Boxing Challenge

The Boxing Challenge with R.L.Malpica continues with four fights from PBC,who for some reason has pulled another two shows on two networks to compete with each other deal.
I didn't understand why they did it two weeks ago and not sure why they are doing it now....

Showtime has the more significant bouts with two super middleweight title fights with IBF champ James DeGale defending against "Porky" Medina,who while a decent fighter, is another one of those IBF top contenders by default that truly isn't one followed by WBC champ Badou Jack defends against former champion Lucien Bute in what is a better bout.
Bute,who just lost a decision to DeGale in a good scrap,might be making his last stand as a top level fighters,while Jack being the main face of Mayweather productions needs a win to increase his exposure.
The winners are supposed to fight in the fall to unify the two belts....

On Fox,PBC has a rematch years later of a great action fight that was the only time Victor Ortiz ever
made a positive memory in a win vs Andre Berto.
Berto,who has always lost when not matched safely and Ortiz,who has shown a disturbing lack of heart except for the Berto win,should make a fun bout to watch.
It had better because if it isn't,it's pretty much a waste of time.
The other bout is another bout of two touted,but disappointing boxers as Edwin Rodriguez faces off with Thomas Williams.
I have a feeling that the winner will be fed to WBC light heavyweight champ Adonis Stevenson,who is always looking for competition on the PBC side...

WBC Super Middleweight title.12 rds
Badou Jack vs Lucien Bute
Both:Jack Unanimous Decision

IBF Super Middleweight title.12 rds
James DeGale vs Porky Medina
R.L: DeGale KO 6
TRS:DeGale Unanimous Decision

Welterweights.12 rds
R.L.:Berto KO 9
TRS: Berto Split Decision

Lt.Heavyweights.12 rds
Edwin Rodriguez vs Thomas Williams
R.L;Rodriguez Unanimous Decision
TRS:Rodriguez KO 8

Browns in the third-Take three...

The Cleveland Browns used three third rounders and made one trade to add an extra fourth rounder tomorrow on the final day of the draft...

The Browns took another pass rusher in Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib with their first pick in the round.
Nassib only started one season for Penn State,but finished with 15 and a half sacks to set a new record in sacks there.
Nassib can rush the passer,but can also be a run stuffer as well.
Nassib is suited to the 3-4 more than a 4-3,which is a refreshing change for the Browns to pick players that fits their scheme and is the type of guy that may never make a pro bowl,but could be part of your defensive line rotation for ten years.
There were players on the board that I liked better,but I cannot argue with the pick especially if the plan is for Emmanuel Ogbah to be a standup rush off the end linebacker....


Cleveland had two picks back to back at 76 and 77,but would use only one with 76 used on Auburn tackle Shon Coleman,which along with their pick yesterday of Corey Coleman,makes me wonder if they bought stock in Coleman camping equipment or might pick Gary Coleman in the seventh.
Seriously,Coleman will be an older (25 ) rookie,but the left tackle at Auburn will be the early favorite to replace Mitchell Schwartz on the right side of the offensive line.
The 6'5 Coleman is agile enough to play left tackle,but is a better fit on the right side.
At over 300 pounds,Coleman has long arms and is solid in both pass protection and as a run blocker.
Coleman has beaten leukemia after 30 months of chemotherapy and looks to be an excellent pick at this point.
Coleman has an excellent chance of starting the season at right tackle and I liked this selection...


Cleveland traded down as they traded the 77th pick in round 3 along with their fifth round pick (141) to Carolina for three picks-Carolina's 3rd (93),4th ( 129) and 5th (168).
Cleveland now has four picks in the fourth round...

The most controversial pick came next as the Browns used the third rounder from Carolina to take a quarterback,but it was not either of the two passers that had been connected to the Browns via a local tag.
Many thought the Browns might like Michigan State's Connor Cook or Ohio State's Cardale Jones,but instead tabbed USC's Cody Kessler.
Kessler is a tough guy and a very accurate passer which Hue Jackson seems to like,but doesn't seem to have the type of talent (as in not a very strong arm) that makes him a viable quarterback to lead a team as a starter.
What I do think that Kessler has is the type of attitude and character to be an excellent backup and this could be the Browns getting the guy into the locker room as a backup and see then what happens.
Kessler reminds me of a player that gets overdrafted and might be overwhelmed if forced into a starting role.
Cleveland may have their eye on a top quarterback in next years draft and could have picked Kessler to be the mentor of sorts to that QB.
I think this was a bit of a reach on the Browns and they could have likely added Kessler on day three of the draft.

Back tomorrow night with the final days of the Browns draft...

Browns tab Emmanuel Ogbah in round two

The Cleveland Browns decided to pass on various offers for their pick to start off day two in the NFL Draft and added a disruptive pass rusher in Oklahoma State's Emmanuel Ogbah.

The Big 12 defensive player of the year (funny,I didn't know that they played defense there) finished with 12 and a half sacks last season and shows the type of speed that few defensive end have.
Ogbah is a player that you would hope would bring some pass rush to Cleveland,but the Browns have attempted to draft pass rushers for years with little success.
Another flag raised is that Ogbah appears to be a prototype 4-3 end that the Browns appear to be attempting to turn into a standup 3-4 outside linebacker.
This is not a move that's impossible to make,but some players are just not suited for the role and I'm more likely to approve a player that has made that move in college,not a transition for the pros.

However,you have a player with tremendous tools with high college production and no off the field issues,so Emmanuel Ogbah looks like a very solid pick to me.
Ogbah was one of several players that would have made sense for the Browns,so I'm fine with it,just a little concerned about the plans to shove a player into a system that might not best suit his skills.
Here is hoping that Ray Horton uses Ogbah to his best and not use him to cover tight ends! Ha Ha!

Back later with the third round choices...

Browns trade down again,select Corey Coleman in Round One

The Cleveland Browns weren't finished trading down in the first round of the NFL Draft, but eventually settled in at 15th overall and selected Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman.
Before I comment on Coleman, let us discuss the trade with the Tennessee Titans that brought more picks to the Browns.

Cleveland traded their first-rounder (8) and a sixth-round pick to the Titans for their first-rounder (15), third-rounder (76), and the Titans second-round pick in the 2017 draft.

The lovely Cherie commented, "I know these are good picks, but don't you get tired of waiting until next year-every year?"
She's right of course, but the Browns now have 2 picks in each of the first two rounds of next year's draft and put themselves in a position to control that draft.

However, don't forget about this one where the Browns hold the first pick in the second round and possess three third-rounders (65,76, and 77) to play with to fill holes or even trade up into the second round if a special player is worth making a move for.

After the trade to the 15th slot, Cleveland did take a badly needed receiver in Baylor's Corey Coleman.
Coleman was not my top-rated receiver (My top was Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell), but TCU's Josh Doctson was considered very close to the top of my WR list.
Coleman is looked at as the top deep threat in the draft as his speed is superior to Treadwell and Doctson, although, at 5'11, he isn't as tall as that pair and might not as be as large of a red zone target either.
Coleman is more of a game-breaker and lord knows that the Browns need as many of those as they can get, but there will be a bit of a learning curve as Coleman accumulated huge receiving numbers playing in the Baylor spread offense, which is much different than the pro-style offense that NFL teams use.

What I really like about Coleman was his 20-touchdown season with the Bears which saw him win the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football.
Coleman caught 74 passes for over 1,300 yards for an average of 18.4 yards per reception, but keep in mind that teams that play in the Big 12 often have inflated offensive numbers due to the spread offense and poor defenses in that league.
The Browns (other than Josh Gordon in his one year of Comet Kohoutek-like play) haven't had a big play deep threat since the one solid year that Braylon Edwards had in 2007 and Coleman brings the capability of being able to do so.

Overall, I'm fine with Coleman.
Treadwell, Coleman, and Doctson all seem to be rated roughly the same by different observers with different orders of the three with most rating Treadwell as more NFL-ready and Coleman with more of the "upside" that we all talk about.
Corey Coleman will hopefully be the first step in revitalizing an offense that gives Dreary its name.....

I plan on a post on the Browns' second-rounder tomorrow night and then a follow-up on the third-round selections.

Podcast:Part two of our NFL Draft preview

We talk prospects,Browns and the AFC North in part two of our draft preview...

Podcast:Special Guest Daniel Parlegreco

Our one hour podcast with special guest Daniel Parlegreco on the NFL Draft and prospects...

Much to do.

Much to do today in the TRS empire!

I have to do the routine Tuesday things (lunch with the lovely Cherie Yay!,shopping meh),but also have to squeeze in voting in the primary, a trip to Harrisburg for the Hartford Yard Goats and prep work for what I hope will be a productive podcast.

I'm planning our biggest event ever for the NFL Draft-Two previews with one on the Browns and the AFC North and the other with a hoped for guest to discuss the players available.
This has the potential to be awesome or a bust,depending on how things actually go,but I am quite excited!

This week is crazy with the return to work on Wednesday,the draft,the Salem Red Sox in Frederick and Rome Braves at the Muni-both team loaded with prospects and the day to day issues that we all deal with.
It is a good kind of crazy though!

Hoping that the prep work gives the football fans that listen to the show a worthwhile listen and I'll be posting here tomorrow...