Yes, it’s another installment of Boris’ yearly trip to the draft with my buddy the Niner fan. Known affectionately on Timesfour as “Montana > Favre”
We kickoff the trip by hopping on a red-eye Wednesday night & fly into Newark, NJ. Grab our luggage and our car is waiting for us. It’s about a 45 minute ride into Manhattan that cost us $90. We arrive at the hotel and check our luggage with the concierge since our room won’t be ready until about 1:00 PM. It’s about 9:00 AM. We’re pretty burnt already since neither of us got much more than 2-3 hours sleep on the plane. We had a few beers before getting on the plane but nothing worth mentioning. Ah, the hell with it. We’re in NY. Suck it up, grab a LOX bagel with some coffee and keep moving. The coffee I have is mocha from Lily O’Briens, right across the street from Bryant Park. 36 West 40th Street, New York - (212) 575-0631 (if you’re interested). The chocolate rivaled any Swiss or Belgium chocolate I’ve tasted before. It was very good.
We waste some time visiting the new office my current employer is building. Yeah that was thrilling. Isn’t this a great read so far?!?!
After grabbing some lunch, we head to the hotel. Fortunately our room is ready as we both need a shower. (Not together)
I throw on my Aaron Rodgers jersey (Thanks Ted), my buddy wears his Crabtree jersey & we head over to our familiar ESPN Zone to meet up with Chad Reuter. It’s about 2:30 PM & everyone is getting stoked for the start of the draft. Chad has a GM he texts with on a regular basis. No, I’m not naming him so don’t ask. He tells us who has been falling and rising up draft boards. I posted some tidbits via my phone when we were there. I kick the afternoon off with a martini. I swear they didn’t put any alcohol in it so I switched to a 32oz. mug o’ beer. Chad doesn’t drink which is totally cool. No peer pressure here
. The guy at the table next to us asks us if we’re going to the draft. His woman sitting across from him says, she set it up for him to see the draft in NY. They’re going to stay at ESPN Zone & watch it. I tell him what a good woman he has. We exchange some laughs & tell him to get in line next year so he can attend live. We tell her to stand there with him. I think he declined. I introduce Chad from cbssports.com to him. He’s a little surprised & speechless.
(seduced by Chads charm I'm sure)
We head over to RCMH. The place is buzzing with excitement. We’re probably about 30 minutes before the start of the draft and our VIP entrance has maybe 10 people in line. The standard entrance has a few hundred people. We sit in our assigned seats and I’m exhausted. Over the course of 5 days I’ve had probably a total of 18-20 hours sleep. I’m practically passing out until Goodell finally walks to the podium and the crowd rises and cheers. Yay, the Rams are on the clock.
I told you all how the first 5 picks in the draft would fall Right here. Looks like my info was accurate. (Need the pat myself on the back icon). P.S. Thanks Chad!
The draft is flying by. This new format forces the teams to be ready or get screwed. Seattle takes Okung @ slot 6 and I mention to my buddy how the media is praising Pete Carroll for the pick but I know better. John Schneider is running the show over there & Pete would have taken one of his U$C kids I’m sure. Browns take Haden at #7. Good pick. I really wanted the Raiders to take Bruce Campbell at #8 but it’s quite obvious Al Davis was sleeping throughout the draft because I think the Raiders did well and selected players in the proper slots. McClain was not a bad choice at #8. Bills draft Spiller at #9. I can’t argue with that selection. I would have taken him at #23.
Now we get to the Jags. This team is in complete disarray. I don’t think their GM cares 1 iota about who they take probably because he knows he’ll be gone after this year. If you saw the leaked Cowboys board, you saw them have Alualu rated in the lower portion of round 1. I don’t give a fat rats ass. Tyson Alualu was drafted too early at #10. This is why teams suck year after year because they are not using the draft process correctly. TT understands the process. The Pats & Eagles understand the process. Miami understands the draft process. Teams like the Jags do not which is why they will suck until they hire a GM who understands how to build a team. If they wanted to reach, they would have been better served by drafting Tebow. Complete fools. I have some proof. Chad texted his GM friend and asked (this is word for word)…Chad: “How surprised are you with that pick?” The GM’s text response? GM: “EXTREMELY!” Unless Tyson Alualu is the next coming of Deacon Jones, yes, you can call the selection a reach. I find it difficult to believe they couldn’t find a trade down partner since #11 Denver & #12 Miami both traded down. Which brings us to pick #11….
Yeah my buddy the Niner fan is none too pleased with the 2 slot trade up to select the head case Anthony Davis. This is what happens when you fire your GM (McCloughan) and then your new GM “panics” to get his guy (ala Mike Sherman). I was surprised at the move. The Niners must’ve been paranoid about getting ANY LT because they knew the Broncos & Dolphins were both shopping their picks for the last month or so. What happened to the Niners this year is the same thing Scot McCloughan is a master at doing, baiting some team into panicking and trading up. I’m sure Scot was laughing to himself when he saw the trade. Especially since Bulaga was still on the board. More on that later....
Pick #12 is traded to the Chargers and no surprise they picked what they felt was the best RB in the draft in Ryan Matthews. FYI for all you fantasy buffs, I’d seriously consider drafting Ryan Matthews. I think he’s going to be very good.
Pick #13 traded again by Denver (they’re doing a good job) to the Eagles. I think the Eagles really really REALLY wanted Brandon Graham. We’ll see if he’s the “beast” Goalline thinks he is.
At this point, I’m hoping TT wants to trade up and draft Earl Thomas although I think I would have had a coronary from excitement if he did. No surprise the former Packer Dir. Of player scouting drafts Earl. If Pete Carroll is successful in this stint of the NFL it will all be due to the hard work of John Schneider getting him some excellent players. This draft on top of the 2 trades for Lendale White and Leon Washington should make the Seahawks much more competitive than I’d thought they are. Before the draft I really felt the Niners have a golden opportunity to win the NFC West. Now it should be more competitive but I still think the Niners will win the division.
The Giants grab potential bust Jason Pierre-Paul. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one. The Titans grab Derrick Morgan who should be good. Niners back on the clock and they take another OL in Iupati. My buddy is happy with this selection but he mentions to me how much happier he would have been if the Niners had stayed put, saved a draft pick & taken Earl Thomas & Bulaga. I concur. I mention if McCloughan was still the GM he very well may have made those selections.
Maurkice Pouncey is next to the Steelers. Damn, I thought he would have been a great selection at #23. Falcons grab Sean Withserpsoon who most had mocked #32 to the Saints. #20, Texans grab Kareem Jackson. DAMN IT! Another one of my liked players off the board! #21 in the most uneventful pick and almost 99% of mock drafts had correct, Jermaine Gresham to Cinci. #22, I’m worried here. The Pats have the pick and I’m freaking out they are either going to draft Bulaga or trade the pick to someone that will draft Bulaga. I breathe a sigh of relief when it’s Denver jumping in because I know Bulaga is safe. Demaryius Thomas, whew….Thanks Denver.
As soon as the Packers were on the clock I told my buddy, “It’s Bulaga. Gotta be.” Unless TT gets some ridiculous offer to trade out like (2) 1st rounders or Joe Thomas or something
. I also mention I’d be happy with Patrick Robinson from Fla. St.. The pick is announced. Bryan Bulaga, I applaud and I’m happy. Even if Bulaga turns out to suck that was the correct pick in that slot. As usual TT didn’t panic and let the draft come to him. “OH! Looky here! What just fell into my lap?! Nice! A LEFT TACKLE!” Now comes my speculation….I have a hunch, TT consulted with Scot McCloughan when Bulaga was still on the board at #23. I think Scot was prepared to take Bulaga at #13 or #17 & was very surprised when he was still on the board at #23. I’m fairly certain if Scot was still in Frisco he would have taken Earl Thomas & Bulaga. Jeezus, thank god he isn’t with them anymore. We have to play them again this season. Come to Green Bay Scot… We heart ewe.
The 1st round winds down. A few more trades. The Lions drafting Jahvid Best (Damnit) I just know that team is going to be a PITA the next couple of years. I honestly think they are on the right road to recovery. Barring injuries, it would not surprise me to see the Lions have a better record than the Bears this year.
After the 1st round completes, we head over to an awesome bar called “The Perfect Pint” We stick around and relax with a few Chimay’s until about 1:00 AM. At this point we are thoroughly wiped out. Walk back to our hotel and grab some street food before crashing for the night.
I’ll try and complete day 2 (Friday April 23rd) tomorrow of this 4 day 3 night adventure.
