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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2014
PAGE 9
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
Auburn defensive and Dee Ford when asked about South Carolina's jadeven Clowney at the combine.
FACT OF THE DAY
The combine was first shown on television in 2004.
— NFL Network
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: Who ran the fastest 40-yard dash in combine history?
A: The Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson at 4.24 seconds.
ESPN
THE MORNING BREW
NFL combine highlights demonstrate unnecessary reporting
Have you ever felt the urge to watch grown men run 40 yards in a straight line and then stop? What about seeing them scramble around three miniature traffic cones repeatedly? If you answered "yes" to either question, NFL Network's current coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine may be for you.
Combine may be for you. For the rest of us, the five-day media circus that is the combine is completely unnecessary, even borderline nauseating. It's proven shaky in its evaluation of talent, and it's simply monotonous and boring.
Still, not one to be outdone, ESPN has its hand in the cookie jar on this as well. In fact, it felt necessary to send five of its analysts to Indianapolis this week to cover all things combine. Good thing, too.
Georgia Southern's Jerick McKinnon recorded a leap of 40.5 inches on the vertical jump, you say? Thanks for the update, Adam Schefter. Fresno State's Isaiah Burse finished the 20-yard shuttle in 3.94 seconds? I was just wondering about that. Kudos, Chris Mortensen.
Mortensen. Yes, it's a painfully dull watch, but surprisingly the television metrics tell
a different story: 7.25 million viewers tuned in for the 2013 combine — an 11 percent increase from 2012's 6.51 million. Do the numbers reflect genuine interest or simply America's insatiable appetite for anything NFL? I'm inclined to go with the latter.
to go for the game.
Only 20 days have passed since Super Bowl XLVIII. If you're like me, that 20 days has felt more like 20 weeks. The NFL offseason can be a frightening time for fans and the combine offers us a temporary escape.
Don't take the bait. Not only is the event excruciatingly tedious, but the results often don't translate to success on the football field.
Just ask the Oakland Raiders about former receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey's draft stock skyrocketed following the 2009 combine in which
he recorded a 4.3 second 40- yard dash, the sixth fastest in NFL history at the time. Oakland found the speed-ster impressive enough to select him with its seventh overall pick in that year's draft.
Howd that work out?
Heyward-Bey has routinely placed among the league leaders in drops since entering the the NFL, and has yet to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving in a single
'At the other end of the spectrum, there's guys like Houston Texans' running back Arian Foster. Foster recorded less-than-impressive numbers at the '09 combine, slipping out of the draft entirely. He'd eventually sign with Houston as an undrafted free agent. Since then, he's worked his way into a starting role, rushed for over 1,000 yards in three nonconsecutive seasons and has arguably been one of the top
season. A free agent in March,
three backs in the league.
season. A free agent in March, he's rated as the 30th best wideout available by Yahoo! Sports, behind the likes of Marc Mariani and Austin Collie. Yikes.
in the league.
Simply put,
it's an imperfect science and
its importance
is seriously overvalued. If an NFL
front office wishes
to know more
about a potential draft pick, just watch
his hundreds of hours
of game tape. There's simply no need for the
play particularly on
combine, particularly on our televi-sion sets.
So, play a game of Twister against yourself. Take up knitting. Do something, anything, besides dedicating your valuable hours to watching such insignificant, stodgy television. Don't be suckered in by the seemingly endless depression that is the NFL offseason. September will be here sooner than you think.
Edited by Austin Fisher
Tuesday No events
This week in athletics
Wednesday
Women's basketball
Kansas State
7 p.m.
Lawrence
Swimming and diving
Big 12 Championships
10 a.m.
Austin, Texas
Thursday
Swimming and diving
Big 12 Championships
10 a.m.
Austin, Texas
Friday
Swimming and diving
Big 12 Championships
10 a.m.
Austin, Texas
Track and field Big 12 Indoor Championships All Day Ames, Iowa
Baseball
North Dakota
3 p.m.
Lawrence
Tennis
Wichita State
3 p.m.
Lawrence
Saturday
Swimming and diving Big 12 Championships 10 a.m. Austin, Texas
Softball
Murray State University
4 p.m.
Carbondale, III.
Softball
Western Illinois University
6 p.m.
Carbondale, Ill.
Women's basketball
Iowa State
7 p.m.
Lawrence
Men's basketball
Oklahoma State
8 p.m.
Stillwater, Okla.
Track and field Big 12 Indoor Championships All Day Ames, Iowa
Baseball
Houston Baptist
2 p.m.
Lawrence
Sunday
Baseball
Houston Baptist
Noon
Lawrence
Swimming and diving
Last Chance Meet
10 a.m.
Austin, Texas
Softball
Southern Illinois
University
3 p.m.
Carbondale, Ill.
Softball Miami University 1 p.m. Carbondale, Ill.
Monday
No events
785-864-4358
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Naismith Hall, a private student residence hall serving the University of KS, is accepting applications for Summer Resident Advisors: Apply in person at 1800 Naismith Drive, Lawrence, KS
Naismith Hall, a private student residence hall serving the University of KS, is accepting applications for Resident Director and Summer Resident Director; Apply in person at 1800 Naismith Drive, Lawrence, ks
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