Steelers Recap

Vinnie woke me up this morning at 11 to ask who the Steelers took in the third round. I didn't know. But when I turned the TV on they were only two picks away. So I got out of bed, and 10 minutes later, they took Bruce Davis, a DE from UCLA.

Anyway, so far Pittsburgh has taken Rashad Mendenhall, a RB from Illinois; Limas Sweed, a WR from Texas; and Davis. So far so good. I will try an get some video on them shortly. For now, here are pictures of them...

Draft Day Log 2008

2:56 I enter Draft headquarters at the McCormack residence. Joe slaps me to say hello.

3:01 Suzy Kobler interviewing Jake Long. Joe and I ingnoring Jake, looking at Suzy.

3:02 Berman officially opens 2008 Draft.

3:06 First commercial... Dennis Green... That’s called the draft!

3:13 Vinnie walked in... with his son Nick. Nick becomes the first offspring to attend a draft party. Unless of course you count the time Joe hooked up with one of the Draft girls.

3:15 Chris Long goes to the Rams. Woo Hoo!!! Vinnie says, “back to back Longs. Whos next? Barry Long?” BTW, Nick hates the pick and runs out of the room.

3:18 Is the Land really the Kucklas? Thats the topic of discussion. Matt is at some picnic at Rattlesnake. He no shows us for the first time.

3:19 Matt Ryan hugging people. Some blond with short hair. Think its his mother. Guess the Falcons picking him. Didn’t they just have Matt Schab two years ago? BTW Ryan looks like he could be the Irish cousin of the Casey Family.

3:20 Rick hates that pick.

3:22 Who gets married on Draft Day? Ann and Randy Wasko that’s who. Made us miss a draft in person. But little did they know I had the draft on the radio in my ear at St. Ann’s. Well.... I guess they know now.

3:29 McFadden to the Raiders. Thank god cuz his mother hates New York. Wait til she gets to Oakland!

3:30 Calling Rich. He not here yet. Just left message that Dallas traded up for McFadden. What liars we are.

3:31 Hummer just drove up Fallon Street

3:32 Showing McFadden’s family. Joe says it looks like cast from Barber Shop II. Grandmother looks like gramma from Big Momma’s House.

3:33 Rich enteres with Pizza. Then tackles Vinnie. And says... Waka waka waka a-la Pac Man Jones.

3:38 Glenn Dorsey picked by Chiefs. I think he is crying. Herbstreit just called him best defensive tackle in last 13 years. A Major Disrupter. Sounds like a fantasy team name. Kiper says he is the best football player in the draft.

3:39 Vinnie showing off his Steeler flip flops. Rich showing off his Cowboys Jock strap. Suzie interviewing Dorsey. Again we are ignoring Dorsey and staring at Suzy.

3:40 Jets fans going nuts. Wait til they pick.

3:41 ESPN shows Keith Rivers. Was that Little Stephen Van Zandt in the background? Is Branden Albert Marv Albert’s kid?

3:44 Rich doesn’t like Chris Mortenson. Vinnie hates Todd McShay. Joe hates Ship Bayless. I hate no one... at least right now.

3:46 Commissioner Goodell says, “OK Jets fans.” They erupt. Vernon Gholston. Joe wondering where Russ Giglio is right now. Russ works for the NFL. Joe also telling stories about how Ohio State owns Michigan and how he didn’t know Goodell when he walked by him at the NFL office.

3:53 Patriots make a trade. Talking heads think it with the Saints for Sedrick Ellis, DE from SC. Rich just gave the first.. Jooooe comment of the day. NE swap No. 1s and get a third from NO

3:54 Saints take Ellis. Joe hates onions. Would rather eat own balls. NO gets 5th round pick from NE in trade.

3:58 Rich just sings his first song. Felix Jones and me. Jacksonville trades into No. 8 spot cuz Baltimore lost out on Saving Matt Ryan. I don’t think I have made on correct pick yet.

4:01 Nick just locked Joe’s sister Lynne in her room. Thank God!!! Rich doesn’t like Joe’s shoes. They are Chuckie T’s with no laces. Is Joe going skateboarding after?

4:03 Jags select Derek Harvey, DE Florida. Berman calls it the first REACH. Kiper
agrees. Showin video. He just hammered Chris Long, tripped over his own feet and was offsides. Nice clips ESPN.

4:05 Keith Rivers cell phone just went dead. He should be thrilled. Cincy wants him.

4:08 Ravens robbed Jacksonville. Got Jags No. 1, two threes and a four for their 7th selection.

4:09 USC LB Rivers to Cincy at No. 9. Nick tells Vinnie he does not want to go home and escapes upstairs. Who’s room is he locking now?

4:16 Jerrod Mayo???? To New England.. Every mock draft had Mayo going in the bottom of the draft. 10th!?!?!?!?!?

4:20 Bills take Leodis McKelvin, DB, Troy. Vinnie says he is a good punt returner which return retorts - now he is. The first “now he is” of the day. Rich also throws in that he is 3-time Sun Belt selection.

4:25 Broncos takes Ryan Clady... Boise tackle... no idea! Vinnie says Broncos in college, Broncos in pros.

4:30 The first in unison WOW... Carolina takes Jon Stewert. Vinnie doesn’t understand.

4:35 Mulkerin just walked in with beer and a Flyers jersey. NHL draft is next week. Still hasnt entered TV room. Talking hockey with Lynne.

4:39 Bears take Chris Williams from Vandy. Non-descript reaction from Bears fans at Radio City Music Hall. Splotches on the clock

4:44 Hawk Talk from Rattlesnake. We still looking for Matt.

4:45 Lions trade pick to Chiefs. ESPN showing Marv Albert’s son. Chiefs take albert. Cards on the clock.

4:55 Warren Cromartie’s kid gets picked by Arizona. Highlights make him seem he played for Toronto Argonauts. They just showed him jumping at combine. A sign they only so much video of this kid.

4:57 Detroit’s pick is in. ESPN going to commercial.

5:00 Gosber Cherilus to Detroit. HAHAHAHA!!!! Joe asks if he is Jewish. Looks like Roy Rogers. Is a team leader. Vinnie gone. Chicks pissed. Little Vinnie that is.

5:02 Texans trade pick to Ravens.

5:03 ESPN showing Joe Flacco, QB DEL. I wonder if he was in the replacements. Joe says that was Keanu Reeves. Character name was Falco. Rich asks if he sang Rock Me Amedeus. Flacco puts Ravens hat on. Jaws says Flacco can really throw the football. I hope so Jaws, the kid is a QB.

5:06 Bob has come up with his own commercial. A bunch of guys sitting around watching draft, phone rings, its Bill Parsells. Parsells tells Bob Dolphins have just picked him. He obviously has the wrong number.

5:07 Eagles on the clock.... Trade pick to Carolina at 5:12... Talking heads say Panthers to take a Panther... Jeff Otah.. A Pittsburgh Mauler according to Berman... Carolina takes Otah... Joe says you can’t teach size.

5:19 Eagles got 2008 second, fourth and 2009 first for Otah. Who’s running the Panthers front office? Dave Wannstedt?

5:22 Tampa makes 20th pick. Aqib Talib DB Kansas. This is the NFL Talib. You’re not in Kansas anymore. Bob throws in a You’re with me Leather comment for no reason.

5:23 Lynne wants to know who Washington is picking. That’s her team. Mike Tirico talking about Talib smoking weed. Who cares? Mangino says innacurrate.

5:30 Redskins trade to Falcons No. 21. Hotlanta takes Sam Baker. OT. USC. He looksl ike Mr. Kuckla with the beard. HE’s NUMBER 79!!!!.. First No. 79 taken!!!! Rich’s dubbs him, Sam Baker, running-lane maker

5:32 Dallas on the clock. Ed Werder looks like Darryl Hall. Without the hair. ESPN shows graphic “many attractive players still available” Is this a brothel or a draft?

5:41 Cowboys take baseball player Felix Jones. Herbstreit says he is a home run hitter. Rich not as excited as we would expect. Steelers on the clock.

5:45 The first WOOOOO Lynne!!! By Rich of course....

5:46 MENDENHALL!!!!!!!!!! MENDENHALL!!!!!!!! MENDENHALL!!!!!!!! Rob texted he hates Jerry jones on Felix Jones pick... Steelers pick best value!!!! Joe’s phone ringing... gayer ring than mine.

5:53 Tennessee takes Chris Johnson, RB, ECU. The first Whhaaaaaaaaaat comes from Rich. A stunning pick.

5:57 We have a Mike Munchak mention by Mort. Great OL coach he says. don’t know what that means about the Titans pick. But none the less we got a Scranton connection.

5:58 No wide receivers taken yet. They all suck that’s why.

6:00 New commerical idea. Sluts love Bacon. Concocted of course after Taco Bell commerical with chick with bacon wrap in her purse.

6:01 Dallas just traded with Seattle for No. 25 pick. A WR maybe? My battery dying. Don’t know how much longer I can make it. Cowboys take Mike Jenkins DB USF. A reach according to Joe.

6:07 Texans take Duane Brown. Never heard of him. Eagles trade fourth round pick to Miami for Lorenzo Booker, a running back.

6:11 Rich calls Oreo over. Lynne’s dog. And punts him across the room.

6:12 San Diego takes Antwaan Cason. DB. Arizona. I think I picked this right!!! My first and only correct prediction of the first round. How the hell did I come up with this one?!?!?!

6:18 Hawks are in.... 28th pick... Lawrence Jackson. DE. USC. Who? ESPN said it was going to be a TE. They are stunned in silence.

6:21 Niners take Kantwan Balmer. DT from Carolina. Never heard of him either. Shouldn’t they have taken DeSean Jackson?

6:24 Jets trade in No. 30 with Packers. No pick yet. NFL Network reports its Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue. Bob says he hates Deion Sanders. Joe changes the channel to ESPN.

6:28 ESPN shows Jets fan with sign that says the J-E-T-S can S-P-E-L-L??? What the hell does that mean? Talking heads what Jets to take Brohm or Henne.

6:29 The pick is in....Jets take.... Dustin Keller.... Jets fans pissed. Dont know who it is.. Giants fans going nuts... Actually pointing and laughing at Jets fans. GMen on the clock...

6:36 GMen pick is in..... The final pick of the first round... 31st pick.... Kenny Phillips S Da U

OK.. first round is over, Rich is drunk and my laptop is close to dying.... So I am out.. for now...

DRAFT DAY!!!!

Well the biggest day of the year for the Seattle Seahawks is here. It's NFL Draft Day and it's Christmas in Seattle and in Matt Kuckla's house.



I figured since every other jamoke in the country puts out a Mock Draft, then there was no reason I couldn't also. So after all the years of yelling "JUST MAKE THE PICK" at the TV, I made the picks. Here they are:



The Rick’s Mock Draft…..
1. Miami Jake Long OL Michigan
The Dolphins made the safe pick, and took the offensive lineman they needed to start the rebuilding process.

2. St. Louis Glenn Dorsey DL LSU
The Rams really need to upgrade on the OL, but they cannot pass up this demon on the defensive line

3. Atlanta Darren McFadden RB Arkansas
Do teams really think the Falcons are going to pick a QB here? Matt Ryan? BC wasn’t that good this year and Michael Turner isn’t the answer at RB.

4. Oakland Chris Long DE Virginia
With McFadden gone, Al Davis goes with Raider lineage and picks the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long.

5. Kansas City Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State
KC really wanted Howie Jr, but with the trade of Jared Allen, they still need a rush end. Gholston is a steal here.

6. NY Jets Keith Rivers LB USC
The Jets are pissed. They really wanted all of the above players. If they get stupid they pick Matt Ryan. Rivers is the smart choice.

7. New England Leodis McKelvin DB Troy
Patriots could use an offensive lineman to protect Tom Brady, but they need to upgrade at CB first with the loss of Assante Samuel.

8. Baltimore Matt Ryan QB Boston College
Everyone is happy with this pick – the Ravens, Ryan and the rest of the AFC North. Ryan is nothing more than another Neil O’Donnell at best.

9. Cincinnati Derrick Harvey LB Florida
What the Bengals really need is a parole officer, but they will settle with Harvey, a big, fast hitter that can play DE or LB

10. New Orleans Jeff Otah OL Pitt
The first reach of the draft. The Saints pass on Brandon Albert for Otah a punishing run blocker and an awful pass blocker. Pitt QBs got sacked 352 times the past two years.

11. Buffalo Brandon Albert OL Virginia
Bills really wanted a WR, but Albert is the best player on the board and too good to pass up. Especially with JP Losman and Trent Edwards needing protection.

12. Denver Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
Broncs need upgrade at WR and DL, but they need to quit throwing 4th and 5th round picks in the backfield. Mendenhall will make Jay Cutler’s job a lot easier.

13. Carolina Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College
Panthers need OL help and it all starts with Gosder. There are higher rated OL, but nothing says Carolina than picking an ACC player – ever though he is from BC.

14. Chicago Sedrick Ellis DT USC
Bears need help all over – especially offensive line. But those in Chicken need an Ellis more to keep those big uglies off Brian Urlacher and shore up a defense that faded in ’07.

15. Detroit Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
The Lions desperately wanted Mendenhall, but with him gone Matt Millen again proved idiocy regins at Ford Field. The Splotches take Stewart instead of upgrading their line.

16. Arizona Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
Cardinals were high on both Mendenhall and Stewart, but they go smart and continue to rebuild the offensive line for coach Russ Grimm.

17. Kansas City Ryan Clady OT Boise
The Chefs continue to shore up the line of scrimmage with this pick from Minnesota they got in the Allen deal. So far two solid selections for the BBQ Kids.

18. Houston Felix Jones RB Arkansas
Texans need some speed in the backfield and surprise everyone with this pick. Jones is the Ronnie Brown to McFadden’s Cadillac Williams. Second reach of the draft.

19. Philadelphia James Hardy WR Indiana
Donovan McNabb needs wideouts. Hardy is the best package in the draft. The Eagles could also use a running back here, but they will get that later in the draft.

20. Tampa Bay Devin Thomas WR Michigan State
Bucs really liked Hardy, but will settle for Thomas who had a solid career in the pass happy Big Ten – HA! Looks like the days of the Yuccaneers aren’t far behind.

21. Washington Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tenn. St.
The Skins have needed a shutdown corner ever since they lost Champ Bailey, and the son of former Expos great Warren Cromartie (I may have made that up) fits the bill.

22. Dallas Aqib Talib CB Kansas
Cowboys were stunned when Jones went to Houston, but are in better shape since they need CBs more than anything else. Talib will start immeadiately for the Stars.

23. Pittsburgh Jerod Mayo OLB Tennessee
Big Ben wants a big receiver. The intelligent fan base wants an OL. But the Steelers are driven by defense, and the 3-4 defense is driven by linebackers. Mayo is the perfect fit.

24. Tennessee Limas Sweed WR Texas
Vince Young is reunited with one of his favorite college targets as the Titans take Sweed. Hopefully Sweed is tougher than the one Eastwood punched out in Heartbreak Ridge.

25. Seattle Mike Jenkins DB Florida
Jenkins has been the player that has taken on Brady Quinn like seating positions as the projected Top 15 has fallen this far. The Seahawks are thrilled to get Jenkins value here.

26. Jacksonville Dan Connor LB Penn State
Jags surprise everyone with this pick. While not a reach, most experts thought Jax would go with a DL. Connor is a Jack Del Rio clone and will wear teal and black a long time.

27. San Diego Antoine Cason CB Arizona
Chargers don’t have a lot of holes, but they sure can use a shutdown corner like Cason. The 6-foot DB has an NFL lineage as his dad played for the Falcons for two seasons.

28. Dallas DeSean Jackson WR Cal
The Cowboys need a speed receiver and DeSean Jackson is the right pick here. Jackson will have the impact Devin Hester had in Chicago, and will replace ‘She’ nicely.

29. San Francisco Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
The 49ers are have been in desperate need of a big play wideout since losing Terrell Owens, and Kelly is just the guy to fill that need. He’s T.O. clone without the attitude.

30. Green Bay Phillip Merling DE Clemson
Packers need DBs but they can’t pass up Merling at this spot. The monster DE with blazing speed lit up ACC quarterbacks during his career in orange and purple.

31. New England Matt Walsh VC Spygate U.
Pats forfeited this pick because of spygate. Boy I am sure they are upset. If the NFL had any balls they would have made the Pats forfeit the No. 7 pick.

32. New York Giants Brandon Flowers CB VT
World Champs would go dead on Flowers. G-Men are besides themselves that Flowers is here. Rookie will upgrade secondary immediately – a big need for New York.



Well that's it for the first round. I am going to try and file a running journal of our Draft Party which takes place on Fallon Street for the second straight year. But I got no promises because I don't want to freak Matt out with my laptop because I am sure he has never seen one.

Picture worth a 1000 words.....

Happy Birthday Brother!!!

Today is brother Tim's 26th Birthday. A world traveler and eternal scholar, Tim is living the dream that is the Steel City.

Actually Tim lives in Edgewood, but it might as well be Pittsburgh.

Have a Blue Moon on me - or a Guiness - or whatever Japanese beer you drink. Presents are on the way. Sooner or Later.

Happy Birthday Bro!

Drink Heavily...

Thats what you do when your fantasy baseball team in Doc Mando's league is 0-3 and about to be 0-4. Just ask Bluto....

Kyle with a 'K'

With Villanova pitching coach Matt Kirby in town to take in the game, Old Forge's Kyle McMyne didn't disappoint his soon-to-be coach.

All McMyne did was strike out 17 hitters and hit a solo home run in his first at-bat against arch-rival Riverside. Kirby also had McMyne throwing consistently at 88 mph throughout the game, and had the senior fireballer topped out at 91.

Unfortunately, the Blue Devils defense didn't do much to help McMyne the few times he gave them a chance to.

Riverside scored four unearned runs in the top of the fifth to win 4-1 at Pagnotti Park on Monday.

McMyne allowed just two hits - a double and a home run - but five walks and two costly errors did in the Blue Devils.