Well, Roger Goodell, you got it half right anyway in your new NFL draft revisions.  Cutting down the first pick time to 10 minutes was long overdue, but starting at three is kind of silly.  Want to know why?

When you start the draft at 11am CDT, and then added the new rules of 10 minutes for the first pick and the first and second rounds only on Saturday, the draft will wrap up around, say 6pm or so.  That gives people time to watch something else during the evening like basketball or (shock) hockey.  But starting at 2pm CDT is going to make you go until ten and that is not going to help avoid conflicts.  And while you may be the almighty NFL, I still can read all the picks on-line.

This will also present an issue for radio stations that cover the draft that might have other sports on.  So, starting at 2pm is going to cause them to either not do live coverage or just do the first round or do inserts in whatever game they are running.  Not a smart move.

So, nice call on the fifteen minute rule.  You should have taken the extra five minutes and thought about the start time.



Lightning Round

• For the fourth time in their history (Philly, Kansas City, Oakland) the Athletics will be moving.  My question is if they move to Fremont, will Oakland let them use Oakland in their name or will they become either the California Athletics or the Fremont Athletics?   Questions, we have questions.
• In what may go down as the top Captain Obvious moment of all time, Big East Commish Mike Tranghese called Louisville and told them that game officials blew the call during the UConn-Louisville game where a fair catch was signaled for and then unsignaled for and run back for a touchdown.  It's been that kind of year for the Cardinals. 
• Rob Neyer of ESPN brings you the World Series All-Stars.
• Rudy Guiliani disses most people from New York City just to court a few votes.
• Your crew in blue for the World Series.  Phil Cuzzi will be watching on TV like the rest of us.  Maybe he'll learn something.
• San Diego isn't the only place that fire is raging.  It looks like there is a fairly good one brewing in Tuscaloosa.  Given the fact that Alabama has repeat offender status, this could get ugly before it goes away.  Last time they were in hot water (over Albert Means) they did all kinds of internal investigations, only to get the hammer dropped on them in the end.  They better not take this lightly.  And one other thing they should do: It seems like this program has had some serious NCAA things going down on Mal Moore's watch.  It might be time to ask Mal to turn in his keys.
• If you are wondering how Tim Wakefield's knuckleball will dance in the light air of Colorado, you are going to have to keep wondering.
• Our friends at EDSBS weigh in on the new NCAA no basketball swearing rule. 
• The Chicago Blackhawks may, for the first time ever, put their home games on local TV.  So in order, new President Rocky Wirtz has fired Bob Pulford and will put the home games on TV.  If he isn't Chicago Sports Executive of the year, no one is.
• Do we actually have expectations so high in soccer that we have to fire a coach?  It's soccer for crying out loud.