Scheduling errors

First, I have to sit inside all day long on what's surely the last day of nice weather we're going to have until November. Then they go and schedule Hornets-Lakers Game 6 directly opposite the NFL Draft.

I especially don't get the decision to move the draft to prime time on a Thursday. Wang does a good job of kvetching about it here so I'll just let you go read that. But when you're done can you come back here and maybe try to tell me what the NFL is thinking? I've been trying to see their side of it for over a year now and I can't even figure out how that side might be articulated.

Over the years, I've mellowed a lot as far as having a strong opinion about the Saints' draft strategy is concerned. It's gotten to where I'm okay as long as they don't pick anybody from Notre Dame or ramble too long about the "upside" of "fluid hips" and such.

But this year is different. This year the Saints may have an opportunity to draft the son of one of the great idols of our youth. Chances like this don't come around every year. Maybe in a few years the Saints will get a shot of one of the many young Hilliards running around college campuses right now or maybe some day Baylen Brees will be out there. (Not Bowen, though. Saints fans will remember he's caused enough trouble already.) But this is Ironhead Jr. we're talking about. If he's on the board and you pass him up, you just permanently suck.

Sure, the scouts are only moderately impressed

The problems with Heyward stem from what appears to be a very inconsistent motor. If he doesn't get a good jump on the snap (or if he doesn't get his hands where he wants to off the line of scrimmage), he can be thrown off and become one-dimensional. He will simply lunge forward, push and not really attack with any awareness of where he is going or reading the play. Furthermore, he does not have any finesse with regard to moves to pass-rush and he's content to bull rush his opponent all game long. He needs to work on his hips and use his athleticism to his advantage more often. Some scouts may even go so far as to say he simply doesn't have that instinct to go all-out and attack his opponents.

Oh noes! He "has to work on his hips"! But, look, don't worry about any of that. Just ask yourself how likely it is that anybody is going to Marshawn his way through a defense with a Heyward out there and you'll see some of where I'm coming from.