One of the biggest jokes in sports has become the NFL combine that takes place in Indianapolis over a two-week period. It’s an event where NFL teams invite 300 or so of what are considered the top college players who may be drafted in the spring. The players go through a battery of physical and mental tests to determine if they are draft-worthy and, if so, how high?
It has also spawned a collection of know-nothing self-anointed “draft experts” who will give you the impression of what a good football player should look and act like. Mind you, many of these people would not know a good football player even if they were tackled by one.
Reporters show up like sheep and allow themselves to be played by teams with respect to distributing misinformation, if not defamatory information, about a player in hopes of seeing his stock drop so that they may have a chance to draft said player.
It really troubles me that many media types report unflattering things about these players, citing unnamed sources. No fact check, no opportunity to respond by the accused, no nothing. Aptitude test scores and drug test results are report. This all supposed to be confidential information.
Even more comical is where a player’s 40-yard dash results come into to play. Let’s take Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston was prodded and turned every way but loose during his time in Indy. Then came the 40, where you also had recent Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariotta competing alongside Winston, not against each other but against the clock. Mariotta was slightly faster, but when it came to throwing the football and understanding an NFL offense, Winston was superior. Yet there are those who were excited about the 40-yard dash. I wonder if they were excited when now-forgotten quarterback prospects were faster than Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck?
Granted, Winston had some off-field issues, with the most serious being a sexual assault allegation where he was never charged and was exonerated by Florida State’s internal investigation.
Yes, player-hating is alive. Look at Cleveland Browns’ first-round pick Johnny Manziel. There was a quiet whisper about Manziel being in trouble, but in his case scouts, front office personnel and even the media covered for him – only to see him enter a substance-abuse program.
The sad thing is that no one is held accountable for all the misdeeds that takes place at the Combine. If you look at some of the great players who have been part of this event for the last 30 years, you will find that not all of the great players who went on to play in the NFL were Combine whizzes. Many had 40-yard times that would be eyebrow-raising.
For those players who did not fare well in the eyes of the scouts, many will get another chance, as most players will have a workout at their school or in their home town. The physical skills will be evaluated again. But how will some of these players erase the stain that has been cast upon them by those who have an agenda? There has to be a better way to do this.
Money vs. Manny
Finally Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will get it on in the ring. After five years of wrangling and wrestling between fighters, manager and promoters, these two prominent pugilists will attempt to settle who is the best in the ring in on May 2 in Las Vegas.
No need to book a room at the MGM Grand, where the fight will be held, because as of Tuesday, the hotel was sold out. If you really want to take your significant other, be ready to shell out at least $3,500 a piece for a really good seat. Is your high-def flat screen in a better position than your seat to watch the fight for let’s say just under $100?
Each fighter has lost a bit due to age, but they should give us our money’s worth no matter how much you spend to see it. Did I just say that?
My MVP
While no there is a spirited debate on who is the MVP in the NBA this year, there are a few names that are being thrown out there that do not end with Durant, James or Bryant.
My choice would be Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, perhaps the best all-around athlete who plays in the NBA. He is the major reason that the Thunder has a chance to make the playoffs, especially with the injury that reigning MVP Kevin Durant has been dealing with this season. His numbers are there every night, no matter who is on the floor against him or with him.
Stephan Curry should receive consideration, as he and the Golden State Warriors are having a terrific season. The irony here is that the Thunder and Warriors may face each other in the first round in the playoffs. It could be winner-take-all between the two, but the votes for the regular season would have already been cast. Either way, the fans are the winners in watching both players any night of the week.
24/7 stadium
Jay Nixon aroused NFL fans in St. Louis again by announcing that they had worked out a way for construction of the mythical stadium on the riverfront to take place on a 24-hour basis without overtime in order to expedite its completion. That’s action.
To get off the track here for a moment, I would have settled for just 24 hours of the National Guard’s presence in Ferguson, when they needed it, before it burned. Priorities?
By the way, the senseless rush to Los Angeles by NFL teams has now risen to three, as the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers have formed a pact to build a stadium in L.A. Where is the leadership of the NFL to step in and create some sort of order so that cities will not be held hostage by greedy owners? Wait, the leadership of the NFL are the owners.
