21 Guarantees on Draft Weekend

This upcoming draft is sure to be intriguing for those directly and indirectly involved. The NFL is inviting more draftees to Radio City Music Hall than ever before due to the primetime scheduling (Round 1 Thursday night, 2-3 Friday night and the rest on Saturday). Below are 21 things to watch for and what can be guaranteed at the conclusion of the 2010 NFL Draft.

1. Sam Bradford WILL be the #1 overall pick:

The Rams can't pass for a third year on a potential franchise QB (Ryan in 2008 and Sanchez in 2009). Coach Spagnuolo will want to put his stamp on this franchise who has to recreate the magic of the Kurt Warner days. It can't be said that Bradford will turn into Kurt Warner, but the Rams have to take a chance and the 3rd time will be charm when they select Bradford.

2. The flow of the draft will be determined with the Kansas City Chiefs & Cleveland Browns:

Sitting at #5, the Chiefs will be the first team to determine the direction of those who follow, particularly the Browns at #7. If the Chiefs go the route of OT, which would cause a calm flow of SEA going OT, then Cleveland taking Berry. However, if KC selects Eric Berry at #5, the Browns will either take the next available DB in Earl Thomas, DL (Pierre-Paul, Morgan), Clausen, Haden or move down and collect picks. The intrigue around KC taking Berry may cause Cleveland to move up to #3 or #4 to ensure they get Berry before KC. A little posturing by Pioli and company may shake up this draft.

3. The Raiders will do something stupid:

Can anyone remember when Al Davis made a smart pick in recent history? Heyward-Bey, Russell, Gallery, Huff, Brayton and possibly McFadden. If Al Davis falls in love with Bruce Campbell (or Mike Iupati as Michael Smith indicates) the trend of reaches and bad picks will continue. One has to wonder if Al Davis knows what he is doing these days.

4. Philly fans will hate who they pick:

The fans get off on this stuff. They could pick the reincarnation of Norm Van Brocklin or Reggie White and they still will boo the pick. I hate Philly and I hate their fans, especially LOD shoulder pad dude.

5. Bill Belichick will do something sneaky and wise on draft day:

Doesn't he always; watch for Ryan Mathews to be wearing Patriot colors. It might be the best pick of Round 1.

6. McShay v. Kiper

I'm starting to think that Mel Kiper is the ESPN version of a talk radio host who says ludicrous things to get attention. McShay, although somewhat baffling in his summations, is more rational than Kiper. Bryant to Cleveland at #7? Come on now, Mel! I also heard that Mel hates to take bathroom breaks during the draft, mostly to make sure that McShay doesn't handcuff himself to Mel's chair.

7. Trent Dilfer will make a fool of himself critiquing QB's since he has no idea what he is talking about. Trust me, did you see him in Cleveland and San Francisco? And don't tell me that he earned that Super Bowl ring. He'll tie one of the quarterbacks to Brett Favre or Mark Sanchez and proclaim their eternal greatness. He'll also make sure to sound smarter by talking slowly and loudly.

8. Tim Tebow will get more face time than Bradford, Suh and Clausen combined. The over/unders on cutaways to his house is about 47.5.

9. Colt McCoy, at the end of the next 15 years, will be the best QB in the league. His mentality will set him ahead of the others; and don't undermine him due to his size. Drew Brees 2.0 anyone?

10. Tim Tebow will be right behind McCoy, which puts Bradford a solid 3 out of this class. Clausen will be servicable in his career, but won't make a big impact as a starter.

11. The next LT: CJ, and not because of the 2 letter names. Spiller is dynamic both taking handoffs and catching passes. He will make people remember the glory days of LT... you know, 4 years ago.

12. 100% surefire bust: Dez Bryant. They say he is this year's Randy Moss, but Moss had some top end speed. Bryant will end up being too immature to flourish.

13. The recipient of the Leafie (player who is the most destructive and ruins any future he has in the league): Carols Dunlap - What he did at Florida (DUI, suspended for SEC Championship) was all I needed to see. Physical specimen: Check. Mental specimen: (knock knock) Hello! Anybody in there?

14. Pittsburgh better take a QB in the early rounds, because I got a feeling #7 is going to be finding a new zip code after the season.

15. The winners of the 2010 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (Safety and QB of the future in this draft along with supplementing the talent they already have.

The losers of the 2010 NFL Draft: Tie --> Oakland Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals (Al Davis and Mike Brown choosing the players. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum/Lloyd and Harry).

16. Team that will mortgage their future: Cowboys - New stadium and Jerry Jones wanting to win now coupled with Wade Phillips always hanging in the balance).

17. School with the most draft picks: Oklahoma - Bradford, McCoy, Williams and Gresham all 1st round picks. How does Bob Stoops not perform better and win more titles? Stop the bashing on Tressell; at least he wins some bowl games.

18. School with the least draft picks: Murray State - don't worry, you'll become more irrelevant with the coming college football armageddon.

19. Mr. Irrelevant: Aaron Pettrey, K, THE Ohio State University... it's gotta be some sort of kicker, doesn't it?

20. 2010 Brady Quinn: Jimmy Clausen - My crystal ball predicts a precipitous fall for the young Clausen, if he gets past his "Miami" in Jacksonville.

21. Smartest pick in the 2010 NFL Draft: Round 4, Pick 127 --> Seattle Seahawks select RB from USC, Stafon Johnson. Pete knows this kid and will snag him up knowing how he produced at USC. Johnson was the most complete back in his days at USC and will contribute at the next level as a Pierre Thomas type back.

There you have it draftniks; what to look for this upcoming draft weekend. I hope everyone enjoys the festivities, because I know I will. The Yoders will be live blogging the draft tonight and I'll try and throw in some witty remarks as well. Until next time, be careful out there...

Senior Bowl Cattle Call

This time of year the Senior Bowl is going on, where personnel departments from all 32 NFL teams gather to watch college players coming out to be drafted. The players are studied, scrutinized and interviewed to see how they will fit into a team's scheme and philosophy. Tim Tebow is one of those players. Possibly one of the greatest to ever don a college football uniform, Tebow now looks to take his game to the next level. Already though, you hear from people that he can't take the snap from under center, throws poorly, his release is too long, and that he is a system quarterback. You won't hear too much about the Heisman Trophy, the two national championships, and the various records he set at Florida. Those aren't "measurables."

All of these pseudo-Nostradamus types can see into their crystal ball into Tebow's future and all the other players at the Senior Bowl. However, I liken these predictors and oracles of the game to weathermen - 30% accurate. They bat a nice .300. What did these draftniks say about guys in the Super Bowl like Marques Colston and Pierre Thomas (7th round/undrafted) or Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon (4th round/undrafted from Mount Union). When looking back on the superstars of today, lets see what these brilliant minds had to say...

Peyton Manning: In Manning’s case, he may be a solid and productive NFL QB, but he may not have Hall of Fame type skills, but it certainly won’t be for lack of effort..

Tom Brady: Lacks a strong arm. Doesn't rifle the long outs, but he's an accurate passer with a good feel for touch. Sails some throws and hangs some deep balls. Leader. Eyeballs his primary target at times, but shows the ability to come off and find alternates. Generally makes good decisions

Drew Brees: Plays in the spread offense, taking the bulk of his snaps from the shotgun... Tends to side-arm his passes going deep...Lacks accuracy and touch on his long throws... Seems more comfortable in the short/intermediate passing attack...Does not possess the ideal height you look for in a pro passer, though his ability to scan the field helps him compensate in this area...

David Terrell: Terrell is a tall receiver with a sturdy frame and a muscular build who was highly productive throughout his three-year career. He shows good awareness settling down in openings in the middle of the field and has a strong push off to gain separation in his release. Terrell is aggressive fighting for the ball and is a good leaper. He has some medical concerns, but is an excellent prospect who should be a very high pick. *Oh, if you don't recognize this name he was a Top 10 pick by the Bears in 2001, and lasted till 2004, sorry Y2*

So you see, they don't know it all, although they would like you to think so. Who knows how Tebow's career is going to turn out. I don't know, you don't know, Mel Kiper don't know, even the great Randall doesn't know. Just let Tebow and the rest get on the field and then we can know.

-Brother Yohey

RSS Decade Series - 10 Not-So-Crazy Predictions for the Next Decade in Sports

Today, we bring you the conclusion to the often imitated, RSS Decade Series! At the close of the 2000's, we examined several Top 10's of the past decade, including games, athletes, flops, soundbytes, D'Oh moments, and stories. Now, we finish it off with 10 predictions for the next decade in sports! Some are certain to happen, others are a little zany, but hey, you never know! Join in the fun!

(1) Tiger Woods will rebound from his scandal to break Jack Nicklaus's record for career majors at the 2014 Masters while embracing his new bad boy persona, which will include dressing in all black, sporting a scruffy stubble, and firing Steve Williams as caddie in favor of the Playmate of the Month. But, he'll fall just short of breaking Warren Beatty's new record for number of sexual partners, set at 13,000. Don't worry Tiger, you'll still have plenty of time for that one!

(2) The U.S. will not win a World Cup in soccer this decade. But, soccer will grow in popularity that is only surpassed by the Big 3 (football, baseball, and basketball). The growth will be in large part to the success of the English Premier League and international soccer televised on ESPN. Unfortunately, the domestic league, Major League Soccer, will remain as popular as competitive eating and timber sports.

(3) Speaking of ESPN, they will finally gain the "crown jewel" of sports television by acquiring Olympic rights away from NBC. In the process, ESPN will officially become large enough to make Bristol, CT the 51st state in the union. At least this guy would have a good prescription drug plan...

(4) As steroids has been the story of the past decade, concussions and head injuries will dominate the next decade, especially in football. As a result, innovations to helmets and other equipment will change the look of football as we currently know it. Rules will also be changed in Pop Warner and other youth leagues to limit contact between lineman. These changes, along with a prolonged labor dispute in 2011, will lead to a slow decline in popularity for the once mighty NFL.

(5) The career home run record will be broken twice this decade, first by Alex Rodriguez, then by Albert Pujols. Barry Bonds will keep his single-season record, although not without an official asterisk to signify the suspicion around his 73 home runs. Still, steroids will haunt baseball through the Hall of Fame induction process when Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, Sheffield, Ramirez, and Ortiz are left out of the Hall. On the bright side, at least Pete Rose won't be lonely at his autograph signings in Cooperstown anymore.

(6) College football will finally introduce a playoff after Congress actually produces a piece of worthwhile legislation to pressure university presidents and conference commissioners. By the end of the decade, one of Boise St., TCU, Utah, or BYU will win a national championship. In response, the entire SEC, USC, Notre Dame, Texas, and Oklahoma secede from Division I and label themselves the WGFC, or World's Greatest Football Conference, playing their "World Championship" in the newly renamed Jerry Jones Stadium.

(7) Coach K wil finally leave Duke...to take over for Phil Jackson as head coach of the Lakers. Together, he and Kobe will combine to win a whopping 1 title this decade. On the flip side, Dick Vitale will audition to become the oldest, and most revolting Laker girl in history.

(8) After leaving the Cavs in the summer of 2010 for the Knicks, LeBron James will fail to win a title in the next decade. His failure on the court will lead to a shocking retirement before the start of the 2016 season at the age of 31 to pursue a multi-platform empire more powerful than Oprah and Michael Jordan combined. Meanwhile, Brett Favre in 2016, will sue his alma mater So. Miss to grant him another season of eligibility at 47 years old.

(9) In NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson will break the hallowed record of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty by winning a record 8th championship. Of course, the record will come under scrutiny when Johnson is revealed to be a robotic creation designed to appeal to race fans outside the deep South.

(10) And last, but not least, the Cubs will win a World Series this decade at the very end of it in 2019! Of course, it'll only happen after the predicted apocolypse in 2012 destroys all baseball teams except the Cubs and the Kansas City Royals and makes the billy goat extinct...but when you're the Cubs, you can't complain!

What are your predictions for the next decade in sports? Let us know by posting a comment below. Feel free to speculate whether this blog will be alive and kicking for a 2nd Decade Series! Check back for our NFL Wild Card Preview. Until then, it's bye for now!

RSS Super Bowl Picks & 21 Random Predictions

On the eve of the 2009 NFL Season, it's time for us to unveil our Super Bowl Picks. Who will survive the March to Miami? You've seen our Over/Under predictions for each team, but who will lift the Lombardi Trophy in the end? And we'll give you some bonus predictions as well, because let's face it, everybody has a Super Bowl pick, that would just be boring...

Super Bowl Picks

Y1: Giants over Steelers

The easy pick is New England, but with what has happened to that D and Tom Brady's comeback from injury, there are just too many question marks for that team (weird to say that I know). The question is, who has surpassed the Steelers in the AFC? Right now, nobody. It's hard to say that San Diego, or Baltimore, or Tennessee have improved enough to get by the defending champs.

In the NFC, it's even tougher to pick a Super Bowl team. My heart of course is in New Orleans, but I can't risk cursing the Saints by picking them, right? The Giants just might sneak up on everybody though. With PlaxGate behind them, most of their D still in tact, and a dominant run game, they might win a tough NFC East, march through the playoffs, and cause another Super Bowl upset. Eli Manning to win his 2nd Super Bowl Ring in Februrary... I'm going to go check myself into the nuthouse.

Y2: Steelers over Bears

The popular pick has been Tom Brady's Patriots to make it back to the Super Bowl, but the Pats are another year older, changing to another new offensive coordinator, and have lost (via trades or retirement) much of the core of their defense. Meanwhile, the Steelers come back largely in tact. The defending champs have something special going on, especially with the way they are lead by Head Coach Mike Tomlin. There's something very special about him that will motivate this team to defend its crown and begin a new Steel City Dynasty.

Meanwhile, in the NFC, many will accuse me of homerism for picking the Bears, but there isn't really a favorite that jumps out at me. Every contender has its issues: Minnesota has the uncertainty of Brett Favre, Green Bay has a new defense, Dallas has leadership questions, and so on. The infusion of Jay Cutler and the revival of Brian Urlacher will be enough to lead the Monsters of the Midway through the NFC, but the Steelers will win the big game.

21 Random Predictions

1. Brett Favre starts less than 10 games in Minnesota, and his last game will be a national holiday.

2. Vince Young will start more than 8 games in Tennessee, and lead the Titans to the playoffs.

3. Reggie Bush will make the Pro Bowl for the first time, and have 5 receiving, 5 rushing, and 5 return TD's.

4. Matt Leinart will continue to rot on Arizona's bench and wonder how Mark Sanchez became more popular than him... at least Kyle Orton is now nearby to party with!

5. Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan both see sophomore slumps as their teams will miss the playoffs.

6. Keith Olbermann is sneak-attacked by a lead-pipe wielding Glenn Beck during the Week 6 St. Louis/Jacksonville highlights, I actually hope this comes true more than any other prediction.

7. Michael Crabtree is crazy enough to sit out the season, especially after being mooned by Mike Singletary... he then won't be drafted in the 1st Round of the 2010 Draft.

8. Brett Favre will be cheered in his return to Green Bay... especially when he throws 4 picks and loses.

9. Jerry Jones will begin to deliver "State of the Cowboys" messages during games while punters attack his videoboard and he slowly loses his mind.

10. Detroit will win a game this season... just one.

11. Jay Glazer will continue to get the scoops over ESPN, until John Clayton challenges him to a UFC fight... and wins.

12. Another major star will be suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy... it's bound to happen, don't ask for who specifically... Roger Goodell just hopes it doesn't happen during an episode of Daisy of Love.

13. The labor situation will not be resolved during the season. The threat of a strike/lockout will cause a deal to get done, but not soon.

14. Jon Gruden will be the breakout broadcasting star of the season in the MNF booth, while Dick Stockton will continue to become more confused, especially by working with Charles Davis.

15. Aaron Curry of Seattle will win Rookie of the Year.

16. Tom Brady will win Comeback Player of the Year.

17. Josh McDaniels will NOT win Coach of the Year... Mike Tomlin will.

18. Drew Brees will win the League's MVP and break Dan Marino's passing yards record.

19. Eric Mangini will quit the Browns before Week 3 after constant leaks to the press over his ever-changing QB dilemma. He will then move to Cape Fear and change his name to Homer Thompson.

20. Chad OchoCinco will be the first and last player to Tweet during a TD celebration.

21. This will be the most unpredictable NFL season that we've seen in our lifetimes.

If you have any predictions of your own, make sure to leave them in the comments below! Enjoy the 2009 NFL Season. Up next on the RSS docket, a look at the United States' World Cup Qualifying campaign and a look ahead to the football weekend, here and around the world, bye for now.