ESPN's Bad Night

My friends and I were openly rooting for Tom Jackson to slug both Steve Young and Jon Gruden, take a bow, and then walk off the stage to the applause of Radio City Music Hall.

 

The segment before the Vikings pick -- before they traded it -- was priceless. Suddenly, it became what sounded like a drunken bar argument about Brett Favre. Then, Berman kept cutting everybody off, saying no way Minny takes a QB because it might make Favre mad. It almost sounded like ESPN didn't want to make Favre mad by even talking about the possibility.

By the way, it wouldn't hurt the Vikings to take a play out of the Packers playbook and draft a QB for the future, even if Favre is coming back. Just sayin'. Not sure why the ESPN crew was so afraid of even suggesting that. Young was trying but they wouldn't let him talk.

 

Mike Mayock and Kiper have pretty much the same job. Mike Mayock is far, far better at it than Kiper.

 

Young barely got to talk and when he did it usually made sense.

When Tebow was drafted it would seem logical to go to a lefty running QB first - but no.
When he finally spoke he made sense. He said he told Tebow not to worry too much about arm angle and just be himself. Said no one throws the same way.

 

Kiper was long retired when Mayock was in the NFL .

 

That's exactly the moment I was refering to on the last page. Tom Jackson and Steve Young are having a simultaneous yelling contest about the Vikings next pick.

Tom Jackson: "BRETT FAVRE HAD HIS BEST SEASON AT 40, CAN HE REPLICATE IT AT 41? CAN HE REPLICATE IT? IT MAY HAVE BEEN HIS BEST SEASON EVER. HE SHOWED THE PACKERS! HE'S 41 NOW.

Steve: (flailing his arms trying to talk louder than Jackson): THE VIKINGS NEED A RUNNING BACK LIKE JAHVID BEST. THE VIKINGS CAME SO CLOSE TO WINNING LAST YEAR. CAN THEY BUILD OFF OF IT? CAN THEY BUILD OFF IT? HOW MUCH CLOSER CAN THEY GET? BEST HAS INJURY CONCERNS, BUT PERCY HARVIN HAD CONCERNS AND HE WAS GREAT LAST YEAR.

John Gruden: The Vikings lost running back Fred Taylor to the Bears.
Tom Jackson: CHESTER TAYLOR!
Steve Young: CHESTER TAYLOR!
Chris Berman: CHESTER "DON'T CALL ME FRED" TAYLOR!

Meanwhile, Kiper's head is now completely burried in his hands. He either has to take a terrible poop, or he hates his co-hosts so much he doesn't even want to look at the camera.

When Young and Jackson stop arguing, someone mentions the Browns, Bills and Vikings are all intersted in a QB and note two major QBs left: McCoy and Clausen. But everyone still yammers on about Jahvid Best. No one mentions drafting a QB so Favre can mentor him.

Chris Berman: If I had to go with my gut, it is that Favre is playing next year.

Then the Lions trade up for Best.

John Gruden: I like this pick right here by the Lions.

 

NFL clearly left ESPN outside looking in.

 

Anyone who has covered the NFL knows Mayock is a thousand times better at it than Kiper. It's a shame more people aren't familiar with him.

You can't base that on the success of a mock draft. Is any expert supposed to be able to predict that Jacksonville is going to take a guy about 12 slots too high?

 

Any expert who thinks Favre has ever "mentored" one of his backups clearly has no idea what they're talking about.

 

Huh?

 

Beat me to that one, Mizzou.
Having Favre mentor your quarterbacks is like bringing in Ben R. to lecture on personal responsibility.