They are the “cats meow” or the “bees knees” if you will.  But after maybe the top 10 or 20 prospects (players in the four or three star bracket) the talent becomes more watered down.

It’s a lot like the NBA draft.  The top five prospects are usually guys who can step in and make things happen early.  After that?  Well lets just say there are a lot of Tyler Hansboroughs and Rashad McCants to go around.

What top end recruits do for you in any sports is obvious.  They give you the sexy recruiting class that ESPN will cover and give you good national exposure.  But in the end, just because a team doesn’t land top talent doesn’t mean both the class is no good and players will not contribute.

Look at teams like Boise State and Texas Christian in football, I don’t believe either school has ever had a top 10 recruiting class, but year in and year out they make it work.

Chris Petersen and Gary Patterson bring guys into their programs that fit their systems and coach them up into something better.  This is a trend that seems to be capturing the imagination of schools across the nation in any sport.

The thing about those flashy five-star recruits (The ones who deserve the five-star ratings and are truly a unique talent) is that they will contribute early and often.

Whats wrong with that?  Well when a player contributes early and often he earns the attention of pro scouts who then get in his ear and tell him he can make his millions now, no reason to stay at school any longer.

This is especially prevalent in the NBA.  Since the NBA’s age change forcing high school athletes to attend college at least one year, the “one and done” has become a staple of recruiting classes.

Each year the Kentuckys, North Carolinas and so on bring kids into their programs they know will only be around for a year, two at the most.  Kids like John Wall, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and Greg Oden serve their sentence in college and go on to bigger and better things.

But that revolving door model of top high school prospects might be doing more harm than good.  Simply because it seems that teams who bring players in who intend on staying in college at least two years tend to remain competitive more often and longer than their counterparts.

This seems obvious in two sports more than others, hockey and basketball.  Look at the top teams in college basketball this year.  Ohio State, Texas, Kansas, Pittsburgh, and BYU to name a few.  Almost ever single one of these teams are led by leadership brought on by kids who are in their third or fourth year at school.

Obviously the Buckeye’s best player Jared Sullinger is a freshman, but the other four starters are juniors and seniors.  If you look at all those top teams you will notice each one of them is senior or junior oriented.  The only one that has a strong freshman team is Texas.  The nations leading scorer out of BYU, Jimmer Fredette is, of course, a senior.

This seems obvious I know, but what are teams suppose to do who are usually freshman oriented?

In college hockey the University of Minnesota was a dominating force in the early to mid 2000′s, winning back to back national championships in 2002-2003.  With that success came an influx of outstanding players from a state that homes the best hockey talent in the United States.

Players like Kyle Okposo, Phil Kessell, Eric Johnson, and Jim O’Brian led a wave of freshmen that won the WCHA, but could not bring home a national championship.

After the season Johnson became the first overall pick in the NHL draft.  following him was Kessell at five, Okposo at seven and O’Brian would be a first round pick the next year.

None of those players played a full two years at the University of Minnesota before going to the NHL.  Leaving big scoring gaps and defensive responsibilities to fill for head coach Don Lucia.

While this was happening, Minnesota’s biggest rivals, the University of North Dakota fighting Sioux, was retaining players such as Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, Ryalan Kaip, Robbie Bina, T.J Oshi, and Nate Finley.  Thus allowing them to remain more competitive consistently than Minnesota.

Coaches are in a tough spot, you want and need the best players, but at the same time one cannot let the top talent flee to the pros every single year.

Consistency is important in sports and it is becoming more clear that finding players who want to finish their education might be just as important as the number of stars a scout gives them.

As the cliché goes, “its like a fine wine, getting better with time.”  If I am to stick with the cliché, coaches need to convince their players to “ferment” a little while longer, before uncorking them and serving them up to the professional wine snobs…. Or something like that.

- Adam St. Paul

We still have one more NFL game to watch and even though I am completely disinterested in the two teams competing I will watch it.  Green Bay is my least favorite team and does Pittsburgh really need another Super Bowl ring?  People in Pittsburgh sure think so.

But a lot of college football fans get one last huray before the NFL draft and that is this Saturday with the annual senior bowl.  This game is being played in Mobile Alabama and needs to be taken seriously by all those participating in it.Yes this game is for fun.  It does not matter who wins and loses.  If you participate you get to compete against the top seniors in the nation, get a free trip to Alabama (whop, whop?) as well as free meals, free hotel rooms and just a small vacation before you start the real world in the NFL or the business world for those who don’t make the next level.

But my point is this bowl game is another post-season bit that can make or break your NFL dreams.  Or at least your first paycheck.  Nothing is more important for an NFL prospect than the combine.  Your body of work in college no longer guarantees you a high draft selection.  As quarterbacks like Grahm Harrell and Colt Brennan how well those spread numbers did for them in the NFL draft.

So you have to show up to the combine, but you also have to play well here.  Every scout will be watching this game as it is real game situations.  Something the combine cannot recreate.  Did that wide receiver get two feet in?  Can that offensive lineman run block, pass block and zone block?  Can that quarterback make more than one read, then put the ball right where it needs to be?  Will that tight end go across the middle and catch the ball in traffic?   How fluid are those corner back’s  hips?Dozens of players have a great opportunity here.  Take Washington’s Jake Locker here.  The guy would have been a top pick last year, but decided to stay in school.

Since staying, he had a down season riddled with rib injuries.  Now questions of his accuracy and toughness have dropped his stock to a possible second or third round pick.  A good senior bowl can bring some faith back to his game.  And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, he needs a good game here!  He played awful in the Holiday Bowl against a good Nebraska pass defense and he can’t afford to have let down after let down.

Speaking of the Huskers, a nation leading six participants have a great chance to raise their stock.  In my opinion two players more specifically than anyone else.  Those are wide receiver Niles Paul and running back Roy Helu Jr.  Helu Jr. has been as steady as they come when it comes to college running backs.  However, he is not putting up numbers that would make Adrian Peterson blush.  That said, if he can show a little more explosive play-making alongside that consistent running he could find his way into the second round.

Paul might have been the most overrated Husker I have ever seen.  His hands and route running raised huge questions after this season.  A good senior bowl could convince the scouts that he is a valid slot receiver, rather than just a special teams specalist.

I feel you really have to question Price Amukamara’s decision to sit out the senior bowl.  I get the fact that at this point it would be much easier for Amukamara’s stock to fall rather than go up as he is considered a top pick.  But he is battling LUS’s Patrick Peterson as the top   in this draft.  However, Peterson is also not participating because he is a junior.

That to me screams an opportunity, on national television, by games coached by NFL coaches, with NFL rules, watched by ever scout and team scout available, to showcase your skills and all but seal the deal as the top corner in the draft.In my experiences, employees not only want to see an education, but they want to see real world experience.  Experience is something you cannot teach in a classroom and is valuable to a young professional.  This game, on top of a college career, is just another thing to put on your resume and force a teams hand at drafting you because you are a can’t-miss guy.

- Adam St. Paul

These are just questions that seem to pop each NFL off-season about the one and only Brett Favre.  The marry-go-round that is his offseason decision-making may finally have come to a stop from its perpetual twirling, and all I can say is PLEASE let it be for real.

Favre, don’t come back with another team who only needs a quarterback, don’t come back to the Packers in any way, shape or forum.  Just head down to Hattiesburg Mississippi and ride your tractor that you seem so fond of.

I don’t think many can blame Favre for his first dance with retirement.  He wanted to keep playing and felt he still could, after missing the Super Bowl by one game in his last year with Green Bay.

Favre wanted to come back but Ted Thompson and the organization, against the desire of many of its fans, decided to part ways with the long time quarterback.  Rodgers was clearly ready to play and Thompson felt it was not fair to keep him on the bench any longer.  Packer fans who hated the decision, what do you think now?  I’m just asking because Rodgers is easily one of the top five qb’s in football (Brady, Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Matt Ryan in no particular order) and is on the verge of bringing you to the Super Bowl.

Favre’s trip to New York was simply one year of purgatory he had to suffer so he could play for Minnesota, which was what he wanted to do from the moment he knew Green Bay didn’t want him back.  Favre flirted with not coming back when Minnesota came calling, but that was only a ploy to keep out of training camp.  We all know how that season went.  Favre had statistically the best year of his career and was one bad decision away from the Super Bowl.  Throwing accross his body in an attempt for a first down was picked off, when he could have run for the first now problem.  The memory still haunts me and Vikings fans throughout the world.

So Favre’s last rise from the ashes of retirement made sense too.  Coming that close to a championship with nothing to show accept a bruised ankle and hurt shoulder left the idea of unfinished business in his mind. However, center Matt Birk was let go and fled to Baltimore, wide receiver Sidney Rice had off-season hip surgery and what was a deep secondary became depleted fast.Favre’s season was terrible, bad enough that he ended his consecutive start streak and he faced allegations of harassment from a former Jets employee.

Now don’t get me wrong, with Favre gone the Vikings will need a quarterback, but as I wrote in a blog late last year, Minnesota can no longer put an old player under center and expect to win consistently enough for a championship.It was fun Favre, it really was.  The 2009-2010 NFL Viking’s season was magical, and I’m sure your fans in Green Bay will never forget the 15 + years you gave them.  But the next time they see you, I’m assuming it will be for your jersey retirement ceremony instead of lacing it up for another season of football.No one can take away your career and accomplishments, not even a sexting scandal that could have been a lot worse if the NFL wouldn’t have botched the investigation.

- Adam St. Paul

Luck’s status is never going to be higher with NFL scouts and why should it?  He was a top quarterback in his red-shirt freshman year and widely considered the second best QB prospect this year coming into the season, just behind Jake Locker of Washington.  Well Locker has fallen dramatically and Luck has done nothing but impress.

In his most recent victory, a BCS Orange Bowl win over #13 Virginia Tech 40-12, Luck threw for 287 yards, four TD’s, and one pick.  What does this say?  It says that Luck plays big in big games under pressure.

What did his counterpart Locker do against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl?  5-16 passing for 56 yards and no touchdowns or picks.  Now fairness in conversation act Nebraska has a much better pass defense than Virginia Tech, but it just shows that Locker may struggle in bigger games.

Luck just has to look at history and realize how other quarterbacks have fared when they decide to stick out one more year at school instead of going to the NFL.  Take USC’s Matt Leinart.  After a Heisman trophy season and a national championship, Leinart decided to stay for his senior year in an attempt to go for a two-peat.  If it wasn’t for someone called Vince Young he would have succeeded.

Had Leinart committed to the draft he would have been the first overall pick instead of Alex Smith and made his millions quickly.  Instead he was the 10 overall pick behind Young who was picked third. Don’t get me wrong I get it.  He still got his millions and he still was a first round pick, but as the first overall pick you command so much more than money.  I also get Leinart wanting to stay in college.  God knows I didn’t want to leave NDSU as I loved my time there, but I accomplished all I could, graduated and moved on.  Had someone offered to throw millions of dollars my way to leave my junior year I would have taken it in a heart beat!

Another guy, more recently than Leinart, is Locker who could have went out for the 2010 NFL draft and battled to be the first overall pick with the now St. Louis Ram Sam Bradford.  Instead Locker stayed at Washington and after an injury plauged season, with less than impressive numbers, Locker will be lucky to be picked in the second round.

There are two reasons Luck may stay in college that I can see as legit.  First off, this draft has the potential to be a very deep draft with quarterbacks, especially underclassmen.  Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert has already declared for the draft, Locker will be there (even if he is a second round pick) Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet may go early, Auburn’s Cam Newton may make an even bigger name for himself with a great National Championship.

Other names include Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi, Idaho’s Nathan Enderle, Florida State’s Christian Ponder and T.C.U’s Andy Dalton.  Don’t forget Boise State’s Kellen Moore could forgo his senior year and enter, or Houston’s Case Keenum could have a huge combine after a senior season lost to injury.

The point is there appears to be over a dozen candidates who could realistically go in the first three rounds.

The other reason I could see Luck staying in school would be if he feels that he is not ready for the NFL.  He only has two years of starting under his belt, but I think he can get over that hump (see Mark Sanchez).

Long story longer, Luck needs to get out while the gettings good, or risk losing tons of money.  People seem to like Stanford quarterbacks if for the only reason John Elway was once a Cardinal.

- Adam St. Paul

One sport that seems to have more than its share of movies is boxing.  I think this is because they are easier to make than other sports movies.  There is no team, no choreographed scenes including  more than two people, and the stories are often compelling.That is what makes Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale’s new film “The Fighter” great, the compelling story.  The film is based on the true story of “Irish” Micky Ward and his journey to the top.

Ward (Wahlberg) is an aging fighter who is trained by his older brother.  HIs brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) was a once promising fighter who lives in his glory days when he “knocked down” “Sugar” Ray Leonard.  (It is debated if he actually knocked him down, other feel Leonard slipped, judge for yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu6A2EDSg2o)

Despite Ward’s talent he is often held back by his family.  Eklund is a cocaine addict who is often late for training and constantly in trouble.  Ward’s mother Alice Eklund (Melissa Leo) is an overbearing figure who tends to hinder Ward and enable his brother, ignoring his drug addiction.

The film is a great look into issues such as co-dependency and taking charge of your own life.  Ward constantly allows his mother and brother to dictate his career decisions.  Those decisions are selfish exploits of his family who often guilt Ward into sticking by their side.

Bale does a great job as Dicky Eklund.  Bale is known for preping his body for roles, losing or gaining weight accordingly.  This film requires him to look skinny due to drugs and he pulls it off great.  Wahlberg’s performance is nothing spectacular, as his character is not that dynamic.  If the film is accurate I would imagine Ward as being reserved and only two-dimensional as he is always answering to his family.

I thought the movies was also a great look into selflessness vs. selfishness.  Is it good to be selfless? Yes.  But we live short lives on this earth and if you don’t take advantage of every opportunity presented to yourself then you may end up living in regret.  Long story short, get yours.

I recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in it.  Go see it and enjoy! 4 out of 5 stars.

Here is my first round mock draft.  The order is according to current power rankings.

1.)   Carolina Panthers: Andrew Luck QB, Stanford  Its hard to believe that Carolina would go this way, but with Jon Fox on his way out and all their young guys (Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike, Matt Moore) showing little or no promise, don’t be surprised if they get a new franchise signal caller to bring in with a brand new head coach.

2.) Cincinnati Bengals: Da’Quan Bowers DE, Clemson     Cincinnati could realistically go anyway in this draft, but they are dead last in the NFL in sacks and they will need to improve on this.  They have Palmer for one more year and I don’t believe they will go away from him until he is a Free agent.

3.)   Denver Broncos: Patrick Patterson CB, LSU    These top picks are such a crap shoot because there are dozens of different ways teams could go.  Patterson is the top corner in the draft and Champ Baily is not getting any young.  Look for them to get a younger version of him.

4.)  Tennessee Titans: Robert Quinn DE, North Carolina    Tennessee’s defensive line has been destroyed over the past few years (former Husker Vanden Bosch going to Detroit and Haynesworth to Washignton) They need to improve the pass rushing as well as get a guy in there again who will be there for many years.  Quinn is the guy.

5.)  Buffalo Bills:  Marcell Dareus DE/DT, Alabama     It seems that Chan Gaily really likes Fitzpatrick at QB and the Bills have been burned by high QB picks for many years now (J.P Losman, Trent Edwards, Todd Collins) and need to pull a New Orleans by bringing in a Drew Breese.  When I say a Breese I just mean someone with playing experience, like a Kevin Kolb.  Improving that defensive front is important.

6.)  Arizona Cardinals: Jake Locker QB, Washington   Max Hall is not the answer and either is Derek Anderson.  Locker is going to have a huge combine and remind everyone why he would have been the first overall pick in 2010 had he went out.

7.)   Detroit Lions: Prince Amukamara CB, Nebraska     It seems to me that Detroit is pretty happy with the Suh pick last year, why not stay with the Huskers and get one of the top defenders in the nation?

8.)  Washington Redskins: A.J Green WR, Georgia    No doubt about it Green has first round talent and Washington needs to surround McNabb with some better athletes.  They took two wide receivers in the second round of the 2008 draft (Malcom Kelly, Oklahoma and Devin Thomas, Michigan State) but they have not panned out they way they planned.

9.)  Minnesota Vikings: Ryan Mallet QB, Arkansas  The Vikings can no longer dodge a high quarterback pick.  Favre is not coming back and Tarvaris Jackson has proved he is not a starter in the NFL.  I think it will come down to what quarterbacks are left and which one they like better, in this case Ryan Mallet or Cam Newton.

10.) Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones WR, Alabama      This is a little reach and I’m sure Cleveland would love Green, but ever since Braylon Edwards left they have had nothing to throw to.

11.)  Dallas Cowboys: Stephen Paea DT, Oregon State    Defensive line or cornerback is the way to go for Dallas.  Only problem is the best cornerbacks on the board are gone and there is a pretty big gap after Amukamara.  Paea makes the most sense.

12.)    Seattle Seahawks:    Nick Fairley DT, Auburn    Seahawks could go quarterback here for sure.  Just not sure how realistic Cam Newton is.  Fairley is the right pick here.

13.)   San Francisco 49ers: Mark Ingram RB, Alabama    If the 49ers like him enough they may pull the trigger on Newton, but it seems San Francisco is not unsold on Alex Smith still as he always does just enough to save his job.  Frank Gore can’t stay healthy and their backups are quite forgetful.  The two back system is the new thing in the NFL.

14.)   Houston Texans:  Adrian Clayborn DE, Iowa    It seems every year Houston drafts defense, but they still need help.  Offensive line is another choice here.

15.)  St. Louis Rams:   Allen Bailey DE, Miami       A wide receiver could be a choice here to give Sam Bradford some more targets, but no one seems worth it to me at this point. Adam Carriker was a terrible pick and they could have a sick combo with Bailey and Long on each side of the defensive line.

16.)   New England Patriots (Oakland Raiders):  Ryan Kerrigan DE, Purdue   This is a guy New England finds and turns into a star.  Kerrigan can play both linebacker and defensive end in a 3-4.  This is the versitility they are always looking for.

17.)   Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Castonzo OT, Boston College   The offensive line of Colts past this is not.  Time to get some youth involved.

18.)  Miami Dolphins: Cam Newton QB, Auburn   Pennington is over the Hill and Chad Henne was benched for the over the hill Pennington.  They will need to get someone new in there and with the top running back gone, they go with Newton.

19.)   Kansas City Cheifs:    Von Miller OLB, Texas A&M   Von Miller is a stud and Kansas City would be lucky to get a guy of his quality this late.

20.)  Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Akeem Ayers OLB, UCLA   No matter who the pick is here, if its a defensive end, linebacker or secondary player it will be on the defensive side of the football

21.)   Jacksonville Jaguars: Janoris Jenkins CB, Florida   I can’t even think of one Jaguars cornerback.  Quarterback could be the pick here, but now with Newton, Locker, Mallet, and Luck off the board look for them to address that in the second or third round.

22.)   New York Jets:  Cameron Heyward DE, Ohio State   The Jets have gotten burned on a Ohio State defensive end in the past, but there is no denying they need help in that department.  Heyward is the best on the board.

23.)   San Diego Chargers: Nate Solder OT, Colorado   There is no doubt in my mind that this pick will be an offensive line.  The only qustion is whether or not they like Solder better than say Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi

24.)  Green Bay Packers: Gabe Carimi OT, Wisconsin   Take the home grown kid with this pick.  Bryan Bulaga has shown promise and I think he will succeed, but Chad Clifton left a big gap on bad a offensive line.  The running game is almost non-existent and they will need to improve the guys up front so Rodgers can pass.

25.)    Chicago Bears: Aaron Williams CB, Texas   They could go Derek Sherrod here as he is the last high quality offensive lineman left, however, they also need help in the secondary.  Look for them to take the Longhorn or Brandon Burton out of Utah.

26.)  New York Giants: Derek Sherrod OT, Mississippi State    That offensive line has been bangged up all season long.  That says to me they may be looking for a little more depth.

27.)  Philadelphia Eagles: Jeremy Beal OLB, Oklahoma   Phily could also be looking for an offensive lineman here, but with the lack of quality ones left I see them hitting up the linebackers for an upgrade and depth.

28.)   Baltimore Ravens: Brandon Burton CB, Utah      What was once upon a time the most feared defense in the NFL is still good, but getting older and older.  A bunch of the guys they won a super bowl with are no longer there, time to get some youth on the other side of the football.

29.)   Pittsburgh Steelers:   Mike Pouncey, G, Florida   This to me makes too much sense.  Reunite the two brothers who had great careers at Florida and let them run over players in the NFL.

30.)   New Orleans Saints: Cameron Jordan DE/DT California  They need to get someone on the other side of Will Smith.

31.)   Atlanta Falcons:  Kyle Rudolph TE, Notre Dame    Tony Gonzalez is not getting any younger and Atlanta has had a tradition of big tight ends.  I think this late in the first round they may be willing to take a risk on a guy who everyone feels has great first round potential, but got hurt early.

32.)  New England Patriots: Noel Devine RB, West Virginia   The Lawrence Maroney failed in New England, but they have shown they are willing to take running backs early, despite the fact that they love to platoon the guys.  Noel Devine can do things their other runnings backs cannot and for that reason Bill Belichick will be able to scheme some amazing things with him.

Check out the book “Death to the BCS” and you will see what I am talking about.  Most people understand how the BCS hurts college football.  Ask Boise State and TCU how one loss, or no losses keeps them from playing for the national championship.

However,  it seems all the points can be made about that.  At this point complaining about teams not getting their shot to play for the national championship is as old as debates about health care, abortion and  euthanasia.  The list goes on.

Recently, my Minnesota Golden Gophers fired its head coach Tim Brewster.  I was happy with this as he had no redeeming qualities about himself.  He promised more than he could deliver, lied about strides the team had made and was everything but a football coach (as you can see I am bitter).

So Minnesota began the quest for a new head coach, promising its fan base a “big name” coach.  Names like Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Al Golden (Temple), Brady Hoke (San Diego State), Randy Edsall (Uconn) and Kevin Sumlin (Houston) came up, just to name a few.

None of these names would be the head coach.  Instead the Gophers elected to hire… Jerry Kill?  Kill is out of Northern Illinois and is a straight football guy.  initially I was upset with the hire, but it has grown on me as it is clear that he is a no-nonsense football guy who should do good things at Minnesota. I was perturbed though at the fact that Minnesota could not attract a big name coach.  Thinking about it further though, why would any big name coach want to risk putting their name on the line to try to rebuild Minnesota?  The BCS discourages those kind of decisions.

Once you get that head coaching gig you don’t want to lose it and like in all sports if you don’t win you are out of a job.  Any idea how tough it is to get another head coaching gig after you lost the first one?  Few and far between get that chance, especially in college.

Often, disgraced NFL guys can find their way to the college ranks as an HC.  Mike Sherman at Texas A&M is an example of that.Take Edsall for instance out at Uconn.  He can take a pay raise, go to Minnesota and try to win in a tough Big Ten that is only getting better with Nebraska next year.  Or he can stay at Uconn, be less than mediocre and go to a BCS bowl game!  That is exactly what he is doing this year.

Coaches in weak BCS conferences like the Big East have no, and need no, incentives to get better.  Compete against your weak conference schedule and you will be going to a new years day bowl no problem.

Now if there was a playoff system in place, it would encourage those weak conference teams to schedule good competition, or those coaches to move to stronger competition in order to get an at large bid in a 16 team tournament.  Go undefeated against no teams in the top 25 and make the tournament as a 15 seed, or go 6-6 playing teams such as Ohio State, Nebraska and Iowa you can end up with an eight seed or better.

Because these coaches have little to no incentive to move (besides money) teams like Minnesota, Indiana, Colorado, Vanderbilt and so on will continue to struggle and improve because they cannot attract that right guy to lead them.  In Minnesota’s case though, I think they did get the right guy, he was just not their first choice.

This is happening all over the country.  Calhoun took his name out of the Colorado and Minnesota searches, Golden took his name out of the Vanderbilt search as well as Minnesota’s.  These coaches understand that if they go 6-6 or 7-5 and make mediocre bowls they will be out of a head coaching job in five years.

Now if there was a playoff system which foster competition, they could make a national tournament with less than extravagant records as long as they played top competition.  And played them tough of course.Until the BCS is destroyed college football will be without a true champion and things as important as the regular season will continue to struggle.

 However, if you look at the BCS critically it is obvious that the evidence against the system is piling up.  Meaning there will most likely be a playoff in college football sooner rather than later.
It may not seem like a great strategy, but TCU should have simply stayed in the Mountain West, continued to dominate, and waited out the BCS system.  I predict in less than 10 years college football will have a 16 team playoff system.
Even with this move to the Big East TCU is not guaranteeing itself a shot at the national championship.  Even if it runs its conference schedule the Big East is terrible.  It will need to bolster its non-conference schedule with some great teams in order to impress the BCS system and allow them to play in the national championship.  Good luck trying to convince good teams to play you when they know a loss to any team will all but shatter their own hopes at a shot at the title.  The BCS system hinders great competition, it does not help it.
This move was also a selfish move on the part of the football team.  It is going to be some time before it competes in other sports.
TCU has not been great in basketball, men or women’s.  The school has earned only seven births into the “Big Dance” and is yet to win a regular season or tournament title since becoming part of the Mountain West.  That’s playing teams such as Colorado State, Fresno State, and the Air Force.  Good luck with good basketball schools such as Syracuse and Georgetown.
This move may set a poor basketball program back even further.  Now you can argue that TCU is a football school and this is a football move, that would be true.  However, I find that unfair to the non-revenue sports.  You might as well do away with them if you make a decision like this, only to benefit one of your many programs.
TCU is not alone in a decision like this.  The University of North Dakota (Or school up north as I like to call them) just joined the Big Sky conference.  I hope the Fighting Sioux (or whatever its name will be) is ready for some long trips to Montana and California.  Had it settled the nickname issues, it would have had a great place with the other Dakota schools in the Missouri Valley football conference and the Summit League.  However, I digress as that is a rant for a later time.
Congratulations to you TCU.  By placing a handicap on the rest of your sports you may one day get a chance to have an even bigger complaint against the BCS when you run your conference in a crappy Big East only to get shut out again.
- Adam St. Paul

Some of those names include “Two Minute” Tommy Kramer from 1979 to 1990.  During Kramer’s time starting, other names who got playing time at QB include Steve Dils, Wade Wilson, and Archie Manning. Wilson would trade starts with Rich Gannon from 1990 to 1992. Another quarterback, Sean Salisbury, also got some starts.  Then there was Jim McMahon for the 1993 season, Warren Moon from 1994 to 1996, Brad Johnson’s first stint from 1996 to 1998.

Other names Vikings fans remember, Daunte Culpepper, Todd Bouman, Spergon Wynn, Gus Frerotte’s first stint, Johnson’s second stint, Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb, Brooks Bollinger, Frerotte’s second stint and finally Brett Favre. Does anyone else notice the pattern here?  The Vikings are notorious for putting a band-aid over a gash that sits under center each season.  Guys past their prime, or never had a prime (see Bollinger or Holcomb), trying to make Brad Childress’ and others offenses move.

That is why it is time for the Vikings to finally draft that number one signal caller with what looks to be a high first round pick. It is true that the Vikings have tried this in the past.  Culpepper was a first round pick, 11 overall, and Jackson was a high second round pick who the Vikings traded up to  get.  Culpeper had a few good seasons, but his best years were few and far between.  Jackson never got off the bus.  And because Jackson never succeeded as the guy, who I remind you was hand-picked as the man by Childress, the Vikings are in the situation they are in.

Childress’ protoge has forced him to go out and get the aging quarterbacks because he cannot hack it.  Jackson is a free agent and the end of this year and the Vikings would be wise to let him walk.He has failed to hold on to a position given to him three different times and needs a fresh starts.  Fans will not accept him running the offense come October of 2011.

So that leaves the question how the Vikings should get a signal caller for next year?  They have a few options.  Joe Webb is an intriguing guy they drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft out of UAB.  He was supposed to switch to wide receiver after being drafted, but he impressed some people enough to keep him under center.  At this point Webb is as raw as a slab of freshly cut meat and will not get any meaningful playing time this year being a third stringer behind Favre and Jackson.  Maybe the Vikings can get him some different packages he can go out on and use his athleticism, but as for being the starter next year?  No thank you.

So the two other options are trade for a quarterback, sign one, or draft one.  The Vikings are already strung on picks because of the Moss debacle and is a guy like Kevin Kolb in Philadelphia worth a high second round pick?  I am not so sure.  No one of free agency is going to be starting material and now with Donovan McNabb signing an extension with Washington, the most viable candidate is off the market.

This upcoming 2011 class is deep in quarterbacks and it is about time the Vikings splurge for that signal caller.   Will Andrew Luck of Stanford be there?  No.  Will Jake Locker of Washington be there?  Possibly.  Will Ryan Mallet of Arkansas be there?  I think so.  Even some probably second round picks such as Nebraska’s own, out of the University of Idaho, Nathan Enderle and Andy Dalton of TCU will command looks.

Look at some of the quarterbacks Minnesota has passed on since drafting Jackson in the second round.  Kevin Kolb and Brady Quinn in 2007 (The Quinn decision looks pretty smart).  Chad Henne, Dennis Dixon, and Josh Johnson in 2008, all of which have started games in the NFL.  Finally, Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clauson in 2010, each of wich looks to have a future as an NFL signal caller.

The Vikings need to stitch up that wound under center rather than putting a band-aid over it.  That decision may mean a complete rebuilding mode, but that is coming no matter what as age is creeping up on this Vikings team.