As a Kentuckian, there are no two minutes in any sport that I look more forward to than the Kentucky Derby. The first Saturday in May has always meant something special to me.

As a kid, my parents would always have or attend Derby parties.  I was eight years old when I hit my first exacta and my grandpa gave me the $84 it paid. 

When I got to college I made my first trips to Churchill for the big day. Three straight years in the infield where I think I saw a total of three horses and three dozen sets of breast.  I have been to Mardi Gras, Las Vegas, Talladega, and many more great places, but the infield best party of the all.

My love for the sport and respect for the tradition has led me to heading down once again for a third straight Derby. However, gone are the days of the infield past. Now we go into the a private room and do it up like the royalty that started the sport intended it to be.

Regardless, here are five reasons you should make it a point to go to at least once in your life:

(1.) THE TRADITION
They have done it for 133 years. How much more tradition do you need? From the mint juleps to the burgoo the day is full of traditional Kentucky rites of passage. However, there is nothing better than the when the horses head to the track for the post parade and the band strikes of "My Old Kentucky Home". I still get goose bumps everytime.

(2.) THE BUZZ
I have been to Louisville so many times in my life I have lost count, but something happens to that city during Derby weekend. Words can not describe it. It is electric! Celebrities and tourists flock to the city from all around the world. The people and workers in the city open their arms up to all of it and are always gracious hosts!

(3.) THE BUCKET LIST
The Derby is just one of those things you have to do before you die. The movie Bucket List was a perfect example of this as Morgan Freeman created a "bucket list," or things to do before "he kicks the bucket" after his character his diagnosed with cancer. I'm not saying you have to get crazy like me and go every year, but you should do it at least once.

(4.) THE THOUGHT THAT THIS COULD BE THE YEAR
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Affirmed winning the Triple Crown. He was the last horse to do so.  Dating back to 1989, a dozen horses have surged to victory in the two of the three legs, but none has been able to get the third race.  Seeing a horse win the first leg of the Triple Crown in person would be a chance in a lifetime. Think of it like this. Seeing Tom Browning pitch his perfect game is something any of us would have given our left limbs to see. His perfect game is one of eight there has been since Affirmed accomplished the monumental feat.

(5.) THE CARD
The Derby is a crapshoot. There's 20 horses and with than many going around the oval anything can happen. Handicappers will rejoice in a full day of quality races to bet on and good prices to boot.

OTHER LINKS
Preview & Picks: 134th Kentucky Derby
Derby Party Game (pdf) - Take your party to antoher level with our FREE and simple party game
Triple Crown Lowdown (mp3) - Horse Racing guru Ryan Wolking joins me on GetSportsRadio.com to break it all down

The field for the 134th Kentucky Derby is set and its time to seperate the pretenders from the contenders:

FAVORITES
#20 Big Brown (3-1) will have to overcome the fact he has only ran in three races. A horse with that few of races has not won the Derby in 93 years. Now,  he will also have to become the first horse to win the race from the No. 20 post since 1929.  His initial workouts at Churchill were impressive as he ran three furlongs in 35.33. The horse has the

Santa Anita Derby winner #10 Colonel John (4-1) is the best from the West. He comes to Churchill having never ran on dirt and that is reason for concern. His style suggests he be more than able to handle 1 1/4 miles. He's training well and right now is my pick to win the race and has been for the past six weeks, that could change by time I get to the window though.

If the Derby were ran a month ago, #9 Pyro (6-1) may have gone off as the favorite. However, a terrible showing in the Bluegrass Stakes (10th place, lost by 11 1/2 lengths) last month was enough to raise concern. Still, this horse is more than capable of making a Triple Crown run and has to be considered here.

CONTENDERS
#2 Tale of Ekati (15-1): This horse is a wildcard and has heart; Trainer Barclay Tagg did it with another horse like that a few years back with Funny Cide.

#14 Monba (15-1): Already has win over the track and is coming off surprising win at Bluegrass; has to be considered in the exotics.

#5 Eight Belles (15-1): That she would go in the Oaks, but instead she is the latest filly to take on the boys.

#6 Z Fortune (15-1): After losing early ground in Arkansas Derby he showed what he can do finishing second by a nose; Can do some damage.

#19 Gayego (15-1): California-bred did good moving from sythetic to dirt surface, but will have to overcome tough post position.

MY LONGSHOTS
#16 Denis of Cork (20-1): Horse is on his home course and jockey Calvin Borel knows the race all too well; great play for the price.

#17 Cowboy Cal (20-1): He went from the turf to the polytrack and did well, can he do the same moving to the dirt of Churchill Downs?

MY TRIFECTA
$2 Trifecta wheel 10/9 with the 10/9/2/14 wtih 10/9/2/14/5/16 - total cost $48 (could pay in the thousands); you can also go $1 Tri-wheel for $24:

Win - #10 Colonel John, #9 Pyro
Place - #10 Colonel John, #9 Pyro, #2 Tale of Ekati, #14 Monba
Show - #10 Colonel John, #9 Pyro, #2 Tale of Ekati, #14 Monba, #6 Z Fortune , #16 Denis of Cork

OTHER LINKS
Derby Party Game (pdf) - Take your party to antoher level with our FREE and simple party game
Triple Crown Lowdown (mp3) - Horse Racing guru Ryan Wolking joins me on GetSportsRadio.com to break it all down

With the NFL draft in the books is time to start looking at the fantasy implications of last weekend's picks. We start our tour at fantasy's most coveted postion, running back.

TOP PICKS
1(4). Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, Arkansas
McFadden has all the tools to be the man, but going to the Raiders significantly hurts his chances to be successful. Fantasy owners that draft him as No. 1 running back are going to be disappointed, at least this season.  Oakland will likely get rid of Lamont Jordan, but still have Justin Fargas, Dominic Rhodes, and last year’s draft pick, Michael Bush, in the mix. Head coach Lane Kiffin will find a role for his young playmaker, but between the crowded depth chart and the fact that the Raiders will be often playing from behind will limit his opportunities and his fantasy value early on. He will start somewhere around 20-25 on my cheat sheet at running back.

1(13). Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
Stewart is going to be a great fit in Carolina. The team parted ways with DeShaun Foster in the off-season, handing the starting job to DeAngelo Williams, the team’s first round pick in 2006.  This one smells like a running back-by-committee. Williams will likely keep a hold on the job for now, but look for Stewart to get involved in the offense immediately, particularly with the goalline carries. Neither back possesses enough of an edge to warrant looking at them as No. 2 fantasy RB’s, but both runners have great long-term potential. Williams is somewhere around No. 25 to No. 30 running back on the board, with Stewart just a few spots behind him (No. 30-35) heading into ’08.

1(22). Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, Arkansas
With Julius Jones now a Seahawk, Marion Barber finally slides into the starting spot he has so rightfully earned. Now there is a new Jones in Dallas though, Felix. The former Arkansas running back lived in McFadden’s shadow in college and now will play second fiddle in the Big D, at least this year.  Barber is a hard-nosed runner who will certainly be the Cowboys’ man at the goalline and see the bulk of the carries as a legitimate No. 1 fantasy running back. Jones is nothing more than a FLEX option for now, but see increased value in both yardage and keeper leagues (Barber in final year of contract).

1(23). Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
Willie Parker’s already declining value is falling fast and with him coming off a broken leg the Steelers clearly had enough concern about his future to grab Mendenhall, who should’ve never dropped this far into Round 1.  The Illinois product has everything it takes to be an every down running back in the NFL as he is big and powerful, but also has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and use his speed to break a long one at anytime.  Parker now looks like a No. 2 fantasy back at best with Mendenhall being a must-have handcuff.

1(24). Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson, East Carolina
The Titans desperately need to add something to their backfield, but I’m not sure if Johnson is the total answer. He calls himself a “faster Brian Westbrook” and does have the ability to be worked in both the running and passing game for Tennessee.  LenDale White is still the Titans’ back to have though.  Look for the team to pound him and use Johnson more as a change-of-pace back, receiver and return man. Though they drafted in Round 1, Johnson doesn’t excite me unless you are in a PPR league or have deep enough rosters to carry five or more running backs.

BEST OF THE REST
2(44). Chicago Bears: Matt Forte, Tulane
As if Cedric Benson’s value wasn’t already shaky enough, now Forte enters the mix and if things go right this summer, he could steal the job in Chicago.  Keep your eyes on this situation as the season approaches.

2(55). Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice, Rutgers
With Musa Smith and Mike Anderson out of the picture the Ravens needed to reload their backfield depth. Rice is going to overwhelm in you in any category, but is a versatile back that will be playing behind the injury-prone Willis McGahee.

3(64). Detroit Lions: Kevin Smith, Central Florida
My favorite sleeper on the list. The Lions traded up to grab him with the first pick of Day 2 and can you blame them?  Smith nearly broke Barry Sanders’ rushing record and with Tatum Bell and Brian Calhoun at No. 1 and No. 2 on the depth chart, he could easily slide into a starting role.

OTHER BACKS DRAFTED
3(69). San Diego Chargers: Jacob Hester, LSU
3(73). Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles, Texas
3(89). Houston Texans: Steve Slaton, West Virginia
4(122). Dallas Cowboys: Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech
5(139). Denver Broncos: Ryan Torain, Arizona State
5(146). Detroit Lions: Jerome Felton, Furman
5(149). Arizona Cardinals: Timothy Hightower, Richmond
5(163). Seattle Seahawks: Owen Schmitt, West Virginia (FB)
5(166). San Diego Chargers: Marcus Thomas, UTEP
6(172). Atlanta Falcons: Thomas Brown, Georgia
6(176). Miami Dolphins: Jalen Parmele, Toledo
6(179). Buffalo Bills: Xavier Omon, NW Missouri State
6(202). Indianapolis Colts: Mike Hart, Michigan
6(204). Miami Dolphins: Lex Hilliard, Montana
7(213). Jacksonville Jaguars: Chauncey Washington, USC
7(227). Denver Broncos: Peyton Hillis, Arkansas (FB)
7(233). Seattle Seahawks: Justin Forsett, California
7(238). Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cory Boyd, South Carolina
7(240). Baltimore Ravens: Allen Patrick, Oklahoma

Here is another quick look at some of the more 'statistical' things going on in baseball this season.

Consecutive Game Streak - On Sunday Grady Sizemore broke his streak of 382 consecutive games played. Sizemore has now missed the last two games with a sprained ankle. Jeff Francoeur now owns the major's longest streak at 352 games. However, he too is battling some ankle problems.

Stolen Bases - In a post a few weeks ago I noted the increase in stolen bases in the early part of 2008. Well things have not changed. Heading into play on Tuesday there have been 483 bases stolen. Last season in all of April there were only 423 stolen bases. It is interesting to note that the three teams that have run the most so far this year are also three of the biggest surprises. The Giants are at the top with 31 steals followed by the Orioles with 27 and the Rays with 26.

Fessler on the Move - In the GSI Fantasy League, Chris Fessler has now made 49 transactions for his team. To put that in perspective, Jeremy Fischer has made the second most transactions in the league with 15. My team has only made seven moves and I am proud to say I'm doing well in second place. Of course the team in first place is, well, Chris Fessler.

Troy Percival - With one more save Percival will tie John Wetteland with 330 career saves, good enough for 10th place on the all-time list. From there he'll need 11 more to catch Rollie Fingers and six more after that to tie Randy Myers.

Home Run List - Ken Griffey Jr. needs just three more HRs to become the sixth player in history to reach 600 in his career. Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez is doing his best to become the seventh. A-Rod is alone in 15th place with 522 and needs 12 more to catch Jimmie Foxx who is next on the list. A bitter Frank Thomas is doing all he can to hold off Jim Thome on the HR list. The Big Hurt now has 516 to Thome's 513. And in Boston Manny Ramirez needs just four more blasts to reach 500.

Homerless - Chone Figgins has the most at bats this season, 105, without having hit a home run. His last homer came on August 18th of last year. However, that is nothing compare to Juan Pierre who has not hit a home run since September 23rd of 2006. That is a total of 754 at bats.

Randy Johnson - The Big Unit is currently in 28th place on the all-time win list with 285. His next victory will put him in a tie with Robin Roberts. From there he'll be looking to tie Bert Blyleven at 287 and Tommy John at 288. Johnson is scheduled to pitch Wednesday afternoon against the Astros.

Had we thought about this ahead of time, I think the writers for the site could have come up with a Bengals draft drinking game.  The events of the two day draft seem to repeat themselves year over year.  For instance here's a few that I've found so far this year.

• Draft player with a criminal record that was kicked off his college squad?  Check.
• Select multiple players that most other teams had serious concerns about?  Check.
• Player not named Chad Johnson asks for a trade out of town?  Check.

Any other events that I missed?

Reds' right hander Edinson Volquez moved to 4-0 on the young season with yet another stellar performance in the Reds' 10-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. He once again held down the opponent by working through minor control problems on his way to brilliance. Volquez gave up five hits, walking three, but struck out a career 10 batters.

I have wrote in before on this blog, but with every Volquez start it becomes more true, the Reds' fans still griping about the team dealing the popular and multi-talented outfielder Josh Hamilton are getting fewer and fewer with each trip to the mound by the 24-year old hurler. After Sunday's fifth straight quality start, that group of fans should now be extinct.

The mixture of a 97+ MPH fastball, a wicked curve ball, and a change-up that comes in at 78 MPH, makes it very tough for opposing hitters to have a chance. It's hard to keep in mind that this kid has only had 25 starts, but based off the five he's had in a Reds' uniform it's hard not to envision many All-Star caliber seasons and maybe even a Cy Young ahead. Sure, it's a huge stretch to talk like that right now, but at his age and raw talent who knows where the kid will be at in four or five years from now. Hopefully, he's still on the Reds and still getting me this excited.

The numbers speak for themselves (4-0, 1.23 ERA, 29.1 IP, 20 H, 16 BB, 33 SO):

Apr 6 - PHI - 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K's (WIN)
Apr 11 - @Pit - 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Apr 17 - @ChC - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K's (WIN)
Apr 22 - LAD - 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K's (WIN)
Apr 27 - @SF - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K's (WIN)

If you are still sitting on the couch watching the draft coverage at this point you have a real problem. For most of you that haven't been hypnotized by  Mel Kiper's hair, here are the things you need to know from Sunday.

BENGALS
The team used the extra picks to their advantaged and continued to fill holes:

Round 3 (77) - DT Pat Sims, Auburn - Only started last year after quitting team, but has great upside.

*Round 3 (97) - WR Andre Caldwell, Florida - Reche's brother posted good 40-time at combine, but hasn't shown it on field yet.

Round 4 (112) - T Anthony Collins, Kansas - Shows great versatility and could develop nicely; nice value for the spot.

Round 5 (145) - DT Jason Shirley, Frenso State - Has nice size, but lacks much consistentcy; many had him going undrafted

Round 6 (177) - S Corey Lynch, Appalachian State - Immediate special teams contributor; kick-blocking specialist

*Round 6 (207) - TE Matthew Sherry - Villanova - Athletic, pass-catching tight end. WOW! That's two on the team

*Round 7 (244) - OLB Angelo Craig - Cincinnati - Hometown favorite played DE in college, but he's better suited to be a LB

*Round 7 (246) - WR Mario Urrutia, Louisville - Junior is very raw, but has the frame and attibutes to develop

OTHER NEWS
Lions trade up to get running back
Detroit News - "The Detroit Lions turned aggressive on the second day of the NFL draft, using trades that netted three third-round picks to fill needs at running back and defensive line. Running back Kevin Smith of Central Florida, defensive tackle Andre Fluellen of Florida State and defensive end Cliff Avril of Purdue were drafted on the third round."

Giants gamble on Michigan's Mario
New York Daily News - "The Giants just made a very controversial selection by taking Michigan wide receiver Mario Manningham. There's not a lot of doubt about the talent in that pick of the 5-11, 178-pounder. But there's a lot of baggage that comes along with him, too."

Draft sets new trade record
ESPN.com - "NFL decision-makers were a finicky lot at the NFL draft, making a record 33 trades on Saturday and Sunday, surpassing the previous record of 28 from the 2004 draft."

DRAFT TRACKER: ROUNDS | TEAMS | POSITIONS

I honestly don't know which is more agonizing, being a Bengals fan in the off-season or a Bengals fan during the regular season. For most teams, hope springs eternal in the off-season. The wait-til-next-year mentality usually spurs interest for the fan base. But here in Cincinnati, it's a never-ending case of disappointed drafts, head scratching free agent moves, lack of free agent moves, off-the-field troubles, and players shooting their mouths off about wanting out of town.  All of this is a mounting frustration for fans. It almost makes you yearn for the season to start, just so we can have the distraction of yet another disappointing season of missing the playoffs and to hear Marvin Lewis' lies and smugness. Instead we get to hear Marvin's cronies (revolving door of coaches and coordinators) try to convince us that they were right about Jerome Simpson and EVERYONE ELSE was wrong and that it wasn't a reach to take a 4th-round projected WR from a two-bit college so early. No, trust us, and drink this Kool-Aid, and while you're doing that, keep buying up the tickets for the season because this is the year.

No, the Bengals franchise is an absolute laughing stock. Abysmal ownership, poor coaching, poor drafting, poor personnel decisions, poor performance which leaves all of us fans angry and poor from paying for tickets and merchandise. And for what? 

The NFL draft may have diverted your attention, so here's everything you need to know for Week 5:

STUDS OF THE WEEK
The Phillies are happy with their new closer Brad Lidge. He has yet to allow on in 11 innings this season and converted four saves over the last week making his fantasy owners happy too. Lidge's former teammate, Astros' 1B Lance Berkman, joins him on our stud list this week. Berkman has homered four times over his past six games, driving in 12 runs and hitting .500 in that span.

DUDS OF THE WEEK
Manny Corpas, who was stellar in the Rockies' playoff run last year, lost his job as the Rockies' closer after blowing two more saves this past week. In three innings of work this week Corpas allowed five runs. It was a week of flukes for the Blue Jays' Alex Rios. After a routine off day on Tuesday he caught the flu bug and missed Wednesday only to return to the lineup and get tossed early on in Thursday's game. All of this left Rios' owners with just four games of production.

KEY INJURIES
OF Alfonso Soriano (CHC):OF- Should be back May 1
SS Jimmy Rollins (PHI): Could be back at end of draft
DH David Ortiz (BOS): Day-to-day with bruised knee
3B Chipper Jones (ATL): Day-to-day with back cramps
3B Hank Blalock (TEX): Out until at least TUE, DL a possibility
RP Rafael Soriano (ATL): Should resume as closer by mid-week
OF Mike Cameron (MIL): Suspension ends Tuesday
2B Howie Kendrick (ANA): Should return early in week.
OF Shane Victorino (PHI): Should be back on Tuesday
OF Moises Alou (NYM): Rehab put on hold due to sore ankle
SP Jake Westbrook (CLE): Put on DL and out until late May
SP Scott Kazmir (TB): Might pitch on May 3 or 4
SP Kevin Slowley (MIN): Expected to make rehab start May 1

TWICE AS NICE
Here are some two-start pitchers to consider this week:

AL
Must-starts:
Roy Halladay - @BOS (Daisuke Matsuzaka), CHW (Javier Vazquez))
Fausto Carmona – SEA (Carlos Silva), KC (Brett Tomko)
Joe Saunders – OAK (Greg Smith), BAL (Undecided)

Sleeper Picks:
Daniel Cabrera - @CHW (Javier Vazquez), @LAA (Jon Garland)
Chad Gaudin - @LAA (Jon Garland), TEX (Vicente Padilla)
Phil Hughes – DET (Kenny Rogers), SEA (Carlos Silva)

NL
Must-Starts:
Cole Hamels – SD (Greg Maddux), SF (Matt Cain)
Johan Santana – PIT (Ian Snell), @ARI (Dan Haren)
Derek Lowe - @FLA (Andrew Miller), @COL (Kendry Morales)

Sleeper Picks:
Tom Glavine - @WAS (Tim Redding), CIN (Bronson Arroyo)
Todd Wellemeyer – CIN (Bronson Arroyo), CHC (Jason Marquis)
Tom Gorzelanny - @NYM (Oliver Perez), @WAS (Tim Redding)

WAIVER WATCH (from leagues played at CBSSports.com)
Five most added:
RP Brian Fuentes - COL (+45% roster change)
OF Curtis Granderson - DET (+34%)
RP J.J. Putz - SEA (31%)
SP Jonathan Sanchez - SF (30%)
SP Chad Gaudin - OAK (30%)

Five most dropped (non-injured):
RP Manny Corpas - COL (-29%)
SP Edwin Jackson - TB (-15%)
SP Francisco Liriano - MIN (-13%)
OF Corey Patterson - CIN (-13%)
SP Justin Germano - SD (-12%)

GAMES PLAYED
Let's take a look at how many games each team will be playing this week:

American League
7: BAL, CLE, LAA, NYY, OAK
6: BOS, CHW, DET, KC, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
5: MIN

National League
7: PIT
6: ARI, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD, SF, STL, WAS
5: ATL

Stanford University hired longtime Duke assistant Johnny Dawkins as their new head men's basketball coach, replacing former coach Trent Johnson, who left the school to fill the open job at LSU.  Some might say this is a slam dunk hire; others, like myself, are looking at this for what it is - the ultimate judgment of Mike Krzyzewski's coaching tree.

Dawkins has been hyped for years as Coach K's prodigy.  He's been a Duke assistant for 11 seasons, nine of those as the associate head coach.  It was even speculated for a while that Dawkins was being groomed as his eventual replacement.  I'd often wondered, if he was such a fantastic prospect of a coach, why he hadn't been offered a head job somewhere.

Maybe the reason is that, for the most part, Krzyzewski's protoges haven't fared all that well.  Check out some of the leaves of the Coach K tree:

• Mike Brey (not a lot of people remember that he came from Duke, but he's probably their most successful former assistant)
• Bob Bender (a general disaster at Washington)
• Jeff Capel (pretty solid career so far at VCU and Washington)
• Tommy Amaker (left a mess in his wake at Seton Hall, needed help from Dick Vitale to get the job at Michigan, and then departed under shaky circumstances from Michigan, where he never made the tournament in seven seasons)
• David Henderson (irrelevant at Delaware)
• Neil Dougherty (TCU; who?  'Nuff said.)
• Quin Snyder (recruited well, coached poorly, and had a litany of questionable incidents at Missouri - if he was a Bob Huggins assistant, I can only imagine how the national press would have treated this guy)

No one ever seems to want to discuss this in relation to Coach K, but his assistants have been some of the most overrated in college basketball.  As much hype as Dawkins has garnered over the years, the pressure ought to be on him to produce.  We'll just have to sit back and see how this works out.

Even with a 10-5 lead coming into the ninth inning on Saturday, Todd Coffey failed to deliver. The Reds' relief pitcher continues to prove that he no longers warrants a spot in the team's bullpen.

Coffey immediately proceeded to allow back-to-back doubles and walked a third batter. The right-hander left without recording an out. Closer Francisco Cordero came in for the save situation and proceeded to give up a base-clearing triple.  Coffey had made four straight appearences without a run before giving up three runs on three hits here. Cordero would settle in and retire the next three batters as the Reds held on for a 10-9 win. Still, how many times can you allow Coffey to blow a game?

The numbers don't lie for Coffey. He has yielded 11 runs, 18 hits, and 6 walks in just 14 1/3 innings. His 6.91 ERA is not a mirage, but a trend. Coffey has a good arm, but for whatever reason it is not translating into good pitching. He is a mental case at times and at this point the best thing that can happen for him is a change in scenery. For the Reds, there has to be a better option in the minors. You can do much worse! I have seen Todd Coffey and what he can do and now it's time to see somebody else.

The first day of the draft came and went rather quickly, at least once it got started. It was tough dealing with my anxiety for an extra few hours with it starting at 3:00 rather than noon. However, once things got rolling the 10 minutes between picks proved to be much faster than I would realize as I didn't have my normal in-between time to hit the fridge and the other duties that may call. Despite the rapid pace here my first impressions of the team's that helped themselves the most in the opening two rounds.

CAROLINA PANTHERS
They nabbed RB Jonathan Stewart at No. 13, then added a tackle with the 19th pick and good at that in Jeff Otah out of Pittsburgh. The team's offensive line has gotten younger, but has immense upside and Stewart replaces DeShaun Foster (cut in off-season) as DeAngelo Williams' stablemate in the Panthers' backfield.

BALTIMORE RAVENS
Ozzie Newsome had Baltimore on the move. They dropped all the way from 8th overall down to No. 26th while grabbing a boat load of picks in a deal with Jacksonville then traded back up eight spots as they struck a deal with Houston. When the dust settled the team ended up with their second rated quarterback in Joe Flacco out of nearby Delaware and then grabbed RB Ray Rice out of Rutgers with the 55th selection in late Round 2.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs resisted temptation to pass on DT Glenn Dorsey, who could prove to be a big time steal if he shakes durability concerns. The team then added the versatile offensive Branden Albert with the 15th pick following a trade with the Lions.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Rashard Mendenhall was not a player as a Bengals' fan that I want to have to face a couple times a year. He is coming off a breakout campaign at Illinois last year and has the size and ability to succeed on the next level. The team used its second round pick to get the receiver I was so hoping would end up in Cincinnati in Limas Sweed. This guy is a physical specimen and is going to be scary when coupled with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.

The first day of the draft for the Bengals was a disappointment. The day started with the team getting scooped by the Saints and Jaguars on getting their impact defensive player and ended with the team making their annual "what in the hell were you thinking pick" as they selected WR Jerome Simpson out of Costal Carolina. 

I was really hoping that the Bengals would land Sedrick Ellis and after Glenn Dorsey slid to the Chiefs at #5 and the Jets nabbed Vernon Gholston with the sixth pick overall. The Patriots have more pressing issues than DT and the Ravens didn't really need Ellis at eight either. Both teams would trade down as the Saints moved up from 10th overall to grab Ellis and Jacksonville went large and grabbed Derrick Harvey.

The Bengals did the right thing grabbing Rivers at No. 9, but the Saints only swapped third round picks and gave up a fifth to get Ellis, I would have liked to see Cincinnati come off some of their 10 draft picks in order to grab the defensive tackle they so desperately needed.

The bigger curve ball came with the Simpson pick. I wasn't surprised to see them go wide receiver, but they had Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma,  Desean Jackson of California, Mario Manningham of Michigan and Limas Sweed of Texas (the guy I wanted who wound up on Pittsburgh) on the board, yet still opted to go with a player that many publications had going in the fourth or fifth round. They also once again opted to ignore defensive tackle as they could have nabbed the highly touted Trevor Laws (went on the following pick to the Eagles) in that spot.

Analysis from SportsIllustrated.com:

Keith Rivers
Rivers is a speedy defender with good upside potential as a weak side linebacker. He comes off a disappointing senior campaign, yet his size/speed numbers and production throughout his college career should keep him in the first half of round one.

Jerome Simpson
A graceful receiver who competes on the field, Simpson has the size and pass-catching skills to be a fourth wideout at the next level.

WHAT'S UP NEXT
After only having two picks on Saturday, the team gets to fill eight more spots on Sunday:

Round 3, Pick 14 (77)     
Round 3, Pick 34 (97) (Compensatory selection)     
Round 4, Pick 13 (112)     
Round 5, Pick 10 (145)     
Round 6, Pick 11 (177)     
Round 6, Pick 41 (207) (Compensatory selection)     
Round 7, Pick 37 (244) (Compensatory selection)     
Round 7, Pick 39 (246) (Compensatory selection)

Our list of the top draft busts will focus on top 10 picks since they are considered to be the “sure fire picks”. We could just take the Bengals first round picks of Mike Brown era prior to Marvin Lewis with the likes of David Klingler, Dan Wilkinson, Ki-Jana Carter, Akili Smith, Peter Warrick and James Francis. However there were a few good productive ones like Willie Anderson, Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons so we’ll let them off the hook. Quarterbacks and Running backs seem to dominate the draft bust list since they have cut and dry numbers to back it up but we will see a few offensive tackles and defensive players as well.

FIRST TEAM
1. Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington State, 1998, 2nd Pick, Chargers - No NFL bust list is complete without listing Ryan Leaf. Unlike some others it was not addiction, off field problems, steroids or career threatening injuries that held back Leaf. He was just plain bad. He was so bad that he was out of the league within four years. He played only 26 games completing 48.4% of his passes for 3666 yds, 14 TD and 36 Int. There was a time when it was a tough decision of who to take between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. Leaf was considered to have the higher upside but was rawer and would need more time to develop. The Colts needed a starter right now and opted for Manning or Leaf would have been an even larger bust! Leaf was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in his junior year, was a first-team All-American and PAC-10 offensive player of the year. Adding insult to injury, Chargers GM Bobby Beathard gave up the No. 3 pick, a second-round selection, a first-round choice in 1999, and two players to Arizona to move up just one spot.

2. Art Schlichter, QB, Ohio State, 1982, 4th Pick, Colts - The only reason Schlichter was not placed above Leaf was that his career was destroyed largely by an addiction to gambling that led to various off field issues. He only played in 13 games, Completed 45.0% of his passes for 1006 yds, 3 TDs and 11 int’s. Schlichter was a standout player at Ohio State and almost lead the Buckeyes to the national title. In 1983, the league suspended him when it was discovered that he had $150,000 in gambling debt. The Colts released him in 1985. He played arena football for a few years in the 1990’s and has a long rap sheet that includes over 20 felonies such as fraud and forgery. He’s been in prison over 30 times. He is one of the saddest stories of wasted potential in sports history.

3. Tony Mandarich, OT, Michigan St, 1989, 2nd Pick, Packers - As stud offensive tackles often are, Mandarich was viewed by many to be the safest pick in the draft. Unfortunately, he never came close to living up to expectations, and after just three years, he was cut. Because of a drastic loss in weight upon entering the NFL, there was a lot of speculation that his success at the collegiate level was fueled by the use of steroids. He was drafted ahead of Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders which just make the pick that much more painful. A great senior year, where he was named a first-team All-American, Big Ten Lineman of the Year and Outland Award Finalist, he was touted as the best offensive line prospect ever. He played from 1996- 1998 for the Colts and was a bit better but not spectacular.

4. Penn State running backs - This is a scary trend of three sure fire picks falling flat on their face.

a. Curtis Enis, RB, Penn St, 1998, 5th pick, Bears- Games 34, RuYds 1497, Total TDs 6. He possessed the power of a big man and had the moves often attributed to smaller backs. Enis was considered to be like Randy Moss was that same year, a top prospect. To be fair, he did injure his ACL as a rookie, and pain in his knee forced him to hang it up by age 25, right after trying to resurrect his career with the Browns. What makes Enis even more frustrating is the other players available in the draft: RB’s Fred Taylor (Round 1) and Ahman Green (Round 3)

b. Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn St, 1995, 1st pick, Bengals- Games 57, RuYds 1127, Total TDs 21. The only things keeping him from being an overall top pick are his ACL tear on his first pro carry and the 21 touchdowns he did score (though many of them were vulture carries after Cory Dillon carried them down the field). At Penn State, the guy was amazing. He was built like a bulldog, but still had the explosion to act as a home run threat from anywhere on the field. Carter was a slam dunk for the No. 1 pick at the time. Unfortunately, the Ki-Jana Carter that played for the Bengals, Redskins, and Saints was never the same player after that preseason ACL tear. He was a standout player in college; in 1994 he had 27 carries for 227 yards and 5 touchdowns against Michigan State. That same year he played in the Rose Bowl, earning Co-MVP honors. In recent years, he has been an on-again, off-again backup player.

c. Blair Thomas, RB Penn St, 1990, 2nd pick, Jets - Games 64, RuYds 2236, Total TDs 9. He never showed the burst or creativity as a runner and the great package of skills needed in the NFL. A 40 time of 4.4 thrust Thomas to the forefront of the 1990 NFL Draft, far above a number of future NFL workhorses at his position. At only 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Thomas never even developed into one of the top seven or eight most productive backs in his draft class, which is a monumental waste of the number two overall pick. In seven NFL seasons with the Jets, Cowboys, Patriots, and Panthers, Thomas rushed for only 2,236 yard and seven TDs. Of course later in this same draft, some guy by the name of Emmit Smith was drafted by the Cowboys.

5. Akili Smith, QB, Oregon, 1999, 3rd pick, Bengals- Games 21, Yds 2212, TDs 5, int's 13. The second bust QB taken by Mike Brown’s staff in the 90’s after David Klingler, Smith started just 17 games over four years with Cincinnati. He played only two games during the 2001 season and was cut in 2002. In 2003, he was again cut, this time by the Packers. And in 2005, he failed in a stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Like Leaf, Smith had nothing holding him back outside of the fact that he is just a bad NFL quarterback. Blessed with one of the strongest arms you’ll ever see, he was never able to find the other tools necessary to put it all together. Fortunately the Browns did not do much better taking Tim Couch with the first overall pick. Edgerrin James, Champ Bailey, Dante Culpepper and others were drafted later which and all would have been available if the Bengals had made a deal with the Saints that would have netted them the Saints entire draft including the 5th overall pick and some future picks.

SECOND TEAM
6. Lawrence Phillips, RB, Nebraska, 1996, 6th Pick, Rams - Games 35, RuYds 1453, Total TDs 15. Phillips appeared to have all the potential to be a future star in the NFL. In today’s NFL, he would have slid much further due to off field issues. In the pros, he proved to be a major distraction and an under-performer. He missed team meetings, was arrested for assault and domestic abuse and was often cut from teams due to his argumentative nature. In the NFL, he played too upright and couldn't make people miss. He was handed chance after chance to make it with the Rams, Dolphins, NFL Europe, 49ers, Arena League, and CFL. He was drafted ahead of Eddie George.

7. Heath Shuler, QB, Tennessee, 1994, 3rd Pick, Redskins - Games 29, Yds 3691, TDs 15, int’s 33. As with many of our draft busts he was a holdout, and not being in camp hurt him immediately. Then Gus Frerotte, another '94 draft pick, seized control of the team. Shuler never caught up. He also wasn't the pure passer he needed to be. Shuler quarterbacked the Vols of Tennessee where he set numerous passing records and came in second in Heisman voting in 1993. He was considered to be one of the SEC’s top QBs and his athleticism made him a real commodity. His potential never translated to NFL success.

8. Kelly Stouffer, QB, Colorado State, 1987, 6th Pick, Cardinals - Games 22, Yds 2333, TDs 7, int’s 19. Stouffer had a good college career putting up big numbers at Colorado State in the old pass-happy WAC. He would belong near the top of this list but most felt he wasn’t worth the 6th overall pick anyways. Stouffer played for Seattle from 1988- 1992. He performed well in a limited capacity and in 1992 and earned the starting job. He did not win one game and was injured and sidelined near the end of the season. In 1993 the Hawks picked Rick Mirer and Stouffer’s career was over.

9. Brian Bosworth, LB, Oklahoma 1987, supplemental, Seahawks - Winner of the first two Butkus Awards, Bosworth was kicked off the Oklahoma squad because of steroid use, which fueled his entry into the 1987 supplemental draft, where he was selected by the Seahawks in the first round. Bosworth was perhaps the most over-hyped player to exit the collegiate ranks, recording just four sacks through three seasons.

10. Bruce Pickens, CB, Nebraska, 1991, 3rd, Falcons - In his five seasons with the club, he recorded a very modest total of two interceptions.

THIRD TEAM
11. Andre Ware, QB, Houston, 1990, 7th, Lions - Games 14, Yds 1112, TDs 5 int’s 8. Ware spent four seasons with the Lions before heading to the Raiders, and then the CFL.

12. Tim Biakabutuka, RB, Michigan, 1996, 8th, Panthers - Games 49, RuYds 2530, Total TDs 17. He was drafted ahead of Eddie George as well.

13. Bo Matthews, RB, Colorado, 1974, 2nd, Chargers - In eight NFL seasons, he gained only 1,566 yards rushing, and caught 75 passes, before spending time with the USFL's Denver Gold.

14. Leroy Keyes, RB, 3rd, 1969, Eagles - Keyes played both ways from the get go, rushing for 361 yards as a rookie. After injuring his leg, Keyes focused primarily on defense, and would rush for only eight more yards. Keyes would go down in the record books as one of the least productive NFL running backs ever drafted in the top five finishing with 369 career rushing yards. His eight interceptions save him from being higher on this list.

15. Todd Blackledge, QB, 7th, 1983, Chiefs - Games 46, Yds 5286, TDs 29 int’s 38. The only reason Blackledge makes the list is because he was taken over Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason and Ken O'Brien

HONORABLE MENTIONS
16. Steve Emtman, DT, Washington (1st overall, Colts, 1992)
17. Tom Cousineau, MLB, Ohio State (1st overall, Bills, 1979)
18. David Klingler, QB, Houston (6th overall, Bengals, 1992)
19. Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State (1st overall, Bengals, 1994)
20. Rick Mirer, QB, Notre Dame (2nd overall, Seahawks, 1993)

from the GetSportsInfo.com archives (by Dan Hoerst):