Media
Orlovsky mentioned Simpson is a greater prospect than Fernando Mendoza, who went No. 1 total to the Raiders.
Essentially the most entertaining second of NFL Draft protection, a minimum of throughout Thursday evening’s first spherical, occurred on essentially the most annoying present.
Within the relentless build-up to the draft, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky was a one-man vocal minority in advocating for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. At one level in the course of the course of, Orlovsky mentioned Simpson is a greater prospect than Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who as predicted went No. 1 total to the Raiders.
Orlovsky took loads of warmth for his take, together with from ubiquitous ESPN host and sentient monster-truck Pat McAfee throughout a tense trade on the latter’s present in March.
The 2 didn’t let the disagreement linger, and in a transfer that was well-timed however most likely not authentically serendipitous, Orlovsky appeared on set as a visitor on McAfee’s draft present simply because the Rams have been on the clock at No. 13.
The Rams took Simpson, who was projected towards the again of the primary spherical or maybe early within the second. It was a shock to viewers, although contemplating “insider” Adam Schefter’s setup for the decide over on ESPN’s most important present — “The Rams have completed numerous work on numerous prospects, together with Alabama’s quarterback Ty Simpson,” he mentioned, whereas the digital camera centered on Simpson within the inexperienced room — it appeared a minimum of a couple of analysts and reporters have been in cahoots on what was coming.
The decide vindicated Orlovsky’s perception that Simpson would go sooner within the first spherical than the consensus thought. He loved the second, high-fiving McAfee and the opposite analysts on set, together with CBS’s Invoice Cowher, whereas the group chanted “Dan-O! Dan-O!”
McAfee’s present is a style that I’m by no means going to accumulate until I join myself to a everlasting IV of liquid Advil, nevertheless it was a cool scene, if maybe not completely natural.
A number of different draft ideas:
· I have a tendency to stay with ESPN’s draft protection over ABC’s faculty football-focused model or the NFL Community, largely due to previous behavior, but in addition as a result of Mel Kiper Jr.’s odd type of self-assurance stays a supply of amusement. When the Chiefs traded as much as the No. 6 within the first spherical, Kiper confidently whiffed on what they have been as much as.
“Take a look at the groups they jumped, Washington and New Orleans. What are we taking a look at there?” mentioned Kiper, that means they have been groups searching for a large receiver. “Jordan Tyson, vast receiver, Arizona State.”
The Chiefs took Louisiana State cornerback Mansoor Delane.
· ESPN host Mike Greenberg had a gaffe later within the first spherical, forgetting or being unaware that the 49ers had traded the No. 27 total decide to the Dolphins. When Miami chosen San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, Greenberg mentioned, “All proper, so the California child stays in California.”
· On the ABC broadcast, Ohio State coach Ryan Day had an amazing line when he was requested about Buckeyes security Caleb Downs, who had transferred in from Alabama.
“The very first thing that shocked me when Caleb got here to Ohio State,” deadpanned Day whereas speaking to analyst Nick Saban, “was that he was a multitude.”
Downs, who went eleventh total to the Cowboys, performed for Saban at Alabama.
· ESPN’s Louis Riddick, essentially the most reliable draft analyst in my view, in contrast Mendoza to a former Patriots quarterback — however not the one he’ll be working for in Las Vegas, Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.
“Fairly actually, I performed towards [Drew] Bledsoe,” mentioned Riddick, a former security. “He appeared similar to Fernando Mendoza.”
Marvel if Brady will ultimately attempt to take Mendoza’s job.
* * *
WEEI plans to disclose the hosts of its revamped (but once more) afternoon drive program at 9 a.m. Monday throughout “The Greg Hill Present.” There’s hypothesis that Wealthy Shertenlieb may find yourself a part of this system. Messages to Shertenlieb went unanswered Friday, and Ted Johnson — who worked with Shertenlieb up to now and is the one host to outlive Wednesday’s modifications — mentioned in a textual content he couldn’t touch upon who the brand new hosts could also be.
A number of business sources instructed me Thursday that they count on present WEEI workers Ken Laird and Chris Curtis to be a part of the afternoon present.
The afternoon present shakeup, which included the dismissal of Andy Hart and Nick “Fitzy” Stevens, occurred a day after the Nielsen Audio scores for the winter interval overlaying January 8-April 1 turned out there.
WEEI’s afternoon present — precisely titled the “WEEI Afternoon Present” — completed in 14th place with a 2.7 share. The Sports activities Hub’s “Felger & Mazz” was first as normal with a 15.3.
Total within the males 25-54 demographic, the Sports activities Hub was first with a 13.6, whereas WEEI was twelfth with a 3.0.
The Sports activities Hub’s “Toucher & Hardy” was first in mornings (18.8 share), whereas “The Greg Hill Present” took seventh (4.4).
In middays (2-6 p.m.), The Sports activities Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” considerably bizarrely tied for first with WCCM (1490 AM), a Spanish-language station in Lawrence, with an 11.7. The Sports activities Hub present had practically seven occasions the cumulative viewers, the variety of distinctive listeners over a chosen interval, than did WCCM’s noon programming, which suggests the AM station had some extraordinarily loyal listeners that occurred to have transportable folks meters used to measure listenership.
The Sports activities Hub received the evenings, with Joe Murray’s show and Bruins and Celtics broadcasts bringing in a 16.0 share. WEEI, with Christian Arcand’s present and the primary few Crimson Sox video games, was fifteenth with a 2.1.
