Pats Draft and Suns/Spurs

The New England Patriots finally got the young linebacker they needed yesterday in the draft. Trading their 7th pick to the Saints and getting the 10th pick, the Pats drafted Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo. Everything I have read about him says that he is a smart player and that he is versatile. Being smart and versatile are two things the Pats are looking for when they acquire players. Mayo should be able to step in and contribute right away. He'll also be able to learn from Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and possibly Junior Seau if he returns. We will have to wait and see if he plays inside or outside but he will probably play both at some point during the season. Up until this point of the draft, the Pats have drafted another linebacker and 2 conerbacks. Linebacker and conerback are the two positions where we lack the most depth so its good to see those needs addressed.

It is not uncommon for a team to continually get beat by another team in the playoffs every year. It took the Pistons awhile to beat Bird and the Celtics in the 80s. Then those same Pistons frustrated Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the late 80s and early 90s. That is the same dilemma facing the Phoenix Suns now. They have been bounced by the Spurs twice in the playoffs and now they are down 0-3 to them. I picked the Suns because I thought the Spurs got old quickly. But that is clearly not the case. Phoenix blew Game 1. Came out flat in the second half of Game 2. And got smoked on their home court in Game 3. The Suns are about to get swept. One thing I would like to see is Steve Nash man up and play some damn defense on Tony Parker. Parker had some many open shots in Game 3, that its a miracle he didn't score 55. Or maybe have Mike D'Antoni put in DJ Strawberry on him but it could be too little, too late for that. This Suns team as presently constituted will probably be blown up possibly. If not, maybe a full year of Shaq will help but I think the Spurs are in their heads. I don't know if they can ever beat the Spurs.


Here is a warning to Al Hortford and the Hawks : Don't piss off Paul Pierce. He's liable to go off for 40 and I think he will.