Football's own economic crisis

I admit to only been a (very) casual fan of association football but it pains even me to see the parlous financial state that many of the top football clubs have put themselves in. I 'support' West Ham United, or the "Hammers" as we in the know call them. I support them not due to any family connection to the area the team hails from but because when I owned a copy of TIF 2005, I gave myself the challenge of getting a team through promotion from the English 1st Division to the Premier League with the eventual task of winning it all. Having no knowledge of the English football landscape outside the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool I simply closed my eyes, pressed the across right button on my controller and counted to 30. When I opened my eyes, the team fate chose to bestow upon me were the Hammers. Like I said, casual fan.

That said, I love all sports and it sickens me when I see finances overshadowing the spectacle that is the sport itself. And nowhere is this more seen than in football. As a financial model, the way many professional football clubs operate themselves should be outlawed. In his brilliant article for ESPN.com, "Is European Football eating itself" Leander Schaerlaeckens highlights the blatant financial mismanagement that is threatning to sink European football. He lists an extremely overinflated transfer market, with many clubs in the top leagues taking out heavy loans in order to obtain elite talent as one of the major causes of clubs across Europe sinking further into the red. A new phenomenon, is the recent spate of American owners, most notably of Manchester United and Liverpool fame who in their takeovers of the respective clubs, used the clubs as collateral in order to obtain the loans to buy the club. The result being we now see a Manchester United 'owned' by the Glazer family, who also own the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Glazer's stewardship of the club has seen the 5 years ago debt free Red Devils now owe over 500 million pounds, all of which is money owed to the bank to cover the loan the Glazers took out to buy the club in the first place. It is also worth noting that Manchester United, according to Schaerlaeckens pays the Glazer family around 20 million pounds annually to compensate them for running the club.. into the ground.

The problems are apparent, the way forward in order to solve them are not. I read calls for a salary cap of sorts in professional football on a daily basis. The argument put forward is that it works in the NFL (American Gridiron), a professional sports league whose financial clout is on par with that found in football. The NFL has a cap that rises yearly in relation to revenue increase. This salary cap is a success, with 5 weeks to go in the 2010/11 NFL regular season 18 of the 32 franchises had a mathematical chance of making the playoffs. That even spread of talent is not found in any of the major European football leagues. Let me tell you why a salary cap will not work nor be found in European football: There is too much vested interest for a bipartisan effort between the likes of the English Premiership (EP), the Serie A and the La Liga for an agreed upon salary cap to work. Those three leagues are the biggest in Europe/ the world, if the EP were to put in place a salary cap tomorrow and the Serie A and La Liga carried on the same, then the EP clubs would be financially handicapped when it came to retaining and bidding for the top talent. This would cause the value of the end product to decrease, (the actual football itself) thus companies would pay less to be associated with and the downward spiral would begin. That is why unless the three major leagues came on board and agreed to a cap this option will very likely never happen. By vested interest I mean why would the club of the Galacticos, Real Madrid agree to bound by the same financial constraints as a AC Milan, a Chelsea or god forbid a Barcelona.

The other area that needs cleaning up is the transfer market, the invisible hand (Maradona's?) has pushed transfer fees up at an exponential rate for too long. We now see a player such as Christiano Ronaldo been bought of Manchester United by Real Madrid for US$123 million. Thats not Ronaldo's salary by the way, thats Real Madrid paying Manchester United to compensate for Man U losing Ronaldo's services. To put that figure into perspective, the Spanish Government pledged US$48 million in aid to Haiti after the earthquake that killed over 100,000 people and caused widespread damage and chaos earlier this year. Here is where I do advocate professional football replicating the NFL system. In the NFL there are basically four ways of acquiring a player; the draft, a player trade, restricted free agency and free agency of which all but the draft (think about it) could possibly have a place in professional football. Imagine how many players Real Madrid would have have to have given Man U in order to obtain Ronaldo. Of course in free agency we would see mass bidding wars but it would be cleaner that a club paying a kings ransom to obtain a player then paying another kings ransom paying the player. Restricted Free Agency is a whole other deal, see here for the basics. FIFA could make it so that every player under the age of 25 was a RFA, with set price limits on salaries and compensation.

Professional football does have things in its favor though, for starters it is played throughout the world, it is a truly international sport/ pastime. Also the passion of fans when it comes to their clubs is a true cultural phenomenon. People across Europe become feudal when it comes to supporting their clubs, it must be in the makeup of the european psyche. As a result these fans will do anything for the clubs, meaning that whilst the main fan base is still not alienated, the game has a chance to learn from its largesse and move into the future practicing austerity instead. Ultimately, we need to remember that football above all is a game, and not just any game at that but the beautiful game.

BJH

NFL Mock Draft 1.0

That time of the year is once again coming close, the two days where all 32 NFL teams pick players out of college in the hope that they become their respective teams next big stars, the players that will lead the way to the Superbowl. This is how i'll think the 2010 NFL draft will pan out.

1st Pick : Saint Louis Rams

Player Selected: Ndamukong Suh (Defensive Tackle, Nebraska)

Funny how things change, 6 months ago Taylor Mays was been talked about as the first safety to go as the first pick. The Rams need talent everywhere and are a long way away from their glory days as the Greatest Show on Turf. The Rams will go for a defensive player with the 1st pick, Spagnuolo is a known defensive mastermind from his days as a Defensive Co-Ordinator with the Giants and will be chomping at the bit to work with an elite talent such as Ndamukong Suh. The Rams defensive line would be well set for years to come if Suh, along with other 1st round picks Chris Long and Adam Carriker play to their potential. I dont think the Rams will use this pick on an offensive player as they have a franchise left tackle in Jason Smith(if he stays concussion free), a franchise running back in Steven Jackson (although how long his body can hold up is another question) and an injury free, fully fit Marc Bulger at QB is a force to be reckoned with. There is the possibility of the Rams using this pick to draft Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen but if rumors are true and he does have that arrogant prickly streak then this team would be better not to draft him.

2nd Pick: Detroit Lions

Player Selected: Russell Okung ( Left Tackle, Oklahoma State)

The Lions 2009 1st round pick, ex Georgia QB Matthew Stafford needs more protection as evidenced by his season ending shoulder injury last year. The Lions must make it a priority to have him protected in the pocket. Jeff Backus is a hard worker but is not the elite talent Okung is and 2008 1st round pick Gosder Cherilus has failed to live up to expectations. Also by drafting Okung it will allow Backus to move to Gaurd, a position many feel he will prosper in. If the Lions do the right thing and give Stafford the offensive line his 70 million dollar contract deserves we could be seeing a high powered Lions offense as we move into the next decade. Stafford has one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Calvin Johnston, one of the best young TE's in Brandon Pettigrew and running back Kevin Smith is a man destined for a break out year in 2010. However the Lions do need talent on the other side of the ball and should they select Gerald McCoy or even Ndamukong Suh (if he falls to them) no one will be suprised. But in my opinion Coach Jim Caldwell and the Lions front office will look to put the offense in good order before they move to start fixing up the defense. Did i mention the 'Curse of Bobby Layne' entered its 50th and final year last season...

3rd Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Player Selected: Gerald McCoy (Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma University)

Tampa Bay is along way from its SuperBowl glory days of 2002 under coach Jon Gruden. Their defense is a long way away from the Tampa 2 unit that terrorised offences around the league during this time. Gerald McCoy is seen by many as the new Warren Sapp and should the Buccaneers be in a position to pick him at the third pick they most certainly will. Tampa could put out a handy Defense next year with Gerald McCoy alongside players such as the vastly underrated Barrett Ruud (who should be resigned), cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber and hardworking safety Sabby Piscitelli. While their offense is no great shakes with the exception of the vastly improved 2nd year quarterback Josh Freeman and are in desperate need of talent on the offensive line, running back and at wide receiver this team cannot pass on Gerald McCoy should he fall to them.

4th Pick: Washington Redskins

Player Selected: Bruce Campbell (Left Tackle, Maryland)

Redskins owner Dan Snyder proved last year that spending money doesnt necessarily translate to success. There is talk a Quarterback such as Jimmy Clausen could go here but i am admittedly a Jason Campbell fan and the case for retaining him is strong especially with him posting career high numbers behind a senior citizen offensive line, a running back who averaged under 4 yards a rush and receivers well past their heyday. Did i mention that Campbells favorite TE Chris Cooley also got injured early last season. If the Redskins pick someone like Clausen these problems wont go away. There is a strong case for Bruce Campbell to be picked ahead of Russell Okung and while Okung may not be as exceptionally athletic as Campbell, Okungs consistent play pushes him ahead. Still, the Redskins would be fortunate to have either one and i do think that come the draft, they will be picking a Tackle.

5th Pick: Kansas City Chiefs

Player Selected: Anthony Davis (Left Tackle, Rutgers)

Chiefs QB Matt Cassell needs more help under center and Anthony Davis at 6ft 6 (1.98cm) and 325lb (147 kgs) is the man to give it to him. By drafting Davis the Chiefs can move 08 1st round pick Brandon Albert to gaurd or right tackle. The Chiefs 'youth movement' that started under Herm Edwards is slowly starting to blossom. 2nd year coach Todd Haley will be wanting to give Matt Cassell the best chance of proving that he wasnt a one hit wonder when he took the Patriots to 11-5 after Tom Brady got injured in the season opener. The Chiefs offense is starting to come right, Matt Cassell has the goods, Jamaal Charles could be a legitmate superstar this time next year if he continues the form he showed at the end of last season. Re-signing WR Chris Chambers must be a high priority of the Chiefs and he was a favorite target of Cassells down the stretch. In saying that there is still alot of work to be done on the defensive side of the ball but all in good time.

6th Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Player Selected: Jimmy Clausen (Quarterback, Notre Dame)

Jimmy Clausen is a perfect fit to new coach Pete Carroll's west coast system and has been schooled in a pro style offense under Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. Pete Carroll is a players coach and if anyone can get the best out of Clausen it would be Carroll. Look for Clausen to spend a year learning under veteran injury prone QB Matt Hasselbeck with Clausen starting when Hasselbeck gets injured (a high probability). Clausen will certainly have the weapons to succeed with in Seattle with the likes of Justin Forsett at RB and Nate Burleson, TJ Houshmanzadeh and Deion Branch at wide receiver but the offensive line in time will definitely need to be upgraded in time. The Seahawks could be a real challenger to the NFC West crown given QB Kurt Warners retirement from the Cardinals and their fans will be hoping that the 10/11 campaign will not be as injury ravaged as the past two.

7th Pick: Cleveland Browns

Player Selected: Sam Bradford (Quarterback, Oklahoma University)

There is a school of thought that if Bradford had of entered the NFL Draft last year he might of ended up going to Detroit with the 1st pick instead of Matt Stafford. A year on and he finds himself a dead certainty to be picked outside the Top 5 and behind Jimmy Clausen (a good showing at the combine could change all that). The two quarterbacks currently on the Browns roster, former pro bowler Derek Anderson and former 1st round pick Brady Quinn have had their chances and neither have delievered. New Football President Mike Holmgren knows this and also knows that in picking a new QB, it has the ability to signal in a new era for the Browns, a team with one of the most illustrious histories in the league that has fallen on hard times in the past 20 odd years. This team is a mess, they will struggle to attract quality free agents because their facility is known to give players Golden Staph infections but between Mike Holmgren and 2nd year coach Eric Mangini (who took the team to an improbable 4 match winning streak down the stretch) they can create a combative squad for the next season at least. Look for them to play smashmouth football with breakout RB Jerome Harrison. The big question mark over Bradford is whether his shoulder is fully recovered after the collegiate injury he received on it.

8th Pick: Oakland Raiders

Player Selected: Eric Berry (Safety, Tennessee)

To be honest i would be suprised if Eric Berry fell this far and if he did im sure Al Davis would be quick to grab him. Eric Berry has surpassed Taylor Mays as the elite safety talent in this draft but there remains a question mark over his shoulder and whether it can stand up to the physical demands of the NFL. Berry is reminiscent on a John Lynch and coupled with existing Raiders cornerback Nnandi Asomugha the Raiders secondary could be one of the most potent in the NFL. There is valid thought that the Raiders might go for an offensive lineman here but after using three 1st round picks on offensive players (none who have set the world alight) in the past three years i think the Raiders will go defensive and you could do worse than Eric Berry. Can i also point out that Al Davis will probably draft the fastest player for his position at this point of the draft to satisfy his speed fetish.

9th Pick: Buffalo Bills

Player Selected: Brian Bulaga (Left Tackle, Iowa)

Buffalo QB Trent Edwards has the potential to be one of the best in this league, but he struggles behind the Buffalo offensive line, especially in a AFC East division that boasts the blitz happy Jets, the Patriots and of late the effective pass rush of the Dolphins. Trading Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles didnt help matters. Buffalo owner Ralph Davis has swore that he will spare no expense when it comes to rebuilding this past powerhouse and drafting Bulaga will go along way to bringing the Bills back to their 1990's glory.

10th Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars

Player Selected: Tim Tebow (Quarterback/ H Back, Miami)

Whether the Jaguars use the 10th pick on Tebow or trade down and then get him for a lower price Tim Tebow will, at the end of this draft be a Jaguar. Jaguar owner Wayne Weaver knows his franchise needs an iconic player that the Jacksonville community can rall around. There are questions over whether the Heisman trophy winner has the skillset required to be a successful NFL QB but there is no doubt that Tebow is a dynamic player and leader of men and has the superstar qualities Jacksonville desperately needs. Put it this way, if Tebow doesnt end up a Jaguar at the end of this draft, expect to start cheering for the Jags in Los Angeles.

11th Pick: Denver Broncos

Player Selected: Dez Bryant (Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State)

This pick has a lot to do on whether Brandon Marshall is still a Bronco at the time of the draft. Broncos QB Kyle Orton needs elite talent at wide receiver around him or else he will struggle. It wouldnt be a suprise to see the Broncos trade up and try and get Clausen but there is doubt in my mind as to whether coach McDaniels and Clausen would get on considering McDaniels previous relationships with QB Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. Either way the former Heisman candidate Bryant would be a good addition to a handy receiving corps.

12th Pick: Miami Dolphins (my team)

Player Selected: Rolando McClain (Inside Linebacker, Alabama)

I'm still angry with Bill Parcells for drafting cornerback Vontae Davis in the 1st round then drafting another cornerback in Sean Smith in the second last year. Especially when we could of got WR Percy Harvin (who, btw i said was the best WR in the draft- CORRECT) and linebackers James Laurinitis or Ray Melalauga. The Dolphins need upgrades at wide receiver and in the linebacking corps so Rolando McClain will be a good fit and apparently Bill Parcells doesnt draft wide receivers in the first (Al Davis could take some of that advice RE Darrius Heyward-Bey). To be honest any draft of the Dolphins that doesnt include a trade for a QB or a QB taken in the 2nd round (Daunte Culpepper, AJ Feely, John Beck, Chad Henne, Pat White...) will be a success in my book.

13th Pick: San Francisco 49ers

Player Selected: Joe Haden (Cornerback, Florida)

Haden is without a doubt the best cornerback in the draft and the type of cornerback 49ers coach Mike Singletary needs if he is to be competitive in a division that has the talent at wide receiver that the NFC West has. If he falls this far he will be an absolute steal for the 49ers as in any other draft he would be a top 10 talent and it is a testament to the depth of this draft that he falls outside the top 10. On another note the 49ers are a stronger candidate than the Seahawks to seriously challenge the Warner-less Arizona for the NFC West crown this year and it wouldnt suprise me to see them make a deep run in the playoffs even if they do play smashproof football.

14th Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Player Selected: Taylor Mays (Safety, University of Southern California)

At the start of the NCAA season, the wraps on Mays were huge, people were calling him the next Ed Reed, people were predicting that he'd go number one overall (a feat yet to be accomplished by a safety). He could go anywhere in this draft, his potential as an athlete far surpasses any other safety in this draft but he lacks the technique and instincts at this stage. Pete Carroll's Seahawks would be a perfect fit for Mays because he played under Carroll at USC and Carroll more than anyone knows how to use Mays the best. Mays has the potential to be one of the best ever, but between now and there he needs to put in more hours than Peyton Manning if that is to be achieved.

15th Pick: New York Giants

Player Selected: Dan Williams (Nose Tackle/ Defensive Tackle, Tennessee)

The Giants defense was nowhere near the heights it reached againts the Patriots in the 08 Superbowl. The key to the Giants success then was their ability to switch key members of their defensive line keeping players fresh and keeping the pressure on the opposing offensive line. The Giants have two genuine DT's in Chris Canty and Barry Cofield. The Giants are reliant on their defense for pressure and selecting Dan Williams here will do a lot to bring the Giants back to the glory days of 07/08.

16th Pick: Tennessee Titans

Player Selected: Jason Pierre-Paul (Defensive End, South Florida)

In Matt McGuire's draft on WalterFootball.com he had Jason Pierre-Paul going to the Browns at #6. It is uncertain whether current starters at DE (and unrestricted free agents Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse) will be back in 2010 and this defense has struggled to get any pressure on the Quarterback outside of blitzing since Albert Haynesworth departure to the Redskins in 09. Pierre-Paul is thought to have alot more potential than is currently seen and an elite coach such as Titans coach Jeff Fisher would be the guy to get him living up to his potential. Hell, for a person who got Vince Young back on the field and took an 0-6 team to 8-8 Pierre Paul will be a piece of cake.

Pick 17: San Francisco 49er's

Player Selected: Trent Williams (Tackle, Oklahoma)

Williams is a Quarterbacks ideal T but many doubt his effectiveness in assisting the run. That said, the 49ers need help at T and Williams shows great athletic ability in protecting the pocket and 49ers QB Alex Smith needs all the time he can get to connect with promising receivers TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree. Is Alex Smith can realise his potential this season (the same potential that saw him drafted #1 overrall in 2005) the sky is the limit for the 49ers.

Pick 18: Pittsburgh Steelers

Player Selected: Terrence Cody (Nose Tackle, Alabama)

In my opinion Pittsburgh is the ideal fit for Cody and coach Mike Tomlin would love to have him. Pro Bowl NT Casey Hampton is turning 33 this year and in true Pittsburgh style Cody would serve a season or two on the bench as a situational player learning the Pittsburgh way and getting his body and weight to a pro level. Cody is a monster, a game turner and would be a perfect addition to the Steel Curtain. Many pundits have Cody going in the 2nd round but i think he will impress at the combine and at his pro day thus boosting his stock into 1st round contention.

Pick 19: Atlanta Falcons

Player Selected: Donovan Warren (Cornerback, Michigan)

In a division containing a future Hall of Famer QB Drew Brees you need elite defensive backs. Atlanta has a high powered offense when fully fit but they need to slow down the pass and Atlanta struggled to do this. Warren is Mike Mayocks and WalterFootball.com's #2 cornerback in the draft and Atlanta could do worse than to pick him.

Pick 20: Houston Texans

Player Selected: Earl Thomas (Free Safety, Texas)

Thomas would be top 10 pick if the game was all about instincts but there are worries his 197lb frame (around 85kg) wont hold up in the pros. He is probably one of the best coverage safeties in the draft and is very adept at following the QB's eyes, a value worth its weight in gold given the Texans share a division with Peyton Manning. A black mark against Thomas, there are concerns over his effectiveness as a run stopper and in a division that boasts both Titans RB Chris Johnson and the Jags RB Maurice Jones-Drew this may count against the Titans picking Thomas. But the Texans definitely do need help at Safety and Earl Thomas would be a good fit.

Pick 21: Cincinnati Bengals

Player Selected: Arrelious Benn (Wide Receiver, Illinois)

Chad Ochocinco is a lone ranger out wide in the Bengals offense and although that suits #85 ego ideally Carson Palmer needs another option. Chris Henry was developing nicely before his untimely and tragic death and Lauverneus Coles has struggled since coming from the Jets. The Bengals proved their potential last year when they won a competitive AFC North overcoming whom many thought were superbowl candidates in the Ravens and the Steelers. Bengals owner Mike Brown would love to retain that edge and for that to happen Carson Palmer needs a brand new toy outside.

Pick 22: New England Patriots

Player Selected: Dexter McCluster (Running Back/ Wide Receiver, Ole Miss)

This is a gut pick of mine that i think coach Bill Belichick should make and i wouldnt be suprised if he did make it come the draft. Why? The Patriots attack is too one dimensional. Brady to Randy Moss for long yardage, Brady to Wes Welker under the cover for small yardage. This worked when Kevin Faulk was younger and you had to cover him coming out of the backfield (as Ray Lewis forgot to do in the 08 AFC Championship) but Faulk and indeed the entire Patriots running game struggles these days allowing defences to cover Welker and Moss almost exclusively. It is only due to the exceptional talents of these three players that allows this formula to work. McCluster is dynamic- he isnt an every down back or receiver but a perfect situational player that would cause the defense to think and be wary every time he came onto the field. He could be this drafts Percy Harvin. And he would rejuvenate this placid Patriots offense.

Pick 23: Green Bay Packers

Player Selected: Charles Brown (Tackle, University of Southern California)

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has a bright future in this league, but not if continues to be hit the way he was hit last season. He isnt as big a tackle as you would want and this could count against him as the Packers face Jared Allen and the Williams wall twice a year but he has excellent technique and shows more focus than any other tackle in this draft. The Packers cannot rely on Mark Tauscher for another year and in Charles Brown the Packers will have a player who will give them honest if not exemplary service for years to come.

Pick 24: Philadelphia Eagles

Player Selected: Derrick Morgan (Defensive End, Georgia Tech)

This will probably be the only board where you see Morgan outside the top 16 picks but in my opinion Jacksonville will trade back to get Tim Tebow at a cheaper price and the Eagles will trade up to get a good edge rusher such as Derrick Morgan as they definitely need an upgrade there. Morgan is good but dont expect to see him produce wonders in coverage cos he looks like a pig swimming in the pacific trying to cover the pass. Still a good fit for Andy Reid and the Eagles.

Pick 25: Baltimore Ravens

Player Selected: Damian Williams (Wide Receiver, University of Southern California)

Williams is probably the most polished route runner in the draft but lacks the top end speed the top WR have. In saying that Joe Flacco needs someone to throw to as Derrick Mason must be close to retiring and having Mark Clayton as your top WR is just going to end in tears. Drafting Williams will give the Ravens dependable route runner for years to come.

Pick 26: Arizona Cardinals

Player Selected: Jermaine Gresham (Tight End, Oklahoma)

Might as well make things easier for Matt Leinart and give him another set of hands to throw to as he will probably struggle throwing to the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston....

Pick 27: Dallas Cowboys

Player Selected: Mike Iupati (Gaurd, Idaho)

The sort of Gaurd the Cowboys love. One of them Texas 'good ole boys!' that will clear a four lane highway up the middle for Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice all day long. A good long term replacement and upgrade for Kyle Kosier.

Pick 28: San Diego Chargers

Player Selected: CJ Spiller (Running Back, Clemson)

The fact that the top ranked running back in the draft comes in at pick 28 further highlights the fact that the NFL is a passing league these days. Darren Sproles isnt an everydown player, LT's mail is unlikely to have a San Diego postcode on it next year and CJ Spiller would be a good choice to carry the torch in San Diego. A backfield committee of Sproles and Spiller would give the Chargers the kick they need to get to the Superbowl as many feel their window to win it is rapidly closing.

Pick 29: New York Jets

Player Selected: Golden Tate (Wide Receiver, Notre Dame)

Jets QB Mark Sanchez needs some toys out wide. Rex Ryan gave him Braylon Edwards for Thanksgiving and probably wishes he had kept the receipt given Edwards propensity to do everything except catch the ball. Golden Tate is a solid young receiver who would be a good fit in the Jets system.

Pick 30: Minnesota Vikings

Player Selected: Kyle Wilson (Cornerback, Boise State)

Pro Bowl CB Antoine Winfield is on his last legs at 35. Weak side Corner Cedric Griffin suffered a serious knee injury in the NFC Championship Game. If the Viking draft guys on the same level as those currently playing safety for them i wouldnt be suprised to see Jared Allen lassoo them off the field because if there is a weak point in the Vikings it is their secondary. And fuck you Favre for losing the Championship you geriatric prick.

Pick 31: Indianapolis Colts

Player Selected: Everson Griffen (Defensive End, University of Southern California)

Cant have enough Defensive Ends can you Indianapolis ahahaha..

Pick 32: New Orleans Saints

Player Selected: Sean Witherspoon (Outside Linebacker, Missouri)

Fills a need for the Saints at Linebacker, really impressed at the Senior Bowl. Has the potential to be a team leader for years to come. To be honest it doesnt matter who the Saints pick here, they could pick that guy who sings 'Pants on the Ground' as a 2nd string QB and New Orleans wouldnt care. Why? Because they won the Superbowl.

Hope you enjoyed my Mock Draft 1.0. Stay tuned for Mock Draft 2.0 (could be a while cos ill be real bogged down with uni work soon..) in which i try to justify an excuse for my boy Colt McCoy to go in the 1st round!!

A FANTASY FIASCO.

My decison to chronicle the fiasco that has been my NFL Fantasy team the South Taranaki Spartans this season came out of both boredom and an eagerness on my part to analyse where i went wrong so next season i'd be a more seasoned campaigner.

I had high hopes that sunday afternoon as me and 11 other eager players from across NZ settled into our armchairs ready to select teams that would take our respective teams to glory.

THE FIRST ROUND

Collective groans as Adrian Peterson is taken with the first pick by the Wellington City Wolves, us all secretly hoping that the team owner of the Wellington City Wolves would throw a curveball into our draftboards by picking someone other than All Day.

Im up on the clock. fourth overall, the heart is racing as im one click away from determining the fate of my season. The first Spartan... ever iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis Michael THE BURNER TURNER!!!!!! I had grand delusions of Matt Ryan throwing beautiful crisp passes to Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White all sunday long forcing the defence to stop the pass as opposed to stopping the Burn. Unfortunately for me Turner spent the first half of the season playing like he had drank a bottle of whiskey prior to entering the field before ripping up for a few weeks then been injured for the latter half of the season. Dont bother turning up to training camp next year.

But i was lucky as far as first round picks in the NZ Gamer League went. AP, Maurice Jones Drew and Randy Moss (!?) all went before i had a chance to pick my man but at least i didnt pick Matt Forte who went pick 6. Shame CapitalCity Ninjas- you suck!! But i cant help but wonder what could of been if i had of picked Drew Brees.... Chris Johnston...... Steven Jackson hell even Deangelo Williams. Tom Brady was also in there BUT I WOULD NEVER PICK HIM!!

THE SECOND ROUND

I had a plan, a hunch you may call it and thanks to my Machiavellian tactics on the conference chatboard in dissuading every other owner how useless this player was and that he was a third round pick at the most (even though next season he will be a bonafide 1st round pick in my humble opinion). In front of my Dell (that wasnt a product placement im afraid) sweating as i see players getting picked...

11) LT (ouch)

12) Peyton Manning (i hope you also bought a lotto ticket that night)

13) Clinton Portis (hahaha and i though i was bad)

14) Larry Fitzgerald (how was he not picked in the first??)

15) Aaron Rodgers (doing his best imitation of Favre w/o the interceptions)

16) Frank Gore (fizzer much)

17) heart attack, brush away the second thoughts, click on the name, confirm. The newest Spartan, all the way from San Diego.... Phiiiiiiiiiiiiiilip Riiiiiiiiiiiivers!!!!!! What a pick. What great foresight on my behalf. 17 ppg, 7th ranked QB in fantasy. Great feeling!!!

THE THIRD ROUND

This is where, im sad to say- my draft naivette showed up. In my enlightened state, sharing the love i decided to pick a wide receiver. Not a bad decison by its own but it context i blame this pick for my dismal season. I listened to the hype, i got my popcorn ready. T.O.- what. the. fuck. Visions of Trent Edwards throwing deep balls all day long to ma boy Terrell Owens were quickly, and i mean Tiger Woods driving away from Elin quickly, dispelled after the lame duck efforts TO produced fantasy wise in the first few weeks. He aint coming back next season, he aint even on the bus for the Spartans this season. He got told to hand in his playbook a loooooooong time ago. Before Ryan Fitzpatrick started throwing those deep balls around the place anyways arghhhhhhhhh.

I coulda picked ma man Brandon Marshall (but i along with everyone else in my league except the owner of the Big Banana's thought the Denver scene was a no go and that with Kyle Orton under center big ole Brandon would be out wide getting his hands cold), i coulda picked my boyy OCHO but at this stage i was only buying into one hype merchant and that was ma (former) boy T.O. Still, what doesnt kill us makes us stronger...

THE FOURTH ROUND

Hunch #2, i thought this man would be posting massive numbers in a breakout season. Alas i was wrong. I thought he would be Jamarcus Russell's Tony Gonzalez but it was not meant to be. Tyler Thigpen had more success in double coverage with Tony Gonzalez than JaMarcus Russell could ever hope to have with my fourth Spartan picked, Zach Miller. I must admit i have a huge man crush on Zach Miller due to my Superstar days on 08 when i was Quarterback for the oakland raiders and stupid AI meant an average rush went for 2 yards so every 2nd passing play went to my boy Zach Miller. His struggles werent his fault, his QB should be working at McDonalds and his wide receivers fail to trouble the secondary. That said there is enough love left in this heart to give him a chance next season on the proviso that JaMarcus Russell continues to get wood spinters up his arse on the bench and Bruce Gradkowski continues his development or the Raiders go all 1st round on a QB like they did a few years ago with mr JaMarcus (but honestly using your 1st round picks in the last 3 years on a QB, RB, WR then another QB isnt franchise building, a 12 year old playing franchise mode on Madden 2010 knows this, sort your shit Al Davis)

I must point out my selection of Mr Miller came after Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten were taken so i decided to jump the gun a bit and pick ma boyy Zachary.

But if any experienced fantasy owners are reading this they will be able to spot the Spartans fatal flaw. Out of my 1st four picks three were arguably busts BUT i had only one running back. For the unenlightened running backs are a fantasy teams bread and butter- the one guarenteed to get you the carbohydrates (points) your body (team) desperately needs. In picking T.O. and Zachary i had missed out/ passed out on running backs such as Thomas Jones and Brandon Jacobs. Not superstar RB's but a guarenteed 10 odd points a week. This would come back to haunt me in regards to depth.

THE FIFTH ROUND

One day at the Hawera Pub, a man some consider a bit of a legend told me that everyman has two sides to him, the whiskey drinking side and the milk drinking side. And he said that when it came down to the crunch, when everything was on the line you had to back your whiskey drinking side. Well, this was crunch time for me- i needed a quality running back and fast... Derrick Ward... Willie Parker... Felix Jones... Ronnie Williams... None of them caught my eye although i was keen for my boy Ronnie but an idea came to mind that quickly pushed all other contenders out of contention. We all know Brian Westbrook is a little injury prone to say the least and his backup, the rookie LeSean McCoy is a star in the making. I figured that Westbrook would have about 6 good weeks until McCoy time and although it was a move that wouldnt pay immediate dividends at this stage of the season im profitting quite nicely from Mr McCoy.

THE SIXTH ROUND

Bernard Berrian. Handed in his playbook even before T.O.

THE SEVENTH ROUND

In my opinion this pick was the scoop of the draft. This man has what it takes to be a Spartan and i hope to select him for all my Fantasy teams until he retires (then i'll give him a cruisy front office position). Enter Vincent Jackson. Outstanding year kid, take a bow, have a drink. Its on me.

THE EIGHTH ROUND

I wont lie, i got REEEEEAL excited with all this off season talk about Rex Ryan dialing up blitzes left right and center and im a real sucker for that maverick attitude. I thought i got a steal when everyone else was picking the Ravens or Steelers. It was a great pick for a while then the wheels started falling off. Definitely has the talk to be a Spartan but would love to see some walk. A so so year for the Jets Defense/ Special Teams

THE NINTH ROUND

Fred Taylor. Still furious. Off to the pub. Will finish this later.

THE TENTH ROUND

Brett Favre. In the tenth!!!! This little brainwave came to me around the eighth round. Was sweating when it came to the crunch but no one else in the league had the foresight to pick him. Gave me a great situational combo with Philip Rivers as i could just swap around as i pleased and as of late has given me quite the selection dilemma. Great pick, the elder statesman of the team for sure, am and always will be a huge fan of his work!!

THE ELEVENTH ROUND

Derrick Mason. Should of stayed in retirement. Annoying. Everytime i started him he would get no points and everytime he was on the bench he rack up the big scores. Frustrating.

THE TWELVTH ROUND

Ryan Longwell. Solid pick. A very sound investment. Lehman Brothers take note.

THE THIRTENTH ROUND

Tedd Ginn Jnr. All that speed aint gunna count for shit if you cant catch. That dropped pass in the endzone against the colts. You bastard.

THE FOURTENTH ROUND

Ricky Williams. To be honest i wasnt happy with this pick, but WHAT a season. Ronnie Brown who?? Spartan Hall of Famer right thuuuuuuurrrrr!!!!

THE FIFTENTH ROUND

Heath Miller. Thought it'd be cool to have Zach's brother in the team. Found out they werent related. Pick fail. But a good week to week matchup option with Zach even though Heath saw more gametime.

THE SIXTEENTH ROUND

Jeremy Maclin. Another Wide Receiver who no longer has a Spartan's Playbook. Will be offered a tryout next year though.

The Current Spartans Squad as of the 13th December 2009 looks like this

QB

Philip Rivers

Brett Favre

RB

Michael Turner

Ricky Williams

LeSean McCoy

Jason Snelling

Beanie Wells

WR

Vincent Jackson

Sidney Rice (Replaced Terrell Owens)

Johnny Knox (replaced Jeremy Maclin)

Derrick Mason

Pierre Garcon (replaced Bernard Berrian)

TE

Zach and Heath Miller

D/ST

Jets

K

Ryan Longwell

Its been an interesting journey and with a record of 4 and 9 its a safe bet i wont make the playoffs. But i was 1 and 6 so to go 3 and 3 with a game to go before our leagues playoffs is heartening and bodes well for next season.

So what did i learn

1) Always pick two RB's in your top three

2) Sometimes its better to be a milk drinker.

3) Popcorn is never a good long term option.

4) Dont pick players on supposed family connections.

5) Dont select players who rely on QB's like JaMarcus Russell for points.

Thank you for reading the first and i hope not the last post from Musings from the shadowlands, i hope you did enjoy.