With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Nevermind. The Eagles picked up 2nd and 4th round picks this year, and Carolina's 1st round picked next year. That's a good trade. I take back the profanities I've uttered in the past 5 minutes.

[caja-dglh]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

God I would hate to be a Detroit fan when it comes to the draft. There has to be some outstanding skill to make everyone go "WTF?" year after year.

[caja-dglh]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

This is a really crappy draft this year Gyuri, so it makes some sense. Much more filling needs than talent (the fact that Offensive Tackles are the big choice seems to show that).

Some very bizarre trades going on in the first round - very active. I like the 8min rule for the first round as well.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

dglh,

I agree. My initial concern (before I saw what the Eagles received) was that they were trading out of the first round for salary cap reasons, which is always frustrating, though understandable. The fact that they got a 1 and a 2 out of it, makes it a very good trade, and increases the likelihood that they can make a trade with Detroit or Arizona for Roy Williams or Anquan Boldin.

[caja-dglh]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Some of the trades offered to get out of the 1st round have been excellent deals when you think how little there is to take. A 2nd & 4th round with next years 1st round as well is a no-brainer to my mind. Gives you a lot of capital to trade back up if you need too as well.

I have been following this, my first draft, on ESPN with a Dallas fan and a Colts fan guiding my knowledge. There seems to be a few young men who are decidedly richer today than anyone would ever have expected (a lot of forecast R2 picks going top 20)

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

The Dallas fan must be happy, they've had a superior draft so far. Damn Cowboys. Feel free to mock him about their failure to win a playoff game in 11 years, but kindly tell him to stuff it if he points out that the Eagles have never won the Super Bowl.

This draft had a relatively weak first round, and so, despite many mock drafts having people going in the second round rather than the first, there was never that much difference in the assessment of their talent.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

5 hours into the draft, the Eagles make their first selection, and 5 minutes later they make their second.

I can't for the life of me figure out why they took a defensive tackle with that first pick. Their two starting DTs were first round picks two and three years ago. Other than QB, it was their least area of need.

With the second pick, they took DeSean Jackson, the WR from Cal. He's tiny, but fast, and should solve the Eagles' kick/punt return problems. Also, maybe he'll make UA an Eagles fan.

Dynamo Kev, what do you think about this?

[Dynamo Kev]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Two of their biggest needs were Safety and OT.. When they traded with Carolina- an OT was drafted, when they traded with Min- a Safety was drafted.. hmmmm.. It'll be easy to figure out if the trades panned out for them..

The DT is strange- though they like to play 4 or 5 a game- ..

I still can't believe Lito hasn't been traded yet.. HOW ABOUT THIS JV- Lito for Shockey..
It won't happen for a number of reasons- but if they didn't franchise LJ Smith- maybe..
We hate him now- but if he was on our team, they would build statues in his honor..

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

I'd still hate that guy, even if he played for the Eagles. . .I mean, he played for the Hurricanes and the Giants. If it was just one I could deal with it, but the combo is a stain that can't be removed.

Granted, he's less objectionable than Michael "History's Greatest Monster" Irvin who was part of the hilariously infamous Hurricanes team that choked to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, and then was an Eagle killer for the Cowboys.

[jason voorhees]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

I don't know what to say. I've been off-rhythm for this whole thread. I didn't even get a chance to make any "look at the bright side, at least you don't have the last pick" jibes and jokes.

I personally like Boss better than the Shockster. Boss was absolutely integral during the run, coming up with such well-timed catches with a knack unseen since Simms-to-Bavaro; yet people seem to think anyone who says Boss is better than Shockey is an idiot. I mean, a guy who makes your quarterback better, who runs the routes he's supposed to, and shuts the f up and plays the game is worse ? I mean shit, you won one Superbowl against an unbeatable team without the guy, go out and win another one.

But they got the safety they wanted, and no need for any Iggle-Jint nonsense. (I'll also say, in case I haven't mentioned it during the past few years, that I taught at New Brunswick HS with LJ Smith's uncle. I had to take over his math classes for 3 days for the Pats-Iggles SuperBowl. He was one of the coaches for the Dwayne Jarrett/Andre Dixon years - Dixon being star running back for UCONN.)

The original trade talk was Shockey to the Saints. He would've done well in Nawlins, especially with Brees and the Big Eaz. But the Saints weren't getting rid of any safeties.

I'd say the best pick of the draft is McFadden to the Raiders. If Russell didn't bomb his whole career by missing that first training camp, their offense can be terrifying. McFadden is awesome.

I'm happy to see Ray Rice o' Rutgers becoming Ray Rice o' the Ravens. That's a better situation for him than Brian Leonard going to the Rams.

Finally, it's amazing how many teams are looking for kick returners. Call it the Hester-effect.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

I didn't even get a chance to make any "look at the bright side, at least you don't have the last pick" jibes and jokes.

I've been, um, fortunate enough never to have to witness the Eagles have the last pick. . .

On Shockey, I agree with you and think you're better off with Boss. Shockey could be an absolute monster on the field, but you could count on him to disappear for awhile and Eli always seemed to be trying to force him the ball. Eli, to my chagrin, looked great without him.

But they got the safety they wanted. . .

Also the safety I wanted for the Eagles. In fact, it was a frustrating draft day because the Cowboys got the RB I wanted the Eagles to draft, the Giants got the safety and the Skins got two of the WRs. But at least the Eagles got a 5'9" WR/returner. . .One of the bright sides, though, of the Jackson pick is that if he turns out to be at all a viable receiver, he will force the safeties to play back and open up some space for Westbrook (if he stays healthy).

The division is only going to be rougher next year, with the Cowboys solidifying their defensive and offensive backfields (and dumping Julius Jones), and the Redskins putting together a potentially frightening set of receiving weapons.

[Reed John]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

It's a travesty that Dan Connor hasn't been picked yet. Now he'll likely go early in the third round, so he'll get paid less and go to a crappy team.

I'm hoping he ends up with the Eagles. I think they could use a linebacker like him and he's from the Philly area, so he'd be a good fit.

Miami didn't choke against Penn State in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, they lost because our defense was so physically dominant and kept hitting Michael Irvin so he got alligator arms. Vinny Testeverde can't read complex schemes, so with a month to prepare, Jerry Sandusky and Joe Paterno threw all kinds of defensive looks at him and got him to throw FIVE interceptions, which is one more pass than Penn State QB John Schaeffer completed (really, he was 4 for 8. Never much of a QB, but he was a winner and a nice guy too. He was the Big Brother for a kid in my neighborhood).

Testeverde was never very good at reading defenses and never got much better at it throughout his career. "Choke" implies that he suddenly got worse.

I know a lot about that game. I've watched it again about 20 times. Each time I get nervous that Miami is going to score on the final drive. But then the sack and then on the last play Vinny throws into quintuple coverage. Pete Giftopolis seals it. It was the greatest moment of my life.

[caja-dglh]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Oh, C'mon. I am the Brit who is the only one on this thread laughing at Detroit? I know it is a tradition for you guys, but I want some quality digs at them for their draft antics. I can't give that.

[jason voorhees]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Detroit Not Selecting Another WR = Good Draft For the Lions

Hate to say it, but the trade may be good for them. They dropped down 2 spots and got their offensive lineman, and got 3 picks for the price of 2. I for one won't be able to clown Millen this year.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Reed,

I used the term "choke" because I was in a foul sports-related mood and was trying to belittle the Hurricanes, not take anything away from Penn St. That game was one of the formative experiences of my childhood. I was a Penn State fan, who had just moved to S. Florida and was, it seemed, the only person in the state rooting for PSU. This caused me a ton of grief in my new school, including regular fights (me getting beat up) and mocking, and every time the Hurricanes did something provocative (like show up to the team dinner in fatigues and then walk out in the middle, or breath), it meant that I was getting my ass kicked in school.

So that game took on a very real quality of good v. evil for me, and that 'Canes team has always been my least favorite collection of pro athletes. I rooted against each and every won of them for their entire pro careers (except for Jerome Brown, although I only grudgingly didn't boo him), and Irvin and Jimmy Johnson going to the Cowboys cemented my antipathy for that team.

(by the way, all of this is set-up for when the time comes that I am placed in a position to defend the Eagles fans cheering of Michael Irvin's career ending injury at the Vet.)

[Soccer Scrimmage]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Yeah, I was going to mention that.

[Dynamo Kev]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

The Eagles are drafting like a team that's coming off a Super Bowl- plugging a few cracks.. They were 8-8 and have huge holes.. Another undersized OLB/DE tweener from a small school..
I'm done.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

The third round pick was odd, as we're not really lacking for undersized rushers. That being said, Reid/Johnson's philosophy is speed not size on the edges, and has been fairly effective (given that the Reid-era has been far and away the best for the Eagles since the '60s). Also, they've drafted undersized speed DE's well (Burgess and Cole) and I would imagine they see value with these guys. The other thing to keep in mind is that Johnson's defense is predicated on D-line pressure, and they've always placed a premium on that rather than linebackers. It strikes me as a bit counterintuitive, but it has, generally, worked when they've had the right players.

As for filling cracks rather than the bigger holes, my sense is that they saw this draft as having one or two truly valuable players (which they tried and failed to trade up for), and then a whole lot of middling value.

[Reed John]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Gyuri, that must have been horrible. If it were me, I would have cursed my parents for moving me there.

It really was as clear a case of good versus evil as there has ever been in sports.

UMiami football is still a bush-league outfit, regardless of how many championships they win.
We went to the Penn State-Miami game down there in 1999 (where PSU won after perennial underachiever Ron Graham made a huge stop on fourth and short and then PSU went ahead on a miraculous down field throw from Kevin Thompson to Chaffee Fields. Thompson wasn't really that good. It was like the hand of God came down and touched him and he threw the pefect pass just so our trip to Miami wouldn't be ruined.)

Anyway, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the Miami fans and the atmosphere at the Orange Bowl. The stadium itself is a dump. They only sold the game out the day before (at that time, both teams were in the top 10) and at least a quarter of the fans there were PSU fans. They have a pretty good marching band, but the band was drowned out by outdated pop songs blared through the PA. Their fans only sing along song was "Whomp, There It Is." Most of their fans the sort of guys who wear bandanas on their head at all time and have barbed-wire tatoos on their bicep.

Anyway, Connor got picked by Carolina, which isn't too bad. Carolina has potential to be pretty good this year and if they don't, they'll probably fire Fox and try to get Bill Cowher.

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

If it were me, I would have cursed my parents for moving me there.

I threw a five-year long temper tantrum to exact revenge.

I can't and won't argue with anything you wrote about UMiami.

As for Connor, I was hoping he'd go to the Eagles. I hope he excels on a terrible Panthers team, b/c the Eagles have the Panthers first round pick next year.

[Soccer Scrimmage]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Did that guy who has depression get picked?

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

I don't know, but I do know that the guy from Army who would have been shipped off to Iraq if he hadn't gotten picked got picked in the 7th round.

[Soccer Scrimmage]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Wait, is there some sort of "NFL exception" to your military service obligation?

[Gyuri]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Apparently, Army recently changed its policy so that people drafted by the NFL do not have to serve the mandatory 2 years. I don't think Navy or Air Force made the change.

[Soccer Scrimmage]

With the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the ...

Makes sense. If there's one thing America has a surplus of it's qualified Army officers, whereas we are suffering from a serious shortage of football players.