Thanks again to everyone who read and commented on the latest mock draft. I'll have another version up in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back often. It's been a little over a week since I lasted posted, so I figured I'd touch on a few recent events.

First, college football's signing day came and went in the middle of last week, and the big players (Ohio State, USC, LSU, Alabama, etc.) were no real surprise. I'll admit I've never been the biggest fan of recruiting. I understand it, but it is just an odd practice when you really boil it down. Coaches and their staffs spend countless hours and resources getting high school kids to choose their school over a handful of their rivals, just for three or four years of football (or basketball, etc.). But then I remember that these kids are basically just considered pieces of meat, and it then it goes back to making sense. Coaches want the best, so they can win. A pretty simple proposition. It's just a shame when I turn on the US Army All-American Bowl, and I see one of the dozens of cut-ins they sprinkle throughout the game of various kids picking one of three hats (also ridiculous, in my opinion), and the kid says, "I'm choosing [school] for the next three years." (Note: I don't remember the player or the school, but I promise, the kid really said that). He didn't even FAKE an interest in academics. I get the idea that most of these kids considering the three or four hats they are choosing from as just football teams, and not academic institutions. And again, I'm not naive. I know that's been happening for quite some time. It's just frustrating and sad all at the same time. Why wasn't I offered my choice of three of the best journalism schools in the country, seeing as how I'll be writing about players for my whole life? Why aren't team trainers offered their pick of the litter, considering they will be taking care of players for their careers? And so on and so forth. College athletes already have an absurd sense of entitlement. The shenanigans that is recruiting and signing day do NOTHING to help that. But enough about that. I think there was some news about a Yankees player too...

...oh right, there was. Alex Rodriguez reportedly tested positive for steriods in 2003. In related news, I have officially lost all hope in, and respect for, Major League Baseball. Seriously, if A-Rod "cheated," where does baseball go from here? I think this is DEVASTATING for Bud Selig and MLB. A-Rod was supposed to be the anti-Bonds/Sosa/McGwire/Clemens/Insert tainted star's name here. My brother and I have said hundreds of times, if it ever comes out that A-Rod used steriods, all hope would be lost. Well, all hope is officially lost. Baseball was dirtier than we could have ever imagined, and I have a feeling their will be plenty of other recognizable names on the reported list of 104 players. It's just amazing to me that Rodriguez actually did this (assuming he did ... which I am assuming). He is widely regarded as the best player today, and one of the best ever. Why does HE need performance enhancers? For a few more home runs? For a few more RBI? Come on, that's absurd. The guy is a machine and has carried the Yankees since arriving in New York (Quick side note: For all the Yankees fans saying A-Rod sucks and isn't clutch, etc., just stop. The guy is arguably the best player ever. And he was very clutch in the postseason until recently. He's in a bit of a slump of late, yes. But look at the postseason numbers: 1997 - .313; 2000 - .308, .409; 2004 - .421, .258; 2005 - .133; 2006 - .071; 2007 - .267. Only '05 and '06 were bad. So get off the guy's back and start blaming the injuries and terrible pitching. Those are way more at fault than A-Rod.) But I digress. This news was the last thing baseball needed right as the season is about to begin. Though, if I were a betting man, I'd expect things to get even worse before they got better. Actually, I am a betting man, which brings me to my last tidbit...

...a free sports betting website! Now, I don't normally use this blog as a means for promotion (unless it's ESPN's Streak for the Cash, which is horribly addicting). But I have recently fallen in love with a similarfree, online betting/gambling game. The website is centsports.com. It's free to sign up and basically works like this: You are given "10 cents" to start with, and with it you place a bet. Virtually everything you can think of in the sports world is up for selection, from point spreads to money line bets on major sports, to European soccer and tennis. If you win your bet, you win more money, and so on. You continue building your balance until you reach $20, at which point you can cash out and get real money. It sounds easier than it actually is (I've barely cracked $2), but it's high entertainment for no monetary risk. If you lose all your money on bets, you simply start over with another 10 cents. Many people have cashed out for a few hudred dollars, including the all-time high of $635. It's definitely worth checking out if you enjoy sports, gambling, or both.