Did I Say Chris Long? I Meant Jake

As Rate astutely pointed out in a comment to my Chris Long piece, I may have jumped the gun a bit. Fortunately for Dolfans, more evidence seems to support that theory.

In Phinsider's latest nugget, the jury seems to go back to Jake Long again. Not only do they suggest that Jake Long is the pick, but that the Dolphins are finalizing contract negotiations. This would be good news if you ask me, but you can never be certain of anything in a process so dominated by smokescreens, hype, and overdramatized speculation.

Perhaps Rate has more of a read on this.

Chris Long Gaining Steam?

Our resident Dolphins expert, Rate, seems to agree with me on what the Dolphins should do with the #1 pick; we both like Jake Long.

If our preference wasn't enough, Rate's amusing story from yesterday highlights some more concerns about Chris Long. Apparently, the guy not only knows how to make an endorsement, but to shamelessly exploit it. Could he be another self-promoter son like Kellen Winslow Jr.?

Well today, Chris Long got some non-commercial endorsements from Dolphins blogs:

According to Phinsider, Jake Long is a decoy, at least in the words of Ozzie Newsome, Ravens GM. Considering Jeff Ireland's gaffe, you have to wonder if he's right.

And at Phinfever, those 'Fins experts went with Chris Long in their final Mock Draft. Sure, they've done like 55,000 of them, but the last one has to hold a little more significance.

As of right now, I think Chris Long is the pick.

I Found This Funny.

So I was going through the ESPN chats with draft prospects over the past few months, and I started reading the one with Chris Long.

And in his fourth question, Chris Long turned this into an advertisement.

Chris Long: I'm doing a media tour for *****, who is an NFL sponsor, whom I'm working with. Be sure to watch the NFL draft LIVE on your ***** phone. And read my and Matt Ryan's blogs on your ***** phone.

And then he ends his chat with this:

Chris Long: Thanks a lot for coming through and asking all these interesting questions. Be sure to check out my blog on your ***** phone as well as *****'s coverage of the NFL draft. Wahoo UVA all day long!

Isn't it funny how even the smallest ounce of celebrity status can already be selling phones? The kid is barely removed from his protection from advertisers under NCAA rules, and has yet to play an NFL down ever, yet he's already banking on endorsements. If you remember from the 2006 Draft, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Bloom, and A.J. Hawk were all in the "click-clack" commercials before the draft, too.

I also have to question Long's choices here a little as well. Sure, it shows dedication to his sponsor, but it also, at least to me, shows a little lack of class as well. ESPN brings people into these chats to talk about their experiences leading up to the draft, not to advertise phone companies. From the chats I've read, Chris is the only one who brings up an endorsement deal in his chat.

Is he really in this for the football?

Our Presence at the Miami Herald Chat

Our array of contributors got in 6 questions at the Miami Herald's Dolphins chat. We'll leave it to you to decide whether they were of appropriate caliber:

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from West Palm Beach, FL
Q: In light of Jeff Ireland's now-famous "Freudian Slip," do you think the Dolphins can spin it to their advantage? You can't create a better smokescreen than that.
Answered 04/18/08 13:01:14 by Greg Cote
A: The Dolphins won't spin it. They'll allow the media to spin it for them. But I have to tell you, it was a pretty obvious mistake.

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from West Palm Beach, FL
Q: Darren McFadden has been practically ruled out by analysts and experts nationwide, yet HE is arguably the best athlete in the draft. I know he doesn't fit their needs, but do you see any chance at all of the Dolphins turning to him at the last second?
Answered 04/18/08 13:06:25 by Greg Cote
A: No. It would be dumb given all the other needs. With Ronnie Brown healthy and the eighth or ninth life of Ricky Williams, there are far greater needs.
(Note: Armando had a different take later, so the question wasn't so dumb: Q: Armando. Money aside, who would you pick for the Dolphins as the number one pick in the upcoming draft? Why?
Answered 04/18/08 14:03:32 by Armando Salguero
A: Darren McFadden. He's the most explosive player at the top of the draft. He runs a 4.3. He dominated in the SEC. And even though there are questions about him, there are questions about all the other guys at the top of the draft also.)

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from West Palm Beach, FL
Q: Thanks for answering our questions! When you look back on the history of defensive linemen in the draft, a lot of early picks haven't turned out well. Courtney Brown comes specifically to mind. I remember Mel Kiper et. al assuring that he'd be a superstar for the Browns. When you look at guys like Orlando Pace, for instance, doesn't Jake Long seem the safer Long?
Answered 04/18/08 13:13:59 by Armando Salguero
A: Well, plenty of high-pick OL busts too (Tony Mandarich), but i agree jake Long probably is the "safest" pick.

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Q: The Rams have speculated that they're prepared for the Dolphins to actually PASS on their pick. Forgetting all the negative PR, etc. and assuming they couldn't trade the pick, wouldn't the move make sense for salary cap reasons? Why not take Chris/Jake Long/Gholston at #3 instead for less money? (This is just a hypothetical)
Answered 04/18/08 13:21:18 by Greg Cote
A: The Dolphins will not pass. I asked Jeff Ireland this specifically on Thursday and he said it would absolutely not happen.

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from Boca Raton, FLQ: We've been leading a very active campaign in Miami to try and help Save the Sonics. We were wondering what your thoughts were on the whole thing, especially as we've been through stadium-relocation nightmares with the Marlins for years?
Answered 04/18/08 13:58:09 by Greg Cote
A: A save the Sonics campaign in Miami is a great idea. Can you start a save the heat-dolphins-marlins-panthers campaign in Seattle?

Submitted by The South Florida Fa from Boca Raton, FL
Q: Thanks for the support, Cote. The only people who can really help Seattle are those from other NBA cities. I've been personally told that if you write anything in their favor, Save Our Sonics will augment you to hero status.
Answered 04/18/08 14:04:08 by Armando Salguero
A: Don't get me wrong. I feel for longtime Sonics fans in that area. But I have enough parochial concerns and interests to limit my inclination to delve into the woes of other markets.

Dolphins Draft News, Bits

We've been very Marlins-centric here at The South Florida Fan as of late. I admit ... we've neglected our most appreciated and historical team: the Dolphins. Why? Let's chalk it up to the Marlins being so damn good.

We'll be providing much more Dolphins coverage as we get closer to the NFL Draft. In addition, we've gained some prime Dolphins contributors, so be ready for lots of great Dolphins content.

The biggest news, of course, centers on how the Dolphins will "spend" the #1 pick. PhinFever put together a great assimilation of mock drafts (74 to be exact). The order?

1. Chris Long (34 times)
2. Jake Long (32 times)
3. Matt Ryan (3 times)
4. Vernon Gholston (2 times)
4. Glenn Dorsey (2 times)
6. Darren McFadden (1 time)

Suffice to say, popular opinion has it between the two Longs. Speaking of Jake Long, I recommend Phinsider's exposee on his abilities. Very informative.

Lastly, let me just throw out the possibility of Darren McFadden being the surprise pick. He's considered the best player in the draft by many, and it just might be the kind of surprise move from Parcells and company. It's not likely (they already have Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams), but I can't shake it entirely.

Dolphins Attempting a Groundbreaking Draft Strategy

The Dolphins' new draft strategy says as much about the new regime as it does about the failures of the rookie system. In no other sport do the rookies get superstar contracts, leaving many teams better off without an early draft pick at all.

As crazy as that sounds, drafting a rookie is basically like signing an expensive free agent without ever seeing him play. The only benefit is you're the only one who can sign him (which hasn't proved as much of a benefit lately).

The Rams have openly admitted that they think the Dolphins might even (gasp) pass on their first overall pick. The even crazier thing? I think they should!

But before heads start rolling, let's remember the one great luxury of being first overall. It's not that you get your pick of the litter, but that you can sign your pick of the litter. The Dolphins can negotiate contracts with the players they're considering and avoid any holdout controversies. This might be appealing enough for a player to take less money too, since he'd be choosing his destination and have the prestige of being the first overall pick.

The Dolphins are smartly testing that theory to its limits. They're currently in contract negotiations with Jake Long, Chris Long, and Vernon Gholston. They may just take the cheapest one...and that would be just fine with me. That or pass. You have to love the audacity of this new management team.