ESPN: No Oakland Raiders Bias - NFL Draft Notes

 

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My long-time friend Richard Lieberman is prone to hyberbole and god-love him, this is one of those moments.  The San Francisco Chronicle blogger may have made some hay by charging ESPN with a "bias" against the Oakland Raiders, but where I am in New York, and where I was at Radio City Music Hall for the NFL Draft, the notion was quickly put to rest.  I'm going to spend about as much time on this as ESPN did, but the bottom line is a lot of people didn't like the Raiders draft, almost from top-to-bottom.

I was editing videos in the Interview Room when I overherd NFL Network's Pat Kirwan, and Clark Judge of CBS Sports doing a take for NFL Network, and both were almost laughably derisive of the Raiders decision to take Darrius Heywood-Bay, who's the third ranked receiver in the draft over Michael Crabtree who was picked in an almost regional slap-in-your-face move by the cross-bay San Francisco 49ers.  The preseason game will be interesting.

This is what one scout at draftcountdown.com wrote about Heywood-Bay:

Strengths:
A smooth, fluid athlete...Long strider with rare speed...Explosive with great acceleration and a burst...Quick and agile...Terrific height and bulk with long arms...Excellent leaper...Nice body control and ball skills...Tough and not afraid to work the middle...Vertical threat who can separate...Also a dangerous weapon on reverses...Great work ethic...Could also contribute  as a return man...Still has a ton of upside.

Weaknesses:
Is inconsistent catching the ball and does not have great natural hands...Questionable instincts and awareness...Still very raw as a route runner...Not much wiggle and won't make people miss...Doesn't break a lot of tackles...Average strength...Marginal blocker...Has little or no special teams experience...Wasn't real productive..Workout Warrior?

As to the best draft? Well, that's three years before anyone can determine, but I'm going to give props to The Miami Dolphins for getting West Virginia Quarterback Pat White in the second round of the Draft.  It's the best mating of man, scheme, and need I've ever seen. In the "Wildcat" offense they run he will succeed and perhaps be in line for "rookie of the year" honors by seasons end.

Print that.

NFL Draft: Mark Sanchez Interview, New York Jets

 

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Sporting a dark green tie purchased by his aunt Marlene and a New York Jets sports cap, now former USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez came down to the Interview Room at Radio City Music Hall to a small group of media people including yours truly about 30 minutes ago from the start of this blog post.

Sanchez fielded a set of questions starting with my query to determine if it was true he left USC early to avoid the possibility of losing to Cal this year. The Jets' newest signal called got a kick out of that one and recalled the last game played at Berkeley, a rain-soaked affair that USC won when John David Booty was the quarterback, 24-17.

On the matter of how it feels to be a jet, "Oh," he sighed, "It's really special. I'm really grateful that Mr Mike Tannenbaum (Jets GM) and Mr. Woody Johnson (Jets owner) made the trade (up to the number 5th pick, trading places with the Cleveland Browns, who gave their first- and second-round picks, and adding defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff)

But Sanchez added "Nothing's been accomplished yet, I've only gotten into a uniform. It's going to take a lot of practice and hard work.

The underclassman Sanchez who has a 14-2 record at USC offered that the reason he came out early (he has one more year of eligibility) was a personal decision arrived at after the Rose Bowl and after talking it through with his family and his high school coach Bob Johnson. "I thought about it long and hard and ..this is what I really want to do."

Will Not Hold Out On Jets

Sanchez' agent David Dunn told me they don't anticipate a hold out situation to develop, but he's concerned about the economy's impact on the ability to get good endorsement deals. "It's definetely a factor, Dunn said.

NFL Draft: Mark Sanchez Has Entered The Building in NYC

 

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Sporting a dark green tie and a New York Jets sports cap, now former USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez came down to the Interview Room at Radio City Music Hall to a small group of media people including yours truly about 30 minutes ago from the start of this blog post.

Sanchez fielded a set of questions starting with my query to determine if it was true he left USC early to avoid the possibility of losing to Cal this year. The Jets' newest signal called got a kick out of that one and recalled the last game played at Berkeley, a rain-soaked affair that USC won when John David Booty was the quarterback, 24-17.

Mark Sanchez Photo by Bill Chachkes

"That was a lot of fun," Sanchez remarked.

There's more in my upcoming video with Sanchez. It's being compressed and edited now.

As to the matter of who had the best Draft, I'm putting early my vote in for The Denver Broncos, then the Phili Eagles snagging Jerry Macklin as a companion to DeShawn Jackson at wide receiver, and then Miami Dolphins because they took the man I feel is the best quarteback in the Draft, West Virginia's Pat White, who's perfectly suited to their "Wildcat" system and in the second round, and got the zone cover corner and hitter they needed in CB Vontae Davis of Illinois in round one.

As to the worst draft, I'm sorry and its not personal as everyone here at Radio City Music Hall has the greatest respect for Al Davis, but the Oakland Raiders passing on Michael Crabtree was a real shocker here. People are still talking about it today.

More soon.

Art Torres, California Democratic Party Chair Sends Letter of Resignation

This came to me via email just three minutes ago:

My Fellow Democrats,

It has been an honor to have served for thirteen years as Chairman of the most incredible state Democratic Party in the nation. Together we have made great strides in improving our Party by registering voters with the Bounty program, by grassroots activists opening up offices and creating a sense of community and service to many, and by electing Democrats to the Assembly, Senate and Congress who are protecting the values we all cherish in our state.

Our Party has also embraced our young people and they have joined with us as never before, creating a new generation of Democratic voters and activists. We have elected the first woman Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi of California -- one of the highest offices in our country. And of course, California proudly provided a strong margin of victory to elect President Barak Obama.

We are all proud of what President Obama has accomplished during his first 100 days, giving our nation strong initiatives to renew and reinvest in our economy and improve the quality of our lives in the most difficult of times. He is a President who will provide great leadership for our country and our world.

Since 2004, we have added six blue counties with the help of dedicated folks in Alpine, Stanislaus, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, and Ventura. We also increased our numbers in Orange County to nearly 34% Democratic registration. These are not small achievements! This is the result of a huge amount of hard work by very dedicated Democrats.

In short, I leave the new Chair and Party leadership a healthy Democratic Party, both politically and financially, as I move to another chapter in my life -- the Vice Chairmanship of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which was created by the voters as Proposition 71 in 2004.

As a colon cancer survivor, I will also be a patient advocate for CIRM in my new role. I join a team of dedicated scientists and policy makers to help raise the more than $400 million needed to fund the research necessary to target diseases that have plagued so many California families. Every day I spend at CIRM headquarters, I sense the excitement of a field of science moving forward rapidly, in fact more rapidly than anyone on the science staff there imagined possible even a couple years ago. When CIRM adopted a scientific strategic plan in October 2006 the scientists there envisioned reaching a stage this year where they could fund “disease teams” that would combine basic researchers and clinicians to work together to develop a therapy ready for clinical trials three-to-four years from now.

In 2006 they predicted funding one or two such teams that would be ready for this challenge today. But when the initial grant applications for the Disease Team Awards were counted a couple weeks ago, there were 73 of them. That is 73 California research teams that think they can get a stem-cell based therapy ready for clinical trials within four years. These teams are targeting a broad array of diseases from osteoarthritis and blindness to cancer and a host of neurodegenerative diseases. Only a subset of these applications will make it through CRIM’s rigorous grant review process, which strives to bet on only the very best science in which to make California’s investment, but no matter the outcome of the grant reviews, this represents a tremendous acceleration toward reaching the promise of stem cells.

The California research community has been able to get to this point in large part because of three years of sustained funding from CIRM. Since the agency issued its first training grants in April of 2006 it has been able to provide consistent support for its new cadre of stem cell researchers. All the scientists I talk to tell me that this type of sustained funding is what science requires to get the results that create new therapies and even cures and, in turn, the jobs that the fast growing biotech industry will provide for Californians. CIRM’s ability to continue this sustained funding is linked to the budgetary health of the state and the state’s ability to issue bonds that support CIRM’s work. So the health and well being of patients in California – and around the world – is one more thing to keep in mind as we vote on the budget initiatives May 19.

This letter is not a goodbye for me, but rather a fulfillment of new path ahead – as we all continue to make a difference in the lives of Californians.

God speed my fellow Democrats!

Sincerely,

Art Torres

Sen. Art Torres (Ret.)
Chairman, California Democratic Party

NFL Draft: Day Two Rounds 3 Through 7 At Radio City

 

As I write this Bill Chachkes and I are sitting in our "upstairs" position at the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Yesterday I was downstairs and he was here but that area's closed today.

The NFL Draft from our seats on Day Two

We're at the 89th selection where the Tennessee Titans have just took South Carolina Tight End Jared Cook, who I consider a steal in the third round because only Vernon Davis (at 4.4 in the 40) is faster than he is.

Where we're sitting is right between the ESPN and NFL Network stages and right behind a rowdy crowd egged on by ESPN runners and the appearance of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, who made their way up to the second floor for a photo shoot with the fans. While that was going on, I sent a note to Coach John Gruden who I first met in 2000 when I formed the bid to bring the 2005 Super Bowl to Oakland (we lost to Jacksonville) and then again in 2004 at Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg's Super Bowl Party in Houston where I drew up a pass play on a napkin.

See, the first time we met I had this kind of "formed bunch" play in mind that the Raiders would shift into out of a split backs formation. Gruden invited me to come to the Raider headquarters and talk strategy but I was so busy with the City of Oakland I never took him up on the invitation. Then we reconnected in 2004 where I drew up the play on a napkin and as a nice little group of people including Coach Gruden's wife and my friend Rachel formed and just talked. Gruden kept the play.

Now, seeing him on the stage I drew up the play on a note pad and one of the NFL Network aides passed it to him. He remembered it, smiled, and gave a thumbs up.

Today's more relaxed that Day One and quieter by far. Just about the right noise level to hear a killer playlist of music piped in by the NFL. It has everything from Prince to The Smiths and whatever pulsating themes represent a good cross section of pop music. It's so good the ushers are dancing.

No kidding.

NFL Draft: Aaron Curry Interview: New Seattle Seahawks Linebacker

 

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Of all the players invited to the 2009 NFL Draft, Wake Forest Linebacker Aaron Curry is one you just want to root for. Curry's got this "I'm just happy to be here" look and when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called his name as the 4th pick in the Draft going to the Seattle Seahawks, he cried. He was just plain happy to have the entire ride over with and delighted to "get to the mountaintop" as he said later.

This video introduces Curry to the NFL Media and the world where you can see just how positive a person he came accross as being, especially when I asked him to give a message to those impacted by the slumping economy. After the video is the full list of Curry's quotes.

AARON CURRY

(on impression of Seattle area) “You know I’ve never been there. All I know about Seattle is from he said/she said. I was told that there is beautiful weather up there from time to time. I’m pretty sure it’s a very exciting area. I just can’t wait to get there.”

(impression on Draft Process) “You know before today I thought it was all just craziness and madness, but now I just feel like every bit of it was worth it.


(on crying once being selected) “Well you know I’ve been through a lot growing up. The first thing I thought was ‘thank you Mom for putting up with me and my older brothers and really supporting me all my life to be able to reach this point.’”


(on whether he was surprised where he ended up) “My mindset was always this draft is unpredictable I never knew where I was going to end up. I never fell for what the experts were saying because I knew that the GMs and the team owners would make that decision. I had faith in what I’ve done on film. I just wanted to be able to relax and wait to see who called my phone.

(reaction to being chosen by Seahawks) “I wasn’t too surprised being the fact that they just gave up Julian Peterson. He was a big player on their defense so why not replace him with another young talent to try and fill his shoes?”

(on communicating with Seahawks after Pro Day/Combine) “Well you know what was interesting is that I worked out for Coach Rollins, their linebacker coach, and I had a visit scheduled and after my workout they called back and said there was no need for me to come out to Seattle. So I mean I never got to take my visit but they also told me not to take it in a bad way that they knew what they were getting out of me as a linebacker and as a person and up until this day I had no clue where I was going to land.”

(on what he will miss most about Wake Forest) “My teammates. I’m going to miss my teammates. I’m going to miss Coach Lambert. I’m going to miss Coach Grobe. And I’m going to miss Miss Bonnie Rae the receptionist at the desk. I’m going to miss “Big Daddy” Coach Bill Faircloth, head of football. I’m going to miss everything about that building where I used to go and just relax that’s where I had the most fun.”

(on knowing any teammates on Seahawks) “I never kept in touch with anybody on the team. I know that Steve Vallos is out there and Ryan Plackemeier was once out there. The last I spoke with Vallos he told me to continue to work hard and continue to do the things I’ve always done.

(on being homeless at one point) “It’s interesting Coach Rollins, linebacker coach from Seattle gave me a book when we worked out it’s about peaks and valleys in your life and it made me look back on that situation where it may have seemed like the lowest part of my life but I realize it made me a stronger person and it made my family stronger than ever and it really drove me to always be the best and put myself in the situation where my family will never have to worry about anything else.”

(on fitting in with Seahawks) “I think it’s definitely a no-brainer to go and play the Sam linebacker just like Mr. Peterson did himself and try to fill his shoes and make just as big of plays as he did.”


(on preparing for speed and toughness of the NFL) “No, I’ve just been approaching every workout like it’s my last one…like I’ve always done.”

(on Seahawks colors) “I think it’s a beautiful color. I’ve always been a fan of their uniforms and their jerseys…I can see myself now with lime green cleats and lime green gloves.

”

NFL Draft: Train Ride To Radio City Music Hall

 

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This video captures the train ride and cab ride my friend Bill Chachkes and I took to Radio City Music Hall for the NFL Draft Day One events.

Bill, a 35-year-draft veteran, talks about the needs of the Raiders, Niners, and NY Giants on the way there. We then get out and Bill gets into one of his celebrated arguements with a Giants fan over the receiver they should pick in the Draft. Oh Boy!

But Bill's one of a breed of New Yorkers who follow the Draft religiously. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., their "Draftnik" as they're called, came from this pool of people as did Pro Football Weekly's legendary expert the late Joel Buchsbaum and Pat Kirwan who contributes to the NFL Network and NFL.com.



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NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders Pick Of Heywood-Bey Panned

 

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The Oakland Raiders picked University of Maryland'Darrius Heyward-Bey even though he was rated by many behind Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree. Even in cyberspace, Crabtree's a better rated pass catcher.

On Madden Football, Michael Crabtree is rated ahead of Darrius Heyward-Bey 84 to 79, but Darrius Heyward-Bey was taken ahead of Crabtree. For the Raiders, Draftniks here in NYC think it was a question of speed. Heyward-Bey runs a 4.3 40 yard dash versus Crabtree's 4.5 time, but Crabtree's a gamer.

Still his underclassman status and his recent injury have caused Crabtree to be down-graded by some. But not so far that the San Francisco 49ers took him as the 10th pick. A number of people here at the Draft are questioning the Raiders decision to pass on him for the lower rated Heywood-Bey. Here's a video example: a conversation featuring our Bill Chachkes and Dewie from Yardbarker both in the Interview Room:



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NFL Draft: Commissioner Goodell Discovers Twitter

 

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For the past three years I've been litterally pestering the NFL brass about "getting into the 21st Century" because they didn't have videos or use live streams or use social networks.  The NFL's concern has long been the possibility of "losing control of its brand" which to me is a statement marketing people make that always goes unquestioned when it should be challenged.  When its done, I find that the person making the statement really didn't think through what they meant and the fear is less than imagined if it was ever there at all. 

As other large firms have, as they say, moved into the social network space, the NFL's started to see the light, first with videos on NFL.com, then a live stream of the NFL Draft that was done starting in 2008 (after I did it in 2007) and now Twitter. 

The NFL  started Tweeting with the last Super Bowl and "upped" its efforts with this Draft.  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even has his own Twitter page.  Here's the full list of his updates:

1. passing the podium role to Ray Anderson, our football ops chiefabout 2 hours ago from mobile web
       
2. among the hilites of every draft is saluting our military. it is nice to hear applause for them #nfldraftabout 3 hours ago from mobile web
       
3. josh said it was longtime coming. he wanted to be a Buc!about 4 hours ago from mobile web
       
4. cushing another player out of new jersey. good 2 c so many family/friends hereabout 4 hours ago from mobile web
       
5. i told crabtree that at least he gets to keep his same college colorsabout 4 hours ago from mobile web
       
6. eugene says it's unreal. just unrealabout 5 hours ago from mobile web
       
7. aaron invited 12-yr boy w/ leukemia. i gave aaron card 2 give 2 Brysonabout 5 hours ago from mobile web
       
8. Jason Smith wouldn't let me go. he was so happy and surprised to go.about 5 hours ago from mobile web
       
9. wished Matthew a long productive career and said u look good in blueabout 6 hours ago from mobile web
       
10. are u ready for some draft picks? I'm ready to get started #nfldraftabout 6 hours ago from mobile web
        
11. ok, here we go. great seeing so many fans outside #nfldraftabout 7 hours ago from mobile web
        
12. headed up to Columbia to talk with some grad students. Looking forward to it.8:18 AM Apr 23rd from web
        
13. I'm looking forward to the Draft on Saturday11:50 AM Apr 22nd from web

Now here's my take: I think it's great Commissioner Goodell's using Twitter, but he and the NFL can get far better use out of it. The Commissioner should use his Twitter page as a press release to get out information he wants to share without the usual media filter. It could be something as simple as making sure NFL Draft patrons visit NFL.com with a link or URL reference, which in turn drives traffic to that site. You get the idea. But the Commish just posts random things he's doing; by contrast Twitter for me is a device to get the Word out and send people to my daily updated blogs and Twitter.

It's not enough to be on Twitter, you have to have something to say too!

NFL Draft: Michael Crabtree, Interview With SF 49ers New Receiver

 

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After a bit of suspense that saw Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree fall to the Oakland Raiders at the 7th pick in the NFL Draft, he was finally selected number 10 by the San Francisco 49ers and then joined us in the Interview Room for a lot of questions all over the place in subject. Here's the interview on video:



To his credit, Crabtree handled it all very well, saying that he's not familar with the San Francisco Bay Area or San Francisco itself, but he has met and does have a great relationship with the Niners legendary receiver Jerry Rice, having met him at Deion Sanders home in Dallas. He likes and is looking forward to playing for head coach Mike Singletary, and Crabtree observed the coach wants you "just to work hard".

The hard work ethic is no stranger to Crabtree, who's preparation habits and focus led to one of the most amazing plays in College Football history, a stirring 32 yard catch and run against then-number-one-ranked Texas that scored a touchdown and led to a shocking upset of the heavily-favored Longhorns last year. It was that catch which put Crabtree and Texas Tech in the public spotlight and elevated his draft status.

Now he's a 49er.

(Photo credit: Bill Chackhes) 

In the Interview Room,Crabtree never stopped smiling. His mother and about 20 people, family and friends, all came downstairs to see his first official interview as an NFL player. His mother was just plain relieved to see it all end, as she told me as she slumped down into a random seat with a drained look. The ordeal of where her son was going was over.

Michael Crabtree Quote Sheet From The NFL:

MICHAEL CRABTREE


(on the city of San Franciscco): It has great weather. I can't wait to play football in that weather.


(on playing in San Francisco instead of Oakland): I feel like I'm in the position where if somebody wants me and needs me, I just can't wait to play.


(on SF QB situation): I have no idea. As soon as I get there I'm looking forward to working hard with all these guys and try to make each other better.


(on his draft day wait): The key to this situation is being patient. I feel like I did that my whole life and can't go wrong.


(on Mike Singletary): Mike Singletary is a great coach. He's a good guy. He's very positive. The main thing he wants you to do is work and make the program better.


(on whether he wanted to be picked earlier): I'm just glad I got picked. This is a true blessing.


(on the adjustment to the NFL): It's a big adjustment. It's a challenge. It's going to take a lot of film watching and play watching. A lot of practice and running on the field. I'm looking forward to that.


(on if he feels he was the best receiver in the draft even though he wasn't the first selected): I always feel like I'm the best. I work to be the best. I have some big shoes to fill when I go to the 49ers with Jerry Rice. I'm looking forward to that too.


(on the pre-draft speculation): I'm one of those guys that really doesn't watch TV at all. The only way I know is if one of my little brothers tells me about it. Whatever they say I just feed it into motivation.


(on what he will say to the governor of California if they meet): Well, I was trying to see him while I was down there. But I’ll tell him: "I'll be back"


(on why he was not the top receiver picked): I still feel like I'm the top receiver. I don't really pay any attention to what everyone else does. He's a good receiver, the person who went ahead of me. I choose not to worry about that.


(on three people from Dallas in the top 10): That's a good deal. It's never happened in history. The top 10, three people from Dallas. I bet Dallas is going crazy right now. I can't wait to go back.


(on his football idol growing up): My football idol was Barry Sanders. I loved Barry Sanders. I loved Deion Sanders, too. There's something about these Sanders guys.


(on comparisons to Jerry Rice): It's a privilege to be compared to Jerry Rice. He's a great player, if not the best receiver to play the game. I just take all of that in and I listen very well to what they say about comparing me to all these different receivers. I'm just going to take it and run with it and try to get better every day.


(on if he has friends in the San Francisco area): I don't have any friends out there. I've talked to Vernon [Davis] a couple times, but I'm looking forward to meeting new people.


(on meeting Jerry Rice): He's a good guy. Behind the scenes, we mainly don't talk about football. We talk about the off-the-field things. And he just told me to keep a level head.




(on what he will miss most about Texas): Texas football! There's nothing like Texas football. It's probably the best football you can play.




(on his foot surgery): I will be 110%. My doctor told me I could start running. But he told me to wait until one of these teams picked me.




(on if he feels extra motivation to play against the teams that didn't select him): I really do. I keep all of that in mind. Like I said, I feel like I'm in a situation where someone wants me and needs me. And I can't wait to put this red, black, and gold on.


(on if Graham Harrell is underestimated by NFL teams): Graham Harrell is a football player. When I was working, he was working with me. He threw all the passes to me when I was working hard, so I know he's a hard worker. Anybody who gets him is going to get a steal. He’s going to progress every year. So I'm looking forward to seeing where he goes.

The Crabtree Zone has a great bio, which I repeat here for information junkies..like me:

Michael Crabtree (born September 14, 1987 in Dallas, Texas) is a college football wide receiver for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He has received much recognition as one of the nation’s most prolific wide receivers, including being a 2007 unanimous first-team All-American and the winner of the 2007 Biletnikoff and Paul Warfield Awards, which are given to the nation’s top college receiver.

High school

Crabtree attended David W. Carter High School in Dallas and played quarterback for the football team. As a senior, he passed for 870 yards and eleven touchdowns on 45 completions out of 100 attempts. He also ran for 646 yards and nine touchdowns on 100 carries. He was a four-star football recruit as an athlete.

In addition to playing football in high school, Michael Crabtree was also on the basketball team and ranked among the top 50 recruits going into college. During a visit in 2004, Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight asked Crabtree which sport he was going to choose. Though the decision was not an easy one, he opted to play college football exclusively.

Crabtree was offered football scholarships by Baylor, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Kansas. He was also offered a scholarship by Texas Tech, which he ultimately chose to accept.

Freshman season

Michael Crabtree redshirted his freshman season of 2006.

In 2007, Crabtree started his redshirt-freshman season against SMU. The Red Raiders won 49–9, and Crabtree stood out with 106 yards receiving on twelve receptions for three touchdowns. The next week, in a 45–31 win over UTEP, Crabtree continued his performance with 15 receptions, 188 yards, and two touchdowns. Against the Rice Owls, Crabtree put up 244 yards on eleven receptions for three touchdowns. In Tech’s first loss of the season, against Oklahoma State, he had 14 receptions for 237 yards and three touchdowns. In a 75–7 win over Northwestern State, Crabtree had 145 yards on eight receptions for three touchdowns in only two and a half quarters of playing time. In the contest against Iowa State, Crabtree had 10 receptions for 154 yards and three touchdowns. During that game, Crabtree broke the season record for most touchdown receptions by a freshman receiver. The previous record of 14 was shared by Jabar Gaffney in 2000, Mike Williams in 2002, and Davone Bess in 2005. In the October 14, 2007 game, Crabtree tacked on 170 more receiving yards on eight receptions but had no touchdowns in a 35–7 win over the Texas A&M Aggies. This brought his total yardage to 1,244. In the next game, against Missouri, he again did not score but still added 76 more yards on ten catches. In spite of having two consecutive games without a touchdown, CBS Sports still ranked Crabtree as the top freshman in the nation.

During the game against Colorado, Crabtree made his 99th catch. This set three records simultaneously—most single-season receptions by a freshman in I-A, most single-season receptions by a Red Raider, and most single-season touchdowns by a Big 12 player (18).

Sophomore season

Before the beginning of his sophomore season, CBS Sports listed Crabtree as a Heisman hopeful. Tech quarterback Graham Harrell’s name also appeared on the list.

Recognition

Michael Crabtree has received multiple honors. In addition to being a unanimous first-team All-American, he won the Biletnikoff Award and the Paul Warfield Award.

NFL Draft: Update From The Interview Room

 

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As I sit here in the Interview Room at Radio City Music Hall waiting for and now having just made a video of Houston Texans Linebacker Brian Cushing and Tampa Bay Bucs Quarterback Josh Freeman , here's some updates real quick, because another player's coming down here in 3 min.

First, who was selected as of this writing:

1 Lions Matthew Stafford QB
2 Rams Jason Smith OT
3 Chiefs Tyson Jackson DE
4 Seahawks Aaron Curry OLB
5 Jets Mark Sanchez QB
6 Bengals Andre Smith OT
7 Raiders Darrius Heyward-Bey WR
8 Jaguars Eugene Monroe OT
9 Packers B.J. Raji DT
10 49ers Michael Crabtree WR
11 Bills Aaron Maybin DE
12 Broncos Knowshon Moreno RB
13 Redskins Brian Orakpo DE
14 Saints Malcolm Jenkins CB
15 Texans Brian Cushing OLB
16 Chargers Larry English DE
17 Buccaneers Josh Freeman QB
18 Broncos Robert Ayers LB
19 Eagles Jeremy Maclin WR
20 Lions Brandon Pettigrew TE
21 Browns Alex Mack C
22 Vikings Percy Harvin WR
23 Patriots
24 Falcons
25 Dolphins
26 Ravens
27 Colts
28 Bills
29 Giants
30 Titans
31 Cardinals
32 Steelers

Second, the controversy over The Oakland Raiders selection of Darrius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree, who went to the 49ers is heating up. On Madden Football, Crabtree is rated ahead of Darrius Heyward-Bey 84 to 79, but Darrius Heyward-Bey was taken ahead of Crabtree. For the Raiders, Draftniks here in NYC think it was a question of speed. Heyward-Bey runs a 4.3 40 yard dash versus Crabtree's 4.5 time, but Crabtree's a gamer.

Third, for some reason Michael Crabtree's representatives had him bypass the media in the second interview room for "some business with the 49ers" according to Michael Orenstein, the man who tried to market Reggie Bush and now represents Crabtree. What's coming is the table interview, but not an up close one as of this writing.

Forth, Crabstree says he met 49ers Wide Receiving legend Jerry Rice at Deion Sanders home in Atlanta. Crabtree says Rice gave him a lot of advice but most emphasized that he should just work hard.

NFL Draft: Radio City Music Hall Interview Room

 

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I'm stationed in the Interview Room at the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall where everyone with a camera's assigned to go. It's the place where all of the invited NFL Draft rookies will come to give interviews after they're selected by a team.

I'm waiting on Matt Stafford to come down as he was just picked as the quarterback of The Detroit Lions. The Interview Room is actually two rooms and while I could describe it to you, it's better to see it in video-blog form:

NFL Draft: OT Michael Oher On His Life and Football

 

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The University of Mississippi's Michael Oher's one of the best offensive tackles available in the NFL Draft, so good that he was invited to New York City for Draft Day. But he also has a background that's the total rags to riches story. Oher's Mom was adicted to crack cocaine and his father was not involved in raising him. He attended several different elementary schools and was even homeless at one point in his life. Then Oher met Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, who took him in and helped him become a better student.

I talked to Oher at the "NFL Play 60" Event in Central Park, where he did talk briefly about his life, but said he was blessed to be taken in by the Tuohy's and came from a neighborhood where "zero people make it out" as he said. "I've always been a good guy and a guy who cared." Oher says his friends have not changed and everyone's the same even with his new fame and income to come.


Jawing With Brandon Spikes

Every offensive and defensive lineman has a story about what kind of talk goes on "in the trenches" and Oher's no different. He likes going against Brandon Spikes of Florida because "He's a funny guy. He talks a lot is a hard-noser. He calls me by my middle name (as they're playing) Jerome."

Oher explains that while he has his favorite players, he never hates a player. Another "good character" gentleman at the NFL Draft.

Oher may not be the best offensive tackle available in the Draft, that honor generally goes to Baylor's Jason Smith, but I think he has the most to live for and will work to become the best tackle in the NFL.

NFL Draft: Matt Stafford, Michael Crabtree, Stupid Salary Questions

 

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I'm in New York for the NFL Draft and its related events, one of them was held Friday, and called NFL Play 60 in Central Park. This fun affair on a sun-drenched day served as the backdrop for media interviews with the nine top college football players invited by the league to attend the draft.

Given that many of the reporters, bloggers, and columnists were not experiencing their first rodeo, as the saying goes, one would think the questions would be good ones. Well, not at all. In fact some of the most seasoned writers asked the stupidest questions and Georgia Quarterback Matt Stafford and Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree had to deal with them.

Without naming names, there are two gentlemen in my video who fall into that category. They were fixated on asking about something that doesn't even exist: the rookie salary cap. There's a school of thought advanced by these writers and some NFL players that there should be such a limit on what first-year NFL players make. But since the cap doesn't exist, and therefore doesn't impact this year's players, why raise the issue with them?

That bit of logic was beyond the reach of our fearless journalist-type heroes. They pressed on with the question and it only served to show how well-adjusted Stafford and Crabtree were as people, especially at their young place in life. When Stafford, who appears to be headed to the Detroit Lions as their first pick as of Friday night, got the question, he deflected it, saying in so many words, "Ask the Commissioner." Crabstree looked at the questioner as if he were from another planet - it's on the video - then said "I feel like what I do is fun. I'm blessed to be here" to which the reporter said sarcastically "We're all blessed to be here" in one of those moments that answers the question "Why are newspapers dying?" It had nothing to do with the real subject at hand: the new NFL rookies at the event and what they were all about.

When the question bottle spun to me, or really when I made it do so, I wanted to know who these guys were and the best way to determine that is how they treat you when you ask a question about how they handle relationship difficulties. More to the point, are their friends treating them differently since fame and the possibility of fortune came on to them?

Stafford said he had the same friends throughout the affair. Crabtree said he kept a tight circle of family and friends long ago. An interesting difference as Crabtree seemed more prepared for the ills of the process and the ups and downs, were Stafford is more laid back about the whole deal and in a way almost "Brett Farve" like in his country-boy attitude. I suppose both schools of thought work but we shall see as they grow in the NFL.

Stafford's Favorite Passes

As to "favorite" passes Matt Stafford likes to throw, he thought long and hard before answering "skinny post" which should be a tip to the Lions braintrust as they plans the teams passing game. Stafford also seemed determined not to be molded by the expectations of others. For example, one reporter asked about how he would deal with making "all that money"; Stafford offered that he'd never seen that amount of money to know! A great, simple action!

Crabtree Was "In A Daze For Texas Catch"

Michael Crabtree, one who's not a fan of passing game systems but of solid play ("Everyone has a system; the whole thing's overblown", he told me) is known for a jaw-dropping, quick-as-light catch and run that beat The Texas Longhorns last year. Asked what was going through his mind at that time, he said "I couldn't hear nothing. I was so focused, I couldn't hear nothing...I could see the whole field. I could see the linebackers. D-Line. I was like, hey, I can see everything." Many teams hope he can bring that focus to the NFL and there's every indication he can.

Indeed, if their play is as good as the way they deal with stupid media questions, Stafford and Crabtree will be all-pro players for a long time to come.

NFL Draft: Zennie62's Draft Coverage On The Fly

 

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I'm in New York City and staying in Hicksville, NY with my good friend Bill Chachkes and his wife to cover my fifth NFL Draft. As I write this, I'm now in a Starbucks about to upload an introductory video and then head over to the EA Sports event.

This video:

I had to take some time to check emails and write this blog after attending the NFL Play 60 Program in Central Park, which was a great time. I was able to get a number of interviews with several of the college football players bound for the NFL who've been invited to New York for the Draft: Georgia Quarterback Matt Stafford, Kansas State Quarterback Josh Freeman, Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree, Ole Miss Offensive Tackle Michael Oher (who came from homelessness to the NFL) and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. You will see each of them in video uploads today and Saturday.

As to what the players are like, the word "polite" comes to mind, as they stand with hands behind their back and say "Yes sir" and "No sir" and have mastered the art of "deflecting a question". For example, one reporter was bent on asking Matt Stafford what he thought about the rookie salary issue; Stafford's simple answer was "You'll have to ask the Commissioner that question."

Good answer.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell fielded questions at the NFL Play 60 Event on the rookie salary cap and the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The Commissioner expressed the view that the economy itself would play a role in the eventual outcome of contract negotiations with rookies, in other words he expects them to be lower than before but not for any attempt to control or reduce rookie contracts, but because we're in a recession.

More soon.

NFL Draft: Zennie62's In New York For The 2009 NFL Draft

 

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I'm staying in Hicksville, New York and with my friend and fellow draftnik Bill Chackhes and his wife. Later this morning we're going to take the train to Manhattan, to events related to the 2009 NFL Draft and we'll be here all weekend.

This is my fifth straight year covering the Draft with Bill, and Chackhes 35th year at the Draft. In each year we've used New Media to give you a different perspective with web accounts, photos, blogs, and videos. In 2007 we even had a live stream of us talking to you about the Draft events as they unfolded at Radio City Music Hall but the NFL's took control of that last year. Good for the league.

But this year's different and for another reason not related to media technology: the economy. The NFL's downsized "Draft Week": last year and in previous years, the league had parties and symposiums starting the Wednesday before the Draft and each day leading up to it. This time, the events are only on Friday and of a different nature.

The NFL Draft Luncheon held at Chelsea Piers and a must-attend event in years past has been replaced by an event scheduled for late Friday morning in Central Park and based on a program called "Keep Gym In School" for which the NFL has been an active sponsor and promoter. Then we'll go to a local hospital and then the EA Sports party at 2 PM, with the players and current NFL stars like Arizona Cardinals Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

The NFL has invited a record 9 players to attend the Draft and all are expected to be at the events on Friday before "D-Day" according to the NFL: Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry, USC LB Brian Cushing, Kansas State QB Josh Freeman, Virginia T Eugene Monroe, Mississippi T Michael Oher, Texas DE Brian , Baylor T Jason Smith and Georgia QB Matt Stafford.

I should add USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez is also in the Big Apple, but if he will attend the proceedings today is anyone's guess. There's talk Sanchez may be the 4th pick, going to the Seattle Seahawks; also the Washington Redskins have expressed strong interested in the underclassman. Which brings up a sore point for me. When Sanchez announced he was "turning pro" USC Head Coach Pete Carroll famously said he wasn't ready and for good reason: Sanchez only has 16 starts and hasn't even seen his senior year of play, hence the designation "underclassman".

In fact, Sanchez, Stafford, and Freeman are all underclassman, yet ranked higher than West Virginia's Pat White, who won four bowl games and was the MVP of the Senior Bowl, a game where NFL-bound talent is evaluated in a "real game" setting. What's going on here?

I think some comparisons of the NFL Draft and how much choosing pro athletes was like slave selection apply here. In this, the player's physical makeup is prized even over "on the field" performance. From that perspective, Stafford, Freeman, and Sanchez are all bigger and taller than the six-feet tall White, and so must be better, even if White's won more games and was MVP of the Senior Bowl, not to mention an NFL combine standout. White broke 19 school, Big East and NCAA records, and became the first quarterback to start four bowl victories in U.S. college football history.

Enough said.

Am I saying White's the better player? Yes. I will stand by that. He's got a powerful track record as quarterback. Plus, he's finished his four years in school and has the speed and footwork to excel at "the next level".

But the beauty / slave contest judges will ignore that, and pick the bigger guys first.


Catch me on Twitter

I'm going to be posting constant updates on Friday's events at Zennie62 on Twiiter, so follow me if you've not done so. It's going to be a fun day!

Racism: The Mental Illness I Will Not Stop Talking About

What's interesting about the Internet are the different audiences and their responses and characteristics, especially on the issue of race and racism, a problem that is on the constant collective mind of the African American community and people of color in general because historically we've been the most negatively impacted by it.

I don't claim to be the spokesperson for the Black community and such a designation would be the stuff of comedy. But what does vex me and really egg me on to continue to raise the issue of race and racism is the number of racist acts that are "done" in society, how some would have us believe society is colorblind, and those who try to stop me from talking or writing about race.

Those who speak of being "colorblind" are the stuff of humor to me, and do so only in the matter of talking about how people are judged by their skin color, which means they do see color, otherwise they would remain silent. The fact is, everyone makes a determination of how they will treat someone based in part on their skin color. What's unfortunate are those who want to silence people like me. I call them the "people under the stairs" who don't want to be seen and don't want you to be heard especially if you dare talk about race.

This point of view is particularly evident at SFGate.com and it's not the fault of the editors or the managers, but the particular brand of commenter -- nasty -- that's active. Some commenters believe I'm supposed to be a "journalist" who gives both sides of a story but I've noticed they only make that claim when I write something they don't like. My raison d'etre is to give an opinion, have a pulse, and shake you up, hopefully to cause you to do something to change the World around you in a good way.

That's why shining a light on racism is so important.

Much of racism today is institutional. In other words there are common habits in society that you are used to and don't question, but many people of color are harmed by in some way. Some of those institutional actions are, for example, how a movie star is created by an entertainment and public relations consortium. (Zac Efron) Other institutional actions include assuming someone of color may be a bad or corrupt politician even if that person has a stellar record. It has also been a factor in how students are graded by teachers. I can go on and on.

Racism is a mental illness that must be curbed. It's judged as such by some like Dr. Alvin F Poussaint, who state's that for one to (my example) risk their own job as a waiter by the act of throwing a plate at a Black person because the waiter hates Blacks indicates the presence of a mental illness. Because the question is how far will that person go?

Society will not change if we sweep this issue under the rug. Race and Racism is to be talked about, not ignored. That - in part - is what I'm here for. I will not stop writing or talking about race or racism and I will not be silenced. But I will listen to the voices of those who disagree, as long as they do it agreeably.

Zac Efron: Who's Efron and Why Isn't He Black?

 

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Ok. Maybe I'm being a grump but who the heck is Zac Efron? All of a sudden I'm told through the media that some guy named "Zac Efron" is a star, an idol, and - like I care because I'm straight and male - a hunk.

So what! Why him? And why not someone who's Black?

I'm concerned that we as a society don't think critically about what institutions push at us to consume -- Zac Efron's a great example. I fail to see why he's star and I am very derisive of the system that tells me he is.


Zac's not the product of a vote on American Idol and if he were on it, he would not win. I learned that Efron's voice was digitally blended with that of Disney singer Andrew Seeley for the album for High School Musical. So if he needed that kind of help, there's no way he'd survive "Idol" at all.  Simon Cowell would eat him alive!

In fact, I'm surprised Simon Cowell actually offered him a record deal and Cowell can thank God and Efron, for Efron's rejection of the offer. The failure of his record would have made Cowell look real bad.

The fact is Zac Efron's the product of a Disney PR machine that's produced Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, and other famous singers, and all either White or "of color" but light-skinned. The only exception is "Raven", the star of "That's so Raven."

If you're saying "Why the focus on race?" my counter is because Disney's focused on race, and in fact a commitment to diversity, while more desirable, is still an emphasis of race - you can't escape that fact.

But I'm tired of having a certain kind of look pushed at me and in the collective face of the industrialized World without a vote. That's what makes Susan Boyle's story so cool! The World voted for her 30 million times if you consider the video views as votes.

And if you think of the rise of Hip-Hop and Rap stars, that could not have happened without a vote by dollar: white guys and white girls buying their albums (and without Disney's influence.) That dynamic has produced many a Black sex symbol and yes to White women: LL Cool J is a great example and he's performed for over 22 years!

In fact, I contend that Hip-Hop and Rap caused an integration of American society through music with Whites and Blacks enjoying popular "Black music" together and in such a way that a whole generation was essentially mentally prepared to vote for Barack Obama for President.

What's that you say? Disney's promoting White talent because they're seen as wholesome? Yeah. Ok. Then explain the whole Vanessa Hudgens sex tage episode? Don't tell me the Disney PR machine wasn't involved in that; I won't believe it. And besides, Zac Efron's got a crush on Tyra Banks and she's Black.

just don't tell Disney!

Police Officer Abuses Reporter In ElPaso, Texas

This was presented by CNN's Rick Sanchez and if you watch what happened to this KVIA-TV El Paso, Texas reporter and cameraman, you have to agree the police officer was so drunk with power he didn't give them a chance to get in their car. This also happened to Oakland Tribune photojournalist Jane Tyska in Oakland last year. Something has to be done to inform officers to treat journalists better than this.

Oakland: Lake Merritt People On A Saturday

 

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Have you ever walked by a group doing something interesting and yet never stopped to, or perhaps feared to, inquire what they were doing?  If so, this video-blog is for you.  I'm in Georgia as I write this and visiting my Mom, but two Saturdays ago I saw a YouTube video of people playing drums under the "Columns" at Lake Merritt in Oakland, where I live for those of you reading this in, er, Japan.  I said to myself, and wrote on the Oakland Focus Blog , that if I ever encountered that group I was going to have my camera at the ready and interview them (if they let me of course).

Well that's what I did on that Saturday morning.  The group is called "Emeryville Taiko" at www.etaiko.org, and as Sensei Susan Horn informs us in the video, they were located in Emeryville, but are now at 27th and Harrison St, near the Whole Foods Market and near Lake Merritt.   But on Saturday's they have this Taiko class and jam session at the Columns.  Many people love their activity, except one Lake dweller that seems to have a problem with the sound, according to Sensei Horn.  Frankly, I love what they do; they're an example of why the Lake is such a fun place to live, with the vibrant energy of people creating art.

I suppose prayer could be considered an art form as well.  For those who need a prayer in this time of economic disaster, Melena and Bruno of the East Hills Community Church have set up a table near the corner of MacArthur and Lakeshore just for you to stop by and have a prayer said for you or share a prayer of your own.  The couple shared an interesting account where one man they prayed for didn't look well, so they flagged down a fire truck that happened to be passing by and the firefighters determined he was having a heart problem.  They got him the treament he needed.

If you want to help the Church visit their website at www.easthillscc.org

After that conversation I walked over to visit Scotty who runs the Hawaiian Coffee Roasters booth at the Lake Marritt Farmers Market.  Hey, Scotty makes the best coffee and the market's a hoot.  I just wished the organization responsible for the market was based in Oakland and not Marin County.  But that's for another blog post and I digress.  Scotty's more right of center than I, so I have to challenge his libertarian beliefs just to keep him intellectually honest, but it's all in fun and worth the price of the coffee.

As I walked through the market, which you should do on the hot days that are before us in Oakland, I noticed that two groups of people were standing on opposite ends of Lake Park in front of the legendary Grand Lake Theater and thought "they're back".   The "they" are two organizations that have opposing views on the Mid East.  If you've seen the women dressed in black they call themselves "Bay Area Women In Black" and are against the "occupation of Palestine" as one of them explained to me.  The group on the other side, "San Francisco Voice for Israel" was once led by my friend Dan Kilman who I met in 2007 on a video-blogging walk around the neighborhood where he gave this interview:

Part One:



Part Two:




Kilman organized at the corner to counter Bay Area Women In Black, which led to what I described as a "culture war" played out right in front of the Grand Lake under the collective nose of Lake Merritt dwellers (who sometimes don't stop to talk to each other, though that's changing).  Unlike many, Dan was always ready with not just a comment but a full explaination of what's happening in the Mid East and a strong defense of Israel's postion. As happens with my life, Dan and I were later in the same debate club in San Francisco called "SF Debates." 

But sadly, Dan fell to his death on November 25th and was found December 1st 2008 at the bottom of an elevator shaft in downtown San Francisco in an act that many friends feel was deliberate because Kilman was so outspoken, but was officially ruled an accident.   Dan's energy is missed, but his work lives on in the presence of San Francisco Voice for Israel in front of the theater each Saturday.

Finally there was a cool Capoata dance-off that spontaneously started by the International Capoeira Angola Foundation on the park lawn near MacArthur and Grand Avenue.  As they were so into their movements, I didn't want to interupt them with questions.  But if you want more information, their website is www.ficaoakland.org

The Lake Merritt neighborhood is a place rich with fun activities and interesting people.  I have to share that the majority of these group activities call for a fee if you want to participate, so one can say it's a way of making money in a recession.  At any rate, stop and talk to them this Saturday when you're down there rather than just walking by.  It may change your life.

Cap & trade or cap & tax? Lobbyists behind scare tactics?

While most Americans support a cap on carbon pollution there’s now a flood of “talking points” and sound-bites circulating about the supposed short-comings and dangers of any new plan. The real threat of cap-and-trade is that it doesn’t favor the ultra-rich energy barons and corporations such as ExxonMobil. Changing to new and cleaner energy sources changes where the money goes - more of it stays in the U.S., in smaller, newer companies; it creates jobs that we desperately need to recover from the fiasco of letting the financial giants “self-regulate.”

Meanwhile, without incentives to change, we'll continue our reckless dependence on energy coming from overseas, from countries that seem to want to dominate us. Even if you ignore environmental impacts, our national security and our leadership role in the world depend on changing to more reliable energy supplies - the system of campaign donations controlling congressional decisions has to change.

It looks like green jobs are real. Recently, two solar energy companies — Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. and Wacker Chemie AG — announced billion-dollar investment plans to build plants near Clarksville and Chattanooga.”

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN)

Follow the money:
don't let D.C. insiders off the hook!

In fact, a cap and trade system simply uses pure capitalism to reward efficient, innovative businesses while it effectively penalizes out-moded industries. Used world-wide it plays to American strengths, conveying tremendous economic advantage to industries and countries ready to innovate, and results in domestic job growth. Only somebody making lots of money off the existing rules could possibly deny the benefits of a global cap and trade system.

Many members of Congress benefit from huge campaign donations from energy companies. They’d be happy if we’d all stop paying such close attention to how energy policy intertwines with national security. They smile and want you to “trust” them. No matter if the business is banking or big oil, well-funded special interests don’t want to give up the loopholes they’ve lobbied for over the years.

Sound-bites and talking points don't insure anything but the status quo.

Obama hasn't fixed the lobbying system yet. Urge the President to push for reform of lobbying tactics. Don't let the fact that he's got high personal standards and goals to reform ethics inside the beltway blind you to what still happens in and around the Capitol building (and at the golf course...) Trusting is fine, my friends, but don't forget to verify.

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Susan Boyle v. Shaheen Jafargholi With Simon Cowell's Help

 

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Susan Boyle, who wowed the World with her performance on Britains' Got Talent over a week ago, is now the target of some news outlets who want to diminish her fame to make room for someone else.

In this case, the media outlet CNN is doing the work of advancing the name of Shaheen Jafargholi, a 12-year-old "Welsh boy" as he's described by CNN.com. I checked his performance on YouTube and this video sums up what I saw:



YouTube, MySpace, Metacafe, Blip.tv, Sclipo and Howcast


Now, unlike Susan Boyle, Simon Cowell, one of the judges on Britain's Got Talent (and who recently announced he may leave American Idol) seemed prejudiced toward Jafargholi (photo below), even to the point of ordering a change to a song that better fits his voice.

Jafargholi starts by singing "Valerie" (which has been performed by Amy Winehouse), but then Cowell stops the effort saying "You've got this really wrong," and so Jafargholi sings "Who's Loving You", written by Smokey Robinson and peformed by Michael Jackson when he was but a kid with the Jackson Five!

I have a massive problem with that action by Cowell because it creates an uneven playing field for Susan Boyle. No one helped Ms. Boyle at all - not that she needed it -- so why help someone else?

Am I the only one who has a problem with this?

I feel sorry for Susan Boyle because, look, talented Shaheen is but he's 12 and has a life ahead of him. Susan Boyle is 48, extremely talented, and just getting noticed when it should have happened 10 years ago.

I can't help but wonder if all of this was staged. It seems too perfect an arrangement and logical in it's development.

It makes sense that Cowell would be the one to engineer a great outcome (if he did) for a young teen with talent, and why Cowell would make a scoffing expression toward Boyle -- the kid is "cute" and marketable; Boyle is far outside the "box" Cowell's used to and thus threatening to the standard rules of the entertainment game.

Get over it Simon, Boyle's better.

The Terminator Toilet:Skynet is born (Only in Japan)

By Gimmeabreakman on YouTube ...

Why Is Ahmadinejad Helping Journalist Roxana Saberi?

Known more for being a regular sparring partner with the U.S., the Iranian President has made a rare intervention into an American journalist's case by declaring that she should have the legal right to defend herself

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Scientists glimpse 'end of the world' in space dust study

Scientists have found what could be a glimpse of the end of the world during research into the make-up of dying stars.

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First-Ever Nationwide Pro-Marijuana TV Ad Campaign Is Launch

First-Ever Nationwide Pro-Marijuana TV Ad Campaign Is Launched in Conjunction with ‘4/20′

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Brain Gain: The underground world of “neuroenhancing” drugs

"A young man I’ll call Alex recently graduated from Harvard. As a history major, Alex wrote about a dozen papers a semester. He also ran a student organization, for which he often worked more than 40 hours a week; when he wasn’t on the job, he had classes. Weeknights were devoted to all the schoolwork that he couldn’t finish during the day, and..."

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Professor Stephen Hawking 'very ill' in Cambridge hospital

Professor Hawking, who works at the university, is undergoing tests at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.

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IBM’s 'Racetrack' Computer Memory Could Be 100 Times Faster

Soon your computer and electronic gadgets could be much smaller, faster, cheaper, more reliable and even greener thanks to a new form of computer memory technology called racetrack.

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Van Jones: Oaklander and Obama's Green Jobs Czar on CNN's Larry King Tonight

 

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Van Jones, President Obama's new "Special Advisor For Green Jobs Enterprise and Innovation" who I have featured in our "Oakland Focus" blog and videos several times and I last talked to as he closed his account at Gold's Gym in Oakland where he was a member for years, is the guest on CNN's "Larry King" show tonight starting at 6 PM PST, 9 PM EST but CNN runs a "loop" so if you missed Van at 6 PM or 9 PM respectively, you can catch him again later in the evening and the video on CNN.com two days later. (I hope.)

Mr. Jones is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, "The Green Collar Economy" and the co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland. Over his career as activist and author, Jones has tirelessly fought for alternatives to violence and incarceration.

In her tribute to Jones, Rosemary Pritzker wrote:

Van Jones has been making waves for over 10 years as a human rights activist. In recent years he tried to point out the environment/human rights connection, but didn’t receive attention from the upper echelons with decision-making power, such as the United States government and the Clinton Global Initiative, until just a few months ago. For decades environmentalism was seen as crunchy, dirty, and based on restriction of everything from fun to taste. But lately there’s been a major shift, bringing green into the mainstream, or, as Van says, “eco-freak” became “eco-chic”.

Van, as they say, has "captured the Zeitgeist" of late, but has managed to remain the same person. Always polite and nice to everyone.

Here's a video interview I conducted with Jones last year as he was introducing his book:



Check out Van on CNN tonight. He deserves all of the good fortune he's received.

Reaction to Susan Boyle

This is from YouTuber coolness748:

Hello! We respect Susan Boyle , she is an awesome and great singer. Are these real tears here?? not quite, though watching her sing for the first time did cause watery eyes..(Remember video is in Comedy) Thank You all.