 'universal' sport, the sport that has no political boundaries according to Sepp Blatter, have such a divide between 80 million pound transfer fees and footballs consisting of plastic bags tied together?

It upsets me to see footballers who ask for more and more money and deliver less an less quality football and it bothers me that clubs will put up 50, 60, 70 or 80 million pounds bids for players and it bothers me that it won't change. I want all sport to go back to being about passion and a desire to play, not money. I want children in Africa to be able to have a proper football and I want players to give back to their home towns, communities and countries. I know that some of you may disagree with me. Some of you may think that football is beautiful and that this is the way it should be going. You may be right. I may just be trying to combine my love of sport with my desire to help people but I will stand by what I have said and that something needs to be done to change football. You know I use to be a football fan but, to be honest, I don't know if I am anymore.



Now, as a change of tone, I will quickly make my picks for this weekends American Football games. I am going to say Green Bay over Chicago and New York over Pittsburgh.

Unlucky

The NFL regular season has come to an end. Playoffs are set to begin but some of us have started to think ahead to the draft. Don't get me wrong, i love the playoffs, but the NFL Draft has always intrigued me. In the Draft the Panthers (2-14) have been given the first pick. Many people have picked Andrew Luck out of 5 Stanford to go 1st overall to Carolina. Luck has lead a passing game that has seen Stanford go from one of the worst college teams to an elite one. Luck threw 32 TD passes, completed over 70% of his passes and had a passer rating of 107.2. Luck is 20-5 (over two years) as a starter at Stanford. Although there are at least two other QB's expected to go in the 1st round Luck should and would have gone first overall. Now i say would have because Luck has announced that he is going to spend another year at Stanford to finish his degree in architectural design.

For Luck i think this is great and i will not criticize his decision after all he is in school so it makes sense to get a degree. Luck's decision, however, has created a very interesting situation in the NFL. The Panthers may still take a QB with the first pick and if they do the Vikings are going to be in serious trouble. The Vikings have the 12th pick in this years draft and they need a QB. The Favre era is done (or at least it should be) and the Vikings need to find themselves someone to make their offence a vertical threat. With Luck in the draft it looked like Jake Locker out of Washington would be available for them but now Locker could go as high as 1st if the Panthers see him as their man moving forward. The other QB to go in the first is Ryan Mallett out of 8 Arkansas. Mallett will most likely go to either Carolina or Buffalo with the 5th pick because they can not afford to pass a QB again.

The Vikings are in trouble and they have some serious decisions to make. Will they trade up or will they trust to luck that a QB will still be available? Whatever the case the draft is shaping up to be very interesting this year and i, for one, am getting very excited.

I'm sure i will have more to say and maybe a mock draft the closer to the draft it gets.

thanks for reading