Is there a DRAFT in here?

OK, so you know I'm in bed all day while I'm waiting for my back to heal. Quick update: It's not healed. I go back to the chiro this Tuesday and we'll see how we're going to approach my treatment. I think I will be back up and running to some degree this time next week. I'm hoping to get to go back to work on a limited basis Wednesday. I can't stand being laid up like this. The only time I've been outside in ten days is to go to the doctor. I'm staying optimistic. I'm just getting impatient.

So I don't have much to do besides sit here and cruise Facebook and Twitter. And, of course, I am anxiously awaiting the NFL Draft beginning Thursday. I have poured over my notes and who I want the Dolphins to take. I've also decided what I think about the different players who are going to be drafted. I have some opinions about some guys, especially the QBs. And I'll give you a list of who I want the Dolphins to take and why. So now is your chance to turn away, because this is going to be boring if you don't care about football. By the way, I'm gonna throw this in. I got to watch Ty Lawson play in his first NBA playoff game last night. He got to play a lot, because Chauncey Billups was in foul trouble most of the night. Everybody kept going on and on about how surprising it was he was playing so well. I'm sorry. You know who wasn't surprised? Me. Apparently, no one saw him play three years at UNC. Yeah, he's really close to being my favorite Tar Heel. He and Donald Williams are neck and neck. And if Lawson tweets me back, he'll move up to number one. OK, back to the NFL draft.

Looks like Sam Bradford is going to be the number one overall pick. I guess that's OK. I've come around on Bradford. I think he's gonna be alright. I don't think he's going to be Peyton Manning. But I don't think he's gonna be Ryan Leaf either. I can see him having a pretty solid career. I just don't see him being spectacular. I'm not even sure he's as good as Matthew Stafford. But that's just me. I will say this, I don't think he's the best QB in this draft. While we're on QBs, let me give you the lowdown on what I think about all of the ones I can think of right now.

Sam Bradford - OK. Not spectacular. Effective in the right system with the right coaching. He's pretty smart, so I think he has that going for him.
Jimmy Clausen - I'm sorry, but someone tell me when he became a top ten pick. I don't know what everyone is looking at. He's got bust written all over him. I feel like I'm missing something. But no, it's everyone else missing something. And that something is that Clausen is a terrible QB.
Colt McCoy - I think he's going to be the best QB in this class. I only hope he does not end up in Pittsburgh, which I am afraid is going to happen. If he does, it will be hard to hate the Steelers. No one is going to outwork him. And he has the fire and intangibles. I wish the Dolphins were looking for a QB. Hey, we may be if Henne doesn't stop throwing picks. LOL.
Tim Tebow - Man, I really wish I had a better feeling about how Tebow is going to translate to the NFL. On the one hand, I would love to have him on my team. But I don't see him becoming an effective NFL QB. I just don't see him translating well to the pro game. My luck will be that the Pats get him and make him a pro bowler. He's a great person and no one competes like he does. But the same could be said when I was coming out of high school and I didn't make the NBA. So . . . sometimes you just don't translate to the next level. I hope I'm wrong. I hope he has a long career, if for no other reason so that we can talk about something besides guys getting arrested. I like Tebow. I think he's a great person and athlete. But I just don't think he can play QB in the NFL. I hope he proves everyone wrong, especially if he's a Dolphin.

I don't care about any other QBs. For the record, I think Dez Bryant is going to be a beast. I also like CJ Spiller, Sean Weatherspoon, Dan Williams, Sergio Kindle, Rolando McClain, Eric Berry and Taylor Mays. So now, I'm going to talk about what I think the Dolphins should do at number 12. Keep in mind this is my third draft with the Trifecta (Parcells, Ireland and Sparano), and they don't always listen to me. Of course, Wanny never listened to me (remember Drew Brees in 2001?). And I can't even begin to imagine what Sea Bass was thinking (Ted Ginn? Really?).

So far, I think the Trifecta has done pretty well. They probably blew it by selecting Pat White in the second round last year, but they still got Vontae Davis and Sean Smith (two solid CBs) and they got Jake Long (pro bowl LT) and Chad Henne (our starting QB) the year before. Plus, they signed Davone Bess as a free agent, and he's turned into a pretty productive slot receiver. And I think Brian Hartline is going to be a solid starter opposite Brandon Marshall this season. Wait, let me read that sentence again. (Pause. Smile.) OK, I'm back. I just wanted to remind myself the Fins have one of the three best WRs in the game this year. Chad Henne's stock just went way up. Look how good Marshall made Orton look in Denver. And don't forget that this group couldn't sign ILB Karlos Dansby fast enough. He's going to add a lot to the defense.

So let's look at what the Dolphins need. Well, we need a pass rusher at OLB. We need a nose tackle. We need a free safety. I think those are our three biggest needs. We probably need some depth on the O-line, but we can take care of that in the later rounds. That being said, I think our first pick should be (drum roll) . . . CJ Spiller, running back, Clemson University.

Yep, I went there. I know what you're thinking, "Why would Miami need to select a RB? They have Ronnie and Ricky and Patrick Cobb is coming back." And you'd be right to suggest that. But we just lost Ted Ginn, and, although he was atrocious as a WR, he was an amazing KR. So Spiller could do that for us. Plus, he's a great pass catcher out of the backfield. Plus, he's a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He's incredibly fast. He's a little bigger than Brian Westbrook, and will probably put on a little weight. He's around 200 pounds right now. I'd like to see him get up to 215 or 220 without losing speed. He could be the next Marshall Faulk. I know that's high praise, but I like him a lot. And I'd love to have him. I think he makes us a more dangerous team on offense, almost scary even. And I think we have to have a scarier offense. We just don't have a lot of playmakers. And besides, Ronnie's contract runs out after this season. Ricky's does too. And Ronnie is already being dangled as trade bait. I love me some Ronnie and Ricky, but they're not getting any younger. And Spiller is dangerous.

But they won't take Spiller. And I hope they take Sergio Kindle if they go defense. We can get a NT and FS later in the draft. We have one shot at Sergio Kindle if we want to get an OLB who is athletic enough to do a lot of things. I like him. He makes plays and plays with the motor always on full blast. They can get Robert Johnson at safety in the third round and then get that kid from GA at nose tackle in the fourth or fifth. What's that dude's name? Jeff Owens? They said he threw up 225 pounds 35 times at the Combine. Yeah, that's what I said. I like that kid already. He'll be a Dolphin.

Spiller probably won't be there at 12 anyway. And the Dolphins may even trade down if they get someone willing to move up. If they do, I hope they get Kindle. I think by the time they pick Spiller, McClain and Berry will all be gone. But Kindle may be there, even if they decide to trade down. So that seems like a good fit for them. I hope that is where we go. Put him on the opposite side of Cam Wake and I feel sorry for QBs already . . . well, not Mark Sanchez.

Forgetting Brandon Marshall

Oh my. Where do I even start? I woke up this morning at 4:29 and knew it was going to be a good day. I fell asleep before Stacy did last night, partly because that Vicodin kicked in at the right time. My back is still bugging me big time, but I'm going to see a specialist tomorrow, so there is good news ahead, I'm sure.

Anyway, I just knew something about today was going to be good. Jonathan and Matt brought me lunch and that was good, even though I have to eat lying down, and it's hard to eat Gringo's that way. But that's not the best part of the day. It was good, just not as good as the best receiver in the NFL coming to your team in a much-needed trade.

And yeah, I just said Brandon Marshall is the best receiver in the NFL. Fitzgerald? Ok, I can buy that one too. Moss? Please. Has he ever crossed the middle of the field? He's certainly better than Brickhands Edwards and/or Santonio Holmes. I have not so secretly lusted after Marshall for quite some time. First of all, he's been a Bronco. That means I've gotten to see him a lot, because I am a good friend and support my friends' teams. And I secretly desire to have their players. Ok, not all of them. Just one. But if you saw that catch Marshall made against the Giants . . . and if you saw it I don't have to explain further, you know how awesome he is. I said after seeing that catch, "See, that's what we don't have. I want one of those. Just one." And now, we not only have one, we have THE one.

So to sum up quickly, I hate that the Broncos lost Marshall for Matt's sake. And for Dustin's sake. And Payton's. And the whole Mulder family's sake. But the first time he burns a DB for a 60 yard TD catch and run, I'll probably get over it. Are we going to be a better team? Hecks yes. How could we not be? Let's not start talking playoffs just yet though. Let's see how the draft goes. What do I think we need to get out of the draft? I'll let you know tomorrow, while I'm lying around doing a whole lot of nothing.

All Fired Up

Well, I am lying here listening to Pat Benatar. Hence, the blog title. And, the irony of that title is that my back is inflamed. So you can see the hilarity there, huh? Neither can I.

Here's what we do know. My lower back is having problems. There is an inflammation from a pinched nerve or herniated disc. My doctor can't tell because of the swelling. So they have to get rid of the inflammation. In the meantime, it's shooting pain down my leg and making me very weak. Friday night I had to crawl up the stairs to get in bed. And once I got there, I knew I wasn't going anywhere. I've had back problems for a few years, but nothing like this. I mean, I can't tell you the pain I was feeling Friday night. And I've had two kidney stones. I was honestly praying for a kidney stone the other night. So anyway, I made it to bed, and pretty much haven't gotten out of it until going to the doctor yesterday. And now, it looks like I could be down a while. He gave me some steroids to reduce the inflammation and some Vicodin for the pain. So I should be able to hit for power now and not feel a thing in the morning.

But seriously, this is something I guess I'm going to have to deal with. It's not the worst thing in the world, but for those who know me well, know that I pride myself on being the poster boy for not being sick. I was bragging a few months ago how I had gone over 400 days without a sick day. And then the next week I got a stomach bug. But anyway. I hate feeling fragile. And I'm turning 40 this year, and this is not the way I wanted to remind myself daily of that fact. But hey, everyone lives with something. I just wish I knew when this was going to be better. The doctor didn't give me a time frame, but there sure are a lot of pills to take. I'm pushing for Friday, but that's not looking really good right now. It feels no better than yesterday. I need to go on that retreat this weekend.

But the good news is that I can get up and down the stairs at least once a day. Of course, I probably shouldn't. I'm sure that doesn't help. But I am so tired of lying here. I am glad we got Blockbuster online to help me through it. So far, I've seen Where The Wild Things Are (kind of), The Men Who Stare At Goats, Fantastic Mr. Fox (again), and I'm about to watch Henry Poole is Here. I'm getting quite good at Flight of the Hamsters, also. I got a combined 994 feet the other day. Not too shabby, especially since I am out of practice. I am also catching up on some personal reading. For some reason, I have been reading 1st and 2nd Chronicles a lot. I don't know why. Just fascinating to read how stupid some of God's most trusted people were. Makes me forget how stupid Ben Roethlisberger is.

And, of course, this is giving me a chance to blog. I have a lot of things I'm thinking about lately. This whole Big Ben thing has me not believing anything anyone says, and that where there's smoke, there is usually fire. You could see on the prosecutor's face yesterday that he knew Ben got off lucky. He wanted to charge him so badly, but had nothing, especially since the security video conveniently got recorded over. He'd better be suspended. If not, I'm going to play the race card on Roger Goodell.

Ok, I guess I'm going to update the website now. Or something. I have to reformat it for the fall. I'm open to theme ideas. I usually base it on whatever I'm listening to at the moment. Our last format was inspired by the song "Spaceman" by The Killers. And I'm really into Muse right now. So maybe we go with a "Starlight" theme? But I'm also listening a lot to Hockey, The Temper Trap and Silversun Pickups. We will see. Got any thoughts?