Nanker

Fo shizzle!

I like it. So for the 5th anniversary of the 2011 Draft, SI does an in depth feature article on how the picks were taken - by various insiders including our current GM Doug Whaley. "The 2011 NFL draft will go down as one of the most talent-laden ever—maybe the most. Already, nine of the first 11 picks have been selected to a Pro Bowl, more than have ever come from the first 11 of any modern-era draft, including the famed class of 1983. Which isn’t to suggest this was just a top-heavy class. The 2014 NFL rushing and sack leaders, plus today’s most feared corner in the league were all taken after the 69th pick. This is the behind-the-scenes story of how that class came to be. On the clock: 1. Panthers 2. Broncos 3. Bills . . . Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN draft expert): Coming in, the highest-rated player on my big board was [LSU cornerback] Patrick Peterson. He was a can’t-miss prospect. Patrick Peterson: I knew I was the best player in the draft, but I also knew I wasn’t going to be the No. 1 pick. It would have been cool to be the first cornerback to go No. 1, but I know how teams build—around the quarterback and pass rush. And Carolina needed a QB. Marty Hurney (Panthers general manager): It all starts with that position. We’d taken Jimmy Clausen the year before in the second round. We still didn’t have that proven, elite franchise QB on our roster. Ron Rivera (Panthers coach): When I first got [to Carolina] we talked about finding a franchise quarterback. I said, “He’s either on the roster or out there in the draft, but we have to go through everything to figure it out.” Hurney: We looked closely at [Texas A&M linebacker] Von Miller, too. [Auburn quarterback] Cam [Newton] just jumped off the tape. The measurables: Arm strength, ability to look down field. . . . He looked to throw when pressure came. Doug Whaley (Bills assistant GM): When we first started the draft process, we thought we’d have a good shot at Newton. [stanford quarterback] Andrew Luck, had he come out, would have been the first pick. Denver was at No. 2, and they didn’t need a QB. So we thought, We’ll get Cam at No. 3. ​​Warren Moon (mentor to Cam Newton): Cam was set to meet with the Bills before his pro day, but he didn’t have the proper clothes. I said, “No way can you meet guys in your warmups.” That’s how important perception and image are to NFL owners. We ran to the mall. It’s not easy finding stuff off the rack for him. Kiper: Andrew Luck staying at Stanford was huge. By March, I had Newton going No. 1 in my mock draft. He had so much more talent than anyone else. He was like Superman—if you could just square away the intangibles. Adam Schefter (ESPN reporter): Marty Hurney was under a tremendous amount of pressure to not take Cam Newton. There were people ripping Cam left and right [mostly over pay-to-play allegations]. Cecil Newton (Cam Newton’s father): There was still a lot of scandal, a lot of misinformation out there, writers who said Cam wasn’t a leader. You really need to have thick skin. Schefter: He was about as polarizing a figure as there could be for an eventual No. 1 pick. Moon: There was a lot of selling of Cam to [Panthers owner Jerry] Richardson. He’s a real conservative guy. Cam is a little bit outgoing, and he had some history—things he went through in college. Mr. Richardson had to swallow that and digest it. Remember: He said he didn’t want a QB that had cornrows, tattoos all over. . . . This was going to be a sell job. Cecil Newton: I sat with Coach Rivera; I met with Jerry Richardson privately. I didn’t know what he would think of me, and he didn’t know what I would think of him. It was a 2 1/2-hour session. It took some ice-breaking, but we warmed up. Hurney: Ron and I met with Cam for four hours in a hotel outside Auburn. The more research we did, as we talked to everybody, they all said the same thing: Cam was dedicated, had a great work ethic. A lot of the things written about him we didn’t find to be true. From that process, it just felt like he was our guy. Schefter: I hoped Marty was right. His job depended on it. Cecil Newton: Our whole family was [at the draft]. The Panthers didn’t explicitly tell us, We’re going to take you. So we weren’t really sure whether Cam would be No. 1. He was really edgy. Rivera: When the league told us we were on the board, we put the name in right away. There was no hesitation.Schefter: Marty Hurney stood in the face of the critics and did what he thought was right, and he turned out to be right. . . . Then he lost his job anyway [after Carolina started 1–5 in 2012]. . . . At No. 2, Miller was ticketed for Denver all along. They needed pass-rush help. And Von had no issues. John Elway (Broncos GM): He was as athletic as anybody I’ve ever seen. That size and speed; that talent. . . . Obviously Cam was up there too. We looked there [despite having Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton on the roster]. ​​​Von Miller: I met John at the combine. I could tell on John’s face—I could tell on everybody’s face—they were really excited about meeting with me. They wanted me. It was different than any other meeting I had. Whaley: On draft day we were thinking, Denver will probably go with [Alabama defensive tackle] Marcell Dareus, and then we’ll get Von Miller. We thought they’d go with an interior guy instead of an outside guy. Schefter: I wish Doug had called me. That was one I knew. Miller: At the draft, you kind of know—but you really don’t. I really didn’t know. Elway: There were a lot of good football players [in that draft], but Von was a guy you could build an organization around. Whaley: When Von went to Denver, everyone [in our draft room] had big smiles, everyone stood up. We had Marcell rated over Von. I was like, Don’t even listen to the [trade offers coming in], just turn that card in. Kiper: The Bills had one of the worst rushing defenses. They needed a big body. Whaley: With Marcell, you’re talking about a big, athletic man: 320 pounds, can run, is instinctive and a playmaker. A rare combination. . . . Cam, Von, Marcell—really, we wouldn’t have been wrong with any of those guys." By Ben Baskin, Sports Illustrated http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/04/26/2011-nfl-draft-oral-history-cam-newton-von-miller Then a staff writer from CBS Sports Sean Wagner-McGough cherry picks some quotes to "craft" an article with this specious angle: "Still, the Bills, five years later, sound a tad disappointed with the outcome of that draft. Because at one point, they thought they were going to snag Newton." No small wonder this thread is when Whaley detractors pounce on any shred of perceived negativity no matter how inane to castigate him with aspersions. Tut-tut.

Yikes! It's here. It's finally here. The Draft starts tomorrow. Woo-hoo!

Mystery solved! They were on a photo shoot for a new book:

What if one of your star DBs crash into your QB during training camp and breaks his leg?

That's different. I thought most Americans have a rather favorable view of Aussies. You're right about Hackett though... Tom, not Nathaniel.

The Imperial B. O. has shown all executives how to bully their way to getting their way. God, when Trump/Hillary ascend to the office of POTUS they'll be an absolute terror.

^ This. His Presidency would be more of a letdown than a bride on her wedding night at Niagara Falls.

Just imagine the reception that OJ would receive.

Then back off a lot when the games count, 'cause a fella could get hurt out there.

It's simple. If Sammy Watkins goes down, Rex will substitute him with Dareus.

Excellent! Thank you so much. There are a lot of actors from The Wire in this series, and that series was tremendous. Looking forward to learning and enjoying a whole lot. I do have taking the wifey to NOLA on my list of to-dos.

Except it did pay for Jimmy Johnson's hair styling for about two decades. Other than that... not so much.

hahahaha true dat!

Hell, Maryland and Virginia are letting convicted felons vote now. #DesperationDems

#the1thingyoucanlookforwardtowithmeisattitude!

He never really was what he was.

Me too. I thought Marshawn said he was retiring.

I'd like to see him do that to Brady.

Now that right there is an excellent read. But I wonder what city Dan Shaughnessy will be moving to soon... real soon... for ah, "personal health" reasons.

Nice First Round pick. #22 overall. Makes EJ look like, well... EJ. But this kid is a hot mess. So glad the closest he came to being a Bill is when Kyle Williams flattened his azz and he skidded backwards about 6 yards while assuming the casket position. All he needed was to hold a lily.

Calling on Doug to make the ultimate personal (or is that personnel) sacrifice for the team. Get er dun Dougie!

It is shocking... and so out of character for her.

I really enjoyed that series. Hope there's another season of it coming along soon. Just started watching Treme.