Last Place Update - June 17

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders' all-time worst record of 20-134 is safe for the 114th year in a row.

   The 21-47 Miami Marlins continue to be Kings of the Cellar, leading the 26-44 Houston Astros by four games. The 25-39 New York Mets bring up the rear at six games behind the Marlins. Miami is still the only team in MLB to have less than ten road wins. Will they go over the top this week?

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 3-3, Houston went an even more respectable 4-2, and the Mets represented the bottom by going 2-4. The Marlins are now 5-5 in their last ten games and 8-6 since May 31. The American League's newest team, the Astros,  are 4-6 in their last ten games, winners of their last four. They are also 12-8 since May 27. And then there are the Mets. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, but are 8-10 since May 26.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 38-31 Texas Rangers. The Rangers are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last six games. They are also 6-14 since May 26. Texas faces Oakland and St. Louis this week and the Rangers could find themselves here again next week. Or they could do some winning, like last week's honorable mention, the Cleveland Indians, and win themselves out of the Mention.

   Although the 1899 Spiders' record is safe, the 1962 Mets and the 2003 Detroit Tigers are still out there. The Marlins are faring better than their counterparts of the past right now. The '62 Mets were 19-49 after 68 games. The 2003 Tigers were doing even worse, at 17-51.

Other Stuff...

   The San Antonio Spurs had an impressive win against the Miami Heat last night. However, Miami will win Game 6. Game 7 and the NBA Championship will go to whoever wants it more.

   Today in 1984, the Phantom Regiment won the DCM contest in Grand Rapids, MI with a score of 81.10. This was the first year of the all build-up judging. The Cavaliers came in second (73.40), followed by Pioneer (41.20), Glassmen (32.10), Royal Grenadiers (26.00), and Saginaires (17.00).

   Today in 1972, the 27th Lancers won the Shriner's International contest in Hamilton, ONT, Canada with a score of 81.50. The Blue Stars came in second (78.50), followed by Blue Rock (77.30), Kilties (76.10), Garfield Cadets (75.50), De La Salle Oaklands (74.65), CMCC Warriors (73.70), and Toronto Optimists (68.75).


Will Miami continue to win or will there be an epic collapse? Will the defending Kings of the Cellar Champion Houston Astros overtake the Marlins? Will the Mets continue their losing ways?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 10

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The gap is closing.

   The defending Kings of the Cellar champion 22-42 Houston Astros nudged a little closer to this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 18-44 Miami Marlins. The Marlins now lead by three games. Miami is three wins away from keeping the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record of futility safe for another year. The 23-35 New York Mets bring up the rear by trailing the Marlins by seven games.

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 2-3, winning their last two games. However, in true Kings of the Cellar fashion, Houston went 2-5, losing their last four. The Mets supplanted the Milwaukee Brewers by going 4-6 in their last ten games, losing their last two. The Brewers did a little winning and went 4-3, winning their last three games.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 30-32 Cleveland Indians. Cleveland is 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last seven. They are also 4-15 since May 21. With the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals on the horizon, the Indians may end up here again next week.

  So how are the Marlins doing against some of the worst teams ever? Again, the 1899 Spders' record should be safe for another year. They were 12-50 after 62 games. The Marlins did put a little distance between their record and the 1962 Mets. The '62 Mets were 17-45 after 62 games. The 2003 Detroit Tigers were 16-46 after the same number of games.

Other Stuff...

   Miami and San Antonio are now tied at 1-1. As the Spurs did, the Heat should take at least one game in San Antonio. If Miami wins both games, the series will end when it returns to Miami.

   Today in 1962, the Mets split a double-header with the Chicago Cubs, getting one of their 40 wins that season.

   The Marlins are on pace for a 47-115 record. Their all-time worst season prior to this year (in a non-strike year) was as the Florida Marlins in 1998. They went 54-108 after winning the World Series the year before.

   Today in 1989, in a low scoring contest, Pioneer won the Drum Corps Midwest show in Three Oaks, MI. They scored a 36.00, beating the Belleville Black Knights (27.20), Coachmen (21.00), Joliet Kingsmen (17.00), and the Racine Scouts (11.30). Of this group, only Pioneer and the Racine Scouts still compete today.

Will Miami continue their winning ways and open the door for Houston to repeat? Or will the Marlins collapse and replace the 2003 Tigers or 1962 Mets with their own record of futility?

Stay tuned.  Have a great day!!!

Today in 1958 - Kansas City A's vs Washington Senators

It's been far too long since I did one of these, so let's get started.

   Today in 1958, the Kansas City Athletics invaded Griffith Stadium in our nation's capital to take on the Washington Senators. Ralph Terry of the A's would face off against Camilo Pascual of the Senators.

   It was a defensive struggle throughout. In the bottom of the first, Washington had a man on third, with two outs, but Jim Lemon hit a line drive to deep center field, which Bill Tuttle caught for the third out.

   In the bottom of the third inning, Washington again had a runner in scoring position with two outs, but Roy Sievers grounded out to end the inning. The Senators had a runner in scoring position again in the bottom of the fourth, this time with one out. However, Ken Aspromonte hit into a double play to end the inning. The game was still scoreless after four innings.

   Kansas City finally gets a runner into scoring position in the top of the eighth inning, when Vic Power hit a single and Frank House executed a sacrifice bunt. However, Pascual struck out Woodie Held and Bill Tuttle to end the inning.

   The Senators had a runner in scoring position again in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Albie Pearson hit a double to right field and Sievers hit a sacrifice fly to right field to advance Pearson to third. Then Clint Courtney grounded out to end the inning. The ninth inning went three up and three down for both sides. The game was going to extra innings tied 0-0.

   In the top of the 10th inning, the A's had men on first and second with one out, but hit into a double play to end the inning. In the bottom of the 10th, Pascual hit a triple, with one out, and Terry intentionally walked the next two batters, filling the bases. However, Sievers hit into a line drive to shortstop Joe DeMaestri.

   In the top of the 13th inning, Kansas City threatened again. Vic Power hit a single and House executed a sacrifice bunt, sending Powers to second. Held finally gets his first hit of the game, by hitting a home run. Pascual gets the next two batters out to end the inning. The A's hang on in the bottom of the 13th to defeat the Senators, 2-0.

   Both starting pitchers pitched all 13 innings. Ralph Terry got the win, striking out 7, and going to 3-5. Camilo Pascual struck out 10, but fell to 3-4. Kansas City improved to 23-19, but were still 7 games behind the AL leading New York Yankees. Washington went to 21-25, 6th in the AL. They were 11 games behind the Yankees and a half game behind the 5th place Cleveland Indians.

  Although they had a winning record at this date, the A's finished the season at a disappointing 73-81, 7th in the American League. The Senator finished the season at 61-93 and were 1958's Kings of the Cellar.

Trivia

• There were no Hall of Famers playing or managing in this game:
• This was Harry Craft's second season managing the A's. He managed the team from 1957-59. He also managed the Chicago Cubs from 1960-61 and the Houston Colt .45's (now Astros) from 1962-64.
• This was Cookie Lavagetto's second season managing the Senators. He managed the team from 1957-60. His best season as manager was in 1960, when the Senators finished at 73-81, 5th in the AL. He also managed the Minnesota Twins in two separate stints in 1961.
• This was Craft's best season as manager at 73 wins. His next best record was 66 wins with the A's in 1959 and the Colt .45's in 1963.
• Craft played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1937-42.
• Lavagetto played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934-36) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937-41, 1946-47). He missed the 1942-45 season due to his military service in World War II.
• Billy Hunter of the A's went on to manage the Texas Rangers from 1977-78.
• Jim Lemon went on to manage the Senators in 1968. His team had a record of 65-96.

Complete game stats can be found at Baseball-Reference.com on the box score page at Kansas City A's vs Washington Senators - June 5, 1958 .

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 3

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Now it gets interesting...

   The 16-41 Miami Marlins have taken a commanding lead over the defending Kings of the Cellar Champions, the 20-37 Houston Astros. The Marlins lead Houston by 4 games and the third place 21-34 Milwaukee Brewers by 6 games. However, the Marlins swept the New York Mets this weekend. Houston is also on a winning tear, by winning five straight. Milwaukee bucks this winning trend by going 3-7 in their last ten games and 4-10 since May 19.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 23-31 Kansas City Royals. The Royals are 2-8 in their last ten games and 3-14 since May 17. Kansas City has a homestand against last week's honorable mention, the Minnesota Twins and the defending champion Astros.

   After their three game win streak, Miami put some distance from the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record. The Spiders were 10-47 after 57 games. However, the Marlins are even with the 1962 Mets at 16-41 after the same number of games. And let's not forget a more recent abysmal record of futility, the 2003 Detroit Tigers. They were also 16-41 after 57 games.

Other Stuff...

   Who will win Game 7 tonight between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers? It's Miami's game to lose and they're my pick.

   At one time, this was the first week of competition in drum and bugle corps. The 2013 season kicks off on June 19.

   To stay on topic with drum and bugle corps, today in 1978, the Phantom Regiment won the Illinois Drum Corps Association show (69.95), beating the Guardsmen (60.20), Pioneer (43.95), CapitolAires (35.25), and Phantom Regiment Cadets (26.45). The Phantom Regiment and Guardsmen went on to compete at DCI Finals in Denver, CO. Today, only the Phantom Regiment and Pioneer still compete from those who competed in this show.


Is this the turning point for Houston and Miami? Can they put the 1899 Spiders, 1962 Mets, and 2003 Tigers in the rear view mirrors? Or will they have an epic collapse and break one of these records?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!.

Last Place Update - May 27

Welcome to the first Last Place Update of the 2013 MLB season. Before we get started, today is the day we remember the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and liberty. My message to them and their families is, THANK YOU!!! You are all remembered and appreciated.

   Now let's get started...

   This week's Kings of the Cellar, the 13-37 Miami Marlins, lead the defending Kings of the Cellar champion and newest American League team, the 14-36 Houston Astros, by a game. The Marlins are 2-8 in their last ten games and losers of five straight. They are also 3-15 since May 6. The Astros a faring a little better. They are 4-6 in their last ten games and losers of their last three, a sweep by the Oakland A's. Houston is 4-12 since May 9. The New York Mets bring up the rear and trail Miami by 5.5 games. The Mets are 4-6 in their last ten games and 5-13 since May 8.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 19-28 Minnesota Twins. Minnesota is 1-9 in their last ten games by getting swept by the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and going 1-3 against the Detroit Tigers. Unlike other 1-9 streaks, this collapse followed a 6-3 run from May 5-13.

   At this point, none of the teams in contention for Kings of the Cellar are a real threat to the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, but 1962 New York Mets are a different story. The 1899 Spiders were 9-41 after 50 games. The 1962 Mets were 13-37 after the same number of games. On this date last year, the defending champion Astros were 22-25 and the Chicago Cuber were in the lead with a record of 15-32.

Other Stuff

  A shout out has to go to the Los Angeles Angels. They are on an 8 game winning streak after going 1-5 from May 12-17.

   The San Antonio Spurs can sweep the Memphis Grizzlies with a win tonight. Memphis may pull an upset here, but if the Spurs win and Indiana hangs on for another game or two, this could mean trouble for the Heat if they face a rested Spurs team.

   My new ebook, The Curse, is now available in paperback from Createspace. Click the link on the title to order your copy. To add a little spice to the blurb, Dr. Walter Young said in the novel, "As you now know, it really was a matter of life and death."


Can Miami stay in the lead or will the American League's newest team come back and repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions? Will the Mets make a run and make it interesting? Are one of these teams a real threat to the 1962 Mets or even the 1899 Spiders?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

The Curse

It's finally done!!! It took three years to accomplish, but my first novel, The Curse, is published. It took several hours of brainstorming to get the blurb done. Because there is a lot to the story, when it came to the blurb, less was more. Right now, it's available for the Kindle on Amazon and in the Kindle Owners Lending Library. The paperback should be available through Createspace in the next week or so. I'm waiting for the proof now.

  I made the Facebook announcement this past weekend and got sales almost immediately. Thanks to those who downloaded my ebook.

   Here is the blurb:

Patrick Lowery is a graduating senior at Milneburg State University with a bright future ahead of him. That changed one fateful day when his life turned upside down. As Patrick’s luck worsens, he is convinced that he is cursed. Those he trusts the most seem to be hiding something from him and Patrick becomes obsessed with learning the truth no matter what the cost.

You can click the link here (The Curse) to get your copy. Hope you enjoy it.

Some NFL Draft First Round Trivia

Here we are again. Round 1 is in the books and we have the usual gamut of good picks, bad picks, and trades. A few teams didn't have a pick in this round, such as New England and Tampa Bay. Let's have some fun.

1. The Kansas City Chiefs chose OT Eric Fisher from Central Michigan. Fisher is the first ever Chippewa to be selected with the first pick. This is the second time Kansas City had the first overall pick. The Chiefs also had the first pick in the 1963 AFL Draft and they selected future Hall of Famer Buck Buchanan. 
2. The Jacksonville Jaguars chose OT Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M. Joeckel is the fifth Aggie chosen with this pick. Denver picked LB Von Miller with the second overall pick in 2011. A more infamous Aggie at #2, was in 1992, when Indianapolis picked LB Quentin Coryatt. This is the third time the Jaguars had the second pick. They chose OT Tony Boselli in 1995 and LB Kevin Hardy in 1996. Boselli was one of the best players Jacksonville ever had and Hardy had a respectable NFL career. 
3. The Miami Dolphins made a trade with Oakland to get this pick. The Dolphins selected LB Dion Jordan from Oregon. Jordan is the third Oregon player ever chosen with the third pick. The other two were QB Akili Smith by Cincinnati in 1999 and QB Joey Harrington by Detroit in 2002. Both were busts. This is the first time Miami has had the third pick. 
4. The Philadelphia Eagles chose OT Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. For the first time since 1968, three tackles were chosen with the first four picks. Johnson is the fourth Sooner taken with the fourth pick. Washington chose two, FB Leon Heath  in 1951 and OT Trent Williams in 2010, and RB Joe Washington by San Diego in 1976. Only Heath was a bust. The Eagles had the fourth pick, five other times. Every fourth pick Philly had was a good, except one. The exception was QB Davey O'Brien in 1939, who retired after his second season and joined the FBI. This is the same Davey O'Brien the best college quarterback award is named after. The last time Philadelphia had the fourth pick was in 1984, when they chose WR Kenny Jackson.
5. The Detroit Lions chose DE Ezekiel Ansah from BYU. Ansah is the second Cougar chosen with this pick. The other was QB Jim McMahon by Chicago. This is ironically the fifth time the Lions have had this pick. They have not had any luck with this pick. The first three times were busts (WB Jim Thomason 1941, FB Bob Westfall 1942, and C Joe Watson 1950), one chose to play in the AFL (QB Pete Beathard 1964), but their last #5 pick actually more than a couple of years for the team, DB Bryant Westbrook in 1997. To be fair, Thomason and Westfall fought in WWII before they played. Although Beathard never played a down for the Lions, he played from 1964-73. 
6. The Cleveland Browns chose DE Barkevious Mingo from LSU.  Mingo is the fourth LSU Tiger to be chosen with the #6 pick and LSU picks have fared well here. Two are still playing (DB LaRon Landry in 2007 by Washington and DB Morris Claiborne last year by Dallas) and one is in the Hall of Fame (QB Y.A. Tittle by Detroit in 1948). This is the third time Cleveland had the #6 pick. They first used this pick in 1956 to pick Hall of Fame RB Jim Brown from Syracuse. The other #6 was used in 2004 for TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. from Miami (FL).
7. The Arizona Cardinals chose G Jonathan Cooper from North Carolina. Cooper is the first Tarheel chosen at #7. This is the fifth time the Cardinals had the #7 pick.  Every pick was productive at some level. The last time Arizona had this pick was in 2000, when they picked RB Thomas Jones. He also had the longest playing career of the #7's, playing form 2000-11.
8. Buffalo traded down to get more picks and the St. Louis Rams chose WR Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Austin is the first Mountaineer chosen with this pick. This is also only the second time the Rams had this pick. They last had it in 1969, when the Los Angeles Rams chose RB Larry Smith from Florida. Smith played from 1969-74.
9. The New York Jets chose DB Dee Milliner from Alabama. Milliner is the fourth Crimson Tide player to be chosen with this pick. Only FB Butch Avinger, drafter #9 by Pittsburgh in 1953, was a bust. He played for one year. The last time an Alabama player was chosen with this pick was DB Antonio Langham by Cleveland. This the third time the Jets had this pick. Both of their previous #9's were tight ends who had productive NFL careers (Jerome Barkum in 1972 and Kyle Brady in 1995). 
10. The Tennessee Titans chose OG Chance Warmack from Alabama. Warmack is the first Crimson Tide player taken with this pick. This is also the Titans' first time with this pick, even as the Houston Oilers.
11. To round off the trio of Alabama players, the San Diego Chargers chose OT D.J. Fluker. As with Warmack, Fluker is the first Crimson Tide player ever taken with this pick. This is also San Diego's first time with the #11 pick.
12. From that trade with Miami, the Oakland Raiders picked DB DJ Hayden from Houston. Hayden is the first Cougar player picked 12th. To round out this trio of first timers, this is the Raiders' first time with this pick.
13. In a trade with Tampa Bay, the New York Jets chose DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. Richardson is the second Missouri Tiger chosen with this pick. Hall of Fame TE Kellen Winslow was chosen at #13 by San Diego. Richardson is the second player taken at #13 by the Jets. The last time New York had this pick, they chose DB Burgess Owens from Miami (FL). Owens played from 1973-82. 
14. The Carolina Panthers chose DT Star Lotulelei from Utah. Lotulelei is the first Ute chosen at #14. This is Carolina's second time with this pick. In 1997, they chose DE Jason Peter, who only played for a few years.
15. The New Orleans Saints selected S Kenny Vaccaro from Texas. Vaccaro is the second Longhorn choses at #15. The other was LB Derrick Johnson by Kansas City in 2005, who still plays for them. This is the Saints' first time with the 15th pick.
16. From the trade with St. Louis, the Buffalo Bills chose QB E.J. Manuel from Florida State. Manuel is the second Seminole taken with this pick. DT Travis Johnson was taken #16 by the Houston Texans in 2005. This is the fourth time Buffalo had this pick. The previous three had respectable NFL careers, most notably G Jim Ritcher (1980-95) and RB Ronnie Harmon (1986-97). The last time the Bills had this pick was in 1990, when they chose RB James E. Williams from Fresno State.
17. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected LB Jarvis Jones from Georgia. Jones is the second Bulldog chosen with this pick. Cincinnati chose LB David Pollack in 2005, who only played for a couple of seasons.This is Pittsburgh's fifth time with the #17 pick. They last picked DE Keith Gary from Oklahoma in 1981 and WR Charles Johnson from Colorado in 1994, neither one a bust. The only bust was QB/RB Billy Patterson from Baylor, chosen with this pick (in the third round) in 1939. 
18. In a trade with Dallas, the San Francisco 49ers selected S Eric Reid from LSU. Reid is the second LSU Tiger chosen with this pick. St. Louis picked WR Eddie Kennison in 1996, who played for 13 seasons in the league. This is the third time the 49ers had this pick. They chose DB Mike Holmes from Texas Southern in 1973 and DB Dana Hall from Washington in 1992. 
19. The New York Giants chose OT Justin Pugh from Syracuse. Pugh is the second Orange player chosen at #19. Indianapolis chose WR Marvin Harrison in 1996. This is New York's sixth time with this pick. The last one, DB Prince Amukamura, chosen in 2011, is still with the team. Outside of Amukamura and draft bust DB Henry Moore (1956 - Arkansas), the average career span with this group is seven seasons. 
20. The Chicago Bears selected G Kyle Long from Oregon. Kyle, the son of Hall of Fame DE Howie Long and brother of St. Louis DE Chris Long, is the first Duck chosen at #20. This is Chicago's second time at #20 in the first round. They picked DE Dave Gallagher from Michigan, who played in the league until 1979. However, they had the #20 pick five times in the second round, from 1949-63. Only two were busts, both in consecutive years and both OT's: Clyde Brock from Utah State in 1962 and Steve Barnett from Oregon in 1963.
21. The Cincinnati Bengals picked TE Tyler Eifert from Notre Dame. Eifert is the third Fighting Irish player taken with this pick. In 1997, Jacksonville chose DE Renaldo Wynn and in 2003, Cleveland picked C Jeff Faine. Both had respectable NFL careers and Faine still plays in the league and is now a teammate of Eifert with the Bengals.
22. In a trade with St. Louis, the Atlanta Falcons chose DB Desmond Trufant from Washington. Trufant is the first Huskie picked at #22. This is also the first time the Falcons had this pick.
23. The Minnesota Vikings selected DT Sharrif Floyd from Florida. He is the third Gator chosen with this pick. The Houston Oilers chose OT David W. Williams in 1989 and Oakland chose G Mo Collins in 1998. Both played for several years in the NFL. This is Minnesota's second time with #23. They last had it in 1965 and chose WR Lance Rentzel from Oklahoma, who played for nine seasons. 
24. The Indianapolis Colts, fresh of a successful first overall pick last year, chose DE Bjoern Werner from Florida State. Werner is the second Seminole selected with this pick. Pittsburgh drafted DB J.T. Thomas in 1973, who won four Super Bowls with the team. This is Indy's eighth time with the #24 pick. Their last pick, from 2003, is still playing in the league, TE Dallas Clark from Iowa. Between 1958-63, The Baltimore Colts had this pick in the second round. None of those players selected played past 1969.
25. In a trade with Seattle, the Minnesota Vikings returned to the first round and picked CB Xavier Rhodes from Florida State. Rhodes is the third Seminole player chosen at #25. Atlanta picked DB Bobby Butler in 1981 and San Francisco picked RB Dexter Carter in 1990. Both had respectable NFL careers. This is Minnesota's sixth time with this pick, the last three being on defense. They last chose DT Chris Hovan from Boston College in 2000 with this pick. All of Minnesota's #25 picks played for at least seven years.
26. The Green Bay Packers selected DE Datone Jones from UCLA. This is the first time a Bruin was picked at #26. This is Green Bay's sixth time at #26. They last chose LB Clay Matthews from USC with this pick in 2009. In fact, the last three times the Packers had this pick, they chose linebackers (Matthews, John Anderson from Michigan in 1978 and George Cumby from Oklahoma in 1980). Outside of Matthews, the average career span of Green Bay's #26 picks is eight seasons.
27. The Houston Texans chose WR DeAndre Hopkins from Clemson. Hopkins is the second player from Clemson  to be selected with this pick. Green Bay chose FB/K Fred Cone in 1951. He played for nine seasons. This is Houston's second time with this pick. They last chose LB Jason Babin from Western Michigan. Hopkins could be yet another good pick at #27 for the Texans.
28. The Denver Broncos picked DT Sylvester Williams from North Carolina. Williams is the fourth Tarheel to be chosen at #28. The last Tarheel chosen was DB Thomas Smith by Buffalo in 1993. The other two were T Brian Blados by Cincinnati in 1984 and T Glen Szafaryn by Washington in 1949. All had respectable careers. This is Denver's second time with this pick, last selecting DT Trevor Pryce from Clemson in 1997. He played from 1997-2010.
29. In a trade with New England, the Minnesota Vikings once again returned to the first round and selected WR Cordarrelle Patterson from Tennessee. Patterson is the second Volunteer to be chosen with this pick. The Chicago Cardinals chose E Al Hust in 1943. He served in WWII and played one season with the team in 1946. His career stat is one reception for nine yards. This is Minnesota's fifth time with this pick and except for two, they haven't fared very well. Their lone good pick was their first one, Hall of Fame QB Fran Tarkenton from Georgia in 1961. The other was drafted last year out of Notre Dame, FS Harrison Smith.
30. From that trade with Atlanta, the St. Louis Rams chose LB Alec Ogletree from Georgia. Ogletree is the first Georgia Bulldog ever taken with this pick.  This is St. Louis' first time with this pick in Round 1, but it's their tenth time with this pick in other rounds. They last had this pick in 1992 and the Los Angeles Rams chose DB Steve Israel. Historically, the Rams have not fared very well with this pick. Most of the players were busts and two (a 3rd rounder in 1937 and a 5th rounder in 1948) were cut before the season started. Only Israel played for more than just a few seasons, from 1992-2001.
31. In a trade with San Francisco, the Dallas Cowboys picked C Travis Frederick from Wisconsin. Frederick is Wisconsin's first ever pick at #31. This is also Dallas' first time with this pick.
32. The Baltimore Ravens finished off Round 1 by selecting S Matt Elam from Florida. Elam is the first Gator chosen with the 32nd pick. It is also Baltimore's first time with this pick. When the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, they had the 31st pick in 2001. The Houston Texans started drafting players in 2002.

There you have it. Again, the draft is one big crapshoot. Although this is not considered one of the more talent laden drafts, only time will tell. The NFL Draft is a time of hope and let's hope it produces some great players.

Have a great day!!!