NFL...Draft

[Billbill13]

What did everyone think of the 2007 NFL draft? I was surprised to see Brady Quinn dropp all the way down to 22nd. But being a Cowboys fan I think we got a good deal for the trade with the Browns.

[Mikey]

I thought when the Dolphins did not draft him he was looking maybe second round. I am glad they moved him to a private room because I got tired of looking at the poor guy.

Mike

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

Patriots were at it again. RANDY MOSS!!!!!!!!!!! HOLLA!

[ragontona]

I liked my Niners draft a lot, and the acquisition of D-Jax from Seattle was icing on the cake.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I liked my Niners draft a lot, and the acquisition of D-Jax from Seattle was icing on the cake.

Yeah, niners did pretty well. If DJax's knee is okay he is a great pickup and should really help Alex Smith. Nothing personal though but I hope they suck this year

Pats have their first round pick in 2008.

[$2 Nassau]

Looks like the Pats did pretty well. Excited about the new addition to the receiving unit!!

[Ogg]

I am happy about the Pats too. I love hearing Mike Greenberg panic on ESPN Radio about how NE stocked up in the off-season. Although his Jets got the steal of the draft in David Harris at 47.

[Matt P]

Harris is going to be awesome, and I am not just being a homer.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

Bill Belichick is a genius. He swaps his 28th pick to San Fran for their first round pick next year and 4th round pick this year. Unless SF makes it to the NFC Championship game then that first rounder is going to be better than #28. If they miss the playoffs like they have been then that pick will be a lot better. Then, they used the 4th rounder they got from them (early in the 4th round) and traded it for Randy Moss. Unbelievable.

They also traded their third round pick (their own pick, at the end of the third round) to the Raiders for their third rounder next year (c'mon, we all know that'll be a high third round pick) and a seventh this year. All this in what was considered a relatively weak draft. Why pay second round talent first round money? Or pay someone third round money when they may not even make the team? The trend with this draft was that every team seemed to want to trade down (again, lots of second round talent), but finding a "dance partner" was difficult. The Pats and the Cowboys were the only teams to really do this effectively (Brady Quinn may end up being a great NFL QB but that was a steep price to pay, especially when Cleveland ends up with a top 10 pick again next year). Now, if Bruschi, Harrison and a few of the older players retire, get hurt, Randy Moss beats them all up, whatever the Pats have a plethora of good picks next year to use. Plus, they are one of the only teams that doesn't really need the draft. At least they didn't this year. So why not trade for the future picks when they may need them more next year, forget the fact that they'll be drafting in better spots. I just wish Quinn would have slipped two more spots and the Pats could have ripped off Cleveland like Dallas did.

[iacas]

Bill Belichick is a genius.

He wasn't a genius when he was with Cleveland. I think he's the same old arrogant ass. He just has a better front office to help him out.

[p_funk]

He wasn't a genius when he was with Cleveland. I think he's the same old arrogant ass. He just has a better front office to help him out.

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner.

MY Titans did and awful job in the draft. Whoever was in charge needs to not be in charge any more.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

He wasn't a genius when he was with Cleveland. I think he's the same old arrogant ass. He just has a better front office to help him out.

Ahhh, c'mon Erik. Perhaps he's an arrogant ass but he's a genius arrogant ass. Granted he has better ownership and front office now but Cleveland was his first head coaching job. I'm sure he learned a lot from those experiences. You cannot ignore the success he's had and the system he has in place now. Do you think Tom Brady would have been this good with another coach? No chance. He did take Cleveland to the playoffs, and matter of fact beat the Patriots in round one that year (with Vinny Testaverde) so all was not a failure there.

[J.P.]

Football is a players driven league. You either have good players, or you don't. In Cleveland, he didn't have them. In New England he does. The big difference in the results of these two franchises' is the organization. The Big Tuna looked great with good players in the past. Not so good with middle of the road players recently. Despite being an A**, Bill B. is a very good coach. Still, I bet there are 5 coaches in the league minimum that could have accomplished what he did with New England if they had been coaching that team . . . ( Bill Parcell's, Mike Shanahan, John Gruden, Bill Cower, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy - just my 2 cents.

By the way, I think NE won those superbowls by 3 or less points each time. Could have easily gone the other way like it did for the Raiders when New England benefited from the tuck rule to have the refs hand them their pass to their first Superbowl win in this recent group of wins. Bill loses those three superbowls and he'd look more like Marv Levy, which isn't really so bad - he's in the Hall of Fame.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

Still, I bet there are 5 coaches in the league minimum that could have accomplished what he did with New England if they had been coaching that team . . . ( Bill Parcell's, Mike Shanahan, John Gruden, Bill Cower, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy - just my 2 cents..

They

had Bill Parcells and he didn't get it done. Bill Belichik is an amazing game day coach.

By the way, I think NE won those superbowls by 3 or less points each time. Could have easily gone the other way like it did for the Raiders when New England benefited from the tuck rule to have the refs hand them their pass to their first Superbowl win in this recent group of wins. Bill loses those three superbowls and he'd look more like Marv Levy, which isn't really so bad - he's in the Hall of Fame.

What does that matter? Who cares, they won. Playoff games in the NFL are often decided by less than a touchdown. To be able to win three of those games in the superbowl is only more impressive to me.

And this is the first year the Pats appear to have superior talent. In their super bowl wins they were often viewed as having inferior talent. A lot of the players they had were FA pickups nobody wanted or draft picks they developed. Some of them very late picks. They have won super bowls with Antowain Smith at RB, and without a 1000 receiver in quite some time. Bill gets players to buy into his system and they execute it. Guys like Mike Vrabel, who Pittsburgh didn't have a spot for so they released have flourished in New England. Sure the players deserve credit but Bill maximizes the talent that he has. He also had the balls to bench mr franchise Drew Bledsoe (after he recovered from injury) and stay with the 6th round pick in Tom Brady.

[iacas]

Do you think Tom Brady would have been this good with another coach? No chance.

Ben Roethlisberger was as good as he was under Bill Cowher, so yeah, I think coaching had little to do with Tom Brady's success. I think he would have been as good, perhaps even better, under another coach.

Still, I bet there are 5 coaches in the league minimum that could have accomplished what he did with New England if they had been coaching that team . . . ( Bill Parcell's, Mike Shanahan, John Gruden, Bill Cower, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy - just my 2 cents.

I'm a Steelers fan, but you can look on my own personal blog (nslog.com) and you'll easily see I thought Bill Cowher was a terrible coach. They won the Super Bowl in SPITE of Bill Cowher, and remember the year they went 15-1 and barely got by the Jets only to be obliterated by the Patriots (after obliterating them during the regular season)? Yeah, that Bill Cowher.

I'm GLAD as hell he's gone, and happy as heck to have Mike Tomlin running things now. I'm also glad as shit that Joey "All Talk" Porter is gone.

By the way, I think NE won those superbowls by 3 or less points each time. Could have easily gone the other way like it did for the Raiders when New England benefited from the tuck rule to have the refs hand them their pass to their first Superbowl win in this recent group of wins. Bill loses those three superbowls and he'd look more like Marv Levy, which isn't really so bad - he's in the Hall of Fame.

You can argue "a win is a win" but seeing as how the NFC has been pretty darn sucky lately, winning by only three just doesn't look as good as blowing a team out. The point Cleveland is making is a valid one - Bill B. was a few points away from losing three straight. Even with a putrid performance by Ben R. in Super Bowl XL they won by more than a field goal.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I haven't quite mastered the multi quote thing so I'm not going to quote the various comments I am replying to.

Are you saying Ben Roethlisberger is as good as Tom Brady? If so, that's one of the most ridiculous comments I've ever read. However, Bellichik has put in a system to maximize Tom Brady. I am not ashamed to say that Tom Brady is somewhat of a system quarterback.

I don't watch the Steelers every sunday like I do the Pats so I'll take your word on Cowher.

The 3 points or less point was not from my post (again, I botched the multi quote). A win is a win... seriously, c'mon. And perhaps the NFC hasn't been up to par "lately" but that's not really what we're talking about. If you remember the Pats beat the 'greatest show on turf' Rams and the Eagles for two of those. IMO there weren't any teams in the NFC last year that were as good as those two teams were. Argue all you want about Carolina. Also, if you do want convincing victories, look no further than the way the Pats beat the Colts in those super bowl years (yes, the Colts finally bested them last year and congrats to them).

[iacas]

Are you saying Ben Roethlisberger is as good as Tom Brady?

No. I didn't say that. I used Ben as an example of a QB playing well in spite of or at least without any real influence from the head coach.

If so, that's one of the most ridiculous comments I've ever read. However, Bellichik has put in a system to maximize Tom Brady. I am not ashamed to say that Tom Brady is somewhat of a system quarterback.

He is, and if pushed, I'd also suggest Ben R. has more potential than Tom Brady. You can't judge him from last year - he wasn't in physical shape all year. It was a pity to watch. And given the fact that Cowher didn't give a shit until the last quarter of the last game, whatever...

I don't watch the Steelers every sunday like I do the Pats so I'll take your word on Cowher.

SUCKS. That's the "word" I have on Bilbo Cowher.

[NCGolfer]

(Brady Quinn may end up being a great NFL QB but that was a steep price to pay, especially

Even if that is the case, they probably would have used that pick for a QB...and now they have their franchise QB a year ahead of time.

As a Browns fan, I was estatic that they made that pick. I truly think it worked out for both teams. Dallas got who they wanted (Spencer) and the Browns got two guys in the top 7 on their draft board. I was very happy with the Thomas pick and thrilled that they were still able to get Quinn. As for the Belichick, I think he learned a ton from his experience in Clevelend. Guys who have worked for him in both locations have said he's loosened up a bit and changed the way he managed the players. His dictatorship has turned into more of a monarchy...doling out some responsibilities. And look at the ownership he had to work with in Cleveland...