Welcome to the big show, Mr. DeCastro!
Loving the Steelers pick. We need O-linemen, and this guy looks like a quintessential Steeler. Putting aside the fact that I am all about linemen, and all my favorite players have been linemen, I like smart players on the o-line (and the o-line usually is the smartest group of guys on any team, scoring the highest on the wonderlic, which makes sense, because offensive line is the hardest position in the sport mentally to master), so having a big, old-school Stanford grad is awesome. Dumb people don’t graduate from Stanford. It will be interesting to see what we do with Gilbert. Like to see a tackle as our next pick, then maybe a DT since my man Casey (I have his jersey, an autographed ball, autographed photo, and he has been my favorite player for years, so much so that mom gives me Christmas presents signed “Casey” every Christmas) is aging and Hoke retired.
The shock for me tonight was Bruce Irvin going at #15. I’ve watched him for two years, and I thought he was a good player with a lot of heart, but one-dimensional, lacking size, and probably a 3-4th round pick at best.
We’re just a few months away from the NFL, and if we can live through that long dark baseball season, all is good.
Jade Jordan
OK John, no crying in your beer if he turns out to be a big old lazy bust. We will remind you of how much you LOVED the pick.
On Sundays this Fall if he is lying on his back gazing at the sky after every play we’ll have to tell him he fell victim to the Cole Stillers Curse.
Villago Delenda Est
God will get you for that, Cole.
Ash Can
Why do you hate summer?
Aqualad08
Man, you are so lucky he fell that far…
dr. bloor
Can’t believe DeCastro fell that far. Once again, Stillers capitalize on the stupidity of the GMs that put them in the top half of the draft in the first place.
David Koch
Elway was dumber than a stump.
General Stuck
You will need to take a shower after reading this. Maybe several showers to wash away the stink of depravity.
the Conster
The alt text should say “are you gonna eat that?”
General Stuck
Looks like Master Blaster
chrome agnomen
three draft posts? all y’all are pathetic.
Waynski
Me want food.
handy
Yeah well the Cubs are off to another epic start, so I can relate.
honus
@dr. bloor: and after the Browns wasted a first round pick on a 28 year old QB. Uncle Cosmo should be in soon to start his Steelers/Steroids/cheap shot whining.
Joe Bauers
“… this guy looks like a quintessential Steeler”
I don’t know about that. He doesn’t look dirty to me.
John Cole
@dr. bloor: Did you notice how it took the Steelers all of about seven seconds to announce their pick?
They were probably all- wtf? Is he really still available?
Villago Delenda Est
@handy:
The sarcasm is dripping off my monitor onto my desk.
General Stuck
@Waynski:
I know I’m a terrible person for the belly laugh this gave me.
Villago Delenda Est
@John Cole:
Yeah, there was an air of “holy shit, everyone picking above us fucked up!”
Villago Delenda Est
Totally and completely OT, but Atrios’ site has, daily, all this week, a Sherrif Joe Pac ad (“Support Sheriff Joe’s efforts to take our county” — I swear I am not making this up) so why hasn’t BJ gotten on the Sheriff Joe gravy train?
Steve
Lions picked right before the Steelers and took an OT from Iowa… like DeCastro, another guy projected to go much higher. Lots of debate among Lions fans about whether we took the right guy, although the team has drafted very smartly in the post-Millen era. DeCastro is definitely a talent though!
Hill Dweller
@General Stuck: If Stahl conducted a competent interview, I suspect this CIA guy will look stupid.
As an aside, KSM had a reputation for running his mouth. Former FBI agent Ali Soufan said KSM was more than willing to sing before the water boarding.
MikeJ
@Villago Delenda Est: Maybe he bought on a different ad network.
David Koch
Is the photo of DeCastro distorted or is he really mongaliod?
karen marie
Ugh, can I never be rid of football?
Linnaeus
Eh, right now we’ve got baseball and playoff hockey. Can’t get much better than that.
General Stuck
@Hill Dweller:
I forget which one, but didn’t the FBI get one of these guys to talk with a batch of home baked cookies, or something like that? Or maybe I just dreamed it.
arguingwithsignposts
@Villago Delenda Est: I think I saw a Sheriff Joe ad a while ago here.
Arm The Homeless
Linemen are like wine … you need to let them age. Preferably on the tab of someone else.
I like Tannehill. I think he is a better deal than Griffin, who will learn to suck, living in that sweltering pustule on the landscape of the NFL.
> PERFECT SEASON ’72!>
+3orsomething
Narcissus
@General Stuck: “bust a deal, face the wheel”
Spaghetti Lee
I hope the Bears know what they’re doing by taking Shea McClellin ahead of Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus, and, yes, David DeCastro (Yeah, if there’s one thing Jay Cutler wants, it’s to take another 50 sacks next year). The Bears brain trust has been…less than stellar, when it comes to the draft.
DeCastro falling into your lap proves to me that either God or Satan exists, and they’re Steelers fans.
maven
And John- when he has beat his head to a pulp you can take him home with you and your fat cat and think how adorable they are and post pictures for us.
Wake up; John.
this isn’t cute.
Mike
The Steelers prove once again to be the luckiest team in the NFL. I’ve always felt that the lower first round draft picks are the better deal for teams. The teams avoid all the high profile busts and get to pick up some real gems that lesser teams pass over due to need.
I don’t think the Browns pick is bad. Had the guy been even 5 years younger, he’d be considered a top-5 pick. That’s a good deal. Yes, he may have a shorter career, but if he’s really top 5 talent, then who cares. The Browns will be happy with 5 good years out of a guy instead of 10 if it actually means 5 good years! They haven’t had 5 good years out of a guy since Bernie Kosar, and even he only had a total of 5 good years. I think Browns fans would kill for 5 good years, like ol’ Bernie, who is still worshiped as a hero.
Svensker
Yup. My son came over and we watched the draft together and I haz a happy. Of course, the hubster went upstairs and watched Antiques Roadshow while the two of us chatted about football and picks. I can get him to watch a Jets game with us, but that’s about it. Some people don’t unnerstan the good stuff.
Steve
@Spaghetti Lee: My good friend Ndamukong told me he loved the Bears’ pick. He’s very happy with the OL they have right now.
Tim F.
Praise jeebus and hallelujiah. Another year with our current line and Ben and Sid will share a room at the group home by the time they’re forty.
maven
No wonder Obama reads Sullivan………
Jager
Mrs J looked at DeCastro’s picture and said “He should be in Game of Thrones!”
Other than that, I like what the Pat’s have done.
Egg Berry
@Svensker:
Isn’t that against a Geneva Convention or something?
Hal
This guy looks like a caveman thawed from a block of ice.
Arm The Homeless
@Mike: Besides the football cards, I remember Kosar as that guy who was in on the trick play against the Jets.
I can only hope that the rest of the AFC East gets an especially bad form of VD. But we have come this far, with Jake Long a couple more seasons smarter, perhaps Tannehill will grow into a franchise-guy. I am sure the new owner is betting on it.
EDIT: now that I think about it, DeCastro really should be wearing a suit of spiked armor, whirling a battle-axe around. Or in Iowa.
Mike
@Arm The Homeless:
And I thought Browns fans were bitter about The Drive and the Fumble. Jets fans seem to NEVER get over that double overtime loss in the 1986 playoffs. I just find that hard to believe. New York’s a city with tons of championships. That they would still hold a grudge over this playoff game is hard to understand.
That was a great game, though. That was vintage Kosar. If Weeden is half as good, the Browns will be in great shape. Anyways, if Marc Gastineau was less of a head hunting asshole, you would have won that game.
J.W. Hamner
Yeah, I have to admit the Steelers and Pats did very well tonight, which is not comforting to this Ravens’ fan… though I think they should still be able to get a good player after trading back to 35. At this point I guess I’m hoping for Upshaw to still be there to go opposite Suggs.
trollhattan
After the Seahawks traded down to 15th the Seattle Times live chat was all aflutter with “Get DeCastro” likely in part because he’s a Bellevue boy, then they announce Irvin and…”Who?” I assume the new bargaining agreement means paying him first-round salary plus signing bonus and, perhaps, a defense attorney on retainer.
Schneider mostly seems to know what he’s doing but this is a Gumbylike stretch.
Later: evidently Pete Carroll recruited him for USC, so he wanted a do-over, I guess.
goblue72
Quite happy with the Pats 1st two picks – fast, strong defensive linemen have been sorely needed. Here’s hoping Pats also focus on picking up a cornerback or safety. Or both.
Arm The Homeless
@Mike: There are many teams in the NFL I watch in hopes that they lose. The Jets are actually far down that list because no matter how silly their song is, it doesn’t quite beat THIS!
Apparently it’s been updated ala T Pain. OMGITSOOOOOBAD
S. cerevisiae
The Vikes got two starters out of the first round, the best OT and 2nd best safety. Pretty good day plus they have plenty of late picks to use to move back into the second and snag one of the many good WR left on the board. Spielman is doing great so far.
MoeLarryAndJesus
Will they have to change his name to DeCastrate if he ever goes out clubbing with Rapistberger?
JWL
A surprising number of Stanford draft picks went on to notable careers in the NFL. No doubt their IQ’s have a lot to do with that.
Bnut
@maven: Wait, is this an anti-football rant, a “how can John let his cat get so fat” rant? Two for one?
Yutsano
@Bnut: I’m going with twofer. Although His Tunchness shall mete horrific vengeance with his mighty paw of doom forthwith.
ET
Just based on that picture he already looks like a Steeler.
Eric
On Weeden, I think the Browns will be OK with him. It pains this Sooner fan to say it about a an OSU QB, but he’s pretty good. He even outdueled Luck in the Fiesta Bowl with no help from a rushing game.
Plus, Weeden can hunt ducks or something with a football if the team gets hungry.
Uncle Cosmo
@honus: Who, me? ;) I don’t knock drafts–you generally have to wait a few years to get a good read on them. (Though I gotta wonder WTF Holmgren & Co. think they’re doing up in Burn On Big River country.)
Looks to me like the real winners so far are STL. Jeff Fisher is gonna have a lot of fun over the next few years.
As for the Stealers, DeCastro looks like quality–many Poe’s Crows fans are pissed he fell to yinz & would have been happy to have him in purple–but we’ll see. If any team is capable of turning a rookie OLman’s training camp into Famous Matadors School it’s your crew.
Meanwhile Ozzie’s worked his usual draft-day prestidigitation to put the Purple&Black in position to grab serious talent today. Our guys are primed to be just as big a PITA to the Tar&Urine this year as last.
@Villago Delenda Est: God already afflicted him, VDE, in the form of the Parts (which is how “Pirates” sounds in West Virginian). Meanwhile the Orioles are tied for 1st in the toughest division in beisbol (& we in steamed-crab country will enjoy that for as long as it lasts).
Kane
I learned long ago to never criticize the Steelers for their draft picks. Their track record of success speaks for itself.
drew42
I was happy when the Giants let Brandon Jacobs go — that guy is a complete ass.
And they’re replacing him with this awesomeness:
youtube.com/watch?v=hLUHG2mWhEQ
Schlemizel
Cole – Are you sure he GRADUATED from Stanford? Lots of NFL players lived on various college campuses for a period of time, not so many necessarily actually matriculated. Smart is useful but it helps in the NFL if you are not too bright.
burnspbesq
@drew42:
Bad pick by the G-men. They should have taken Fleener.