CrossFit Games Qualifier

OK sports fans, this was on my list of activities I had planned for 2009. The SE CrossFit Qualifiers is a precursor to the CrossFit Games held this July in Aromas, California. The top seven men and women of this weekend's fun get to go to Cali. Since the competitors consist of 94 various guy that either own or are trainers at CF gyms (aka Affiliates), and myself, I don't give myself much of a chance to crack the top seven-or top half for that matter. Still, the workouts planned play more into my strengths that some of the other Qualifiers, so that makes me a bit more optomistic. Here are the workouts planned for Saturday, with Sunday's final workout being revealed about 12 hours before its supposed to start.

The Dirty South Event WOD's!

Saturday AM Event WOD #1

3 min Max Points Suicide Run

2 min Rest

3 min Max Rep Deadlift (275 lb. Men) (185 lb. Women)

All competitors will complete the AM WOD, then after 3 1/2 hours rest begin one of their two afternoon WOD's. Some competitors will begin the afternoon with Event WOD #2 and some will begin with Event WOD #3. The afternoon Event WOD order is randomly predetermined for all competitors. All competitors will be given equal rest between WOD's.

Saturday PM Event WOD #2

5 Rounds for time of:

20 Double Unders

10 Wall Ball (20 lb. Men) (14 lb. Women) all 10 ft. target

1 Rope Climb 15 ft.

There will be a 15 minute time limit for this workout

Saturday PM Event WOD #3

8 min AMRAP of:

5 Clean and Jerk (135 lb. Men) (95 lb. Women)
(From the ground by any recognized clean to full extension overhead)

10 Chest to Bar Pull Ups

http://www.crossfitdirtysouth.com/ Check for updates, scoring explanations, as well as video demos of the workouts. I should be able to write a pretty detailed summary sometime tomorrow (4/25/09) night, in between my overdosing on Mel Kiper's hair product.

16 more wins.....

That's it-just 16 more wins for my Cleveland Cavaliers, and my hometown will finally break its streak of sports futility. Sixteen wins equals winning all of their playoff series, including the NBA Finals. They start off Saturday against Detroit, and if everything goes as planned will play the winner of Hawks/Heat. The Conference finals will most likely be the winner of Boston/Orlando, KG or not, I think Orlando will be the winner. Orlando scares the crap out of me, for a matchup versus the Cavs. Teams with strong big men always do well against the Cavs, hopefully Big Ben Wallace will channel his DPOY days for the playoffs. The Lakers scare me as well-even though the Cavs have homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, the Lakers are the ONLY team to win a game at the Quicken Loans arena.

I love this team. I love how they have so much fun with the pregame "photo ops". I love how everyone on the team really seems to generally like each other. Watch how LeBron looks to the bench for approval after every thunderous slam dunk-he's not staring the guy he posterized down, he's looking to see how 9th and 10th men Terrance Kinsey and JJ Hickson evaluate that last move. I really like how Varajeo is fitting in to the rotation, and Delonte West? Delonte West is quickly becoming one of my favorite all-time Cavs, behind LBJ and Dan Majerle (hey he was with us for a year). West is the Cavs BEST on-the-ball defender, a great fill-the-blank guy that will do whatever is necessary at the time. Plus he's a bit eccentric. Whenever he shoots, I always yell out "Redz!" which is his nickname. My wife thinks thats pretty funny, because I do it all the time in front of the TV. I hope I'm not putting the cart before the horse with this Title Talk, but I think this team is really special.

Let's hope they don't "Cleveland it up".

Mock Draft, Version 2.0-Crazy Trade Edition

Just reading the tea leaves, and projecting a couple of trades....I really hope this doesn't happen, BTW. As always, I apologize if I forget anyone.

1) Detroit: Matthew Stafford QB Georgia
2) St. Louis: Jason Smith OT Baylor
3) Kansas City: Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest
4) Seattle: Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech
5) Cleveland: Mark Sanchez QB USC
6) Cincinnatti: Eugene Monroe OT Virginia
7) Oakland: Brian Orakpo DE Texas
8) Jacksonville: Jeremy Maclin WR
9) Green Bay: BJ Raji DT Boston College
10) San Fransisco: Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech
11) Buffalo: Everett Brown DE FSU
12) Denver: Michael Jenkins DB OSU
13) Washington: Andre Smith OT Alabama
14) New Orleans: Aaron Maybin DE/OLB Penn State
15) Houston: Chris Wells RB OSU
16) San Diego: Rey Mauluga LB USC
17) New York Jets: Brian Cushing LB USC
18) Denver (from Chicago): Traded to Browns for QB Brady Quinn
Browns select: Tyson Jackson DE LSU
19) Tampa Bay: Josh Freeman QB Kansas State
20) Detroit (from Dallas): Robert Ayers DC Tennessee
21) Philadelphia: Michael Oher OT Ole Miss
22) Minnesota: Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina
23) New England: Clay Matthews OLB USC
24) Atlanta: Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State
25) Miami: Vontae Davis CB Illinois
26) Baltimore: Darius Heyward-Bey WR NC State
27) Indianapolis: Peria Jerry DT Ole Miss
28) Philadelphia (from Carolina): Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia
29) New York Giants: Traded with #91 to Browns for WR Braylon Edwards
Browns select: Alex Mack C California
30) Tennessee: Ziggy Hood DT Missouri
31) Arizona: LeShon McCoy RB Pittsburgh
32) Pittsburgh: Ebon Britton OT Arizona

Browns' remaining picks
Rd2/36) Larry English OLB Northern Illinois
Rd2/50-from TB per KWII trade) Kenny Britt WR Rutgers
Rd3/91-from NYG per BE17 trade) Andy Levitre OL Oregon State
Rd4/104) Michael Mitchell S Ohio
Rd 6/177) BPA

Of course, phone calls to Torry Holt, Marvin Harrison, and Rodney Harrison's respective agents will be placed on draft weekend. Seriously though, I'm trying to figure out if Magini is really smitten by Sanchez, or if he is just trying to get someone to trade up to the #5 spot to get him. It might be only a coincidence that the Browns' new QB coach was Sanchez's QB coach at USC. As much as I like Brady Quinn (and invested big $$ on a BQ game jersey), it's tough to fault the Browns' above draft. The above scenario immediately makes our top receivers Martin Ruck and David Patten, which doesn't scare anyone. I'll continue to be on the lookout for more info, one way or another on this event.

2009 NFL Mock Draft, version 1.0

Hey guys, I'll throw some more stuff on here in the next few weeks; however, here is my first crack at the upcoming first round of the NFL draft. Yes I am a dork. I honestly feel the Browns will trade down from #5, but as of today I'll just go with a straight-up pick and hold my draft philosophizing until the next mocks I put up. I hope I don't forget someone/team.....

1) Detroit: Jason Smith OT Baylor

2) St. Louis: Eugene Monroe OT Virgina

3) Kansas City: Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

4) Seattle: Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

5) Cleveland: Brian Orakpo OLB/DE Texas

6) Cincinasti: Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

7) Oakland: Jeremy Maclin WR Mizzou

8) Jacksonville: Mark Sanchez QB USC

9) Green Bay: Malcolm Jenkins CB THEosu

10) San Fransisco: Andre Smith OT Alabama

11) Buffalo: Everette Brown DE FSU

12) Denver: BJ Raji DT BC

13) Washington: Michael Oher OT Mississippi

14) New Orleans: Aaron Maybin OLB PSU

15) Houston: Vontae Davis CB Illinois

16) San Diego: Rey Mauluga LB USC

17) New York Jets: Josh Freeman QB Kansas State

18) Denver (from Chicago): Tyson Jackson DE LSU

19) Tampa Bay: Ziggy Hood DT Mizzou

20) Detroit (from Dallas): Peira Jerry DT Ole Miss

21) Eagles: Beanie Wells RB tOSU

22) Minnesota: Percy Harvin WR UF

23) New England: Brian Cushing OLB USC

24) Atlanta: Clay Matthews III OLB USC

25) Miami: Darius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

26) Baltimore: Larry English LB Southern Illinois

27) Indianapolis: Robert Ayers DE Tennessee

28) Philadelphia: Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State

29) New York Giants: Kenny Britt WR Rutgers

30) Tennessee: Ron Brace DT Boston College

31) Arizona: Knowshown Moreno RB Georgia

32) Pittsburgh: Alex Mack C California

Cleveland Round Two Selections
37) Jarron Gilbert DE San Jose State

50) Sean Smith S/CB Utah