BTW, Nolan Nawrocki’s still got a job…really?

PFW's Nolan Nawrocki, 

should have been out of a job after  

foolishly ripping Cam Newton a year ago. 

After writing my post about Dallas Cowboys’ rookie cornerback morris Claiborne and how idiotic some people were in trying to paint him as ‘dumb’ because of the fact bthat he didn’t want to take the Wonderlic test, I was reminded of a similar incident that occurred before last year’s 2011 NFL Draft.

It was just over a year ago, when Pro Football weekly senior editor Nolan Nawrocki wrote one of the most hateful, biased, (racially-motivated) and idiotic draft analysis pieces that I or anyone has ever read.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made PFW  writer 

Nolan Nawrocki look like the idiot he is while destroying 

nearly every rookie NFL quarterback in league history.

Let’s go back and look at exactly what Nawrocki wrote about now, Carolina Panthers superstar signal-caller Cam Newton prior to the 2011 NFL Draft.

Newton is "Very disingenuous, has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law, does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room. Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness, is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.” – Nolan Nawrocki

Wow!

Now that I have a more objective opportunity to look back on Nawrocki’s clearly, biased – and mostly crude – comments about the now proven Newton, I only have one question concerning the entire pre-draft incident.

How the hell does Nolan Nawrocki still have a job?

It’s RG3 if you ask me!

Passing on 'RG3' as the No. 1
overall NFL Draft pick could be an
epic mistake for the Indianapolis Colts. 

Okay EyeOn Sports football lovers, I know Stanford’s Andrew Luck has been deemed the consensus overall No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft for at least the last two seasons, but for me, I’d take Baylor’s Heisman Trophy-winning Robert Griffin III, the aptly nicknamed, RG!

While I do believe that Luck is the more, NFL-ready quarterback right now – and one that should go on to have a very productive career, passing on Griffin III could be a mistake of epic proportions, particularly seeing how important it is to have a mobile quarterback in today’s high-speed, high-impact era.

Eye On Sports would take Heisman Trophy winner
Robert Griffin III with the No. 1 overall draft pick.

What makes RG3 even more attractive to me – and many NFL folks around the league – is the stunning success that Carolina Panthers phenom Cam Newton unfurled in his very first season in the league.

Not only that, but Griffin is also known as a studious kind of guy that loves learning and has a work ethic that is second to none, questions that critics tried to put on Newton prior to last year’s NFL Draft.

Like Newton, Griffin genuinely believes e should be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and made that fact very clear at last week’s Super Bowl media functions.

Call me crazy, gridiron gang, but if I were running the Indianapolis Colts, I’d take Robert Griffin III with the top overall pick in a heartbeat!

There’ll Never Be Another Joe Paterno!

Say whatever you like about late, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, but it says right here Eye On Sports collegiate gridiron fans that there will never, ever be another college football coach like Joe Paterno.

The man stood for honesty and integrity in a sport where underhanded cheating and backdoor deals with ‘unnamed boosters’ are more of the norm than abnormal. If you’re child went to Penn State to play football for Paterno, you know he got a genuine college education from one of the best schools in the country as Paterno made his players maintain a high grade level before it ever became commonplace – and now – mandatory!

In hindsight, could the beloved ‘Joe Pa’ have done more after initially finding out about Jerry Sandusky?

Undoubtedly and he even stated this fact. However, in his defense, Paterno, who is from a totally different era, never had to deal with anything remotely close to the horrific nature of Sandusky’s alleged crimes and more importantly, did, A), what he was required to do by law and B) never committed any crime himself.

Paterno built his program on the credo "Success with Honor," and those closest to him know he lived his motto as well.

Paterno won 409 games in his Hall of Fame career and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships. More than 250 of the players Paterno coached went on to the NFL.

Paterno’s family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."

"He died as he lived," the statement said. "He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."

Again, you can say whatever you like about Paterno’s handling of the Sandusky situation, but we here at Eye On Sports say Paterno was a great man that did far more good in his life than the average man – and how many people can say that?

Oh, Say Can You See? - It’s RG3!

For pretty much two years now, it’s been generally assumed that Stanford standout quarterback Andrew Luck would be taken with the No.1 overall draft pick, but not any more Eye on Sports followers.

2011 was the ‘Year of RG3’ and now, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Baylor stands poised to leapfrog Luck to become the Indianapolis Colts’ choice

as the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Griffin's father, Robert Griffin II, told the media on Saturday night that it's a matter of when, not if his so will announce his decision to go pro rather than going back to Baylor for his senior season.

"I met with my son (Friday) and his schedule is pretty much he will attend the Sugar Bowl here in New Orleans, then next weekend he will meet with five agents and select the right agent to represent him and plan a good pre-draft process," Griffin II said. "After that he will sit down with three of his coaches at Baylor on Wednesday or Thursday (Jan. 11 or 12) and make it official."

Griffin III already obtained his bachelor's degree in political science in December 2010 and is just 12 credits short of his master’s degree. Baylor beat Washington 67-56 on Thursday in the Valero Alamo Bowl to finish the season with a fine 10-3 record.

Reports say the Indianapolis Colts have spent significant time checking out Griffin on tape and in person and are very high on the athletic superstar signal-caller.

My personal feeling is that Luck is more ready to play in the NFL right now, but Griffin has the bigger upside with his far superior athleticism and equally impressive arm strength. Indianapolis should nab RG3 with the No. 1 overall pick, let Peyton Manning play out his career and then hand the keys to the franchise to Griffin in two seasons!