Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
It was the final day of the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine and I just realized that some of the coaches and administrators (like those involved with the league’s competition committee) have been in Indianapolis for more than a week now. You would think with this much time in Indy to evaluate players, it would be enough. But team or individual Pro Days are next, (many of them during March) where NFL prospects get a “home field advantage”. At any rate, today featured workouts from the defensive backs — corners and safeties.
When I …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Even though the roughly 500 reporters (including yours truly) have departed Indianapolis and the Media Work Room is now closed, the player workouts continued with defensive linemen and linebackers getting their reps in today. It feels weird watching this on TV at home and not actually being there in Indy, even though I spent some time looking at NFL Network’s coverage on the monitors in the Interview Room. It’s much different when you know the action is just down the hall. But such is the typical schedule here each year.
In my opinion, Virginia …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Today was the last official day for the media to be working at the NFL Scouting Combine. Only one head coach made an appearance today — Detroit Lions leader Rod Marinelli. And Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian also stopped by. The final group of players to speak with the media were defensive backs. And LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey took his turn at the presser podium, making up for a missed opportunity yesterday because he was involved in a battery of tests at the hospital. I think he also wanted to clear the …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
My friends from NFL Draft Scout just alerted me to this news. An NFL team doctor said there are serious concerns over the lingering effects of a 2006 stress fracture in the right tibia of LSU’s highly-rated defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey. Glenn is generally considered a top-five prospect in April’s NFL Draft. He underwent a physical Saturday at the Scouting Combine and was subsequently sent to the hospital for additional tests. At his Combine presser today Glenn admitted he was put through a grueling battery of tests but contends he is ready to …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
It was nice to see the sun shining in Indianapolis today. It certainly made getting around outside the RCA Dome and Indiana Convention Center much easier. Not that you would really need to go outside here, though. The Dome and CC are connected to much of the city with indoor walkways. I get a big kick out of this. I can walk all over the city without putting on a jacket in the middle of winter. And yes, I’m easily entertained.
The Media Work room was kind of quiet early on, but things picked …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The winter storm that has an icy grip on Indianapolis has slowed things down outside. But as promised, today was a whirlwind of activity around the Media Work Room here at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. The players being shuttled in and out were mostly wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks.
My day was really one big press conference with a few of my own interviews thrown in for good measure. I took part in every head coach presser — Tom Coughlin (Giants), Brad Childress (Vikings), Gary Kubiak (Texans), Tony Dungy (Colts), Herm …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
I ran into the SURGEX gang here in the RCA Dome/Indiana Convention Center and they gave me the scoop (literally) on their new, scientifically advanced “sports formula.” Athletes training for the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine at Tom Shaw Performance (like USF safety Mike Jenkins) and Test Sports Clubs were using this stuff with great results.
Simply put, SURGEX is a whole food powder combining a blend of extended release proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids to meet the multi-nutritional needs of strength, speed, and endurance athletes. You mix it with cold water, juice or …read more

Podcasting the National Football League, Podcasting the NFL
The NFL Scouting Combine is the annual job fair for more than 300 prospective new NFL players. For six straight days from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts. From just outside the Media Work Room at the Indiana Convention Center, I sat down with NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang to get his thoughts on this Class of 2008.
Shownotes: David Kindervater (host), Rob Rang (guest)

0:29 – Defensive tackles Sedrick …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The NFL Scouting Combine signage around Indianapolis states: “The 2008 NFL Season Begins Now.” Thus, just three weeks removed from my trip to Arizona for Super Bowl XLII, here I am in Indy for a fresh start to a new football season.
There used to be an offseason in the NFL, but that’s a thing of the past. Almost immediately after the Super Bowl you’ve got the Combine, the Draft, mini camps and OTAs. It never ends. This is my 4th straight year working the Combine and each season has been bigger in terms …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Mike Mayock watches college football’s best players. All year. That’s all he does. I only pick up on who’s good in college football from time-to-time, becoming especially attentive around Combine time, of course. Mike and I joked about his job a couple years ago during an interview because he thought it was “pretty sad” to be so devoted to this cause. Well, it’s turned into a nice career for the NFL Network Draft guru. He now rivals ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the foremost authority on the NFL Draft. Anyway, Mike released his Top …read more