What Are We Going To Do?

Now, there are plenty of other things in the sports universe that are probably more worth a blogger’s time, but I’m going to talk about my beloved Milwaukee Brewers and where things might be headed with our organization.

I’m finding myself a little bit frustrated tonight for some reason. Normally, more so this year, I can deal fairly well with the Brewers losing. Normally, I’d say I’d rather see us get beat 8-0 than watch Trevor Hoffman give up three runs in the bottom of the ninth to the Cincinnati Reds without getting an out.

But tonight, I’m thoroughly frustrated with this performance and downright disgusted with this team at the moment.

Right when you think they might be on their way to turning it around and winning five out of six, they go and lose four of five on the immediate backside.

It just seems to get worse doesn’t it?

I watch every game. I listen to the post-game show every night. I can’t believe this team is so terrible. I was a firm believer that we could compete for the Wild Card in the National League. Boy was I wrong. Here’s one to put in your pipe: The 2010 Milwaukee Brewers are on pace to win 66 games.

Let me get into where this team may be going. I’ll start by saying that the Brewers must trade the big man, Prince Fielder, and DO NOT screw that up. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, look at the San Francisco Giants: good solid defense, sufficient hitting with guys like Panda Sandoval and Aubrey Huff and finally, untouchable pitching.  Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are #1 pitchers. The Brewers have zero #1 pitchers. We’ve seen flashes from Yovani but he’s not quite there yet.

There was also a time in which Manny Parra and Johnathan Sanchez were often compared to each other. Those days are gone as Sanchez has taken the next step while Parra continues on with his inconsistency.

I’m looking forward to next spring training with a new cast of characters, operating under the assumption that we blow this thing up and essentially start over. I’m afraid, fellow Brewer die hards, that our time with our “core” of Fielder, Braun, Weeks and Hart is dwindling…fast. Hardy’s already gone (good riddance) and I think Hart and Weeks days in Killwaukee have numbers.

If I’m taking over Doug Melvin’s job of getting rid of this excess baggage of this mess, I’m keeping only precious few players. I’ll take Braun, Gallardo, McGehee, Gomez, Escobar, Braddock, Counsell and Lucroy. I’ll take Randy Wolf primarily because of his contract. We build around those players everybody else needs to be traded or let walk. Weeks, Hart, Bush and Fielder need to be shopped for every bit of their value.

Bring our “young talent” up (i.e. Brett Lawrie, Lorenzo Cain, Mat Gamel) and let them have a go. Look at the Marlins and Athletics. They seemingly throw out their prospects maybe a touch early and see what they can do. I think hell would freeze over before Melvin would do this but that’s the way it needs to be done.

The pitching staff is a complete mess but it will start to look instantly better with the immediate departure of Jeff Suppan. Man, did that guy dick us? When I see Suppan pitch out there I think of Roger Dorn from Major League (an older player that is entirely overpaid and can’t do anything right). Matter of fact, Jeff Suppan did what Jeff Suppan does again tonight. He comes in for two innings and gets lit up and takes us out of the game.

Ken Macha putting Suppan into the game is Ken Macha waving the white flag on it.\

I could piss and moan all day long about this team but I digress for now.

Somebody’s Alive In Alameda!

Former #1 overall pick in 2007, JaMarcus Russell, will be released by the Oakland Raiders. It was just announced some few hours ago.

Russell was known not for his gaudy stats and leading the Silver & Black to many victories. Rather, he was known almost the polar opposite. He was known for his uncanny knack for fumbling the ball and throwing a boatload of interceptions.

It has also been noted by former teammates, namely Dominic Rhodes, that JaMarcus had no will to win or be any good at all. He was just there for the paycheck and that’s about it.

JaMarcus was only able to muster seven victories as the Oakland starter and in all the games I watched, never seemed to really care about his struggles. He’d mosey out onto the field, go three-and-out, and mosey off. Mind you his facial expressions never changed at any point.

You can blame part of this on Al Davis. He fell in love with Russell’s tangibles and ignored the fact that he was devoid of the intangibles that a quarterback needs to be successful in the NFL when he took him #1 overall and paid him that way. The Raiders have paid Russell over $38 million in over these three seasons.

Naturally, JaMarcus Russell held out in his rookie campaign like many other draft busts have in the past. He didn’t sign until halfway through the season and that really hurt his progression into the NFL. Another thing that hindered his development was his struggle with staying in shape. Again, that comes back to work ethic and wanting to succeed.

Now, one could argue that Russell couldn’t develop a rapport with a system because of coaching changes…that’s poppycock. I don’t think this guy would have succeeded in the Patriots’ system.

JaMarcus Russell gives the owners an Exhibit A when it comes to the talks about why there should be a rookie pay scale in the NFL. I absolutely agree. Why should owner pay millions of dollars for unproven talent?

I guess we can say let the Jason Campbell era begin in the East Bay, or we could say In Bruce We Trust. I solemnly swear that either of them is a significant upgrade over Russell, then again, anyone with a pulse may be an upgrade to that “quarterback”.

Clock Strikes Midnight on Milwaukee

After squandering a golden opportunity to win the series with the Atlanta Hawks in the Bradley Center on Friday, the Bucks were unable to repeat their performance on Wednesday and steal another one in the Dirty South on Sunday.

The Bucks’ dream season has finally come to an end.

And it’s a little painful, I cannot lie. We had received a gift from the Hawks after they blew a near double digit lead late in Game 5 in Atlanta. The Bucks were supposed to come home take care of business, like they had done in games 3 & 4, and get ready for a brutal Orlando series.

Instead, the Bucks could not make a shot to save their lives and more specifically, John Salmons and Brandon Jennings couldn’t get anything to go down in Game 6. When you take those two guys out of an already pathetic offense, you aren’t going to win a lot of games.

I admit, I had the Hawks taking care of the Bucks in five games, and after the first two games, that seemed like a stretch with the way the Hawks had our number. Give the Bucks credit for taking it seven games.

Atlanta seemed to have remember how to play defense in these last two games too. You have to give them a ton of credit for finding it within themselves to beat a team that had no pressure and was in the driver’s seat in Game 6. Having said that, they are a much more talented team than Milwaukee and should have beat us handily.

I am not fretting too much over this loss however. The Bucks are a very young team and should have a few more good years. The road to the playoffs next year begins tomorrow. The draft is coming up sooner than you think and you can bet that Scotty Skiles and the boys will be looking at their prospects for where they want to go with the first round pick.

I think they go with a nice power forward in the first round. Ideally, we should snag Patrick Patterson out of Kentucky should he fall that far. A more realistic pick I think would be Ekpe Udoh from Baylor. Remember, we will switch picks with Chicago because of the John Salmons deal. That gives us the #15 pick because the Bulls decided that they wanted to make the playoffs with five games left. We could have had the #12 pick if the Bulls stayed the course they were on.

It will be interesting to see where the Bucks go with the pick. There’s no question that the Bucks have a good nucleus right now and we should be right back here next year. Hopefully with home-court advantage then as well.

Raiders Draft Review

Let me start by saying this: I am very, very pleased with the way things unfolded for the Oakland Raiders organization this past weekend.

Rolando McClain/MLB/Alabama

We get a good, young prospect at MLB in Rolando McClain out of Alabama with the first round pick. I don’t care what Mel Kiper Jr. says, we did not reach for this guy. He was projected to go in the top half of the first round and he did. For what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in quickness and football IQ. He’s good against the run and also good defending the pass. He was a staple and centerpiece in a National Championship defense.

Lamarr Houston/DT/Texas

In the second round we took another prospect on the defensive side of the ball in Lamarr Houston. The guy was allegedly a running back in high school and ended up being 300 pounds by the time he left Texas. Houston will start right away and I expect him to contribute right away. Anything to get Gerard Warren’s fat ass off the field is a plus.

Jared Veldheer/OT/Hillsdale

Third round we go and get a D-II stud in Jared Veldheer. Actually, he was an All-American at Hillsdale College. The guy is an absolute behemoth. He’s over 6’8″ and weighs 310 and is considered to be an athletic tackle. Now, it does scare me a bit that he will have a huge jump going from a NCAA Divsion II school to the NFL, but if he’s so athletic, it won’t matter all that much.

Bruce Campbell/OT/Maryland

Fourth round we snatch workout warrior Bruce Campbell out of Maryland. I’m just thankful we didn’t waste our first round pick on this guy. He’s raw but he’s got some talent and with proper coaching, he could be alright in the NFL and he adds depth to the offensive line.

Jacoby Ford/WR/Clemson

We were able to get another fourth round pick in a trade with Jacksonville that sent Kirk Morrison to the Jags for this pick. We no longer had use for Morrison after the McClain pick, so we took a typical Al Davis guy, Jacoby Ford out of Clemson. This guy was a track star and ran one of, if not the best 40 times in this year’s combine. I think it’s a good pick in the sense that we have a decent KR/PR prospect in this guy.

Walter McFadden/CB/Auburn

A lot of the pundits say that this could be a fifth-round value pick. Not the fastest corner but has solid cover skills. He adds depth to a pretty crowded secondary, but we could probably afford to get rid of a guy like John Bowie right?

Travis Goethel/LB/Arizona State

With the sixth-round pick we took ASU’s Travis Goethel. I think this guy has the sound tackling ability to be a contributor on Special Teams. He was a three-year starter for the Sun Devils so he has decent experience at the position. I like this pick for some reason.

Jeremy Ware/DB/Michigan State & Stevie Brown/DB/Michigan

I have to think these guys will have a hell of a time making the team with such a fountain of DBs on the roster, but you never know. Jeremy Ware is fast that’s all I know.

We were also able to steal QB Jason Campbell from the Washington Redskins for a 2012 fourth-round pick. I’m pretty happy about this move because A) it signals the end being near for JaMarcus Russell and B) a change of scenery can often do good for a professional athlete. The pressure was mounting in D.C. for Campbell, but now he can come out here where the team is already garbage and nobody expects them to be good anyway.

Bucks Even Series As We Head Back to the ATL

The Milwaukee Bucks have gotten the series back to where it started. It’s a whole new series in Atlanta with it tied 2-2.

I was fortunate enough to attend this game. Let me to you, the place was rocking. We booed Josh Smith loudly and clearly every time he touched the rock. The crowd went crazy many times for the Bucks very stingy defense throughout the game.

I felt that it was important for the Bucks to come out and have a good start against the Hawks. Not necessarily have the lead after the first stanza but not be down by 18 points either.

Carlos Delfino’s hot shooting was the story of the first half. The guy had a quick thirteen points and really got the Bucks going.

Backup center Dan Gadzuric played like a champ in that third quarter. It would be so huge if we could get Danny G to step up in every game like he did tonight. When he had that block on Joe Johnson, I was in a better place. I swear. It was a mixture of euphoria and disbelief.

I was very pleased to see the Bucks have three players get over 20 points tonight. That’s obviously very good balance for a team with no true superstars.

The story of the game was the Bucks great defense. We held the Hawks to a relatively mild 47% from the field while the Bucks shot 55% from the floor. A ten point advantage from the charity stripe and a 44-26 points in the paint advantage helps Milwaukee overcome fifteen turnovers.

The Bucks have already done better than I thought they would. I thought they’d get a token victory at home and probably be done after five games. I should have taken into consideration that Atlanta wasn’t anything special on the road all year and that the Bucks would have the opportunity to win both at home.

The series continues on Wednesday in Atlanta with a 2-2 count and the Bucks have new life.

And remember, always Fear The Deer.

Murph’s 2010 Packers Mock Draft

I’m happy to welcome the Daily Dose’ very own “draft expert” aboard this morning. It’s draft day and this kid stayed up all night doing his Packers Big Board. Enjoy. Warning: It’s very lengthy. The guy loves him some Packers football.

Bonjour, to the greater Midwest area and Packer Nation, as many of you might have noticed the 2010 NFL Draft is within 18 hours of us as I embark on this report. Following up on 11-5 season and a wildcard birth for the Green Bay Packers, in which we saw quite possibly one of the most dramatic and nauseating ends to are seasons in team history we go into the 2010 Draft with high hopes and expectations. In a year where Packer Nation was finally assured (if there any doubters out there please stop reading) that we have found a pupil and successor to Brett Lorenzo Favre in Aaron Rodgers. The Packers look to continue to build there team into a Super Bowl caliber team around his rocket arm and big grin. His supporting cast on offense is a product of the Packers Pro Personal Department wise and precise additions in the draft, free agency, and via trade over the past years. With players flourishing in Head Coach Mike McCarthy offensive scheme as WR Greg Jennings, WR James Jones, WR Jordy Nelson, TE Jermichael Finley, RB Ryan Grant, RB Brandon Jackson, and FB John Kuhn just to name a few. Hopefully we are looking down a bright and hopefully Lombardi trophy littered tunnel. On defensive heading into his 2^nd year as Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers, looks to use his 2^nd NFL Draft with the Packers as a way to bolster a NFL ranked 5^th defensive team in 2009. With proven veterans as Defensive MVP CB Charles Woodson, DL Ryan Pickett, and ILB Nick Barnett; and immerging stars like OLB Clay Matthew’s, FS Nick Collins, DL Cullen Jenkins, and DL Johnny Jolly, they look to improve on there development in the 3-4 defensive and getting to the quarterback.

In looking at the draft needs in 2010 for the Packers many are still available to due to the usual quiet and conservative strategy in free agency by the front office. Gone is former Pro Bowler Aaron Kampman who suffered a season ending ACL injury week 11 vs. San Francisco. Kampman leadership will be missed as well his fan favorite status, but as the defensive scheme switched to a 3-4 scheme in the 2009 season he never really found a position in which fit his style of play. Inevitability management put into consideration his injury, money his was commanding, and overall fit for the defense as reason to bless him for his time in Green Bay, but say good-bye. Occurring also during the week 11 matchup vs. San Francisco, starting cornerback Al Harris was lost for the season with and an ACL injury ( Al Harris: Road to Recovery ). This link offers encouragement that Harris is recovering from injury, but much can be said if he will ever return to pre-injury form in which he was already showing sign’s of declining. Dom Capers would be pleased with a selection of an OLB/ 3-4 prototypical player to line up opposite of Clay Matthews’s. When looking at that position in 2009, it was not that Brad Jones was not a wonderful 7^th round rookie surprise last year, but him along with Brady Poppinga, Jeremy Thompson (who is contemplating retirement due to injury), and among a few others never really settled at the position after the Aaron Kampman experiment. Lastly the overall reliability of Atari Bigby being healthy over the past years has raised concerns of maybe turning the page and looking else were.

Turning to the offensive side of the ball OL is an issue that will be addressed in this draft. With the aging of both starting tackles Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, and uncertainty of their overall health going forward could cause for major concerns. Other than Jason Spitz who only played 5 contests in 2009 due injury and Scott Wells who played well in replacement, the overall experience and overall talent of the offensive of line can be put into question. Ryan Grant grinded out another successful 1200+ yard season and is an extremely hard runner and hard worker, additions would be accepted with open hands. The NFL is going through a change away from the once one star running back teams in which the lead back received 28-35 carries game, to more dual and three-head running back attacks. A speedy scat back to share the load with pass-blocking specialist and sure-handed RB Brandon Jackson would be beneficial. This all could be thrown out the door come Thursday-Saturday due to the front office’s prior history of taking the best player available on the board; which hasn’t worked out to bad (2005, 24^th selection Aaron Rodgers).

Draft Needs: OLB/DE, OL, DB, SS, RB, KR/PR,

Nolan’s Big Board: This is an analysis by self by the players in the first round that we could select at the 23^rd spot, or possibly move up to which has been rumored in the last 48 hours (could be blown smoke).

1.Brandon Graham OLB, Michigan
2.Maurkice Pouncey G/C. Florida
3. Sean Witherspoon OLB, Missouri
4. Kyle Wilson CB, Boise State
5. Earl Thomas FS, Texas
6. Charles Brown OT, USC
7.Kareem Jackson CB, Alabama
8.Sergio Kindle OLB, Texas
9.Devin McCourty CB, Rutgers
10.Patrick Robinson CB, Florida State
11.Taylor Mayes FS, USC
12.Eric Berry FS, Tennessee
13.Brian Buluga OT, Iowa
14.Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech
15.Jerry Hughes DE/OLB, TCU

1. When looking at Brandon Graham I feel he complies with the War Rooms top priority; Best Player available on the board and fells a need. Many over-paid analysts (Todd McShay) compare him to a James Harrison style. Played in a 4-3-type defense at Michigan, but can easily drop back into coverage and blitz from an OLB in a 3-4 scheme. Could fall to us do to his height.
2. Maurkice Pouncey : A player who experienced nothing but a winning environment in collage while protecting possibly one of the Best College Football “Players” in Tim Tebow. Pouncey Had 39 career starts for the Gators. Very athletic player who moves well, and is projected to be able to play center or guard in the league. I feel the Packers could easily find a starting spot for him, and would help fill a whole. Is an immediate impact player. Some downfalls are the offensive blocking scheme ran at Florida, in which he didn’t need to sustain blocks on the first level for long.
3. Prior to past years, the 2010 draft will have a heavy emphasize on player conduct due to what has transpired since Roger Goodell came into power. Sean Weatherspoon is not only an exceptional talent out of the Big-12, but a proven team leader and hard worker. At Missouri was often overshadowed as a 3-year starter by the highflying offenses of the Big-12. Was extremely productive in college, and would be a great complement opposite of Clay Matthews. He was pestered by scouts leading up to the draft with questions about his size, but responded extremely well to teams in interviews. Should be around at 23 unless Atlanta or New England gets in the way.
4. Kyle Wilson becomes the first CB to make the big board. Started 3-years at WAC powerhouse Boise State, and unlike most mid-majors schools (could of won the ACC this year) has been tested in big time games against BCS schools. The Packers will need to look at this one tough due to wondering what defensive back fits into their system. Is a bit on small side, but plays bigger then he is with strength and speed. Will be asked to play in the nickel role at least if drafted here. Will need to prove to people he can be a starting corner in the league. In addition he was an extremely good punt returner in college, and could fill a void at return that has been missing since Desmond (Heisman-pose) Howard.
5. Could be one of the bigger question marks in the first-round secondary pool of DB’s. Texas Earl Thomas had an outstanding career for the Longhorns playing the lock down corner spot. Most NFL scouts have him projected as a safety at the next level. Would work well for the Green Bay due to his ability to play in the nickel, and come up to the line to play receivers. Has great range and good ball skills. Question is how will he handle reading coverage’s from the centerfield position, and how will he handle moving down into the box on running downs. This is a risk/reward pick, but at 23^rd pick best player available situation.
6. For months everyone, and there grandma has figured quite possibly Charles Brown OT, USC could land in Green Bay. Would be able to be groomed in for around a year if Clifton and Tauscher stay healthy. Shows great athleticism, and even though scouts have said is 300 lb’s might be to light would fit well into Packers zone-blocking system. Was more experienced the likes of Bruce Campbell Maryland and Anthony Davis Rutgers. Questions about toughness and physical play will have to be answer in the pros, should be there for the picking at 23.
7. Kareem Jackson CB, Alabama, Was a highly productive d-back for Nick Saban and the National Champion Crimson Tide. Although was an early entry as a junior, he garnered a lot of experience as he started as a freshman. Shows a good balance of speed and size. Is a solid tackler, which is need in a Capers defense, in which he puts his corners on island and forces them to make open-field tackles. Doesn’t have exceptional ball skills and has not showed a lot of tape in which he matched up one-on-one vs. bigger receivers. Could be a stretch at 23, but would be able to learn under the wing of Sir Charles.
8. Sergio Kindle OLB/DE, Texas. Was an outstanding athlete at Texas, and came on after battling injuries as an underclassman. Very versatile in which he could payer OLB in the 3-4, and possibly come off the edge in nickel package. Like Weatherspoon, has size concerns and his ability to get off O-lineman has been scrutinized. Is big game player, and due to his athleticism should be a quality NFL pass-rusher. Looking back at the off the field issue’s has had a few incidents with the law due to driving drunk (Should stay out of trouble in the Bay). Will be there at 23 unless we see a run on OLB/DE’s.
9. Devin McCourty CB, Rutgers. Is on the smaller side for corners, which can only make Packer nation think of a Mike Sherman Blunder (Ahmad “Personal foul” Carroll). Needs to bulk up to play in NFL. Not an exact fit for Packers scheme. Has the speed to keep up with the best of them in the NFL. Came on in his senior year. It is a toss up between him and Patrick Robinson in my mind. Will be Available for all playoff teams looking to bolster secondary.
10. Patrick Robinson CB, Florida State. His draft stock has been inconsistent by many scouts across the league. Good size for a corner and displays great speed, to go along with a knack for the pigskin. Had an up and down college career, showing flash’s of a top 10 pick. Needs to be coached up a bit. A nagging ankle injury has been scrutinized heavily by some scouts, which occurred in his senior season.
11. Taylor Mays S/OLB, USC. He is my least favorite pick on this board, but landed here due to the physical specimen (Al Davis might pick him at #8.. hahaha). Would have been a higher pick coming out as a junior, but decided to stay for his senior year. Comes from a big time program with good pedigree. Is by far the best safety in the weight room and had the best combine numbers at his postion in the draft. I have concerns over work ethic, and would he really be an upgrade to what we have with Atari Bigby?

Final selection on my Big Board are reserved for in a case of a trade up. Ted Thompson might be waving that 2^nd or 3^rd round pick in the faces of teams between 9-16. Has only traded up twice in his draft history.

Eric Berry FS, Tennessee. By my grades is the best player in the 2010 draft. Might end up having the best career of all players. Showed nothing but play making skills in the SEC, and was a player that coaches like Saban and Meyer game-planned around. Would be ecstatic if we moved up and got him, but would take a lot. Has Ed Reed look to him.

These last three players would all be good selections for the Packers and would fit needs, but I can’t see the Front Office moving up for something they could easily fill at 23.

Brian Buluga OT, Iowa
Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech
Jerry Hughes DE/OLB, TCU

Thank you for sticking with me and let the madness begin…

-Time of finish 5:50 a.m. Thursday morning.

Raiders Mock Draft

It’s nearly impossible to predict what Mr. Davis will do with his draft picks but I will undoubtedly attempt to accomplish this unattainable feat. Only rounds one through four or so. After that, it’s a crapshoot.

First Round:

#8 overall- Bruce Campbell/OT/Maryland -

I’ve come to terms with the fact that Mr. Davis will reach again for a workout warrior. This epiphany happened last night actually. Some feel that Bruce “Ash” Campbell can be a dominant NFL LT with some fierce coaching, others feel that he’s simply a freak athlete that isn’t worth the Charmin Ultra Soft he wipes his toosh with. I think that head coach Tom Cable is as good as anybody at coaching on the offensive line, so Campbell has that going for him and in a few years could be a stud.

Second round:

#39 overall- Chris Cook/CB/Virginia

We need another corner, no question. Nnamdi isn’t getting any younger and I really like this kid’s size at the corner position and ran a 4.46 at the combine, something Al will like. He seems to be similar to Antonio Cromartie in his body build.

Third round:

#69 overall- Geno Atkins/DT/Georgia

Defensive line is one of many noticeable holes on the field for the Raiders and it has been for a while. I think this would be a decent choice by Mr. Davis. Atkins is a guy who has a rising draft stock and ran a 4.75 at the combine. He had a pretty good career for perennial SEC power Georgia as well.

Fourth round:

#106 overall- Jamar Chaney/ILB/Mississippi State

The linebacker position has been inconsistent as well for the Raiders. Enter Jamar Chaney, another guy who ran a solid forty time (4.54) at the combine. I know I’m harping on the forty times, but that’s what Mr. Davis goes for. This guy made most of his starts at the middle linebacker spot but also played quite a bit at the weak side spot.