BaD Radio - Recap - 5/3/11

Tuesday 5/3/11

Episode: 2926

Location: Studio

The Mix: “Did a dead body drop from the 17^th floor?” - Norm

The Open: “Pink Eye”. Bob has two things on his mind right off the top. It appears that the Stars are nearing the closer of a sale to a new owner, Tom Gagliardi, from Vancouver. Bob got a speeding ticket and had to go through the hell that is going to get it taken care of. This happened 2 weeks ago, now the same road he got pulled over on had 6 motorcycle cops within a one mile stretch. Dan theorizes that the best time to speed is when it’s raining. Bicycle cops are the cops that obviously pissed off the mayor.

12:40 – Mavs Talk: The Mavs opened the second round of the playoffs with a late win versus the Lakers to go ahead 1-0 in the best of 7 series. It seems that after the Lakers went up big early, they got lazy and let the Mavs crawl back in. Phil Jackson left Kobe on the bench for the majority of the 4^th quarter, it seemed like a cocky move on his part. The Mavs didn’t seem to be intimidated by the Lakers; could it be that their psyche is somewhat strengthened after closing out the Trail Blazers.

1:00 – More Playoffs: Donovan notices that both Peja and Pau Gasol have a serious case of mouth-breathing. There are a lot of people out there that think Pau Gasol is a better player than Dirk, these people are also idiots. Tyson Chandler had a strong game last night and Rick Carlisle made a bold move in playing Corey Brewer for the first time in a month. He was actually productive, unlike DeShawn Stevenson.

1:20 – Even More Playoffs: My internet stream was down.

1:40 – Osama: My internet stream was down.

2:00 – Gay Not Gay: Is it gay to send pictures of hail to your buddies? Not if it’s bigger than quarter size. Is it gay for a man to use a sun umbrella at 6:00pm at a kids soccer game? Duh. Is it gay to post that you are getting facials and watching a chick flick with your girlfriend while the Mavs are on? Yes. Is it gay to be on cloud 9 after you got Eva Longoria’s signature on her new cookbook? Yes, on many levels. Is it gay to share a Facebook account with your twin? Probably so. Are CamelBak’s gay? In certain instances.

2:20 – Draft: Bruce Carter, Linebacker from UNC, 2^nd round pick. He is often described as a “finesse linebacker”, that doesn’t seem like a glowing compliment. Yet, it could just mean that he is a speed linebacker. It turns out that this guy has a weird eating habit. He says he eats at McDonalds nearly every day and orders 3 double cheeseburgers, medium fries, large tea and 6 piece chicken nuggets. That’s about 2,200 calories.

2:40 – Draft Shenanigans: Tom came up with a game. Guess Which Family is White. The Cowboys, before they draft someone, call you ahead of time and let you know. It’s audio of the phone calls. Spoiler Alert: The white family is the one that isn’t jumping around screaming in the background.

3:00 – WTDS: On this day in 1980, Fergie Jenkins became the fourth pitcher to win 100 games in each league. Happy Birthday to Ryan Dempster, Greg Gumbel, Ron Hextall, Memoirs of a Gusher, Cheryl Burke, Bruce Hall, Dule Hill and Frankie Valli. Spares include Slava Kozlov and Davey Lopes.

Listen to BaD Radio everyday from 12 – 3pm on Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. I do, and I has opulence.

Wes Bullard

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Mavericks vs Lakers 5/2/11 Game 1 ADS

Game one has come and gone and Mavs steal one from LA. I say steal because for all intents and purposes that win was going towards LA up until the end of that game. We look at the quarter break down and the first thing that should jump out is in the second Lakers had an ADS(+) that was less than half of Dallas's. Remember the stat before this series that Lakers won every game against the Hornets when they had a lower ADS. Could this be a minor slip up on the Lakers part? Or are the Mavericks figuring out this defense thing? Also since all of us love predictions mine is Mavs in seven.

Mavs vs Lakers Game 1 ADS ADS+ 1st Dal 14.9 14.9 LA 12.7 11.8 2nd Dal 14.9 13.6 LA 6.7 6.5 3rd Dal 10.4 9.9 LA 16.7 15.3 4th Dal 13.3 13.3 LA 13.9 13.3

Side Notes
- Kobe had a game-high 36 points.
- Lakers scored only two points in the final 3:32 of the game.
- Mavs bench dominated the Lakers outscoring them 40-25.

What better way to cap off Osama's death than to read Bob's Morning After for game 1.

Mavericks 5/2/11 FGM/A ADS ADS+ Barea 3/6 18.7 18.7 Brewer 2/4 13.3 13.3 Chandler 5/8 4.9 4.4 Haywood 1/1 3 3 Kidd 2/4 24.8 24.8 Marion 5/13 6.2 6.2 Stojakovic 4/8 16.9 16.9 Nowitzki 11/22 12.9 12.3 Stevenson 0/3 24 24 Terry 6/10 18.9 17.3 Team Total 39/79 13.5 13

Lakers 5/2/11 FGM/A ADS ADS+ Artest 1/8 15.6 15.6 Blake 0/1 26 26 Brown 3/6 13.3 13.3 Bryant 14/29 18.1 17.6 Bynum 3/8 4.4 4 Barnes 2/6 6.3 6.3 Fisher 3/6 13.8 13.8 Gasol 5/10 8.6 7.3 Odom 5/10 6.1 5.3 Team Total 36/84 12.6 11.8

<--- Series Total...since theres only been one game. sooooo.

What is ADS? Read the FAQ and find out.

Thanks to Adam Rosen for the data.

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BaD Radio - Recap - 5/2/11

Monday 5/2/11

Episode: 2925

Location: Studio

The Mix: “I think he has the blackest lips on a human, ever.” - Donovan

The Open: Gordon Sinclair – Americans. Enough said. The news of Osama bin Laden being killed by a team of US Navy Seals bumped Bob from his TV appearance with Mike Doocy. Poor Bob. There were TONS of Osama jokes on Twitter last night and even a few people who thought it was too soon. The pep rally aspect of it was kind of weird though, but America just wants a reason to party.

12:40 – Osama News: Dan thinks it’s quite fascinating when the proper news gets information wrong and FOX 4 didn’t fail to fascinate. They had many wheels off moments. They’re not that good at improv. Basically this whole segment is audio from FOX 4 last night.

1:00 – More News: The bin Laden mansion was located in Abbottabad. They have an ice arena and a golf course. You can check it out on Google Maps/Earth. Check out the user reviews of the golf course on Google. They’re all recently added in the past few hours. American humor at its finest. Bob got bumped for about an hour on FOX, yet they still went on with the show while waiting for Obama to come on.

1:20 – More News: If you do the math on the whole thing, 47,000 soldiers have been killed or wounded directly because of 9/11. Initial reports on Osama’s location starting coming in around October and it has been in the works this entire time. Dealing with everything else, plus this, brings to question, why would anyone want to be President.

1:40 – Even More News: Osama’s body was buried at sea, which is what is supposed to happen according to Islamic law. That is the only shred of doubt that is out there. Obama was very cautious about not upsetting the moderate Muslims. A smart move. Bob wants to proclaim his love for the Navy SEALS. Of every 10 that go out for the SEALS, 8 drop out. The whole operation to kill bin Laden took 40 minutes. There will be books, movies and tv shows about this. Osama’s son and two couriers as well as a woman that was used as a human shield were killed.

2:00 – Sports Talk: NFL Draft, Dan wonders if it’s common for the Draft to do bits when it comes to announcing the late round draft picks. They brought out fans, actors, grandkids, old people and everyone else.

2:15 – Cowboys Draft Thoughts: Jason Garrett has said that he is very excited about the players they drafted. What else is he supposed to say? Bob is really happy with the first round pick, it’s the second round (Bruce Carter) and third round (DeMarco Murray) that give him great pause. Both of these picks seem to be made to pay for past mis-picks in previous drafts. Some people believe that once it gets to the 7^th round, it might be better to not get drafted because then you can pick your situation/team in order to get a tryout.

2:45 – Mavs Talk: With game 1 of the 2^nd round starting tonight against the Lakers, it’s odd to think that the Mavs and Lakers haven’t played in the playoffs since 1988. The Lakers come into this series as underdogs against the defending champs but the Lakers are very beatable. The Mavs start on the road and the Phil Jackson’s teams are 48-0 in series in which they win the first game. Basically, the Mavs must win this game to have a chance.

3:00 – WTDS: On this day in 1863, Stonewall Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men. Happy Birthday to Roy Hinson, The Rock, Keith Moreland, Splitting a White Ho with My Black Bro, Larry Gatlin, Lou Graham, Goldie McJohn, Bianca Jagger and Bob Henrit. Spares include Gates Brown and Jeff Agoos. RIP to Dr. Benjamin Spock, Norm Van Brocklin, Jay Edgar Hoover and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Listen to BaD Radio everyday from 12 – 3pm on Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. I do, and I has opulence.

Wes Bullard

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The Morning After: Game 1 - Dallas 96, Los Angeles 94 (1-0)

The entire conversation this morning could have easily been about the Mavericks' coming unraveled at another key juncture or another key playoff game. Composure, despite being the focus of so many conversations, always seems to be the undoing of the Mavericks at just the wrong time when we discuss the playoffs.

And, Monday night, after leading most of the 2nd Quarter, the Mavericks managed to take a small deficit right before halftime and make it bigger because Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki lost their minds for a brief second. What certainly should have been 5 turned quickly into 9 when Terry decided to contest a 60 foot desperation heave at the buzzer and accidentally caught part of Lamar Odom's arm. To make sure it was a horrible situation, Dirk then got irritated at Ron Artest and threw an elbow that cost the Mavericks a technical foul and another point.

Coming out of halftime, the Mavericks had the ball 3 times and committed 3 turnovers. The Lakers converted that into 3 baskets (including one from 3-point range) and the lead went from 49-44 to 60-44 in about 1:22 of basketball time.

And because composure bit the Mavericks yet again in the rear end, they quickly sacrificed Game 1 at the Staples Center.

That could have been the story. But, it wasn't.

Instead, partly because the Mavericks did not panic and partly because the Lakers went quickly to autopilot with their 16 point lead, Dallas was able to climb back into the game. Slowly but surely, Dallas chipped away with a wonderful combination of hitting shots, getting stops, and attacking the paint with the athletic bodies that can do that sort of thing.

The Lakers played the role that we see Dallas play sometimes - a team that has been successful, but relaxes when they are pretty sure they have a proper working margin. The Lakers defense and offense dropped in intensity and before anyone in the arena could stop looking at their phones, Corey Brewer - yes, that Corey Brewer - nailed a 3 from the corner and the Lakers' lead was just 64-61.

From that point on, Dallas stayed within a reasonable distance. Never taking the lead nor falling behind by more than 8 for last half of the 3rd Quarter and the first 11:30 of the 4th.

Dirk made a key shot with :40 left - one of his amazing wrong-foot conversions in the lane that make people marvel at his gifts - and then the Kobe Bryant committed a poor turnover as he tried to draw and kick out to the perimeter. Jason Terry jumped the pass route like a DB and the Mavericks had the ball with just a 94-93 deficit and :20 to play.

20 seconds later, the Mavericks had made 3 out of 4 free throws, Jason Kidd had forced a turnover, and Kobe Bryant missed a shot that most of the free world expected him to make.

Game over. And Dallas proved plenty of things to the basketball public and maybe even themselves. Perhaps, the most important of these items was that they could play and win a game of NBA crunch time basketball with the Lakers and Kobe himself - at the Staples Center and in the playoffs - and take the win.

For those of us who thought the Mavericks may have to prove they are not psychologically at a disadvantage saw plenty to indicate that Dallas is up for this. It is only Game 1. And, that is a game the Lakers dropped in Round 1 as well. But, the Mavericks continue to show time and time again that this is not the wounded performer from Dallas we have seen for the last 5 years. This team seems to have resolve and purpose in May.

And as Mike Fisher tweeted last night, "The MAVS have won as many road playoff games in the last 5 days as they'd won in the previous 5 YEARS."

Game 1 to Dallas.

I understand in this business we are obligated by sports law to remind everyone it is just one game in a best of 7 series, but for Dallas, I think this game was vitally important to what could be down the road. They certainly have a long way to go, but they appear to be in the process of figuring out just how good they can be in situations like these. There are a lot of miles on the tires of pretty much everyone the Mavericks put on the court, but at the same time, they are finally seeing their powers combine for positive playoff results.

And a 23-point lead that they surrendered 9 days ago in Portland may have triggered everything we have seen since. Adversity, which used to bring Dallas to its knees, has perhaps brought the team together in a unified and determined way we are not used to seeing around here. So much so that a 16-point deficit at the Staples Center in May did not rock their foundation a bit.

It makes you wonder what this team might be capable of in the next few weeks.

Other random thoughts and observations:

* The Lakers fell into a familiar trap that makes you ponder how to defend Kobe. The trap is that his complimentary players sometimes get lulled into watching him play. The idea is that Kobe gets hot and you must get him the ball. As an opponent, you never want Kobe Bryant in the zone, but there seem to be time to single-team him and let him get going - thus, rendering the others on the court as passengers for the Lakers. Also, Phil Jackson indicated after the game that the Lakers felt like they gave the game away. And while that may sound like an insult if you are the Mavericks, you can definitely see it from the Lakers perspective. A close examination of the 3rd Quarter shows Ron Artest in particular taking and missing three 3-point shots in 3 minutes. They settled for shots in the same way the Mavericks did in the Rose Garden with their big lead. The point to all of this is to show that the Lakers are highly susceptible to the same traps the Mavs fall into at frustrating times. It is the NBA game. You must stay focused, because your opponent can make up ground in a hurry if you don't. I understand why the Lakers are kicking themselves this morning.

* It isn't said often enough, so let me say it here: the Dallas defense is better than you think. Last night, it generated 8 steals, 8 blocks, and held the Lakers to 42.9% from the field. It also scrapped its way to 35 defensive rebounds and just tried to make the Lakers earn their points. When LA decides to attack the rim, like they did in the 2nd Quarter, they have awesome muscle. But, the fact is that Tyson Chandler, Shawn Marion, and their mates are quite effective at times holding their ground. Not NBA-best effective, but also nowhere near the "no-D in Dallas" teams we remember from years gone by. It is not always obvious and there are times that it slips, but when that Chandler is leading the charge, they can really cut off traffic in the lane at times. His late-game swat of a Pau Gasol post move with 1:43 to go was a thing of absolute beauty. And then Jet's steal in the last minute and Kidd's steal with a few seconds to play were both huge plays and they all happened on the defensive end.

* There was snickering over the weekend when a member of the Mavericks suggested that Dallas was "built to play the Lakers", but when you do consider that this team has the ability to rest Tyson Chandler and bring in a fresh-as-a-daisy Brendan Haywood, you can see the point a bit clearer. If the Lakers can roll out Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom as trees to compliment Artest, Bryant, and Matt Barnes as wings, then you better have some big guys to protect the rim. Chandler and Haywood can do that reasonably well. Then, the Mavericks acquired about 4 guys who at least have a chance to cover Kobe for a few minutes: Kidd, Marion, Brewer, and DeShawn Stevenson all take their turns. So, do they have a few trees? And do they have a few guys to try to make Kobe work? Well, that is what that quote was supposed to mean.

* Everyone loves the NBA, but when a game is well after midnight, you still have to wonder why the league cannot figure out how to play :20 of basketball in less than 12 minutes of real time. If I was commissioner, I would take half of each team's timeouts and make them the "20-second timeout" variety. But, I suppose you cannot play as many commercials, and we wouldn't want to lose those.

* And speaking of defense on Kobe, I do think we should recognize Kidd's fine work at the most high-leverage moments of the game. He is not a candidate to chase Kobe for very long, but in the final few possessions, Kidd does very well against Kobe over the last few seasons. Now, let's be honest, Kobe still had a great look at the 3-pointer to win the game after Bynum set him free on a screen, but I do enjoy Jason Kidd muscling up on Bryant. And, maybe just maybe, Kidd gets the benefit of the doubt from the officials when he covers Kobe that Brewer or Stevenson never would. In small doses, I like what Kidd is able to do.

* According to this, Kobe Bryant now has missed his last five game-tying or go-ahead postseason field goal attempts in the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime. I still expect him to make every one of them, but perhaps perception and reality are not on the same page here. Do the Mavericks have the better closer in this series? Surely, not, right?

That was a very strong win. They proved again that they can win on the road in the playoffs (after a 2-18 spell, they have now won back-to-back away from Dallas), they proved they can outlast the Lakers in a tight playoff game, and they proved they can steal home-court advantage away.

They simply had to get a split in Los Angeles early and that is in the bank. Now, they must get very greedy in Game 2 and effort to grab another game if at all possible. Think of this series as still just in the 1st Quarter. There is so much basketball to play. But, so far, the Mavericks do not look at all impressed with what is in front of them. There is something different about this 2011 team at this moment in time.

Does this new vibe have staying power?

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New Rafael Vela Chat

Rafael Vela:So, what's on your draft-addled mind this morning?

Bob Sturm: Thanks for the time this morning. Plenty to discuss since we last talked. Well, initial thoughts on the events of the NFL Draft, as it pertains to the Cowboys, of course


Rafael Vela: Like the front and the back. I'm thinking over day two, which gave a lot of people some indigestion, judging from comments, and post-draft grades.

Bob Sturm: Yes. I feel quite similar to that assessment. It sure seems that I would label Day 2 as pretty much "paying for previous sins".

Rafael Vela:: Where do you want to begin there?

Bob Sturm: Bruce Carter. Quite possibly a wonderful player - although the tape I see is rather mixed. But, I would have a much more open mind if this pick wasn't also made in 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010. Inside nickel cover linebacker with sideline to sideline capabilities.

Rafael Vela: They're projecting him as a 3-down player to have taken him so high. The question for me is their thinking process in projecting him inside.

Bob Sturm: There is no way this franchise should have spent a 1st, 3 2nd's and a 3rd on this low priority spot in 7 drafts. And have fewer than 5 starts so far between all 5 players!

Rafael Vela: Carpenter, the less said the better. Jason Williams? The same. Lee and Carter will have to answer. I think the question about Bruce Carter, as you've said, comes down to the non-production of the Parcells and Wade era ILBs. I was looking up Kevin Burnett last night. The charge in Dallas was he was too light, played at 228 his last year here. He's listing at 240 in San Diego and he produced for them. Two solid years, had six sacks last year. that would have put him what, 2nd on the Cowboys?

Rafael Vela: I don't have a problem with going after a spot if you feel you have to fill it and the picks you've made have not panned out. Trying again is better than denying the first pick or picks were busts. I do wish they could hit, however. Well, Carpenter was drafted to play Anthony Spencer's role, They kicked him inside because he couldn't do it.

Bob Sturm: Yes. I just find it dubious when people suggest Lee and Carter could be running the middle together for the next decade. With Burnett and Carpenter reaching the age of their prime, I realize that there are no sure things in the NFL. But, I suppose previous failures should not scare you off a 3-down player. If he is what they say he is, then the Cowboys will be pleased. How about the ACL. Bothered that a speed LB is coming off a knee injury?

Rafael Vela: I think the drafting players injured is what has people going nuts more than anything. Burnett, Lee and Carter all rehabbing. ACL's don't bother me. People do recover from them. It's the time-table. This is a 2nd round pick. Will he be able to play this year, or will he miss all of camp trying to work that joint back up to strength and then become Sean Lee, a guy trying to catch up all year?

Bob Sturm: Wow, I forgot that about Carpenter. They actually thought he could be an edge rusher in a 3-4? He is 27 years old. Jason Williams in 25. There is why we have so many holes around here. That should be the backbone of your roster. 24-28 year olds, that is.

Rafael Vela: In their best dreams, I think Dallas sees Carter in this year's nickel, and then stepping in for James next year. Can he at least deliver that nickel part. That's important, because as crazy as it seems, you know they missed Carpenter in the nickel last year, cause they cut him without having a replacement on board. Watching Brooking and James playing every down was painful, and one of many reasons that defense fell apart.

Bob Sturm: What is Lee's role this year under that premise?

Rafael Vela: I think Lee is expected to be the starter this year, putting Brooking into a rotation. or less, for him. But we can't go off Wade's blueprints any more. It's Rob Ryan's show.

Bob Sturm: I sure hope that happens. That would make me feel much better about this investment. The declarations that Brooking is on the roster this weekend seemed a bit premature, but they are going to do what they want to do.

Rafael Vela: Let's see what he can do. I've heard really good things about Rob's linebackers coach. They got more from less in Cleveland. Old Scott Fujita did really well for them. Whatever we say about them, these are better linebackers, across the board, than Ryan and Matt Eberflus had there.

Bob Sturm: OK. Let's visit about the RB situation. Other than the national media, everybody knew Barber was gone regardless of selecting a RB in the 3rd Round. What does DeMarco Murray tell us about Felix and Choice?

Rafael Vela: Murray suggest to me that Jason Garrett wasn't fully comfortable with either of them. Let's look at this ''three headed monster.'' ( You have no idea how much I hated that term) Barber kept getting lower body injuries, and playing lead blocker for himself aged him in dog years -- every season was like seven for you and me.
People were calling for Choice last year, and Garrett kept running Barber out there. The reason? I think it was because Garrett could trust Barber to block for Romo. Early on, I saw Tashard whiffing or using some, low-level-blocking-enthusiam, shall we say, and Romo took some belts as a result. When you're in your third year and calling for more time, that's not gonna help your case. Felix was finally healthy, but was he the same shifty Felix? Who could you trust? Who can you trust in 2011 if you're Jason Garrett?


Rafael Vela: I think DeMarco Murray will start on day one of camp with a chance to seize this job. I don't automatically pencil him in as the number 3. Felix and Tashard have not earned automatic rotation roles. That's why I think Dallas took a back so high. You and I talked about the line making the backs look bad. I think Murray's pick suggests the team thinks it was the line AND the backs.

Bob Sturm: At the heart of any Tashard Choice discussion is clearly the thread of "do the coaches think he is 25% as good as some fans seems to"?

Rafael Vela: Some fans think Choice would be Superman in cleats, but that's the way it is when you're the backup. They treated Barber the same way when he backed up Julius Jones. And they turned on him in a hurry the second he got injured. They'll turn on Tashard just as fast if Murray rips off some big runs in his first preseason games. That's just the way it goes.

Bob Sturm: My thinking on that pick was what it told us about Choice's skill set. Let's talk about Murray's durability issues as well. I get very concerned when my big Sooner buddies were shocked at this pick. I like his skills, but anyone has to see diminishing explosiveness as his career in Norman went on.

Rafael Vela: I didn't follow OU so I can't really say. He missed what, five games his entire college career? He's not going to be an 18 carry, 24 touch guy in Dallas. No back will get that load. But somebody is going to get the lead -- 14-15 carries and 4-5 passes a game. I think he's in the mix. 24 touch a game, I should have said.

Bob Sturm:Yes, he played through a lot. Didn't miss games as much as he tried to play hurt and saw his productivity really suffer. Seems like a pick that could really fly, but I keep coming back to Felix/Mendenhall etc. I have a lot of baggage from drafts gone by that I need to work through.

Rafael Vela: You need a short memory. Look Jeff Fisher took three backs in the 1st or 2nd round, trying to get his lead back. He didn't like what he had, then hit with Chris Johnson, who was his 4th crack at it. I you think it's important, you keep trying until you get it right.

Bob Sturm: That is all well and good - and Carter and Murray have tremendous upside (draft cliche). But if I am going to do that, Mr Vela, I have to accept that Olshansky and Bowen are still my defensive ends; Ball and Sensabaugh are still my safeties. etc... And that means that I have to either sign a lot of free agents or I am in a world of hurt.

Rafael Vela: No, I don't think so, at least on the safeties. I think you will see Olshansky and Bowen at DE, but they said it a few times during the press conference, they have players they like in free agency, regardless of the system. And we all know this was an awful draft for safeties. I'm glad they didn't push one, or be like Denver and push two. They did go after a late 1st round DE, from all indications and Cam Jordan seems like the guy. We don't know what they were offering or how close they came. I guess the questions are, what DE could they have gotten in the 2nd. I broke down their 2010 draft board, cause they were kind enough to expose it the cameras last year, and they had Sean Lee and Navarro Bowman in their top 20. Going off their templates, I'm going to guess Bruce Carter was in their top 20-24 rated players. Once they decided to go Tyron Smith in the 1st and could not pull off a DE move up, they're out of the sweepstakes, as Garrett said, cause they were gonna go off their board and I'm pretty sure there was no D-lineman left in the 2nd close to Carter in their eyes. We might not like how they grade players, but they have to follow their board.

Bob Sturm: Ok. So, were you amazed at Murray over Rackley? Or does that sit ok with you?

Rafael Vela: I'm okay because they took David Arkin in the 4th. Look Rackley is a small-school guy. He wasn't going to be a starter this year. He's about 6-7 lbs. heavier than Arkin but either one of them is wearing the red shirt. Ask yourself this -- if Dallas had taken Rackley in the 3rd and gotten Murray in the 4th, would they be any closer to having a rookie starting guard then doing what they did? I don't think so.

Bob Sturm: Perhaps. I guess I talked to a scout or two that thought Rackley was closer to plug and play. I won't pretend to have any idea what Arkin is capable of until we get to camp. But, I have earmarked Jacksonville to keep an eye on the Lehigh kid.

Rafael Vela: Okay, I've seen neither, so I'm going to wait and see. I'll say this, Arkin looks athletic.

Bob Sturm: OK. Let's spend some time on Day 3. I want to direct some people to your story from this morning at your site. http://www.cowboysnation.com/2011/05/short-terms-results-will-determine-long.html But, let's spitball about guys we likely know very little about. Impressions of Day 3?

Rafael Vela: Jason Garrett made a very telling comment in that presser Saturday. He said he wants a physical team and a tenacious one, But he stressed that you have to be athletic, because you can't be dominant without it. I took this as a shot at the big, flabby sluggos who wore down in December and January each of the last few years. Here's shorthand -- the O-line in the Giants playoff loss in '08. You know what I'm talking about. A 20 play drive to end the 2nd quarter and nothing in the 2nd half. He's making a point about conditioning and player types. Seeing that Arkin is a radically different body type than Robert Brewster, or Montrae Holland, tells me to give him a chance.

Bob Sturm: Amen to that. Don't get me started on taking Brewster in the 3rd Round with that body!

Rafael Vela: Day 3 looks pretty good, on first glance. They hit need positions -- two interior O-linemen, a cornerback with some upside, a receiver and a fullback who looks like he could be the starter this year.

Bob Sturm: I feel like you are a fan of what Dwayne Harris may bring to the party....

Rafael Vela: He's a central casting Cowboys receiver -- 6'1'', 205. He's a physical and productive guy. He doesn't sound like he'll be a superstat, because he's not a burner, but he reads like a young Patrick Crayton. And speaking of guys the Cowboys missed in 2010, they missed him.

Bob Sturm: Underneath slot guys are a big need here. Especially if we are losing faith in the Ogletree project.

Rafael Vela: They made a lot of budgetary cuts last year, trading Crayton, flipping Carpenter out and got nothing in return. Ogletree and Hurd did little as the slot guys, they had not nickel LB to replace Carp, and let's not touch Alex Barron, okay?

Rafael Vela: And that cost them games. John Phillips torn knee left them with no FB, so they rolled the dice on a UFA and Chris Gronkowski played like one. Worked his butt off, but he got Tony Romo on IR.

Bob Sturm: They seem to realize that reserves either need to play on your special teams (a lot) or they better be pretty special. And that is the issue with RB/WR right now in many respects. It is not easy to fill these spots. 45 man roster; 4 or 5 specialists. That leaves about 40. Take your starters and sluggos off the list and that leaves about 16 or 18 guys to fill all 4 special teams and fill out your reserves. I love doing the math of how you assemble a game day roster in the NFL. So much to worry about. Even before in-game injuries.

Rafael Vela: Right. The way I see it, they drafted a new backfield, a starting RT and two Gs. The guards are ''in-the-pipeline'' guys but I think they're looking for Arkin to give them something next year. A lot of people would be happier if they took the guard in the 2nd or 3rd, but they did address it.

Rafael Vela: Yep. And one of the biggest mistakes they made last year was clearing out the core of their special teams. Now, a lot of those guys did nothing BUT special teams, the Pat Watkins types, but they did give value. People hate hearing it, but I think these guys are being looked at as teams players in addition to situational play. I'm thinking of Josh Thomas, Harris and Chapas here.

Bob Sturm: Fullback has proven to be a lot more difficult to fill than you would think. It seems like a minimal role in this offense, but Deon to Gronkowski to Chapas tells us they are still trying to get it right. But, if it is an indicator that Garrett wants to run some "21" and "22" personnel and establish a physical tone, then let's do it.

Rafael Vela: It goes beyond the ''true'' fullback. They've been trying to get a quality lead blocker. Add Fasano, Hoyte and Polite to that list. I've seen an Ernie Zampese playbook, and what amazed me was the number of *passing plays* the fullback factors in. I think this is why they've been trying to convert tight ends into F-backs, who can lead block and run routes. The Polites, Hoytes and Deon Andersons offered nothing as receiving threats. They were playing 10-on-11 whenever they tried throwing with those guys on the field. Having a true fullback, in the Moose Johnston mold, is a huge get. I don't know if Chapas can fill the role, but he's a major addition if he can. John Phillips has the game, and Chapas gives them two guys who can fill the Moose shoes.

Bob Sturm: What a crazy scene now with all of the undrafted free agents in limbo. Do they get jobs? Do they hang out? I feel for those guys. And there are some notable names in that group that now might have to wait months before they know if they are NFL players or not. And even then they might just have a short camp to show their wares...

Rafael Vela: You know the Cowboys have guys they like. There are some interesting guys who went undrafted. I've seen that the teams can't have contact with these guys, but I find it hard to believe that the agents are not getting some types of hints if a team like their client or clients.

Bob Sturm: Let's stop here until next time. Well played, sir. Check out Rafael's stuff at www.cowboysnation.com - fresh stuff all of the time.

Rafael Vela: As always, Bob, thanks. Let's do this again soon.

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Day 3 Selections For Cowboys

The Cowboys continued to fill in some gaps on their roster over the weekend in Rounds 4-7 of the NFL Draft, and despite not knowing too much about any of these players, we should readily admit that the Cowboys have found some very nice players at this portion of the draft in the recent past.

In 2004, the Cowboys snagged Patrick Crayton at Pick #216 in the 7th Round. In 2005, Jay Ratliff was Pick #224 in Round 7. In 2007, Doug Free was Pick #122 of Round 4, Deon Anderson was Pick #195 of Round 6, and Alan Ball was Pick #237 of the 7th Round.

Then, in 2008, Tashard Choice was pick #122 of Round 4 and Orlando Scandrick was pick #143 of Round 5. And in 2009, John Phillips was Pick #208 of Round 6.

At the very minimum, all of these players were useful contributors at one point or another, and most of them were players almost none of us had ever heard of going into the draft.

This is the nature of the talent collection business in the NFL. Everyone has an opinion on Days 1-2 of the draft, but by Day 3, attention spans shorten and fans find something else to do.

But for NFL teams, this is how the roster is fortified. You must find useful contributors here - not necessarily to start at first, but to show the ability to take the field in special teams and as a specialty substitute and help the cause. 45 man rosters on game day do not allow for passengers. Every player must serve a purpose.

Day 3 Additions:

Round 4, Pick 13 (110) David Arkin OL 6'5" 300 Missouri St.

Round 5, Pick 12 (143) Josh Thomas DB 5'10" 191 Buffalo

Round 6, Pick 11 (176) Dwayne Harris WR 5'10" 203 East Carolina

Round 7, Pick 17 (220) Shaun Chapas RB 6'2" 247 Georgia

Round 7, Pick 49 (252) Bill Nagy C 6'2" 302 Wisconsin

Given my complete lack of familiarity with players this deep in the draft, I defer to the people I trust at OurLads.Com for their insight on every player but Nagy, who doesn't appear to have made the cut of the hundreds of players they profiled. They rated 10 players from Wisconsin, and he wasn't one of them. I will try not to read too much meaning into that.

David Arkin - 6047 - 302 - 5.34 (40)

Four-year starter who is a high effort player that is strong at the point of attack. Two-time team captain. Competitive in his play. Plays on his feet. Was rusty early in the Shrine practices, but got better every day and played solid in the game. Pancaked Brandon Bair. Pulls and blocks on the run effectively. Long arms and big hands for the position. Works to finish and sustain his blocks. A natural guard for a run zone blocking team. Physical and intense in his play. Mentally tough to focus on his job. Can make mental adjustments on the move. Has the talent and natural ability to earn a roster position. He just needs the technique work and to elevate his pro physical skills. BP 25 reps. Fourth/Fifth Round

I suppose this tells us that as much as we think they liked Lehigh's Will Rackley, they must have thought Arkin was not far below him in their grading. They choose DeMarco Murray when Rackley was on the board, but then came right back in Round 4 and grabbed Arkin. Obviously, Missouri State gives many people pause, and so does the Cowboys reputation for finding OL players in the draft (Doug Free is a rare exception this decade), but there seems to be a quiet confidence that he will be able to work his way up the ladder at guard very quickly.

Josh Thomas - 5102 - 191 - 4.50 (40)

Four-year starter who majors in zone coverage. Quick and balanced with good agility. Good change of direction. Hip tightness that was evidenced in the East/West Shrine practices was not as pronounced at the combine. Looked smoother in his turns. Flashes short area cover skills. Better as a press corner in a cover-2 scheme. Struggles in off-man coverage. Loses the ball when covering deep. Competitive with good leaping ability. Will need to turn his game up a notch to play on Sundays. Vertical Jump: 38.5 Fourth/Fifth Round.

Another corner for the Cowboys to add to the ranks which is always a position of need. I do wonder about another "small corner" and one who is not thought to be very good in "off-man" which was really used heavily under Wade Phillips. I would like to think Rob Ryan is bringing in more of his press-coverage looks and perhaps Thomas can work his way into the mix. It is worth noting that this was the exact (pick #143) of Orlando Scandrick, so that is where the bar is for Thomas.

Dwayne Harris - 5097 - 200 - 4.55 (40)

Started 24 games. Conference USA MVP. Former quarterback. Average speed for a wide receiver. Ultra productive in his career with 268 catches. Still learning how to play the position. Not a big target. A slot type receiver. Plays "X" split end or in the slot. Used as a Wildcat quarterback. Good contact balance on the run after catch. Ball security is a problem with four fumbles in 2010. Needs work in route running. Rough week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Struggled to adjust to passes from a new quarterback. His hands were as inconsistent as his route running. Has injury history. His left foot broken twice. Vertical Jump: 34. Sixth/Seventh Round.

This of course is the spot in the draft where you start to consider a player because he can really contribute on special teams. And he does seem to possess ability as a return man, but it appears the Cowboys should have plenty of options for returning kicks - and with the new rules, that seems to be a minimized priority, anyway. However, with Harris, you cannot help but see how he was used underneath in East Carolina's offense as perhaps an indicator that the Cowboys would like him to challenge Kevin Ogletree as a slot WR option. Since Crayton's exit, the Cowboys have not really had an ideal fit for the slot/underneath game, and this should be a big part of any team's offense when they have Wide Receivers like Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten that attract the safeties.

Shaun Chapas - 6021 - 247 - 4.91 (40)

Three-year starter. A West Coast offense type fullback who is a blocker first. A willing and productive blocker who can seal the edge. Good vision, feet, and functional strength to block in pass protection. An I-formation fullback who knows how to check and release to get into pass routes. Can catch all the flat and check down type passes. Ties up the linebacker on inside blitzes. Plays H-back where he can get a running start at the target. Can adjust on the run. Strong enough to run a defensive end up the field. Made a good wrap up tackle on an interception. Out of control at times. Plays on special teams and returns kickoffs. Bench Press: 23 reps. Sixth/Seventh Round.

Unless Jason Garrett has really changed his ways, this is a purely special teams choice. Fullback is a very underutilized element of his offense that would not warrant a pick in this draft unless they are already looking to replace Chris Gronkowski. But, even then, John Phillips' return gave them some versatility options there. I suppose this will be a battle in training camp to see if Chapas can make the team by showing he is worthy of playing on the units. I can promise you I did not anticipate a FB being taken in this draft.

And, with Wisconsin C/G Bill Nagy, there is very little to report from Ourlads. Actually, there is nothing. So, the Cowboys found someone late in the draft that they think nobody else sees. That is not an unreasonable premise, so we await the end of the lockout to see if they are right. This team does need OL depth.

I will try to post some video that I can find on these 5 players soon.

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Vela Monday

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