Mar/070
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 Possibility (Part IV): LaRon Landry
The Vikings have an interesting situation at the safety position. We have two veteran starters who underachieved last year (Sharp and D-Smith) , an in-the-box-type presence coming off a season ending knee injury (Tank), and a young kid who showed a lot of upside last year (Greg Blizzle). Unfortunately, in 2 or 3 years (the next time Childress expects the team to be in contention) both vets will be gone. For this reason, LaRon is worth a serious look with the 7th overall pick. Who knows, if we draft him he might just beat out Dwight Smith by the end of training camp; which will leave Dwight more time to focus on housing women in stairwells (alledgedly)...Scouts Inc lists Landry as the 7th best player in the draft:
Laron Landry
S | (6'2", 202, 4.49) | LSU
Scouts Grade: 96
Strengths: Possesses good height, decent bulk and the frame to get bigger. Shows good fluidity and top-end speed. He consistently gets a quick break on the ball and diagnoses the run very quickly. He shows good toughness and strength in run support, especially for his size. He fills hard and shows adequate power at the point of attack. Sideline-to-sideline playmaker versus the run. He displays better-than-average range in zone coverage and he also can match up one-on-one versus slot receivers in the NFL. He is an instinctive playmaker with adequate-to-good ball skills. He has a good mental capacity and coaches rave about his ability to pick things up quickly. He is a good leader in the secondary and does a great job of getting everyone in position. He has tremendous experience as a four-year starter at the highest collegiate level. He also has been extremely versatile in LSU's secondary throughout his career.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk. Until he gets bigger he will not be able to match up as easily in-the-box at the NFL level as he has in college. He will misjudge the ball in the air on occasion and he still can improve his recognition skills when playing in deep-middle zone coverage.
Overall: Landry played in all 14 games (10 starts) as a true freshman in 2003 and recorded 80 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, four pass-breakups, and one blocked kick. He was knocked out of the Arkansas game (11/28) with a concussion. In 2004, Landry started all 12 games finishing the season with 92 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four interceptions, six pass-breakups, and one forced fumble. He once again started every game (13) in 2005 registering 69 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and eight pass-breakups. In 2006 he started all 13 games, earning first team All-American and first team All-SEC honors (both media and coaches), after collecting 74 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked kick, and three interceptions. Over the past four seasons, Landry has seen time at free safety, strong safety, and cornerback.
Landry is as close to the complete package as it gets for a safety prospect coming from the collegiate ranks. He projects as an immediate starter at free safety in the NFL; he can hold up in the box, in deep-middle zone coverage and one-on-one versus a slot receiver. In our opinion, Landry is the top safety in the 2007 class and he should come off the board in the first-half of the first round.
Freshman
Landry made an immediate impact at LSU, starting 10 games as a true freshman in 2003 while helping the Tigers win the BCS National Championship. He recorded 80 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, four pass-breakups, and one blocked kick. Landry was named to the Freshman All-SEC team, Second Team All-SEC and the First-Team Freshman All-American Team.
Sophomore
During his sophomore season the Tigers finished 16th in the nation, but Landry's standing remained high again. He was named to the Second-Team All-SEC and he made the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He started all 12 games, finishing the season with 92 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four interceptions, six pass-breakups, and one forced fumble.
Junior
In 2005, LSU won the SEC Western Division and the Peach Bowl over Miami. Landry registered 69 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and eight pass-breakups. Landry was named a First-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All-American by the associated press and First-Team All-SEC by the SEC coaches.
Senior
He chose to forgo the lure of the NFL to return to LSU for his senior season even though many analysts projected him as a high draft pick. He was considered the top free safety in the nation and a potential All American for the season Landry lived up to these expectations, starting all 13 games, earning first team All-American and first team All-SEC honors after collecting 74 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked kick, and three interceptions. His senior season was capped with an invitation to the Senior Bowl and as a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.
Career
Credited with 48 straight starts for the Tigers, Landry finished his career with 315 tackles and 12 interceptions. His 12 interceptions left him with the third-highest total in school history, while his 315 tackles rank seventh in LSU history.
| Year | Team | Games Played | Tackles | Pass Break Ups | Interceptions | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | LSU | 14 | 80 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 | LSU | 12 | 92 | 6 | 4 | 51 |
| 2005 | LSU | 13 | 69 | 8 | 3 | 42 |
| 2006 | LSU | 13 | 74 | 4 | 3 | 58 |
| College Totals | 52 | 315 | 22 | 12 | 151 | |
Trivia
He is the brother of former Georgia Tech football player and 2006 fifth round NFL draft choice of the Baltimore Ravens Dawan Landry.
Landry played in all 52 LSU games while at Baton Rouge, starting 48 consecutive games.
Honors
- 2006 First-Team All-American (AP)
- 2006 First-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2006 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2006 Thorpe Award Semifinalist
- 2006 Senior Bowl
- 2005 Third-Team All-American (AP)
- 2005 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2005 Second-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2004 Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
- 2004 SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2003 First-Team Freshmen All-American (Football Writer's Association, Collegefootballnews.com)
- 2003 Second-Team All-SEC (AP)
- 2003 Freshmen All-SEC Team (SEC Coaches, Knoxville News-Sentinel, The Sporting News)
Mar/0711
Hocky Update
The Wild have 7 games left in their regular season and things are looking interesting. The Wild with 95 pts are only 1 pt out of first place in the Division behind the Canucks. San Jose is up 1 pt and Dallas is down 1 pt, both are in mix for seeds. If the playoffs started today the Wild would hold the #6 seed and take on the #3 Vancouver Canucks. The #1, #2, and #4 seeds look to be unattainable because those teams have 100+ pts. The ideal situation would be the Wild winning the Division, taking the #3 seed and getting home ice. Considering the #7 seed would play the Ducks and the #5 the Red Wings. The obvious option is to stay in the #6 slot to play the Canucks or move up to the #3 and play the Canucks, Sharks or Stars. I like my chances against those teams on home ice.
Should make for an interesting final two weeks to the season.
In other hockey news...the mighty #1 seeded Golden Gopher hockey teams makes it Frozen Four tournament bracket debut today against a scrappy crew cut Air Force team. Potential opponents along the way Michigan or North Dakota, New Hampshire or Boston College and Maine or Notre Dame. Only 4 wins away from another title.
Could this be the start of a magical year? Frozen Four, Rose Bowl, Final Four?
Mar/070
Gophers men’s basketball makes a big move!
ESPN's Andy Katz is reporting that the Gophers will sign University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Tubby Smith. The deal is said to be made official tomorrow and to be worth $1.8 million dollars per year. Finally, a step in the right direction, and a big step at that! Sky-U-Mah Tubby! Sky-U-Mah!
See link for article on ESPN.com
Mar/072
TWolves can’t beat the Lakers or Vegas
The Timberwolves played the Lakers tonight on ESPN and a few things really caught my attention and made me a little more distrusting of the "entertainment league" called the NBA. I don't know if I can even call it a real sport, it's one level away from the WWE.
Maybe its that I've just watched 2 exciting days of REAL basketball on CBS. Maybe watching the game being played in a fair and honest way has poisoned my mind.
Two Interesting Things I Noticed:
1. Craig Smith is a beast, the man has a motor that doesn't stop, no matter the circumstances. We'll get to more of that later.
2. Did Ricky Davis take a shower during halftime in his uniform. I think the only dry parts on his uniform were a few inches surrounding the logo on the sides of his shorts. That man was disturbingly wet.
One Thing That Really Got Me Irritated:
1. How far can we take this star preference / vegas rigging controversy in the NBA? Is it right that Kobe gets to go to the line 25 times a night? If you watched the last 2 min there were some mysteriously strange things happening. First Hassell gets a phantom foul call on a jumper by Kobe with 1:17 left. The score at the time of the jumper miss 101-94 (7 pts remember this). Then with :45 seconds left Craig Smith goes in for a dunk and doesn't get a foul called. ESPN shows a replay while the announcers talk about how "obvious" Lamar Odom hits Smith, the score at the time of the blown call 104-98 (6 pts remember this), the dunk would have cut it to 4 pts.
Kobe then gets fouled and hits 2 free throws 106-98 (8 pts remember this). When play continues Ricky Davis hits a jumper to cut the lead to 6 pts and MN tries to foul, but the refs don't call the first obvious one by Garnett allowing a few more seconds to expire. At which point Greg Anthony the ESPN announcer talks about Whittman almost getting a Technical because he can't believe how the refs are not calling stuff. Walton hits 1 free throw to extend the lead to 7 pts. Kobe and Craig Smith exchange dunks and final score ends up 109-102 = 7 pts difference.
So why does all this "special" ref manipulation matter in a meaningless late season NBA game you ask???
The line in Las Vegas was Lakers -6.5.
Am I the only one who is bothered by this? And a special thanks to Tivo for allowing me to breakdown the latest Vegas manipulation scam in the NBA.
Mar/071
Gophers just miss at-large bid for NCAA Tournament
With an RPI of 190, the University of Minnesota men's basketball team narrowly missed out on making the field of 64 today. Their outstanding record of 9-22 put them as the 9th seed in this weeks Big Ten conference tournament. After their first round loss versus Michigan, Athletic Director Joel Maturi needs to do something to change the direction of a once proud, err, I mean middle of the pack program.
The first task on his list should be directed towards finding a new coach. Whether he decides to stick with current coach Molenari or go in a different direction a decision needs to be made. Currently the players have said that their choice to be head coach next season is Molenari. This simply cannot happen in my opinion. The Gophers need to build buzz around the program.
The easiest way to do that would be to get Flip Saunders or Bobby Knight to leave their respective teams to roam the sidelines at Williams Arena. This will be difficult. Maturi will need to back up the money truck to get Knight to leave the Texas Tech Raiders. The problem with Flip lies in timing. I believe that if offered the opportunity (and a large sum of money) that he would come back to Minneapolis to lead the Gophers. The problem has to do with the NBA season. Currently his Detroit Pistons squad is in line to make the playoffs. We all know that this process can take FOREVER. Maturi NEEDS to hire someone in the next month. Waiting for Flip is a bold move and if he is in the end not interested, wating for him could jeopardize them from hiring another top coach.
So, who will the Gophers hire? It's anyone's guess. I believe that the Gophers will take a chance on another low to mid-major coach with a history of winning (a la Munson). Will he be successful? Who knows. Let's hope that the new coach can make changes, recruit in-state players and bring some pride back to the University of Minnesota.
Mar/07346
The State of Football, err, Hockey!
Following the comments of the "Paper Champs", I too have noticed that hockey is running rampant through the "state of hockey", and it could not come at a better time. Vikings fans have been eagerly awaiting free agency because of the amount of money available to spend on players. Now that it is here, fans have had little to be excited about, AGAIN!! With the exception of Steve Hutchinson and a couple others, the Vikes have made some less than spectacular moves during free agency in recent years. With the fan base slowly creeping out the door, one would think the Viking's brass would want to make some sort of blockbuster signing or create some buzz with an exciting draft pick, but no. I have a sinking feeling that fans will be left with a bitter taste in their mouth again.
I could continue to rant about my beloved Vikes, or even the T-wolves (that would be too easy), but I would rather bring the positivity and mention that we are the "State of Hockey" and we are smack in the middle of hockey playoff heaven. The Wild are ranked 13 in ESPN's power rankings and are on the brink of making the playoffs, the Gopher men's hockey team is entering the playoffs as regular-season champs, and the state high school hockey tournaments are under way. Unfortunately, I currently am living out-of-state, so I am unable to watch the storied state high school hockey tournament. I love watching the uncomfortable faces of the cheerleaders when the camera hits them, or hearing every single player say "Hi Mom" with a big smile on their faces thinking they are all that and a bag of chips because they made it to the tourney. Every year, you see a player you can't help but get excited about and hope they choose to go play for our beloved Gophers. Growing up in the state of hockey, if you are a hockey fan, almost nothing beats the high school tounaments, ALOMST nothing!
The only thing that could mean more right now would be the Gopher's pursuit of a national title. The Gophers have repeated as WCHA champs and are looking to avenge a early exit from the Frozen Four last year courtesy of Holy Cross. The Gophs have reached some road blocks recently, but hopefully Lucia skated that out of them with his rare Sunday morning practice following the loss to Michigan Tech. The Gophers will face Alaska Anchorage on Friday in the best of a three game series which the Gophers should sweep. The last time the Gophers faced the Seawolves they beat them handedly the first game 8-2, and then only beat them 2-1 in the second game. Hopefully, we will see the team that beat them 8-2 and not the team we have seen lately. In the weeks to come, most of my attention will be on the Gophers and watching them in tournament action.
This may be the last time we see some of these kids in a Gopher uniform, for sure Erik Johnson who has said he is leaving to play in the NHL next year. Johnson has publicly stated that he wants to "make the jump to the next level so I can keep developing the way I want to" next year and will play for the St. Louis Blues who made him the number one overall draft pick in the 2006 NHL draft.
He is good and his presence will be missed on such a young team, but I say "don't let the door hit ya" because after making comments like this, "I think here at Minnesota, I could have been used more effectively in the system, so that has been frustrating" he is not leaving any room for return. Somehow, I doubt that he was used ineffectively when he has played on the first line and has had the most shots on goal of any player on the team. He has a great shot which Lucia knows and uses to their advantage. Effectively used or not, I will be watching Johnson and the rest of the Golden Gophers take it to the ice Friday, watching and praying that we will return to mid-season form in the upcoming tournaments. Sky-U-Mah my friends, Sky-U-Mah!
Mar/077
Professor’s NFL Draft Pick #7 Possibilities (Part III): Jamaal Anderson
Having just missed out on signing Patrick Kerney from Atlanta, the Vikings still need to address their pass rush. Jamaal Anderson would be a great way to do so.
Jamaal is listed currently as #4 on Mel Kiper's big board, making him the best DE available and probably not available to the Vikings at #7. However, Gaines Adams had an amazing combine, which may cause Anderson to slip a tad.
According to Scouts Inc.:
Jamaal Anderson
DE | (6'5
", 273, 4.75) | ARKANSAS
Scouts Grade: 96
Strengths: Possesses outstanding size. Is tall with great weight distribution, long arms and big hands. Displays good lower-body strength and upper-body power. Is able to jar offensive linemen with initial punch. Is smooth and fluid for his size. Possesses adequate speed and is able to change directions quickly for a big defensive end. He displays good combination moves of power and finesse as a pass rusher. Plays with a high motor and is relentless as a pass rusher. He has enough size and strength to effectively hold his ground when teams run at him, so long as he plays with good leverage. He pursues hard from the backside in run-support and he is a powerful tackler.
Weaknesses: Lacks elite top-end speed and will struggle to turn the corner as quickly when rushing the passer off the edge. He does not possess great first-step quickness, either. Fires out of his stance too high and must learn to play with better leverage. Needs to do a better job of using his hands to get off blocks. He will struggle to disengage quickly enough versus the run. Limited experience; he was only a starter for a year and a half at Arkansas before leaving early.
Overall: Anderson saw action in all 11 games in 2004 as a true freshman off the bench and on special teams recording 18 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one blocked punt. In 2005, he once again played in all 11 games but received five starts to end the year after Anthony Brown was injured and registered 47 total tackles including 10.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Anderson then started all 14 games during the 2006 season amassing 65 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and one forced fumble gaining First Team All-SEC recognition.
Anderson is making the NFL plunge a year early after experiencing a breakout season as a junior in 2006. The good news and bad news with Anderson is that he's still relatively raw. While he may not be ready to contribute as an every-down player as a rookie, he displays the physical tools to develop into an upper-echelon starter if he continues to work at the next level. Anderson should be one of the top three or four defensive ends selected -- most likely in the mid-to-late first-round range.
According to NFLfutures.com, Anderson is a former wide receiver that made a smooth transition to defensive end. As a freshman reserve, he was in on 18 tackles. As a sophomore, he was in the rotation, and started the last five games of the year after an injury, and he has taken off from that point. He had 47 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and four sacks that season. Anderson blew up as a junior, finishing with 65 tackles, 19.5 for loss, and 13.5 sacks.
Jamaal Anderson is an absolute freak physically. Not only is he an excellent athlete, with great quickness and agility, but he has great size as well. He is a difference maker off the edge as a pass rusher. He dominated as a junior, and still has a ton of untapped potential. He could be an all around force at the next level.
Anderson is still adjusting to playing in the trenches, and is still a work in progress. He has been able to get by on his tremendous physical ability, but he will not be able to rely on that alone in the NFL. He declared after his junior year, only having about a season and a half of starting experience under his belt.
Anderson has the size and talent that will draw comparisons to Mario Williams and Julius Peppers, and he carries a great deal of upside at the next level. He could really put on a show in workouts and has a shot to be the first defensive end selected. He may need a little time to become the force many expect, but if a team is patient, he could be special.