SB Nation Indiana - Features

Intrigue Abounds at IMS as Practice Opens for Indianapolis 500

2012-05-10T15:18:32Z

For complete coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series, head to SB Nation's Pop Off Valve.

The 2012 season marked a new era for the IZOD IndyCar Series – new engines and new chassis promised to re-energize the series and its sponsors. The first four races delivered on some of that promise, but also brought about a series of challenges. As the series arrives at the most iconic racing venue in the world, those challenges are coming to a head.

While new engine manufacturers promised increased competition from the standard Honda engine of years past, they have also proved problematic for some teams. Those teams who landed Chevrolet and Honda engines have registered little in the way of complaints; however, teams with Lotus engines have struggled throughout the year, with three teams dropping Lotus prior to the Month of May.

Dreyer & Reinbold switched from Lotus to Chevrolet, partnering with Panther Racing to do so. Meanwhile, Bryan Herta Autosport, who won the Indianapolis 500 last year with a Honda engine, will try to do the same in 2012 after dumping Lotus. Finally, just a week after the series tried to put an end to the engine-switching, Dragon Racing went around the rule by suing Lotus for breach of contract; it is believed the team will try to acquire Chevrolet engines.

Lotus’ struggles threaten to reduce the number of manufacturers in the IZOD IndyCar Series to just two – Chevrolet and Honda. And those two parties are currently locked in a squabble over an approved turbocharger, which would allow Honda’s engines to potentially surpass Chevy’s. The ruling on the appeal is expected to come down in the coming days before all the teams hit the track for practice.

Now, these problems may last the rest of the year; Lotus will have to “shape up or ship out,” with just one full-time team contracted to it. While the engine quantity remains low this year, Honda and Chevrolet should have more to distribute in 2013, which would not put teams in the bind they faced in 2012 with limits on the number of engines that Honda and Chevy could provide.

Whether or not those teams limit themselves in practice remains to be seen. With just 33 entries, will car owners be cautious about potentially damaging engines in a wreck?

Even when cars are on track, the performance of the DW12 chassis will be closely scrutinized. The Dallara safety cell and aero kit has not reached expected speeds during testing at IMS, which causes some to wonder if fans will truly invest if cars are not approaching speeds near last year’s pole-winning speed (227.472 mph).

Most importantly, the DW12 chassis will face its biggest test when something goes wrong; while the car has been tested repeatedly, live crash tests cannot be simulated. The anxiety over the DW12 preventing front-wheel to rear-wheel contact grew when Marco Andretti did just that with Graham Rahal and briefly became airborne. At higher speeds, how will the DW12 fare in wrecks?

Then, of course, the on-track action will be a storyline unto itself. Having won the first four races of the year, can Team Penske bounce back from what was a disastrous Month of May in 2011 to claim its 16^th 500 victory? And if so, which of his stable will put his face on the Borg-Warner Trophy – Will Power, who is on the cusp of stardom after being a dominant force in IndyCar over the last three years? Or will it be Helio Castroneves cementing his legacy by capturing his fourth 500?

The field of 33 will feature a deep field, with Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon carrying Target Chip Ganassi Racing; both Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal will be looking to add to extensive family legacies and to elevate their burgeoning celebrity with the 500. Or will it be the now-familiar GoDaddy.com car that finally reaches Victory Lane, with the affable James Hinchcliffe in the seat?

In any case, the Month of May starts just the way that the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series was supposed to - with promise.

Colts QB Andrew Luck Is Working On His Deep Ball, Throwing Mechanics

2012-05-07T14:14:30Z

Andrew Luck may be the top prospect from the 2012 NFL Draft,, but that doesn't mean he his flawless as a quarterback.

At his introductory press conference to the media as the Colts No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Andrew Luck was asked (by ESPN's Paul Kuharsky) about what he planned to work on this offseason as he prepares to replace Peyton Manning as the franchise quarterback in Indianapolis. Luck did not hesitate in his answer:

I think the deep ball. I gotta get back to throwing a good deep ball. I think that comes with reps with the guys and receivers and sort of feeling each other out. Seeing the differences between all the guys and them seeing how I throw, and all that good stuff. That will come with reps and time. I'm looking forward to getting going with the guys.

This was an interesting answer from Luck in light of the public criticism he took last year from former Giants quarterback (and current Inside The NFL studio analyst) Phil Simms. Simms questioned Luck's arm strength, saying:

I just don’t see big time NFL throws. I don’t care what anybody says. I’ve watched a lot of him. He never takes it and rips it in there. And you can say what you want but, man, you’ve got to be able to crease that ball every once in a while.

In case you need a translator, questioning the arm strength of a potential No. 1 overall pick is akin to saying, "He stinks." Quarterbacks with noodle arms should not be taken No. 1 overall, unless the team doing the picking is just that stupid. Thus, Simms was effectively saying Luck had no business being the No. 1 prospect heading into the draft. Whether that was Simms' intent or not is almost irrelevant. Questioning a player's arm strength is a pretty bold thing to do.

These comments from Simms seemed to rile the No. 1 overall pick. At his Stanford Pro Day, Luck opted to throw into the wind just to prove a point. His final pass of the day was a deep ball that was sharp, accurate, and traveled 70 yards through the air against 15 mile-per-hour cross winds.

According to people at Luck's Pro Day, his performance was meant to say, "Take that to Phil Simms."

Another individual who was critical of Luck's arm strength, but in a more precise, constructive manner, was NFL Films' Greg Cosell. Cosell (nephew of Howard) watches a lot of tape on players, and prior to the draft he wrote that Baylor's Robert Griffin III was the superior QB over Andrew Luck. I had the pleasure of sitting directly in front of Greg at Radio City Music Hall last week during the draft. Sometime during Thursday evening, we starting talking about Luck's arm strength. Greg shared with me some very interesting observations.

For starters, Luck has been working on improving his deep ball since the Fiesta Bowl. According to Cosell, who has been talking to the specialist who is working with Luck, there is an issue with Luck's deep ball. However, the issue is not his arm. He has a very good, powerful throwing arm. The kid can gun a football. Watch tape, and you will see it.

The problem with Luck is that he is lifting his back leg when he tries to drill the football into tight windows, or throw it deep.

Instead of driving off the back foot and using his strong legs (more often than not, leg power makes a football fly through the air farther, not necessarily arm strength), he is lifting his back leg. This takes power out of the throw.

If you watched the ESPN special featuring former Buccaneers and Raiders coach Jon Gruden, towards the end of the segment (while the two are outdoors practicing drops and throws), Luck starts asking Gruden about stances and throwing motions out of the shotgun. Watch his feet during that segment, and you'll see it relates to Luck looking to improve his deep ball.

Cosell made it clear to me that if Luck corrects this throwing motion flaw, he will be a-okay driving the football deep. Luck is not some noodle-armed nobody. He has all the physical gifts one needs to become a great quarterback.

2012 NFL Draft: Thankfully It Is Finally Here And We Can Concentrate On Andrew Luck Actually Playing

2012-04-26T15:41:14Z

The Colts will finally put an end to all the non-mystery and pointless speculation by officially picking Andrew Luck tonight. it doesn't matter though until the games actually start.

I am more of a casual NFL fan. I have season tickets tot he Colts (and yes, Brad, I did renew them for 2012), but I go mostly for the actual games. I could not care less about free agency, mock drafts, mini-camps, and all the other incessant bullcrap that happens between the final whistle in the Super Bowl and Labor Day. In fact, if I have to see Mel Kiper's head on my TV when I turn on ESPN one more time I think I am going to throw something. It's time for the hockey playoffs, anyway.

That's why today is a good day. Finally, the selection of Andrew Luck by the Indianapolis Colts can become officially. Fox 59 already had their breaking news with camera remote in New York during this morning's newscast, so they too are going overboard for what to me is as exciting as reading the phone book.

When you think about it, that is basically what the NFL Draft is. All this hype and coverage is for an event that is simply a reading of names. No games will be decided tonight. players can switch int he blink of an eye via trades. Rsoters won't even be finalized for months because of training camps and undrafted free agents who will have a bigger impact than many players selected tonight. Now that the first round is separate on Thursday night in prime time the absurdity has hit a new level. Here are players that have yet to play a single down in the NFL, and they get a night of glitz and glamor when they can just as easily be the next JaMarcus Russell as Andrew Luck.

ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook shares my view of the Draft:

But anybody could run an NFL draft! No skill, insight or God-given ability is required to pick the wrong guy. Any 32 people chosen at random from the telephone book could have looked at all the hundreds of players leaving college in 2007 and decided that Russell was most promising. Monkeys chained to typewriters could have chosen Russell first!

He goes on to say that the Draft is as much as finding out about the busts as it is about finding the superstars. the thing is, it is all endless, pointless speculation, and it means nothing until the actual games are played. Even then, the NFL is notoriously impatient when it comes to waiting for a player to mature. Drew Brees was once considered so much of a bust that the San Diego Chargers were ready to dump him in favor of Eli Manning, then Phillip Rivers. Only once Rivers had contract issues (and the stupidity of rewarding guys with massive contracts despite not playing a down is something else entirely) allowing Brees to be the clear No. 1 guy in 2004 did Brees have what amounted to an "eff you" season by making the Pro Bowl. Now he is possibly the best quarterback in the NFL, but eight years ago at this time he was a player some though would never start another game.

Drafting Luck is nice, but the rest of the Draft is much more important for the Colts. It's easy to pick Luck, but how will they shore up a defense that couldn't stop the French Army on third down last year, or a running game that did little to nothing for the past few seasons, or an offensive line that is partially responsible for the neck injury that eventually push Manning out? The Colts have a ton of holes other than quarterback, but they can't fill those holes until all the fluid parts come together before each pick. Until then, it is pointless to speculate about who they'll get because we have no idea if said player will be available at that point.

I realize that the draft is important, but after being inundated by months of mock drafts and analyzing who is going to be taken 167th overall, but only if that pick is traded to the Toronto Argonauts by way of the Scottish Claymores of hte old NFL Europa League my capacity to care has diminished. I know Luck is going to play for the Colts. everyone has known for months. I don't need 24/7 coverage of this story from now until he takes his first snap. I recognize the guy has big shoes to fill with Peyton Manning's departure, but at least let the guy play one stinking series, or even take a snap in a live NFL practice before trying to decide if he is worthy of playing in Peyton's shadow.

The pressure of that shadow is going to be bad enough as it is for the next two years. Don't you think that if Luck goes 2-14 this year he will be reminded, constantly, that Manning was better at 3-13 as a rookie, or that if he throws five fewer touchdowns the, "Well, he's not Peyton, we blew the pick," crowd will start talking. That is what this incessant and pointless harping on every stat and sound byte has brought us too, and as a fan, it frankly takes away from my enjoyment of the game.

We've known for months that Andrew Luck was coming to Indianapolis. It is not a surprise. The rest of the Draft is fluid, and that is why the over-saturation of coverage is so ridiculous. I'll pay slight attention this weekend for two reasons:

1. To see who the Colts pick in each round

2. To see which Purdue players (if any) get drafted since I prefer the college game.

Other than that, let me know when the actual games start in September.

2012 College Basketball Recruiting: Indiana, Purdue Finish With Top 20 Classes

2012-04-12T15:18:50Z

The Hoosiers and Boilermakers get national respect for their recruiting prowess.

The final signing day of the 2012 college basketball recruiting season passed quietly in the state of Indiana on Wednesday, but the final team rankings saw both the Boilermakers and Hoosiers finish with solid classes nationally. Depending on the source, the Indiana Hoosiers had a top 10 or even a top five class, while Purdue's four-man class was solidly a top 20 class.

Indiana Hoosiers

The Hoosiers have long had one of the top classes nationally led by McDonald's All-American Kevin Ferrell. Ferrell was a three-time state finalist and two-time state champion at Park Tudor in Indianapolis, and he brings elite point guard skills to Indiana as a player that will likely be a starter from day one. Ferrell was rated as the No. 19 rated player nationally by Yahoo, No. 34 by Scout, and No. 24 by ESPN.

Indiana's class as a whole finished No. 10 according to ESPN, and No. 4 according to Scout. 6'8 forward Hanner Perea and 6'7" forward Jeremy hollowell also boost Indiana's rating, as both players were considered four-star commitments by the big three services. Shooting guard ron patterson of Indianapolis Broad Ripple finished as the No. 131 recruit nationally, while center Peter Jurkin is regarded as the lowest rated recruit.

The biggest problem the Hoosiers now face is a scholarship one. There are currently 14 players, but only 13 available scholarships. Terry Hutchens at the Indiana has some speculation on how this will work:

1. One of the five incoming players goes to prep school for a year.

2. One of the current players opts to transfer.

3. One of the current scholarship players gives up his scholarship and becomes a walk-on.

Purdue Boilermakers

With the departure of Robbie Hummel, the "Baby Boilers" class of 2007 that was rated among the nation's best is now completely gone. Purdue has reloaded, however, with its best class since then, as Hammer & Rails explains:

ESPN has Purdue with the No. 16 class overall - Three of the four guys (Davis, Hammons, and Johnson) rate a 92 on their scale and Jay Simpson comes in as a three-star at 89. Davis, Hammons, and Johnson finish as top 100 recruits.

Rivals has three of four guys in the top 100 as well - Their final class rankings are not posted yet, but A.J. Hammons moves to our No. 1 spot at No. 77 overall and gets his fourth star. Ronnie Johnson (No. 94) and Rapheal Davis (No. 96) are also four-stars. Simpson (#112) just misses out on a fourth star (#103 was the cutoff).

Scout has Purdue at No. 18 overall - According to Scout, all four guys are top 100 players and have four stars. Hammons is again the highest rated player at No. 70, followed by Johnson at 80, Davis at 99, at No. 100.

The Boilermakers are also in a much better position from a talent standpoint than when the 2007 class arrived. Back then, only senior point guard Tarrance Crump was a returning four-star prospect. The 2012-13 team will have D.J. Byrd, Terone Johnson, and Anthony Johnson as 4-star recruits. Also in 2007-08 Purdue had only two true post players in JaJuan Johnson and Nemanja Calasan. The Boilermakers now have six.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame's three-man class was quietly a solid one, with versatile big man Austin Burgett of Avon as the ony in-state commitment. Burgett was rated as a three-star commit by Rivals, but 6'10" forward Zach Auguste is the jewel of this class as a four-star. Cameron Biedscheid is also a four-star small forward at 6'7" that can have an immediate impact.

Burgett brings a nice shooting touch for a 6'9" forward. Beidscheid is the No. 64 recruit nationally according to ESPN, and is the only Notre Dame recruit in the ESPN top 100:

Cameron has great size for a wing. He has a solid handle and is a good shooter that can play either small forward or shooting guard. He has range on his shot to 20 feet and is able to shoot off the dribble.

Butler Bulldogs

Brad Stevens did some good work with his three-man recruiting class, getting one of the state's most prolific scorers in Kellen Dunham from Pendleton Heights. Dunham rates as the No. 78 player nationally according to ESPN, higher than any of Purdue's for signees. He should fit well into Butler's system as a pure jump shooter who can also use his 6'5" size to get to the basket.

Dunham will be joined by 6' point guard Chris Harrison-Docks, a three-star prospect from Okemos, MI and 6'3" shooting guard Devontae Morgan from Tampa, FL. Only seniors Ronald Nored and Garrett Butcher graduate this season, so the Bulldogs should have a lot more experience as they try to return to the NCAA Tournament.

Other Indiana Schools:

The Ball State Cardinals add a 6'11' big man Mading Thok from Sioux City, Iowa and 6'5" shooting guard Michael Ramey from Sotuhport as their top players.
The Evansville Aces grabbed a very nice player in Kokomo's D.J. Balentine, who finished as an Indiana All-Star and the No. 3 scorer in school history. Balentine was very impressive last summer player on the junior core all-Star team with several high profile recruits.
The Indiana St. Sycamores bring in 6'11" JuCo transfer Mike Samuels as a big body to play in the post from Wabash Valley Community College.
The IPFW Mastodons add 6'8" small forward Joe Reed from Center Grove High School south of Indianapolis.
The IUPUI Jaguars lose one of the nation's most prolific scorers, but they add 6'5" Elijah Ray of Bowman Academy in Gary. Ray helped Bowman to the 2010 Class A state championship and a Class 2A runner-up finish this past season.

2012 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft: The First Round Selections

2012-04-10T14:18:27Z

The first round of the 2012 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft is in the books.

Every April, SB Nation's NFL Draft expert, Dan Kadar, has the unenviable task of wrangling 32 NFL writers together and making them agree to a schedule for a two round mock draft. This is no easy feat. In fact, it's so frustratingly difficult that, for Dan to pull it off as well as he does, I think he missed his calling in life. He should be working for the United Nations, arranging peace accords and diplomatic sit downs.

Instead, he gets paid to make us NFL writers turn our mock draft selections in on time... or else!

Just like in previous years, the first round of the 2012 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft is in the books, right on schedule. For old timers like me (a.k.a., SB Nation bloggers who have been around since 2006), I always find mock drafts of this kind fun, educational, and entertaining. This year did not disappoint, especially in the entertaining department.

Each NFL team blogger submitted their pick (or picks) along with an explanation. Some of the picks are what you would expect. Others are out-of-the-box nuts. All in all, for a mock with no trades allowed, this is about as accurate as one can get.

As always, Dan Kadar deserves a ton of credit for organizing, planning, and implementing this event.

Here's the first round recap:

1. Indianapolis Colts - Stampede Blue

Andrew Luck | Quarterback | Stanford: "Make no mistake, Luck is being drafted to replace [Peyton] Manning, not to simply succeed him. Luck’s success will be critical in helping the Colts franchise establish a true connection with the Indianapolis community." -Brad Wells

2. Washington Redskins - Hogs Haven

Robert Griffin III | Quarterback | Baylor: "Well, Washington finally has a franchise QB. Redskins fans have had to endure TWENTY different starting quarterbacks since the glory years including such names as Jeff George, John Beck, Heath Shuler, Jeff Hostetler, Tony Banks, Patrick Ramsey...I think my point is clear." -Kevin Ewoldt

3. Minnesota Vikings - Daily Norseman

Matt Kalil | Offensive tackle | Southern California: "The Vikings have some youth in their secondary and at wide receiver that they could potentially develop, but the one thing that we know for sure is that the Minnesota Vikings absolutely, positively can not go into the 2012 NFL season with Charlie Johnson as their starting left tackle." -Chris Gates

4. Cleveland Browns - Dawgs By Nature

Justin Blackmon | Wide receiver | Oklahoma State: "I’m not making excuses for quarterback Colt McCoy, but the only way he is going to have a chance at getting better this coming season is if he has better talent around him. That’s where Justin Blackmon comes in." -Chris Pokorny

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bucs Nation

Morris Claiborne | Cornerback | LSU: "All of this means the Bucs must find a long-term, reliable starter at cornerback at some point in the next year, and Morris Claiborne could easily fit the bill." -Sander

6. St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

Trent Richardson | Running back | Alabama: "Richardson can be a feature back or a one-two punch with Jackson. The offense can use the pairing to create mismatches and draw the attention of defenses, which would ideally free up some space on the field for their receivers." -Ryan Van Bibber

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Big Cat Country

Quinton Coples | Defensive end | North Carolina: "Picking Coples at 7th overall has become the cliché, boring pick for the Jaguars, but with Morris Claiborne off the board, it’s really the only player that makes sense." -Adam Stites

8. Miami Dolphins - The Phinsider

Ryan Tannehill | Quarterback | Texas A&M: "Taking Tannehill here may not be a popular choice among Miami Dolphins fans. He’s a reach at the eight spot, and I would agree with many fans that he may not be worth taking here. But, the Dolphins need a quarterback, and he’s the top one left on the board." -Kevin Nogle

9. Carolina Panthers - Cat Scratch Reader

Fletcher Cox | Defensive tackle | Mississippi State: "There is no question the Panthers will look to bolster the defense with this draft and that starts up front at DT where the Panthers were terrible at stopping the run last year." -Jaxon

10. Buffalo Bills - Buffalo Rumblings

Mike Adams | Offensive tackle | Ohio State: "Yes, Adams is highly inconsistent and has some red flags. No, he is not franchise-caliber. But he’s experienced, had very strong performances against top competition, and would be playing in a Bills offense that emphasizes getting the ball out of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s hands as quickly as possible." -Brian Galliford

11. Kansas City Chiefs - Arrowhead Pride

Riley Reiff | Offensive tackle | Iowa: "The Chiefs are stunned when they see Reiff, considered by many to be a better prospect than Mike Adams (No. 10 to Buffalo), still available with the 11th pick. This is a best player available type of situation and the Chiefs select Reiff knowing full well they have two NFL starters already on the offensive line." -Joel Thorman

12. Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

Courtney Upshaw | Outside Linebacker | Alabama: "Seattle needs a DE/OLB hybrid to fit into a scheme that uses a lot of 4-3 and 3-4 concepts. Essentially they need a player who can read well in space, provide solid run support and most of all get to the quarterback. Courtney Upshaw and Melvin Ingram are the ideal candidates for this role and in this scenario, the Seahawks have the luxury of both being available." -Rob Staton

13. Arizona Cardinals - Revenge Of The Birds

Jonathan Martin | Offensive tackle | Stanford: " The offensive line is clearly the Cardinals’ greatest need. With both David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin on the board, the decision is tough. DeCastro could be an elite guard. Martin has great film, but has one glaring weakness -- his weakness (lack of strength). In the end, Martin is the guy to go with because the Cardinals seek a tackle, especially someone who could play left tackle." -RotB

14. Dallas Cowboys - Blogging The Boys

David DeCastro | Offensive guard | Stanford: "The Cowboys interior offensive line was a problem last season, and with the release of Kyle Kosier at guard last week, the position is truly in flux. Dallas did pick up a couple of veteran guards in free agency, but the future of the position is still in question. Enter David DeCastro, who many scouts have said is the best guard prospect to come along since Steve Hutchinson." -Dave Halprin

15. Philadelphia Eagles - Bleeding Green Nation

Luke Kuechly | Middle linebacker | Boston College: "Now that the Eagles have traded for DeMeco Ryans, every mock drafter on the planet has seemingly checked linebacker off the list for the Eagles and moved on. Not me. If you watched the Eagles at all last season, you’d know their problems at LB were more than just the man in the middle." -Jason Brewer

16. New York Jets - Gang Green Nation

Melvin Ingram | Outside linebacker | South Carolina: "Rumors are swirling that Ryan wants to change that and add a difference maker at outside linebacker and loves Ingram. It makes sense. He loves to move his pass rushers all over, and Ingram lined up at linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle at South Carolina." -John Butchko

17. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland Raiders) - Cincy Jungle

Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | South Carolina: "Gilmore is a talented, mature and team-oriented corner who could contribute right away and take over as a starting cornerback down the road opposite of Leon Hall." -Josh Kirkendall

18. San Diego Chargers - Bolts From The Blue

Mark Barron | Safety | Alabama: "The scouts over at Bolts From The Blue have been watching Barron closely since the beginning of the 2010 season. He’s shown himself to a be a good playermaker, great at diagnosing plays and very good in run support." -Wonko

19. Chicago Bears - Windy City Gridiron

Michael Floyd | Wide receiver | Notre Dame: "At one point, there were concerns that Floyd’s lack of speed could be an issue heading into the Draft, but registering a 4.47 forty yard dash during his Pro Day laid that issue to rest. Floyd is a very physical receiver, and loves to go up and fight for the football, something that has been sorely lacking in Chicago for several seasons." -Dane Noble

20. Tennessee Titans - Music City Miracles

Dre Kirkpatrick | Cornerback | Alabama: "The Titans need help at almost every spot on defense. Most people believe they will take the best defensive player available, and Dre Kirkpatrick is just that in this scenario." -Jimmy

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Cincy Jungle

Cordy Glenn | Offensive guard | Georgia: "Cordy Glenn could jump in and start from day one and give the Bengals one of the better offensive lines they’ve had in the last few years. If that offensive line could keep Andy Dalton protected and open holes for BenJarvus Green-Ellis, the Bengals could find themselves pushing for a spot in the playoffs again in 2012." -Josh Kirkendall

22. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta Falcons) - Dawgs By Nature

Kendall Wright | Wide receiver | Baylor: "The concept of drafting both Blackmon and Wright is one that says, "let’s just start over at receiver already." For several years now, the Browns’ group of wide receivers has been regarded as one of the worst in football." -Chris Pokorny

23. Detroit Lions - Pride Of Detroit

Janoris Jenkins | Cornerback | North Alabama: "There are definitely several character concerns surrounding Jenkins, but the Lions have a very strong locker room, especially on defense. There are a lot of leaders on the team who would take Jenkins under their wing, and he is talented enough to select, even with the concerns." -Sean Yuille

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Behind the Steel Curtain

Dont'a Hightower | Middle linebacker | Alabama: "James Farrior is old. Real old. It’s a wonder the 36-year old quarterback of Dick LeBeau’s defense has been able to play at as high a level as he has in recent years, but it’s about time to pass the torch." -Michael Bean

25. Denver Broncos - Mile High Report

Michael Brockers | Defensive tackle | LSU: "From what I’ve been told, the Broncos would like to trade down if they can, so this would be the ideal scenario to do so. However, it’d be very tough to pass on the talent that Michael Brockers possesses. He is my top-ranked DT this year, and I think he’s going to be an absolute stud in the NFL." -Sayre Bedinger

26. Houston Texans - Battle Red Blog

Dontari Poe | Defensive tackle | Memphis: "Lost in the Texans’ defensive improvement last season was that the defense was still weak up the middle against the run, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who has ever seen Shaun Cody or Earl Mitchell play. Enter Dontari Poe. While Wade Phillips does not normally use a NT with 2-gap size, he’s done so when the talent was available (Ted Washington, Jamal Williams)." -Tim

27. New England Patriots (via New Orleans Saints) - Pats Pulpit

Whitney Mercilus | Defensive end | Illinois: "While some are labeling Mercilus a "one year wonder," there’s no denying his talent or explosion as a pass rusher. He is relentless getting after the quarterback, and is always playing all-out in effort (unlike another prospect I considered, Penn State DT/DE Devon Still)." -Greg Knopping

28. Green Bay Packers - Acme Packing Company

Devon Still | Defensive tackle | Penn State: " The Packers are one of those teams that can truly go best player available. With that in mind, it was fair and away Still, who also happens to be a good fit for their 3-4 front. There was no defensive tackle in the nation that played better than Still in 2011." -Dan Kadar

29. Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore Beatdown

Kevin Zeitler | Guard | Wisconsin: "Ironically, the choice here was between Zeitler and his Wisconsin teammate, center Peter Konz. Konz is leaving college after his junior year and has been recovering from a dislocated ankle that kept him out of the second half of the 2011 season, and disappointed at the Combine in the bench press, putting up only 18 reps. Zeitler, which had 32 reps at the Combine, is a mauler while Konz is more of a wall-off blocker, which is not what the Ravens need in putting a lot of emphasis on the running game." -Bruce Raffel

30. San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

Stephen Hill | Wide receiver | Georgia Tech: "Stephen Hill is a very raw prospect, but the 49ers are in a position where they can develop him without rushing him. At the same time, his performance at the Combine and his YAC this past season show a guy who can make significant contributions at the next level. The 49ers are looking for Moss to stretch the field, but if the veteran receiver shows his age, Hill could be the guy who can stretch things out." -David Fucillo

31. New England Patriots - Pats Pulpit

Kendell Reyes | Defensive tackle | Connecticut: " While the Patriots could very well trade out of one of their two first round spots, they have a pressing need to add talent at the 5-technique position this draft. While Brandon Deaderick, Jonathan Fanene, and Ron Brace can start as needed, none have a very high ceiling. Kendall Reyes would offer that for the Patriots." -Greg Knopping

32. New York Giants - Big Blue View

Peter Konz | Offensive center | Wisconsin: "Konz doesn’t fit the seeming need for an offensive tackle, but he is the best offensive lineman and best value left on the board. Giants GM Jerry Reese is all about value, so Konz is the choice. Besides, he could end up starting at left guard." -Ed Valentine

For more coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft

Dear Indiana Sports Fans, You Suck!

2012-03-27T17:24:15Z

Indiana sports fans are notoriously fickle and fair-weather, and there are numbers to back up that claim. Now is the time to change the harsh label.

Like it or not, our sports fan base is notoriously fickle and fair-weather.

No really, it is. Don't try to debate it or deny it.

When you compare how loyal Chicago fans are to the Cubs, Green Bay fans are to the Packers, Detroit fans are to the Red Wings, and New York fans are to the Yankees, Indiana fans make the infamously vapid Los Angeles fanbase look good in comparison

Don't believe me? Living in oblivion? Fine. Here are some numbers to slap some reality in your face, via the always excellent Anthony Schoettle of the IBJ:

At the first sign of trouble, Colts and Pacers fans are accused of heading for the exits—and often refusing to come back.

The Pacers have felt the sting of this so-called fickle fan base for more than five years. The Colts are now getting a taste of it too.

Colts officials on Monday reported that the season ticket renewal rate this off-season is 87 percent, six percentage points below last year’s rate. It’s the first time in more than a decade the renewal rate has dipped below 90 percent, Colts officials said.

The decline comes after a 2-14 season, the Colts first losing season in 10 years. It also comes in the same off-season that saw Peyton Manning depart for Denver.

Luckily for the Colts, they have a 9,000-long waiting list for season tickets. But the list has been shrinking and my math shows that 13 percent of Lucas Oil Stadium’s capacity of 63,000 will eat up most of what’s left.

One bad season. ONE! In ten years of winning, one bad outing has a six point decrease in season tickets.

Seriously, that's pathetic.

Part of me understands the fickleness of the Hoosier fanbase. It's the responsibility of the pro owners to make their teams worth a fan's time and money. If the teams suck, why cheer for them? Why pay for overpriced parking? Concessions?

I get that concept and, in a way, the fickleness helps to apply pressure on billionaire owners who will continue to remain billionaires when if the team wins or loses. Win, and fans show up. Lose, and they stay home. Thus, incentive to win.

However, Indiana fans in general are not consistent across the board with this standard.

Indiana University basketball was fifty-kinds-of-terrible for ten years from 2003 to now. Yet, despite playing awful basketball, and the program operating dirty under former coach Kelvin Sampson, fans still packed in Assembly Hall in Bloomington. When I.U. wins, fans say that "we" win. When the Colts are Pacers win, the "we" isn't so pronounced.

If there was a dip in the I.U. fanbase during this time, it wasn't noticeable. After Sampson was fired, and Tom Crean took over with a very slow, very tedious rebuilding project that only this year saw tangible results with a Sweet 16 appearance, fans still packed the house.

Oh, and please don't give me the tired, lame excuse that I.U. is more "community owned" than the Colts or Pacers. Wealthy boosters look and act no different than Colts owner Jim Irsay or Pacers owner Herb Simon, and it is they, not fans, who keep the athletic department coffers full.

The Colts actually losing fans after just one season of sucky play is completely ridiculous, and pretty much solidifies the "fair-weather" label to Indiana sports. Yes, Peyton Manning is gone, but so what? The team has a brand new stadium. The city was just recently a Super Bowl host. The local economy is doing very well. They have the No. 1 overall pick, which is going to be Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Yet, fans staying home, and for reasons that are just plain stooooopid!

Indy fans have become known for their unwillingness to sit outside to watch football. They complain about how stuffy it is in Lucas Oil Stadium on warm fall days when the roof is open or how chilly it can become when the mercury dips below 60 degrees.

Fans too have complained about the sun streaming through the window at the north end of the stadium making it unbearable to sit in the sun-bathed section.

Fair-weather. It's a truth that cannot be defended.

Despite a 29-19 record this year, the Pacers are still 29^th in the 30-team NBA in attendance, with an average of 13,901 attending the team’s first 22 home games. The Pacers are only one of two NBA teams to average fewer than 14,000 fans per home game.

I can understand fans having reservations about the Indiana Pacers. It's not specifically the fault of the team, but more so the NBA in general. It is a joke and a farce. It's managed by dictators and controlled by superstars who view the game as little more than a side job. Their primary business is promoting themselves. So, yeah. I understand why college basketball should kick the snot out of the NBA, locally. It's an overall better product, and the players (in general) are not conceited jerks.

However, fickleness with NFL teams is unforgivable, at least in this editor's book. In no other league or sport can the worst team improve into the best team in just one season. Every NFL franchise at the start of every season has a legitimate chance to make the post-season. In the case of the Colts, the franchise has a long tradition of winning, strong ownership, and smart people running the franchise.

There is simply no reason for the drop in fan support other than plain fickleness, apathy, and typical Indiana sports "blah."

You all might not like my tone with this article, but this is something Indiana fans all need to hear: You are known for being inconsistent, bothersome, annoying, and extremely fickle when it comes to your taste in sports teams. That is your label. If you want to change it, start getting more consistent in your fan tastes. If you followed crappy I.U. basketball for the last ten years, you shouldn't be jumping off the Colts bandwagon now.

If you are, you just kind of... well, you suck.

Crude terms, I know, but there is no other way to say it.

IndyCar's New Era Starts on Sunday

2012-03-23T13:36:54Z

For complete coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series, head to SB Nation's Pop Off Valve.

Spring always signals a rebirth of the year - with flowers blooming, temperatures rising and outdoor sports beginning - it's tough not to feel rejuvenated. For years, the IZOD IndyCar Series has experienced the beginning to the season without much feeling "new." In 2012, however, the complete opposite is occurring, as nearly everything about the series is new heading into Sunday's season-opening race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.

First and foremost, the new IndyCar safety cell will make its competition debut, appropriately in St. Petersburg. The late Dan Wheldon put the car through its initial paces before his death in last year's season finale, and the Englishman had made the St. Petersburg area his home for a number of years. The city renamed one of the streets in the circuit in his honor, and drivers will certainly feel his presence throughout the day in their first race since that fateful day in October.

One of the chief factors in Wheldon's death, that of his car launching because of front wheel to back wheel contact, has all but been eliminated as the "DW12" now has covers behind the back wheels to prevent the kind of launching that had caused furious wrecks in the last decade.

In theory, with the rear bumper, races, especially on road and street courses, could see even more contact than has been seen in the last few years, when wheel-to-wheel contact was common.

When that contact had occurred in the past, it was Brian Barnhart making those in-race decisions on penalties. Barnhart had become a divisive subject throughout the IndyCar community since 2003, and now, he won't be making any in-race decisions. Instead, that thankless task now turns to Beaux Barfield, who comes to IndyCar from ALMS.

Barfield spent the offseason retooling the INDYCAR rulebook in an effort to eliminate the vagaries that so frustrated teams and fans. In addition, Barfield set out to improve communications between teams and race control, a subject that came to a messy head at New Hampshire last year. Barfield has implemented an instant messaging system between race control and officials, teams and individual entries to communicate track conditions, warnings, penalties and any other pertinent information. Additionally, team managers will be able to directly contact race control as well.

When Barfield oversees the 26-car field this weekend, he'll see three engine manufacturers on the grid for the first time since 2005. After years of a spec field racing under reliable Honda power, Chevrolet and Lotus have joined the fray, providing additional competition to the series.

A quick breakdown of the teams and their engine supplier:
Chevrolet - Penske, KV Racing Technologies, Panther Racing, Andretti Autosport, Ed Carpenter Racing
Honda - Ganassi, A.J. Foyt, Rahal-Letterman, Dale Coyne, Sarah Fisher, Schmidt-Hamilton
Lotus - Lotus-Dragon, Lotus-DRR, Lotus-HVM, Bryan Herta Autosport

In theory, with the new suppliers, comes additional promotion from each company, which fuels the growth of the series. It also can spawn new problems, as evidenced by some issues for Lotus-affiliated teams to receive their engines in a timely manner.

While the engines represent a major new variable in the competition, so too does the DW12, as it has challenged drivers throughout offseason testing. And while Team Penske, Target Chip Ganassi Racing (and to a lesser extent Andretti Autosport) have dominated the competition of late, the 2012 season could new teams and drivers emerge, especially as everyone looks to find an edge with the new car. Sooner or later, those teams with money figure to find their way to the top, the 2012 season could open the door for new stars to break out.

After all, who thought in 2011 that the winner of the Indianapolis 500 would be a one-off team with a veteran driver? Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta Autosport proved that anyone, in the right circumstances can take the checkered flag. One of Wheldon's lasting legacies will certainly be influencing those teams as the green flag drops on the 2012 season.

Yes, Indiana Is Back, But Not Yet Elite

2012-03-22T12:51:11Z

The Hoosiers are back in the Sweet 16 for the first time in 10 years, but they still have another step to go.

As much as it pains me to say it, Indiana is back.

Yes, I know some of the most rabid Indiana fans (and virulent Purdue haters) weren't exactly waiting on me to crown them, but I must give credit where it is due. The Hoosiers surprised many this year with the win over Kentucky. I even famously said I would walk to Bloomington to go tanning with Tom Crean if they beat Kentucky in December (it's on my to do list, I swear).

More importantly, that was not a random fluke in an otherwise average season. Look at this year's Sweet 16:

Kentucky - Indiana's opponent has only lost twice, but once was to Indiana
North Carolina State - Nearly Purdue's opponent, but in probably its most impressive road victory in four years, the Hoosiers beat the Wolfpack in Raleigh.
Ohio State - Another team the Hoosiers beat in Bloomington.
Michigan State - The virtual winner of the tiebreaker for the Big Ten, but they lost in Bloomington.
Kansas - While Indiana did not play the Jayhawks, Purdue did everything it needed to do in order to beat Kansas in a virtual Kansas home game except finish, and Indiana dismissed the Boilermakers twice with ease.

By every possible metric the Hoosiers have had a successful season and are back among the really good teams in college basketball. They are 4-3 against teams that made the Sweet 16 this year. They turned Assembly Hall back into a formidable home court, losing only to NIT semifinalist Minnesota. They've also gotten it done in March by reaching the Sweet 16.

You could point to Cody Zeller and name him the sole reason for Indiana's success, but his addition also allowed other players to be successful because he's such an excellent player. It pains me to say this as an avid Purdue fan, but if this team were wearing any other jersey they would be really fun to watch. With Zeller, the Hoosiers rank ninth in the nation in field goal percentage at 48.7%. More importantly, their three-point shooting percentage has jumped to 43.7% from 34.6%. That 9% jump is very much the Zeller effect, as the attention he draws and his passing ability opens things up for shooters like Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls, and Matt Roth.

Second, Indiana has figured out how to win close games. It is more than just the wins over Kentucky and Ohio State, but other games. Indiana came from behind to win at North Carolina State, getting their road demons off their back in the process. They closed the Purdue game in Mackey Arena with a 13-0 run. Wins over Michigan, Penn State, Northwestern, and VCU were classic, "We're not playing that well, but we're gritting this out," wins.

That last part has been the most impressive to me. Their ability to win close games at the end is the mark of a very good team. Forget the loss at Nebraska. It is an outlier in a season where Indiana, more often than not, was the aggressor and had an advantage in close games.

In saying Indiana is not yet Elite again, I have to apply the same criteria that they have used for Purdue over the years: they need to win conference championships and reach Final Fours. Of course, there is still time for that second part. I would definitely argue that Indiana would be favored in the South Region final if they beat Kentucky for a second time. Indiana's outstanding incoming class combined with the returning talent makes them a legitimate threat to win the Big Ten next year, if not run away with it.

So there you have it. Now if you don't mind, I'll go back to hating Indiana.