On Draft Day, A-Rod and First Round Upsets

Late April Means NFL Draft Takes Center Stage Again

This weekend, the NFL Draft returns to the Big Apple, and as always, it's the professional draft which is the most entertaining to watch, if also the most tedious in length.

You'd think Raiders' owner Al Davis would know not to pass on a marquee young quarterback by now, but then, he's Al Davis. After failing to land either USC's Matt Leinart or Vandy's Jay Cutler in last year's draft, Oakland is in complete desperation for a franchise guy under center. With the #1 overall pick expected to be LSU QB Jamarcus Russell, one would think he and the Raiders are a perfect match. But the fact remains that more than a few draft experts believe Al Davis prefers Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson, whom many regard as the best all-around prospect in the draft field. Still, it would make very little sense for Oakland to draft a wide receiver---no matter how freakishly talented---when it has no one to throw him the ball.

The two slot belongs to Detroit, and you know that Lions' President Matt Millen (how does he still have a job?) would love to grab another wide receiver, but the Lions' defensive needs may be more pressing, which makes me think they'll lean towards DE Gaines Adams.

And then there's the whole Cleveland predicament at #3: should the Browns take a potentially great running back in Adrian Peterson, or a potentially great quarterback in Brady Quinn? Both have tremendous upsides, yet both have question marks as well, for various reasons.

The first offensive tackle off the board will be Wisconsin's Joe Thomas, likely to Arizona at number five. From there, the first round could turn in any number of different directions.

Let's not forget the Arkansas Razorback players, a sizeable group this year. DE Jamal Anderson will probably go in the top half of the first round to a team looking for pass-rushing force, while CB Chris Houston should fall no later than the twenties to a club in need of a speedy cover man. OT Tony Ugoh will be gone by early in the second, but what about LB Sam Olajubutu or DT Keith Jackson? A number of draft pundits have them going in the fifth or sixth rounds. A bunch of other Hogs will get their shots at NFL rosters as free agents.

As far as my beloved J-E-T-S, it should be fun to watch Team Mangini make its next move. Already having acquired RB Thomas Jones in a swap of second round picks with Chicago, New York is off to a good draft before it even starts. With the 25th pick in the first round, I'm very curious to see what the Jets plan now. Will it be TE Greg Olsen out of Miami? Or CB Chris Houston out of Arkansas? Maybe it's a LB/DE prospect like Anthony Spencer? For a team with so many needs, options abound.

How shall it all unfold? Tune in to ESPN's peerless wall-to-wall coverage this weekend to find out....


A-Rod's A-mazing But Yanks Still Struggling

I know, I know: it doesn't matter if he doesn't do it in October. But Yankees' 3B Alex Rodriguez is off to an unprecedented start this year. With a week left in April, A-Rod has 14 HRs, 34 RBIs and a .400 average to boot, putting him in a hitting stratosphere all by himself right now. Obviously Rodriguez isn't going to keep this up over the long haul, but it's already clear that he's vastly improved his game from a season ago. A couple adjustments here and some confidence there and---voila! Alex Rodriguez is once again the best player in the game.

The problem for the Yankees is their starting pitching. I realize that Chien-Mien Wang and Mike Mussina have been hurt, but Chase Wright, Jeff Karstens and Carl Pavano are not going to cut it, no matter how you stack them up. The Red Sox appeared vastly superior to the Bombers in the pitching department during this past weekend's three-game sweep, and barring a colossal trade or a return by the Rocket to the Big Apple, that's not going to change during the season.

I'd be more than a little concerned about Mariano Rivera if were a Yankee fan right now too. He looks old and his fastball is not popping. It's very, very early, but right now it looks like the Bosox hold the edge on the Yanks, even with A-Rod's meteoric start.


Nuggets, Warriors Deliver Wake-Up Calls

I'm still taking the Suns over the Pistons to win this year's NBA title, but the playoff series that intrigues me the most right now is Denver and San Antonio. Ever since Iverson was traded from Philly to Denver in December, I've been waiting---and waiting---for George Karl's Nuggets to get their act together. I mean, the idea of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson on the same team sounds scary, let alone Denver's also having Marcus Camby, Nene Hilario and J.R. Smith on the team. It sure did take the Nuggets a while to sort out the egos and the chemistry---Carmelo's suspension didn't help---but now they seem to have it down.

A 95-89 win at San Antonio in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was impressive in its own right, but a series win would be phenomenal. With AI dashing in and out of the paint again and 'Melo playing like a real supersar, Denver is clearly causing Tim Duncan and the Spurs all kinds of headaches already. (Was it me, or did San Antonio look collectively old and slow on Sunday night?) It'd be easy to dismiss Game 1 as a fluke, and many will, but I see Denver building on Game 1, winning this series and looming tough for the Suns in round two.

Clearly, the West is where it's at in the playoffs . . . In the East, three of four higher seeds held serve, while the one that didn't---Toronto---is not better than the team it's facing---New Jersey. The only Eastern first round series really worth watching this year is Chicago and Miami. Meanwhile, the West has great storylines in Phoenix vs. Kobe, T-Mac trying to get the playoff monkey off his back, and upset possibilities in the Nuggets and Warriors.

Speaking of which, welcome back to the playoffs, Golden State! With Don Nelson back on the bench, the Warriors raced their way down the stretch to the #8 seed in the West, then stunned Dallas with a 97-85 road win in Game 1. PG Baron Davis had a phenomenal 33 point, 14 assist, 8 rebound effort to lead the way, while Golden State's small-ball lineup caused Avery Johnson's Mavs all kinds of problems. (It didn't help that Dirk Nowitzki shot 4 for 16 from the field either!) Expect Dallas to bounce back and win this series, but don't be surprised if it goes the full monty seven.


-JAB