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Wednesday
January 7 2009

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THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE

SIDELINE ARCHIVE
Santa's Sackings
January 01, 2009
Ready for the Turkey
November 27, 2008
Making it to the Big Dance
November 26, 2008
Brighter Days Ahead for Chargers?
November 5, 2008
Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU
October 17, 2008
Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks
October 15, 2008
Weekend Prep: Red River and More
October 10, 2008
College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend
October 9, 2008
Gramatical Error
October 7, 2008
Turning The Page
September 30, 2008
So Cal 'Quizzed — But Who Will Answer?
September 26, 2008
3rd Tuesday Panic Button / Forté Yard Dash
September 23, 2008
Two and Oh; Oh and Two
September 22, 2008
No More NCAAffeine
September 11, 2008
Week 1 College Football
September 6, 2008
How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco
September 1, 2008
Why the Favre story STILL won't go away
August 18, 2008
Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant
August 14, 2008
Committee Meetings
August 9, 2008
Let the QB Battles Begin
August 8, 2008
Slinging The Slinger — More Favre
August 6, 2008
Welcome to the 2008 season
July 28, 2008
Plus One
May 27, 2008
Draft: The Morning After
April 28, 2008
Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable
April 25, 2008
Draft: Ready For The Long Haul
April 23, 2008
Sofa–bound Sport
April 16, 2008
Post–Winter Wonderland
April 11, 2008
Six Impossible Things
February 4, 2008
Brady's Misdirection Play
February 3, 2008
Colorful Language
January 23, 2008
Let the Romo–bashing begin: Dallas lost
January 14, 2008
Bowl Bites: The Wrap
January 10, 2008
All About The Coaches
January 1, 2008
Bowl Bites 3 and A Communication Breakdown
December 29, 2007
Bowl Bites 2
December 27, 2007
Bowl Bites 1
December 23, 2007
The Empty Chair - Coach Situations Vacant
December 22, 2007
For Some, The Playoffs Are Now
December 15, 2007
A Certain Lack Of Welcome
December 13, 2007
Unrelated Notes
November 29, 2007
Two Thanksgiving thoughts
November 22, 2007
Halftime: NFC
November 9, 2007
Halftime: AFC
November 8, 2007
London, Part 2 / A Tale of Two Chads / A Game of Intimidation
November 4, 2007
Damp Squib / Other London Notes
October 29, 2007
Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath
October 23, 2007
The Dolphins Did What?
October 18, 2007
Notes on the Defenses
October 13, 2007
Habits to be Broken
October 12, 2007
Overtime
October 13, 2007
This Week's Starters
October 6, 2007:
USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football
September 27, 2007:
Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue
September 24, 2007:
Eagles QB in Slight Controversy
September 21, 2007:
Leftwich's Parting Gift to Jacksonville? / Boos cruise
September 18, 2007:
Notre Dame M.I.A.
September 16, 2007:
Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1
September 12, 2007:
Best Hope For Heisman
September 10, 2007:
Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy
September 7, 2007:
The NFL’s Prime Cuts
September 5, 2007:
Michigan Falls to Killer Apps
September 3, 2007:
Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud
September 1, 2007:

SPORTS

SIDELINE

Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale

Ready For The Long Haul

The NFL Draft is under way. Well, not officially, but after Jeff Ireland's 'Freudian slip' about taking a guy who can help their defense, the Miami Dolphins signing Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long anyway. It was a nice smokescreen, but we're getting used to these draft day misdirections.

Now we know where pick No.1 is headed, we can all start speculating about who the St Louis Rams are going to pick at No.2. It's not impossible that the Rams could have their player of choice under contract by Draft Saturday, but considering the machinations necessary for Jake Long and Miami to come to a deal, Miami will probably drag out the announcement for the full fifteen minutes.

Really, couldn't the NFL reduce these selection times? I'd like to think that when the opening bell sounds, we can go straight into the Miami/Jake Long photo opportunity and the Rams' time allocation. Let's see: The first pick is a done deal, the Rams have 15 minutes max, and the Falcons will most likely use every second of theirs. In theory, the Raiders should be on the clock by minute 31. Too much to ask?

Whomever the Rams pick — DEs Chris Long or Vernon Gholston, or DT Glenn Dorsey — the draft should really get interesting at those third and fourth overall picks by the Falcons and Raiders respectively. There are strong rumors that Raiders owner Al Davis is smitten by the garish talent of runner Darren McFadden, to the extent that he would pass over Chris Long, son of Raiders legend Howie Long, were he available at pick number four — even if his coach Lane Kiffin is angling for the defensive end.

The stronger that rumor becomes, the wider the options of draft day tactics for the Atlanta Falcons, picking ahead of them at no.3.

With six picks in the first three rounds (1 in the first, 3 in the second and 2 in the third), the Falcons could elect to stay where they are, take their choice from the defensive line studs mentioned above, and then address desperate needs at cornerback, quarterback and tight end with the rest of the day's selections. On the other hand, with at least two of those studs plus top offensive weapon McFadden still on the board, the Falcons will certainly be listening to any suitors who want to trade in ahead of the unpredictable Raiders. Dallas have two first round picks and are in the market for a running back. Other teams could offer a first round selection and a slew of picks that Atlanta could parlay back into a second 1st round choice. Finally, if the Falcons think Boston College's QB Matt Ryan is far and away THE quarterback of the draft (as opposed to Louisville's Brian Brohm, long speculated as the heir to Michael Vick's throne if Bobby Petrino had stayed as coach), that would be a heck of way to exorcize all the demons of 2007.

The Falcons shouldn't, of course, be going after Darren McFadden themselves, having freed Michael Turner from his role as LaDainian Tomlinson's backup in San Diego. Then again, neither should the Raiders. They still have the potentially explosive Michael Bush, a 2007 fourth round pick who has yet to feature since fully recovering from a serious injury while in college. Oakland also arranged a new contract with RB Justin Fargas. So what happens to Bush if McFadden ends up in Oakland? If I'm a team in search of a good running back for a mid–round pick, I'm straight onto the phone to Al Davis.

Of course, these 'Al Davis 4 Darren McFadden' rumors might have been started by the Falcons in the first place – it wouldn't be the first misdirection of the week.