“Peeble’s iPhone contact is indeed his initial quickness.” “Peeble’s LinkedIn profile is indeed his initial quickness.” Yeah, calling card definitely works better.
How much do we want to bet that the Wikipedia page for calling card is purple on Mike's computer? I certainly didn't have that tidbit in my brain but my trivia skills appreciate this.
Mike, hi and see you in Indy (probably sooner then the brewery event)....
The late great Joel Buchsbaum, you say? It's a shame that Bill Belichick didn't heed his advice when on the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020 Centennial Slate.
This is Buchsbaum's assessment of a certain 1974-drafted middle linebacker. Yeah, I know that you'll be shocked that I could instantly pull these quotes out of the archive (in my sleep, no less), ha:
*...Played as though he was in the opposition's huddle."
"...Not as flashy or brutal as some ILBs but means almost as much to (his team's) defense as Walter Payton does to Chicago's offense."
"...The most valuable defender in football. As good as Dick Butkus ever was, but not as brutal."
"...The most dominant defender in the AFC when healthy."
"...May be the smartest and most underrated (linebacker) ever...rare instincts. The fact that he is not in the Hall of Fame is a shame and may be attributed to the fact he was a sure tackler but not a lights-out hitter or look-at-me type of player."
Drumroll...in case any of y'all are still wondering who this is...yes, it's Broncos' great and now 2024 HOFer Randy Gradishar.
Buchsbaum’s succinct six-word scouting report on a player back in the day “Looks like Tarzan. Plays like Jane” is as memorable in its own way as Churchill’s RAF quote.
The grind of writing evaluations, especially for non-blue chip prospects, is something to which I can really relate. For many years I compiled a prospect compendium for the two baseball teams for whom I worked full-time and later for my clients in my consulting business.
Eventually, I simply listed the players in a big spreadsheet with a few relevant metrics and no more than two sentences. Oh, I did give them a grade, but on the academic A-to-C scale and not on a 20-to-80 or whatever football teams do. Of course, a player who's a "D" prospect is not a prospect.
One of my bosses, a team President/CEO, once complained that there were too many Grade C prospects in my reports and not enough Grade As. I tried to explain that, in pro sports, talent is not normally distributed. I *think* he understood.
As a D prospect in all sports, I can attest talent is not normally distributed.
Did you winnow down the prospect write ups for each player to a level where you were asked to provide a little more? In my one suit-and-tie job 35 years ago I'd whip up a ten page analysis for my supervisor who reduced it to one page of notes to give to the department manager who jotted a few words on a 3x5 index card to pass to the executive decision maker who made the decision after all facts and analysis had been filtered out.
I'm sure if you had a good relationship with your clients without intermediates, you could develop a level of trust that a couple of sentences would be enough for the clients.
Of course, I loved this line: "As a D prospect in all sports, I can attest talent is not normally distributed."
If we were discussing a trade and one of my prospects was a potential piece in return, then sometimes I would be asked for more notes and exposition. Often, though, my grade was enough to let the ultimate decision makers know where I stood.
Only entertaining and insightful writing like this (“large lad from B1G school push hard”) can make me read long articles about the draft, referencing dozens of folks of whom I've never heard nor seen! Write where your gut takes you!
It's hard for people under 50 to imagine how starved we were for football content in the pre-internet era, and how satisfying it was to mainline a full issue of Pro Football Weekly. The Arkushes are an odd bunch, but in it's day PFW was manna from heaven.
I remember those days. The thick draft issues. I was still buying them until Mike started doing pick by pick. Cause I kept old issues and recognized how full of crap they were. I recall TY Hilton being a 6th round-UDFA. And guys i never heard of ever again with 1st round grades . They were just all over the place. Still they had names, pics, strengths, weaknesses, it was a lot.
Like all over the place worse then GMs making the picks. It was like Gruden Raiders who gave OT Alex Leatherwood a high first round grade and took him there hes cut in 2 and never signed anywhere. A UDFA career.
The thing about it was absolutely everyone knew it was a mistake except Gruden and Mayock. Any draftnik fan is like, wtf. Same with Cole Strange the 4th round prospect becoming a 1st round bust. Daniel Jones, nobody thought was 1st round and 6th overall pick.
Theres just some supreme arrogance out there: "You're all wrong we're geniuses" no you suck at this. A guy who memorized a few decent draft guides would have done a better job.
The Too Deep Ninety Six! I really hope Mike returns to pick by pick analysis. I NEVER watch the draft! I wake early and was much easier for years to just read Mike each morning for 3 mornings. The last rounds took a few days of breaks to get thru. I spend the months reading and watching those YT draftniks, then was disappointed Mike did first round and then that was it. Gimme those 5th rounders! Mike starts admitting "i dont know much about this guy" in rounds 6-7.
And I dont mind it Mike if you just repackage scouting reports in the 96 just by pick. Like some other, (inferior, free) sources do.
There's more than All Pro talent lurking in every draft. From the first common NFL-AFL draft in 1967 through 2007, only one, the 1992 draft failed to produce at least one Hall of Famer. Usually there are more. I stopped my research there to forego HoF arguments, but I think we can safely assume Larry Fitzgerald, Class of '04, will get in. I did.
It's funny you bring up AI because Ive been using ChatGPT to identify draft prospects on 2024 CFB teams. Right before watching close games. I posted it as comments to thrillers like this: https://youtu.be/KRS1b4bBvKU?si=BhlojmVBv-_2Kl5D
I do really love the draft. It does feel truly unique in football (and maybe all of sports) with its ability to combine nitty-gritty player strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams of an entire fan base, and the moving personal stories of the hundreds of new players that enter the NFL each year- each one an opportunity to fall back in love with the game.
For a long time as a Browns fan it was my favorite time of year. It doesn't matter how bad your team is. A fan can get as much from a detailed breakdown of the merits of drafting two competing defensive tackles as they can from a 1,000 word feature on the intense backstory of that class-leading off-ball linebacker.
I never feel the futility I do in-season of what it all it really means. Yes, the browns will be bad next year, just as they have been for most of my life. But I'll enjoy this time anyway. Myles Garrett maybe at the end of his time with my favorite team, but being able to watch him play for the past 8 years was a true joy. Most players drafted won't be the key to a franchise winning or losing the Superbowl. But there will be dozens of players that make it worth while to be a fan of the a team and of the NFL.
“Peeble’s iPhone contact is indeed his initial quickness.” “Peeble’s LinkedIn profile is indeed his initial quickness.” Yeah, calling card definitely works better.
Is Peebles another Ed Oliver? Award winning quick interior DL. Please let him be drafted long before the Bills are on the clock.
How much do we want to bet that the Wikipedia page for calling card is purple on Mike's computer? I certainly didn't have that tidbit in my brain but my trivia skills appreciate this.
Mike, hi and see you in Indy (probably sooner then the brewery event)....
The late great Joel Buchsbaum, you say? It's a shame that Bill Belichick didn't heed his advice when on the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020 Centennial Slate.
This is Buchsbaum's assessment of a certain 1974-drafted middle linebacker. Yeah, I know that you'll be shocked that I could instantly pull these quotes out of the archive (in my sleep, no less), ha:
*...Played as though he was in the opposition's huddle."
"...Not as flashy or brutal as some ILBs but means almost as much to (his team's) defense as Walter Payton does to Chicago's offense."
"...The most valuable defender in football. As good as Dick Butkus ever was, but not as brutal."
"...The most dominant defender in the AFC when healthy."
"...May be the smartest and most underrated (linebacker) ever...rare instincts. The fact that he is not in the Hall of Fame is a shame and may be attributed to the fact he was a sure tackler but not a lights-out hitter or look-at-me type of player."
Drumroll...in case any of y'all are still wondering who this is...yes, it's Broncos' great and now 2024 HOFer Randy Gradishar.
Finally in Canton after a 35-year wait.
Buchsbaum’s succinct six-word scouting report on a player back in the day “Looks like Tarzan. Plays like Jane” is as memorable in its own way as Churchill’s RAF quote.
Oh yeah, and I think you meant “Lance” Zierlein!
Ah yes, Lance The Leg.
Really enjoyed this piece, Mike.
The grind of writing evaluations, especially for non-blue chip prospects, is something to which I can really relate. For many years I compiled a prospect compendium for the two baseball teams for whom I worked full-time and later for my clients in my consulting business.
Eventually, I simply listed the players in a big spreadsheet with a few relevant metrics and no more than two sentences. Oh, I did give them a grade, but on the academic A-to-C scale and not on a 20-to-80 or whatever football teams do. Of course, a player who's a "D" prospect is not a prospect.
One of my bosses, a team President/CEO, once complained that there were too many Grade C prospects in my reports and not enough Grade As. I tried to explain that, in pro sports, talent is not normally distributed. I *think* he understood.
As a D prospect in all sports, I can attest talent is not normally distributed.
Did you winnow down the prospect write ups for each player to a level where you were asked to provide a little more? In my one suit-and-tie job 35 years ago I'd whip up a ten page analysis for my supervisor who reduced it to one page of notes to give to the department manager who jotted a few words on a 3x5 index card to pass to the executive decision maker who made the decision after all facts and analysis had been filtered out.
I'm sure if you had a good relationship with your clients without intermediates, you could develop a level of trust that a couple of sentences would be enough for the clients.
Of course, I loved this line: "As a D prospect in all sports, I can attest talent is not normally distributed."
If we were discussing a trade and one of my prospects was a potential piece in return, then sometimes I would be asked for more notes and exposition. Often, though, my grade was enough to let the ultimate decision makers know where I stood.
Not sure if there are other canticles but I just read a canticle for leibowitz and it's a really good sci fi book. Highly recommend.
Lamar vs Central Arkansas cut-ups sound like a nice break from Lamar vs Drake cut-ups.
Only entertaining and insightful writing like this (“large lad from B1G school push hard”) can make me read long articles about the draft, referencing dozens of folks of whom I've never heard nor seen! Write where your gut takes you!
It's hard for people under 50 to imagine how starved we were for football content in the pre-internet era, and how satisfying it was to mainline a full issue of Pro Football Weekly. The Arkushes are an odd bunch, but in it's day PFW was manna from heaven.
I remember those days. The thick draft issues. I was still buying them until Mike started doing pick by pick. Cause I kept old issues and recognized how full of crap they were. I recall TY Hilton being a 6th round-UDFA. And guys i never heard of ever again with 1st round grades . They were just all over the place. Still they had names, pics, strengths, weaknesses, it was a lot.
Like all over the place worse then GMs making the picks. It was like Gruden Raiders who gave OT Alex Leatherwood a high first round grade and took him there hes cut in 2 and never signed anywhere. A UDFA career.
Leatherwood signed with the 2022 Bears, which, to be fair, is basically like not signing anywhere.
The thing about it was absolutely everyone knew it was a mistake except Gruden and Mayock. Any draftnik fan is like, wtf. Same with Cole Strange the 4th round prospect becoming a 1st round bust. Daniel Jones, nobody thought was 1st round and 6th overall pick.
Theres just some supreme arrogance out there: "You're all wrong we're geniuses" no you suck at this. A guy who memorized a few decent draft guides would have done a better job.
I'm not big on college FB or draft breakdowns, but I love me some fun deconstruction of modern writing tropes. Thanks for providing, Mike!
The Too Deep Ninety Six! I really hope Mike returns to pick by pick analysis. I NEVER watch the draft! I wake early and was much easier for years to just read Mike each morning for 3 mornings. The last rounds took a few days of breaks to get thru. I spend the months reading and watching those YT draftniks, then was disappointed Mike did first round and then that was it. Gimme those 5th rounders! Mike starts admitting "i dont know much about this guy" in rounds 6-7.
And I dont mind it Mike if you just repackage scouting reports in the 96 just by pick. Like some other, (inferior, free) sources do.
My favorite part of this is that you never once used the word “twitch”.
There's more than All Pro talent lurking in every draft. From the first common NFL-AFL draft in 1967 through 2007, only one, the 1992 draft failed to produce at least one Hall of Famer. Usually there are more. I stopped my research there to forego HoF arguments, but I think we can safely assume Larry Fitzgerald, Class of '04, will get in. I did.
>> When is the last time you read a feature about Nnamdi Madubuike?
One assumes this is NOT directed at us Ravens fans among your readership.
But Cam is kinda selfish and fake...
It's funny you bring up AI because Ive been using ChatGPT to identify draft prospects on 2024 CFB teams. Right before watching close games. I posted it as comments to thrillers like this: https://youtu.be/KRS1b4bBvKU?si=BhlojmVBv-_2Kl5D
I do really love the draft. It does feel truly unique in football (and maybe all of sports) with its ability to combine nitty-gritty player strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams of an entire fan base, and the moving personal stories of the hundreds of new players that enter the NFL each year- each one an opportunity to fall back in love with the game.
For a long time as a Browns fan it was my favorite time of year. It doesn't matter how bad your team is. A fan can get as much from a detailed breakdown of the merits of drafting two competing defensive tackles as they can from a 1,000 word feature on the intense backstory of that class-leading off-ball linebacker.
I never feel the futility I do in-season of what it all it really means. Yes, the browns will be bad next year, just as they have been for most of my life. But I'll enjoy this time anyway. Myles Garrett maybe at the end of his time with my favorite team, but being able to watch him play for the past 8 years was a true joy. Most players drafted won't be the key to a franchise winning or losing the Superbowl. But there will be dozens of players that make it worth while to be a fan of the a team and of the NFL.