2011 NFL Mock Draft

In a few days, the most highly anticipated day in the Leonardis house will finally be upon us. The NFL Draft will be taking place in primetime Thursday night with a load of uncertainty and not much star power. With every draft comes the best attempts of people like myself at forecasting how the opening round will go.

Obviously, with the usual smattering of trade ups and trade downs, it's impossible to execute perfection here and, quite frankly, I'd be happy with getting at least 10 of the 32 first round picks correct. This year, however, is especially difficult. Combined with the aforementioned lack of big names, the current mess with the NFL lockout has eliminated free agency and other player movement which has led to teams entering Thursday night with more holes than normal. That means the Draft can go in a number of directions and the mock that you are about to read could become moot by the end of the first hour. Even with that in mind, here's my best attempt at predicting Thursday's events.

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

I think the Panthers are making a mistake giving up on Jimmy Clausen after just 11 games. If this were me, the pick would be Georgia wideout A.J. Green, who would give Clausen another weapon and round out the whole offense. Still, the thought process from a majority of people in the know is that Carolina's going quarterback. In that case, Newton, the reigning Heisman trophy winner who put up Madden numbers at Auburn last season, is the choice here over rising star Blaine Gabbert from Missouri. Newton has the size, athleticism and personality to be the face of the Panthers franchise as well as someone who can put butts in seats. He's a big, mobile QB with a strong arm and adequate accuracy. The question becomes "Will Carolina be willing to wait to pop the cork on their new poster boy or will they throw Newton out to the wolves before he's ready?"

2. Denver Broncos: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

This is pretty much a toss-up between Dareus and Texas A&M pass-rushing dynamo Von Miller, with LSU corner Patrick Peterson having an outside shot. Dareus used a strong Combine to strong-arm Auburn's Nick Fairley off the top of this year's rookie DT rankings. Dareus won defensive MVP honors in the Tide's 2009 National Championship win over Texas, knocking out Longhorn legend Colt McCoy. Dareus provides an interior presence and provides a pass-rush for Denver that was sorely lacking with the absence of Elvis Dumervil. With Dumervil coming back, Dareus gets the nod over Miller, who can get to the QB as a linebacker or end.

3. Buffalo Bills: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

Here's where things get interesting. The Bills need a QB and Blaine Gabbert of Missouri, considered by some to be the best QB in the draft, is on the board. However, the Bills proved last year that they like to throw a curveball come Draft time. Needing offensive line help, the Bills passed on OTs like Bryan Bulaga to take Clemson RB C.J. Spiller in the first round last year despite already having RBs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson on the roster. The same could hold true here. While Gabbert makes a ton of sense, Miller's potential may be too hard to pass up. Miller's drawn comparisons to former Chiefs great Derrick Thomas and the Bills can certianly use someone with that kind of high praise after getting nothing from former high pick Aaron Maybin.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Gabbert's in play here, too, with the threats of retirement from current Bengals QB Carson Palmer. The Bengals can hope taking a guy like Green, whom I think is the best player in this draft, can change Palmer's mind and motivate him to give playing in Cincy another shot. The Bengals can also try to get a QB in Round 2 and avoid irritating Palmer by using a high pick on his replacement. Green has been considered the best WR prospect to come out since Calvin Johnson in '07, and he can start out learning from current Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco before he eventually replaces him. An offense of Ochocinco, Green, last year's first round TE Jermaine Gresham and Cedric Benson can do damage in the AFC North if they can convince Palmer to stay.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

My theory behind having Arizona taking Peterson here is two-fold: One, there has been talk of this pick going to Philly in exchange for QB Kevin Kolb, but with labor talks hitting a snag, that trade won't be possible when the Cards go on the clock. If the Eagles were able to go on the clock, however, it is believed they covet Peterson, a shut down corner with extraordinary ball skills as well as someone who can help out the return game. The Cardinals could ship Peterson's rights to Philadelphia for Kolb(who fills Arizona's biggest hole) after the Draft or keep Peterson to help a pass defense that was getting burnt routinely after letting guys like Antrel Rolle and Bryant McFadden walk. Robert Quinn, a DE/LB from UNC who missed all of last season on suspension, could also be on Arizona's radar.

6. Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Five of the first six players selected could come from the SEC, a testament to the conference's dominance as well as a feather in the cap of Cam Newton for managing to put up big numbers with all this talent opposing him. The Browns got lucky last year stumbling on Colt McCoy in the third round. Now, they need to find him a weapon. That man should be Julio Jones, who outworked A.J. Green at the Combine despite a foot injury. Jones is a physical receiver with speed who also possesses Hines Ward-like blocking ability in the run game. He would give Cleveland a true #1 receiver after spending last year masquerading their passing game with guys like return man Josh Cribbs and youngster Mohammad Massaquoi.

7. San Francisco 49ers: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

Outside of maybe Minnesota, no team's QB situation is in more of a dire need of an upgrade than San Francisco's. Last year, the Niners tried to build on a promising '09 campaign by hoping former #1 overall pick Alex Smith could finally put things together and become a legit quarterback. He didn't. Now, there's some uncertainty surrounding Gabbert because he played in a spread offense at Mizzou and didn't throw too many deep balls. Still, scouts have been impressed with what they've seen in Gabbert's workouts and, while San Fran would probably rather trade down or have a guy like Patrick Peterson fall to them, Gabbert presents good value here at #7 and gives the Niners some new blood to reinvigorate the passing game.

8. Tennessee Titans: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

At one point, Nick Fairley seemed to be the leader for the #1 overall pick, but the stigma of being a one-year wonder and the impressive workouts of guys like Marcell Dareus and teammate Cam Newton have pushed him down a little. Fairley put on an impressive junior season for the Tigers and punctuated his '10 campaign by taking defensive MVP honors in the BCS championship against Oregon. Fairley gives the Titans an interior presence that they haven't had since Albert Haynesworth left in free agency a couple years ago and, with guys like Jason Babin expected to hit free agency, Tennessee will need a guy like Fairley to get to the QB. Speaking of QBs, Vince Young upcoming departure puts the Titans in the market for a new signal caller. Gabbert's in play if he falls but don't be shocked if Tennessee tries to trade back for a guy like Andy Dalton out of TCU or Florida State's Christian Ponder

9. Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith, OT, USC

The Cowboys have a huge need at corner, so Nebraska's Prince Amukamara makes a ton of sense here in a draft not very deep at cornerback. All signs, however, point to Dallas finally improving their offensive line. After watching Tony Romo sit the second half of the season out with a broken collarbone, Jerry Jones knows his team needs to improve their pass protection. There's a lot of debate over who the best offensive tackle in this draft is but it seems Smith has taken the lead. Smith played mostly right tackle at SC but he has the quick feet to play the left side and, even if he can't, the Cowboys are desperate enough to take whatever help it can get.

10. Washington Redskins: Robert Quinn, DE/LB, North Carolina

Quinn is the draft's biggest enigma. He has a ton of potential and great size(6'4, 265lbs) and athleticism, but he hasn't played a game since the end of the 2009 season, thanks to the NCAA suspending him last year. The Redskins need a pass-rusher beyond Brian Orakpo though and Quinn, while rusty, is the best available pass rusher with Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers on the mend from knee surgery. The Redskins need a QB as well, with Donovan McNabb on his way out and nothing but former Bear Rex Grossman behind him, so a reach for a guy like Jake Locker isn't out of the question given Mike Shanahan's unpredictability on Draft day.

11. Houston Texans: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

There's a lot of talk of Houston wanting to move up for a crack at LSU's Patrick Peterson if manages to fall out of the top 5. Even with Houston taking Kareem Jackson last year to help make up for the loss of CB Dunta Robinson, the Texans still need help in the secondary. If they can't go all in for Peterson, Amukamara would be a nice consolation prize. He's a sure tackler(58 tackles last season) with great speed( 4.3 40) and a nose for the ball. With the Texans moving to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, they team could also use another OLB. Robert Quinn is an option, if he falls, as is Missouri's Aldon Smith. For now, Amukamara seems to be the best move here unless they can move up for Peterson.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Brett Favre is finally calling it a career(we hope) and Tarvaris Jackson is a free agent. That leaves "Mighty" Joe Webb as the incumbent for Minnesota's QB job. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations a year ago, that won't cut it. Locker was considered the top pick at the start of the college football season, when he opted to return for his senior season. Instead of build on an impressive resume, Locker regressed and his stock has plummeted to the point that even going to the Vikings at 12 might seem like a stretch. The Vikings can't afford to haggle with finding the right spot to take a QB. They have talent up and down the roster and they need an upgrade behind center. There's talk about getting Donovan McNabb from the Redskins but that will only delay the inevitable. The Vikes need a young QB to groom and, if Locker lives up to his preseason billing, Minnesota would have gotten a steal taking him at 12.

13. Detroit Lions: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Another guy once in the running for the first overall pick is Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers. Once considered the next Julius Peppers, Bowers has slid after postseason knee surgery slowed him down during workouts. With both top corners off the board, the Lions could roll the dice that Bowers' troublesome knee holds up and that the combination of he and last year's DROTY Ndomukong Suh makes up for the lack of talent in the defensive backfield. The Lions could also use this pick on an offensive tackle and protect franchise QB Matt Stafford, who has shined at times but has seen his progress stalled by injuries. Anthony Costanzo of Boston College or Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin could get the nod in that regard.

14. St. Louis Rams: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois

The Rams got breakout seasons from ends Chris Long and James Hall but Hall's getting long in the tooth and the Rams could use a big body inside to help against the run and take pressure off of Long. Enter Liuget, who is coming off a solid season with the Illini(63 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 10 QB hurries, three passes broken up). While Liuget fills a need, what the Rams really need is a true #1 wideout for QB Sam Bradford. Chances are slim on Julio Jones or A.J. Green falling here, but if they drop low enough, the Rams would be smart to go up and grab them. The Rams could also use a corner if Amukamara drops here.

15. Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida

Early on, many had this as the perfect landing spot for Alabama RB and former Heisman winner Mark Ingram. With Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams both free agents, the Dolphins will need a new rusher if both flee. However, Ingram has been slowed by the knee injury that plagued him last season and his workouts have been less than impressive. Meanwhile, Miami has needed help on the interior offensive line. The Steelers benefited last year from snagging Mike Pouncey's twin brother, Maurkice last year and, while Mike isn't quite as good as his bro, his presence will help Miami's running game just as much(if not more) than adding another back.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

Around this part of the draft, there's a lot of teams with similar needs and a lot of depth at several positions. One of the positions of depth is defensive end, so you can pretty much play mix and match with any of the number of edge rushers on the board. The best available at this point would be Cal's Cameron Jordan, but he may be better suited for a 3-4 scheme. The Jags, who swung and missed in years past on DEs like Quentin Groves and Derrick Harvey, are once again in need of a pass rusher off the edge with free agent acquisition Aaron Kampman tearing his ACL for the second time in as many years. That means Jacksonville could call upon a guy like Kerrigan.....or Wisconsin's J.J. Watt....or Iowa's Adrian Clayborn....or even Cam Jordan. One way or the other, smart money would be on the Jags going defensive end.

17. New England Patriots(from Oakland): Cameron Jordan, DE, California

Quick rant here: There's a lot of talk about New England being enamored with Mark Ingram, which makes no sense to me. For one, the Patriots have passed on top-notch RBs like Steven Jackson and Rashard Mendenhall. They also are a team that's won with guys like Antwoin Smith and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. They also got burned the last time they went RB in Round 1(Laurence Maroney). Now, I'm supposed to believe that the Pats are going to finally take a RB and that it will be an undersized power back coming off knee surgery in Mark Ingram? I don't think so. I think Ingram will be a solid back in the NFL, but I find New England's interest to be way too public to be legit.

On to who I think they'll actually take, the Patriots made a savvy move in trading Richard Seymour to Oakland for this pick right here but, since then, they have found out the hard way just how much they miss Seymour on the inside of that defensive line. Lucky for New England, this draft is filled with good defensive lineman and the guy making a lot of noise is Cal's Cam Jordan. Jordan's a big end at 6'3, 287 pounds, and he's drawn comparisons to another former Patriots defensive end: Willie McGinest. Jordan can play end or tackle when the Pats go with four lineman and he has the strength and quickness to penetrate and be disruptive against the pass......much like the man who this pick was dealt for.

18. San Diego Chargers: Aldon Smith, DE/LB, Missouri

The Chargers' pass rush has been lacking in recent years thanks to the lack of production from former first round pick Larry English and the injury woes of now former linebacker Shawne Merriman. That's why San Diego finds itself dipping into the DE/LB hybrid pool once again with a guy like Aldon Smith. Smith was hampered by a leg injury last year, but managed to still rack up 5.5 sacks and 48 tackles and had a key INT in Missouri's upset of Oklahoma. In 2009, when he was healthy, Smith had a school record 11.5 sacks, 64 tackles(19 for loss). Smith has been seen going as high as Houston at 11 so this could be a steal if he's still on the board. If not, the Chargers could go offensive tackle. San Diego struggled at times in protecting statuesque QB Phillip Rivers and could really use a right tackle to pair with Pro Bowl LT Marcus McNeil. Gabe Carimi, Colorado's Nate Solder and BC's Anthony Castonzo are all options if San Diego goes that route.

19. New York Giants: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

Like San Diego, the Giants struggled protecting their franchise QB as injuries depleted the offensive line. Big Blue thought it had their future left tackle in William Beatty but that hasn't been the case thus far. In Anthony Castonzo, the Giants would be getting a huge offensive tackle(6'7, 311) who some consider the best at his position in this draft. Castonzo could go as high as Dallas at 9, Detroit at 13 or even San Diego at 18. Castanzo was a three-year starter at BC and the Giants have a proven track record with BC linemen after the success they've had with guard Chris Snee. The Giants could also use a defensive tackle like Oregon State's Stephen Paea or Baylor's Phil Taylor and, if they feel like RB Ahmad Bradshaw will leave as a free agent, could make a move for Mark Ingram or Illinois' Mikel LeShoure.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

With the release of once-promising CB Aqib Talib, the Bucs suddenly have a need at corner. However, the next best corner is Colorado's Jimmy Smith, a young man with enough baggage to make Talib seem like a choir boy. Tampa Bay hit big on the Draft last year, finding a couple blue chip wideouts in Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams, and solidifying the interior defensive line with Gerald McCoy and Brian Price. This time around, they need an end to make life easier for their young bookend tackles. My friend Carlos has put his stamp on Adrian Clayborn since mid-October, pretty much guaranteeing he'll be a hit no matter where he goes. Clayborn didn't have the senior year many expected, but still was named a consensus All-American. As a junior, he tallied 70 tackles(20 for loss) and 11.5 sacks. That kind of production in the Big Ten is astounding and, given the Bucs' need for a rush off the edge, Clayborn would be a good fit for that young defense.

21. Kansas City Chiefs: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

After a breakout year(predicted by this guy), the Chiefs find themselves finally out of the Top 10 but still needing to fill a few holes. Arguably, the biggest of those holes is on the offensive line. In their Wild Card matchup against Baltimore, Kansas City's offensive line got dominated by Baltimore's menacing front seven and that led to QB Matt Cassel taking the beating of his life. The reviews on Solder are a bit mixed, but you can't teach his size at 6'8, 319 pounds. The other OT that could go in this spot is Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi. If KC chooses to once again ignore the offensive line, it could make a move for massive Baylor DT Phil Taylor, who is the best pure nose tackle in the draft. They could opt for Mike Vrabel's replacement by finding a good pass rushing LB like Aldon Smith(if available) or UCLA's Akeem Ayers. They could also reach for one of the many second-tier wideouts like Kentucky's Randall Cobb, Miami's Lance Hankerson, Boise State's Titus Young or Maryland's Torrey Smith.

22. Indianapolis Colts: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

Again, you could flip-flop Carimi and Solder, depending on how you feel about either tackle, but there's no denying Indy's need to get Peyton Manning some protection. The team cut Tony Ugoh early in the season and could lose Charlie Johnson to free agency. Peyton's not the fleetest of foot, and with Manning getting up in years, the need to keep him upright takes extra special priority. With Manning's age in mind, however, the Colts could use this pick to find Peyton's successor. Christian Ponder of Florida State is considered the most cerebral QB in the draft and his stock has been on the rise as of late. TCU's Andy Dalton also has been on the rise and has been mocked by SI's Peter King as high as Miami at 15. With nothing behind Manning and so many good young QBs at the top of the board, the Colts could move down or tab their heir apparent. Another need is at wideout, where Austin Collie and Anthony Gonzalez have been sidelined with injuries and Reggie Wayne is in the last year of his contract.

23. Philadelphia Eagles: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado

Jimmy Smith's stock has risen over the last few weeks but it has done so at teams' own caution. While Smith possesses great size and speed at 6'2 211 with 4.34 speed, he comes with quite a bit of baggage including rumors of drug abuse(Smith failed four drug tests at CU). Smith is a bit of a headcase but, given Philly's need for a corner and their track record in turning around bad eggs like 2010's feel-good story Mike Vick, they might take a chance on a guy with the potential to be even better than the draft's top corner, Patrick Peterson. The Eagles are reportedly enamored with Peterson but with the team unable to unload its biggest trade chip, Kevin Kolb, because of labor strife, the team may have to look elsewhere for a corner unless a deal can be struck after the Draft. Outside of corner, the team could use some help on the offensive line and might be in line for any of the tackles that fall to 23 or even a guard like Baylor's Danny Watkins. Another possibility, like with Indy, could be quarterback. Mike Vick will be 31 and a free agent at season's end and, with Kolb on the move, the Eagles could use a young QB to groom and replace Vick. Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallett and Christian Ponder could all be there when Philly goes on the clock. Might we see another shocking QB pick from the Eagles like in '07 with Kolb? Who knows?

24. New Orleans Saints: Mark Ingram, HB, Alabama

New Orleans has needs elsewhere, especially on defense, but you know head coach Sean Payton salivates at the idea of pairing bruising former Heisman winner Mark Ingram with speedy former Heisman winner Reggie Bush in the backfield. The Saints have guys like Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory who can tote the rock but neither possess the ability that Ingram does. Ingram lacks explosiveness and isn't the fastest of backs but he's tough to bring down when he gets a full head of steam and would significantly upgrade the Saints' running game when paired with another playmaker like Bush. Beyond RB, the team could use a defensive end like Ohio State's Cameron Heyward or Wisconsin's J.J. Watt or even a LB like Georgia's Justin Houston

25. Seattle Seahawks: Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

Much to the surprise of no one except Pete Carroll and Seattle's front office, the Charlie Whitehurst experiment failed miserably. That means the Seahawks are back on the market for a young QB to learn from aging Matt Hasselbeck. Lucky for Seattle, second-tier signal callers like Andy Dalton could be available late in the first round. Dalton's a bit small at 6'2, 215, but he's a smart QB who knows how to lead and can pick defenses apart with precision passing. He seems to be a perfect fit in this Seattle offense where big arms aren't really a necessitation. The Seahawks could also go corner, with a guy like Miami's Brandon Harris, or defensive end with J.J. Watt or even defensive tackle with Stephen Paea or Phil Taylor. Inevitably, the Seahawks will need a new QB though, and now would be the best time to strike with a guy like Dalton ripe for the picking.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami(Fla.)

The biggest weakness in the stout Ravens defense was their inability to stop the pass. Some can attribute that to their lack of a pass rush beyond OLB Terrell Suggs. I point the finger at Baltimore's lack of elite corners. Baltimore's secondary got a boost when All-Pro safety Ed Reed(who led the league in INTs, despite missing 8 games) came back from a hip injury but Reed can't do this forever. The Ravens would love a physical corner like Jimmy Smith, who could get straightened out by a strong leader like Ray Lewis, but Smith might not be there when Baltimore goes on the clock. Given their success with guys from "The U"(Reed, Lewis, to name a couple), Baltimore could benefit from dipping into the Miami brood once again with a guy like Brandon Harris. Harris is a little small(5'10, 191) but he's fast(4.4 40) and he'd be an improvement to Baltimore's secondary almost by default. The Ravens could also DE to help the pass rush as well or take a OT to replace Jared Gaither, whom Baltimore is expected to dump.

27. Atlanta Falcons: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin

Atlanta bursted onto the scene last year with an explosive offensive led by the tandem of QB Matt Ryan and WR Roddy White and the running of Michael Turner. However, their lack of a pass rush was exposed in the playoffs, as they were picked apart by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The problem is the Falcons have nobody beyond oft-injured John Abraham to get after the QB. Lucky for them(and I know you're sensing a theme here), there are plenty of quality ends to bolster the pass rush. Watt's a big end at 6'6 290 and he may be better suited for a 3-4 scheme but he has a relentless motor and could benefit from the attention paid to Abraham on the opposite side. The Falcons could also try to find White a new partner with a wideout like Torrey Smith or Titus Young if they aren't enamored with any of the other ends.

28. New England Patriots: Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

In years past, the trick to beating New England has been rushing up the middle, exposing the interior of the offensive line, and smacking Tom Brady in the mouth. The Giants did it in the Super Bowl. The Ravens did it in the playoffs a couple years after that. The Jets did it last year. The problem is New England's offensive line is aging and, with so many high picks at their disposal, the Patriots could tab a guy like Danny Watkins to fix that problem. Stephen Neal is expected to retire and Logan Mankins' contract status is uncertain so Watkins would be a savvy pick this late in the draft. If the Pats are truly interested in getting a RB, Ryan Williams of Virginia Tech or Illiniois' Mikel LeShoure are out there but, as I mentioned before, I don't think that's where they are headed.

29. Chicago Bears: Derrek Bushrod, OT, Mississippi State

It was evident from Week 1 that Chicago needed help on the offensive line and it was crystal clear on a Sunday night in October against the Giants when Big Blue lit Jay Cutler up on national television. Offensive tackle is the Bears' biggest need and if a guy likie Derrek Bushrod can slip to them, they should consider it the best gift they've ever gotten. If somehow all the first round caliber tackles are gone, the Bears could go defensive tackle with Phil Taylor or Stephen Paea to replace Tommie Harris or take a wideout like Torrey Smith or Titus Young.

30. New York Jets: Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor

The Jets are in need of pass rushers, so a guy like UCLA's Akeem Ayers or Arizona's Brooks Reed could get the nod, but, with Kris Jenkins gone, the Jets need a nose tackle to stuff the middle and stop the run. Taylor's stock has dropped because of a foot condition that has scared teams away but, at 6'5 355lbs, he is a perfect fit as nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme. Taylor could open things up for Shaun Ellis on the defensive line or make things easier for inside 'backers Bart Scott and David Harris by taking up multiple blockers. The Jets could also use some help on the offensive line, particularly on the right side.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

It has been proven over the last couple of years that, while his presence is valuable to the team, DE Aaron Smith can't be relied upon to stay healthy and fortify the defensive line. The Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood a couple years ago but they need more able bodies. At 6'5, 285, Heyward(son of late former Falcons RB Craig "Ironhead" Heyward) fits in well as a 3-4 end and could be groomed as Smith's successor. The Steelers could also use some help in the secondary. Traditionally, Dick LeBeau has managed to sail along with adequate cornerback play but teams have been able to beat Pittsburgh by spreading out and exposing the team's lack of depth at corner. Texas' Aaron Williams would be a nice pick here, as would Brandon Harris if he falls. The Steelers could always use help on the offensive line as well.

32. Green Bay Packers: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA

Great drafting over the years has given the Packers the luxury of having extraordinary depth up and down the roster(a point driven home the Packers winning the Super Bowl with so many key players on the IR). That doesn't mean the defending champs are without holes. With DE Cullen Jenkins a free agent, the Packers could opt for a DE here to replace him like Muhammed Wilkerson of Temple. The Packers could also use a wide receiver with Donald Driver on his way out and guys like James Jones and Jordy Nelson nearing free agency. Green Bay could also use help on the offensive line, given its infatuation with the pass and keeping Aaron Rodgers upright. I went with Ayers here because he may be the best available and he fills the Packers' need to get another pass rusher opposite Clay Matthews. Guys like Erik Walden and Brad Jones are nice fill-ins but they aren't anyone opposing offenses worry about. The 6'3, 254-pound Ayers had 68 tackles, four sacks, two INTs, and two forced fumbles last season for the Bruins and he could feast on the attention paid to the man who SHOULD have won Defensive Player of the Year last year.

Deep Six-ed

I finally got a chance to catch ESPN's "The Brady Six" documentary last night. For those who haven't caught it(and, from what I've read that's not many), ESPN takes a look back at the 2000 NFL Draft and profiles the six quarterbacks that were taken ahead of Brady 11 years ago. Now, this may come as a shock to you, but I found some things that drew my ire in ESPN's special.

For one, it's easy to look back now, after multiple Pro Bowls, MVPs, and Super Bowl wins, and mock teams for passing on Tom Brady. It's easy to shake our heads knowing what we know now. Yes, the careers of Chad Pennington, Gio Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergeon Wynn pale in comparison to Brady's(although Pennington and Bulger were decent pros). However, think about Tom Brady going into that Draft. In his senior year at Michigan, he was constantly fending off rival Drew Henson for the starting QB job. His numbers, while solid when he played, weren't exactly earth-shattering like his pro numbers are now. At the NFL Combine(which scouts and "experts" swear by....except when a guy like Brady slips through the cracks then they chastise it), Brady ran a pedestrian 5.23 in the 40-yard dash(By comparison, Pennington, who is to being mobile what Charlie Sheen is to being sane ran a 4.84), wasn't particularly amazing in the passing drills and looked like Calista Flockhart in the photos shot of him in Indy. If you were to take Tom Brady's career at Michigan, his workout numbers and everything we knew about Brady prior to the 2000 Draft and put that into this year's Draft, he'd be lucky to be drafted, let alone a 6th round pick. For all the outrage ESPN tried to show over Brady's snub, NFL rookies are still graded these days on how fast they can run, how much they can lift and how high they can jump. Production takes a backseat, so does heart, smarts and intangibles.

The problem I have in glorifying Brady's story is that it's not original. Every year, guys who don't possess "elite measurables" or have supposed "red flags" get drafted lower than their workout warrior counterparts. Want an example? I was afraid you'd never ask. Here's the list of some guys since that infamous 2000 NFL Draft that slipped on Draft Day but turned out to be solid pros.

2001: Drew Brees(In fairness, Brees was the 2nd QB taken behind Michael Vick, who was heralded as the future of NFL QB's, so that was at least justifiable. Brees falling to the top of the 2nd round? Far less excusable)

2002: David Garrard, taken in the fourth round, behind David Carr(#1 overall), Joey Harrington(#3 overall) and Josh McCown(3rd round). Garrard isn't exactly an elite QB, but he's been to the Pro Bowl, unlike the other three guys.

2003: Tony Romo(undrafted)...Some guys who actually were drafted in '03: Ken Dorsey, Brooks Bollinger, Brian St. Pierre, Chris Simms, Dave Ragone.

2004: Well, there's Ben Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion, falling to 11th overall. However, Big Ben was taken behind Eli Manning(also a champion) and Phillip Rivers(multi-time Pro Bowler), so if you'll excuse that, maybe you won't be as lenient on Matt Schaub going in the 3rd round behind someone like, say, J.P. Losman.

2005: 23 teams passed on Aaron Rodgers, and all he's done in his first three years as starter in go for nearly 4,000 yards a season and win a Super Bowl. Alex Smith, the guy taken #1 overall, well, his stat sheet isn't quite as rosy. There's also Andrew Walter and David Greene going ahead of Kyle Orton and guys like Stephen LeFors and Adrian McPherson going ahead of Matt Cassel(although Cassel never took a snap in college, so that might be a bit more reasonable).

2006: Jay Cutler(11th overall).....Vince Young(3rd) and Matt Leinart(10th) were both projected to be bigger stars than they actually were so the fact that Cutler has turned out to be a better pro so far is more of a shocker than a misstep by other GMs. Still, Cutler should have went higher.

2007: I've never been a Kevin Kolb fan so it's hard to claim outrage over his dip to the 2nd round but JaMarcus Russell taken #1 overall is a textbook example of teams caring solely on workout numbers over statistics.

The jury's still out on the last three years, but you get the point. Brady's fall to the sixth round in 2000 looks laughable now but it's certainly nothing new. Brady grew up idolizing Joe Montana, a guy who was taken in the 3rd round because he didn't look the part of an NFL quarterback. Brett Favre went in the second round because some considered him a bit too short at a shade over 6'1 and he didn't exactly play for a big-time school at Southern Miss. Those are two of the three greatest QB's of all-time. These things happen. It will happen this year with TCU's Andy Dalton, who is a bit on the small side and, barring an upset, will probably be taken behind bigger-named, more physically-impressive signal callers like Auburn's Cam Newton, Washington's Jake Locker and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett.

The questions are "Why?" and "What do we plan to do about it?". If the Combine is so flawed in being a good indicator of talent, why does it still exist? And if we are so willing to throw workout numbers out the window when guys like Brady buck the system, then why do we post the results? Grizzled old veterans like Mike Golic or Mark Schlereth wax poetically this time every year about how bench presses and cone drills are meaningless in terms of how it translates success in the pro game....and they are right. Look at Vernon Gholston. Look at Mike Mamula or DeWayne Robertson or Troy Williamson. These are guys who put on a clinic in a t-shirt and shorts on a short track but failed miserably in pads on an actual football field in a game of consequence. You can't have it both ways. You can't praise guys for lighting it up during Pro Days or individual workouts or the Combine and, subsequently, raising them up on your draft board and then complain about the injustice of the little guy getting passed over by their more finely-sculpted rivals.

Tom Brady went 199th overall because people saw flaws that may or may not have been there. He was a skinny kid, with not much tape and even less to like. He didn't fit the standards cultivated by NFL scouts, draft "experts" and, most importantly, fans like us. We are just as deserving of the ridicule as the six teams in April of 2000 that put a quarterback's name down on the card that wasn't Brady's.

The system is flawed. So much of how we perceive success is based on the eye test. The true lesson of Tom Brady's story isn't the buffoonery of the teams that passed on "the next Montana", it's the fact that he used that snub as motivation to prove us ALL wrong. Brady's rise is a hell of a story about the perseverance of a classic underdog, but here's a better topic for ESPN's next great documentary: How we can prevent an oversight like this from happening again.

Milk Carton All-Star of the Week: Ebenezer Ekuban

Ebenezer Ekuban was the 20th overall pick of the Dallas Cowboys back in 1999, out of North Carolina, ahead of a couple guys who you may have heard of like Joey Porter and Donald Driver. Ekuban was brought in to help Dallas' pass rush.

He didn't.

Ekuban mustered up 2.5 sacks in his rookie season, playing in all 16 games but only starting two. He followed that inspiring performance with a much-improved 6.5 sacks the following season for the Cowboys. Looking to build on that breakout season, Ekuban didn't manage more than 2.5 sacks in his remaining three seasons with Dallas. In 2004, Ekuban signed with Cleveland, where he would have the best season of his career, notching eight sacks. The Browns were so inspired by Ebenezer's play that......they shipped him to Denver along with defensive tackle Michael Myers in exchange for former Giants' bruiser and Gabe Rodriguez teen idol Reuben Droughns. Ekuban racked up 11 sacks in his first two seasons and, just as it looked as if he turned the corner, Ekuban tore his Achilles tendon in a preseason game against....wait for it....wait for it.....the Dallas Cowboys, which wiped out his 2007 season. Ekuban came back with a vengeance in 2008, with a rip-roaring five sacks. However, once the Broncos opted to move to the 3-4 under new coach Josh McDaniels, Ekuban founds himself on the outside looking in. In 2009, the Raiders kicked the tires on the Ghana native but never offered a contract. Currently, the former Tarheel is an Assistant coach for Regis Jesuit High School in my wife's hometown of Aurora Colorado.

More important than all of that is he's the only man named Ebenezer that I know of that isn't wheeling around a retirement home, dropping loads in his Depends or starring in "A Christmas Carol".

So, let's give a somewhat inspired round-of-applause for one of the many Dallas Cowboy draft blunders, Ebenezer Ekuban, ladies and gentlemen!

Boom Roasted Sports Hall of Fame Inductee: Street Fighter X Tekken

Perhaps it's a bit of a risk inducting an entity into the Hall of Fame that a. is still a year away from launch and b. has so few details about it out there beyond the normal speculation and rumor mill gossip. After all, you wouldn't punch a quarterback's ticket to Canton midway into their senior season of high school, right?

My unabashed co-signing of this month's Boom Roasted Sports Hall of Fame inductee has more to do with excitement I possess over the concept of this proposed masterpiece than the masterpiece itself. Last month, we paid tribute to one of the hip-hop industry's greatest sidekicks and gave Nate Dogg his just due(albeit posthumously) for his impact on a genre that has since deteriorated over the last half decade.

This month, I push all the chips to the middle of the table, Jim Fassell-style, and go all-in on next year's anticipated fighting game opus, Street Fighter X Tekken.

If you were like me growing up, you spent a month's rent worth of quarters at arcades serving up piping-hot plates of ass-whooping playing any one of the numerous editions in the Street Fighter franchise. When spending money at the arcades got old, I took my talents to the consoles and got real heavy into the Tekken series(which was a much better carbon copy of the Virtua Fighter series, another fighting game franchise I spent most of my childhood with). Nowadays, the Tekken series has slipped a little while Street Fighter made a spirited comeback with the release of Street Fighter IV in April of last year and then tacked on another run with the Super sequel. The problem with fighting games is they lack longevity. With so much focus going to making the visuals look stunning, the game engine run smoothly and the controls not being too complex, finding a compelling story to keep gamers interested beyond busting their opponents' snotbox fell by the waist side. For all the glitz behind both recent Street Fighter editions and the equally gorgeous Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the gameplay went stale quickly with no real plot to keep you hooked.

That being said, when word broke out that developers behind the Tekken series and Street Fighter franchise were going to join forces to bring the world the crossover game, Street Fighter X Tekken, well, I nearly shit my pants. Fighting game nuts like myself got a taste of what mixing two great entities and making a cross-brand fighting sensation would feel like when Capcom and Marvel came together for the Marvel vs. Capcom trilogy. However, that pales in comparison to this. This is a union between two of the most world-renowned fighting game franchises in the history of gaming. Other than Mortal Kombat(which tried to copy the Marvel vs. Capcom blueprint with DC vs Mortal Kombat, which was rather ho-hum), there may not be a better match to team with the Street Fighter world than Tekken.

The word right now is Capcom and Namco will be doubling up, leading off with Street Fighter X Tekken(which will be using SF's famous 2D system) and then following up with Tekken X Street Fighter(which will use Tekken's 3D system). Both games aren't expected to see the light of day until next year, at best. As it stands, ten characters have been revealed for Street Fighter X Tekken. Representing Capcom's hit franchise will be longtime lynchpins Ryu, Ken, Guile and Chun Li as well as Abel(who made his debut in SF4). For Tekken, old-timers Kazuya, Nina and King give gamers some familiarity while Bob and Craig Marduk represent the newer class.

More characters and news will surface as we near the release date(which is still unknown) but the trailers available online have succeeded in whetting the appetite of hardcore fans like myself who still long for the old days of classic games. While there is still a chance that this joint venture flops, I'm still going to put my stamp early and tip my cap to the effort behind putting together a union of two of the biggest footprints of my childhood.

NBA Re-Cap

The NBA Playoffs start today and, before I get into how I think the first round will go, let's take a look back at my preseason picks(which were made on Twitter instead of here for time constraints) and how they stacked up to what will inevitably happen.

MVP

Preseason pick: Kevin Durant, F, Thunder The Reasoning: "Kid Dynamite" took a step into the NBA's elite last year in becoming the youngest scoring champion in NBA history. Because of that, the hype around Durant's Thunder was getting pretty thick as the new season neared. Obviously, for Durant to win this award, he would have had to outgun Kobe and LeBron. He did, winning his second straight scoring title. He just got outworked by another young pup who put his team on his back and took that infamous leap into the NBA's upper class.

Projected pick: Derrick Rose, G, Bulls Why: Rose didn't finish in the Top 5 in any of the major categories for guys at his position(PPG, assists, steals, FG%) but it's hard to imagine the Chicago Bulls having the NBA's best record and the East's top seed(in a suddenly loaded Eastern Conference, mind you) if D-Rose doesn't put the team on his back. Rose lived up to all the hype that surrounded him when he went #1 overall a couple years ago. He's been the team's best playmaker, crunchtime scorer and has had to deal with holding the team together while its two best big men(Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah) missed extended lengths of time on separate occasions. LeBron may have the flashier numbers and there's still a chance he tops Rose on reputation alone, but it would be a huge upset if the voters don't acknowledge Rose's breakout season with the MVP award he deserves.

Defensive Player of the Year

Preseason Pick: Josh Smith, F, Hawks

The Reasoning: Even with all the advanced metrics and new ways number-crunchers look at stats and a player's value, the DPOY award has always been given on reputation, which is why Dwight Howard should have been the pick back in October. Still, Josh Smith has a pretty decent reputation for being one of the NBA's best stoppers. The Hawks were an epic disappointment this year, however, and it looks like we're heading into next year with Smith filling the Carmelo role as the star at the forefront of trade talks that drag on for months. Smith finished in the Top 15 in blocks and top 25 in steals but the Hawks weren't a good enough defensive team for Smith's play to get any serious recognition.

Projected Pick: Dwight Howard, C, Magic Why: When in doubt, go with the easy pick. I'd like to see Chris Paul take this one both because I'm a Hornets fan and our players never win anything and because it would be nice if this award didn't go to the same guy every year. CP3 led the league in steals and was the best defender on a pretty good defensive team that managed to eek into the playoffs(where the Lakers will inevitably have their way with them). The award's going to Doomsday though, who didn't have the statistical season he's had in recent years but still managed to average two blocks per game and is still the league's most feared paint patroller. It's boring. It's predictable but until someone emerges as a bigger defensive presence than Dwight Howard, the award is his to lose every year.

Rookie of the Year

Preseason Pick: DeMarcus Cousins, F/C, Kings The Reasoning: In reality, you only went with someone other than John Wall or Blake Griffin because you either thought Wall's lack of shooting touch and the fact that he plays on miserable team would affect his candidacy or you thought Griffin would get hurt again. Clearly, those two were the leaders in the clubhouse. Passing on Griffin was understandable in October because nobody knew how he'd bounce back from missing all year, but passing on Wall(even though he won't win ROTY) is far less excusable. I went with Cousins because he had the potential for being a double-double machine on a team with no real inside presence. Instead, while Cousins was solid at times, the immaturity that plagued Cousins' draft stock showed at times while Wall and Griffin battled all season for top rookie honors.

Projected Pick: Blake Griffin, F, Clippers Why: The story lines coming into the season all revolved around the potential dominance of the Heat, a possible Lakers three-peat, the Carmelo saga and the Oklahoma City Thunder's sexiness as a sleeper. Nobody expected Blake Griffin, fresh off missing all of last season with a knee injury, to emerge as the most YouTube-worthy basketball player since Vince Carter. Griffin's dunks dominated SportsCenter for the better part of the first two months of the season, and became a staple of any Clippers highlight package as the season progressed. He suddenly made the league's laughingstock into a ticket-worthy draw. You had to see Blake Griffin and the Clippers in person now. Griffin was more than just a guy who made your mouth widen when we went above the rim. He went 22 and 12 in his first year, playing in all 82 games and forcing at least one or two conversations of "What if LeBron came to L.A. instead of Miami?" amongst fans and writers alike. The Clippers are now in the "young team with potential" driver seat that the Thunder vacated last season and Griffin is the reason why.

Before I get into the Finals pick, a couple awards I didn't weigh in on in October but will do so now.


Coach of the Year

My Pick: George Karl, Nuggets The Reasoning: You have to give Karl props for not only managing to handle the Carmelo Anthony trade saga well but actually making the Nuggets better AFTER they dealt Carmelo to the Knicks.....and he's doing it all while recovering from cancer treatment last year. Find me another team that could trade its best player for a couple of spare parts with potential and still be a legit contender when the playoffs start. Denver drew Oklahoma City in Round 1, which has immediately become the best playoff matchup of the opening round, but if the Nuggets pull off the upset, there's no telling how far they can go.

Projected Pick: Tom Thibodeau, Bulls Why: While there are some who thought the Bulls could be a championship contenders(cough cough....cough cough), there aren't many who thought Chicago would be THIS good. The reason for the Bulls' success has been their asphyxiating defense and the orchestrator of that is new head coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibby had a reputation for being a defensive maestro from his days as an assistant with Boston and San Antonio, and his impact in transforming the Bulls into an elite defensive team was immediate. Whether the Bulls fall under all this newfound pressure as the East's top dog remains to be seen, but a tip of the cap is deserved to the man who got them there.

Most Improved Player

My Pick: LaMarcus Aldridge, F, Blazers The Reasoning: Look, we all know Kevin Love has this thing locked up but the fact that Love will win it over Aldridge pretty much sums up the Blazers' big man's season. Aldridge was one of the biggest snubs in All-Star history, only making it after a number of injuries, despite carrying a Portland team that had its own injury woes. Aldridge averaged nearly 22 points and 9 boards on a team that saw Greg Oden go down(again!), Brandon Roy miss much of the season with knee troubles, and tried to breathe life into the careers of guys like Andre Miller and Marcus Camby. Yes, Love's 50-game double-double streak is more impressive and you can even make the case for D-Rose as Most Improved for his breakout year but Aldridge has been undervalued all season and I think this would be a nice consolation prize for spending the whole season overlooked.

Projected Pick: Kevin Love, F, Timberwolves Why: There was a point during Love's double-double streak where I thought he deserved MVP consideration because he was the only reason basketball was relevant in Minnesota and what he was doing with absolutely no help on the floor was nothing short of extraordinary. Still, the Timberwolves finished with the league's worst record but it wasn't because of anything Love wasn't doing. Love showed the skills that made him such a highly touted recruit when he signed on to play at UCLA and what made him so coveted as a lottery pick a few years ago. 51 straight double-doubles and a rebounding title from a guy nobody gave two thoughts about in October. It's hard to vote against that.

Now, the Finals pick........

Preseason Pick: Bulls over Thunder in 6(It's on Twitter....@DLSmooth82, if you don't believe me).

The Reasoning: To put it plain, it was hard to see a Heat team with this many different personalities go the distance with an inexperienced coach, the Celtics were old and the Magic were overrated. Now, I can't say I saw Derrick Rose's MVP season coming and I'd be lying to you if I said that part of the reason for the pick wasn't based on a mild belief they'd land 'Melo but a majority of my faith in Chicago was on thinking Tom Thibodeau would be a fine coach now that he finally got his shot to lead a team. Turns out I was right.

Out West, something never rubbed me the right way about this Lakers team and it still doesn't. The tread on Kobe's tires was/is bound to fade and lightning can't possibly strike twice with Ron Artest not going off the deep end for a second straight year. As for the other West contenders, San Antonio(like Boston) were old(eventhough they ended up winning the top seed), Denver was about to lose 'Melo(which would be a deathblow in most cases) and Dallas is....well, Dallas. I liked Oklahoma City's potential and the midseason trade for Kendrick Perkins(a great interior defender when healthy) was a master stroke. Bulls-Thunder may not be as sexy as Lakers-Heat or Lakers-Celtics but it was going to be a matchup between some of the league's best young talent, which was enough for me to co-sign it.

Projected Pick: Bulls over Thunder in 6 Why: Fuck it, I'm sticking with my pick. Two things stand in OKC's way of the Finals: a driven Lakers team that had their number last season and a hungry Nuggets team that wants to keep Cinderella's slipper nestled on its foot. If OKC makes it past those two teams in the first two rounds, they are two young, athletic and quick for the Spurs in the Conference Finals. As for the Bulls, unless Miami has a card up its sleeve it hasn't pulled out all season, I think they are a year and a new head coach away from living up to the hype. Beyond that, trading Perkins killed the Celtics and, while Orlando or New York could give Chicago a fight, they won't be able to keep up with the Bulls on both sides of the ball.

As for the actual Bulls-Thunder Finals, it would be a nice matchup of two up-and-coming point guards(Rose and Russell Westbrook), two great young defensive big men(Joakim Noah and Serge Ibaka) as well as a showcase of two of the five best players in the league(Rose and Durant). In the end, I think Chicago's D stifles Durant and Rose gets help from his numerous sidekicks to lock down the first Bulls title since the Jordan Era.

Does America Need The NHL?

In my baseball preview, I mentioned that, with the NFL and possibly the NBA dealing with labor strife that could affect their upcoming seasons, this had to be the year Major League Baseball stepped up and took back the reins as America's past time. The same can also be said about the NHL.......except for one thing.

People in America don't really care about hockey.

Now, I'll admit that everything that I will write in the next few paragraphs will come off as ignorant to diehard fans of the ice rink because my hockey knowledge is not what one would consider "expansive". However, that, in a roundabout way, is kind of my point. If someone who spends his free time writing about sports, watching sports and watching shows about people talking about sports, doesn't feel compelled to learn about a sport that was once considered part of America's "Big Four", what does that say about the overall interest of professional hockey? I'm not saying that my interest is more desired than anyone else's but if I, a avid sports fan, represent the everyman and the everyman doesn't really care much about the sport of hockey, where does hockey stand overall in the hearts of people in this country?

That question inspired this week's "Dumb Honest Question of the Week".

Does America need the NHL anymore?

Let's think about where sports has gone since the NHL came back from strike in 2005.

Is the NHL more popular now than the NFL, NBA, or MLB? Absolutely not, but then again, they probably never were even back during the Wayne Gretzky-Mario Lemieux days.

How about MMA, which has seen a meteoric rise over the last half-decade while hockey was getting back into the swing of things? Is the NHL more popular than the UFC? Monthly pay-per-view numbers and the success of shows like "Ultimate Fighter" would say no.

Then, there's the minuscule sports that hockey probably gets the W over.

Boxing? Absolutely, unless Mayweather-Pacquiao is somehow scheduled during the Stanley Cup.

Tennis and Golf? Probably, with the exception of when Tiger Woods was at the peak of his popularity or if Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal or the Williams' sisters are battling out in Wimbledon(or, going back a little further, when Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were in their prime, but even then hockey may have had tennis beat).

Pro wrestling and NASCAR? In the North, yes. Down south, definitely not.

Another issue with the NHL is the lack of TV exposure. These days, you can only find a regular season hockey game on Versus or the NHL Network or the occasional Sunday nighter on NBC. Even playoff coverage of the NHL isn't on a major network. Versus is in less households than DVD copies of "Glitter"(OK, that may be a stretch, but you get my point) and they are carrying the most important games of the hockey season. Could you imagine the NFL's postseason ratings if only 60% of America could watch the Super Bowl from home? If major networks like ESPN would rather air bowling tournaments or spelling bees over a Penguins-Capitals tilt, doesn't that say something about their lack of faith in the NHL to draw ratings? Maybe the lack of hockey exposure is more ignorance on the part of cable companies than a death knell to the league, but where's the overwhelming clamoring for commissioner Gary Bettman to lock down a deal with a major network? Where's the outrage from fans who have to watch their sport get bracketed between bull riding and a re-airing of Caddyshack on Versus? Think about all the buzz the potential NFL lockout is getting now from fans and writers who dread a fall season without pigskin, did the NHL register an eighth of the reaction in 2004 that the NFL is dealing with now?

The ill effect of having no major network coverage on the NHL can't be stressed enough. Fans of other sports know where to go when they want to watch a game. You want football? Try FOX or CBS or NBC on Sundays and ESPN on Mondays(on mute, of course, unless you like the ridiculous jargon of Jon Gruden). You like basketball? You can find the NBA four or five nights a week on TNT or ESPN. Want to watch baseball? ESPN carries a couple games a week. So does FOX and TBS. As for the NHL, who wants to shell out a couple hundred bucks extra for The NHL Network, in this economy, to watch what other sports are broadcasting for much cheaper?

My solution? Move the NHL out of the US and make it an international sport. I don't hate hockey, but you can't expect Americans to get into your sport if they have no simple means to watch it. That's why we don't care about soccer. Like soccer, most Americans only care about hockey every four years so that they have a reason to express fake patriotism and root for the US to prove their dominance on other countries(the same goes for Americans during the World Cup or Olympic soccer. The only time people ever cared about Mia Hamm is when there was a gold medal and bragging rights at stake. We're an arrogant, materialistic country.). It also doesn't help that the teams that tend to dominate in the NHL share cities with teams that dominate in other sports. My friend Sean loves hockey and all of Pittsburgh sports(yup, even the Pirates), but he's not watching the Penguins over the Steelers, nor is any Pittsburgh resident from October to February. The Blackhawks may be the defending Stanley Cup champs, but all of that celebrating in Chicago will be dwarfed if the Bulls make an NBA Finals run. New Yorkers don't care about the Rangers now that Carmelo is a Knick and the Yankees are poised to make another World Series run. The only real major city that cares about the NHL over other sports during hockey season is Detroit and that's because their other option is the Lions. If Ndomukong Suh becomes the next Warren Sapp and Matt Stafford the next John Elway, it's going to be bye-bye Red Wings.

So you take hockey out of America. Instead of the Los Angeles Kings, you have the Hamburg Monarchs or the Moscow Capitals. People in L.A. stopped caring about the Kings after Gretzky left anyway and hockey doesn't register a blip on Hollywood's radar so long as Kobe is still running the Lake Show. There's 30 teams in the NHL, 24 of them in the U.S. Chop that number from 30 down to about 20, put a couple more teams in Canada, and then spread the rest throughout Sweden, Finland, Russia, Germany, France and any of the other hot beds for the NHL's elite talent. I know moving hockey out of America is yet another kick in the nuts to Buffalo sports fans but if the Bills are willing to move to Canada, then Sabres fans should be too. If you're going to make Americans pay good money to watch hockey, it better be because it has to be filmed through grainy, European cameras across the pond. Americans will fake outrage for a few weeks, but once the NFL gets their shit together and we have football back in the fall, all of that manufactured pain will dissolve quickly. Let Canada have Sidney Crosby back, where he can be fully appreciated. It's the least we can do for giving us Elisha Cuthbert(although we should penalize them for giving us Justin Bieber, too).

As someone who tries every day to get this blog off the ground and into the eyes of the masses, the success of your product is contingent on exposure. If Alexander Ovechkin was standing behind you in a coffee shop in SoHo, you probably wouldn't recognize him. Most New Jersey residents think Zach Parise is a cast member from "The Sopranos". If the NHL isn't going to work hard to give hockey to every American, then America needs to give it the boot. People still care about Manchester United or AC Milan eventhough they don't step foot on U.S. soil very often. The NHL could survive without America. It's been doing it for the last six years.

Monday Milk Carton All-Star: Juan Dixon

The Milk Carton All-Star of the Week went on a brief hiatus as the brain trust of this very website(read: myself and Gabe) planned our plan for global domination and got our ducks in a row(Translation: a business meeting of burgers and wings discussing just why the hell we do what we do for zero profit). We decided that everyone's favorite weekly remembrance of those who struggled to register a blip of relevance will now be brought to you every Monday like clockwork. You're welcome. Without further ado, making more comebacks than Michael Jordan, Brett Favre and Sugar Ray Leonard combined is this week's Monday Milk Carton All-Star.

Juan Dixon emerged on the scene in 2002 as the sweet-shooting combo guard who was the feel good story during Maryland's NCAA Championship run. While playing for the Terps, Dixon became the only player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 300 steals, and hit 200 threes in his career. He also left Maryland as it's all-time leading scorer and finished second all-time in steals.

However, as decorated as Dixon's resume was during his four years in College Park, no accumulation of stats could hide the fact that Dixon was 6'3, 164 pounds....making him a bit too small to play the 2 in the NBA and a step too slow to run the point. That didn't stop the Washington Wizards from tabbing Dixon(who grew up not too far away in Baltimore) as the 17th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, ahead of guys like Tayshaun Prince and Carlos Boozer. Dixon struggled to find his shot during his initial tenure with the Wiz. He never started more than 16 games during his three years and never averaged more than 9.6 points per game. In 2005, the Wizards let Dixon walk to Portland, where he would have his best statistical season(12.3 points per game in 76 games, 42 of which he started). Dixon was inevitably joined on the Blazers by former Terp teammate Steve Blake and, not too long after that, found himself getting shipped to Toronto in exchange for high-flyer Fred Jones. Dixon averaged 11 points per game for the 26 games he played with the Raptors that season. Midway into the following season(2007), Dixon was traded to Detroit for walking stiff Primoz Brezec. He would play 17 games for the Pistons before returning for one last run with the Wizards. After struggling to find playing time in a crowded backcourt his second time around, Dixon took his talents to Greece, playing with Aris Thessaloniki of the Greek League. A year after that, he played ball in Spain before testing positive for steroids and eventually getting suspended. Dixon was last seen a month ago in Turkey as a member of Bandirma Banvit.

So, let's give a warm welcome to the Milk Carton fraternity to the poor man's Kemba Walker, Juan Dixon.....your mouth, ladies and gentlemen!

Help Wanted: Village Seeking Idiots

There are always going to be people in this world who will make waves for doing things that make us scratch our head. Courtney Love, Charlie Sheen, Britney Spears, Mike Tyson, and Paris Hilton practically made careers out of being numb skulls. The sports world has no shortage of knuckleheads who live to draw our criticism. Here's a look at a couple fools who deserve a good scolding:

Johnny Jolly: It's not unusual for malcontents who find themselves on the wrong side of the law for drug offenses to get caught with their hands in the cookie jar again. So, the fact that soon-to-be-former Packers defensive end got arrested yet again for a felony drug charge shouldn't come as that much of a shock. Instead, it should be called what it is......an act of selfishness by a very, very stupid man.

Jolly managed to avoid trial(and, thus, jail time) by striking a deal stemming from his arrest in July of 2008 for possession of around 200 grams of codeine(the product commonly found in the JaMarcus Russell Special, "Purple Drank"). All Jolly had to do was keep his nose clean for a year and he would avoid going to trail for a charge that could have put him behind bars for up to 20 years. So, after being suspended from the NFL for a year and missing out on Green Bay's magical Super Bowl run, what does Jolly decide to do? He gets pinched for possession of codeine yet again a couple weeks ago(this time, 600 grams of codeine). Now, it's easy for someone like myself, whose only addictions are money and women and has never touched a drop of alcohol or any drug beyond Advil, to stand on a soap box and chastise the fools who find themselves getting nabbed for the same shit over and over again on a public forum such as this. What isn't easy is for someone like me to understand why a 27-year old man who was essentially given a pass for a charge that would have most normal human beings behind bars for most of their natural lives couldn't take advantage of his newfound lease on life? I imagine addictions aren't easy to kick. If they were, Dr. Drew wouldn't have a career. Still, if I knew the consequence for not getting my shit together was spending my prime years in a cell, wouldn't that be incentive to stay clean? Again, I can't weigh in on what it's like to try to kick a drug habit, but it's hard not to shake my head at someone who has now managed to blow it for the second time in as many years.

Gloria James: There are plenty of reasons to get into a physical altercation with another person.

Waiting 30 minutes for a valet to bring your car around is not one of them. By now, we've all heard the story of Gloria James, mother of LeBron James, getting arrested outside of a Florida hotel for going upside a valet's head for taking too long(in her opinion) to bring her car around. For those scoring at home, Gloria has managed to get busted in 2006 for a DUI(among other charges), forced her son to be the butt of countless jokes thanks to a scandal that had her allegedly sleeping with LeBron's then-teammate Delonte West, and now finds herself making the news for what can only be described as a drunken sense of entitlement. What exactly has Gloria James done beyond give birth to one of the greatest basketball players of this generation that she feels her time is so precious that it can't be wasted on a valet taking his time bringing her car around? Gloria James may be the mother of a celebrity, but that does not make her one. Being irate over poor service is one thing, but that doesn't give you the right to put your hands on someone. Situations like these are perfect fodder for the many who despise Gloria's son to point at and say "See, even his mother is a jerk!".

I don't want to overreact on this latest snafu because it's not like we all don't know somebody who has either delivered or been on the receiving end of a drunken bitchslap. Yes, blue collar people who don't have the finances that a Gloria James does will look at her going ballistic on a valet and scratch their head. That goes without saying. My issue(or one of my issues) is "Why?". What exactly is supposed to be gained for beating up a valet? I know she was drunk and she probably didn't have all her mental faculties but, come on! If my pizza takes too long to get to my house, I don't expect it to get there quicker the next time by backhanding the delivery guy. Perhaps Gloria needs a refresher course on what life was like before her son was a two-time MVP and the apple of endorsers' eyes. Like I mentioned about Johnny Jolly earlier, how many second chances does one need before a lesson is learned?

Manny Ramirez: Squandered second chances seems to be the theme here. Given how nutty Manny Ramirez has been over his career, his abrupt retirement today to avoid a second PED-related suspension shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Still, there's no removing the tarnish that continues to find itself on Manny's once-marvelous career. While it was already going to be tough to get Ramirez into Cooperstown after his last positive steroid test, this latest fiasco really hurts his Hall of Fame chances. That may not matter much to Ramirez, who has made close to $200 million playing baseball, has won two World Series titles and has generally played by his own rules but it might in the long run when all the time he spent putting baseballs into the stands gets erased in one fast swoop.

Ramirez should take a long look at what's going on with Barry Bonds. Sure, Ramirez isn't on trial and will never deal with the PR beatings Bonds has taken, but think about the way we think of Bonds now. When's the last time you had a conversation about Barry Bonds that didn't involve his records being tainted, or his perjury trial or how he hurt baseball? Isn't that what awaits Manny now that his career is over? You really think people are going to be talking about his career in a positive way now that he is yet again at the forefront of a steroid scandal? Also, how bad do you feel for the Rays getting hosed on this deal? I know Manny came at a bargain but he was brought in to both give a boost in the middle of the lineup and as someone who could draw in some fans. The Rays got neither and a team that's already 0-6 could have done without this latest kick in the balls.

Let's Play Ball!!!

The 2011 Major League Baseball season kicks off tomorrow with a light helping of games. This season may be the most pivotal for America's former pastime since they returned to action from the '94 strike. Why, you ask? Because this is baseball's best opportunity to take back the mantle as America's favorite sport with football(the current champion) in gridlock over a labor dispute that threatens the upcoming season. You know what a baseball season unopposed by the NFL does for TV ratings for MLB? A lot. The problem this season is there isn't much suspense. Thanks to big market teams loading up in the offseason and feasting on its smaller market counterparts, there isn't much depth in the contender department. I don't want to spoil the suspense of this website's World Series prediction, but let's say it isn't exactly a curveball. So, without further ado, here's how I think the 2011 baseball season will shake out:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL East: Boston Red Sox - Injuries kept this BoSox team from being in the playoffs last year. Dustin Pedroia went down. Jacoby Ellsbury, as usual, went down. Kevin Youkilis got hurt. Josh Beckett hurt his back. All of those guys are back and healthy and they brought some heavy hitters with them. Left fielder Carl Crawford brings speed at the top of the lineup that Boston hasn't had in quite some time(don't try to sell me on CoCo Crisp or Ellsbury. Those guys are Bengie Molina compared to Crawford's wheels). Joining Crawford is slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who is just the young, powerful lefty bat this team has craved for years. If A-Gon was putting up big numbers in spacious Petco Park, then he's bound to rake at Fenway. Crawford and Gonzalez also bring solid glove work to Boston, making an already good defensive team great. As for the rotation, it says something about your depth when a former World Series MVP like Josh Beckett is your #4 starter. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz were solid in breakout seasons last year, while vets John Lackey and Diasuke Matsuzaka need to step it up. Beckett himself has been getting shelled worse than Libya this spring and the Sox are going to need him to bounce back after a lackluster, injury-riddled 2010 campaign. In the bullpen, Jonathan Papelbon has shared Beckett's agony of getting beat up this spring. In a contract year, Papelbon could be on the trading block with young reliever Daniel Bard waiting in the wings. If this team is healthy, they should run away with the East and have to be the favorites in the American League. The pitching is solid and an already deep lineup now has two new members who offer up premiums by way of speed(Crawford) and a sweet lefty stroke(Gonzalez). The only thing standing in this team's way is themselves.

AL Central: Minnesota Twins - The AL Central is going to be the tightest race in the American League, if not all of baseball, because it's legitimately three teams deep. Chicago may be the most balanced in the entire division and Detroit is a solid dark horse with the addition of slugger Victor Martinez. So, why Minnesota? For one, Minnesota has run roughshod on Chicago. Since 2009, the Twins are 25-11 against the White Sox. Second, the lineup is pretty scary 3 thru 7 provided everyone's healthy. Former AL MVP catcher Joe Mauer is the best pure hitter in the league and, unlike last year, comes into this season healthy from the get-go. Behind him is another former MVP in Justin Morneau, who is trying to come back from a concussion that derailed what looked like another MVP calibur season last year. Left fielder Delmon Young picked up some of the slack in Morneau's absence(.298, 21 HR, 112 RBI) and the former #1 overall pick will have better pitches to hit with Morneau in front of him. DH Jason Kubel and RF Michael Cuddyer are also steady bats that will give opposing pitchers fits. Speaking of pitching, there lies the Twins' biggest question mark. The team will rely on Carl Pavano to once again be a workhorse at the top of the rotation(17-11, 7 complete games, 2 shutouts, 3.75 ERA). Pavano hadn't had a season quite like 2010 since his last season with the Florida Marlins in 2004(both seasons were contract years. I'm gonna say that isn't a coincidence) and might be a risk to be relied upon as the team's ace. Youngster Francisco Liriano bounced back last year after a couple rocky seasons following Tommy John surgery. Liriano struck out 201 batters and went 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA in 2010. Beyond those two, however, things get merky. Scott Baker has proven to be a decent bottom of the rotation starter but Nick Blackburn and Brian Duensing don't quite have the track record of being reliable hurlers. The bullpen also has its share of instability. The Twins lost quite a bit in free agency with relievers such as Jesse Crain, Brian Fuentes, Matt Guerrier and Jon Rauch skipping town for greener pastures. Minnesota does still have former Pirates/Nationals closer Matt Capps, who has been lights out this spring. Capps will be crucial as the team tries to work former All-Star closer Joe Nathan back into his role as the 9th inning stopper after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery. The Twins are the shakiest of any of my division picks but their calling card over the years has been outhustling teams with a solid defense, playing smart baseball, and taking advantage of their always deep farm system. While the team has a lot of unproven young talent, the key words are still "young talent". Anyone can emerge from this young organization and given their track record in the division, they'll be tough to put away in the fall.

AL West: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Cliff Lee leaving Texas takes the Rangers down a few notches, even with that prolific offense and the A's and Mariners may be a year or two away from contention. The Angels have a good rotation of proven starters. Frontline starters Dan Haren and Jered Weaver will be in the running for the Cy Young and while the bottom three of Ervin Santana, Scott Kazmir and Joel Pineiro are a bit shaky, all three have put together decent seasons in the not-so-distant past. The lineup added yet another overpriced bat in the outfield via a trade for former Blue Jays All-Star centerfielder Vernon Wells. Wells has battled injuries throughout his career but had a good 2010 with Toronto last year(.273, 31 HR, 88 RBI). The lineup will also get a jolt with the inevitable return of 1B Kendrys Morales, who was off to a torrant start last year before breaking his leg, Bill Gramatica-style, celebrating after a home run. Morales has been slow to recover from his leg injury, but should rejoin the team by the end of April, barring a setback. Morales and Wells add punch to a lineup that already had slick-fielding outfielder Torii Hunter and old-but-steady DH Bobby Abreu. The veteran presence on this Angels team is what gives them the slight edge over the more offensively-appeasing Rangers and the still-green A's. The bullpen is a little suspect with hard-throwing-but-occassionally wild closer Fernando Rodney at the back end but the 1-2 of Haren and Weaver along with the return of Morales and the addition of Wells should be enough to give the Angels the division.

AL Wild Card: Chicago White Sox - You could probably flip a coin between the White Sox and Twins for the AL Central crown but I think that race will be tight enough that the loser will still make the playoffs. That may make you cringe if you're a Yankees fan but I'll get to why there will be no postseason in the Bronx later. The word that best describes Ozzie Guillen's team is "balanced". The lineup leads off with stolen base king Juan Pierre and then becomes significantly more dangerous as you deeper into the middle of the order. 2B Gordon Beckham was once a top prospect who could still emerge and the 3-4-5-6 of newly acquired bopper Adam Dunn, steady vet Paul Konerko, and former breakout star OFs Alex Rios and Carlos Quentin. With Dunn moving to the DH spot he was born to play, he's a lock for 40 homers and around 200 strikeouts. Konerko, meanwhile, is coming off his best season since 2005(.312, 39 HR, 111 RBI) and both Quentin and Rios are coming off 20-homer campaigns. Rios adds another dynamic with his speed, having stolen at least 20 bases the last three seasons including 30+ in 2010 and 2008. The depth of the rotation will depend on the health of former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy. Peavy suffered a devastating arm injury last season and is set to miss at least all of April as he tries to comeback. Still, Peavy's penciled in as their fifth starter when he returns. Mark Buehrle returns yet again as the team's ace and youngster John Danks is waiting in the wings as the White Sox's future at the top of the rotation. Gavin Floyd and Edwin Jackson have been inconsistant throughout their careers but still possess a ton of potential. Another young arm with potential is new closer Matt Thornton. Thornton takes over for Bobby Jenks and he'll be feeling the warm breath of prospect Chris Sale breathing down his neck. If Thornton and Sale can carry the load late in games, the White Sox will be tough to match run for run with the depth in their rotation and the power in the middle of the lineup.

AL Team on the Rise: Oakland A's - GM Billy Beane always seems to replace good young arms with more good young arms. First, it was the Big Three of Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. Then, you had guys like Rich Harden and Dan Haren. Now, you have a new Big Three in young hurlers Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, and Gio Gonzalez(not to mention Dallas Braden, who threw a perfect game last season). Anderson was off to a solid start before injuries forced him to pump the breaks. Meanwhile, Cahill and Gonzalez showed flashes of being dominant young starters. What holds the A's back, however, is the lack of proven bats in the lineup. The most feared hitter on this A's team is washed-up DH Hideki Matsui and, after him, you have journeyman Josh Willingham. Gone are the days of Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Jermaine Dye and Eric Chavez knocking the cover off the ball. The team needs to find a legit bat to stuff in the middle of the order and give these young arms some run support. Given Beane's savvy, that bat could be coming sooner rather than later.

AL Team on the Decline: New York Yankees - The Yankees' lineup is stacked like it's always been. It's also pretty damn old. Second baseman Robinson Cano will compete for MVPs and batting titles throughout his career but, beyond him and 1B Mark Teixeira, there aren't any young bats to get excited about. A-Rod will put together another 30+ HR, 100+ RBI season but he's pushing 40. Derek Jeter has already shown signs of decline with his arm and his glove and he was never that powerful of a hitter to begin with. Jorge Posada has been pushed to DH because of his deteriorating skills behind the plate and his replacement, Russell Martin, is a brittle washout who is keeping the seat warm for prospect Jesus Montero. The lineup isn't my concern for the boys in pinstripes. The rotation has to concern you as a Yankees fan. Beyond C.C. Sabathia(who should have won the Cy Young last year), who do you have confidence in in this rotation? A.J. Burnett saves his best work for contract years. Phil Hughes was solid last season but he'll be starting just his second full season as a starter. Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia? Yikes. The bullpen will make up for a lot of the rotation's flaws. The Yanks' have the greatest closer of all-time in Mariano Rivera to shut the door in the 9th inning and he'll be set up by highly-paid flamethrower Rafael Soriano and once-promising starter-now-reliever Joba Chamberlain. Still. we know how quick the panic starts in the Bronx, especially if the hated Red Sox jump out to a hot start. If the Yankees can't get quality starts from guys not named C.C., expect the back pages to call for Joe Girardi's head and a certian young ace who stole the Cy from C.C. last season.

AL Breakout Player of 2010: Gio Gonzalez, P, Oakland A's - Trevor Cahill won 18 games for the A's last year. Brett Anderson was in All-Star form before getting hurt and Dallas Braden famously threw a perfecto on Mother's Day. Those guys aren't quite household names but a big year out of any one of them shouldn't shock you. Neither should a breakout season from Gonzalez, who went 15-9 with a 3.23 ERA, striking out 171 batters in a little over 200 innings last year. Hitters are hitting .170 against Gonzo in spring training so far this season and he won't find too many tough pitching matchups as the A's fourth starter. Cy Young contention might be a bit much but a season similar to Cahill's 2010 (18-8, 2.97, 118 K's) seems about right.

Three Fearless AL Predictions

1. Sticking with the A's rotation, the top four starters for Oakland will all win at least 13 games this season. As mentioned earlier, run support will be Oakland's biggest enemy but it won't take Billy Beane too long to recognize that and swing a deal for a guy like Matt Kemp of the Dodgers or Prince Fielder of the Brewers. Cahill, Anderson, and Gonzalez are All-Stars in the making and guys like Braden and Brandon McCarthy(another guy having an excellent spring) are capable of putting together a couple good stretches as well.

2. The Yankees will stumble in the first month or two, and the press will be pressuring Brian Cashman to make a deal for Felix Hernandez. Smart money is on King Felix being a Yankee by this time next season. The Mariners can say they have no intention of keeping him but, with Seattle going nowhere, whose to say they'd balk at a desperation offer from New York. If the Carmelo Anthony trade has taught us anything, it's that New York fans and media can have a huge impact on a team getting itchy to pull the trigger on a blockbuster. The Yankees don't have a proven ace beyond C.C. Sabathia and the drool accumilating in the seats of the new Yankee Stadium over a CC-King Felix one-two would potentially soak Cashman's offices until a deal is made. I can't see Seattle making that deal this season but if the M's go in the tank again like they did last year, what's keeping them from having a fire sale?

3. Offensively, the Baltimore Orioles will be one of the most exciting teams in baseball. With the additions of Vlad Guerrero and Mark Reynolds, Baltimore has quietly built itself a sneaky good collection of hitters. With the exception of oft-injured second baseman Brian Roberts, every member of the O's lineup has the potential to hit at least 15 bombs this season. Bad Vlad may be aging but he proved last year he can still rake in the DH spot. Reynolds will hit somewhere in the low .200s but he'll provide a few bombs when he does connect on pitches. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones are ready to take the next step and C Matt Weiters won't be that far behind. Helping the lineup's cause will be the fact that the rotation in Baltimore is terrible. With the O's constantly in a slugfest, we might be in for a long season of 10-9 slugfests. Given the lack of motivation for fans to go to Camden Yards in recent years, that may be a reason to go out to the ballpark.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies - The offseason hype has jinxed the Phils already with All-Star 2B set to miss a good bit of the early part of the season with knee troubles and closer Brad Lidge also expected to sit the first 6 weeks due to injury. Those would be huge blows to an ordinary team but not one that possesses the best rotation in baseball since the mid-90's Braves. A rotation of Cy Young winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as well as proven hurlers like former World Series MVP Cole Hamels and the remarkably consistant Roy Oswalt is such an embarrassment of riches from a pitching standpoint, it hardly seems fair. Lidge will be missed in the 9th inning but Jose Contreras has filled in admirably in the past that the panic button can remain out of reach. As for the lineup, Utley's absence will be felt. SS Jimmy Rollins has shown signs of decline and there isn't really anyone else to protect big 1B Ryan Howard with Jayson Werth in Washington and Raul Ibanez all but washed up. The question will be whether Philly can remain patient enough in holding Utley back if the team struggles to keep Atlanta at bay early on. Another anticipated return besides Utley's will be the eventual call-up of highly touted prospect Domonic Brown. Brown struggled last season in a brief stint in the majors last year and injuries and a poor spring led the Phillies to go with Ben Francisco in right field over Brown but it is only a matter of time before Brown is ready to bust loose. The Phillies have the advantage of not having much in the division beyond Atlanta to worry about. The team will struggle to find itself early on but, once Utley returns, the combination of a dominant pitching staff and a balanced lineup will have the Phillies running away with the East by August. The only problems facing the Phillies will be whether it succumbs to the pressure of its own hype.

NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers - I'm all in on the Brewers this year. Eventhough they play in a glorified Little League ballpark in Miller Park, the Brew Crew has finally put together the best 1-2 punch in the rotation since Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia. When healthy, Zach Grienke will be giving the boys in Philly a run for the Cy Young and, in his absence, Yovani Gallardo will be offering up his own shades of brilliance. Starter Shaun Marcum, also injured, will bolster the rotation when he returns as well. The bullpen is a bit sketchy with unproven closer John Axford but the hope is that this lineup won't have Milwaukee in too many close games. Even with All-Star OF Corey Hart starting the season on the DL, the lineup should still ring bells. Prince Fielder will be staring at dollar signs the way he stares at pork chops coming into his walk year and he'll be backed by fellow potential MVP candidate, LF Ryan Braun. 3B Casey McGehee, who broke out last year, will also give the lineup a boost in Hart's absence. The Brewers also made a move for some much needed speed at the top of the order. Former National Nyjer Morgan will platoon with fellow speedster Carlos Gomez to give Milwaukee a stolen base threat leading off. Injuries have Milwaukee behind the 8-ball early. Grienke and Marcum could miss at least the first month. Hart will miss almost as much, but when the team is whole, they possess the best balance to take over the division. If the team decides to hang on to Fielder, they'll be even more deadly come playoff time.

NL West: Colorado Rockies - The NL West seems to always come down to who is hottest in the last month. The San Diego Padres led the West for most of 2010 but the San Francisco Giants stole it from the Pods and inevitably won it all. The Rockies are projected to sit behind the defending champions in many magazines but they have something the Giants don't: a legitimate hitter in the middle of the order. If he can stay healthy, SS Troy Tulowitzki is an MVP candidate. Tulo has a great combination of power and speed and 40-40 isn't out of his realm IF he can stay in tact. For all his talents, Tulo has the body of Mr. Glass. He's played more than 125 games twice in his career. Another young star in this lineup is last year's breakout star Carlos Gonzalez. CarGo his .336 with 34 homers, 114 RBI and 26 stolen bases. He and Tulo give Colorado a hell of a one-two punch in the middle of the lineup. Beyond that dynamic duo, there's steady vet Todd Helton, speedy Dexter Fowler and a couple of capable bats in 2B Jose Lopez and C Chris Iannetta. Another name that I find intriguing on the Rockies' roster: former MVP Jason Giambi. Giambi may be washed up and his path will be blocked by another dinosaur in Helton but the combo of his pop and the thin Colorado air makes him at least somewhat dangerous in a pinch hit scenario. Of course, big offensive numbers have always come natural in Coors Field. The key for the Rockies will be pitching. For Colorado to take this division, ace Ubaldo Jiminez needs to play like the first half Cy Young favorite he was last year and less like the guy who won just four games after the All-Star break. The Rockies will also need young arms like Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel and Jhoulys Chacin(currently injured) to step up as well. Chacin has the best chance to break out once he comes off the DL. Just 23, Chacin finished with a disappointing 9-12 record last year but still managed to keep his ERA under 4 in a proven hitter's park. The Rockies won't be able to match arms with the Giants. They'll have to hope that their young bats can stay healthy and outmash a more dominant rotation. History has proven that the West is seldom won by the favorite and more by the team with the potential to get hot late. That very well could be Colorado.

NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants - The Giants' rotation is too stacked to keep the defending champs out of the postseason. Two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum is determined not to fade down the stretch like he did last season. Behind him, there's Matt Cain, who could be in the running for his own Cy Young award with a little help from the bats this year. Madison Bumgarner has a ton a hype for a 21-year old with no real track record and Jonathan Sanchez is a steady innings eater in the middle of the staff. Rounding out the rotation is overpaid former Cy Young winner Barry Zito. Zito hasn't had a season of note since leaving Oakland but if he can get his famous curve back to what it was early in his career, he's as good a #5 starter as there is in the league. The problem, as mentioned before, is the lack of a proven bat. 1B Aubrey Huff hit .290, drove in 86 and dropped 26 bombs but he's hardly someone pitchers fear and there's no protection around Huff to keep teams from pitching around him. The "Kung Fu Panda", 3B Pablo Sandoval, dropped 40 pounds in hopes of getting back to his 2009 form but it remains to be seen whether he can do it. C Buster Posey lived up to the hype last season but, he too, has to prove he's not a fluke. Beyond that, there's World Series hero David Ross, who came out of nowhere to be San Fran's unsung hero. The Giants will also try to resurrect the corpse of Miguel Tejada at shortstop. The face of the franchise, however, is closer Brian Wilson. Eventhough he'll start the season on the DL, Wilson has made himself a household name with his trademark beard and outstanding charisma. Wilson is the big name on one of the best bullpens in baseball and his return shortens ball games for opponents already facing a tough starting rotation. The heat is on San Francisco to not fall asleep at the wheel as the defending champions. Pitching-wise, they are the NL's only hope to keep Philly out of the series. The key is continued development in their young stars like Posey and Sandoval and getting some production from aging vets like Huff and Tejada. The division has gotten a lot better around them and, most importantly, the Giants won't be able to sneak up on teams like they did last year. The hunters are now the hunted and it's fight or flight time.

NL Team on the Rise: Florida Marlins - Much like the A's, the Marlins are a young team with good young pitching. Josh Johnson is a dark horse for the Cy Young. Ricky Nolasco is a capable starter. Javy Vazquez, while no where near young, has had his best seasons while pitching in the National League, and Anibal Sanchez and Chris Volstad are adequate at the back of the rotation. The Marlins also have a nice complement of young hitters. Hanley Ramirez is one of the best hitters in baseball with amazing speed and power. Chris Coghlan is a former Rookie of the Year. Gaby Sanchez has power at first base. The guy with the most potential, and somebody who will be talking about further later on, is OF Mike Stanton. Stanton has amazing raw power, which he showcased last season in hitting 22 homers last year. In Year 2, he'll need to improve on his .259 average from last season and prove he can be a legit power threat for a full season. The Marlins' growth will be stunted by an equally young and talented Braves team and a perenially loaded Phillies team in the East but they are growing and they are bad stretch by either Atlanta or Philly from being right back in the mix.

NL Team on the Decline: St. Louis Cardinals - The New York Mets being in decline goes without saying and it's not even funny to joke about them anymore. They're poorly managed, poorly run, overpaid and oft-injured. We get it. They're the New Jersey Nets of baseball. St. Louis, meanwhile, is headed on its own downward spiral and not just this season. Adam Wainwright will miss all of this season while undergoing Tommy John surgery but, even when he comes back, he and fellow ace Chris Carpenter are far too much of an injury risk to be relied upon to carry the team's pitching staff. Then, there's the Albert Pujols fiasco. Now, I don't think "The Terminator" is leaving The Lou but you have to be a little worried about him being a free agent at the end of the season, don't you? If Pujols leaves the Cardinals, you might as well kiss baseball in Nellyville goodbye. Beyond being the best player in the sport, there's nobody else in the farm system that registers a blip of excitement. Is Colby Rasmus doing anything for you, Cards fans? Getting all warm and fuzzy over Skip Schumaker, are you? Even if Pujols stays, he'll be 31 and probably vastly overpaid even for someone with his resume. Alex Rodriguez was the best player in baseball both times he got his big contract, and he deserved about $100 million less both times. If Pujols is getting $30 mil a year, then the Cards are getting hosed and that's your best case scenario if you're a Cards fan right now.

2011 NL Breakout Player: Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins - For the next decade, Stanton vs. Jason Heyward battling for home run titles, MVPs and division titles will be the most exciting matchup between young potential greats at one position since A-Rod vs. Jeter vs. Nomar back in the 90's. With more experience, Stanton will get his average up and become a sure-shot 30+ homer beast for the next decade. Last year's 22 homer campaign was just a taste. This year, he makes a name for himself.

Three Fearless National League Predicitons:

1. The Dodgers will trade Matt Kemp. Having covered the Dodgers for most of last season, I can tell you there wasn't much to be excited about last year....and that's when they had Manny Ramirez in the lineup. Now, Man-Ram is gone and the face of the franchise is a disenchanted centerfielder who spent last year getting called out by his GM and manager. Kemp has five-tool talent and a one-tool brain. He's skilled but lacks hustle and focus. The Dodgers have holes in quite a few places and they could always lock down some more pitching since Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley are #2 starters at best. If the Dodgers start off slow, don't be shocked if Kemp's name surfaces on the trade block. Besides, Kemp is coming off a breakup with Rihanna, and we all saw the effects that had on her LAST boyfriend.

2. Chipper Jones will pull a Ken Griffey Jr. and retire midseason. I've been a Braves fan for almost 20 years and Chipper Jones is one of my four or five favorite players of all-time, but the reality is he's washed up. It's over. I don't care how great he's been in spring training. At the end of the day, those knees have seen their better days and that body is just not going to hold up the whole season. Chipper has enough pride to not end on a bad note but also has enough common sense to not go out there and stink up the ballpark just for the sake of a proper farewell tour.

3. Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen will be the poor man's Tulo and CarGo. Look, the safest bet in baseball is the Pittsburgh Pirates finishing with another losing season. We all know they suck. They have no pitching and any half decent guy that emerges ends up getting dealt elsewhere. Still, if Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen can remain in Pittsburgh, they'll bring a slight bit of excitement to PNC Park residents. McCutchen is a five-tool, speed/power guy similar to Carlos Gonzalez. He put up a decent season last year and now, much like Mike Stanton and Jason Heyward, he's ready to take it another step with more at bats. Alvarez has been slated to hit cleanup for the Bucs and he has the type of raw power to put up some solid numbers for years to come. Watching the Pirates won't be pretty this season, but at least TiVo the at-bats of these two kids before they inevitably get sent to the Yankees.

HANDING OUT HARDWARE

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Red Sox - It's pretty simple math. If he was crushing the ball in San Diego, he's bound to put up big numbers in a small ballpark in Beantown.

AL Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia, SP, Yankees - Cliff Lee and Zach Grienke going to NL a year after Roy Halladay left the AL just thins the competition for C.C., who should have won it last year. The only one standing in Sabathia's way is King Felix and there's no way writers give the award to a pitcher on a losing team two years in a row. Sabathia wins 20, becomes the lone bright spot for the Yankees' pitching staff and shines his Cy Young award while watching the playoffs at home.

NL MVP: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies - Obviously, Pujols in a contract year makes him the huge favorite but he's the favorite every year. Joey Votto beat out Pujols last year by putting up good numbers in a hitter's park for a division winner. The same will be true for Tulo, who will add some stolen bases as he flirts with 40-40 this season.

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, P, Phillies - I know, I know, it's boring but like Ric Flair once said "To be the man, you gotta beat the man!" and who's beating out Halladay this year?

NLCS: Phillies over Brewers in 6 - Grienke vs Halladay becomes one for the ages but inevitably the Phils' depth in the rotation and proven bullpen outlasts the Brew Crew.

ALCS: Red Sox over Angels in 5 - BoSox are far too talented and balanced this year. If they can get by Chicago, nobody else stands a chance.

World Series: Phillies over Red Sox in 7 - Papelbon implodes as Halladay takes home the World Series MVP. Utley hobbles his way through seven games doing his best Kirk Gibson impression and sportswriters spend the next six months wondering if this Phils' pitching staff is the best we ever seen.