In the last mock draft posted by NFL Network expert Mike Mayock (helpfully placed in the sports media blog by The Dallas Morning News' Barry Horn), Mayock correctly predicted the "reach" for Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey by the Raiders. Mayock also had the Ravens' first-round pick, Michael Oher, going at No. 10.

Here is the last mock by ESPN's Todd McShay (through No. 16). He also had Oher going at 10.

For those of you keeping score, each correctly predicted seven of the top 16, with McShay getting the first four up until the Jets-Browns trade at No. 5 and being right on six of the first eight.

Posted by Ray Frager at 10:41 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (11)
                       

Darrius Heyward-Bey's 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine has been reported over and over in the sports media (including in The Baltimore Sun) as the fastest of all prospects this year, 4.3 seconds.

Very impressive. Except that the time -- like those assigned to just about all football players -- is probably best described by a word that used to be referred to as "a barnyard epithet." In other words, wrong.

No one is arguing Heyward-Bey isn't fast, but is he faster than the 'roided-up Ben Johnson was at the 1988 Olympics? Track experts figured out that when Johnson made his gold-medal-for-the-moment run, he covered 40 yards in 4.38. This piece about 40 times is four years old but well done and worth reading for NFL fans fed these inaccurate times by the league and the media.

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On a gorgeous afternoon in the New America, the Sun pickup basketball game resumed. For the record, six appeared: Pesky Andy, Stevie G., B-Hop, Mr. Jones, Dead Man Walking and (making his debut) The Donald. It wasn't too bad for our first outing, until the dreaded injury happened. Pesky Andy was tripped up by Mr. Jones and went sprawling on the blacktop, his hand landing under his body and his face smacking the ground. Early diagnosis: sprained hand and scraped, bloody patches on his face.

Photo: Getty Images 

Posted by Ray Frager at 3:15 PM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

Posted by Ray Frager at 10:50 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

You've probably heard this morning's news that John Madden is retiring from announcing.

In a related story, Frank Caliendo just put his house up for sale.

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:19 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

NBC announced this morning John Madden is retiring from broadcasting. Here is the network news release:

NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol announced today that John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and the most honored broadcaster in sports television history, has decided to retire from broadcasting.

Madden issued the following statement today:

It's time. I'm 73 years old.  My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I'm home and, more importantly, when I'm not...

It's been such a great ride... the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion – it still is.  I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have... that great life with the teams, the players, the coaches, the owners, the League... my broadcasting partners Pat and Al... the production people and the fans...is still great... it's still fun and that's what it makes it hard and that's why it took me a few months to make a decision.

I still love every part of it – the travel, the practices, the game film, the games, seeing old friends and meeting new people... but I know this is the right time.
 

Continue reading "Madden retiring" »

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:07 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (4)
                       

Bob Fernandez of The Philadelphia Inquirer has written a thorough look at the Comcast-NFL Network brouhaha, which is headed to an FCC hearing Tuesday. Until I read this, I didn't realize Comcast is invoking the First Amendment. From the article: "Comcast also claims a First Amendment right to select entertainment, news and other content for its cable system without interference by the government."

Sure, but what about being free to see and hear Rich Eisen? That has to be somewhere in the Bill of Rights.

Posted by Ray Frager at 7:30 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (5)
                       

Posted by Ray Frager at 1:41 PM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (20)
                       

The NFL's Sunday Ticket package won't be coming to a cable system near you, not when DirecTV is willing to lay out $1 billion per season for exclusive television rights. For those who don't want to get DirecTV but want access to out-of-market NFL games, you only have to wait a few years until you can get Sunday Ticket via your computer. The NFL said Internet access to Sunday ticket should be available by 2012.

Cable operators aren't happy about being shut out of Sunday Ticket, and this is apparently part of the problem with the NFL Network's level of availability or availability period on cable systems. But this deal keeps Sunday Ticket only on DirecTV through 2014.

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:31 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (0)
                       

You catch this little debate this week on SportsCenter? ESPN's two big draft experts went toe-to-toe in all their totally humorless glory over the merits of Matthew Stafford. Can't wait to hear Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay discuss the effects of the economic stimulus package. Give McShay credit for at least hanging in against the intimidating attack by Baltimore's own Kiper.

Posted by Ray Frager at 10:57 AM in NFL | Permalink | Comments (2)