NASCAR Notes 5/8: Smith’s Win Overshadowed

The first (and maybe only) installment of NASCAR notes.  First, I should start by saying I am no official NASCAR writer or analyst.  Just a citizen journalist (or blogger) pointing out some interesting things in the world of NASCAR.  The information here is merely stuff I noticed either this week at Darlington or over the course of the season.  With no regular airing of the show right now, I have to talk somewhere.

The Ryan Newman-Juan Pablo Montoya Feud:  They had a feud?  It is a little bit of sarcasm, but after Darlington, this quickly became back-page news.

The only thing that anyone knows, these two have not liked each other since Montoya entered NASCAR.  This feud wasn’t settled, and it will likely rear its ugly head again.

But for now, no one remembers what happened at Richmond.

The NEW Feud:  Kyle Busch vs. Kevin Harvick – Both of these once hot-headed drivers drew all of the attention on Saturday night.  Both drivers had seemed to mellow over the past year or so, realizing they couldn’t be successful by not having any equipment at the end of races.

They’re back.

Busch, the younger of the famed-Busch brothers, is known for his smart aleck attitude, knowing he has all the talent in the world.  This guy hates losing (but what driver doesn’t?) and doesn’t let any driver get in his way.

Harvick has never shied away from confrontation with other drivers.  Whether it was Ricky Rudd or Juan Pablo Montoya, Harvick has ruffled the feathers of several drivers, and not being afraid of getting in someone’s face.

After a wreck late in the race, Busch appeared to have spun out Harvick intentionally.  Neither car suffered major damage, but it was a battle that began on the backstretch prior to the lap 363 accident.

After the race, the two began a cat and mouse game, each shadowing the others move.  Once on pit road, with Harvick in front, Harvick gets out of his car to confront Busch.  Busch remained in his car, and as Harvick approached, Busch rammed Harvick’s car into the pit wall, and drove off.  Harvick appeared to ‘punch’ Busch as he drove past him.

Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, Busch’s actions are unacceptable.  It is bad enough to use racecars as a weapon with drivers in their cars.  However, to hit an uncontrolled car could have seriously injured someone.

As for if Busch wanted payback, wouldn’t it pain Harvick more to wreck him in the Nationwide Series, where Harvick actually owns the car he runs.  While never suggesting it is proper to take feuds onto the track, just an opinion on if you wanted it to bother Harvick just a little more.

Like the Montoya-Newman feud, this one is far from over, and could easily be re-visited next week at Dover.

Regan Smith Wins 1st Career Race – Unfortunately for the driver from Cato, New York, he might be the only one that remembers the win next week.

The actions of Busch and Harvick overshadowed the Smith’s first career win, in 105 races, in the Southern 500 at Darlington.  Smith stayed out when many of the leaders pitted for right-side tires.

Smith, you might remember, did take the checkered flag in first place a couple of years ago at Talladega.  However, he passed below the yellow line, prohibited at Daytona and Talladega.  Tony Stewart officially won the race.

Smith’s team, is Furniture Row Racing, an independent team, who gets its engines and cars from Richard Childress Racing, and borrows a pit crew from Stewart-Haas Racing.  For the team from Colorado, they reached the top of NASCAR.

However, look a little closer, and you can see how this team has worked to get to this point.  The team first appeared around 2006 with Kenny Wallace as its driver.  Later the ride was occupied by Joe Nemechek.

In 2009, the team chose to scale back and brought in Regan Smith as its driver.  Just off winning Rookie of the Year, it was only a part-time ride for Smith.

He stuck with the team as they returned to full-time status in 2010.  This was one of the first season, they consistently ran well.  Good qualifying efforts by Smith and strong runs at Daytona and Talladega helped this team gain confidence.

Smith had his worst qualifying effort of the season at Darlington, starting 23rd.  His mother wasn’t at the race like she always was (she was helping with disaster relief efforts in Alabama).

He stayed on the lead lap throughout the race, and in its final stages, he was running inside the top ten.  The easiest way to win races:  put yourself in a position to be successful.  Sixth place before staying out to win the race was key.

Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch…championship contenders – No, I’m not stating the obvious, I’m stating the facts.

While their finishes from Darlington don’t show it, both overcame mid-race adversity to return to the top ten.

Johnson spun twice in the race and was running in the top ten before the final pit stops.  However, a pit road penalty left Johnson with only a 15th place finish.

Kyle Busch dominated a portion of the race, before having to pit for a loose wheel under green flag conditions.  He got his lap back and made it back into the race before the whole incident on lap 363.  Busch finished 11th.

Coming back from adversity throughout a race and throughout a season are crucial to fighting for a championship.

Could There Be Short Fields? – One of NASCAR’s biggest fears is not having a full, 43-car field for Sprint Cup Races.  However, it could be a reality.

Until this week, NASCAR typically had 43 or 44 cars show up for a race.  Darlington had 46 cars.

The Wood Brothers, #21, usually driven by Trevor Bayne has not entered the last two events.  With Bayne still questionable for appearing in upcoming races with his illness, they might not enter until he is able to race again.

Robby Gordon’s car, #7, won’t enter the race at Dover this week after being a start-and-park at Darlington.  Gordon will continue to run the ‘fun’ races throughout the rest of the year, after running every race until this point.

In these situations, there are usually teams that end up forming and showing up, since there is the opportunity of making a Sprint Cup Series race.  However, I won’t be surprised if a short field scare occurs.

There you have it, some notes and opinions on the week that was in NASCAR.  Like I said in the opening, some of this is speculation (i.e. short fields) and opinions.  With “Section 26 Sports” being on  hiatus during the Summer, be looking for more columns similar to this to bring you up-to-date on the happenings in sports.  Be looking for us to return in the Fall.

Top 10 Sports Moments in South Carolina for 2010

As mentioned on Wednesday, December 29th’s edition of “Section 26 Sports”, here are the Top 10 Moments from sports in South Carolina for 2010.  As with the previous list, these are purely the opinions of the “Section 26 Sports” hosts.  Others might have certain things in different orders, added something, or omitted something.

10.  Denny Hamlin sweeps Mother’s Day Weekend at Darlington.

You knew that Hamlin would be a star when in his first race at Darlington, in a Nationwide Series car, finished in the top-10.  His performances at the track continued when he won the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington on Mother’s Day Weekend.

9.  Kyle Parker gets drafted in MLB, returns to Clemson.

Kyle Parker went to Clemson because they gave him an opportunity to be a two-sport star in baseball and football.  He has succeeded at both.

Parker was drafted in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft’s first round by the Colorado Rockies.  He wanted to play baseball, but wanted to play football, too.

Down to the last second of negotiations, Parker signed his contract with Colorado, but it allowed him to return to Clemson to play football in 2010.

Looking back on it, might not have been the best decision.

8.  South Carolina upsets #1 Kentucky in basketball.

Less than 36 hours from becoming the number-0ne team in the country, and less than 8 hours from speaking with President Barack Obama, Kentucky was beaten by South Carolina 68-62.

A $25,000 celebration later, and the Gamecocks are all over television, for managing to pull the upset.  Click here for the post following the game.

7.  Oliver Purnell leaves Clemson.

This story somewhat flew under the radar, but was very important nevertheless.

Following the Tigers’ season, Purnell left Clemson for DePaul, a program in the cellar of the Big East Conference.

For Purnell, it is a good move.  If he can turn around DePaul, it will put him in the upper echelon of coaches in college basketball, simply for his ability to take a bad program and make them winners.

6.  Marcus Lattimore recruiting-trail.

Where would the Byrnes star running back go was the question much of the first part of the year.  At the end, it came down to Auburn or South Carolina.

In front of his church, in a much lower-scale “The Decision” moment, Lattimore announced that he would attend South Carolina.

I guess you could say the rest is history.

5.  Clemson and South Carolina take the rivalry to Omaha.

In a repeat of an earlier College World Series, the 2010 edition would feature either Clemson or South Carolina in the finale.

South Carolina beat Clemson in back-to-back games to advance to the final, guided by a Michael Roth masterpiece in the first game, where they would eventually be crowned National Champions.

4.  Notable Deaths of South Carolina sport’s leaders.

2010 saw the loss of three noted people in South Carolina sport’s history.  Legendary radio voice of the Gamecocks Bob Fulton, former Gamecocks wide receiver Kenny McKinley, and former Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams all passed away.

McKinley’s and Adams’ death were both very shocking.  Adams, 26, passed away in January due to cardiac arrest.  McKinley, 23, passed away just a few months ago when he committed suicide.

Fulton’s death at age 89 meant the loss of a person whose eyes had seen many Gamecocks feats, and whose voice described the moments that Gamecock fans who could not attend the game, feel like they were in the front row.

3.  South Carolina upsets the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide.

In a year that saw the Gamecocks upset three number-one teams, the upset of Alabama was special.  The game drew ESPN’s College GameDay, a national CBS audience, and a sell-out crowd.

It was a game that proved to the SEC and the country that the Gamecocks would be a force, with their 35-21 victory over Alabama.

2.  South Carolina wins the SEC East.

Although it was very bittersweet, the Gamecocks achieved something it had never done before, making it to the SEC Championship game.  Unfortunately, they had to face an unstoppable Auburn team.

It is easy to go back and forth about how to rank this, considering the Gamecocks were the best in a mediocre division and were not competitive in the game.  Click here for the story on the Gamecocks securing the SEC East title.

1.  South Carolina Gamecocks are National Champions in College Baseball.

In all honesty, this was a no-brainer in determining this list.  The Gamecocks first national championship in a major sport ever, was the team’s back-to-back wins over UCLA in the final College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Click here for the story immediately following the championship, and explaining why the city of Columbia had a right to go crazy over baseball.

There you have, the 10 reasons why 2010 in South Carolina sports will be remembered for a long-time.

Top 10 Sports Stories in 2010

As presented on Wednesday, December 29th’s edition of “Section 26 Sports,” this is the top ten sports stories in the calendar year, 2010.  Once again, this is purely the opinion of the “Section 26” hosts.  Others may have the stories in a different order, some might have different stories, others may have a different ranking.

Here they are:

10.  Isner-Mahut never ending battle at Wimbledon.

It was an early match, but it went on forever, literally.  France’s Nicolas Mahut and the United States’ John Isner battled for eleven hours and five minutes.  The fifth set alone was eight hours and eleven minutes.

Neither player could break the other’s serve, until Isner finally did.  Isner won three sets to two.  Isner beat Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68.

9.  Who wants to be number one?

For three straight weeks, no team in college football wanted to claim the title as the number one team in the country.

First, it was South Carolina beating Alabama on October 9th, 35-21, with ESPN’s College GameDay set-up in the University of South Carolina’s Horseshoe.

Then, for consecutive weeks on ABC’s Saturday Night Football, the number one team went down.  It was Wisconsin defeating Ohio State, 31-18, in Madison, Wisconsin.

Finally, on October 23rd, Missouri upset Oklahoma, 36-27.

In all three occassions, the number-one team, was beat easily by teams that may or may not have been better.

8.  Baseball says good-bye to two of its greatest managers.

Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella have seen a lot in their baseball careers.  Neither the best player, both became pretty good managers (sarcasm).

Cox, led the Atlanta Braves to the 1995 World Series Championship and 14 consecutive divisional titles.  Cox retired at the end of the season, winning 2,504 games, which is 4th all-time.  Cox also holds the record for most ejections at 158.

Piniella probably had many more exciting ejections compared to Cox.  Piniella might be for famous for tossing first base as he was tossed by random umpires.

Piniella finished 14th all time in managerial wins with 1,835.  He won the 1990 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds.  He also managed the Cubs, Rays, Mariners, and Yankees.

7.  Butler’s Gordon Hayward almost beats Duke.

The 2010 NCAA Men’s Division I Tournament featured the “Cinderalla-story” Butler Bulldogs and the love-or-hate Duke Blue Devils.

It was a desperation shot by Butler’s Hayward to attempt to beat the Blue Devils.  The shot, which no one thought had a shot, bounces off the rim.  Duke becomes National Champions again, beating Butler 61-59.

6.  a) Pitching Perfection in 2010

It was an unprecedented season for pitching in Major League Baseball.  There were six no-hitters, two of which were perfect games.  Oakland’s Dallas Braden (on Mother’s Day) and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay each threw perfect games in the month of May.

Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez, Arizona’s Edwin Jackson, and Tampa’s Matt Garza all threw no-hitters this season.  Halladay also threw a no-hitter in the National League Division Series against Cincinnati.  This game was pitched better than his perfect game.

6.  b)  The Perfect Game that was not.

How would you like to get 26 consecutive outs, just one away from getting perfection as a major league pitcher.  It was done twice, and a young Detroit Tigers’ pitcher was about to have one of the most economic perfect games in history.

On June 2nd, Armando Galarraga got those 26 consecutive outs.  He only had to get Cleveland’s Jason Donald out to finish the job.  A ground ball in which Galarraga had to cover first base.  It was a close play and Donald is called safe by first base umpire Jim Joyce.  Galarraga appeared destined to end up with guys like Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling, who came oh-so-close, but not perfect.

And then the replay.  It showed that Galarraga’s foot touched the bag prior to Donald’s foot.  He should have been called safe by Jim Joyce.  However, after the game Joyce apologized, admitting that he took a perfect game away from Galarraga.  Galarraga responded with “nobody’s perfect.”

5.  Jimmie Johnson becomes 5-time consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion.

Many people thought entering the year that this would be the year Johnson doesn’t win.  Not so fast.

Denny Hamlin appeared in control of the points heading to Homestead.  However, the pressure appeared to get to Hamlin, and the guy who had been there the last 4 years, made it number five.  A feat that no driver has ever accomplished, five consecutive championships.

4.  Brett Favre.

Whenever you think you can make it a week without Brett Favre being mentioned, there he is.  The media darling created by ESPN didn’t fail us again this year.

Once again, it was whether he would come back.  Then when he came back, would the ankle and shoulder hold-up.  Next came the Jenn Sterger controversy, of whether or not he sent suggestive photos to the former New York Jets’ employee.

Then, he was not as invincable as thought.  After 297 consecutive starts, a shoulder injury forced Favre to be inactive.  After that week, he couldn’t resist the idea of being announced out, and then suddenly hours before the game, he can suddenly play.  Followed by another game, he couldn’t play because of a concussion.

3.  Tiger Woods.

Not a whole lot to be said here, other than Woods went through with the advances Favre did not.  He made his return to golf, and did not win one tournament.

He was semi-competitive in the major tournaments, but a non-factor in all of the others.  It was not until some of the off-the-course problems resolved themselves (divorce becoming final), that he began to look a little better.

2.  The Decision – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh.

While figuring it was the best way to announce the rest of his life, LeBron James felt that a one-hour infomercial would improve his image.

All it led to was public ridicule and embarassment as James announced that he would be going to the Miami Heat.  Wade and Bosh just went along for the ride.

At first the ‘big three’ did not produce.  It was a disastrous start for the Heat.  However, in the last month, the play has picked up and the Heat are beginning to look like the team everyone predicted them to be.

1.  The New Orleans Saints win Super Bowl XLIV.

The lovable losers that once were the ‘New Orleans Aints’ finally broke through to win Super Bowl XLIV against the mighty Indianapolis Colts.

However, the story is about what the Saints went through to get there.  A hurricane that knocked a city off of their feet and a team out of their stadium gave the people of New Orleans a bright spot in their eyes.

Any NFL fan and any person who likes a heart-warming story could not be disappointed by the Saints and the city of New Orleans winning the Super Bowl.

There you have it, the Top 10 Stories, according to “Section 26 Sports.”  Happy New Year everyone!

South Carolina Claims Back-To-Back Wins over Clemson

The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Clemson Tigers for the second consecutive year, 29-7.

The Gamecocks kept the momentum rolling since the win over Florida, and likely did not give Clemson their best, reserving that for next week’s SEC Championship game against Auburn.

Stephen Garcia was 14 of 29 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns.  Alshon Jeffery, asserting why he is a Biletnikoff Award finalist, caught five passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.

The key to the game, however, was the play of Marcus Lattimore.  Lattimore only had 48 yards rushing and added 41 yards receiving.

This shows for the first time this season, the Gamecocks won without a spectacular game by the true freshman phenom.  Lattimore missed the game against Vanderbilt.

The Gamecocks have struggled in each of the games he has done poorly in, losing all of them.  When Lattimore is not on the field or not effective, the passing game often has not done the job.

Granted, Clemson’s defensive line might be the best they will face all season.  Da’Quan Bowers is considered a top-5 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

At the end of the day, it shows the Gamecocks and the rest of the country that they can win meaningful games without an effective Lattimore.  That is huge in keeping the momentum and confidence rolling on to next week.

Speaking of next week, the biggest game in the South Carolina football program occurs, as the Gamecocks play in their first SEC Championship game.  Auburn and South Carolina met back in September, where the Gamecocks let one slip away.

Keep a look out for preview posts on Auburn-South Carolina, as Section 26 Sports will cover the SEC Championship game for you, providing previews and picks for Saturday’s game.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” Coming to Columbia; Game 3:30 on CBS [UPDATED]

UPDATE:  University of South Carolina Athletics Director Eric Hyman announced on his weekly radio show that “College GameDay” will be broadcast from the Horseshoe on campus.  The legendary relaxation zone on campus will provide an excellent background for one of ESPN’s most popular shows. (10-4-2010)

ESPN has announced that it’s football pre-game show, “College GameDay,” will be coming to Columbia, South Carolina for Saturday’s game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

CBS also announced that they will pick up the game for their 3:30 pm time slot.  CBS’s slot is considered the premiere time slot in the order weekly football games are selected for television.

We will keep you posted on details when you could see Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstriet, Desmond Howard, Erin Andrews, and the rest of the characters that come with one of ESPN’s most popular programs.

Just because “GameDay” is here does not mean we will not.  Be sure to join us starting at 8 am on Saturday Morning for “Section 26 Sports” with Adam, James, and Shawn.  We air on WUSC, which is 90.5 FM in Columbia, online at wusc.sc.edu, in the radio section of iTunes, in the Russell House dining areas, and on the Gamecock Cable TV Guide Channel.

Section 26 Sports moves back to Saturday Mornings on WUSC

Beginning this Saturday, August 28th, “Section 26 Sports” kicks off its second season on WUSC at 8 am.

Just like last year, “Section 26 Sports” will air weekly on Saturday morning from 8-10 am on WUSC, right before “Red Bank Bar & Grill” with Uncle Gram.

WUSC can be heard on 90.5 FM in Columbia, online at wusc.sc.edu, in the radio section of iTunes, on the Gamecock TV Guide channel, and in the dining areas of the Russell House.

Through the fall, we will set you up for every Gamecock football Saturday, giving you everything you need to know as the Gamecocks look to improve on last year.

Also, we will bring you up to date on all the happenings in college football, the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and much more.

It all kicks off this Saturday, only on WUSC.

Winning Isn’t Everything

With the legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden’s passing on Friday night, it was what I witnessed on Saturday that reminded me of the real meaning of sports.

Wooden not only built a winning program for the Bruins, but he built better people out of those players that went through his program.

Bill Walton, who played under Wooden, recounted the story of one of his first practices with Wooden, demonstrates this.

Walton said that Wooden kicked him out of practice, telling him in the process not to return to the program until he go a haircut.  This is a far cry from the game of today of people having tattoos up and down their bodies, wacky haircuts ranging from mohawks to the rainbow from Dennis Rodman, and most of all the players that are all about themselves, rather than that of the team.

The biggest thing that Wooden demanded was that his players played hard, showed sportsmanship, and most of all, play as a team.

Flash forward to today, as I was helping referee games in a tournament put on by the University of South Carolina, girls high school basketball teams from around the south came to participate.

The most meaningful game to me however was not the game I gave a coach a technical, or the one that went to overtime.  The biggest game was not even close.

I’m not going to mention the teams specifically, because it does not pertain to the story.  All I will describe them as a out-of-state elite team and a high school varsity that also had to travel to Columbia.

The elite team got out to a 69-0 team (I’m not making this up).  With about 2 minutes to go in the game, the high school team got a lay-up, giving them their first basket of the game.

The final score to the game was 73-4, but the score is not important in what I took from this game.

Both times when the weaker team scored, the Blatt PE Center erupted, a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.

The winning team, their parents, and a couple other teams waiting to play all gave the team a standing ovation.

What this sports talk radio host and part-time basketball official hopes that both teams took away is that you never give up, regardless of how down you can be.

The players may not have felt this way, but this by far is something that builds character, and I hope that team goes on to have a great season.

They are winners in my book, and its about building character and team cohesion, something that helped John Wooden dominate college basketball for over a decade.

Braden’s Perfect Game Goes Beyond Just Pitcher

On Mother’s Day, Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in Major League Baseball’s rich history.  While Braden deserves the spotlight, there are so many other people who played a part in a masterful performance.

First of all, with Section 26 Sports being located in Columbia, South Carolina, it would be wrong not to start off with the catcher.  Former South Carolina Gamecocks’ catcher, Landon Powell caught Braden on Sunday.

Like the 19 different pitchers to throw a perfect game, every media guide for the rest of Powell’s career will have a bullet stating Powell caught Braden’s perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Powell, who was recently recalled from the Oakland Athletics minor leagues, said that he has probably caught Braden more than any other pitcher in his professional career.

How about the role the other 7 position players played in the perfect game?  The majority of those 27 straight outs were done by the position players.

They receive the credit of playing a significant role in Sunday’s game.  Between the bats and gloves of Cliff Pennington, Daric Barton, Ryan Sweeney, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Adam Rosales, Eric Chavez, Eric Patterson, and Rajai Davis, the perfect game would else not have been possible.

For as much negativity that is thrown Athletics’ GM Billy Beane’s way, the man knows how to build a baseball team.  Like him or hate him, he has found and created careers, specifically with pitching.

Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, and now Dallas Braden are just a few of the names that Beane has landed over the years.

It is bittersweet for the Tampa Bay Rays.  Yes, they were dealt the hand of witnessing a perfect game.  The problem for them is that it was the second perfect game they have been the victim of in the last two years.  Mark Buehrle threw his perfect game less than a year ago against the Rays.

There is another single person who gets the bullet about a perfect game on his resume, and that is the umpire.  For as much criticism as they receive, home plate umpire Jim Wolf gets the nod as being one of only 19 umpires to say they played a part in a perfect game.

Last but not least, you have to look at Braden’s grandmother, Peggy Lindsey, for her candid comments after Braden’s perfect game.

Until Sunday’s game, Braden was most known for yelling at Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez.  In response to that, following the perfect game, Lindsey said, “Stick it, A-Rod.”

While she has since backed down from that statement, Lindsey, who raised Braden following the death of his mother, said what so many people have been dying to say to Rodriguez over his major league career.

While I am not out to take anything away from Braden’s accomplishment, just make sure you share the love with everyone else who was a part of it.

Congratulations to the Oakland Athletics organization, their fans, and Major League Baseball in general.  But of course, the biggest congratulation goes to Dallas Braden, who will forever live in baseball history.

Section 26 Sports Final Mock Draft

So here it is folks.  This is the final NFL mock draft of the year.  This mock draft is full of interesting draft picks that you may not see anywhere else.

And keep in mind I don’t do trades in my mocks.  They get way too complicated and are impossible to predict.   I could easily see some teams, especially Detroit trading down, and some others, especially Oakland or Cleveland trading up at some point.

Round One
1. St Louis – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma – They obviously need a franchise QB and Bradford is tops in the draft class.
2. Detroit – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska – I could easily see a trade down here. Detroit has holes to fill as positions with depth in the draft (RB, OT, DT). However, because I don’t do trades, they take Suh.
3. Tampa Bay – Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma – Defensive line help is the biggest need for Tampa and they get an elite DT.
4. Washington – Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St – Chris Samuels retired and Washington got their QB in McNabb. Step 2 is the franchise LT, Okung.
5. Kansas City – Trent Williams OT Oklahoma – Kansas City could go in quite a few directions here, but if they’re smart they’ll go with the offensive line. Branden Albert faded quickly last season and they need someone to fill in and protect Cassel.
6. Seattle – Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa – With Seattle’s two first round picks, they will try to bolster the trenches. It seems sure one of the top two DE’s should drop to them later so they take Bulaga here.
7. Cleveland – Eric Berry FS Tennessee – It is amazing Berry fell this far and Cleveland should be thrilled. They fill a need with one of the top players in the draft. Berry will also help in the return game which would assist Cribbs moving to WR permanently.
8. Oakland – Bruce Campbell OT Maryland – This is a HUGE reach. Campbell is not a top player, but he’s very athletic for a tackle and, well, this is Al Davis after all.
9. Buffalo – Anthony Davis OT Rutgers – Buffalo has one of the worst offensive lines in the league so they desperately need to address it. With a line that bad, it doesn’t matter who is at QB. Anthony Davis is a bull when run blocking and Buffalo will have to rely on their run game, as they have no pass game. This seems a natural pick.
10. Jacksonville – Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech – Morgan is the best pass rushing DE in the draft and he will go to the worst pass rushing team in the NFL, Jacksonville. Jacksonville did sign Aaron Kampman, but that won’t be enough. This will give youth and fire to the weak defensive line.
11. Denver (from Chicago) – Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma St – As expected, Brandon Marshall is gone. We also found out that Tony Scheffler is going to Detroit. Eddie Royal is a good WR, but not a number one option. They need an elite receiver and Bryant is the best in the class.
12. Miami – Dan Williams DT Tennessee – Miami has a few needs but nose tackle is a glaring one. However, if they do trade Ronnie Brown, CJ Spiller could jump up to this pick for Miami.
13. San Francisco – Joe Haden CB Florida – Haden does not fill their strongest needs, offensive line and quarterback, but he’s the best player available and the 49ers have two first round picks. He’s worth the pick here as a top notch player.
14. Seattle (from Denver) – Jason Pierre-Paul DE S Florida – As stated before, Seattle has to start from the inside out with the trenches. It’s time for the defensive line and Jason Pierre-Paul is the pick. He can play a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 rush LB. Here he’ll play at DE and rush the passer, which is his specialty.
15. NY Giants – Rolando McClain ILB Alabama – Antonio Pierce was a staple on the Giants defense, but his neck injuries led to his release. The Giants need to retool and the best place to start is at MLB. However, if they trade Osi Umenyiora they could draft a DE here, possible Carlos Dunlap.
16. Tennessee – Kyle Wilson CB Boise St – The could go defensive line, but I really think they need to go with a CB here. Wilson is a physical back and fits well with Tennessee’s philosophy.
17. San Francisco (from Carolina) – Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame – Some say Clausen would never fall this far, but I really don’t like his future. He has an attitude issue and a slow deliver at times. However, the 49ers need a QB and Clausen has potential.
18. Pittsburgh – Devin McCourty CB Rutgers – The current CB’s on the Steelers’ roster are weak and can’t get it done. McCourty is an underrated CB that will fit well with the Steelers’ defense.
19. Atlanta – Carlos Dunlap DE Florida – Jamaal Anderson is a bust, we all know that now. It’s time to get a young pass rusher to play opposite John Abraham. Dunlap is a big pass rusher with the size and speed to start immediately. He does however have motivation problems at times.
20. Houston – Earl Thomas FS Texas – Houston will need to fill a big need at both safety positions as well as replace CB Dunta Robinson. Here they will go with Thomas who will fall further than his talent level represents. The bottom line is that this is a steal for Houston.
21. Cincinnati – Taylor Mays SS USC – Simply put, Cincinnati needs safety help and they love the USC products. Mays will fit in very well.
22. New England – Sergio Kindle OLB Texas – The Patriots need to fill a pass rushing void and Kindle would work well as a top-level 3-4 pass rusher.
23. Green Bay – CJ Spiller RB Clemson – This is the surprise pick of the draft. Green Bay doesn’t have too strong of a need at RB and Spiller may not fall this far. However, I see him dropping for various reasons, including his horribly low Wonderlic score. Green Bay will fill two secondary needs, backup RB and return specialist.
24. Philadelphia – Kareem Jackson CB Alabama – With Sheldon Brown gone, the Eagles will need a CB opposite Asante Samuel. Jackson is a great talent and will fit very well with the fast, athletic ideals of the Eagles defense.
25. Baltimore – Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma – Todd Heap has been invisible for Baltimore lately. They need another pass catcher for Flacco. They picked up Boldin and re-signed Derrick Mason. Here they will get their much needed TE.
26. Arizona – Brandon Graham DE Michigan – Graham is an underrated pass rusher. He will be one of the better 3-4 rush LB’s in this year’s draft. Arizona needs a pass rush. The signing of Joey Porter helps, but he’s already in trouble. They need youth at the position.
27. Dallas – Mike Iupati OG Idaho – Flozell Adams is gone from the offensive line and Dallas was relatively weak at guard last season. Iupati is the next Steve Hutchinson. Dallas gets a great one here.
28. San Diego – Ryan Mathews RB Fresno St – Mathews is the most complete and NFL-ready RB in this draft. San Diego needs to replace Tomlinson and Mathews is the best guy to get it done.
29. NY Jets – Jerry Hughes OLB TCU – Pass rush is a strong need for the Jets, along with FS. Here they get another one of those top-level 3-4 OLB’s. Hughes will come in ready to get some sacks. Even if they do sign Jason Taylor, Hughes is still the pick here.
30. Minnesota – Patrick Robinson CB Florida St – Injuries at CB hurt the Vikings late last year. Here they get Robinson, a great cover CB who can come in ready to start on a powerful Vikings defense.
31. Indianapolis – Brian Price DT UCLA – The Colts need to get depth and competition on their lines and Brian Price is a good start. He’ll compete from day one.
32. New Orleans – Sean Witherspoon LB Missouri – Witherspoon would have gone sooner if the Steelers had not signed Larry Foote or the Eagles had not traded for Ernie Sims. However, here we are. The Saints get a much needed defensive play-maker with the swagger to fit right in with New Orleans.

Round Two
1. St Louis – Everson Griffen DE USC – The Rams need more pass rush help and if they don’t trade for Osi Umenyiora, Griffen is a great pick here.
2. Detroit – Jahvid Best RB California – If the Lions trade for a RB, expect Penn St LB Novorro Bowman to be the pick here. However, they need more stability at RB and Best is a big play threat and elite return man.
3. Tampa Bay – Arrelious Benn WR Illinois – With Antonio Bryant in Cincinnati, Josh Freeman needs something resembling an offensive weapon. Benn is a good start.
4. Kansas City – Terrence Cody DT Alabama – Scott Pioli wants his “Vince Wilfork” and that’s what Cody is. He eats space at NT which is what the Chiefs need.
5. Philadelphia (From Washington) – Maurkice Poucey OL Florida – Interior offensive line is a need for Philadelphia. Pouncey falls a little far and the Eagles get a steal here.
6. Cleveland – Colt McCoy QB Texas – This is a little bit of a reach, but McCoy will fit with Cleveland well and could adapt into a very efficient QB.
7. Oakland – Linval Joseph DT E Carolina – This is another reach, but Joseph has the measurables to be an elite NT in the NFL in time. Joseph is 6’4″ 328 pounds, had 39 reps on the bench press and ran his 40-yard dash in less than 5.00.
8. San Diego – Cam Thomas DT N Carolina – Another NT off the board. Jamal Williams is in Denver so the Chargers need to replace him very quickly.
9. Buffalo – Ricky Sapp OLB Clemson – Buffalo still needs a lot and a pass rushing OLB in their new 3-4 defense is much needed.
10. Tampa Bay (From Chicago) – Donovan Warren CB Michigan – Aside from Aqib Talib, there is no Buccaneer CB with a future.
11. Denver (from Miami) – Jared Odrick DT Penn St – Odrick will be a great 3-4 DE and will fit in nicely next to newly acquired NT Jamal Williams.
12. New England (From Jacksonville) – Lamar Houston DT Texas – The same assessment from Odrick goes for Houston. The Patriots need to get younger up front and Houston will fit in nicely.
13. Denver – Vladmir Ducasse OG UMass – Denver is filling many needs in this draft and interior offensive line is just another one. Ducasse is underrated because he comes form UMass.
14. NY Giants – Geno Atkins DT Georgia – With Fred Robbins gone to the Rams, the Giants need a new DT quickly. Atkins will come in ready to make an impact. However, he is one of those players that could also easily slip to the third round. Luckily for him, DT is a league-wide need this year.
15. Carolina – Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati – Steve Smith wanted more speed at WR. Gilyard provides that, as well as return skills.
16. New England (From Tennessee) – Jonathan Dwyer RB Georgia Tech – It is time for Moroney to go away and Dwyer would be ready to play right away for the Patriots.
17. San Francisco – Charles Brown OT USC – The 49ers got their QB and an elite CB prospect. Here they get a big, smart tackle with great footwork.
18. Houston – Ben Tate RB Auburn – Houston needs RB depth and Tate is very underrated. He has a fair blend of speed and power. He will fit nicely with the Texans.
19. Kansas City (From Atlanta) – Kao Misi OLB Utah – Kansas City has their linemen and now need a good pass rusher. Misi is an underrated prospect that will fit in as a 3-4 OLB.
20. Pittsburgh – Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech – Thomas doesn’t run the best routes, but he’s got the physical tools most WR’s dream about. With Holmes traded to the Jets and Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El aging, the Steelers need a young possession receiver.
21. New England – Damien Williams WR USC – The WR corps in New England is aging. Luckily the Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds and can afford to use one on a WR. Williams has soft hands and runs smooth routes, exactly what you need in the Patriots’ offense.
22. Cincinnati – Aaron Hernandez TE Florida – The Bengals have gotten their WR’s and now need a pass-catching TE. Hernandez isn’t much for blocking but he’s an elite receiving threat at TE.
23. Philadelphia – Nate Allen FS S Florida – The Eagles need to upgrade at the safety position, Allen is a great talent.
24. Green Bay – Chris Cook DB Virginia – Cook can play both CB and FS, both of which are aging positions for the Packers.
25. Baltimore – Golden Tate WR Notre Dame – Baltimore is making an offensive overhaul early in the draft. Tate will be an amazing slot receiver inside of Boldin and Mason and his speed will match perfectly with Flacco’s strong arm.
26. Arizona – Kyle Galloway OT Iowa – Arizona needs depth and competition at LT and Galloway could come in ready to compete.
27. Dallas – Jordan Shipley WR Texas – This isn’t an obvious need for Dallas, but Shipley is a Texas man and a great return man. Patrick Crayton needs to stop returning punts. Shipley will be the new and improved Patrick Crayton.
28. Seattle – Dexter McCluster RB Mississippi – While not a typical NFL RB, McCluster does provide a firm change of pace for Seattle’s offense as well as versatility to play in the slot, in the Wildcat and in the return game.
29. NY Jets – Morgan Burnett FS Georgia Tech – Burnett simply fills the void left by Rhodes who left for Arizona. Keep in mind, Burnett is a high-risk/high-reward type player. Potentially a bust.
30. Minnesota – Chad Jones FS LSU – Chad Jones is a smart athlete, and solidifies the defensive secondary for Minnesota along with first round pick Patrick Robinson.
31. Indianapolis – Rodger Staffold OT Indiana – Staffold is a highly underrated OT in the draft. He’s not quite first round talent, but very close on some people’s boards. The Colts continue to help their lines.
32. New Orleans – Alex Carrington DE Arkansas St – The Saints partially addressed DE in the offseason, but Carrington will provide depth for a team that needs defensive line help.

There are some interesting picks, I know. I’m sure it won’t turn out just like this, but these would be interesting picks. I could see all of these happening, even though they may not.

And some other prospects that could fit into the second round in some way:
Corey Wooton DE Northwestern – He has the talent to go in the first round, but the lack of 4-3 DE needs drops his chances.
Brandon Spikes LB Florida – Spikes was originally seen as first round talent but ended up slow and out of shape.  He should fall to the late third round.
Brandon LaFell WR LSU – Depending on the type of WR a team is looking for, LaFell could go in the middle of the second round.
Navorro Bowman LB Penn St – I originally had Bowman to the Saints in the first round, but with Witherspoon falling to them, and the lack of a desire for 4-3 OLB’s dropped Bowman very far.
Daryl Washington LB TCU – Washington can play any LB position in a 4-3 or an inside LB in the 3-4 defense.  He’s very versatile on defense, but barely misses the cut.
Eric Norwood LB South Carolina – Norwood is no longer looked at strictly as a 3-4 OLB.  He has dropped weight and added mobility to increase his ability to play OLB in a 4-3.
Mike Johnson OG Alabama – Very few guards get taken in the first two rounds it seems and Johnson drops some because of that.

2010 NFL Draft Breakdown

With the 2010 NFL Draft less than a month away, we at Section 26 Sports can officially say we have a position-by-position breakdown of each position.

We have talked about in on air many times, and so to prove that we actually have the ‘big board,’ check out the picture below.

It may be fairly low-key compared to all those television draft experts, but it serves the exact same purpose.