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As the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs begins to wrap up we’ve certainly had some surprises as well as some disappointments. We’ve seen incredible performances as some well…flat out mystifying ones. Here are a few thoughts on what has occurred thus far…

1. The Knicks just aren’t that good. Despite all the hype about Melo, Linsanity, STAT, and Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler and despite being a headline love child for the major media outlets, we can finally see that the Knicks simply aren’t a great team and deserved that 8th seed. I know they had some injuries, I know that the Heat are a great team, and I know fire extinguishers are a very formidable opponent…but its hard to deny that this Knicks team was pretty over hyped.

2. The Pacers are the anti-Knicks. How can a team that finished with the 3rd seed be so under the radar? Despite the lack of a true superstar, this Pacers team is loaded with very good players. Danny Granger, David West, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, Paul George, Darren Collison with names such as Leandro Barbosa and Tyler Hansbrough off the bench. They may not all be household names, but that is a VERY good team with a lot of talent and depth. Don’t be shocked if they give the Heat a serious run for their money.

3. The Spurs and the Thunder are for REAL. Both of these teams are an absolute joy to watch. In terms of the Spurs, Duncan has found the fountain of youth, Parker is playing some of the best basketball in the league, they have an incredibly deep roster, and play possibly the best team basketball of any team out there. You want to know how basketball is supposed to be played? Watch the Spurs. The Thunder, on the other hand, are just so difficult to contain. Durant, Westbrook, and Harden are nearly impossible to stop…if you corral one, another will go off. We saw this against the Mavs. Games 1-3 were all very close, but Durant, Westbrook, and Harden each took over one of those games and got the Thunder a win. It’s hard to do much about that.

4. Andre Miller is incredible. There’s a lot of buzz about Javale McGee following the Nuggetts win in game 5 and deservedly so…he played great, but this overlooks the absolute CLINIC put on by Andre Miller in that game.  Post moves, floater, bank shot, lob pass, spin move, you name it and Miller put it on display AND made it look easy. The fact that Miller has no speed, can barely jump, and is older than every single player on the Lakers roster, yet is still able to dominate a game…that is incredible.  I’m not sure about George Karl’s claim about Miller being a top 10 point guard of all time, but this guy might have a serious claim to top 10 most underrated of all time.

5. Javale McGee has made himself some serious cash. You think McGee doesn’t know he’s a restricted free agent this summer? Something tells me he’s going to be getting a lot more than that $3.5M qualifying offer after his performance in the Lakers series.

6. Was Josh Smith serious with that inbounds pass? I know the Hawks got away with it because Rondo fumbled the ball at the end and it will probably be overlooked and forgotten, but come on. You are going to throw a bounce pass right at one of the league’s great steal artists…and expect to get away with it? Imagine if Rondo didn’t fumble the ball afterwards and ended up scoring…that play ends the Hawks’ season. I guess that’s why they are the Hawks.

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Yes, we all know the RG3 deed has been done. He is officially with the Redskins, and it’s about time, because we all know they desperately need a franchise quarterback. However, there is a name floating around the football world that many are saying will cause some surprises in Washington. I’m talking about Kirk Cousins, the quarterback from Michigan State, who was drafted by the Redskins in the 4th round.

The Redskins picked Griffin with the no. 2 overall pick to be their franchise QB, and already re-signed veteran QB Rex Grossman as his back-up. So the move to draft Cousins came as a surprise to many, including himself. Cousins said, “I’ll be the first one to say it was a surprising pick to me, as well. My job is to help the Redskins win football games, however that may be, and I’m going to keep an open mind”. Was this pick a huge mistake for the Redskins? Or will it provide some insurance for the team in the years to come?

First off, I think RG3 fanatics can still sleep easy; I don’t see this pick as a bad move, and if RG3 really had an issue with the drafting of Cousins, we’d be hearing about it. Cousins and Griffin will be competing with one another to win games for the Redskins. More importantly, this is insurance for the Redskins at a position they’ve had instability with for some time. Cousins has simply come on board to work on his development as a quarterback for years to come.

Just think back to last year, when some of the most able-bodied QB’s went down with injuries. When Peyton Manning went down, Curtis Painter stepped up (hardly), as did Dan Orlovsky, and finally Kerry Collins. Similar situations also arose when Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub went down. Teams just need to be prepared, and this was really all I concluded from the drafting of Cousins.

What I find most interesting about the draft, is that you can never really tell how successful players will be. In the case of quarterbacks, Boise State QB Kellen Moore (with 50 TD’s) went undrafted. Remember Jamarcus Russell going #1 overall, and Ryan Leaf going #2 overall? Both players ended up being complete busts! Even Mr. Joe Montana was the fourth QB picked at the end of the 3rd round; 82nd overall, and look how far he’s come in his career. When it comes to quarterbacks in the NFL, you can never have too many options, but make no mistake… right now, it’s all about RG3 in our nation’s capital!

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Junior Seau’s style of play transcended and revolutionized the linebacker position to what it is today. His illustrious 20 year career has left an unforgettable mark in NFL history, as well as San Diego. Before the NFL was what it is today, there was no player that could match the intensity, enthusiasm and larger than life presence that Junior brought.

On the field Junior terrorized opposing offenses. A highly decorated sack machine in San Diego, Seau made multiple Pro-Bowls and helped the Chargers reach its very first Super Bowl appearance in 1994. His sack celebration is one of the most memorable celebrations in NFL history, and one that quarterbacks still have nightmares about. Although many players will often imitate his intensity, no one will ever duplicate the irrepressible spirit of Junior Seau.

He was, and for some still is, the face of the San Diego Chargers. But better yet, he epitomized San Diego. Although he had a larger than life persona on the football field, off the field he humanized himself to the community. Seau dedicated his time to help the youth tackle the trials and tribulations of life, as well as mentor aspiring athletes by guiding them away from trouble. He always opened himself up, and was more interested in how others were doing. Junior was selfless and that’s what was so intriguing and likeable about him.

Junior Seau will be forever remembered as a man that gave everything to his team, his city, and for his family. On May 2^nd, 2012, San Diego lost a son, leader, and legend. Selfishly we miss and want Junior back. Although now he is at peace, his smile will continue to shine bright over San Diego. Thanks for the memories, Junior.

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With the NBA Playoffs starting Saturday, we had a couple of our bloggers makes some predictions for how things will pan out.

What’s the most intriguing 1st round matchup?

Kyle Williams – Definitely the Memphis/Clippers series. Both teams have the talent to win the West and the athleticism of both teams should make this series a really fun and exciting one to watch. The Celtics/Hawks and Lakers/Nuggets matchups also have potential to be very interesting.

Dave Vinluan – Clippers vs Grizzlies. Interested in seeing how CP3 plays in the postseason with his new squad.

Jeff Morgan – The one I’m looking forward to the most is probably the Grizzlies vs. Clippers. Tons of young talent on both teams, both with something to prove, should be a really entertaining series to say the least. Close 2nd would be Knicks-Heat, If Melo continues his torrid pace and Amare can be Amare, Knicks just might be able to give the heat a series, at the very least a couple of close games. Should be a fun one.

Biggest Potential 1st round upset?

Kyle Williams – Nuggets over the Lakers. The Lakers are definitely a more talented team, but they have struggled with consistency this season and if that continues, the Nuggets have the athleticism and depth to run the Lakers into the ground. The Knicks also have a shot at upsetting the Heat as they have a lot of talent on that roster, but so does Miami so I find it hard to see the Knicks winning more than 2 games.

Dave Vinluan – Knicks over Heat.

Jeff Morgan – If Atlanta was any team besides Atlanta I would say they have a good shot at upsetting the older Celtics. They’re more athletic, and have more size than the C’s down low and if they put everything together I can see them pulling off the upset. Watch out for Denver too. They have always played the Lakers well, especially at home, if the Lakers lose either game 1 or 2, Nuggets have the talent to capitalize.

Who wins the West?

Kyle Williams – Thunder. While the Spurs and Grizzlies are playing great basketball, it will be hard for anyone to compete with the athleticism and scoring ability that the Thunder bring to the table. They are a great team at home and the Durant/Westbrook/Harden combination will be very hard to stop along with Ibaka and Perkins anchoring the defense down low.

Dave Vinluan – OKC Thunder. Westbrook and the scoring champion, the Durantula will take this team far.

Jeff Morgan – As much as I want to say the Lakers, to me the Thunder are the team to beat. They’re super talented, they have size down low, Durant and Westbrook are one of the best 1-2 punch in the league, with a healthy James Harden I can’t see a team beating them 4 times. If they get past the Lakers (potentially) in the 2nd round, look for them in the Finals.

Who wins the East?

Kyle Williams – Heat. Miami is just too talented and Derrick Rose’s health is a big time question for Chicago. Chicago has a potentially brutal series lined up with Boston that could wear them down a bit. I think the Bulls are the best team in the East, but Rose’s health is too uncertain for my liking.

Dave Vinluan – Chicago Bulls. Managed the #1 seed without Derrick Rose for most of the season, and it helps when you’ve got the White Mamba…

Jeff Morgan – This one is tougher because I can legitimately see 3 teams coming out of the East: Bulls, Heat, and Celtics. However, ECF we most likely be Heat and Bulls again, this series is a toss up, it all depends on who’s healthy and who’s playing the best coming into the series. I think the Heat have an easier path – NY and IND then the Bulls – PHI and BOS, so I’ll give the Heat the slight edge here and say the win it in 6.

Who wins the NBA Title?

Kyle Williams – Thunder. They have the talent and athleticism to compete with Miami and Westbrook will be a very difficult matchup. I will have to see Lebron win a title to believe it.

Dave Vinluan – OKC Thunder

Jeff Morgan – Who wins the NBA Title? I got Thunder-Heat in the FINALS. Which would be a hell of a series, and even though the Heat have more experience, I think the Thunder are too tough on their home court and win the championship in 7. Lebron and Co. will have to wait yet another season.

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After yesterday’s NFL Draft we asked a panel of our experts to break down the draft and give their two cents about how the draft unfolded.

Biggest Winner?

Daniel Ornelas – Believe it or not, I have to say that the Rams came away the biggest winner in this draft because they did something that is very necessary for them: get more picks to fill the holes they have in their team. They may have made fans a bit disappointed, trading out of the No. 2 and 6 picks, but I think receiving all of those Washington draft picks was a huge win for them in the first place. Then they went and traded the 6th pick to move back, got more picks in the process, and still wound up with a solid player in Michael Brockers.

Kyle Williams – I really like what the Patriots did getting Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower.  The Patriots desperately needed some athleticism in their front 7 and Jones and Hightower should fit in very well in their system.  I’d also look at the Chargers who got a nice value in Melvin Ingram.  Ingram will give the Chargers some much needed pass rush ability and will be ability to play multiple positions in the 3-4.  David DeCastro was also a great value pick for a Steelers line that has had major struggles the last few years.

Dave Vinluan – New England Patriots. Bill Belichick moved up twice in the draft and picked up two defensive players that can bring the ruckus in DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont’a Hightower.

Jeff Morgan – There are a lot to choose from here.  But you gotta love what the Patriots did here.  They traded up TWICE and grabbed two playmakers on the defensive side of things.  Both LB Dont’a Hightower and DE Chandler Jones will make an immediate impact this season, and help a defense that was one of the worst in the league last season.  Don’t forget, the Patriots are coming off a Super Bowl appearance last season too!  Patriots prove once again that they’re the best-run organization in the NFL.

Biggest Loser?

Daniel Ornelas – The loser in this draft has to be the Kansas City Chiefs. They used the 11th overall pick on somebody that has had issues with motivation and pure desire. We are talking about a guy who came out of nowhere and dominated the combine test sheet, not the stat sheet, much like Stephen Hill (teams have been passing on him after he has been so hyped up). This pick reminds me of the Taylor Mays (Safety from USC) pick in 2010 where defensive-minded head coach Mike Singletary just had to have his physical guy. The 49ers and Singletary gambled and reached for Mays, and now the Chiefs and Romeo Crennel reached for Poe. Didn’t work out for the 49ers, let’s see how it plays for KC.

Kyle Williams – A lot of people will talk about the Seahawks here, but I’m going to go with the Bucs picking Mark Barron at #7.  In my eyes, for a saftey to warrent a top 10 selection they need to be an absolute stud of a prospect (i.e. Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, and Roy Williams).  Barron is a very good player, but is not nearly the prospect that other top 10 safties were.  In my eyes his draft position was the result of a very weak saftey class.

Dave Vinluan – St. Louis Rams. They waited patiently in hopes of landing big play WR Justin Blackmon, just to get leap frogged by the Jacksonville Jaguars. There is great potential with Michael Brockers, but he can’t help their abysmal offense score any touchdowns.

Jeff Morgan – I’m going with the Broncos here.  I realize they didn’t even make a pick, but that’s the whole point.  They traded down twice out of the 1^st round, and while they grabbed a few more picks, they needed to make a selection here.  They were plenty of OT’s available, or even pass rushers to help the Broncos next season.  Peyton Manning isn’t getting any younger, and a solid 1^st round pick would go a long way into helping the Broncos chances.

Biggest Surprise?

Daniel Ornelas – I was most surprised by the fact that AJ Jenkins was picked ahead of Stephen Hill. As a 49ers fan, I expected to see a guard taken considering Cordy Glenn was still there. If Glenn wasn’t selected, I was thinking some other guard, TE Coby Fleener (once coached by Harbaugh), Stephen Hill, or some cornerback. When I heard Jenkins, I immediately thought Janoris Jenkins of Northern Alabama. Boy was I surprised when they said AJ.

Kyle Williams – It’s pretty hard not to go with Bruce Irvin here.  There is no doubt that Irvin is a prolific pass rusher, arguably the best in this year’s draft, but I figured Irvin’s one-dimensional game and major character concerns would push him down draft boards.

Dave Vinluan – Seattle Seahawks selecting DE/OLB Bruce Irvin. Although he shows great flashes of being a premier pass rusher, that’s all Irvin may be. At WVU he excelled on 3rd downs with his speed, but that might not be enough to get by at the next level.

Jeff Morgan – All the trades!  I knew there would be movement in this draft, but 8 first round trades is ridiculous.  Jags and Patriots traded UP, Vikings traded back and STILL got their guy in Kahlil.  Cowboys surprised everyone by grabbing Claiborne from LSU, a great pick for them.  And then there were the questionable picks of the Seahawks and the Bears who both picked positions and players that they didn’t really need and could have drafted a better player.  All in all, it was a draft full of surprises all across the board.

Who ends up with the best career in this years 1st round?

Daniel Ornelas – I could go with the consensus and say Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin, but I have to go with Morris Claiborne. I have no doubt that Luck and Griffin will be great players in the NFL, but in a passing league I think Claiborne has a chance to shine. When you think shutdown corner, you think Jets CB Darelle Revis. I think this will changed in the future with Claiborne’s name alongside Revis. He is an excellent corner and will be playing for “America’s Team” in the Cowboys and will have high expectations that I believe he can exceed. In a league with Johnsons, Fitzgeralds, and other dominant receivers on pass-heavy offenses, Claiborne will have a chance to show his stuff.

Kyle Williams – We all know QB’s get the headlines so Andrew Luck is a safe pick here, but I think Luke Kuechly will be absolute stud alongside Jon Beason in Carolina.  Kuechly should make a lot of pro bowls before his time is done.

Dave Vinluan – David DeCastro. He will be put into a great situation at Pittsburgh playing next to Maurkice Pouncey. DeCastro was one of the top rated linemen in the draft and he will fit right in the Steelers smash mouth offense.

Jeff Morgan – There’s a loaded question.  The easy answer is Luck or RGIII, but I can see greatness from Claiborne, Blackmon, and Richardson.  It’s a deep 1^st round draft, but when all is said and done I think the best player out of this draft will be Matt Kahlil.  It’s not the sexiest pick, but he’s as sure a perennial pro-bowl left tackle as it gets.  He’s going to be a cornerstone the Vikings have desperately been missing, and could go a long way in the development of Christian Ponder.  He ends up with the most Pro-Bowl selections out of any player in this draft.  Count it.

When we look back at this year’s 1st round it will be most remembered for…?

Daniel Ornelas – The day the Luck-Griffin competition started. This draft was very surprising with all the trades that happened before and during the draft, but it will be known as the day someone made a huge mistake, or the day someone scored big. Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are two top-notch quarterbacks and the fact that they were picked number 1 and 2, respectively, will draw critics toward always making comparisons between the two. The Redskins paid a high price in trading up to get Griffin so if he turns out to be a bust, they will look back on this draft as the day they gambled and it didn’t pay off. As for Luck, the Colts new GM’s biggest move was made today when he selected the new leader to fill the big shoes that Peyton Manning left Luck to fill in Indianapolis. I think both will be just fine and this draft will be looked at as one of the best drafts in recent history.

Kyle Williams – The trading frenzy in the top 10.  Every pick from 2-7 was taken by a team that was not initially slotted to draft in that spot.  I can’t remember a draft that has been this trade-happy at the top, but it certainly made this one exciting.

Dave Vinluan – The trades. Along with Melvin Ingram and Roger Goodell’s ball so hard handshake.

Jeff Morgan – Defining 4 franchises.  The Colts, Redskins, Dolphins, and Browns all selected who they think will be their franchise QB.  Very rarely do all QB’s drafted in the 1^st round work out.  A few of these teams will look back at this draft and point to it as the beginning of something great, and a few will look back and remember where it all went wrong.

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Think Matt Kalil is a no-brainer pick for the Vikings at #3? Think again. The allure of a cornerstone Left Tackle being a necessity for long-term success in the NFL is a thing of the past. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the starting left tackles on last 5 Super Bowl Champion teams…

David Diehl (twice)- Giants (a fifth round pick at guard)
Chad Clifton – Packers (second round),
Jermon Bushrod – Saints (fourth round)
Max Starks – Steelers (third round pick)

That’s ZERO 1st round draft picks, and only one of them was taken as early as the 2nd round. Still not convinced? Let’s take a look at the last few “Can’t Miss” left tackles taken in the top 5…

Joe Thomas (3rd Overall)
Jake Long (1st Overall)
Jason Smith (2nd Overall)

The Dolphins have made the playoffs 1 time since drafting Long, and the Browns barely register a pulse on the football field, let alone even threaten to make the playoffs each year. Now, that’s not to say that Thomas and Long aren’t great players…they are. But it comes down to the argument of whether or not the premium draft pick and salary (both players are in the top 15 salaries in the NFL) it takes to get these players, correlates to wins.

Taking the argument a bit further we can look at starting left tackle for each team that made the playoffs in the 2011 season. According to ProFootballFocus, amongst all offensive tackles, the starting playoff left tackles were rated 6th (Duane Brown), 12th (Andrew Whitworth), 15th (Jermon Bushrod), 16th (Matt Light), 32nd (Joe Staley), 33rd (Jeff Backus), 51st (Chad Clifton), 52nd (Bryant McKinnie), 56th (Sam Baker), 60th (Jonathan Scott), and 64th (David Diehl). Not that advanced stats are entirely telling, but there seems to be little correlation between a team’s left tackle and that team’s success.

So, turning this back to the Vikings pick, few would argue with the selection of Kalil, but it can very easily be argued that the Vikings should take a very long look at cornerback Morris Claiborne. While today’s offenses have learned to scheme around offensive line deficiencies, the same cannot be said defensive secondaries. Opposing quarterbacks will undoubtedly find a way to pick on a team with secondary weaknesses and with the Vikings having to face Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Jay Cutler 6 games a year you better believe the idea has crossed their minds.

Will the Vikings ignore this argument and select Kalil as the traditional line of thinking suggests they should? Possibly, but don’t be surprised if they go in another direction and don’t be surprised if that ends up being the right decision.

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