Category Matt Waldman

Brought to You by the Miller Brewing (and Growing) Company

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Percy Harvin’s migraines have been more problematic than his past marijuana-related issues. Despite what the NFL says, pot is much ado about nothing. Photo by Mark Trammell.

Two years ago, Boston.com reporter Albert Breer quoted an unnamed NFL coach that estimated that at least one-third of the players on NFL draft boards had a history of marijuana use. Think that’s bad? Consider the rest of the American public.

Depending on the poll, between 40-60 percent of (honest) Americans have tried marijuana as a recreational drug. A 2011 Gallup Poll says 50 percent of Americans favor legalization of pot. Yet we condemn athletes that tried (or still use) marijuana.

The best argument for condemnation of these athletes is logical: Marijuana is illegal. If an athlete has the goal to take his talents to the professional level, he has to be incredibly foolish to try or continuously smoke pot when he knows he’s going to be tested.

I agree. How does anyone risk his career, family, and freedom to engage in illegal activity? Why don’t we ask that question about the 40-60 percent of Americans that smoke pot but Continue reading →

How to (and how not to) Throw the Bomb

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A bomb is a bomb is a bomb? It all depends on your point of view. Photo by Delta Mike

This is one of my favorite posts in a while, because it is two very different angles of one play. The first angle will leave you shaking your head at the wide receiver. The second angle will provide a more sympathetic feeling towards him and less so for the quarterback.  Continue reading →

More Parallels Between Music and Football

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Michael Floyd is about to get some lessons from Larry Fitzgerald that parallel those that musician Russell Malone got from masters Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell. Photo by Photogeek21.

I have often broached the idea that quarterbacking or running between the tackles is similar to improvising with a rhythm section. There has to be an understanding of rhythm, interaction, and when to play outside the conventional boundaries of the structure. It should also be a given that a player has to have mastery over his fundamental technique.

You don’t have to be a fan of jazz improvisation to grasp what I’m saying. However, jazz performers tell some great stories that parallel the type of things that young pro football players learn in camp from veterans. One of the big lessons is, don’t bring that weak-ass shit here. Continue reading →

2012 Post-Draft RSP Ready for Download – Reads Listens Views 5/4/2012

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Press “Play,” then read the news when the music begins…

[youtube=http://youtu.be/KbJrcpqLui8]

The 2012 Post-Draft RSP Add-on is Ready for download! You know you feel like dancing!

That’s right, 56 pages of post-draft goodness:

  • Post-Draft analysis and commentary.
    • Depth chart competition
    • Team fit
    • Long-term prospects
  • Rankings
    • Overall
    • By Position
    • Tiered Rankings
  • Draft selection data for dynasty leagues
    • Average spot of selection
    • High selection spot
    • Low selection spot
    • Value designation scores that relate to my RSP rankings to help navigate your draft
  • Overrated/Underrated Players

This analysis is part of the overall 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio product. If you already downloaded the RSP, just return to www.mattwaldman.com, enter your login and password from your original purchase, and download the post-draft analysis from the 2012 folder.

That’s right, 1031 pages of 2012 NFL Draft-Fantasy Rookie analysis. If you haven’t bought the 2012 RSP, now’s the time. Get on it!

Reads

What All Teachers Should Learn from Jazz-band Teachers

Listens

[youtube=http://youtu.be/RmtIWHTO2AE]

Views

You’re kidding, right? 56 pages of the 2012 RSP Post-Draft Add-on!!! Go get it.

2012 Post-Draft Skill Player Impressions Part-I

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Find out why Browns WR Carlton Mitchell is potentially a beneficiary of the Browns draft. Photo by Hank.

I don’t believe in grading the draft. Many of my colleagues, ones I respect a great deal, will be providing draft grades this week. Some of them will say that they don’t believe a draft can be graded accurately for a few years, but two paragraphs later they are grading away like they’re teaching middle school. The reason is they believe they are giving readers what they want, and they’re right.

In this case, I don’t care. I’m not indulging in that practice. Although some may want to read it, perpetuating a practice that none of my writer brethren believe in but do it anyway is not something I have to do here. This is when I love having my own blog. I’m going to try something a little different and discuss what I think teams are trying to do with certain picks and whether I can see the logic. Continue reading →

Get Acquainted With These Future Prospects

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I’ll be doing much more on these prospects in the coming years, but while I’m getting ready for the 2012 NFL Draft, here’s a peek to the future – 2013 and beyond. Some of these guys are future stars, others I’m just intrigued with their potential.

Enjoy tonight. I’ll be on with Jene Bramel at 8pm on the Audible sponsored by Footballguys.com and then later in the evening with Bill Smith at Frying Pan Sports.

Clemson WR Sammy Watkins

[youtube=http://youtu.be/kiE2vjY9gso]

Boston College RB Montell Harris Continue reading →

Q&A on Eagles Draft at Moving The Chains

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The Eagles might be looking for big receivers to compliment Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson, but find out why I think Vick might benefit more from a dynamic slot receiver that can play tough over the middle. Perhaps a player like Danny Coale.

I want to thank Sheil Kapadia for the Q&A session we had on his blog Moving The Chains. You can find here.

If you haven’t signed the petition to get Greg Cosell on TV for the draft, I recommend you do it. I view it as a way to inform producers that their perceptions are not always correct about what its audience wants.

More later…

The No-Huddle Series

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Arian Foster would have been in my No-Huddle Series if I had a blog back them. Read more about the series below.

The No-Huddle will be a series of posts that feature just one play on a prospect that I think says something notable about him. The players in this series will mostly be (in my opinion) late-round prospects in this draft, at best. I may throw in some top prospects because I want to share something unusual about what I saw.

I’m hoping this will be a fun way to inform and cover players that aren’t in the headlines, but readers like you want to know something about.

Obviously, you can get a lot more on these players – including some who could see ascents similar to Ahmad Bradshaw, Arian Foster, Victor Cruz, or Tony Romo – if you download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio.

You know I had to get that in.

The Best of the RSP Blog (Draft Reads) for 2011-2012

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Sometime in May I plan to reorganize the site by draft year. Until then, this post contains a list of NFL Draft-worthy reads from this blog during the past 10-11 months I’ve been posting here. Before we get into that list, I want to take a moment to discuss one of the common questions I used to get over the years about my annual Rookie Scouting Portfolio: “What do I get from the RSP?”

One of the things that I haven’t mentioned in that list of things RSP readers get is what you’re reading right now: This blog. I created this blog for a number of reasons but more than anything, it is to give you an idea of the study and analysis that goes into the publication. I love Continue reading →