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Stampede Blue Mock Draft Challenge

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It's amazing how the coverage of the NFL draft has expanded almost exponentially over the past several years.  We used to be stuck with one "uniquely haired" draft analyst.  Now you can go to any number of dedicated draft websites and read full bios of potential draftees along with mock drafts.  I've done some straw polling, and the number of people creating their own Mock Drafts in the last year alone has risen over 72%.

Since several of you already have been working on mock drafts, I thought it would be fun to have a challenge to see who's mock draft faired the best.  We'll actually have two contests.  The first will consist of the Colts draft only.  The second challenge will be to create a 2 round full NFL Mock Draft.

Get your pencils out, and start working on your selections.  You have until Friday, April 25th at midnight to EMAIL your Mock Drafts to me.  Feel free to enter one or both.  Only one entry per person.  All disputes will be resolved by the Stampede Blue admin.  Feel free to offer any ideas or suggestions for improvements such as expanding the number of rounds, expanding the points system, etc.

Feel free to post your mock drafts, but I must receive them in my email to be official.

Please let me know if something wasn't clear, or if you have any questions.

Good Luck!

Just wanted to let everyone know where the Stampede Blue Bracket challenge stands heading into the Final Four this weekend.  I, as always, have done terrible but I'll hold out hope that Kansas can pull it off.

I'll just list the bracket names.  Some of them are obvious as to who they belong to, and some I don't even know.

Now that we're almost done with the NCAA brackets, it's time to get those Mock Drafts polished up.  More details to come...

We all don't like these Patriots

As our good friend the21eraser pointed out below, the NCAA Basketball Tournament is upon us.  I have found myself in a unique position on the eve of 2 of the best days in sports (Divisional Playoff Weekend is the other 2 days).  My alma mater, Notre Dame, is set to take on my soon-to-be graduate school alma mater, George Mason.  Yes, THE George Mason. That team everyone fell in love with 2 years ago when found their way to the Final Four in Indianapolis.  I enjoy the school, and the program I am in is top notch.  However, they have one problem, and we all should take notice:

They are nicknamed:  The Patriots.

It is our duty as Colts fans to root against them.  Can you really see yourself saying: "I'm rooting for the Patriots.  The Patriots are the feel-good story in Sports."  I need a shower after saying that.  

College teams shouldn't be the only "Patriots" we root against (Baptist Bible College, we are coming after you too).  I did a search of Indiana High School Nicknames, and there are 9 schools in our great state of Indiana that share a nickname with that team in the Northeast.  What a travesty.  These schools really should consider changing their nicknames to something that is synomynous with good moral character, doing things the right way, and, of course, winning without the aid of video cameras and HGH.  

We shouldn't like these Patriots either.

All of these schools should change their nickname to...The Colts! Not one high school in Indiana has the nickname "Colts."  I have found 9 candidates for this honor.  Please step forward, and get yourself a new, better, nickname.

Anyway, back to Thursday night.  You should all practice your "Let's Go Irish!" chants before the game.  The big guy from Schererville, it's pronounced HAIR-ann-GO-dee.  CW over at Rakes of Mallow has some good preview material, so you can start your hating of the Patriots sooner than 9:50 EDT Thursday night.  

By the way, I'll be looking at everyone's bracket, and seeing who the "Patriot" fans are here. There is still time to change your bracket. Trevor Laws will be very disappointed in you if you don't.

Don't be a "Patriot" fan (but do consider going to school there.  It's quite good.)  Go Irish!

That's right.  It's the 2008 Stampede Blue NCAA Bracket Challenge.  We may be a NFL Football/Colts blog, but there is no denying that almost every sports fan in America will fill out a bracket.  We might as well see who has the wits when it comes to NCAA Men's Basketball, and who couldn't match up with Peggy in Accounts Payable.

All you need is a free Yahoo.com account to participate.  All normal Yahoo.com Fantasy Sports rules and scoring applies.  It's pretty simple; you pick the most games and score the most points, you'll win.

All you need to do is CLICK HERE to join in the challenge.  Please identify your Stampede Blue user name somewhere so we can congratulate, or make fun of you.

Winners get bragging rights.  Hey, we're cheap!

You know let me start this off by saying that I think that Matt Schaub could be a good QB and that while David Carr has talent he clearly had overstayed his welcome in Houston. I mean, last season was as bad as I had ever seen him play. So on that point I agree with the Texans fans and disagree a bit with my friend, BigBlueShoe.

That being said, I am going to have to defend my fellow blogger BigBlueShoe because the things the Texans said about him and our beloved Colts were just numbingly stupid. I felt dumber after reading the Texans fans talking about how they are "on the up" and we Colts are "on the down." Let me just clarrify that having an unproven QB, an aging injury prone RB, and an over-rated WR does not make you "on the up." All that makes you is the 4-12 Texans that you always have been, and until you do otherwise I would suggest you show the Colts some respect. In fact, I think we have won more games in the last two years then you have won in your entire franchise.

And that brings me to my other point that the Colts completely own the Texans and always will as long as Manning commands the field. So in the meantime, talk smack as soon as you win at least 9 games in a season. In fact, if you guys sweep us within the next two years I will eat my keyboard with Tartar sauce!

Mmmmm, tartar sauce.

So I would suggest you stay with all of your "great" Houston memories such as Warren Moon choking in the playoffs at Buffalo, the "glory days" of Webster Slaughter and Haywood Jeffries, memories of all your bad draft picks and finally those "special" memories of David Carr getting destroyed by Mr. Freeney (again and again and again and again).

Oh and its not a "division rivalry" until you can actually "rival" us in some way. Peace! ;)