Big Night For 32

Tonight, 32 players will be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. They will forever be known for being picked in the opening round. Some will be big busts while others will become stars. Some will have a mediocre career. A few always have their career cut short by injury.

The draft is a very inexact science. There are no guarantees for any player chosen. Some get overlooked during the next three days, but end up having an outstanding career.

The 2015 Pick

Will the Pats select an offensive lineman or defensive back with their first round pick? Will they trade out of the round for more draft picks?

The Pats have a lousy record for drafting defensive backs during Belichick's era.

Money Machine Grows

The NFL makes such a production about the annual draft. They are able to keep fans interested from the end of the season until training camp.

They have done a great job in adapting the event to a televised spectacle. They create future programming.

What a money machine.

The Necessary Pick

It sounds like the Pats might try and draft a defensive back in the first round after losing Darelle Revis and Brandon Browner. The need is very apparent. There are plenty of good players available.

Defensive backs have dominated the draft since 2005 with 255 being selected. Nine were chosen in the first round last year.

The Pats don't have a great track record for drafting at that position. Fans are concerned that it will be another unproductive high round pick.

If the Pats hope to get back to the Super Bowl, they really need to hit it big in the draft at that position.

Overall Disaster

Draft experts can't seem to decide whether Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota will be the first overall pick on Thursday. Will one of these guys lead their team to a Super Bowl win?

Since 2000, 10 quarterbacks have been the first overall pick. Eli Manning was the only one to lead their team to a championship. Some of these selections include Cam Newton, Sam Bradford, Mathew Stafford, Jamarcus Russell, Carson Palmer and David Carr.

These players have a combined record of 1-7 in the playoffs, with Newton the only one with a win. Russell and Carr never made it to the post-season.

Either Winston or Mariota will continue this trend of mediocrity.

Maybe Here Someday

The Boston Globe does a great job analyzing the top candidates by position in the upcoming NFL draft. They had a nice story about OL Ali Marpet from Division 3 Hobart College.

Players such as him are overlooked by scouts because they tend to focus on the D1 players. Marpet played well in the Senior Bowl and distinguished himself at the Scouting Combine.

His 4.98 time in the 40 was the second fastest for offensive linemen. His 30 repetitions with 225 pounds was the fifth best in his group. He can play all three positions on the line.

He is projected to go as high as the second or third round. Somehow, I see him ending up in New England at some point.

Lame Comments

The Pats can't seem to get away from Deflategate. When they were at the White House yesterday, the President attempted to tell some lame jokes about it. I was expecting something different from him.

The issue will be coming to a head when the investigative report is released, but that won't stop some from saying things even if they sound stupid.

Draft Programs

The NFL Network has some great programming leading up to the annual draft next Thursday. Their "Path To The Draft" show is outstanding.

Tonight, they had 1994 with Willie McGinest being the 4th overall pick. So may great stars and those who were busts. It's the same every year and won't be any different now.

Only the NFL could turn this into such a spectacle that brings money into the coffers.

Money On The Table

The terms of most NFL contracts are a joke because the player never sees all of the money. LB Jerod Mayo is a classic case. After missing most of the last two seasons, there was no way the Pats were going to let him count $10.2 million against their salary cap.

Mayo will leave money on the table in order to stay with the team. He could get released if desired. He wants to stay here and Bill Belichick is a big fan.

Schedule Spectacle

Leave it to the NFL to make a television and media showcase about announcing their 2015 regular season schedule. Nobody does it better than them for creating interest in whatever they do.

ESPN created a program. It get ratings and drives the revenue stream of the league. Everyone is happy. Owners share the revenue with the players. They all want a bigger share of the pie.

Tebow Time Again

Tim Tebow is clawing his way back into the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles are signing him to a one year contract and will have him available for organized team activities.

He will face stiff competition for playing time from Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford and Matt Barkley. The Eagles tried to move Barkley, but couldn't work a deal.

The Eagles will probably keep three quarterbacks when they start the season. This is a great opportunity for Tebow who has not played since the 2012 season. He was a final cut with the Pats in 2013.

At 27, his window is closing because of all the criticism of his playing style. He has been working with Tom House, the personal quarterback coach of Tom Brady.

This might be his best chance to make it back to the NFL.

Not A Heavy Hitter

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is trying to squeeze management into giving him a long term contract by threatening to play baseball part-time. This is doomed to fail on so many fronts.

The GM of the Texas Rangers thinks that Wilson could have a bright future in the game. That strikes me odd as his last minor league baseball season showed him with a batting average of .227, with 5 HR's and 26 RBI's. Numbers like this never get you to the big leagues.

All parties should end this farce and work towards a long term contract.

Almost 100,000

Living in New England, it's hard to imagine how popular college football is in other parts of the country. Fans here have only three Division 1 programs to root for: Boston College, UConn and UMass. BC and UConn have a solid fan base and fill their stadium. UMass is trying to find itself.

Yesterday, Ohio State had their spring football scrimmage. They attracted 99,931 fans to the stadium to see the team play among themselves. We will never see that around here. We are two football worlds apart.

Johnny's Time

Hopefully, things go better for Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel during his second season. His time as a rookie was a disaster on and off the field.

He just completed a stint at a rehab facility for an alcohol issue. He released a statement apologizing to the team and fans. It would have been better if he spoke the words himself. With the way the statement was written, it was easy to see that it came from a publicist or his agent.

He will be under a microscope, especially during training camp. He needs to come up big this year to keep his career alive.

Missing On The Ballot

The ballot for the Pats Hall of Fame is out. Fans can vote for either Raymond Clayborn, Leon Gray or Willie McGinest. Former Coach Bill Parcells didn't make the finalists. I find this very troubling.

I predict that McGinest will get elected because of his connection to younger fans and his gig on the NFL network. It's a joke that Clayborn isn't in. The same goes for Gray.

Older players will continue to be snubbed as those from the Kraft era appear on the annual ballot. They need to change the selection process or let more players in.

15 Years Ago Today

Late round draft picks are often looked as a crap shoot by team officials. The league gives each team less time for their selection compared to the opening rounds.

Today is the 15 year anniversary of the Pats drafting Tom Brady in the 6th round. He was a compensatory pick and the second selection by the Pats during the round.

Brady's name was called on the 199th pick. There were six quarterbacks taken before him. Some never played a game in the NFL.

The draft is filled with stories like this. It happens every year.

The End For #81

Aaron Hernandez got a life sentence after being convicted of murder. His trial played out for two months. It was a tragedy for everyone involved.

He had it all, including a new $40 million contract at the age of 23. Fans knew they had something special with the duo of Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. They gave teams fits in trying to defend against them

That all ended two years ago after his arrest. He threw it all away. We will always wonder what might have been.

Lawrence Phillips.

NFL rosters are filled with players who squander their potential. It's part of the league's history. Back in 1996, Lawrence Phillips was selected 6th overall by the St Louis Rams in spite of character issues.

Phillips had a brilliant sophomore season at Nebraska with 1,722 yards and 16 TD's. He was suspended for his junior year and left school for the draft.

He had trouble staying with a team for more than one season and was also released by the Dolphins and 49er's. He ended up with 35 games played with 1,453 yards and 15 TD's.

He had several arrests over the years and was sentenced in 2009 to 31 years for a domestic assault and other felonies in California.

He resurfaced in the news the other day when he was named as the primary suspect in the murder of his cellmate.

Phillips begins a long process through the legal system.

Never Getting To Home Plate

Players and agents play games with the management of teams. It's all about posturing and trying to get the other to blink first.

Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is in the final year of his rookie contract. He will make $1.5 million this season, but is vastly underpaid, considering his accomplishments. The team has the option to give him a new deal or wait until after the season.

The team can also use the franchise tag on him in 2016, but it will cost them a fortune and hurt their salary cap. Wilson stands to cash in next year either way.

Meanwhile, he spent time in spring training with the Texas Rangers who drafted him. He said he would like to play both sports like Bo Jackson.

This is so impractical for a quarterback. Who is he kidding? Do the Seahawks think he is serious about playing baseball?

They should try to work a deal that compensates him fairly, but doesn't kill their salary cap.

Winston Not Ready

Every college player who has an agent wants to be portrayed in the best light possible. The consensus is that Florida State QB Jameis Winston will be the overall first pick. His past legal problems are well known. He recently had a meeting with league officials to discuss it.

Winston's lawyer has praised his playing ability, but said his client faces maturity issues and was not ready for NFL life off the field.

He is right about him and most other rookies. Many players come into the league with maturity issues, but Winston's are magnified because of his unique playing skills.

Redskins Name

The US Trademark Office ruled that the logo for the Washington Redskins is derogatory and is no longer valid. The team will appeal, so nothing really changes. It's just one more issue during the long battle with groups who oppose the nickname.

This argument will go on as long as the team uses the Redskins name. Owner Dan Snyder has no inclination to change. The appeal process will be lengthy.

Troy Polamalu

The career of the great Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu came to an end today after 12 seasons from 2003-2014. He will forever be one of the icons of the franchise.

He played the game with great passion and focus. He had eight Pro Bowls, four All-Pro selections and two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers. He was the consummate team player.

His highlight film is extraordinary.

Ridley's Best Opportunity

The Pats had no interest in signing free agent Steven Ridley. They let him go to the Jets on a one year contract for cheap money.

It's a good deal for Ridley and the Jets. He still needs to make their roster after returning from a torn ACL and MCL. He also has his history of fumbles working against him.

It will be a crucial training camp for Ridley who could be finished after only four seasons. He could also come up big and cash in next year at this time.

Camera Ready

Coach Belichick has criticized the NFL for not wanting to spend the money on goal line, end zone and sideline cameras. He gave a very passionate speech at the recent owners meeting. The league cited the costs and took the matter under advisement.

According to recent figures, the cost would average about $782,000 per team to outfit their respective stadium. That is just a drop in the bucket for a $12 billion business. No doubt, they will sell sponsorship rights on the cameras because they do it for everything else.

In the end, it won't cost that much. They need to do it before the start of the new season.

Longer Than A Trial

The murder case of Aaron Hernandez has gone to the jury. The trial lasted almost two months after delays from snow storms and a prolonged jury selection.

On the other hand, fans are awaiting the long anticipated Deflategate report. What is taking so long? Is this a deliberate act to draw it out longer? The NFL would like this whole thing to disappear.

No matter what happens, some people won't be pleased with the results.

Going With Houston

It was nice to see the late Houston Antwine selected to the team's Hall of Fame. Antwine was chosen by the senior selection committee. He played for the Pats from 1961-1971.

There are several other former players from that era who deserve induction. As it stands now, election by the fans favors the players from the Kraft ownership era.

It was be a joke if Bill Parcells doesn't make it this year.

Aaron Hernandez

The trial of Aaron Hernandez will go to the jury this week. Will they come up with a verdict on all charges? It remains to be seen.

Everything has changed so much for Hernandez since he got arrested in June 2013. He faces more murder charges in another case involving two victims. It looks like another trial for him.

How many years will he serve? Almost everyone gets out in the end.

Two Backs Gone

The Pats were never planning on re-signing RB's Shane Vereen or Steven Ridley. They will either draft one or sign an undrafted college player.

Vereen parlayed his time in New England into a nice three year deal with the Giants. Ridley tries to find a team willing to take a chance with a guy coming back from tearing his MCL and ACL in his knee last season.

Ridley visited the Jets and Dolphins this week. He needs to get a one year contract and show what he can do. He can get a good pay day next year at this time if things work out.

Crowning Himself

Florida State QB Jameis Winston has already crowned himself as the best player in the NFL draft and expects to be the overall number one pick. He spoke at his school's Pro Day where he put on quite a show for team officials.

He already had a meeting at NFL headquarters over his past issues off the field. He doesn't plan to attend the draft in Chicago. Instead, he will be with his family in Alabama.

Whoever selects him, will be making a significant investment. He has all the talent in the world, but keeps doing stupid things that will eventually catch up to him.

London Games

What is the long term plan for the NFL in Europe? I don't think the owners know what they really want. What is feasible? Could they really have a team in London?

The league supports playing a few games there annually. It seems to work out on the television end. The ratings are good.

I like the way the league is doing it now. They should keep adding games to the schedule. It will happen because the television money is there.

The Blackout Charade

The NFL is trying to look good by announcing they are lifting the blackout rule for televising home games if they are not sold out. The FCC had recently ruled it to be against existing guidelines. The NFL lowered their tolerance to 85% of the tickets being sold before kickoff.

The league said that no games were blacked out in 2013 or 2014. They are now in compliance with the FCC. They didn't do anything extra on their part.