What about our 2010 rookie quarterback crop?

So how the hell are our young quarterbacks doing this year anyhow?

It is not my style to comment so much and so often about Quarterbacks. The position is overrated to the point of demigodhood by most media people. I categorically reject all the delusions of godhood. I still believe in the team concept. With that said, you know I got deeply ensconced in the in rather vigorous quarterback debate during the 2010 draft cycle. I had a lot to say about quarterbacks earlier this year. I said it early and often.

There were a couple reasons for this great exception to policy. First, a couple of kids I loved watching in college just happened to be graduating last year. Those kids were Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy. Second of all, my Rams were known to be in the market for a new Quarterback, and I was hoping to impact that process.

There was also the matter of the Notre Dame alumni try to force Jimmy Clausen on the Rams, but I will downplay that matter.

We all know how the story played out. Billy Devaney took Sam Bradford over my strenuous objections. Josh McDaniels selected Tim Tebow in the first round. Jimmy Clausen slid to the middle of the 2nd round where he was selected by the Panthers. Quarterback guru Mike Holmgren absconded with Colt McCoy in the 3rd round.

So how are the kids doing? Well... it's interesting.

I've had ring-side seats for the dawn of the Sam Bradford era, and the kid looks a hell of a lot better than I thought he was. We all knew he was a highly accurate passer in college. However, I did not expect him to be quite the same after the surgery.

It turns out that he's better. As we all know, he spent months after his shoulder surgery in the weight room, mostly working on his lower-body. I have heard many quarterbacks say that arm-strength is the most over-rated aspect of the quarterback's toolkit. Most of your throwing velocity comes from hip torque and torso twist. Well, if that be the case, it might explain why Sam seems to be throwing harder and faster than ever. He definitely torques his hips when he throws. It might also explain why he has greater running speed than I remember.

I hate to make Jinxy statements, and I don't want to over-sell the truth, but... Ehmmm… Let's put it this way. Several sanguine Ram fans on the Bleacher Report site were pretty adamant that our team nailed the best QB to come out of college in the past 3 or 4 seasons. Let's just say, I'm almost sold on that proposition. I don't think it is a controversial statement to say that Sam has had the best rookie campaign of any of these young kids. There's been enough there to shock a guy like me.

But then there is Colt McCoy. I remember being dismayed when I heard Mike Lombardi of the NFL Network downgrading Colt, painting him as a bust pick. Mike believed that McCoy just didn't have the sort of arm that was necessary to succeed in this league. I though that was a very strange statement coming from a guy who calls himself a disciple of Bill Walsh.

I knew Mike Lombardi's statements about McCoy were pure bullshit. He must not watched McCoy much during his four years at Texas. The kid is a pure winner, and more Joe Montana than Joe Montana. I am sure Bill Walsh would have had a flaming hard-on for Colt if he was still involved in football during the 2010 draft.

Just as sure as I am sitting here, I know that Mike Holmgren recognized those traits in McCoy, and that's why Mr. President drafted him in Cleveland. That's why Mr. President came down from the president's booth and began working with McCoy personally during training camp. I think this is why McCoy has given the Browns a competency at QB that they haven't had in ages. Just keep watching Colt. Everything is going to be just fine in Cleveland.

One of the bleak spots of the 2010 NFL Campaign for me, personally, has been the Tim Tebow story in Denver. As you know, Tim has seen very limited action. The good news is that he’s been fantastic on the 5 or 6 plays they have let him run. The bad news is that he has only run 5 or 6 plays this season. This has been a great disappointment to me.

McDaniels seems to be replaying the 1980 Joe Montana campaign script for Tim Tebow. They send him on in carefully selected situations where he can score touchdowns. The key is to build his self confidence and the team's confidence in him.

Unfortunately, the Broncos are a foundering ship. It is unlikely they will finish 8-8 for the 3rd straight season. It is more likely they will fall down to something 6-10. There have been rumblings inside Denver that owner Pat Bowlen will not guarantee McDaniel's job in 2011. Due to the pending lockout, Bowlen may not make an immediate change in 2011, but then again he just might.

Certainly, McDaniel's has made a lot of terrible pseudo-Patriot moves. He was close to the top of my shit-list until the moment he selected Tim Tebow. I was down against Josh to the uttermost farthing until the moment he selected Tim Tebow. Any guy smart enough to select Tebow can't be all bad. Not all bad, but probably 90% bad. If he gets fired, we'll have to say he earned his ticked on the first thing smoking out of town.

But what happens to Tim Tebow if Josh McDaniels gets the sack? This is the question that has plagued my worried mind. Certainly, few in the NFL were committed to Tebow as a Quarterback in 2010. McDaniels was one of those few. Unless someone like Jon Gruden is selected as the next HC of the Broncos, I don't know what Tim's fate will be.

Lately, one of the vogue trends in NFL Football is to allow any new HC to "pick his people." This means blowing up the ship, both offensively and defensively and reconstructing things according to the vision of perfection you subscribe to as a coach. It doesn't matter if the present talent crop is good, bad or indifferent. As a new HC, you have the right to blow up the ship and start all over again. If this happens, Tim could become a casualty of organizational politics.

Certainly, if you get a run-of-the-mill candidate off the coaching retred cycle, said coaching candidate may not favor Tim Tebow. Many of these fellows don't like southpaws. Many more dislike QBs who make plays outside of the pocket with their feet. Personally, I love them, but that makes me a member of the minority report. The majority report says that guys like Steve Young, Michael Vick and Tim Tebow ain't no damn good to God or this country. St. Vince Lombardi would not approve.

It would really suck if Tim Tebow failed to make it in this league through no fault of his own, but because of the vicissitudes of organizational politics.

Finally, have the case of Jimmy Clausen. This guy may have the odd distinction of being the most advocated draft pick in Notre Dame Alumni history. In the run up to the draft, the Notre Dame forensics team was working 24/7 on his behalf advocating his case. The ferocity they brought to the table surprised me.

To this day, I believe that getting Jimmy picked high was a linchpin of Notre Dame's 2010 (and beyond) recruitment strategy. Needless to say, things haven't work out as they hoped they would.

What I can't understand is why the NFL establishment bought into the Notre Dame Forensics argument. IMHO, there was no part of the eyeball test that Clausen passed during the scoutting process. I never saw what they claimed to see in the kid. I never even suspected he would be mentioned as a serious NFL QB candidate during his three years at Notre Dame.

It shocked the shit out of me when some advocates suggested the Rams would take him with the absolute #1. I acted to crush that theory as quickly as possible. I was only partially successful. Quite a controversey arose. I got the rep of being a Clausen hater, and an Anti-Catholic, anti-Notre Dame guy on the Bleacher Report.

Before continuing, I should mention that I bare no personal grudge against Clausen. It would suit me just fine if he turned out to be a success with the Panthers. I just didn't want my team attempting to rebuild around him. I believed, and still do, that he's going to go bust. My Rams could not afford to take that plunge.

To this day, I seriously doubt he is an NFL quarterback. Certainly, better candidates than Clausen have gone bust. Still, for his sake and the sake of the Panthers, I wish him luck. It looks like he is going to need it.

Clausen did not win the starting job straight out of boot camp in 2010. This fact surprised many. Nat Moore performed very poorly coming out of the gate. After a few weeks, be it of injury or lack of performance, Clausen got his first start. The results were not good. During one game, he had a QB rating of ZERO after the first half of play.

Clausen got the hook quickly, and Nat Moore because the starter again. I have family living in North Carrolina, and they told me that the Panther fans went into an immediate funk, believing the organization made another mistake drafting Clausen. Even a detractor such as me was surprised at the speed of this write-off. Lately, it has become fashionable for the local media to ask John Fox why he didn't take Colt McCoy.

Wow...

Guess what? It ain't over yet. Moore gets hurt, and Clausen gets another chance. The second time around, he looks good until he gets hammered by Aquib Talibe on the final offensive play of the game against the Bucs. Thus ends the second act of Clausen's rookie campaign. We'll see if he gets a third strike as a rookie. The news today indicates that he will probably start week 12.

I once called out Michael Lombardi, a McCoy detractor and a Clausen advocate, telling him I would crawl to Ravenna Italy on my arthritic knees if Clausen ever became any kind of NFL Quarterback. So far I am not worried out that pledge.

That's my boy

Tim Tebow is the son I never had. He even looks a little like me.

In all seriousness. Things are shaping up just the way I thought, except on the Clausen/McCoy front. They're a little transposed in these statistics here.

No need to worry about McCoy just yet. It's not the first time Mike Holmgren has worked with a young guy who threw some interceptions. This will get straightened out.

Clausen looked better than I expect, but not as good as the Notre Dame forensics team would have you believe. All-in-all, that is a better showing than I expected from him.

The real story here is how well Tim Tebow did. If the little rotten SOB hadn't dropped his second pass it would have been a beautiful touchdown bomb. Yes, I know he suffered bruised ribs on the touchdown run. Don't worry. They will outfit him with a flack jacket and everything will be alright.

Some say that his old motion showed itself again. Wanna know a little secret? It doesn't matter, it never did, and never will in the future. A lot of great ones--including Johnny U--had a funky throwing motion. You notice that the funky motion got him the highest rating of the day, and it would have been higher had the touchdown bomb been caught.

I told you so.

Now the NFL Network is openly discussing the fact that the Rams have a bad offensive line and that it has been bad for a long time. They are no longer toting the Billy Devaney line. The pios kant is going out the window. Have a look the video here.

Poor Sam. Poor, poor Sam. Sam, if I was the boss, I wouldn't drafted you just to flush your career down the crapper.

Final thoughts about the big four QBs in this draft

I heard Michael Lombardi denigrating Colt McCoy on a recent post-mortem edition of Path to the Draft. He seemed to think McCoy didn't have the ability to be NFL Quarterback. In particular his arm strength and accuracy just weren't great enough to be quality starter in the NFL.

Now doesn't that just beat all? I thought Lombardi was Mr. 49er. He studied at the footstool of Bill Walsh right? I though Joe Montana and Bill Walsh proved (together) that a QB with a 5 out of 10 in terms of athletic ability could be a 9.5 out of 10 as an NFL QB. Now Colt will study under Mike Holmgren, the premier QB developer in the league (the greatest student of Walsh), and Lombardi doesn't think Colt will make it? That did not compute.

Let me be the first to say it: Colt is going to do just fine in Cleveland. The people there are going to love him.

On the other hand, Lombardi, and everybody else, seems to think Clausen can be the A.P. Offensive Rookie of the year. I am not going to rehash my case against Clausen. I will simply say this: If Clausen turns out to be any kind of good NFL QB, I will walk on my surgically repaired & arthritic knees to Ravenna Italy. The women are beautiful there, I am told.

My comments on the "Ram News" of the day

So I get an interesting piece of bacon mailed to my email box each morning. It's a news filter that tells me the major stories swirling about my Rams in each past 24 hour period. It seems to work well. There were so many fucked up reports in this morning's bacon, the intensity of the fuckedness was so great, that I felt the need to comment here.

Why the Rams should trade for Jason Campbell

What, are you crazy? You mean to tell me we should pass on Bradford in favor of Jason Campbell? Whilst I am not an advocate of taking Bradford, that has to be the most preposterous, ludicrous, observed proposition I have heard this season. Let me make it painfully clear: Jason Campbell has not been successful in this league. This is because he is the inverse of the gunslinger QB: He is a kid who is afraid to take a shot down field. He may have some athletic ability, but the fear factor will prevent him from ever succeeding in a clutch situation. There is a definitely lack of confidence and moxie in Campbell's constitution. That is why he's not a franchise QB.

I can completely understand why the Redskins would love to pawn him off on us, but this does not mean we should be stupid enough to take the deal. A small vote of confidence here for Sam: Given protection, Sam will be 5 to 10 times the QB Campbell is in the NFL. Never pass on Bradford for Campbell. That is a sure-fire looser.

Are the Rams thinking of trading down?

I hope so. The signals have it that we are still entertaining offers for the #1 pick. If a good deal presents itself, we should be ready to take it. I am still up for the notion of drafting a couple of offensive linemen and Tim Tebow. Notwithstanding Michael Lombardi's view that Tebow will creep up into the bottom of the 1st around.

You know me. I am one of Tebow's biggest advocates. Still, I don't see him reaching the 1st round. It would be an honor he deserves, but I have witnessed the tremendous bias against Spread and Spread-Option QBs in the NFL first hand. There is a knee-jerk, visceral reflex reaction against the notion of taking any Spread or Spread-Option QB high, and this applies no matter how good the kid is. As I write this, there are still many questioning Bradford's credentials because he comes from a Spread offense. I am amazed Bradford has overcome it to the extent he has.

I have also witnessed how powerful the bias is towards QBs who have been a Pro-System in college. So great is this bias that some folks are treating Mark Sanchez as the benchmark for rookie QBs now, and they are advocating Jimmy Clausen as a high first rounder. Both propositions strike me as preposterous. There was a 6 or 7 game stretch last season where Sanchez was awful and he look like a huge bust. The playoff run made people forgetful, but he did not enjoy a good rookie campaign. I have said many times that Clausen has "bust" tattooed on his forehead and everybody seems illiterate when around him. The Pro-System bias is real, it is tangible, it is powerful, and it is largely wrong.

Anyway, this is my short reasoning explaining why I doubt Tebow will make it to the 1st round. But I digress. In summary, I do hope we trade the pick, get a 2nd 2nd, and select Tebow.

With that said, I think the chances are remote. Many have evaluated this draft as I have. They believe the best QBs will be found in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Our chances for doing a deal hinge on finding someone who is in love with Ndamukong Suh and/or Gerald McCoy. I don't know that this will happen.

Not so fast, says the Rams' GM: No decision on the Heisman QB

Several pieces from the associated press and others synthesis in the following manner:

1. Do the Rams really want Bradford?
2. Why are they offering a trade if they do?
3. Devaney has stated fairly emphatically that releasing Mar Bulger (on his birthday) does not constitute a lock on Bradford at the #1 slot.
4. Bradford declares that he and his agent are totally in the dark about what the Rams want. They have not tipped their hand to him at all.
5. The Rams are negotiating with Bradford, but so too are they negotiating with Suh, McCoy and Clausen.
6. It is wretched to think so, but is reasonable to suppose that if the Rams still hold the #1 when the countdown commences, they may chose the cheapest bargain. This may boil down to a money deal.

With that said Bernie Miklasz of the St, Louis Post-Dispatch tried to explode this notion a piece he penned this morning. You can read it here. He basically says the following.

1. Stop the charade
2. You ain't fooling anybody
3. It's obvious you love Bradford
4. You've done everything shy of filing personal adoption papers in court.
5. You had better protect this kid with a good offensive line.
6. Upgrade the receivers
7. Don't rush Bradford
8. Put Pat Shurmer in charge of Bradford's development

Bernie is in St. Louis. He supposedly has access to the organization. So too does D'Marco Farr. Both of these guys have turned around lately and are saying all the signals are towards Bradford at this point. I am going to have to trust them on this, but from where I sit, here in Los Angeles, they look mighty indecisive and willing to reconsider.

I don't want to digress much here, but I would dismiss the Pat Shurmer notion. Why do you have any confidence in that guy? What Quarterback did he ever develop? Donovan McNabb? Please... he predated Shurmer by a long shot. Kolb? Nah, I don't accept that as positive case yet. If he shows strong like Rodgers, perhaps I will. I he does a great job with Bradford, perhaps I will.

Right now I want him fired, and I want Mike Leach in charge.

Rumors of Possible Haynesworth Trade Not Rumors

Is a trade for Haynesworth in the works for St. Louis? No, these are not rumors, just bullshit. John Clayton of ESPN threw that one out, supposedly... although I did not hear him do so on the air.

Look, Haynesworth is an over-paid prima donna who doesn't want to play nose tackle, although he did precisely this with the Titans. The guy did not perform well last season with the Redskins, and this is why they are shopping him. He isn't worth the $100m contract Snyder gave him; still one of the most preposterous moves I've seen in free agency. Several experts, including Mike Mayock, said he was a system player, who owed much of his greatness to the scheme he was in. They didn't think he would fair well away from Tennessee. Boy does that seem prescient now! Haynesworth did not do well away from Tennessee.

Now you have the complete task of explaining to me why the Rams, a team with cash-flow problems in the middle of an ownership change, would acquire a $45m expensive rookie QB and a $100m overpaid prima donna DT in the same season? The #1 pick is already described by many as a money-pit. Why complicate the situation by seeking Haynesworth's $100m contract also?

Are you stumped yet? So am I. I do not believe this plan is economically feasible for the Rams at this stage of the game. Ergo it is bullshit.

Dilfer says it would be a catastrophic mistake for the Rams to select Bradford

My home-boy Trent Dilfer was asked to comment on Devaney's statement that selecting Bradford is no sure-thing. Dilfer applauded this comment, and made a few controversial statements. What were they?

1. Bradford is not close to being the #1 athlete in this draft. I would accept that statement.
2. Bradford faced a lot of soft defenses in the Big-12. It is an interesting point. In the 2009 BCS game he faced a hard-ass SEC defense in Florida, and put 14 points on the board, not 60.
3. Clausen is the most pro-ready. Ooopss! I knew he had to fuck up somewhere. Trent, quit injecting Fentanyl into your veins. Don't make me send you to rehab. Come out of narcotic induced delusions and read the tattoo on Clausen's forehead that says "BUST". I am telling you now that this kid is never going to make it in the NFL. You will all be scratching you heads in a few years saying "What happened?" You criteria is wrong. The pro-system doesn't predict shit. It is a meaningless indication of nothing in particular.
4. Colt McCoy may be the kid who winds up having the best pro career. It is an interesting idea. I have mulled that notion over several times. Colt looks damn good to me. I am still betting on Tebow, but my secondary bet is on McCoy. Implicit within this declaration is the notion that the pro-system is a meaningless indication of nothing in particular. Colt is a spread QB.

I don't agree with Trent's somewhat hysterical use of the term 'Catastrophic'. I do believe Bradford will become a great passer... give a steel-reinforced concrete offensive line like that of the Jets. We do not have such a line, ergo we run the risk of making him a medical bust. Even in Bernie's article, I still see major cases of denial about the state of our offensive line, which is still 3 players away from being solid. Bradford is a terrific kid, but with such poor protection, he is in for great difficulty.

The Redskins and young quarterbacks

It sucks to be a young QB around the Washington Redskins these days. Consider this.

Colt McCoy reported to Redskins HQ yesterday for his pre-draft workout. This is the very day the whole compound is buzzing about the arrival of Donovan McNabb. Of all the Pyhrric and pointless exercises ever done... The Redskins don't even have a 2nd rounder to take him. Neither do they have a 3rd rounder, not that Colt would fall that far. Colt must have been scratching his head a little. He was practicing his interview skills, I guess. I guess it's also a chance to rub elbows.

Now we have Sam Bradford visiting the Redskins today. Today is the day of the McNabb news conference at Redskin HQ. I feel bad for Sam. We are almost certain that the Redskins will not be dealing for him on draft day. Sam wanted to play for Mike Shanahan. He was hoping to be Mike's next protégé prodigy. Perhaps this will make him feel just a bit better about the Ram opportunity.

When NFL Network draft scout Charles Davis was asked why the Redskins would continue with the process of interviewing these young QBs he simply said: "These were non-refundable airplane tickets. They had to go through with it."

Later, Jason La Canfora spun the silly yarn that "You have to due your due diligence; you never know when these kids might come up in free agency."

Consider the most unhappy of them all. Whilst the Redskins welcome McNabb and workout out erstwhile prospects, Jason Campbell is watching daytime TV at home and awaiting his fate. Reportedly, he had a swanky breakfast with Shanahan who instructed him to stay away from the Redskins' compound. You know that's not nice. That's as close to "your fired" as it gets in the NFL. A number of deals are in progress right now. At this point, nobody knows which scenario will be the one. The Redskins will try to get this deal done before the draft, but it is absolutely clear that Campbell is not a part of the Redskins' plan now.

The Redskins are going to have some irritated young QBs to deal with, not to mention the Eagles.

Less than zero credence?

Last night on ESPN's NFL Live, the guys discussed Coach Bill Bellichick's dinner with Tim Tebow. Bellichick heaped praise on Tebow afterward. Just what does this mean? Does this mean the Patriots will be drafting Tebow and grooming him as Brady's eventual replacement in their Spread-like offense?

Marcellus Wiley and Mark Sclereth didn't think so at all. Wiley said that pre-draft official visits should be given less zero credence when it comes to assessing a teams interest. He sited his own story as a perfect example. The Bills drafted him site-unseen in the 2nd round. They never spoke with him prior to the draft. They didn't come to his ProDay. They never called his agent. They never invited him to Bills' HQ. They never even had the team doctor look at him. They just drafted him. This is the clandestine nature of the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

The received wisdom is that the 30 official visits are mostly burned on subterfuge & decoys. Teams are playing the cards close to the vest, not showing their hands. A nice pro-point can be found in last year's draft. The Rams burned one of their official 30 team visits on Mark Sanchez. We signaled that we were interested. We passed him by. Everybody knew we were just manipulating the Jets.

I would add a couple of modifiers on this. Teams do scout their first rounders with these offiicial team visits, especially when they are destined to become super-high first rounders. If you look at every #1 overall pick for the past 30 seasons, he visited the team that drafted him. He might not have played for that team, but he visited with the team that drafted him.

The second modifier I would tag on is that teams are quite deceptive about their 2nd and 3rd round preferences. Almost every team will get a crack at your 2nd and 3rd round selections once or twice. All of your divisional opponents will have an opportunity to practice the strategy of denial. The Patriots have many enemies in the AFC. There is no profit in tipping your hand to the Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, Colts and Chargers. Some of these teams would be inclined to take a prospect off the board if they knew the Patriots were interested.

Consider this example. Suppose the Patriots are seriously considering making a small move up to acquire Earl Thomas or Eric Berry on draft day. It could happen. The Patriots need a lot of defensive help. They have not replaced Rodney Harrison. Suppose Berry goes quickly as expected. Strange picks happen. The Raiders do something stupid. Earl Thomas begins to slide. The Steelers are on the clock with #17. They hear the Patriots are negotiating with the Falcons, and they have heard the name Earl Thomas in the mix. The Steelers have a strong need for a corner, and somebody who can sub for Troy Palamalu. They are also sweet on Maurkice Pouncey. Knowing the Patriots are making a move to acquire Thomas, would the Steelers fill their need in the Secondary first? I suspect they would. You screw the Patriots and fill your need at the same time. This is a double bonus.

This is why there is so much stealth and deception surrounding later picks. This is why you guard those 2nd rounders particularly close to the vest.

So what does this principle indicate for a Ram fan? Don't place too much credence in Colt McCoy's visit. Also, don't place much credence in the Rams' apparent total lack of interest in Tim Tebow. I know for a fact we are seriously considering Sam Bradford, and at the same time I know for a fact that we would deal that pick in a split-instant if a good trade is offered. It could go either way on draft day. If we deal that pick, we are looking for a QB in the 2nd round or later; most probably the 2nd round. Suppose this is a Marcellus Wiley situation? Who do we take at #33 or #37 or #38?

If you doubt this scenario, consider this video, just posted today where Sam Bradford indicates that the Rams have not tipped their hand to him, and he is still in the dark about where he is going to go come draft day.

On the one hand, I am disappointed that we are deceptively signalling Colt McCoy. The Rams did not attend the UT ProDay yesterday, which I consider a mistake. There were a lot of prospects there to see. Now we are using one of our 30 visits on a presumptive 2nd round pick? Under the Schlereth-Willey law, what does this tell you? We're wasting Colt's time. We're just playing the game. This is unfortunate. Colt McCoy is a serious prospect, and deserves some respect as such. I do like the kid a hell of a lot.

However, you know I like Tebow just a little bit better. Since Tebow is a presumptive 2nd rounder, I am glad we are signalling no interest at this moment. Things still might go well for us.

So did you hear about the Wonderlic 2010?

As the Rams are a team interesting in QB, probably in the 2nd round, many astute fans were interested to read about the results of the Wonderlic test inflicted (yes inflicted) upon the QBs at the NFL Scouting Combine. Every player had to take the test. Only the QB scores seem to attract any real interest.

What the hell is the Wonderlic? It's a standardized intelligence test intended to measure problem solving potential. It is not an achievement test, like a spelling B, or a math challenge. You get 12 minutes to take the test. You have 50 problems to solve. If solve only 1 correctly, you score only one point. If you solve all 50 correctly, you score 50 points.

The average score for all QBs tested is just 24. The average for a STARTING QB in the NFL is 28.5. The average score for all Centers is 25. The average score for an OT is 26. How about 'dem apples? Computer programmers, such as myself, have an average score of 29. I would be willing to bet that I would score just a little higher than that. I am no mean programmer. The Chemistry professionals tally an average of 31.

Some quarterbacks have posted notoriously low scores. Michael Vick scored a 10. Akili Smith scored a 9. Vince Young scored a 6 on his first pass. They allowed him a mulligan, and he scored 15 the second time around. Some quarterbacks have shot the lights out. Matt Leinart scored 35. Tony Romo scored 37. Eli Manning score 39. Alex Smith scored 40. Former Ram QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (of Harvard) is rumored to have scored a 50. He denied that. Other reports place him at 48. He only said he knew he left one answer blank.

Does this predict performance on the field? I doubt it. Vince Young is a better NFL QB than Ryan Fitzpatrick any day of the week. There is your maximum high-low differential, and performance points in the other direction. Vick is also more dangerous than Fitzpatrick.

Ultra-heavyweight Canton QB Dan Marino notoriously scored a 16 on his Wonderlic. This may have been one of the reasons he slipped down the board on draft day. He is one of the greatest pure passers the world has ever known. In terms of purity of passing, it is Marino, Van Brocklin and Manning,

So how did our 2010 crop of lads score today?

1. Tebow = 22
2. Clausen = 23
3. McCoy = 25
4. Bradford = 36

They eye-popping score is Bradford's 36. He stands out amongst his peers. Rumor has it that Bradford also shot the lights out of the scoreboard in the personal interviews he did. Everybody was very impressed with him. If he is able to routinely score 36, he has the smarts to impress NFL decision makers.

Let us review the following three facts with some interest:

• The average of all QBs tested is 24
• The average of all starting NFL QBs is 28.5
• The average of the last 7 winning QBs in the Super Bowl is 30. (Eli biased that score up with his massive 39. Brady also pushed it up with his 33.)

As you can see, there is only one kid in this 2010 crop with a Wonderlic score that lines up with your team's best aspirations.

But does this really prove anything? A lot of busted picks scored high on the Wonderlic. Some very good QBs scored low. There is a more general controversy associated with standardized intelligence testing. There is a theory of background bias which suggests that you cannot write a culture neutral test. Whilst I have never taken a Wonderlic test myself, I must say the following. Standardized testing does measure the mind. It may not measure the dimensions you are concerned with, but it does measure intelligence, achievement, and cultural competence. All of these things are important.

If I have complaint, it is only this: I would like to see the SAT, ACT, and GREs on these kids as well. I would pay closest attention to the GRE (Graduate Review Examination) to determine if these kids got something out of their time in college, and if they have the potential for graduate work.

On the subject of Tim Tebow: Is Tebow's score bad? No. He was just 2 points off the average. His score is the same as Brett Favre's and it is higher than Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw (15) and Dan Marino (16). Reports that he flunked the test are bullshit. He was within 1 point of golden hype Jimmy Clausen.

So what have I gotten out of this? A real head-ache problem. As a computer programmer with a fairly high aptitude shown on most tests, I am biased towards individuals who can score high on these kinds of tests. I am horrified by the stupidity of ordinary people, several times a day on an average day.

On the other hand, as training Anthropologist with a lot of courses in human evolutionary biology under my belt, I can tell you that intelligence is adaptive, but only up to a point. It is a well known fact that exceptionally intelligent people fail to reproduce at an alarming rate. Ergo, in the strictest Darwinian sense of the term, high intelligence can be maladaptive. There are athletes who think to much on the field. These guys get into momentary conundrums they cannot solve rapidly because they are thinking about to many scenarios.

Regarding QBs, Kurt Warner was recently asked if he thought Matt Leinart would be a successful QB in Arizona. Kurt expressed doubt. He said that he knew Matt was book smart. He knew Matt had athletic ability. However, Matt has trouble turning his book knowledge into instant action and reaction on the field. Could that be because Matt's size 35 brain is cogitating too many scenarios when he needs to be rapidly decisive as Kurt Warner was? I think the answer is yes.

Marshall loves to say that thought is the enemy of speed. The more you think the more you stink.

Nevertheless, even with Marshall's words ringing in my ears, I have to be brutally honest: Bradford just piqued my interest for the first time in this NFL Draft season. I need to contain my biases, but Sam is looking a whole lot better to me all of a sudden.

We need to remember that we do not have the offensive line to protect this kid or make him a success. He will have to sit for a year minimum whilst we try to develop and build a better offensive line. I don't know if anyone will be able to bear 0.00 productivity out of our top pick in the year 2010. Rushing him in will be a recipe for disaster though.

Honestly, Suh in the 1st, Tebow in the 2nd, and Vick by trade still seems like a much more coherent strategy for success.

Just a little disappointed in Tim Tebow

So, I have been told that Tim Tebow will not throw at the NFL combine starting this Thursday. He gives no medical reason, not even a big-toe like Clausen. He just doesn't want to throw. Bucky Brooks says this makes sense. He says coaches and scouts do grade you on whether the receivers catch your passes or not. Ergo, Tebow has much to loose by throwing to receivers he does not know, and who do not know him.

I'm not buying it. I think the key to maintaining and extending Tebow's mystique and appeal is to compete at all times. Always compete. Compete and do your best, and it will always be enough. Always compete, and show that you love to compete. So said Coach Pete Carroll on 710AM radio every day for the past 2 years. Never back down. Retreat is not an option. This in keeping with Touchdown Tim's personality, or at least the personality I am familiar with. You can't hurt yourself by competing and refusing to retreat.

All we need to see is that some improvement in your mechanics has taken place. Even if it is just a little, the critics will see that you are working on it, and you are getting better. That is all it will take. Then you can go into your pro day knowing you have not passed on any opportunities to impress.

I just don't think Tebow should chicken out like Clausen and Bradford. He should do what his buddy Colt McCoy is doing. Always compete.

If he was, they would

I think Marc Bulger is finished as the Rams QB. I do not say that with any pleasure or anger. Regret over what might have been is the primary feeling. My statement is just a recognition of the unfortunate fact. But Coach Spagnuolo just said he is still on the roster and it is premature to make any moves at the QB position? I agree that it is premature to release Bulger. There is no reason to rush and do this unfortunate thing immediately. However, the lack of speed in releasing Bulger doesn't tell you anything about the Rams' 2010 roster.

Steve Wyche wrote a nice piece for the NFL's main website following up on a video report that he did for the NFL Network. The key quote is simple: "...coach Steve Spagnuolo or general manager Billy Devaney haven't said Bulger is their guy. If he was, they would."

Like Wyche, I doubt Bulger will line up at QB for the Rams in 2010. There are some scenarios where it could happen:

1. Philly won't trade Vick
2. Philly asks for a King's random
3. We don't have a rookie we can play

Scenario 3 is the most unlikely scenario of them all, so scratch that off the list now. With a dogshit offensive line and a thin receiver corp, playing any rookie would border on suicidal insanity. I don't care if we select Bradford, Tebow or McCoy. No rookie can play behind our line. We can't protect him, period. It would be damn stupid to try that... but then again, it is stupid to try Bulger again in this role after he just suffered a broken leg last year.

Pondering all these chess pieces on the board, I grow more and more convinced that Rams will try to work a deal for Vick. He is the best looking solution for 2010, and he helps us to engineer our future in the several ways I spelled out yesterday.

The only real alternative is to try to make due with Keith Null. I wouldn't mind giving the kid a chance... but it sure ain't much of chance. It's a lousy chance if you ask me. It seems to me it would be more like feeding the young man to the lions, tigers and bears. It would also result in another loss-heavy season where we are no where close to the break-even point.

What has happened to our Quarterback Draft in 2010

For the past 3 years, NFL draft fans have been looking forward to this years draft as a probable bonanza for quarterbacks. I heard a lot of comparisons to the draft of 2004 and the mythical draft of 1983. So now here we are in 2010, and all the candidates have arrived minus two: Mark Sanchez came out last year, and Jake Locker decided to stay in school for one more year. But what has become of our bumper-crop quarterback draft?

Right now I see a hell of a lot of volatility in the quarterback rankings. There is no agreement about who the #1 guy is. The most frequently mentioned prospects are Sam Bradford, who is injured, and Jimmy Clausen, who is now universally acclaimed. Then you have a crew of other kids who have been ballyhooed at one time or another as the Second Coming. All of them have serious knocks laid on them by one critic or another.

First I hear Mel Kiper Jr. declare that Tim Tebow is not a QB prospect at all; rather he is a Tightend project. Then I hear guys like Charles Davis and Mike Lombardi declare that Tebow will go in the 1st round, and as a QB. The I hear Chris Myers and Steve Hartman declare that he will be a 2nd day draft pick, and they don't know what he will play.

The only thing that seems clear is that Sam Bradford would be a slam-dunk #1 overall pick if he were not injured. Woulda, shoulda, coulda; he's got a surgically repaired shoulder, and everybody is arguing like Hell about how bad the injury is.

Lost in all this commotion are two guys I really like: Colt McCoy and Jevan Snead.

Many are saying that McCoy is going to be a backup at best. I say he is the next Joe Montana, and I ain't kidding. Once you remove the hyper-inflation that Montana's legend has experienced, what you are left with is a very smart QB who made great decisions {most of the time} and threw highly accurate soft passes at highly mobile recievers who could run. If you ask me which kid in this draft most resembles that perfect type, it is Colt McCoy. He has great vision, he makes really good decisions, and he throws highly accurate soft passes at highly mobile receivers who can truck with it. He is the spitting image of Joe. Don't be surprised if he is a lot more successful than they say he will be.

If Andy Reid were to draft him, the sky is the limit for McCoy.

Jevan is the kid who is really getting lost in the shuffle. People who did not watch the Tennessee game or the LSU game are harping on what a horrible season Snead had. They are also focusing on that brutal Cotton Bowl appearance in which everybody but McCluster got killed. Let's remember that Snead was still on the winning side of that bloodbath, and sometimes that's the best you can do.

Mel Kiper Jr. has freely stated that he believes that Jevan Snead made a big mistake in coming out early. He and just about everybody else believes that Snead would have benefited like crazy from another year in college. The talk is very negative. They say he came out because he was having problems with grades & academic eligibility. Not good for a QB. Others focus on the threat of a rookie salary cap in 2011 as driving Snead's decision.

It remains to be seen where Snead will be drafted. I still stick to my guns. He looks like a somewhat smaller and more athletic Phillip Rivers, with a better ability to run, but sans the football smarts at this point. Rivers is a tremendous thinking man's QB; easily the second best after Peyton Manning. Snead needs to reach for that model. Snead does have an M24 sniper rifle attached to his right shoulder. Believe me, he can throw it.

It is still very early. The Senior Bowl has not yet been played. We are no where near the combine yet. We have not yet argued about the combine results. Things are going to change; be sure of it. Still, if I read the tea leaves correctly at this point, only one quarterback is guaranteed to go in the 1st round. That QB is Sam Bradford. Some say Buffalo, some say Washington. Clausen is very likely to go in the first, but this is not certain. Some say Buffalo, some say Washington, some say Seattle, some say Carolina. Based on what I have read, no other QB is likely to go in the 1st round; Mike Lombardi and Charles Davis notwithstanding.

Can you image that? What if we get to 2010 draft day and just two (2) QBs come off the board in the 1st round? What if names like Tebow, McCoy and Snead are around in the 2nd and 3rd round? Does that sound like a QB bonanza to you? We'll have to see. This could be one of those years with a couple of all-pro Hall of Fame QBs going later rather than sooner.



There are some other QBs in this draft as well. I intend to get to know these kids and tell you about them soon.

What are the Rams chances of drafting a franchise QB in the second round?

Better than 50/50 I think. Perhaps better than getting on in the first round. Let me tell you why. There are now 5 top-end QB prospects in the 2010 draft. In no particular order, they are:

• Tim Tebow: Not a QB says Mel Kiper Jr
  
• Colt McCoy: Just a backup say most
  
• Jevan Snead: Should have stayed in school; had a bad junior year.
  
• Sam Bradford: Has a surgically repaired throwing shoulder
  
• Jimmy Clauson: Doesn't impress as an NFL prospect, say many.
  

Interestingly enough, a close inspection of the web pages devoted to the draft shows no consensus on the question of who the top candidate is. Each site favors one, each site slams another. One (like CBS) favors Tebow and McCoy. Another (like ESPN) decries Tebow and McCoy. No consensus. Each one of these sites has a hard knock or two for each of these QBs. It would seem every QB candidate in the 2010 draft is carrying some negative baggage.

As a quick aside, it should be noted that Marc Bulger is said to be contemplating retirement at this point. If I had suffered as many injuries as he has over the past three years, I would think about it also.

What does this mean for the Rams, the NFL team most desperately in need of a QB, and the team that holds the all-important #1 pick? It means you don't use the first pick in the draft to select a QB; that's why it means.

It should be noted, in passing, that the Rams have not selected a QB in the first round since 1964 when we selected Bill Munson of Utah State. That was two years before I was born and I am 43. Nope, we did not draft Jim Everett. Houston did. We traded for Jim, and what a block buster it was also.

Do you trade the pick? If we can I would, but we tried that last season to no avail. We couldn't pay the Jets to do a deal for the #2 pick when they wanted to move up. Suppose we move down just a few slots in a deal with Tampa or Cleveland: What then? Do you use such a high pick for one of these QBs? If so, which one?

Do you use the pick to take someone else? That someone is obviously Ndomukong Suh. Coach Spagnuolo is a defensive coach who loves to dominate in the trenches. You have to be sure that he is drooling over the prospect of selecting Suh.

If you use the top pick to acquire Suh, do you wait until the second round to pick a QB? If so, what are your prospects for getting a good one there?

These are the questions that my friends and I have been arguing about (non-stop) for 4 days now. This is good. It keeps my mind off the arthroscopic surgery I have tomorrow.

To give you the Cliff's Notes on this debate: My hopes for acquiring a franchise QB in the second round have been growing and growing with each new URL thrown my way. I can see several scenarios in which high quality Quarterbacks, like Tebow and McCoy, fall out of the 1st round.

Believe me, I know it is early. Everything will change during the NFL combine. A lot of opinions will be formed. A lot of opinions will change. However, it looks like every QB has a knock on him, and these 'facts' will echo around Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis.

It is a very high risk proposition to draft to your strength, and wait until the second round to go after your most devastating need. However, given the prevailing conditions, I just might be willing to take that massive risk. It would be absolutely horrid if we took Clausen in the first round... or the second.

Can you imagine the impact that getting Suh in the first and Tebow in the second would have on the Rams?

Texas vs Alabama and Man vs. Food

During the Heismann broadcast last night, we saw a segment where Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy went out for a little Man vs. Food action in New York city. They were served up several of the largest roast beef sandwiches I have ever seen in my life. That was fun. I love Man vs. Food. It is not only my favorite show, it is the only show I watch besides all the various football programming.

The food was not as fun as the conversation. Colt wanted to know who Tim voted for. Tim took the 5th, but this was only the prelude to the good stuff. It would appear that Tim is prepping Colt for what he is going to see in the Alabama defense. The prep went well beyond telling him that Mount Cody's weight is “more like four bills”. This is very intriguing. Tim admitted he is passing on as much intelligence as he can muster.

All week long, I have not been able to shake the strange feeling that Texas is going to pummel Alabama. I know this does not make sense. It is a bizarre premonition of doom for Alabama I have not felt in a long time.

The last time I had this kind of unexpected, irrational, premonition, the year was 1984 and the Raiders were about the play the Redskins. As you well remember, the Redskins were garnering all manner of praise at that time. People were trying to rank them with the greatest teams of all time. It was surprising the Raiders were there at all. They had had so many ups and downs, benching Jim Plunkett several times that season, that nobody expected them to make it to the big dance. Nobody thought the Raiders would win... except the Raiders... and me.

To this very day, I cannot explain why I thought the Raiders were going to take the Redskins down. It wasn't because I liked the Raiders. On the contrary, I hated them. I just had that feeling. I couldn't shake it off. The final score was 38-9 Raiders and the experts had 10,000 tons of egg all over their faces. They called it Black Sunday. For the experts, they could call the next day Feel like Shit Monday.

Right now I cannot explain why I think 'Bama will go down hard to Texas. Bama is a very good team. If I have any reason, I just think the SEC was way down in horse power this year. This Florida team would never have gone undefeated in the 2008 SEC. I think Bama had an easier ride than most would give them credit for.

The Big-12 is an underrated conference this year. They are playing much better defense this season. Nobody is giving Texas credit for being a survivor of one of the most grueling schedules around. They have been in a few death-matches in the steel cage this year. They know how to survive, and they do it all the time.

Still, all the empirical benchmarks point towards an Alabama victory. I just don't think it is going to happen like that. When I saw that Super Tim was passing on crucial intelligence to Colt, I think I got an indication why I've had this bizarre feeling.

2010 may not be the bumper-crop of quarterbacks we originally suspected

So, if you are Ram fan, it is never too early to begin thinking of the 2010 draft. The team is getting better. I am working on my mid-season report, although we are now past midseason. Although our most average ranking in most team categories is right around #26. We were dead last in scoring, touchdowns, and redzone efficiency. [Those three stats are tightly correlated, and it is not unusual to see them group like that.] As a direct consequence we are on pace to draft 1 or 2 again this year. You would expect the #26 ranked team to draft #6 in a 32 team league, however, as Coach Dick Vermeil said just before SB34, this game is about scoring points. Points are how you win and loose the game. Ergo, we will probably wind up drafting #1 or #2.

Our greatest suspicion is that the Rams will draft a QB 2010. The reasoning is simple:

1. Bulger is a China Doll
2. Bulger doesn't comprehend the West Coast Offense.
   
3. Bulger was the NFL's 26th ranked passer with a rating of about 68. We'll have to see how today's better performance against New Orleans helped him.
4. Even when Bulger faces an empty, injury depleted secondary like New Orleans, he still doesn't light up the board with TDs. Any one of your good franchise QBs would have had a turkey shoot today against New Orleans.
5. There are supposed to be a bumper crop of QBs in the 2010 draft
6. If not now, when? If not here, where? If not one of these guys, then who?

Well friends, I have investigated the claims regarding a bumper crop of QBs. I have looked at several scouting sites and what I have read has more of less horrified me. I will discus the several QBs listed most often on this site in the order they are most often ranked.

1. Jimmy Clauson Notre Dame
2. Jake Locker University of Washington
3. Sam Bradford Oklahoma
4. Jevan Sneed Ole Miss
5. Colt McCoy, Texas
   
6. Tim Tebow, Florida
   

Some say that Locker is the #1 prospect. Mel Kiper Jr. is one of those guys. Some say Clauson is the #1 prospect. I eagerly await Mike Mayock's opinion. I distrust Kiper for a generation of bust prospects I have seen him extol. Mayock still hasn't made a vicious mistake yet. Mayock is the authoritative voice.

So what do I think? I think you can take the top two ranked QBs on that list and flush them. He who busts... er... drafts Clauson or Locker will loose a first round pick. I have seen almost nothing out of either prospect that would or could creat the kind of confidence necessary to burn a #2 or #3 overall pick on either of them. If Clauson is going to be the next Joe Montana, then let me have him in the 3rd round. Locker was instrumental in Washington's upset of USC, but this upset is looking less and less compelling every day. I do not know what manner of voodoo logic draft scouts use for ordering prospects, but any possible logic behind the top two rankings eludes me. If I put you in front of the 9 U.S. Federal Supreme Court justices, how would you make a case for these two guys? Would those justices cut your logic & evidence to pieces, or would it stand up?

I loved Sam Bradford until he double-injured his throwing shoulder. He had two bad raps on him going into this season (1) he is way to light/needs to put on muscle, (2) at his weight he will be injury prone in the NFL. Well folks, he put on no muscle weight, and he suffered the atomic bomb of QB injuries: Aggravated damage to passing shoulder shoulder. Now his shoulder must be surgically repaired. This is bad folks, real bad. I would still be inclined to take a risk on him, because I believe Bradford is one hell of a kid, but I would need to drop way down the board to do so. Probably all the way to the 2nd round. At the same time, I would need to use that top pick on a lineman so Sam would enjoy better protection, and have a chance in life.

Jevan Snead just caught my eye yesterday. For those who did not watch it, Ole Miss put on an offensive show yesterday. It brought back memories of the Greatest Show on Turf. Ole Miss was playing Checkers all by themselves yesterday. Ole Miss did anything they wanted to do against the Volunteer defense. Stop me if I am wrong, but is not the famous Monte Kiffen in charge of the Tennessee defense? Yes, Snead caught my eye. He did look very good, but I am much more interested in his partner Dexter McCluster. McCluster was the game breaker yesterday. It seemed that Snead's primary task was to get the ball to McCluster who took nothing passes and turned them into 45 yard explosions. He looked like Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas in the process.

I want McCluster on the Rams roster. Do it by any means necessary. This guy is a game-changer and an explosive play-maker.

Snead's worst knock is that he is a red-shirt junior, due to the fact that he transferred from Texas. He couldn't beat out Colt McCoy. Now Pete Prisco of CBS sports declares him to be the best QB in the draft. We need to remind everyone that since underclassmen have been allowed into the draft, 90% of all under-age QBs have gone bust. Even Marc Sanchez is struggling right now, and his final fate is undetermined. Jevan Snead might do well to stay in college, but this is unlikely. Bradford's fate will prod most good QBs to come out early, despite the bust percentages. I am keeping my eye on Snead, but I am non-committal right now.

Now we have Colt McCoy. What can I say about McCoy. I love the kid. He has great leadership ability. He is smarter than hell. He has good character. He is accurate as bloody hell. His completion percentage has frequently been around 80%. They say his arm is weak. I want to know why they say that. This is the kid most likely to transform into the next Joe Montana. He is a cerebral leader who does nothing but complete all his passes. I feel much better about drafting him than any of the others on this list. It should be noted that he will meet the Big Tuna's formula for a draftable QB. I am confident that Parcells would select him if he didn't already have 2 good young quarterbacks. The prospects on this list--except Tebow--will not qualify under the Tuna's formula.

Now we come to Tim Tebow. By now all of you know how I feel about Tim. I love Tebow to death. Like Tony Dungy, I would draft Tebow ahead of all the other QBs on this list. Like the owner of Jacksonville Jaguars, I was strongly inclined to spend a top 5 pick to get him. I have never seen a kid with better character. I have never seen a stronger will to win. I have never seen more drive to compete. I have never seen less quit. I have rarely seen this much leadership. I see rare athletic ability, and the southpaw advantage.

With that said, the Draftnics hate Tebow. They say his foot work is non-existent, his mechanics are woeful, he has never lined up under center, running the way he does will get him killed in the NFL. Worse, his experience in the wacky spreadbone attack has poorly prepared him for a career in the NFL. Many project him to Tight End or Linebacker. Although I hate all of these comments, I do see some reason in most of them. This has caused me to doubt my absolute favorite choice.

There are a number of conclusions we have to come to:

1. Reports of a QB bonanza may be greatly exaggerated.
2. Although there are a lot of them, every prospect has serious negatives.
3. At this point, I would feel comfortable spending a top-5 pick on no one.
4. If it were my call, I would move down the board, maybe out of the first round entirely, and go after Colt McCoy.
5. If Tebow should happen to fall out of the first round, I would not hesitate to take him.

What is all this absolute bullshit about Mike Vick and the Rams?

I would really rather comment on the explosion of rumors regarding the pending sale of the Rams to some interested party, but before I do that, I just want to quash the bullshit started in the bloggosphere about Michael Vick returning to the NFL with the Rams.

These rumors have absolutely no basis in fact. They have been launched by no-name bloggers who cannot correctly conjugate the verb 'to-be' and have not been reported by any credible source in the real media. It is wishful thinking on the part of two strange Ram fans who idolize Vick for some strange reason.

Spagnolo stated emphatically that the first order of business was developing the character of the team. Like the Giants he came from, he would would rather have a collection of anonymous workmen than glamorous and flashy showboats. He wants dependability, reliability, durability, longevity, certainty, credibility. I don't think Vick quite conforms to this objective checklist.

Although he has not specifically said so, I dare it safe to say Spagnolo doesn't want a rap sheet. He does not want a probation officer around the team. He doesn't want the Ft. Levanwoth Kansas Oxycontin recovery program calling him to ask how Vick is doing. He doesn't want Oxycontin induced delusions of godhood and legal invincibility. I don't think he wants 35 tons of attitude. I don't think he wants animal rights activists disrupting practice and games with protests.

In years past, I would say the Raiders are the only potential home for Vick. I don't know about that today. Al is out to prove that he didn't make a mistake with Jamarcus Russel. Frankly, Al would be better off with Michael Vick. That could be the spark that sends the Raiders over the top. Still I don't believe it will happen.

So, just a brief comment or two about Vick. Yes, Vick is a less dastardly criminal than a bunch of chaps I can mention in the NFL history. Certainly, he cannot be compared with O.J. Certainly, he cannot be compared with the two drunk driving manslaughter cases around the NFL right now. Vick is not as bad as that. Also, 'tis true that society has beaten the living shit out of him. He has been personally laid to waste by this series of judgements against him. The NFL should lift the suspension. He should be given a chance to seek employment somewhere. Honestly, despite the fact that 20 teams have serious problems at the QB position, I don't know who will want a throwing tailback with ponderous baggage.

There are many sayings about pro football. It is a game of inches. It is a game of momentum. It is a game of emotion. Now hear this saying: It is a Public Relations game. Like it or hate it, the Quarterback is the default face and identity of your football team. If you bring Mike Vick on as your starting QB, you are making him the default face and identity of your football team. That brings some ponderous baggage with it. This is one of the several reasons why I have suggested that Vick may not be able to find employment unless he is willing to play the slash like Paul Hornung or Cordel Stewart. Certainly, there are teams would embrace him in this capacity. Perhaps even Miami. He would make one hell of a Wildcat back.

Much has been said about Marc Bulger's 22 TDs and 17 INTs over the course of the past two seasons. We could have easily drafted Mark Sanchez as we were faking we would. We did not. Everybody knew it was pure draft deception intended to pimp the New York Jets into doing a deal with us. Spagnolo has already met with Bulger and told Marc he has no reason to fear replacement in 2009. 2009 belongs to Bulger. 2010 is not guaranteed to anyone.

Why? Why shouldn't 22 & 17 over two seasons get Marc the fucking boot? Because Marc has been able to argue very persuasively from the video tape that he has been trying to pass from a horizontal position in the air. As I have said many times here and everywhere, the Rams have been the second worst team in the NFL for 2 straight years because they have had the worst offensive line--period--for two straight years. Marc has suffered a pocket so poor that, at times, he has been unable to complete a simple 3 step drop without getting hit in the face by blitzes up the middle.

The Rams have upgraded the two most important positions on the offensive line. This is not nearly enough. The Rams still lack a pair of guards. At this time, they are likely to be Adam Goldberg and Ritchie Incognito. Barely adequate at best, even if they stay healthy.

The 2010 draft is the moment when the Rams will next select a serious candidate at the QB position. We'll see whether that is Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford or (my personal favorite) Tim Tebow.