Recently by Q

If you don't want to hear "whining" then you should stop reading now, otherwise continue at your own peril.

So how many times have you watched a game (or even played in one) where the referee or umpire made a bad call that you felt cost a team a real shot at winning? I'm sure all sports fans have gone through it. And what's the typical response to that? It's the old, "Well it wasn't just that one call. They had plenty of other chances to win the game." or "They should be good enough team so that calls like that don't matter." Well, I'm here to say, "Fiddlesticks!" (It's a family friendly blog. I'm trying to keep it clean here.)

Even though this division can boast having a team in last year's Super Bowl, it still has to be one of the weakest divisions in the NFL.

1. Arizona Cardinals

There is no reason to believe that the Cardinals can't put together another solid season especially given the division in which they play. The offense is basically intact and if an actual running game shows up then this team could be scary... but I wouldn't count on it.

The defense actually finished last season very nicely putting up an impressive showing in the playoffs. That unit is largely unchanged so they should be able to continue their success.

However, if this team were in any other division they wouldn't finish first.

2. Seattle Seahawks

If there is a team who can push the Cardinals this season, it will be the Seahawks. Decimated by injuries last year, the beginning of this season sees key players on offense return, plus the addition of the explosive T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The ball should definitely be flying again. The suspect part here is how the running game will produce and if Julius Jones can be solid for the Seahawks. But then again, the Cardinals have no running game... uh but then again their receivers are much better.

On the defensive side of the ball, hopefully Mora's background can rub off on a unit that performed sub par last season. A more aggressive scheme is in the works which can hopefully raise the level of pass defending.

3. San Francisco 49ers

A surprising unit from last season which actually finished respectable as Singletary began to have his effect on the team. Alas, this team only has one true weapon in Frank Gore and is unable to sign Crabtree who overvalues his worth as the 10th pick in this year's draft.

This team hasn't done much to improve it's standing from the last season and will continue to languish until they find more talent.

4. St. Louis Rams

The re-tooling of the Rams will take a long time and this team is a far cry from its glory days. While the offense has a couple of tools with which to work, the defense has way too little talent to make this team competitive. Welcome to head coaching, Spagnuolo.

Well, here we are at the end of the first round and the end of the mock draft for 2009 here on TheDCSportsPage.com.

I’ve had the pleasure of being in the lovely town of Pittsburgh, but I can’t say I have any interesting stories about this town. Being a Capitals fan, I obviously hate the Penguins and that’s way before the most recent Ovechkin vs. Crosby rivalry. What true Caps fan can forget the various heartbreaking playoffs losses? But I digress (isn’t that what I’m supposed to do with these mock draft postings?). I can say I respect the Steelers for being the most consistent football team I know. For the most part they’ve always been competitive and now they are the NFL’s leading Super Bowl winners with six titles. It’s hard not to admire a blue collar team that’s successful.

Assuming your team didn’t trade into this position, this is obviously where you want to be drafting. You’re the champs and you get to flaunt it until at least February until the new ones are crowned… or if you’re lucky enough your team can extend their reign for yet another year.

So what do the Super Bowl XLIII Champions need?

32nd Pick: Alex Mack, C, California

Believe it or not, the Champions could stand to upgrade on the offensive line, so why not take the best Center in the draft? The added benefit is that Alex is versatile enough to also see action in the Guard position as well.

Thanks for joining us for this year’s mock draft. If you had a good time, please leave a comment letting us know. Heck, if you had a bad time, tell us that as well. We’d love to hear more from our readers.

Technically, I’ve been to Phoenix and when I say “technically” I do mean outside the airport and not just passing through on my way to Vegas. However, I have not spent a night in Phoenix as I flew into town in the morning and had to fly back out on the redeye that evening.

Unfortunately, during my time there, I did not get the chance to visit the Heart Attack Grill. How can you not love a place which has the motto, “Taste Worth Dying For!?” That and the lovely nurses there to help will make it a place I’ll put on my list to visit if I ever find myself with time on my hands in this town.

So onto the pick…

The Cardinals were much closer to victory than most thought possible in the Super Bowl fight with the Steelers. The defense really stepped it up and what a show in the air with Warner and his targets Boldin and Fitzgerald. However, the one element this team has lacked all season was running game and with James over the hill and Hightower and Arrington not really panning out, this team needs to go to the well again.

31st Pick: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

You may be asking, “Hey, why not Chris Wells?!?!” Well, looking to the long term it would seem Wells' running style would lead to questions of durability. So one has to ask do you need a pounder like Wells or someone who can be a bit more shifty like Brown? Use Hightower as your short yardage back and let Brown become your long term solution at running back.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock with the 32nd and last pick in the first round of the draft.

In this edition of Q’s Travel blog, it may surprise some to learn that I have actually been to Nashville, Tennesee. The trip was quite recent and while I was in town for business, I did get the chance to visit the Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel & Convention Center which if I understand correctly isn’t too far away from the Grand Ole Opry House. The resort hotel is quite amazing and reminded me of a high end Vegas casino on the strip. The only thing this place was missing was the slot machines and gaming tables. As such it was a very nice place to visit and they even had the National Student Nurses Association convention in town… not that, that really meant anything for me.

I know this story is quite boring, but my other Nashville story involves me in the laying prone inside the trunk / hatchback area of a Corvette, and I’m not about to share that story.

So onto the real reason you’re reading this blog entry…

Let’s face it. Dallas may claim to be America’s team, but the Giants play on the biggest stage in America. Granted, they share it with the Jets, but there is no place like New York.

In their attempt to repeat last year, many point to the derailment caused by the loss of Plaxico Burress. By shooting himself, many feel he shot down the hopes for the Giants to claim another title. So remember, kids, guns and nightclubs don’t mix.

While wide receivers are pretty hit and miss, it’s probably a chance the Giants will have to take.

29th Pick: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

While he doesn’t have the blazing speed, this young man comes to the NFL with tons of knowledge courtesy of his dad (and one time Redskins staff member) Terry. Some scouts also say he has the best hands in the collegiate ranks.

The Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the 30th Pick in the draft.

The Colts hold a special place in my heart if only for the fact Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne helped to lead my fantasy football team to victory this past season. And who doesn’t like a team who steals away under the cover of darkness for another city??!?!

So, onto the pick…

Not so long ago the Indianapolis version of the Colts finally clawed their way to the top of the heap, but an aging team and a defense which has always been somewhat suspect has made the Colts a one hit wonder.

With the release of Harrison, one also has to have questions about the offensive side of the ball and whether Manning will have enough weapons to keep the Indy machine going.

Well, it will have to be enough as the Colts can’t continue to expect to compete with an undersized defense.

27th Pick: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri

And how can you afford to pass on guy who was a member of the National Honor Society?

The Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock again with the 28th Pick in the draft.

Having never visited Houston, I have nothing pithy to say about this city, so my only tangential story has to deal with a Houston Oilers player I once saw in Vegas (Yes, I know the Oilers are now the Titans, but I got nothing else, so just shut up and listen). It was April (probably back in 2004 or 2005). After a night of carousing, thoughts of food at 4 or 5 in the morning was on the minds of me and my fellow friends, so for whatever reason we decided to hit the restaurant on the ground level of the Barbary Coast (not that we were staying there, but whatever). The place was packed so we actually had to wait for a table and so we milled around the casino floor while waiting.

From out of the blue near the gaming tables we heard shouts of “Run and Shoot!” So as my friends and I looked over we saw Hall of Famer (not then) Warren Moon making his way to the after hours club Drai’s with two ladies in tow strapped to his arms. Hey, isn’t Moon married? I’m sure they were just business associates. Or maybe we all saw a Warren Moon impersonator. A few nights later one of my friends sans women tried to get into Drai’s, but he didn’t have Mr. Moon’s luck.

So, onto the pick…

Who can think of New Orleans and not picture the mayhem and fun (I guess) of Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street? However, have you ever been in New Orleans on the morning after? Well, I haven’t but, I have been in the unfortunate position of being in this city on a Sunday morning during the summer. Just imagine walking around in a city with the sun beating down on you and oppressive humidity which covers you like a sticky blanket. Then add in the smell of the sewer as an additional assault on your nose… but it’s probably just the smell of vomit from the previous night’s reveling. There are nice things about New Orleans especially if you like gambling or river boats, but I’ll admit I have no need to ever visit this city again.

(Wait… this isn’t Q’s travel blog?!? Darn it.)

The New Orleans Saints finished 8-8 last season having suddenly found themselves in a strong NFC South with the unexpected emergence of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Saints had an offense which lead the league last season at over 410 yards per game and almost 29 points per game. It’s obvious it’s not this side of the ball which needs the most help.

Ah... the “City by the Bay.” It’s a great city. It has a lot of things going for it, including the weather, culture, and the myriad of activities available in the area. It also has had a rich football history. However, there are negatives including the high cost of living; the threat of the next epic earthquake always looming; and the Market Street Cinema. Whatever you do, STAY AWAY from the Market Street Cinema! In fact, if you ever think about having a bachelor party in San Fran, don’t. Go to Vegas instead. You have been warned.

Now, onto the pick…

An interesting entry by Cindy Boren at the Washington Post's Redskins Insider blog. What's so interesting about it is that the Redskins seem to imply that the economic downtown is responsible for why "revenue from tickets and season tickets was not where it needs to be."

UMMMM.... Dan, are you sure it's not because of the team's performance on the field? And hey, I thought this stadium was sold out, baby!

The readers have spoken and a winner is crowned. Noriko wins the inaugural cheerleaders vote-off here on the DC Sports Page. If you want to see a larger version of the above photo, just click on it for a pop-up window.

Also...

After a promising 6-2 start to the season, the Redskins mercifully end their season with a dismal loss to the San Francisco 49ers to end the season going 2-6 in the second half. The game itself displayed the same issues which has plagued this team the entire season.

So why write a “keys to the game” for something which won’t mean anything with regards to the playoffs by the time 4 p.m. rolls around? This, of course, assumes Tampa Bay will beat San Diego and since Norv Turner coaches San Diego, it’s a forgone conclusion. The only answer I have is that there should be some pride in the fact that it’s a classic NFC East Division showdown. That and it will help keep my mind off my first championship game in the fantasy football league I run along with The Sports Freak.

I predict that this article will have the fewest amount of views ever for any article on thedcsportspage.com since it is not connected to D.C and it's in an arena which most Americans don't pay attention to... cycling.

It's always sad to see a hero retire. At the same time when once decides to come back, it almost always installs a little trepidation in the fans as to whether former glory can be achieved. Well, following a long line of sports figures who have retired and decided to come back, we add to the list Superman Lance Armstrong.... and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve (only in the most secular sense, as I'm not religious mind you).

If there was a prototypical blue collar division in football, this would be it. It’s a bit funny, but if I were ranking this division just based on their cities and not their teams, I’d probably rank them the same.

Pittsburgh Steelers
If there is only one word to describe this team, it would be ‘Consistent.’ Steelers fans are renowned for supporting their team and how could they not? Almost every year they can be assured of seeing a team who will be competitive, mostly likely make the playoffs and have that chance at going all the way. As a fan in the NFL, that’s all you can ask from your team. This year is no different for the Steelers as they bring back the #1 defense from last year, which if they can stay healthy will continue to keep the Steelers in every game. And the only question about the offense seems to be the O-line which has 2 new starters. Other than that they have the firepower with Big Ben and his receivers Ward, Holmes and Miller and a solid running game with Parker and the addition of Mendenhall for a 1-2 punch.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Seattle Seahawks
Let’s face it. This is the weakest division in football which means that Seattle automatically gets 6 wins to start the season. Now, Shaun Alexander is gone, but he hasn’t been much of a factor the past couple of years anyway. As long as this team stays mostly healthy, they’ll finish the season like they do every year, with a loss in the first round of the playoffs.

Chi-town! I finally get to pick for a city with some rich sports history. From the Cubs to the Bulls to the White Sox and to da Bears, Chicago is all sports. And how can one think of Soldier Field and not think grit, determination and football played in real weather. How could anyone forget the Fog Bowl?!?! I can’t imagine being a fan in the stands for a game like that.

Recently though, da Bears peaked with a Super Bowl appearance and fell hard to finish last in their division this past season. There are some real questions for this team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Can Rex Grossman really lead this team? Can Cedric Benson really be a #1 back?

The consensus seems to be that da Bears really need to rebuild their offensive line, but being in this position in the draft, some interesting alternatives exist.

Pick #14: Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt

Now, some Bears fans may cry foul for not picking up “favorite son” Mendenhall at this point, but being a fan of the ‘Skins from the era of the Hogs, I believe the game starts and is won in the trenches. If you can dominate the line, you can win the game, and it won’t matter if you have Timmy Smith or John Riggins running behind it.

At the same time, Mendenhall has been stated to have a similar running style to that of Cedric Benson and if Benson can’t do it with the current line, who thinks a rookie that runs the same way can?

Detroit… you’re on the clock.

“The Queen City” is next on the draft board. Home to Skyline Chili. If you’ve never had the pleasure of this culinary “treat”, well then you’re probably lucky. Granted, I’ve had it more than once in my life just because sometimes you know you want something bad for you. Strangely enough, if you don’t think about it too much, a chili that basically looks like diarrhea and that’s rumored to contain chocolate and cinnamon served over spaghetti with shredded neon yellow cheese, beans and raw onions can be satisfying. But I assume there’s a reason this “chili” doesn’t have much of a following outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. I can say this – it’s definitely not a reason to go to Cincinnati, and there really isn’t much reason to, but I digress.

So, what about them Bengals?

Ironically, defensive guru Marvin Lewis had one of the worst defenses in the league last season. So where to start? Both run and pass defenses ranked similarly last year so that means there are problems all over.

Pick #9: Keith Rivers, OLB Southern California

Ideally someone on the line would be better to help stop the run and provide a better pass rush, but given that Sedrick Ellis is gone, a strong linebacker can help to fill some holes.

Rivers is known as a player with some range to make plays in pursuit and can also play well dropping back into pass coverage. Unfortunately, the Bengals will need a lot more help than a LB for their defensive woes.

New Orleans… you’re on the clock.

Hmmm…. Atlanta, huh? What can I say about this city? Well, CNN is headquartered here. I’ve had the fortune of getting an inside tour of the place and actually being on the floor where the anchors broadcast. And from the floor I waved to the schlubs who were on the regular tour. Atlanta is also home to my favorite soda company. Mmmmmmmm… Coke.

But there’s also the other side to this town. My friend was on the unfortunate end of a chicken sandwich which gave him food poisoning for the bachelor party weekend we were there. (I guess it was lucky that the bachelor didn’t get that particular sandwich.) And while we didn’t go there, I’ve been told that The Claremont is where strippers go to die…. which I guess for some people would be a positive.

Let’s see… what else? Oh yeah! The Falcons SUCK!! I mean come on what doesn’t this team need? Dog fighting took away their offense… and I’m not sure they ever really had a defense. So what does that mean for the draft? You take the best available… but since the Falcons signed Turner to a big contract as their RB…. well you go with the next in line.

3rd Pick: Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU

I’ve heard that Mike Smith has a “defense-first mentality” so this will probably fit in to what he wants to do with rebuilding that team.

Oakland…. you’re on the clock.

It must be in the water. Is it the state of Maryland? Maybe. But I can’t take credit for this comparison. Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post first made the observation in his Redskins Insider blog.

Dan Snyder has out ‘angelos-ed’ Peter Angelos. In fact it’s at such a high level Snyder deserves his own new verb – He’s ‘snyder-ed’ the Redskins.

It’s interesting the attachment people make to their sports teams and icons. While it would be going too far to say that sports figures are like family, fans all do feel in some way a connection with an athlete. I think in some small way we feel they are an extension of us, represent us, or at least possess qualities we would like ourselves to have - the athleticism, the perseverance, the cunning, the success and the passion.