Sports

As promised, here is a look at the second round:

1. New England Patriots – Akeem Ayers (Linebacker – UCLA).  The Patriots just continue to get better.  They are the Anti-Texans.
2. Buffalo Bills – Brooks Reed (Defensive End/Linebacker – Arizona).  They missed on Von Miller yesterday, but they will get a pass rushing linebacker.
3. Cincinnati Bengals – Andy Dalton (Quarterback – TCU).  The Bengals prepare for life after Carson Palmer.
4. Denver Broncos – Marvin Austin (Defensive Tackle – North Carolina).  Austin is a first round talent.
5. Cleveland Browns – Da’Quan Bowers (Defensive End – Clemson).  Bowers just can’t slip much further.
6. Arizona Cardinals – Justin Houston (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker – Georgia).  Houston can be groomed to replace Joey Porter.
7. Tennessee Titans – Stephen Paea (Defensive Tackle – Oregon State).  Paea lacks ideal size, but has freakish strength.
8. Dallas Cowboys – Aaron Williams (Cornerback – Texas).  The Cowboys should be ecstatic to get a first round talent here.
9. Washington Redskins – Ryan Mallett (Quarterback – Arkansas).  The Redskins have to take a quarterback at some point.
10. Houston Texans – Brandon Harris (Cornerback – Miami).  Never underestimate the Texans’ ability to screw this up.
11. Minnesota Vikings – Allen Bailey (Defensive End – Miami).  The rebuilding effort continues in Minnesota.
12. Detroit Lions – Ras-I Dowling (Cornerback – Virginia).  I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m really starting to like the Lions.
13. San Francisco 49ers – Rahim Moore (Safety – UCLA).  I thought real hard about putting Colin Kaepernick here, but with the 49ers passing on Gabbert yesterday, I just don’t see them taking a quarterback. 
14. Denver Broncos – Orlando Franklin (Offensive Tackle – Miami).  John Elway is putting together a very solid draft.
15. St. Louis Rams – Greg Little (Wide Receiver – North Carolina).  Robert Quinn, Marvin Austin, Greg Little…how good would have North Carolina been this past season?
16. Oakland Raiders – Colin Kaepernick (Quarterback – Nevada).  Al Davis is said to be in love with Kaepernick.
17. Washington Redskins – Torrey Smith (Wide Receiver – Maryland).  A little help for their new quarterback.
18. San Diego Chargers – Jabaal Sheard (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker – Pittsburgh).  An underrated prospect I like.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bruce Carter (Linebacker/North Carolina).  The Bucs’ stock is on the rise.
20.  New York Giants – Mikel Leshoure (Running Back/Illinois).  The Giants don’t have a legitimate starting tailback.
21. Indianapolis Colts – Quinton Carter (Safety/Oklahoma).  Bob Sanders has left the building.
22. Philadelphia Eagles – Johnny Patrick (Cornerback/Louisville).  Andy Reid has to address this position.
23. Kansas City Chiefs – Clint Boling (Offensive Tackle/Georgia).   I’m not sure if it will be offensive or defensive, but I think the Chiefs will take a lineman here.
24. New England Patriots – Titus Young (Wide Receiver/Boise State).   They took an offensive lineman yesterday and a wide receiver today.  Tom Brady is happy.
25. Seattle Seahawks – Marcus Gilchrist (Cornerback – Clemson).  Gilchrist can play corner or safety, and Pete Carroll needs both of those things.
26. Baltimore Ravens – Martez Wilson (Linebacker – Illinois).  Ray Lewis has a new project.
27. Cleveland Browns – Ben Ijalana – (Offensive Line – Villanova).  I’m still blown away at the king’s ransom Mike Holmgren got yesterday from the Falcons.  Just think, that could have been the Texans if they hadn’t won that last meaningless game.
28. New England Patriots – Ryan Williams (Running Back – Virginia Tech).  It’s ridiculous how many picks the Patriots have.
29. San Diego Chargers – Randall Cobb (Wide Receiver – Kentucky).  A little more help for Phillip Rivers.
30. Chicago Bears – Christian Ballard (Defensive Tackle – Iowa).  The talent pool is really drying up.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers – Curtis Brown (Cornerback – Texas).  I had the Steelers getting a defensive back from Texas yesterday, so I’m sticking with that today.
32. Green Bay Packers – Jacquizz Rodgers (Running Back – Oregon State).  Rodgers will be a nice weapon in Green Bay’s offense.

Earlier today, the President of the United States launched a devastating broadside against Barking Carnival. His words cut to the quick and we’re all still a bit shaken. Although our President did not name names, it’s clear enough that we were the target. (more…)

In 1985, a film called Vision Quest (based on the novel of the same name) performed a double leg takedown on coming of age sports movies. It got into my head when I first saw it and it never left. The movie still holds up 25+ years later, its realism and understatement in stark relief to today’s imperative for exaggerated stakes and stylized action.

It’s a minority view: it made a modest 13 million dollars in theaters, rates a 6 out of 10 on IMDB, and sits at a smooth 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s generally dismissed by critics as a harmless piece of 1980s formula. It isn’t. The passage of time has only served to highlight the uniqueness of this film.

It’s About Sports, But It’s Not About Sports

The plot is straightforward: a high school wrestler named Louden Swain, raised by a single father after the family lost their farm, decides to cut two weight classes to take on the baddest wrestler in the state. His resolve is tested by Linda Fiorentino-induced priapism and a nitrogen imbalance caused by his starvation diet. (more…)