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Could it be that before we are even halfway through 2010 that the sport of boxing could be in its death throes? There are a few reasons why I bring up this point about the sport.

The first reason happens to be the March, 13th fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey for the WBO Welterweight title. While it might be a stretch to think that Clottey will beat Pacquiao, stranger things have happened.

Clottey will be a huge underdog in this fight even though he has a 35-3 record with one no contest against Steve Martinez. The main reason Clottey will be a major underdog is because he has not beaten top fighters when he has faced them.

Of the top fighters Clottey has faced, he has lost to Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margartio and, Carlos Manuel Baldomir. A few good fighters Clottey has beaten are Zab Judah, Richard Gutierrez, Jose Luis Cruz and, Shamone Alvarez.

But none of the fighters Clottey has fought are in the league of a Pacquiao. While anything could happen it looks likely that Pacquiao will win this fight.

If he, being Pacquiao, does win his fight against Clottey, he might be ready to retire and start a life in politics in his native Philippines. Pacquiao has stated he would like to run for a congressional seat in the May 2010 general elections.

Staying with the concept that Pacquiao does retire to become a politician, it would leave only one big drawing fighter. The only big purse fighter would be Floyd Mayweather Jr. and no one else.

That brings us to our next point and the death of boxing. Floyd Mayweather is set to fight “Sugar” Shane Mosley on May, 1st about a month and a half after Pacquiao could be retired.

Two things about this fight could help bury the sport of boxing. The first is if Mosley does happen to beat Mayweather.

There is a slim chance that Mosley could beat Mayweather. He has faced tough fights against Vernon Forest, Winky Wright, and others.  It will take the fight of Mosley’s career if he is to beat the much more talented Mayweather.

If Mosley does happen to beat Mayweather and end his undefeated streak at 40, boxing’s biggest cash cow would lose a lot of drawing power unless it was a rematch with Mosley. That is not to say fans would not pay to see Mayweather fight but the amount of money he brings in for a fight would drop.

The second would be even if Mayweather wins, in a way he still loses if Pacquiao retires. There would be no more big names left for him to fight.

Mayweather could fight Miguel Cotto or David Diaz but both fighters have already lost to Pacquiao. There would be few if any fights that could draw fans and a large pay per view audience.

With the rise of MMA, taking younger fans from boxing it looks like only a matter of time until the sport of boxing enters the realm of also ran sport. Much like baseball is slowing delving into.

Although a win by Mosley against Mayweather might not be a bad thing for boxing at first. If Mosley could beat Mayweather it would set up a very profitable rematch.

Then boxing is in the same place it would be if Mayweather beats Mosley. Only a rubber match if Mayweather and Mosley split their first two fights (that is if there was a Mayweather/Mosley II).

So let’s look at this way, in a way it would be best for boxing if Mosley could beat Mayweather in May and set up a rematch late in 2010. The third fight or rubber match could be fought in early 2011.

That would keep boxing in the forefront for at least one more year. Then if either Mosley or Mayweather could find away to draw Pacquiao out of retirement for a fight or two boxing might be able to hold on through 2011.

If Pacquiao could be persuaded to fight again against the winner of Mosley and Mayweather in late 2011 and a rematch set for 2012, boxing will have hope. That hope would be the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the chance for a new star to come out of the games.

But if Mayweather beats Mosley, boxing would need both Pacquiao and Mayweather to come to an agreement and fight before the end of 2010. The Pacquiao/Mayweather fights would have to be drawn out until the 2012 Olympics and the sport has to hope a George Foreman, Oscar Del Hoya or “Sugar” Ray Lenard emerges.

With the heavyweight division is in shambles and the only good fighters being Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko. The only problem is that no one wants to watch either of the Klitschko brothers fight in America or in Western Europe.

Boxing is at its best when there is one dominating fighter and several other good fighters that can challenge him for his title. Think about what Muhammad Ali would have been like without Foreman, Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston, and more.

Boxing needs to find young and talented super stars and fast. The way MMA is growing in popularity does not give the sport much time wait.

While Mayweather is a great talent his act can grow thin at times and he does come off very abrasive. Still for in the ring excitement there is not another fighter like him besides Pacquiao.

No matter happens in the Pacquiao and Clottey or the Mayweather and Mosley fight the next three months could define which course boxing will take for its future.  These two fights could be the biggest in the history of the sport if it is survive.

If Pacquiao retires and Mayweather has no one to fight by the end of 2010 there might not be much hope for the sport to be save in the 2010 Olympic Game. There is an ever shrinking chance to save the sport and it might come down to three men: Mayweather, Pacquiao, and Mosley.

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The 2010 NFL Combine is over and all the numbers have been crunched. Some players helped their draft status and others hurt theirs. For the most part it looks as if the combine did not move most players up or down in the draft.

Most fans, experts and, sports writers fall into two groups when it comes to the NFL Combine. Either the combine is a waste of time filled with useless exercises or the combine gives valuable information on future draft choices.

No matter what your take is on the NFL Combine, the information gathered there is not a bad thing as long as it is used in combination with game tape. Every fan should be weary of a draft pick made solely from a great combine or pro day workout.

That being said, with only pro day workouts left it is time to rank the top picks for each position. Since most quarterbacks failed to throw at the combine and will throw at pro day workouts, this ranking falls to the work done in their college careers.

This is just a positional ranking in is in no way the projected draft order. My projected draft order will come after a position by position break down. So without further ado here is the number one quarterback draft prospect.

1. Jimmy Clausen: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

There is no question that Jimmy Clausen should be the first quarterback taken off the board. Clausen has the size, arm strength, and mental toughness to be a franchise quarterback.

Playing for Notre Dame gave Clausen a chance play at a high profile school even if the Irish have not been a top program on the field they are treated that way in the media. Clausen looks like he can make all the NFL throws as well.

Clausen plays through pain, makes accurate throws, great vision and, all the intangibles to make him a safe pick as the first quarterback. He also knows how to carry a team as shown the last two years at Notre Dame.

The Irish had a very weak defense and a poor running game. Clausen had to be at his best every game, just for his team to stay in nearly every game.

Another big plus for Clausen is that he played in a pro style offense while in college. Playing for former Irish coach Charlie Weis defiantly made Clausen NFL ready.

The downsides of drafting Clausen are few but have to be stated. The first is will Clausen be the next Brady Quinn.

While Quinn has not been a total bust as of yet, he has not shown he is a franchise quarterback either. Both Quinn and Clausen played for Weis so there has to be some worry that Clausen will be the next Quinn.

The biggest question so far about Clausen is his personality. He can come off as abrasive and cocky.

Still unless Clausen’s personality begins to look like Ryan Leaf or Jeff George it should not hurt his draft stock by much. Clausen still has a chance to work on his personality and discuss it with scouts before the draft.

Overall: First Round Pick

2. Sam Bradford: Oklahoma Sooners

Sam Bradford is a first round talent with one big question. Bradford has all the makings of a franchise quarterback but the shoulder injury he suffered raises a big question about his future.

Bradford can make all the pro throws and can make quick reads. If not for his injury, Bradford would be a co-number one quarterback prospect with Clausen.

Playing in a pro-style offense as a freshman is a big plus and Bradford’s foot work is probably the best of any quarterback in this draft. He has put up outstanding numbers throughout his career.

Bradford played with talent rich teams while playing for Oklahoma, so there are questions if he can carry a bad team early in his pro career. Also while playing for the Sooners; Bradford never saw a big time pass rush.

Still the question about Bradford is the injury he suffered to his throwing shoulder against BYU and reinjuring it against Texas. Unless the team taking Bradford is willing to sit him, his first year or is assured his shoulder is 100% healthy a high pick is a risk.

At the combine it looked like Bradford had bulked up, which was something he needed to do to prevent injury. As told by doctors, Bradford did not throw at the combine so the health of his shoulder is not truly known.

Taking Bradford with a high pick would be well worth it but starting him, his rookie year could be disastrous. The best bet would be the team that drafts Bradford, is to play 2010 with a one year starter and look to play Bradford as the starter in 2011.

This would give Bradford a chance to completely heal his shoulder and give another draft class to build a solid offense line in front of him. The only problem with this scenario is that a team drafting Bradford will be doing so with a top ten pick.

The temptation to play Bradford will be high. First because of where he will be taken in the draft (possible top ten pick) and second the amount of money he will get paid for being such a high pick.

If fully healed Bradford has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback. If rushed back early from the injury to his throwing shoulder, Bradford could fail to reach his full potential.

Overall: First Round Pick

3. Tim Tebow: Florida Gators

The Florida quarterback will be the most talked about player in the 2010 Draft until his name comes off the board. The questions about Tebow playing under center are really kind of mote since so many teams in college football play in the shotgun because of the spread.

Tebow like Bradford and Colt McCoy all spent most of their college careers away from center. The real issue is can these quarterbacks learn to play under center to become franchise quarterbacks.

The physical skills Tebow possesses are what will have scouts wanting to draft him. Even if he cannot make a team as a quarterback, he can always move to a fullback or H-back position.

Being a great runner could send Tebow up the draft boards with the wildcat, becoming a big fad in the NFL. A strong runner with the ability to legitimately throw the ball is tempting to take a chance on.

If Tebow can fix his looping throwing motion, he will become an even higher prospect. The biggest knock on Tebow is his awkward winding throwing motion.

A couple of other knocks on Tebow are his ability to read defenses, locking on to the primary receiver, and his foot work. Expect a ton of scouts to show up at his pro day to see how well he is improving on throwing the ball.

There is no question that Tebow is the best leader in this draft at quarterback and has decent arm strength. No quarterback in this draft has as many intangibles as Tebow.

With the ability to play more than just the quarterback position, Tebow will have the chance to be drafted early on. Depending on what he shows at his pro day he could make the leap to the late first round.

Tebow’s talent is just too great not to take a chance on him. Is he a first round talent? At this point the answer is no.

If he can fix his foot work and throwing motion he will move up the draft boards. Still expect some team to over reach when drafting Tebow, taking him too high.

Tebow could be the wild card in this draft and make some team look like a genius if he pans out as a player. He could also be a bust and never find a spot he can play on the field every down.

Overall: Third Round, Possible Second Round

4. Dan LeFevour: Central Michigan Chippewas

One of the biggest mistakes made at the combine this year was Dan LeFevour’s decision not to throw the ball. Many thought that if he threw the ball well he could have become the third quarterback in this draft.

Still the success of MAC quarterbacks recently in the NFL has helped LeFevour. No team wants to over look the next small school NFL star.

There are several knocks on LeFevour before the draft. The biggest is that he played in a spread offense in college and did not take snaps under center.

Also by playing in the spread he did not play in a pro style offense and he has a slow throwing motion at times. LeFevour will be a question mark for playing at a MAC school.

A great pro day by LeFevour could bolt him right back into the top three quarterbacks of this draft. LeFevour has the height and the size that pro scouts love and is built like a franchise quarterback.

There is little chance that LeFevour could find his way into the first round but a great pro day in a weak quarterback draft could allow him to rise up the boards. With all the work LeFevour needs to do because of playing in the spread in college anything higher than a late second round pick is a stretch.

Overall: Third Round

5. Colt McCoy: Texas Longhorns

Colt McCoy could find himself sliding down in this draft because of his lack of size and arm strength. Plus the injury he suffered in the national title game against Alabama, all could hurt his draft status.

McCoy is a proven winner and is the winningest quarterback in college football history. The two players behind him are Peyton Manning and David Greene.

We all know how well Manning has done in the NFL but most people forget about Greene who never caught on as a NFL quarterback and retired from the NFL in 2009. That really gives McCoy no margin for error.

Another problem for McCoy is that he played very little under center. Most teams will not use an early pick on McCoy because he will be a project.

McCoy was a great college quarterback but that does not mean it will translate to the NFL. He was also surrounded by more talent in college than he will be in the NFL.

Look for most teams to draft McCoy as their possible quarterback of the future because he was a winner in college. In two years, McCoy will be either ready to start for a NFL team or out of the league.

Overall: Late Third Round to Fourth Round

6. Jarrett Brown: West Virginia Mountaineers

Only a one year starter for the Mountaineers taking over for Pat White, Jarrett Brown could be the most athletically gifted quarterback of this draft. Brown has the size and height that makes NFL scouts drool.

Brown also has limited experience, a spread offense, and is a raw passing talent. He looked great at times in the Senior Bowl but then forgot he was playing under the NFL contact rules twice.

The natural talent that Brown has to go along with his physical tools will help him rise up draft boards. The mental part of the game eludes Brown at times which will keep some teams away from him.

Brown is a project but a team with solid situation at quarterback could draft Brown and bring him along for the future. Playing Brown early because of his physical tools could ruin how good he can eventually be.

Overall: Early Fourth Round or a stretch in the Late Second Round

7. Tony Pike: Cincinnati Bearcats

Tony Pike has had injury problems in college and is not a very big quarterback size wise. On the plus side he does the height and makes smart decisions with the football.

Pike was one of the few quarterbacks to throw at the combine but did not impress most with his performance. Still he has all the mental tools to make it in the NFL.

Physical tools are what will hold Pike back from being a solid NFL quarterback. Most experts think Pike will be a career backup.

Then again most experts thought Drew Brees did not have the size to make it as a NFL quarterback. Using a mid round pick on Pike could prove to be gold later.

Overall: Fourth Round or Later

8. Zac Robinson: Oklahoma State Cowboys

After a sub-par senior season Zac Robinson has turned it on in pro workouts. Robinson was thought of as the best quarterback in the senior bowl.

Robinson is moving up the draft boards and he has all the physical tools to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Keep in mind Robinson struggled without Dez Bryant to throw to and Kendall Hunter out with injuries to slow the ground game.

After a good showing in the Senior Bowl and good workouts, Robinson could move up. The chance is there for Robinson to sneak in to the discussion of top three quarterbacks.

Overall: Second Round to Fourth Round

9. Jevan Snead: Ole Miss Rebels

Jevan Snead leaving early for the NFL after this season could be the biggest gamble in this year’s draft. After an impressive 2008 season, Snead took a step back in 2009.

At the combine, Snead was very impressive. Now the question becomes which is the real Snead.

Is the real Snead, the one who struggled all season long or the one who impressed at the combine?  That is the question that every team looking to draft Snead has to ask and answer.

There is no question that Snead has all the physical tools to be franchise quarterback. The mental part of Snead’s game could hold him back.

Snead forces throws, stares down receivers, poor foot work, and questionable leadership skills. On the plus side he has great size and height, a big time arm, and very athletic.

The move by Snead will either be seen has a great one or the dumbest one in draft history. Only time will tell which one his decision is.

Overall: Late Fourth Round-Early Fifth Round

10. John Skelton: Fordham Rams

John Skelton could be the biggest sleeper in this year’s draft. Skelton has all the physical tools as far as size and height goes.

A big time arm makes Skelton a NFL prospect at quarterback. He has only one big question that being he played a small school but it could make him the next Joe Flacco.

Overall: Third Round to Fifth Round

Best of the rest:

11. Bill Stull: Pittsburgh Panthers- Could have missed his chance to shine and might end up a fourth to sixth round pick

12. Sean Canfield: Oregon State Beavers- Struggles at the combine have really hurt stock and looks to be a fifth to seventh round pick

13. Max Hall: BYU Cougars- Height is a big concern and hurting draft stock, look for a sixth to seventh round selection

14. Tim Hiller: Western Michigan Broncos- Disappointing senior year hurt draft stock, a sixth to seventh round pick at best

15. Riley Skinner: Wake Forest Demon Deacons- A winner but not much else going for him, could be a sixth round to a free agent

16. Todd Reesing: Kansas Jayhawks- Looks to be Chase Daniel part two, a seventh round to free agent

17. Jonathan Crompton: Tennessee Volunteers- Has all the physical tools to be a NFL quarterback but lacks mental tools, could go as high as the fifth round or end up a free agent

18. Darrel Clark: Penn State Nittany Lions- Needs time to become a NFL quarterback and could end up as a sixth to seventh round pick

19. Thaddeus Lewis: Duke Blue Devils- Put up big numbers at Duke and had David Cutcliffe to help development, looks to be a seventh round pick or free agent

20. Ryan Perrilloux: Jacksonville State Gamecocks- Shady past pushes him to a seventh round pick to a free agent

Next five:

21. Mike Kafka: Northwestern Wildcats

22. Joe Webb: Troy Trojans

23. Juice Williams: Illinois Fighting Illini

24. Joe Cox: Georgia Bulldogs

25. Chris Turner: Maryland Terrapins

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One Last Look At The XXI Winter Olympics

by Bryan FlynnMarch 1, 2010 Winter Olympics

All the medals have been given out and the torched has been passed to Russia. The closing ceremonies have put an end to the XXI Winter Olympic in Vancouver, Canada.
In a sports world moves on as quickly as an event is over and gives no time for reflection. Before the Winter Game leaves every sports [...]

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Ole Miss, Admiral Ackbar: Show How Not To Be An Elite Athletic Program

by Bryan FlynnFebruary 26, 2010 College Football

Ever wonder why some college teams just never get it. Why a certain college team nearly always finishes last in the conference.
Sometimes it is high academic standards and everyone can respect that. Think of schools like Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt and others of that caliber.
Then there are college teams that find away to climb high enough [...]

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Have We Been Bamboozled By the NFL and A New CBA Is Closer Then We Think

by Bryan FlynnFebruary 24, 2010 NFL

Could it be that we are being bamboozled by the NFL? As if the combine, free agency and the draft did not keep our attention long enough.
Is the threat of an uncapped year in 2010, in the NFL nothing more than just away to keep the league on the lips of every fan?  Could the [...]

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