The biggest companies are plowing more money into sports advertising. A new report from Nielsen Co. shows nearly all blue-chip brands increases sports ad spending last year with AT&T; Mobility dethroning Anheuser-Busch as the king of sports advertisers in 2010, according to the Sports Business Journal Daily, an affiliated publication of the Dayton Business Journal. For the year, Anheuser-Busch dropped to the No. 2 spot in the ranking with an estimated $356 million spent. It is only the second time in the 17 years that Nielsen has been tracking such data that A-B has not held the...

As much as it may seem like I'm mean for thinking it, I'm glad this list has had a little bit on controversy. Many didn't agree with me leaving off Philip Rivers (not drafted by the Chargers), Jamal Williams (supplemental draft pick) or Antonio Gates (not drafted at all). Others didn't like that LaDainian Tomlinson, arguably the greatest Chargers player of all time, came in as the #3 greatest draft success of recent memory for the Bolts.

These are all valid points and things that I struggled with in making this list. However, I stick by my top 10 and am happy to finally announce to you all who is number one. But first, because this is being posted about a week later than it was supposed to be, a free shout out to Bud Light! "Bud Light, it's the only beer that my mom will drink!" (Editor's note: Any jokes about my mom in the comments will get you immediately and permanently banned)

The rules of my selections stated that players drafted in 1994 or sooner were the only ones eligible. Lucky for Rodney Harrison that I picked that year, otherwise he would not have made the cut and would not have been the #1 draft success of the San Diego Chargers.

The biggest reason Harrison is up this high is not that he was a great player, which he was, but is that the Bolts found such a great player in the middle of the 5th round. This was no A.J. Smith "best draft ever" either. The team lucked into Harrison. Here's how that draft went for San Diego:

Isaac Davis, G Arkansas
Vaughn Parker, G UCLA
Andre Coleman, WR Kansas State
Willie Clark, CB Notre Dame
Aaron Lang, TE New Mexico State
Rodney Harrison, SS Western Illinois
Darren Krein, DE Miami (FL)
Tony Vinson, RB Towson
Zane Beehn, Kentucky

Outside of Parker and Harrison, do you recognize any of those names? Me neither. I can't imagine the team was picking Rodney and saying "This guy's a future Hall of Famer who will help turn this team around when paired with Junior Seau." The only other player picked in Harrison's round with any kind of success was the Packers' selection of Dorsey Levens.

Much of Harrison's Hall of Fame resume will center on him winning two Super Bowls (and almost a third) with the New England Patriots after being released by the Chargers. In San Diego's defense, Harrison's last two seasons were disappointing (especially in terms of coverage) and they needed to get younger/cheaper quickly. Before being released, though, Harrison built a resume that easily makes him the best Safety in Chargers history.

Here's his stats from his time in blue and gold: 123 games (97 starts), 759 tackles, 21.5 sacks, 26 INTs, 21 defended passes, 8 forced fumbles, 2 touchdowns. That makes up for about two-thirds of his career totals, which makes sense considering he played 9 of his 15 seasons with the Chargers. He made the Pro Bowl twice, both times with San Diego.

When a team uses a top 5 pick on a player, their range of expectation in somewhere between "Superstar for a long time" to "average starter". When they're picking guys like Shaun Phillips in the 4th round or Rodney Harrison in the 5th, the range of realistic expectation is somewhere between "average starter" and "washout". When a team can take one of these guys and turn them into a Pro Bowler, or 7+ seasons of them being a top 3 player at their position, that's about as good a value as you're going to get from a draft pick. That's why the choice could not have been anyone but Rodney Harrison.

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

When it comes to clothing, throwing around the name Levi's is like the equivalent of throwing around the name Anheuser-Busch when you're talking about beer. Yes, it's mass produced, but there's still a hefty amount [...]

Visit Cool Material for the full post.

Anheuser-Busch InBev's CEO has said that the company will not waver from its strategy to increase beer prices in the US, despite ongoing weak consumer confidence in the country.

Alcohol and baseball have had a relationship since the game was invented. Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle were known as drinkers almost as much as they were as home run hitters. The Cardinals used to be owned by Anheuser-Busch. Milwaukee's team is named the Brewers.

...

Read Full Post

Illinois Senate OKs Self-Distribution for Craft Brewers NACS Online Proposal stems from a 2010 lawsuit filed by Anheuser-Busch Inbev after Illinois blocked its move to buy a Chicago-based beer distributor. by RSS Feed by Email SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Senate passed a bill earlier this week that allows craft ... Dave Woods: Craft Beer Week on tap in MayJoplin Globe Women brewers in BC get craftyThe Province Are you tops in beer? Enter this contest and prove itAsheville Citizen-Times Vancouver Sun -Denver Post -Small Cap Network all 17 news articles »

Discovery Green, the 12-acre public park will be the venue for the Joyful Yoga happening on the 3rd of May at 6:30 pm. The yoga session shall be headed by instructor Elizabeth Swim, at the Anheuser-Busch Stage at the Park. This session shall be free of charge and is open to individuals aged 18 years and above.

Joyful Yoga is a full workout for body, mind and soul, designed to cultivate the simple joy of being alive. Hatha yoga postures train the body for strength and flexibility, while playful laughter exercises add a cardio dimension to the workout. Instructor Elisabeth Swim shall be teaching with mindfulness and compassion to help one discover his or her own body's intelligence, and enjoy the process of learning from it! With ten years of training in Hatha and Vinyasa yoga styles, Elisabeth has first-hand experience with individualized yoga therapy, and is an experienced Laughter Yoga leader.

No pre-registration is required. For more details, visit www.discoverygreen.com

Anheuser-Busch InBev reported first quarter earnings today that more than doubled.

Michael Greeley, General Partner, Flybridge Capital Partners (formerly IDG Ventures)

Michael A. Greeley founded the IDG Ventures Boston office in September 2001 and serves as a General Partner. Michael brings over 15 years of early and later-stage investment experience to IDG Ventures. Just prior to joining IDG Ventures, he was with Polaris Venture Partners, where he focused on both early and later stage financings for emerging growth companies. Prior to Polaris, Michael served for over five years as Senior Vice President and Founding Partner of GCC Investments, a successful $200 million private equity fund.

Flybridge Capital Partners (formerly IDG Ventures)
Flybridge Capital Partners (formerly IDG Ventures) is a global network of venture capital funds with approximately $1 billion under management and a portfolio of over 100 companies built over the last 10 years. Operating in Europe, North America and Asia, we make investments on behalf of our limited partner, International Data Group (IDG), the world's largest IT media company. We have offices in Boston, London, San Francisco, Seattle, and multiple locations throughout China and Vietnam.

Some Previous Investments:
BlueTarp
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, BlueTarp is the leading provider of financial and technological services to the building industry.

BzzAgent, Inc.
BzzAgent, Inc. is a word-of-mouth marketing and media company that enables companies to organize and manage honest, real-world conversations between everyday consumers. BzzAgent�s innovative process and platform allows it to develop systemized campaigns that help accelerate and measure word-of-mouth as a marketing medium. Clients generate awareness and shape perception through BzzAgent�s community of 125,000 trained, volunteer brand evangelists or by way of their own private label word-of-mouth networks. BzzAgent has served more than 100 clients, including Anheuser-Busch, Cadbury Schweppes, Lee Jeans, Levi�s, Penguin Putnam Publishing, Ralph Lauren, and Sun Microsystems.

www.FundingPost.com - Meet Angels and VCs

Las Vegas, NV: VC and Angel ConferenceApril 28, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in AZ!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=181&refer;=rss
New York, NY: VC and Angel ConferenceMay 12, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in NY!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=185&refer;=rss
Madison, WI: VC and Angel ConferenceMay 19, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in Madison!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=187&refer;=rss
Los Angeles, CA: VC and Angel ConferenceJune 16, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in SoCal!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=186&refer;=rss
Silicon Valley, CA: VC and Angel ConferenceJune 23, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in CA!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=182&refer;=rss
Washington, DC: VC and Angel ConferenceJuly 21, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in DC!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=183&refer;=rss
Philadelphia, PA: VC and Angel ConferenceJuly 26, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in PA!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=189&refer;=answerserv
Chicago, IL: VC and Angel ConferenceAugust 25, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in Chicago!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=188&refer;=rss
New Haven, CT: VC and Angel ConferenceSept 7, 2011 Come meet and network with VCs and Angels in CT!http://www.fundingpost.com/breakfast/reg1.asp?event=190&refer;=rss
FREE Conference Call with VCs and Angel Investors! Available for immediate listening. Hear from 13 VCs and Angel Investors. You can register for the conference call MP3 here: http://www.fundingpost.com/pvc

Additional 2011 events will be announced shortly!

In the mean time, You can learn about and see photos from our previous events, as well as purchase tickets for our Venture Capital and Angel Investor events here: http://www.fundingpost.com/event

Follow us on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/fundingpost

Friend us on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/fundingpost

iPhone app listing VC and Angel Events: http://www.fundingpost.com/iphone

This is a selection based on value, so value will be focused on in great detail. Be ready for me to toss random facts at you like "Of the 35 other players drafted in the same round as Shaun Phillips, only 14 are still in the NFL."

I would also make the point of showing you which players the Chargers drafted before and after Phillips in the 4th round to try and show you what a steal he was, but all that would do is outline maybe the best draft of all time. You want to see it anyway? Well, okay.

Oh, wait. First, I forgot, I'm supposed to be giving a shout out to our sponsor Bud Light. "Bud Light, it'll get you drunk!" Now, back to the draft.

My goodness that's a good draft. Out of it they got two potential Hall of Fame players (Philip Rivers and Shawne Merriman, traded along with the Nate Kaeding pick from the NYG to SD for Eli Manning), and at least 6 other players of "starter quality" (Igor Olshansky, Kaeding, Nick Hardwick, Shaun Phillips, Michael Turner, Shane Olivea).

Think about that for a second. A.J. Smith started the day with 9 draft picks. He ended the day with 8 "starters" and 2 potential Hall of Famers. That has to be the greatest draft of all time. I can't imagine any draft ever being any better....and maybe that's why the bar has been set so high for Smith's drafts. He set it high himself with the best draft ever.

Anyway, back to Shaun Phillips. Here are the draft picks taken before and after him:

Guss Scott, DB (NWE)
Landon Johnson, LB (CIN)
Reggie Torbor, LB (NYG)
Shaun Phillips, LB (SDG)
Carlos Francis, WR (OAK)
Alex Stepanovich, C (ARI)

Exactly. Do you see how hard it is to find starters, much less Pro Bowlers, in the 4th round of the NFL Draft? Let's pretend for a second that Jared Allen wasn't taken in the same round as Phillips (about 20 picks later), and it's even more amazing.

Here's an average season for Shaun: 60 or so tackles, 8.5 sacks, an interception (maybe with a TD?), about 5 defended passes and several forced fumbles. Oh, and impeccable health. That's what he can be relied upon for. Those numbers, which are already "fringe Pro Bowler"-worthy, and 16 starts a year.

The first time I talked to Shaun, I made a point to tell him that I thought he was the best all-around 3-4 OLB in the league. I know, it's unprofessional. I made myself out to be a fanboy. It was terrible, but I still think that. Shaun is an excellent pass-rusher, maybe an even better run-stopper and quite possibly the best coverage 3-4 OLB that has even started in the NFL. He's unbelievable, and his talent (and stats) tell me he should've been a first-rounder. Here's his career stat line:

108 games (80 starts), 56.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 18 forced fumbles, 2 touchdowns, 32 passes defended and 382 tackles. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2010, although you could argue that his best seasons were 2006, 2007 and 2009. 

The reason I have him ranked higher than someone like LaDainian Tomlinson is because he's turned out to be a player at least 3 rounds better than where the Chargers got him. That's not good value, that's tremendous value.

Also, and I'm purely putting this out there to play with your imagination, Phillips' athleticism and great hands lead to him playing TE in goal-line situations during his college career (Mike Vrabel-style). He caught two touchdown passes this way. Could he maybe become an offensive threat as well? No, probably not.

Shaun Phillips is signed to a very reasonable contract to stay with the Chargers through the 2012 NFL Season.

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Reuters

Anheuser-Busch InBev trading down after earnings Bizjournals.com Beer volumes grew in all zones except North America, where volumes fell 3 percent. "In the United States, high levels of unemployment among our core consumer group continued to affect the beer industry.," AB InBev said in the earnings release. ... The Next Round Is on the King of BeersWall Street Journal AB InBev beer sales drop on Brazil rain, US jobsReuters AB InBev Volume Misses Estimates as US Consumption DropsBloomberg Virginia Gazette -STLtoday.com -Offlicence News all 102 news articles »

Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) was trading down 3 percent at $61.75 a share Wednesday morning after reporting its first-quarter earnings. The world's largest brewer doubled its profit to $964 million from $475 million. First-quarter sales increased 6 percent to $9 billion, but volume fell 0.4 percent. Beer volumes grew in all zones except North America, where volumes fell 3 percent. "In the United States, high levels of unemployment among our core consumer group continued to affect the beer...

Brewer says profits doubled from a year ago in the first three months of 2011.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) reported first quarter earnings today that more than doubled. Net income [...]

Anheuser-Busch InBev said Wednesday its first-quarter profit rose 30 percent to $1.16 billion, The Wall Street Journal reports. First-quarter sales increased 6 percent to $9 billion, but volume fell 0.4 percent. The world's largest brewer said strong pricing offset declining volumes in its main U.S. and Brazilian...

Reuters

AB InBev beer sales drop on Brazil rain, US jobs Portfolio.com REUTERS/Yves Herman By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch InBev , the world's largest brewer, suffered a first drop in beer sales for a year and half as price hikes, rain in Brazil and high US unemployment deterred drinkers. ... The Next Round Is on the King of BeersWall Street Journal AB InBev price hikes outweigh lower volumes in Q1Reuters AB InBev profit more than doubles but sales flatMetro Canada - Toronto Bloomberg -Economic Times -STLtoday.com all 97 news articles »

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, increased revenue and profit in the first quarter as price hikes more than offset lower volumes caused by U.S. unemployment and flooding in Brazil.

Higher beer prices have boosted Anheuser-Busch InBev's net sales in the first quarter of 2011, despite weak consumer demand in North America, the brewer has said today (4 May).

Craft Beer Bill Passes Senate: SB 754 Would Protect Microbrewers Huffington Post ... up to a 7500 barrel limit, and that Anheuser-Busch won't get the majority stake in City Beverage that they wanted in the first place. It's not a perfect bill by a longshot, but we consider this a "win" for the craft beer community in Illinois. Senate OKs self-distribution for craft beer brewersThe State Journal-Register State Senate Passes SB754, Illinois Craft Beer Steps Closer to SafetyChicagoist Craft brewers approved for self-distribution by Illinois SenateSTLtoday.com Wall Street Journal all 9 news articles »

The IL Senate just voted 48-1-3 to pass Senate Bill 754, which helps define a craft brewer and a brewpub as well as retaining self distribution rights for microbrewers across Illinois. The bill still has to pass the House as well as get the governor's signature, but the overwhelming support for this bill certainly indicates that it's well on its way to becoming law.

In the short term, this bill will mean that breweries like Big Muddy and Argus can continue to self distribute, that future microbrewers have the option of bringing their crafts to market themselves up to a 7500 barrel limit, and that Anheuser-Busch won't get the majority stake in City Beverage that they wanted in the first place. It's not a perfect bill by a longshot, but we consider this a "win" for the craft beer community in Illinois.

Read More...

You thought I had forgotten about these, didn't you? Just because the contest associated with these posts involved correctly predicting the first round of the NFL Draft doesn't mean I'm giving up! We're so close to the end! I'll throw the sponsor a bone here in the first paragraph and say "Drink Bud Light. It's not the most disgusting thing you could be drinking."

Anyway, onto the pick. I figured something out this offseason, and that is that I was never really angry at LaDainian Tomlinson. Rather, I was angry with his supporters. The people that were shouting at the top of their lungs about the Chargers being dumb for releasing Tomlinson. "Look at how good he is with the Jets! He never lost a step!" I don't know, his 60 yards per game average is pretty familiar looking.

In all honesty, Tomlinson might be my favorite Chargers player ever. However, and long-time readers of this blog can probably attest to this, I have been saying for years now that he needs to be splitting carries. His body, mostly his legs, have taken too much of a pounding for him to hold up during an entire season anymore. Also, he's almost totally ineffective against very physical teams. The Jets figured out the first part of that problem over the course of the second, but didn't learn the second part until their final playoff game against the Steelers in 2010.

Let's not concern ourselves with LT's departure and what he's done since. Let's go back to what he did with the Chargers.

• 3rd all-time in games played (141) with the Chargers
• 1st in rushing attempts (2,880), which is almost 3x what the 2nd place guy (Marion Butts) did.
• 1st in rushing yards (12,490)
• 1st in rushing TDs (138), 2nd place (Chuck Muncie) had 43.
• 1st in rushing yards per game (88.6)
• 7th in fumbles (27). This might be my favorite stat, because if you consider how many rushing attempts he had, the number is absurdly low. He actually fumbled on less than 1% of his carries.

Quite simple, LaDainian Tomlinson is probably the best player in the history of the San Diego Chargers. Some would argue Dan Fouts is ahead of him for playing 14 seasons in San Diego against Tomlinson's 9, but you're just splitting hairs there.

Although Tomlinson was the #5 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, he someone managed to be a steal. The four players taken ahead of him were Michael Vick, Leonard Davis, Gerard Warren and Justin Smith. Do you suppose that the teams that made those picks might want a do-over?

Any time you can get a first-ballot Hall of Famer it's going to be a great value pick (Peyton Manning, anyone?). If you can get him outside of the top three or four picks, that value increases exponentially. That's why Tomlinson cracked our top three of the best Chargers draft picks of the last 15 or so years.

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Shaky morale remains a persistent issue as U.S. employees for Anheuser-Busch InBev struggle to adapt to their new leaders’ intense focus on cost-cutting and profit margins, The Wall Street Journal reports. The Leuven, Belgium-based maker of Budweiser and Stella Artois conducts annual surveys to determine workers’ “employee engagement” and the company’s North America zone, which accounts for 46 percent of the brewer’s profits, ranked last among its six major regions in the recent...

As most acquisition-related benefits having largely run their course, investors are worried about what comes next at Anheuser-Busch InBev, The Wall Street Journal reports. When A-B InBev reports first-quarter results Wednesday, volumes will likely have grown just 1 percent year over year, estimates J.P....

Blending two large corporate cultures after an acquisition is rarely smooth. But insiders say InBev NV’s purchase of Anheuser-Busch Cos. is an especially volatile brew, even two-and-a-half years after the $52 billion deal closed.

Some consumer products companies, like Anheuser-Busch InBev, measure their environmental impact per liter of beverage or food item produced. Professional services firms often look at a per-employee, per-year number to express it. Still other businesses figure it out strictly as a percentage of revenue. If you are an IT-intense business, on the other hand, it makes sense that you would...

From Beer Business Daily, Wednesday, April 27: August Busch IV today formally departed from the board of Anheuser-Busch InBev following the election of new board members at the brewer’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Brussels. August had already announced in March that … Continue reading →

[Editor's Note: For the month of April leading up to the draft, Bud Light will be sponsoring the NFL blogs here at SB Nation.  Each day, we'll count down the top 10 Bill Belichick era Patriots "busts" and "booms" in the NFL draft, today is the final edition" -Greg

Belichick-Era Patriots Top 10 Successes #1

Name: Tom Brady

College: Michigan

Drafted: 6th Round, 199th Overall, 2000

Position: Quarterback

Years with Team: 11

Where is he now? New England Patriots Starting Quarterback

Comments: Is an explanation even necessary?  Tom Brady, found in the sixth round of the 2000 draft, is the consensus greatest player in Patriots history.  He's led the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories.  He's led the team to an undefeated regular season.  He's won two Super Bowl MVP's and two regular season MVP's.  He holds numerous individual NFL records and has helped the team reach numerous league records.  Without any doubt, Tom Brady is the greatest draft success in Bill Belichick's drafting era, the Patriots drafting history, and very likely the greatest success of all-time in the NFL Draft, considering the position he was taken at. 

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Anheuser-Busch is providing 15,092 cases of drinking water — or more than 362,000 cans — for use by families affected by the severe weather and the relief workers who are coordinating support for affected areas of Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. In Alabama, the emergency water was requested by three local Budweiser wholesalers, Birmingham Budweiser Distributing Co., Shoals Distributing Inc. and Greene Beverage Co. Inc. In Tennessee, Tarver Distributing requested the water. On Thursday night, water for these states left Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Cartersville,...

Again, we have the 2011 NFL Draft to occupy our attention, but let's round off the top ten draft 'successes' and 'busts' of the Kevin Colbert era with a quick shoutout to who I believe is deserving of the top spot -- shutdown cornerback Ike Taylor, taken in the fourth round of the 2003 Draft.

Even though Taylor has never made a Pro Bowl, been named to an All Pro team, and only has a modest 11 interception in 91 career starts, the Louisiana Lafayette product has been the team's best lockdown corner on several league-leading defenses.

Taylor has been remarkably durable for the Steelers, which is no surprise when you read about his ridiculously intense offseason workout regiments back home in Louisiana each summer. Taylor has appeared in all 96 of the team's regular season games since 2005, not starting in only seven, five of which came in '06 when he was benched by Bill Cowher for reasons that I'm still not too sure about.

Here are the Steelers final DVOA Rankings against the pass since 2005 when Taylor became a full time starter. Rather than using traditional metrics, it makes more sense to use Football Outsiders' primary metric for the simple fact that teams throw more against the Steelers because of how futile it is to try to run the ball:

2005: 5th

2006: 14th

2007: 7th

2008: 1st

2009: 14th

2010: 2nd

Hopefully Taylor has not played his last down in a Steelers uniform. It's quite possible that he has, and if so, I can't say I'd blame him for wanting to chase a huge pay day before entering the final stages of his career. As much as Steeler Nation wants him back, I don't think anybody would hold it against him were he to part ways with the Steelers after eight outstanding seasons with the black and gold.

To conldue, I wonder if the 'always rational and level-headed' Mark Madden might want to have a mulligan in this 2003 article in which he boldly proclaimed that Taylor was the worst pick in Steelers franchise history!

Taylor was a tailback at Louisiana-Lafayette in 2001, making the team as a walk-on. Taylor's draft profile on NFL.com says he did not play in 2000 because he "concentrated on academics." Before that, he was a Prop 48. Before that, he was dumb. Probably still is.

Probably not dumb enough to pick himself in the fourth round, though. This pick makes no sense. On a scale of one to 10, Ourlads Scouting Service gave Taylor a one. They projected him to be drafted when hell froze over.

But Taylor is a Steeler. I guarantee he will make the team. Taylor could lose a leg at rookie camp, have a lobotomy at minicamp and develop a heroin habit at training camp, and he would make the Steelers. When a team makes a bad draft choice, cutting him right away fairly screams the club's stupidity in all-too-short order.

Whoops.

Go Ike! Please come back in '11 and beyond to finish your career where you started it! Go Steelers!

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Successes'

No. 2: DE Brett Keisel, 7th Round, 2002

No. 3: LB LaMarr Woodley, 2nd Round, 2007

No. 4: LB Clark Haggans, 5th Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Mike Wallace, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 6: OT Willie Colon, 4th Round, 2006

No. 7: LB Larry Foote, 4th Round, 2002

No. 8: OG Chris Kemoeatu, 6th Round, 2005

No. 9: OT Marvel Smith, 2nd Round, 2000

No. 10: WR Antonio Brown,  6th Round, 2010

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Busts'

No. 2: OG Kraig Urbik, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 3: LB Alonzo Jackson, 2nd Round, 2003

No. 4: DT Kendrick Clancy, 3rd Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Willie Reid, 3rd Round, 2006

No. 6: WR Limas Sweed, 2nd Round, 2008 

No. 7: OLB Bruce Davis, 3rd Round, 2008

No. 8: OLB Thaddeus Gibson, 4th Round, 2010

No. 9:  WR Plaxico Burress, 1st Round, 2000

No. 10: OG Kendall Simmons, 1st Round, 2002

**********

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

With the 2011 NFL Draft underway, let's not spend too much more time on these final selections in the top ten draft 'successes' and 'busts' of the Kevin Colbert era. But a little over three and a half hours before the start of the second round, there's time to catch our breath with a look at the No. 1 and the top 2 successes in the past eleven years.

I went back and forth several times about who should merit inclusion at the top spot. Should it be Ike Taylor, the fourth round corner taken in 2004, or Brett Keisel, the seventh round defensive end from Brigham Young? Ultimately I am giving Taylor the nod for reasons I'll also comment on in the next post.

As for Keisel, what can you say other than the ultimate value pick of Colbert's tenure. How often do you find important contributors and locker room gold in the seventh round? Not too often. Keisel spent three seasons trying to make his mark however he could on special teams. By 2005, he began being rotated in on defense somewhat regularly. In 2006, he became a full-time starter opposite Aaron Smith, and made the most of the well-earned opportunity, recording 5.5 sacks. Somewhat remarkably, Keisel's best two seasons have arguably been in '09 and '10 when he was 31 and 32 years of age. Even though he didn't match his '06 sack totals in either campaign, he was extremely productive, particularly this past season when he took an interception 79 yards to the house for a score, defended 7 other passes, and forced two fumbles. Keisel's name finally got mentioned by the national media for his fine efforts and gnarly beard. He was elected to his first Pro Bowl.

**********

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Successes'

No. 3: LaMarr Woodley, 2nd Round, 2007

No. 4: LB Clark Haggans, 5th Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Mike Wallace, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 6: OT Willie Colon, 4th Round, 2006

No. 7: LB Larry Foote, 4th Round, 2002

No. 8: OG Chris Kemoeatu, 6th Round, 2005

No. 9: OT Marvel Smith, 2nd Round, 2000

No. 10: WR Antonio Brown,  6th Round, 2010

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Busts'

No. 2: OG Kraig Urbik, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 3: LB Alonzo Jackson, 2nd Round, 2003

No. 4: DT Kendrick Clancy, 3rd Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Willie Reid, 3rd Round, 2006

No. 6: WR Limas Sweed, 2nd Round, 2008 

No. 7: OLB Bruce Davis, 3rd Round, 2008

No. 8: OLB Thaddeus Gibson, 4th Round, 2010

No. 9:  WR Plaxico Burress, 1st Round, 2000

No. 10: OG Kendall Simmons, 1st Round, 2002

 

**********

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Our continuing series looking at the Top 10 Biggest Draft Busts Of The Jerry Jones Era rolls on with #8. The guidelines - Must have been drafted during Jerry Jones' era (1989 - present), needs to be a player chosen in the 1st or 2nd round. Anybody below that is excused for sucking. It's not a list of the worst players, but a list of the worst value to the team, based on lack of contributions and when they were drafted. Also, certain intangibles can be thrown into the mix.

8. Alexander Wright (1990, 2nd round, #26, WR, Auburn)

This pick can be summed up in two words, blinding speed. Wright had the speed, and the Cowboys were blinded by it. They spent a second round pick on a guy who started (depending on whose stats you believe) six or seven games in a little over two season with the Cowboys. By his third year, Dallas shipped him off to the one place where speed still blinds, the Oakland Raiders. Wright had one mediocre season with Oakland in '93, and that was it.

rabblerousr: With this pick, Jimmy Johnson learned that, in the NFL, unlike college, pure speed doesn't mean diddly. He was traded two years later.

-------------------------------------------------

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win
$10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

The Vikings have had a lot of great first round draft picks, and Carl Eller and Randy Moss are just a couple.  Over the team's history, guys like Adrian Peterson, Alan Page, and Chuck Foreman had or are having great careers in Minnesota, and are names that immediately come to mind when talking about all time great players of the Beloved Purple.

But when you're a first round pick, you should be good, right?  I mean, you at least have a better than average chance of being good as opposed to a guy that's drafted later in the draft, right? 

What about a guy drafted in the 9th round?  "But Ted", you say correctly," the NFL doesn't even HAVE 9 rounds in the draft, there are only seven."  You'd be correct, but that wasn't the case in 1977.

Way back then, the end of the Purple People Eaters were nigh.  Eller, Page, and Jim Marshall all were within two years of being ex-Vikings, and the reign of the Vikings atop the NFC Central was coming to a close.  They needed to get younger, and they took a flyer on a guy that was pretty much an afterthought.

Scott Studwell didn't think he was an afterthought.  And he would spend the next 14 years proving it.

First of all, there are only three names in the history of the NFL that are really by-God football player names:  Dick Butkus, Ray Nitcshke, and Scott Studwell.  All three were linebackers, and all three played for teams that were members of the old NFC Central division.  And Scott Studwell was as fierce as any player that ever roamed a football field.

His time as a player was a 'tweener' period for the organization--his rookie season was in 1977, the season after the Vikings last appeared in the Super Bowl, and his career ended in 1990, right before the string of success the Vikes had with The Sheriff, Denny Green. The 1980's, with the exception of a deep playoff run in 1987, was a pretty forgettable decade, both on and off the field. Bud Grant retired, Les Steckel was hired and fired, the franchise moved away from the frigid Bloomington prairie and lost their soul moving into the Metropimple, and the Vikings traded for Herschel Walker. If the 1970's were a decade of excellence highlighted with 4 Super Bowl trips, the 1980's were marked by mediocre football, some pretty bad teams, a bland stadium, a historically bad trade, and one magical run during a strike-shortened season that slipped through Darrin Nelson's hands. On the goal line. As time expired. AAAAUUUGGGHH! Sorry, better now.

During Studwell's career, the Vikings made the playoffs 7 times, three in his first four seasons as the Purple People Eaters aged and retired. All Studwell did was was retire as the Vikings all-time leader in combined tackles, defensive tackles, single season tackles, single game tackles, and soul crushing stares that would make opponents wet their pants. Seriously, you old guys and gals remember--he had that Mike Singletary stare down long before Mike Singletary was in the NFL. I mean Jeebus, he looked at me through the TV with that stare of his and it could give a kid nightmares. It was the most intense look I've ever seen on a human being's face.

I've been scared, I mean really no shit scared, four times in my life--three of them were in Afghanistan when I thought I might not be making it home after all, and the fourth was when I got to meet Scott Studwell in 2006 when I covered the Vikings for a now defunct website. When I looked into his eyes and shook his hand (his grip broke four bones, by the way) I thought he was going to kill me as he was smiling and saying 'nice to meet you, Ted.' He doesn't look at you, he looks THROUGH you, to this day. But Studwell and Mike Tomlin were the nicest guys I met in Mankato, though.

Most of today's Vikings fans know Studwell as the front office guy in charge of college scouting, and not as a fierce linebacker, and that's a shame. If you want to completely discount Studwell's numbers as inflated because he was a talented guy on a bad defense, then fine. I respectfully submit you're wrong and HIGHLY recommend you not let Mr. Studwell know how you feel lest he burn a hole into your soul when he looks at you. Even if Studwell had never played a down for the VIkings, you could look at his body of work in the front office and STILL consider Studwell an all time great draft pick.  Think about this for a minute--when Studwell joined the front office, they were just starting to feel the fallout of the Walker trade and how many early first round draft picks they DIDN'T have, and he made lemonade out of lemons, helping to find guys like Jake Reed (3rd round 1991) Brad Johnson (9th round 1992), and Ed McDaniel (5th in '92). All of those players became significant contributors to the success of the 1990's teams, and Studwell's efforts have increased over time, resulting in what is arguably some of the strongest drafts in club history starting in 2006.

But like his playing days, he never really gets his due credit for his contributions. He logs thousands of miles on the road looking for potential NFL players, and his department helps to largely determine who could and who couldn't be a Minnesota Viking. The superstars are easy to find, but it's the late round guys---like Studwell was--- who could become an All-Pro where a team is built, and that's where Studwell's department make their money. They've had a lot more hits than misses since he's moved to the front office, and those hits off the field mirror the savage ones he delivered on the field.

I love the Purple People Eaters, but Studwell holds a special place in my heart as a Vikings fan, because he excelled for the Vikings during a period in team history when excellence wasn't commonplace. Mr. Studwell, thanks for giving a shit and playing to the final gun when it looked like some of your teammates in the early 1980's weren't, and thanks for helping keep the roster stocked with enough talent that we can today call the Vikings a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

As we continue on through our list of the Chargers greatest (recent) draft successes, we're going to see more than a couple of guys like Shawne Merriman that should be higher on the list but flamed out too quickly.

As Kevin Acee noted in his very good (and critical) story about A.J. Smith's draft history today, Merriman is the last draft pick made by Smith that had an immediate impact on the team. So immediate, in fact, that Shawne won the award for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005 despite starting just 10 games (due to a lengthy holdout over contract negotiations).

Merriman's second season was similar, but much better, than his first. It was again shortened to just 12 games after a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing substances. However, in those 12 games Merriman was nothing short of dominating. He collected 17 sacks, collected 63 tackles, defended 8 passes, forced 1 fumble and intercepted a pass as well. If it weren't for the suspension, many thought that Shawne would've won the Defensive Player of the Year award instead of Jason Taylor.

Shawne's third season was maybe his most promising. It showed that he was able to remain consistent, collected 68 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 4 defended passes and forcing 2 fumbles. Also, he started in a career-high 15 games before being injured in a game against the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the playoffs. He was a shell of himself during the rest of the Chargers run to the AFC Championship Game.

That game against the Titans is really the moment when Merriman went from potentially being one of the most important defensive players in the history of football to a "flash in the pan". Since then the stories have been less about Merriman's on-field accomplishments and more about his off-field persona or the injuries that have kept him off of the field.

The stats say that Shawne started in 14 games in 2009, but it doesn't seem like it. He played injured most of the season, while still fighting back from the knee surgery that made him miss all of 2008. He ended the season with just 4 sacks and 36 tackles.

In 2010, Merriman started one game for the Chargers before being injured again. He was released by the Chargers and signed by the Buffalo Bills once he got healthy, where he promptly got injured in his first practice and never got on the field. In the offseason, Shawne did the right thing and signed a new deal to stay with the Bills and hopefully turn his career around for the team that took a chance on him.

For the Chargers, they got excellent value out of this pick (not to mention, Shawne was part of a package ,along with Philip Rivers and Nate Kaeding, that the team got for Eli Manning) for about three seasons before injuries derailed Merriman's career. Had he kept up with the pace of those seasons, Merriman might've been at the top of this list.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Former Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. CEO August Busch IV has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit over his girlfriend's accidental drug overdose death, Busch's lawyer said Wednesday.

A motion seeking approval of the settlement from Cape Girardeau County Circuit Judge William Syler was filed Friday.

"We believe the settlement is very fair and even generous, but in an effort to ensure Blake's future, we are hopeful the court will approve," Busch's attorney, Art Margulis, said.

Read more

Former Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. CEO August Busch IV has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit over his girlfriend's accidental drug overdose death, Busch's lawyer said Wednesday.

We've broken down the Top-10 Draft Busts of the Denver Broncos, so let's change the mood a bit. Over the next several days we will look at the Top-10 Draft 'Hits' the Broncos have had, and let me tell ya, it was a hard list to compile.  The Broncos have enjoyed their share of draft surprises over the years in all rounds.  Narrowing the list to just 10 was challenging.

Anyway, like the last list, this is purely subjective.  Many of these guys could appear anywhere on the list, and several others could have made the Top-Ten.  That's the fun part - debate about it, come up with your own list, and let's create some positive energy for the 2011 NFL Draft.

With that said, let's get the list underway!

#10 - Chris Hinton - Guard, Northwestern(1983, 1st Round, 4th Pick)

How about some fun right off the bat.  The first player on the list never played for the Broncos, never signed a contract for the Broncos.  He was, however, a huge part of Denver Broncos history.  Chris Hinton was drafted by the Broncos with the 4th pick in the 1983 draft.  He was then traded to the Baltimore Colts for the rights to the #1 pick John Elway.

The story ends there for the Broncos, but it is just the beginning for Hinton.  After landing in Baltimore - then Indianapolis - Hinton became one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the game.  Hinton was a Pro Bowler as a rookie, then proceeded to get selected for six more over his 13 years in the NFL.  After spending 7 years with the Colts, Hinton went on to the Atlanta Falcons, then to the Minnesota Vikings.

Hinton also remembers the first Monday Night game in Indianapolis - a game against John Elway and the Broncos.

"We beat them pretty bad. I'll always remember that game because it was the first Monday Night game in Indianapolis I believe. Running back Eric Dickerson could have ran for 300 yards had he stayed in the game. That was some game. I have a lot of memories of that game."

You can hardly blame Hinton for feeling pretty good about that night, or the career he had.  After he retired, Hinton became the first Colts player - after the move to Indy - to be elected into the Colts Ring of Fame.  Not often you can say two guys that were traded for each other went on to 'Ring of Fame'-type careers.

Perhaps placing Hinton on the list is more of a history lesson than true indication of his draft worth.  While the Broncos clearly made out on the trade, Hinton was a solid, Pro Bowl player.  It was worth the mention here.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Court records show former Anheuser-Busch CEO August Busch IV has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit in his girlfriend's accidental drug overdose death at his suburban St. Louis home.

Domestic sales to retailers by Chicago-based MillerCoors fell 2.6 percent for fiscal year 2011, ended March 31, with a 1.4 percent drop in the fourth quarter, the Dayton Business Journal reports. MillerCoors, a competitor of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, is jointly owned by London-based SABMiller Plc and Molson Coors Brewing...

A published report says former Anheuser-Busch CEO August Busch IV has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit over his girlfriend's accidental drug overdose death at his suburban St. Louis home.

Belgium-based brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has signed an agreement with Accenture to increase merchandising activities at the point of sale.

The countdown to the 2011 NFL Draft is officially on. We're less than a week and a half away from the first round which will take place in primetime next Thursday night. While we wait to see who is drafted by the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, let's continue our countdown of the top ten draft 'successes' and 'busts' of the Kevin Colbert era with the No. 5 'success' -- Mike Wallace.

After just two short seasons in Pittsburgh, Wallace has become a fan favorite throughout Steeler Nation. Taken in the third round of the 2009 draft, Wallace has experienced absolutely zero growing pains at all in his first two NFL seasons. Sure, the Ole Miss product has room for improvement in certain departments, but generally speaking, Wallace hit the ground running in a big way. He caught 39 passes for 756 yards and 6 TDs as a rookie in '09. His 19.4 yards per reception led all NFL receivers. Wallace followed his impressive rookie campaign up with an even better sophomore season. No. 17 caught 60 passes last year for 1,257 yards and 10 TDs. Incredibly, Wallace bested his 19.4 Y/R with a mark of 21.0 yards per catch in '10, only this time it was good for a mere second league wide.

Can somebody, anybody please explain to me how Wallace didn't make the Pro Bowl last year? Total joke, not that it much matters.

Anyway, the future seems to be quite bright for Wallace. If he replicates the solid start to his professional career, you can count on him catapulting up even higher on future lists like this. But with just two years under his belt, I'm going to keep him here at the No. 5 spot despite being quite tempted to bump him a spot or two higher. Not that it much matters. All that counts is that we all agree on this simple fact -- Kevin Colbert got it right when he drafted Mike Wallace in the third round with the 84th overall pick in the '09 draft. He's been a total joy to watch the last two years, and hopefully we'll be treated to many more breath taking connections between the speedster and his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

 

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Busts'

No. 6: Limas Sweed, 2nd Round, 2008

No. 7: Bruce Davis, 3rd Round, 2008

No. 8: Thaddeus Gibson, 4th Round, 2010

No. 9: Plaxico Burress, 1st Round, 2000

No. 10: Kendall Simmons, 1st Round, 2002

**********

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Successes'

No. 6: Willie Colon, OT, 4th Round, 2006

No. 7: LB Larry Foote, 4th Round, 2002

No. 8: OG Chris Kemoeatu, 6th Round, 2005

No. 9: OT Marvel Smith, 2nd Round, 2000

No. 10: WR Antonio Brown,  6th Round, 2010

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

We're moving on to our list of draft busts in the Jerry Jones era. We limited this list to guys drafted in the 1st and 2nd rounds only. Those are true busts; you expect the guys taken in those rounds to be solid contributors. The higher you were drafted in those rounds, the bigger the bust. If you went on to play for another team and managed some stats, we graded that as mitigating circumstances and gave you a little credit. We also threw in intangibles when appropriate. It's by no means a perfect list, but we took a shot anyway.

10. Kavika Pittman (1996, 2^nd round, #37, DE, McNeese State) 

At pick #37 in the 2nd round, Kavika Pittman was practically a first round pick. In fact, he was the Cowboys first pick in the '96 draft. Pittman spent four years in Dallas, and started for two. In his best year, he had 6 sacks and 37 tackles. Basically he was a non-factor. He did go on to play for Denver for a couple of years and had a seven sack season there, but sadly, the Cowboys wasted their pick.

------------------------------------------------

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win
$10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Our continuing series looking at the Top 10 Biggest Draft Busts Of The Jerry Jones Era rolls on with #9. The guidelines - Must have been drafted during Jerry Jones' era (1989 - present), needs to be a player chosen in the 1st or 2nd round. Anybody below that is excused for sucking. It's not a list of the worst players, but a list of the worst value to the team, based on lack of contributions and when they were drafted. Also, certain intangibles can be thrown into the mix.

9. Sherman Williams (1995, 2nd round, #46, RB, Alabama)

The Dallas Cowboys 1995 draft was a disaster. It was the "backups" draft, and even the backups weren't good. Sherman Williams was a star out of Alabama. The Cowboys were looking for help for Emmitt Smith, someone to carry a little of the load. What they got was a guy who started three games total for Dallas, that's excusable running behind Smith, but his production all around was sub-par. He was fumble-prone and his preparation was always in question. Then the drug issues surfaced.

OCC: A bust because the star running back from Alabama only started in three games and managed only 3.8 YPA in his four years in the NFL and was later convicted of supplying as much as 1,000 pounds (!!!) of marijuana to his native Mobile area

------------------------------------------------

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win
$10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Just like with the draft busts, we should probably start with some ground rules.

1. Players are only eligible from the 1994 NFL Draft or later. There are two reasons for this. First, that is when the draft shrunk from 12 rounds to 7 and became less of a crapshoot. Second, I only started watching football (and the Chargers) in 1998....and since I'm the one making the list, it's a good idea for me to be familiar with the names I'm looking at.
2. The opposite of the bust list in terms of round/value. Later round picks will be ranked higher than similar players picked in higher rounds based off of a better value.
3. We are mainly concerned with the player's contribution to the Chargers. Michael Turner, Trent Green, and players like that will be left out of this list because their main success came after leaving San Diego.

Onto number ten, and one of my favorite San Diego Chargers, CB Quentin Jammer. Jammer was drafted with the 5th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, and at 6 feet tall and 200 lbs he was viewed as a "jam corner" (coincidental!) that would be very physical with opposing WRs without sacrificing any athleticism.

In his first season, Jammer came to Chargers training camp late after a long contract-dispute. This was not rare for first-round draft picks for the Bolts at the time. Due to his being late to report, Jammer only got to start in 4 games the entire season but saw time in 14 games total. Since then, Quentin has played 8 NFL seasons while missing only 1 game.

Think about that for a second. Name another player that isn't a QB that has missed one game, and I'm not entirely certain if he missed it for injury or not, over the last 9 seasons. You probably can't. I probably can't! For a physical CB to pull it off is something special.

In 130 starts with the Chargers, Jammer has picked off opposing QBs 18 times. He's defended 121 passes, forced 6 fumbles (recovering 5 of them) and collected 601 tackles. Outside of the pedestrian interception numbers, those figures are pretty ridiculous for a top-flight CB. As has always been the case with Jammer, he's a good pair of hands away from being possibly the best CB in football.

Quentin has worked with multiple Defensive Coordinators, Safeties behind him, CBs on the other side of the field and has come away looking nothing short of a consistent shutdown CB. On top of that, Jammer is a leader in the locker room, and is widely-known as one of the nicest and most charitable guys on the team if not in the entire NFL. For proof, just check out The Jammer Family Foundation website.

Quentin will be 32 years old by time the 2011 NFL season (hopefully) rolls around. Both him and Norv Turner believe he has about three more good years at CB before he'll make the eventual move over to a Safety position. With just one year left on his contract, Chargers fans are hoping that Quentin eventually makes that switch while still in San Diego.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

[Editor's Note: For the month of April leading up to the draft, Bud Light will be sponsoring the NFL blogs here at SB Nation.  Each day, we'll count down the top 10 Bill Belichick era Patriots "busts" and "booms" in the NFL draft." -Greg

Belichick-Era Patriots Top 10 Busts #1

Name: Chad Jackson

College: Florida

Drafted: 2nd round, 36th overall, 2006

Position: Wide receiver

Years with Team: 2+

Where is he now? Free Agent (cut by Bills in 2010 preseason cut-downs)

Comments: When the Patriots moved up to select receiver Chad Jackson in the beginning of the second round, it was lauded as an extremely great move for the Patriots.  David Givens had just departed to the Tennessee Titans, Deion Branch was in the middle of contract issues, David Patten was no longer there, and Troy Brown was in the twilight of his career.  Jackson had been regarded by many as the top receiver in the draft, as he combined excellent hands and quickness with premier speed and production.  He was seen as a can't miss prospect.  This made it surprising that he was such a miss.  He suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason as a rookie but exploded onto the scene with two catches for 42 yards and a touchdown against the Jets in week two.  That would be his best game as a Patriot, as a groin injury would slow down his rookie season.  In the AFC Championship game against the Colts, Jackson suffered a torn ACL and that resulted in him being placed on the PUP list to start the 2007 season.  In 2008, with a void left by the departed Donte Stallworth, Jackson was expected to step up into a starting role.  Unfortunately, Jackson never seemed to get on the same page as Tom Brady, and was ultimately cut at the end of the preseason (after initially making the 53 man roster).  Ouch!

 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Our fearless leader Chris started off this series by rehashing some of our worst off the field memories in Vikings history that didn't include a Lake Minnetonka boat ride with what can only be considered a Cincinnati Bengals-like list of terrible, horrible, putrid, draft picks.

The only thing that was missing was stripes on the helmet and Akili Smith.  Imagine if the Vikings had selected Smith instead of Daunte Culpepper in 1999?  The first two picks in that draft would've been Akili Smith and Dimitrius Underwood...yikes.  Would've made 2005 look like a Hall of Fame class, no?

It was a nice stroll down memory lane--if you consider running for you life from Jack the Ripper 'nice'.

Well, let's put all the talk of crappy draft picks and crappy stadium deals away for now, and talk about some good stuff.  Very good stuff.  Hall of Fame/Vikings Ring of Honor stuff.

Let's talk draft picks that kicked ass, shall we?  Let's talk Carl Eller.

The thing that I love about Carl Eller as a player is...everything.  He went to the University of Minnesota, where he was a two time All American and was the cornerstone of a defense that was the last Gopher team to win the Rose Bowl and a National Championship.  A first round pick by the Vikings in 1964, he was also drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the AFL, and fortunately for Vikings fans, Eller chose Minnesota and the NFL.

All Eller did for the next 15 years as a member of the Vikings was absolutely dominate from the defensive end position.  Teaming with Jim Marshall, Alan Page, and Gary Larson (and later Doug Sutherland), Eller was one quarter of one of the greatest defensive fronts in NFL history, the Purple People Eaters.  Eller started as a rookie and lead the Vikings in tackles for loss.  Over the course of his career on the Bloomington prairie, he registered over 130 sacks.  (Sack totals are unofficial, as they weren't made an official NFL statistic until 1982).  He registered double digits in sacks 7 times in his career, and from 1975-1977 he recorded 44 sacks.  That's right, at the end of his career, he averaged 15 sacks a season.  

He only missed three games throughout his career, and played in 168 straight at one point.  He was also named All-Pro 6 times, recovered over 20 fumbles, and had an uncanny ability to block a kick, recording 10 of those in his career, and if I had to guess, I bet 7 of them were from the 1975-76 seasons.  Those teams always...always blocked a field goal or punt, and it seemed it was Eller that did it.

Eller was a key player in the golden era of Vikings football that saw them dominate the NFC Central for a decade and helped the Vikings make 4 of the first 11 Super Bowls.

The University of Minnesota has honored Eller by naming the team's defensive player of the year award after him, he was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2002, and in 2004 he was FINALLY elected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

After his career ended, Eller took up acting for awhile.  Probably his best known part, and one where he really had to stretch, was also his best.  He appeared in the 1974 movie Busting, where his character was...and I'm not kidding...named a 'tall black man'.

I love the Purple People Eaters era of the Vikings, because those are the teams I grew up watching, and one of my favorite players from that team was, and still is, Carl Eller.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Sometimes, whether it comes to choosing a beer or making a selection in the NFL Draft, the obvious choice is the right choice. Fortunately, not everybody sees the obvious choice right away.

In the 1998 NFL Draft, the obvious choice fell right into the laps of the Minnesota Vikings. . .and they were smart enough to jump on it.

To say that Randy Moss was a bit troubled during his high school days would be a small understatement. He had signed a letter of intent to play for Notre Dame, but when he got into a fight at his school after someone directed a racial comment towards him, Notre Dame denied his enrollment application, and he moved on to Florida State University. However, the NCAA considered him to be a transfer student, and so he had to sit out his freshman year with the Seminoles.  After that, while on probation after serving a 30-day sentence in jail, Moss tested positive for marijuana, which resulted in his being dismissed from Florida State as well.

Moss eventually wound up in his home state of West Virginia, attending (then) I-AA Marshall University. In his freshman year of 1996, he tied Jerry Rice's NCAA record for touchdown receptions in a season with 28 and set the record for most receiving yards for a freshman in a season with 1,709. The Thundering Herd went undefeated and won the I-AA Championship before moving to I-A. In 1997, Moss' numbers were amazing once again, as he caught 96 passes for 1,820 yards and 26 more touchdowns. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1997 as well.

Moss left Marshall after that season and, not surprisingly, was projected to be a high first-round pick. But the rumors of his character concerns continued to swirl, and Moss began to plummet down the draft board. The three players that finished ahead of Moss in the Heisman race. . .Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf, and Charles Woodson. . .went in the first four picks. Moss was sure that he would be selected by his home town team, the Dallas Cowboys, but they opted for linebacker Greg Ellis instead. More players were selected, and the draft got to the Tennessee Oilers, who were in need of a wide receiver, and they got one.

The one they got was Utah wide receiver Kevin Dyson. . .and Moss continued to fall.

The Green Bay Packers traded up to the 19th pick in the draft, two spots ahead of Minnesota at 21. . .but they passed on Moss in favor of North Carolina's Vonnie Holliday. The Detroit Lions were next in line. . .and they decided that Tennessee defensive back Terry Fair was their guy. So the clock rolled to the Minnesota Vikings at the 21st pick.

Now, Minnesota didn't need a wide receiver by any stretch. After all, in 1997, receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed had just become the first wide receiver duo to post dual 1,000-yard seasons in four consecutive years, and the Vikings were coming off of a season where their offense was in the top half of the league, including being fifth in touchdown passes with 26. But for all the flak that Denny Green caught. . .deservedly. . .for his relative inability to judge defensive talent, that guy certainly knew offensive talent when he saw it, and wasted no time in making Moss his selection.

To say that Moss was a steal. . .much like saying his youth was troubled. . .would be an immense understatement. In his rookie season, Moss caught 69 passes for 1,313 yards and an NFL-leading 17 touchdowns. His presence made Reed expendable, as Reed finished fourth on the team in receiving yards (behind Moss, Carter, and tight end Andrew Glover). He was one of the centerpieces of an offense that set the NFL record for most points scored in a season with 556.

In his seven years as a Viking. . .one of the most popular players in team history, despite his off-field transgressions. . .he caught 574 passes for 9,142 yards and and 89 touchdowns. Those Viking numbers probably would have been much higher had it not been for Vikings' owner Red McCombs. After an off-season disagreement between the two, McCombs. . .as one final middle finger to the fan base that supported his team throughout his entire ownership tenure but didn't give him the new stadium he longed for. . .shipped him to the Oakland Raiders for a couple of picks in the 2005 NFL Draft.

With that, the era of one of the biggest steals in the history of the Minnesota Vikings, and in the entire history of the NFL Draft, came to an end. Sometimes the obvious choice is the right one, and the selection of Randy Moss with the 21st pick of the 1998 NFL Draft proved just that.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME!
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight!

Before Arian Foster's incredible 2010 season, the Texans' single-season leader for rushing yards was Steve Slaton.  In addition to his 2008 total of 1,282 rushing yards, Slaton was dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield, where he chipped in another 377 yards.  For those of us with calculators, , that's a nifty 1,682 total yards, which was the second highest total in team history.  Not such a bad return for a 3rd Rounder, #89th overall.  Here's quite the harbinger of a scouting report on Slaton.

Goodness gracious, was this man an explosive, exciting player.  The run against the Colts, especially, gives me chills.

Alas, Slaton decided to put on weight before the 2009 season, and a neck injury prematurely ended his season.  From all appearances, he worked hard to come back in 2010, but the neck surgery had taken a toll, and Slaton simply couldn't regain his burst from 2008.

Since this is my list--no matter how much some of you people hate it!--I'll add that I thought Slaton was a damn fine running back.  I am sad to see how he's regressed, but it's also part of the game.  Slaton's acceleration was legendary, as his ability to go from 0-60 was awe inspiring.  The injury, and the unnecessary weight gain, clearly had a deleterious effect on him.  The Steve Slaton I'll remember is the one from the links above, not the one who was trying, quite unsuccessfully, to return kicks in 2010.

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

[Editor's Note: For the month of April leading up to the draft, Bud Light will be sponsoring the NFL blogs here at SB Nation.  Each day, we'll count down the top 10 Bill Belichick era Patriots "busts" and "booms" in the NFL draft." -Greg

Belichick-Era Patriots Top 10 Busts #2

Name: Bethel Johnson

College: Texas A&M

Drafted: 2nd round, 45th overall, 2003

Position: Wide receiver / kick returner

Years with Team: 3

Where is he now? Out of Football

Comments: Bethel Johnson was one of the biggest disappointments in Bill Belichick's drafting history with the Patriots.  In his rookie season, Johnson showed tremendous potential as both a kick returner and deep threat.  His kick returns against the Colts in the "Longest Yard" game and his two big catches against the Titans (one a deep touchdown, the other a tremendous run after the catch on a screen for a big first down) in the playoffs sticking out in particular.  In 2004, while he had some long catches and another kick return touchdown, he never developed into the every down receiver the Patriots thought he would. In 2005, he regressed as a kick returner and failed to make any major contributions on offense, part of which may have been due to poor conditioning and general attitude problems.  He was shipped to the New Orleans Saints in the offseason, ending a career plagued by unfulfilled promise. 

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Silver Eagle Distributors LP is debuting four new seasonal craft brews to the San Antonio market this summer. The Anheuser-Busch and craft beer distributor will sell Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest, Saint Arnold’s Summer Pils, Magic Hat’s Wacko and Pyramid Breweries’ Curve Ball Blonde Ale wholesale at select on- and off-premise retail accounts. Silver Eagle employees will sell the beers from April to the end of July. Houston-based Silver Eagle is the nation’s largest Anheuser-Busch distributor and one of the largest Grupo Modelo distributors in the...