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When I thought about making a Positive Day post today, I first considered how difficult it would be. I've pretty much been in bed since leaving the poker game at the TSA compound on Saturday night. I came down with something, lord I don't know what, that I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even Jimmy Kusyk (smile MonyP, that's how bad this really was). So I spent the last day and a half in bed in the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. Predictably, I made a graph in an attempt to show you, the fine readers of The Globex Corporation Newsletter just how bad I felt.
Yeah, generally much worse than the crippling emotional pain of a divorce or even the aftermath of a really bad Mexican meal. Hopefully the point of the graph is clear, I really hurt and bad.
I called my folks at about 8am on Sunday morning, I was pretty dehydrated by the rapid expulsion of fluids from every part of my body and was pretty sure that Jesus was now playing tight end for the Denver Broncos (though I was convinced he was a step down from Shannon Sharpe). I didn't have anything to drink in the apartment and was actually to tired to get out of bed if I did. My folks were setting up the coffee and doughnuts at church, but my Mom came down to my place after Dad got started up at the church. My mother has had both knees and one hip replaced in the past 5 years and is scheduled to have the other hip replaced in a couple of months. Yet, she climbed two flights of stairs with a grocery sack full of stuff that a sick boy needed. She had come down with the same thing this past week, so she knew how bad off I probably was. Still, I was quite moved that she went through all of the trouble. She brought apple juice and some pain killers, but mostly she was just there, sitting with me for a few minutes, making me feel better by just her being there.
I hadn't been able to sleep the whole night before, but found myself able to get some rest after she left. Dad stopped by after church to make sure I was OK and they called a couple more times before they went to bed. Other people have called to make sure I'm OK or ask if I need anything. When I left TSA's on Saturday night, my nephew offered to drive me home. Sometimes I get mired in self pitty, thinking nobody cares about me or anything I do. Something like this proves to me that they do, and makes me realize that the people in my life are always there, even when I don't need them, sometimes when I don't even want them around.
But it also reminds me how much I need the people in my life. I'd most assuredly be insane by now if I weren't playing music with Andy and Mike and anyone else who asks me to play with them. I'm not really good at asking for help, even when I really, really need it, but the people around me have always been able to tell.
So, for the first time, I'm writing one of these Positive Day posts without being snide, without using it as a gimmick to be my same old negative self in a new and interesting way and without mentioning Vikings Coach Mike Tice until now. I'm very grateful for everything everyone has done for me and I'm sorry I haven't always noticed like I should.
This isn't a turnaround on this blog. I'm still who I am, and I'll continue to write the way I always do. I'm sure I'll continue to find plenty in the world to bitch about, and I will bitch. Maybe I'll take Positive Day a little more seriously, then again, maybe I won't. In either case, I'll try to notice a little more of the good that's all around me.
BOJ
With the Draft 2 weeks a way this could be interesting to discuss. Here is ny definition of bust, a player taken in Round 1 who never came close to living up to their potential and subsequent draft positon. I would say 2003 is a good place to start.
2003 Busts
#2, Charles Rogers, WR, Lions
#14, Michael Haynes, DE, Bears
#15, Jerome McDougle, DE, Eagles
#17, Bryant Johnson, WR, Cardinals
#19, Kyle Boller, QB, Ravens
#30, Sammy Davis, CB, Chargers
#31, Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Raiders
#32, Tyler Brayton, DE, Raiders
Given that players like Boss Bailey, Eugene Wilson, Anquan Boldin, and Mike Doss went in Round 2, these picks look even worse.
2002 Busts
#3, Joey Harrington, QB, Lions
#16, William Green, RB, Browns
#17, Phillip Buchanon, CB, Raiders
#22, Bryan Thomas, DE, Jets (why'd they pick him with Ellis and Abraham?)
#32, Patrick Ramsey, QB, Redskins (major reach)
Green looks particularly bad given that Clinton Portis went #51 overall. The QB picks aren't awful given how bad of a class it was, but considering Harrington was almost the #1 overall pick and is now out in Detroit it doesn't protect him from bust status.
2001 Busts
#3 Gerard Warren, DE, Browns (over Richard Seymour)
#8 David Terrell, WR, Bears
#10 Jamal Reynolds, DE, Packers
#14 Kenyatta Walker, T, Florida
#15 Rod Gardner, WR, Redskins (over Santana Moss, good call!)
#24 Willie Middlebrooks, CB, Broncos
#25 Freddie Mitchell, WR, Eagles
#26 Jamar Fletcher, CB, Dolphins
Second round picks included Drew Brees, Chad Johnson, Alge Crumpler, Kris Jenkins, Fred Smoot, Lamont Jordan, Chris Chambers, Todd Light, and Shaun Rogers. Hell, the second round produced more elite players than the 1st did. In Round 3 we saw Steve Smith go and then Rudi Johnson in Round 4.
2000 Busts
#1 Courtney Brown, DE, Browns (Noticing a trend of Browns picks?)
#4 Peter Warrick, WR, Bengals
#10 Travis Taylor, WR, Ravens
#11 Ron Dayne, RB, Giants
#17 Sebastian Janikowski, K, Raiders
#21 Sylvester Morris, WR, Chiefs
#26 Erik Flowers, DE, Bills
#29 R. Jay Soward, WR, Jaguars
#31 Trung Canidate, RB, Rams
Round 2 saw players the likes of Darren Howard, Mike Brown, Jerry Porter, and Deon Grant. Round 3 had Lav Coles, Darrell Jackson, and Reuben Droughns. So this was a good year for WRs, just not in Round 1.
1999 Busts
#1 Tim Couch, QB, Browns (wonder why they suck?)
#3 Akili Smith, QB, Bengals
#12 Cade McNown, QB, Bears
#13 Troy Edwards, WR, Steelers
#28 Andy Katzenmoyer, LB, Patriots (over Patrick Kearney and Al Wilson)
#29 Dimitrius Underwood, DE, Vikings (major reach)
Round 2 featured Jon Jansen, Dre' Bly, Peerless Price and Round 3 had Joey Porter.
1998 Busts
#2 Ryan Leaf, QB, Chargers (and they traded up for him!)
#3 Andre Wadsworth, DE, Cardinals (could that be the worst trade ever?)
#5 Curtis Enis, RB, Bears (over Fred Taylor)
#16 Kevin Dyson, WR, Titans (over Randy Moss)
#18 Robert Edwards, RB, Patriots (He was hurt in college all the time too)
#19 Vonnie Holliday, DE, Packers
#24 Shaun Williams, S, Giants (right before Donovan Darius)
#29 John Avery, RB, Dolphins
#30 Marcus Nash, WR, Broncos
Round 2 wasn't great but did have Tony Parrish and Samari Rolle. Round 3 had Ahman Green, Hines Ward, Brian Griese, and despite the off the field problems Leonard Little
1997 Busts
#5 Bryant Westbrook, CB, Lions
#7 Ike Hilliard, WR, Giants
#9 Tom Knight, CB, Cardinals
#11 Michael Booker, DB, Falcons (all of whom before Tony Gonzalez)
#14 Reinard Wilson, DE, Bengals
#15 Yatil Green, WR, Dolphins
#16 Reidel Anthony, WR, Buccaneers
#22 David LaFleur, TE, Cowboys
#25 Jon Harris, DE, Eagles (before Trevor Pryce)
#26 Jim Druckenmiller, QB, 49ers
#27 Rae Carruth, WR, Panthers (okay, he was pretty good before killing someone)
#29 Chris Canty, CB, Patriots
Round 2 had Jamie Sharper, Tiki Barber, Jake Plummer, Corey Dillon, Sam Madison, Marcellus Wiley, and Darren Sharper.
Round 3 had Dexter Coakley, Ronde Barber, and Jason Taylor.
1996 Busts
#5 Cedric Jones, DE, Giants
#6 Lawrence Phillips, RB, Rams
#8 Tim Biakabutuka, RB, Panthers (both before Eddie George)
#9 Rickey Dudley, TE, Raiders
#18 Eddie Kennison, WR, Rams (right before Marvin Harrison)
#22 Marcus Jones, DT, Buccaneers (before Ray Lewis)
Round 2 had Tony Brackens, Amani Toomer, Mike Alstott, Lawyer Milloy, Muhsin Muhammad, and Brian Dawkins.
Round 3 had Tedy Bruschi and Terrell Owens.
Round 4 had Donnie Edwards and Earl Holmes
Round 5 had Marcus Coleman, Joe Horn, Zach Thomas, and Patrick Jeffers
1995 Busts
#1 Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Bengals
#4 Michael Westbrook, RB, Redskins
#7 Mike Mamula, DE, Eagles
#10 J.J. Stokes, WR, 49ers
#11 Derrick Alexander, DE, Vikings (right before Warren Sapp)
#21 Rashaan Salaam, RB, Bears (over Ty Law)
#26 Devin Bush, S, Falcons (over Derrick Brooks)
#30 Craig Powell, LB, Browns/Ravens
Round 2 wasn't great but had Ken Dilger, Bobby Taylor, and Ted Johnson.
Round 3 had Curtis Martin and Antonio Freeman
Round 6 had Terrell Davis
1994 Busts
#1 Dan Wilkinson, DT, Bengals (over Marshall Faulk)
#3 Heath Shuler, QB, Redskins (over Willie McGinest)
#5 Trev Alberts, LB, Colts
#10 Jamir Miller, LB, Cardinals
#11 John Thierry, DE/LB, Bears
#23 Shante Carver, DE, Cowboys
#25 Greg Hill, RB, Chiefs
#27 Jeff Burris, DB, Bills
Round 2 had Tre Johnson, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Mawae, Bert Emanuel, and Charlie Garner
Round 6 had Kimo von Oelhoffen
Round 7 had Jamal Anderson and Tom Nalen
1993 Busts
#2 Rick Mirer, QB, Seahawks
#5 John Copeland, DE, Bengals
#6 Eric Curry, DE, Buccaneers
Round 2 had Michael Strahan, Michael Barrow, and Darrin Smith
Round 3 had Jason Elam, Will Shields, and John Lynch
Round 4 had Lorenzo Neal
Round 5 had Mark Brunell
Round 6 had Frank Wycheck
Round 7 had Brock Marion
Round 8 had Troy Brown, Craig Hentrich, Jessie Armstead, Blaine Bishop, Elvis Grbac, and Trent Green
1992 Busts
#1 Steve Emtman, DT, Colts
#5 Terrell Buckley, CB, Packers
#6 David Klingler, QB, Bengals
#21 Vaughn Dunbar, RB, Saints
#25 Tommy Maddox, QB, Broncos (Resurrected his career, but he was a bust)
Round 2 had Carl Pickens, Jimmy Smith, Darren Woodson, Levon Kirkland, Phillippi Sparks, Eddie Robinson, and Jason Hanson
Round 3 had Robert Brooks and Joel Steed
Round 4 had Edgar Bennett
Round 5 had Dwayne Sabb, Ed McDaniel, and Santana Dotson
Round 6 had Mark Chmura and Jeff Blake
Round 9 had Brad Johnson and Ty Detmer
Round 10 had Brad Culpepper
1991 Busts
#7 Charles McRae, T, Buccaneers
#8 Antone Davis, T, Eagles
#16 Dan McGwire, QB, Seahawks
#24 Todd Marinovichm, QB, Raiders
Round 2 had Roman Phifer, Brett Favre, and Ricky Watters
Round 4 had Aeneas Williams, Mo Lewis, Erik Williams, and Ed McCaffrey
Round 4 had Yancey Thigpen and Raghib Ismail
Round 5 had Bryan Cox, Merton Hanks, and Ben Coates
Round 7 had Leon Lett
Round 12 had Keenan McCardell
1990 Busts
#1 Jeff George, QB, Colts
#2 Blair Thomas, RB, Jets (Emmitt Smith went #17, way to go Jets!)
#4 Keith McCants, LB, Buccaneers
#7 Andre Ware, QB, Lions
Round 2 had Keith Sims and LeRoy Butler
Round 3 had Ricky Proehl and Neil O'Donnell
Round 4 had Chris Warren, Scott Mitchell, and Chris Calloway
Round 5 had Larry Centers, Barry Foster, and Brian Mitchell
Round 7 had Shannon Sharpe
Round 11 had Bill Goldberg (yes the wrestler)
Round 12 had Matt Stover
Much further back stretches my memory of who was a bust and who wasn't, but I'll attempt 1989.
1989 Busts
#2 Tony Mandarich, T, Packers (over Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, and Derrick Thomas)
#8 Burt Grossman, DE, Chargers
#16 Hart Lee Dykes, WR, Patriots (over Steve Atwater)
Round 2 had Steve Wisniewski, Carnell Lake, Darly Johnston, and Robert Massey
Round 3 had Mark Stepnoski, Marv Cook, Jerry Fontenot, and Bubba McDowell
Round 4 had Tony Tolbert and Ray Crockett
Round 5 had Jeff Uhlenhake and Dave Meggett
Round 6 had Rodney Peete and Chris Jacke
Round 7 had Marion Butts
Round 8 had Pete Stoyanovich
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