NFL Draft Day Also Can Be Something of a Daft Day

April 25, 2013 @ admin → No Comments

It’s draft day for the NFL. Which means — in a stunning development — the Chicago Bears will select the player they wanted all along. Whoever that might be. In an equally stunning development, every other team with a first-round pick will land the player they wanted all along.

The Philadelphia Eagles have made some selections — for their 2013 cheerleaders. Credit: Philadelphia Eagles

Teams that trade up will be thrilled with their choices, as will teams that trade down, as will teams that retain their original draft positions. Everything is win-win. Well, until the players take the field.

Speaking of positions, each player chosen will be forecast to make an impact at the position he plays or is projected to play. Players with character issues no longer will have such baggage because teams have done their due diligence to make certain their picks will become Nobel Peace Prize nominees at the very least.

Each player chosen who might have had an injury history will be magically and medically cured. Guaranteed to be as good as new — if not better.

Another photo from Eagles cheerleader tryouts. Credit: Philadelphia Eagles

It’s like going shopping for a car. Somehow the new year’s model is going to be better than the previous ones. And the coaches and general managers — and the draft picks themselves — serve as the salesmen. Some of us will believe it when we see it.

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From the fine folks at Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV) come some numbers regarding the NFL draft:

HOW MANY QUARTERBACKS WILL BE SELECTED IN THE FIRST ROUND?
Over: 1 (EVEN)
Under: 1 (-140)

HOW MANY WIDE RECEIVERS WILL BE SELECTED IN THE FIRST ROUND?
Over: 3 (-140)
Under: 3 (EVEN)

HOW MANY SAFETIES WILL BE SELECTED IN THE FIRST ROUND?
Over: 2½ (-140)
Under: 2½ (EVEN)

Action from 2013 Vikings cheerleader tryouts. Credit: Minnesota Vikings

HOW MANY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS WILL BE DRAFTED IN THE FIRST ROUND?
Over/Under: 13

HOW MANY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS WILL BE DRAFTED IN THE FIRST ROUND?
Over/Under: 19

WHO WILL BE THE SECOND OVERALL PICK?
Eric Fisher: 1/2
Dion Jordan: 7/4
Geno Smith: 15/2
Luke Joeckel: 15/1

WHO WILL BE THE THIRD OVERALL PICK?
Shariff Floyd: -1000 (1/10)
Other Player: +550 (11/2)

Vikings cheerleader hopefuls had a swimsuit segment. Credit: Minnesota Vikings

WHO WILL BE THE FOURTH OVERALL PICK?
Lane Johnson: 3/2
Star Lotulelei: 7/4
Dion Jordan: 2/1
Chance Warmack: 9/1

WILL THE EAGLES TRADE THE FOURTH OVERALL PICK?
Yes +170 (17/10)
No -250 (2/5)

WHO WILL BE THE FIFTH OVERALL PICK?
Lane Johnson: 5/4
Ezekiel Ansah: 3/2
Eric Fisher: 3/1
Dee Miliner: 15/2

DRAFT POSITION FOR GENO SMITH
Over/Under: 8½

DRAFT POSITION FOR MATT BARKLEY
Over/Under: 37½

DRAFT POSITION FOR MARCUS LATTIMORE
Over/Under: 84½

DRAFT POSITION FOR TAVON AUSTIN
Over/Under: 13½

DRAFT POSITION FOR MANTI TE’O
Over/Under: 25½

DRAFT POSITION FOR EDDIE LACY
Over/Under: 22½

DRAFT POSITION FOR TYRANN MATHIEU
Over/Under: 75½

WHO WILL BE DRAFTED LAST?
Justin Hunter: -200 (1/2)
DeAndre Hopkins: +150 (3/2)

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Well, as long as we’re going to have some NFL coverage, we might as well as be comprehensive. Which must mean only one thing: cheerleaders. So here we go with some video:

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Martha Jo Black and her father Joe Black, who began his big-league career in 1952 as a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Today is Thursday (provided that yesterday was Wednesday, which we are fairly certain it was — as long as you are reading this on April 25, 2013, or a subsequent Thursday). Which means it is time for another edition of “Sports & Torts at noon Chicago time on Talkzone.com with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris. The highly acclaimed show (well, it is held in such high regard in the Spada and Harris households, as well as reportedly elsewhere) features some baseball for the April 25 program.

On the programw ill be Wilbur Wood, best known as a Chicago White Sox pitcher who is regarded as the best left-handed knuckleballer in big-league history. Sounds like a left-handed compliment, if you ask me. A Boston-area native, Wood began his career with the Boston Red Sox. He also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the White Sox.

The other guest will be Martha Jo Black, who works for the White Sox and deals with fan experience. Her life experience includes being the daughter of former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Joe Black. He was the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year.

For those who might miss the show (and/or for those who would like an encore performance), it will become available on podcast later in the day Thursday.

Here is a brief video with Martha Jo, who has a more extensive interview on “Sports & Torts”: