It is amazing what the NFL Draft has become and what it has evolved into over time. For those who remember many years ago, the National Football League draft was more of a gathering of decision-makers with very few evaluating the very many and in many ways, hoping the decisions they make are correct. Now it is an investment that demands a performance dividend and if the dividend does not max out consistently on the football field, people lose jobs and revenue is lost. And these are well paying jobs and high revenue amounts. It is true that finding football players is 50 per cent science and 50 per cent art bordering on pure luck. Maybe that is why it is so entertaining because there really is no common denominator for draft success. Even the best in the business have missed big time on players and groups of players among the various years of evaluating. Some people in football are better than others but if you follow it close enough, not by much. No one really dominates in finding talent year after year. For Seattle in recent years, Richard Sherman as a fifth round pick and Russell Wilson as a third round pick made the team special. But last year was completely different with fifth round pick and Canadian Luke Willson as well as Michael Bowie in the seventh round really being major contributors. It was a great move to trade #1 for Percy Harvin but you cant say last years draft was as good as previous drafts. So what is everyone looking for? With all the scouts in all blocks of the country, the coaches who should always have an influence and the managers who have extreme job security if they draft well and no security if they dont, that is a great question. I think there are tangibles and intangibles. The tangible is how the player plays based on film analysis and competition. Truth is, to make good football decisions, all you need is enough good video and a good one-on-one interview. Everything else from the combine and individual workouts is icing on the cake. But sometimes that icing is so good it clouds decisions that could have been made without the "extra look", without pads and looking at movement more than actual on-field football ability. Many people in football become seduced by the visual in-person vs. the true reality of what happens on the field. The tangible "stuff" is easy to assess. It is the intangibles when the art takes over the science and sometimes is merely common sense. I think there are two words that make the difference in all drafting in football: maturity and passion. Maturity is really hard to recognize. Some players in the interview process pass with extreme confidence but when they make money and have to be completely self-motivated are anything but. In other situations, a player may have a criminal record or been involved in "stupid college stuff", then when they achieve wealth and independence, they change for the good. They grow up when you had to wonder if they would ever grow up. Some people are born with maturity on and off the field. Others create it at a certain moment for certain reasons and others yet never find it and it takes a possible great career and changes it to an experience. Having maturity is critical in every way and is difficult to assess correctly. The second intangible is passion. How much does the particular player actually like, even love, football? Now you would think all players love, or at least like, football. Not so. There is so much money in the sport now that playing for money is an easy motivation. By the time you reach your second contract, you could be set for life. Lets say you are 26 years-old, house and car paid off, money in the bank, happily married, success on the field with maybe even a Super Bowl or two. Why play any more football when you know what it does to your body and in some cases your mind? Only after the money is made does the football desire increase or diminish. Until that happens, you just dont know. Every football player will tell every team they LOVE football. But do they love football or do they love what football will get you and what you can purchase? Again just like maturity, you really dont know until time moves on. Come May 8-10, many of the very best will have their life changed in one phone call. For some, it will be a life changing moment that they will capitalize on in a remarkable way. For others, the sport at the pro level will be too much, whether it is due to competition or intensity. Which player will experience which life is an unknown. It may be due to height, weight, speed and everything you can see feel and touch. Or it may be because of how much you want it and how well you can adjust and handle it; a certain mental ability and a certain emotional ability that you can tap into. Between the best athlete with really good video and the lesser athlete, whos maybe not as dominant on the field but has his act together and loves the game, Ill take the latter. Welcome to the NFL draft starting May 8th, a gamble of research and a gamble of hope. Adam Thielen Jersey .com) - Ben Lovejoy tallied a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks cruised into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory against the Calgary Flames. Fran Tarkenton Jersey .Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens have had few reasons to celebrate this season as they have been mired near the basement of the Eastern Conference. http://www.vikingssale.com/Vikings-Chuck-Foreman-Draft-Jersey/ . Freddie Roach said if the Rios fight "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement," but that Pacquiao was training as well as ever for the Nov. Mike Hughes Jersey . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS. Dalvin Cook Jersey . He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th. The 34-year-old Laval, Que. native has played six seasons with the Penguins.DETROIT - David Price allowed a homer to start the bottom of the ninth inning — and that was only the beginning of his problems as he tried to close out a win. Rain began falling steadily at Comerica Park, a streak of lightning flashed in the sky behind centre field and loud thunder claps accompanied the Tampa Bay All-Stars pursuit of a complete game. "It was crazy. I wasnt really looking up," manager Joe Maddon said. "Just trying to get David through it." Eventually, Maddon gave in, removing Price with two on and two out. The Rays held on for a 7-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night to climb out of last place in the AL East. The Rays have won three straight and eight of nine to move a half-game ahead of defending champion Boston in the standings. Tampa Bay had sole possession of the cellar for 39 consecutive days. Price (8-7) received his fourth All-Star selection before the game, and he allowed three runs and seven hits before being pulled amid a brief spell of bad weather in the ninth. Jake McGee came on and got the final out for his fifth save in six chances. Rick Porcello (11-5) allowed seven runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings. Matt Joyce and Desmond Jennings homered for Tampa Bay, and Torii Hunter and J.D. Martinez went deep for Detroit. The Rays had 19 hits, including four each by Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez. Price struck out six and walked three, throwing 107 pitches. Martinez led off the Detroit ninth with a homer, and Price was able to get only two more outs. Price said he was somewhat fortunate to make it that far. "I guess I got 26 outs, and I would say at least 15 of them were hit right on the screws. I was asking for some at em balls yesterday and I got them," he said. "I dont know if Ive ever seen that many hard-hit balls turned into outs off a starter." The AL Central-leading Tigers put three players on the All-Star team — Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Max Scherzer. Porcello is a candidate in online voting for the final American League spot. "Very happy for my teammates that have made the team, and obviously honoured to be included in the final vote," Porcello said. "A lot of good pitchers out there." Porcello was coming off back-to-back shutouuts, but his 25-inning scoreless streak ended before he could retire a batter.dddddddddddd Jennings led off with a double and scored on Zobrists single. Then Joyces drive was ruled a home run after a review — it hit the railing just above the wall in right field — to give the Rays a 3-0 lead in the first. Price went at least eight innings for the fifth time in his last six starts. It was his 15th straight outing of at least 100 pitches. Price could be a prime trade target for contenders over the next few weeks, although Tampa Bays recent run means the Rays arent totally out of post-season contention. Tampa Bay is 8 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East, and the Rays trail Seattle by the same margin for the second wild card. The Tigers, meanwhile, still lead their division by four games after losing three of four to Tampa Bay. With Price on the mound, the Rays were in good shape after scoring three runs in the first. In the fifth, Evan Longoria added an RBI single to make it 4-1. Tampa Bay scored three more in the sixth. With men on first and third and one out, Kevin Kiermaier hit a grounder to second that was nearly a double play, but he beat the relay to first for an RBI fielders choice. That made it 5-1 and kept the inning going. Jennings followed with a homer to left-centre. Jennings also made sliding catches in centre field in the sixth and seventh. Hunter led off the seventh with a solo shot, his 11th homer of the year. Detroit might have scored another run that inning on Austin Jacksons line drive to the corner in left. But Eugenio Suarez, trying to score from first, lost his footing on the grass outside the baseline and fell about halfway between third and home, giving the Rays an easy out at the plate. NOTES: The Rays said after the game RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right elbow surgery) is expected back Tuesday. ... Victor Martinez sat out a second straight game with a back issue. ... Tampa Bay LHP Cesar Ramos and wife Melanie celebrated the birth Saturday of Addison Lynn Ramos, their first child. ... Rays SS Yunel Escobar (right shoulder) begins a rehab assignment Monday in the Gulf Coast League. ... Detroit is off Monday. Tampa Bay hosts the Royals. Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (4-7) takes on Kansas City RHP James Shields (8-4). Authentic Steelers JerseysAuthentic Cowboys JerseysAuthentic Raiders JerseysAuthentic Chiefs JerseysAuthentic Eagles JerseysAuthentic Redskins JerseysAuthentic Falcons JerseysAuthentic Ravens JerseysAuthentic Browns JerseysAuthentic Cardinals JerseysAuthentic Bills JerseysAuthentic Panthers JerseysAuthentic Bears JerseysAuthentic Bengals JerseysAuthentic Texans JerseysAuthentic Broncos JerseysAuthentic Lions JerseysAuthentic Packers JerseysAuthentic Jets JerseysAuthentic Dolphins JerseysAuthentic Patriots JerseysAuthentic Jaguars JerseysAuthentic Titans JerseysAuthentic Chargers JerseysAuthentic Giants JerseysAuthentic Saints JerseysAuthentic Buccaneers JerseysAuthentic 49ers JerseysAuthentic Seahawks JerseysAuthentic Rams JerseysAuthentic Vikings JerseysAuthentic Colts Jerseys ' ' '