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Mayock giving Kiper run for 'draft guru' throne

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by ATVZ400, Apr 20, 2008.

  1. ATVZ400

    ATVZ400 Senior Member

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    ve got the headset on and my fingers are flying across a computer keyboard, desperately trying to keep up with draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.'s Gatling gun delivery on a 60-reporter conference call hosted by ESPN.

    Slow down, Mel. What did he say? "I ... don't ... watch ... anything ... he ... does." OK. Got it. And then Mel added, a bit backhandedly I thought: "He works hard, like everybody does."

    That wasn't Kiper assessing the prospects of some Penn State linebacker. That was Kiper summing up his alter ego and the pretender to his throne, Mike Mayock, over at the NFL Network.

    By pure coincidence (I think), Mayock also was holding a conference call this day, and when I asked him if he has the inside track on Kiper because he works for the NFL and has access to a lot more information, it was the perfect opener for a counter-zinger.

    "I'm the son of a football coach," Mayock said. "The one thing I know about football people is they don't give things away gratuitously. But to me, I don't look at this job as a media job. I'm trying to get respect as a football guy, not as a TV guy."

    This isn't nearly Clinton vs. Obama, but there has been some testiness in the air since Kiper's unimpeded, 21-year run as television's doyen of the draft was challenged in 2005 by the league's all-football, all-the-time TV network.

    Mel is piping his staccato voice into twice as many homes (an estimated 90 million) as Mike, but the NFL Network has more expansion upside, and Mayock, as an ad hoc employee of the league, has access to scouting reports and tapes that Kiper's deepest burrowing mole can only dream about.
    link
    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspbricker20sbapr20,0,595939.column
     
  2. Vengeful Odin

    Vengeful Odin Norse Mod

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    This is all very true, but there's no denying that Mel has the best hair in all of sports.

    If I had to choose one or the other I would have to go with Mayock - I feel like Kiper has been overrated for the past few years, and as is the case with most of the ESPN crew, getting by on reputation.

    In reality, I believe the best analysis can be found on the web - right here with our own Gurus in these forums.
     
  3. inFINSible

    inFINSible Bad ministrator

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    That's what I said in the comments section. :)
     
  4. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    I agree with every word except the hair sentence lol. The best hair is this:

    [​IMG]

    :up:
     
    Vengeful Odin likes this.
  5. MS4FINS

    MS4FINS Season Ticket Holder

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    The only thing I don't like about Mayock is how he is blowing Matt Ryan up to be THE #1 guy in this draft, it's Kinda sickening.
     
  6. SCall13

    SCall13 ThePhins QB

    Frankly, I never liked Kiper anyway. Our guess is just as good as his. It's a simple formula really: Team needs, talent at those areas versus where they are picking, and then GUESSING which way the team will go with their pick. That's really all he does. I'll give him credit for knowing a lot about the prospects, but my mock drafts are usually as close as his in accuracy.
     
  7. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    I prefer Mel actually. Maybe its that hes been "the guy" so long I just kinda got used to him, but I like his voice and personality much more.

    In the end, both guys do quite well at their jobs and Id watch either one. I generally stick with Mel for most of the time, but during commercials and when I want some other insights Ill swap on over to NFL.
     
  8. emocomputerjock

    emocomputerjock Senior Member

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    We can thank Mayock's BC ties for that. I'm not quite sure why they even bother panning to him for analysis anymore. It invariably goes something like, "Good player, but not Matt Ryan good. As a matter of fact, only Tom Brady is Matt Ryan good!"

    Boring beyond belief.
     
  9. Brown42000

    Brown42000 Chillin

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    ESPN is slowly phasing Mel Kiper out in favor of Todd McShay who I do like a little better then Kiper. Not a huge fan of Mayock may be because he had Matt Ryan going first for most of the off-season.
     
  10. bran

    bran Senior Member

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    i like mayock but his cred took a hit with me so far due to his matt ryan crush, i like kiper i like his enthusiasm and his flair but i agree it looks like kiper is getting less and less espn time and right now they always have him and mcshay fighting on air

    man i just cant wait for the freakin draft this weekend
     
  11. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    They all suck. So called experts on TV no ****.
     
  12. Roman529

    Roman529 Senior Member

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    Mayock seems to emphasize the five best players at each position whereas Kiper changes his mock draft every other week. Kiper seems to blow with whatever way the wind blows.
     
  13. dgb11112

    dgb11112 Hall Of Fame

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    Buckeye Do you just post to post on here? lol:hi5:
     
  14. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    Listen the only poeple that listen to MAyock, Kiper, and Mcshay are average fans. They believe McFadden is the best player in the draft, they believe Matt Ryan is worth a top 5 pick. I like to do my own scouting on players then listen to a bunch of people that just hype players up nothing more. Honestly Kiper picked Anthony Spencer to win rookie of the year. Pattrick Willis was going to win even before he stepped in the NFL.
     
  15. MIKE

    MIKE New Member

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    I think Kiper is taming down a little bit nowdaays and McShay is a bit more direct but you can't argue Kiper knows the Draft classes like the back of his hand. Uncanny
     
  16. steveincolorado

    steveincolorado Spook, Storme & Pebbles

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    I really like Mike Mayock. He seems down to earth and doesn't let his ego get in the way of his job. I also heard around this time last year that this is going to be Don King's, I mean Mel Kiper's last year with ESPN. I get confused with Don and Mel, same hair, but one has a darker tan than the other.:up:
     
  17. steveincolorado

    steveincolorado Spook, Storme & Pebbles

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    He better stay up wind from me then:wink2:
     
  18. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Kiper continues to show McShay how his backhand is strong though. Just the other day they were discussing Baltimore's draft and McShay went on and on about picking up an olinemen etc., and that if Ogden retires how they have to take someone etc., then Kiper catches McShay off guard, telling everyone to hold up, they picked up Jared Gaither last year in the supplemental draft and may be high on him. McShay tried to improvise but just couldn't, all he said was "well that's a huge risk to just depend on that" but what is another draft pick?

    Something about Mayock just rubs me the wrong way, I don't particularly like him. Does he still have Mendenhall above McFadden?
     
  19. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    Not entirely true, my friend. I respect Kiper a lot for what he does which is keeping his ear on the ground and knowing where the cavalry comes from. He's got some of the best sources in the industry and his board is usually more of a reflection of actual NFL boards than it is a scouting effort. If Kiper's got a guy in his top 20, you can bet that several NFL teams have him there, too. That said, I can't stand him on draftday because his analysis sucks. He's a listener, not a scout.

    As for me, I like Drew Boylhart (because he actually bothers with watching tape although I don't agree with him a lot of times) and the guys who do the profiles for NFL.com and USA Today. Pretty neat stuff. Nothing beats watching games for yourself, of course. Other than the fact that you usually find yourself in disagreement with a lot of mockdrafters and NFL FOs ...
     
  20. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    I mean their actual mock drafts and their reasoning. It seems for the most part they hype up these players and fans wonder why they fall. I'm not doubting his sources I just feel its more for TV than realistic projections.
     
  21. Brown42000

    Brown42000 Chillin

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    Haven't watched much of NFLN lately so I don't know what Mayock's draft board looks like but Mendenhall above McFadden is something I absolutely agree with.
     
  22. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    All I can say I wish I had the resources like they had.
     
  23. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    When did Mendenhall show that he can carry the load? He's a one year wonder from an overachieving team. Mind you, I actually like the guy but I don't know why people would draft a running back that early who hasn't shown that he can indeed carry the load. I'm having some issues with McFadden as well with Jonathan Stewart in round 1 or Ray Rice (way underrated in my opinion) in round 2 before I pick Mendenhall that high.
     
  24. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    I actually think a later round back might have the better career. Hell I think Felix Jones is an all-purpose back and is a better RB than McFadden.
     
  25. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    I know. That's why I like the kid. But I'm always hesitant to draft a running back that high if he carried the load for just one year. If I spend a 1st round pick on a running back, I want to be sure he'll be able to carry it for at least five years. And you can't be sure about Mendenhall because there's just too little evidence to base such an evaluation on either way.



    Other than Rice giving him a fair shot, I completely agree. I'm totally at a loss as to why Rice isn't considered 1st round material. He's got everything I like in my backs.
     
  26. Brown42000

    Brown42000 Chillin

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    I think one of the main reasons he isn't considered first round material is because of his height and the pounding he took in college, those two things will scare many teams away. Look what happened with Cedric Benson he was a horse at Texas and in the NFL he has been hurt most of the time and very ineffective.
     
  27. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    That's a very good point but I'm not sure in how far it contradicts my argument. With both of those guys the question on draftday was whether or not they'd be able to carry the load. And both of them - due to injuries - weren't able to carry the load consistently so far. Injuries are a big part of that equation ... you just don't know if someone is prone to them when he only started a single college season or split the snaps with another back. I won't doubt that Caddy, Ronnie or Mendenhall have the talent to carry the load (although I'd take a healthy Ronnie Brown any day over the other two), but there's legitimate concern whether or not they have the stamina for it.
     
  28. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I love Ronnie, but so far neither has shown they can carry the load. I've written Williams off (his career might even be over) but of course I haven't written Ronnie off. He's had some fluke injuries, but he's still had them. I'm hoping he turns into Fred Taylor and just shakes the injury bug.
     
  29. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    Kiper is hard to listen to. He seems to yell rather than talk to the audience. His research is good, but not as good as it used to be. He has more to do and is more involved in the tv end of things, so he has staff flunkies doing a lot of the research, therefore, his reporting is getting less and less accurate.

    As to Mayock, while he does good work and is getting better from his start, he does get enamored with certain guys usually over the Senior Bowl practices and he seems to forget the guys actual body of work. Of course, he's seeing some of these guys live for the first time, but he puts way too much stock in what he sees with the naked eye...

    But the bottom line for me is that I dislike his TV manner...his voice is rather annoying to me...
     
  30. GRT8

    GRT8 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Kiper changes his mind on picks like the wind. Kiper is the draft "expert" that i choose to ignore. He was on an NFL show saying Miami will take Jake long, then the next night he said Matt Ryan or Chris Long. When pressed he said Chris Long. I would rather listen to Mayock. It isn't a science, but Mayock knows more about "football sense"
     
  31. GRT8

    GRT8 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Honestly, you are better off doing your own scouting. This is the worst year I can remember for Kiper. He is totally lost and confused this year
     
  32. Fin-Omenal

    Fin-Omenal Initiated

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    ..These guys are no more experts than I am a billionare ditch digger, I get SOOOO sick of this "expert" BS!! If I was wrong 70% of the time at my job I have a feeling I would be handed my papers. These guys just need to sneak around and bribe NFL personell for "inside info" get us stories and leave it at that.

    I put no more stock in Mayock's, Kiper's or whoevers mock any more than I do the fella's over at the draft forum. You want me to pay to be an ESPN insider to get these dudes opinions HA HA HA!!
     
  33. Samphin

    Samphin Κακό σκυλί ψόφο δεν έχει

    I know a lot of people like him, but Mayock bugs me. I think he comes off as holier than thou and it irritates me to no end. Maybe it is just being used to one guy for so long and how he appraoches things, but I choose Kiper of Mayock most days.

    I do, however, like Rich Eisen and Adam Schefter much moreso than anyone on ESPN's crew. SO I guess I just have to take the good with the bad.
     
  34. Fin-Omenal

    Fin-Omenal Initiated

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    Agree...although he may be right about McFadden I think he just loves being "different" by saying McFadden is not a top 15 player. Then again why not say it if your right your a genius and if your wrong....just keep your "expert" label and try again next year.
     

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