Ahhh..can you smell it? You smell that foul smell? It must be NFL draft week and that stench is those first round busts that are bound to happen. It’ll take time to tell who earns their money and who steals owner’s money. They can steal millions and not even go to jail for it. What a great deal!

These guys are the draft busts. Hyped up players who dominated in college. They were suppose to save a sagging franchise. Some were called the best ever in their position. Then for some reason or the other they lose all their football instincts once they get to the NFL. Being a bust takes hard work. It’s hard to really suck so bad and pretend like you’re trying to get better everyday.

Sports Illustrated has a photo montage of the biggest draft busts of the modern era. They’re in no particular order because you don’t see Tony Mandrich or Ryan Leaf for awhile. None of the can argue that anyone doesn’t belong on this list. Joey Harrington is the most recent draft pick (2002) to make the bust list. Excellent call. For Sports Illustrated that is. Certainly not the Detroit Lions.

Random Youtube finding. I’m not sure when this was aired but worth watching. I don’t know how I missed hearing about this. Quality is not the best but you get the idea.

The guys on PTI are debating on who had the worst first pitch ever to start a baseball game. Tommy Lasorda or track star Carl Lewis. Both are utterly horrible. Guaranteed to bring a laugh. However by far Tommy’s has to be worse because he’s been in baseball for most of his life. He even was a minor league pitcher. Sure that was in the 1900’s but still. I would say Carl’s throw was like a little girl’s but that’s an insult to little girls out there.

When I first saw Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon’s moahwk I naturally thought he lost a bet. It’s pretty hideous. Look at the party in the back. I thought rookie hazing but he’s in his second season. Maybe it was after a night of doing a beer shot a minute for an hour. Turns out he got the mohawk because he won his bet. Yes…a mohawk for winning a bet.

Papelbon had a friendly wager with Kevin Youkalis with Papelbon saying he would have 10 scoreless innings in April before Youkilis would have five home runs with a .350 batting average. Well to Papelbon’s delight he won his bet Friday night. Woo hoo! Bring out the clippers. Kids in Boston know what to ask for next time they go to Supercuts!

He must have really wanted that mohawk because Papelbon has been a savior and one of the best closers this season so far. He’s throwing like badass Rick Vaughn with control, 8-8 in save opportunities and has been pretty unhittable. His haircut comes in time for Boston’s next series with Cleveland. How perfect.

Bad haircut aside, I root for Jonathan. He and his family are from my neck of the woods, Jacksonville, FL. Actually his father has been a long time food sales rep for my family’s restaurant. Couldn’t be any nicer. Interested in asking his opinion this week. Now if his dad walks in with the matching haircut for support I’ll have to take pictures (wishful thinking though). Way back when he was in high school, Jonathan worked at our restaurant as a dishwasher. He lasted a week. Couldn’t handle the piles of dishes. I don’t blame him. Try doing it for just one weekend. Such good talent gone to waste. It’s a shame.

(Finally I’d rather have this mohawk anyday of the week than a mullet.)

Future Shaun Alexander fantasy football owners next season should proceed with caution. He has been named the new cover boy for Madden 2007. I don’t believe much in curses but I believe in the Madden curse. Judging from history that is a very bad omen for Seattle and fantasy owners.

Someone had to be on the cover. When you have a good season you’re a candidate to be on it. Then that usually means you’ll have a bad season. Shaun dismissed any thoughts of a curse and didn’t believe it. That’s exactly what Donovan McNabb said last year and look what happened to him.

I can’t explain how being on a video game cover can be a curse. It’s so bizarre. You can’t just dismiss is as pure coincidence. If it happens just once or twice you could. But when it’s happened six years in a row, you can’t deny the destruction the curse has left for those in its path. Just ask Marshall Faulk, Ray Lewis, McNabb, Michael Vick, Dante Culpepper, and Eddie George what being on the cover did for their season.

Madden Curse Strikes Again [Sports Pulse]

Madden 2007 [EA]

During the Dallas Maverick’s last home game, American Airlines announced they were giving vouchers for free flights to everyone at the game. Naturally the 19,000 fans said “woo hoo” when Mark Cuban and an American airlines executive announced it between the 1st and 2nd period.

Since this is Mark Cuban he had to do something big. Now he can say he’s given the most airline tickets at once. From a marketing stand point it’s smart. American Airline gets free press from media all over the country covering this story. American Airlines has lost $92 million the first three months of the year. That’s even without giving out meals on flights. Soon they’ll be charing for peanuts I bet. I know they’re trying to draw in customers. Most likely those that use a voucher aren’t going alone so they have to buy a ticket. So that’s how they make their money. If they like it, they’ll fly again. But I sense the majority of the people won’t use the voucher.

Why not? Because there is a catch. You can only fly from Dallas Love Field to Austin, San Antonio, Kansas City or St. Louis. So if someone wanted to fly free to Hawaii this summer they’re screwed. The selected list of cities aren’t ones most people put at the top of their list. Try telling the family you’re not going to Disney this summer but instead to St. Louis to stare at an arch. Again unless they are flying by themselves, they’re going to have to fork over money for another ticket. Now the free voucher doesn’t sound as good.

Cuban was asked if this giveaway was bigger than Oprah’s when she gave her whole audience brand new cars. Of course he said no because this involves 20,000. So when it’s Keith Van Horn bobble head night it’s better than giving away cars because more people get bobble heads? It’s not about numbers but the quality of the prize.

I’m going to say Oprah’s giveaway was bigger. You equate getting a free car as a huge deal. On “The Price is Right” everyone dreams of winning a brand new car. They’re tepid about those free all inclusive vacations. Free airline tickets? Meh. Free airline tickets only means you have get patted down when you go through security and then sit in front of two kids who kick and scream the whole time. Also they just might lose your luggage. At least if I don’t want the car I can sell it for good money (after paying the taxes).