2012 San Diego Chargers Offseason Needs

After dominating the AFC West in recent years, it seems as though the San Diego Chargers are finally ready to bow down in favor of the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders. The Chargers won four straight division titles from 2006-2009, but they were never able to capitalize on their success with a Super Bowl appearance. While they may no longer be the front-runners in the West, they still have enough weapons on both sides of the ball to make the playoffs. Here are some of the Chargers' big additions and subtractions sofar in this young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Super Bowl 2012

WR Robert Meachem

FB Le'Ron McClain

SS Atari Bigby

DE/OLB Jarret Johnson

WR/KR Eddie Royal

WR/KR Roscoe Parrish

WR/KR Micheal Spurlock

Subtractions:

WR Vincent Jackson

G Kris Dielman

RB Mike Tolbert

OT Marcus McNeill

SS Steve Gregory

Top 5 Needs:

1. Outside Linebacker

Although the Chargers were able to sign Jarret Johnson away from the Baltimore Ravens, the team still needs to look for another pass rush specialist. Although Johnson will definitely help the defense, he had just 20 sacks in 143 games with Baltimore. Antwan Barnes emerged as the Chargers' best sack artist, going for 11 sacks in 2011. Shaun Phillips, however, was a huge disappointment. Phillips had just 3.5 sacks last year, after racking up 11 the year before. San Diego desperately needs someone who can team up with Barnes to form a great duo against the quarterback on passing situations.

2. Offensive Tackle

Starting left tackle Marcus McNeill was curiously cut by the Chargers, but they were able to re-sign Jared Gaither. However, Gaither missed all of 2010 and was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs in the middle of the season. San Diego definitely needs to add a security option for Gaither. Aside from that, the team also needs an upgrade over right tackle Jeromey Clary. The best thing that could happen for the Chargers is for Gaither to return to form and start at left tackle while they bring in someone who can challenge Clary for the starting spot.

3. Cornerback

While Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason form a serviceable duo at corner, Jammer turns 33 in June and there are some talks about moving him to safety. The Chargers added free agent Atari Bigby to team up with Eric Weddle at safety last year, but there is no doubt that the team needs to find a suitable replacement for Jammer.

4. Guard

When Kris Dielman announced his retirement, the Chargers' offensive line suffered a major blow. Now that he is gone, they must figure out a way to fill his spot. Besides possibly shuffling current players around, the team needs to add some more depth to this position. Although Tyronne Green and Stephen Schilling are capable players able to come in and get the job done, some new blood will certainly help lend some fire to this downtrodden team.

5. Running Back

Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert might have formed a pretty good 1-2 punch in the running game last year, but there is no doubt that the loss of Darren Sproles' big-play ability out of the backfield really hurt the Chargers' offense. Now that Tolbert has signed with the Carolina Panthers this offseason, this has become an even bigger need for the Chargers. This need should be addressed at the upcoming draft and I wouldn't be surprised if the team chooses Oregon's LaMichael James when it picks in the third round.

2012 San Diego Chargers Offseason Needs

Click here for the latest odds from the respected site BetFirms.com.

Ten Reasons the World Will NOT End in 2012

The world will Not End in the year 2012. I have interviewed a number of very famous and well known fictional mediums. And they all have told me that the world will not end in the year 2012.

The top ten reasons are below.

Nfl 2012

1. Microsoft is putting out a new version on windows in 2012. (We all know how well they keep a schedule)

2. The Cowboys will WIN the NFL Championship that year. That big crackling sound we will hear will be Hell freezing over, not the world ending.

3. That Guy who wrote the Mayan Calender, well... He was a Cowboys fan.

4. They discovered that drinking red wine will make you live longer. I figure I will be around well into the next century.

5. Marissa Tomei will win an Academy Award in 2013. (Don't say It Couldn't Happen.)

6. An unknown virus will infect Washington DC and wipe out all the politicians, Who will survive?... We Will.

7. L Ron Hubbard hasn't scheduled the spaceship to get here until 2014.

8. There will still be plenty of comic books that haven't been made into bad movies.

9. The warranty on my new car will expire Jan 1 2013.

10. Christian Bale F-ing said it wouldn't.

One for Grand-daughter came home and she had heard something at school about the world ending. This has started to get out of hand. The talk of the world ending is a serious rumor and maybe you are one of the believers,

Do your research and weigh all the FACTS. Don't depend on just a couple of articles that you read online.

I intend to be here for many many years to come.

Ten Reasons the World Will NOT End in 2012

Roy Merrill is One man living at home with his girlfriend, two daughters and six Grand daughters. Life for him is never boring. Follow him at his blog.

1man9women

Sport Video Games That No One Speaks About Nowadays

As we get to the top of the college basketball period and transition into the magnificence of the 2011 baseball season, I conclude it truly is only fitting to think about several of the most unforgettable, yet forgotten sports games of all-time. Some of these were set aside thanks to politics, others were shelved just because people happen to be far too fickle to give them a chance (pun intended).

Nonetheless, this is my list of the most unforgettable sports games that nobody discusses anymore. Well, we will change that right this moment...

Nfl 2012

NHL HITZ

NFL blitz meets NHL 2k in this amazing game. This game is not as forgotten as some, bragging a fairly solid cult following of individuals familiar with the likes of the Shark Tank, Circus Rink, and the ever imposing Disco Arena (a tough location for any challenger to go into) yet you would nevertheless be challenged to find it. The game play is definitely fantastic and truly quite solid for a game that's meant to be over the top. Here's a secret, do anything you could to get out to an early lead, and set your defense to zone and "less aggressive." And who could forget the quarrels? Evidently, so many people. The game survived only 2 years.

Barkley Shut Up And Jam

Barkley Shut Up and Jam! This is sure to be a somewhat controversial option, as several will argue that it already has a reboot and is not that forgotten about. But the video game was solid. Basically, everything you should understand about the video game is on the front cover. It features Charles Barkley and lots of dunking. This video game offered something that most games don't provide nowadays: simplicity and the ability to commit a flagrant foul any time you wanted. Travel the nation, taking on the likes of D-Train from Watts and Funky D from Oakland, chain nets, 360 dunks, and awesomely lame music. What else can you ever want in a basketball game?

ESPN NFL 2K5

All hell broke loose when this video game was launched for the incredibly low price of .95. Madden had to respond with a 40% price decrease of their own, marking their version of the video game all the way down to .99. The series was initially unveiled when Madden made the decision not to produce a version of its series for Dreamcast. But, even Madden could not match the game play which NFL 2K5 offered, a game that felt extremely realistic and set the tone for Madden's "Truck Stick" having its maximum tackle element. Its franchise and "career mode" just weren't nearly as deep as Madden, and yes it had several useless features like first person football as well as the Crib (which NCAA Football eventually stole for the "dorm room') yet who can forget draft mode with Mel Kiper, and the SportsCenter cutaways? A solid game that for 20 bucks was the steal of the century. EA's legal rights to the NFL, as well as the ESPN license ends in 2012, which ought to open the market back up for this excellent series.

Sport Video Games That No One Speaks About Nowadays

The Jace Hall Show is an online reality show that covers video game news and personalities as well as interviews with film/TV/sports celebrities. It also has articles that features sport video games and classic sports video games.

Nevada Football Season Preview for 2012

Hall of Fame head coach Chris Ault has done a masterful job at Nevada in 27 years with the team. He has guided the Wolf Pack to a combined 226-103-1 record in three separate stints as head coach. In the past eight years, Ault has led Nevada to seven bowl games.

The Wolf Pack had a record 7-6 last year, including a 17-24 loss Southern Miss in the Hawaii Bowl to end the season. With just 12 starters and 31 lettermen coming back, there isn't a whole lot of experience returning in 2012. But they do have some interesting talents on this roster, especially offensively.

Nfl 2012

Offense

Nevada has put up offenses that have regularly been among the best in college football year in and year out. They have averaged over 31 points and 500 yards in four consecutive seasons, including the 31.7 and 507 they put up last year. Ault is an offensive maestro, but he's handing the keys to the offense to new offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich, who was at Hawaii the past two years.

Sophomore QB Cody Fajardo earned Freshman WAC Player of the Year honors for his efforts last season.

The Wolf Pack lose their top two rushers from a year ago in Lampford Mark and Mike Ball. talented freshman Tony Knight will slide into the starting position. Junior Stefphon Jefferson will earn his fair share of carries as well.

This unit should continue to be good despite losing their leading receivers in Rashard Matthews and Shane Anderson. That's because both senior WR Brandon Wimberly and senior TE Zach Sudfeld comes back after missing almost all of last season due to injury. Coming back as well is sophomore WR Aaron Bradley and junior TE Kolby Arendse. They add JUCO transfer Nigel Westbrooks at receiver as well.

The offensive line should be just as strong coming into 2012 with three starters and 75 career starts returning. First-team All-WAC guard Chris Barker and second-team All-WAC tackle Jeff NAdy lead the way.

Defense

The defense gave up a respectable 25.2 points and 369 total yards per game last season. The Wolf Pack return six starters on this side of the ball, but lose their top two tacklers, and many of their best players.

Their biggest loss may be up front where DT Brett Roy has departed. Their only returning starter is junior DT Jack Reynoso. JUCO transfer Cortez Woods should dominate alongside Reynose at defensive tackle. Both sophomore DE's Jake Peppard and Tyler Houk are still quite raw and they may not be ready to be big contributors in 2012.

The linebacker position loses their #1 and #2 tacklers in Brandon Marshall and James-Michael-Johnson. Both players were taken in the NFL during the offseason. Former DE Albert Rosette moved to MLB in the spring. Also coming back is senior SLB Jeremiah Green, and JUCO transfer Jon McNeal's ready to start at the WLB position.

The secondary played exceptionally well last year, allowing just 48.3% completions and 222 passing yards/game to opposing quarterbacks. This unit should once again be their bread and butter on the defensive end as seven of their top eight players are back. They lost first-team All-WAC CB Isaiah Frey to the NFL, but return three starters in senior CB Khalid Wooten, senior SS Duke Williams, and senior FS Marlon Johnson.

Mountain West Prediction - 2nd Place

The Wolf Pack move from the WAC to the Mountain West this season. While the MWC used to be very strong, it appears to be down this season with the departure of TCU, and a lot of inexperience from most teams in the conference. Boise State is even expected to be down this year. The Wolf Pack certainly has the talent to compete for a conference title in their first year in the MWC. Their schedule is also quite manageable facing teams on the road that are winnable, while all their toughest games will be played at home. Their game against Boise State at home at the end of the regular season could be the deciding factor on whether or not the Wolf Pack can win the conference.

Nevada Football Season Preview for 2012

Jack Jones provides his football picks each Saturday at Betfirms.com and NCAAFootballFreePicks.com.

Sports Betting Shortcut

If you ask the average sports bettor what percentage of their bets they needed to win in order to profit, I would bet that 98% of them would say 52.4%, or some other number like that. It is not coincidental that statistics show 98% of all sports bettors lose money. If you think you have to win half of your bets to make money, you don't know what game you are playing.

The truth is, you can win substantially less than 50% of your bets and still pocket some nice profits. If you need proof, check out Best Sports Picks Today. If you look at the lifetime history of the site, I am the All Time leader by 11 units over the number 2 handicapper and almost 20 units over number 3.

Nfl 2012

My lifetime record as of April 30, 2012 at BSPT is 70-93 (.429) with a profit of +3210 since September of 2011. Every sport, the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL has been bet during this time with equal success. The same strategy was used for each sport, and I have shown a profit every month with the exception of February 2012.

What happened in February?

Let me tell you a little story, that, had it not happened to me I would probably not believe it could happen. Still, it did happen. In February 2012, I went 0-18 in my betting for the month. That's right. I lost every single bet I placed for the entire month. I won my bet on January 31, and I won my bet on March 1, and lost every single one in between. Fortunately, I was Expert of the Month in January with +1250 units so my 20 unit bankroll was never down more than 5.5 units.

That streak is included in the numbers from BSPT shown above, and I am still by far the biggest winner. In spite of that 18 unit catastrophe in February, I am in 4th place for all of 2012 with over 10 units of profit. My record for the year is 29-49 (.371) through April, +1175.

I tell you these things for two reasons.

First, I needed to get February off my chest and fess up to the world how fallible I can be. Who would really want to claim an 0-18 record? But, since I do sell my systems and strategies, I owe it you to come clean about even the worst of times.

During that stretch, even I questioned my systems and strategies. Maybe I was just lucky in 2011. I was the biggest winner of the year at BSPT. Maybe that Expert of the Month award in January was my peak. Maybe, the thought occurred to me, that I was not as good as I thought. It took me March and April to recover the losses, but I did. My faith was shaken, but never broken.

The second reason is to show you proof that you don't need to win more than 50% of your bets to win money. In fact, you don't need anywhere close to it if you bet right. Most people do not bet right.

Carolina Capper, the current leader for the year at BSPT, is hitting 64% on 53 bets. I tip my hat to the man. He has far and away the best winning percentage, but still, he is only 1.5 units ahead of me right now while I have won only 37%.

How about for just the last two months?

DIY Sports Betting Systems

19 14 +1725

CarolinaCapper

30 16 +1260

Carolina Capper made 1260/46 = 27.39 per bet. I made 1725/33 = 52.27 per bet. That is a BIG difference in betting styles. If I were to lose my next five bets and my percentage dropped to 50%, we would be even and I would only be down to 45.39 per bet.

The point is, winning percentage is nowhere near as important as winning money. If you are betting with a strategy that requires you to win more than 50% of the bets you place to profit, you are almost certain to lose in the long run.

I submit for your consideration that it is insane to risk more than you can win on any game. Still, that is the way most people do it. They will take negative bets all the time. I have seen top handicappers pick teams at -190 or even more. They are crazy enough to put two units up on a baseball game, when the best they can hope to do is win one. And people pay to receive these picks.

Even betting on point spreads at -110 is a losing proposition in most cases. The books charge you 10% just for the privilege of betting on their best guess at what constitutes a 50-50 chance against the spread. Yet many supposedly skilled bettors do it all the time. My view is that if a team needs the points it is not worth betting on.

If you want to win money betting on sports, don't worry about trying to win more games. Instead, focus your attention on winning more money on every game you do win. Instead of churning away your bankroll on point spreads, learn to pick money line winners that pay out +150 or more.

Sports Betting Shortcut

DIY Sports Betting Systems lead you to the games that show the most profit potential, then give you the tools you need to decide if it is really a good bet.

Learn more at the link below.

http://www.diysportsbetting.com

Social Media Command Centers: What Are They and How Can They Help Your Business?

The new term buzzing around the business world is "social media command center." Tech stuff changes so rapidly, it's hard to even keep up with. But, fortunately, we're here to help you keep on top of the latest trends in the industry.

So, What is a Social Media Command Center?

Super Bowl 2012

Larger businesses, institutions, and universities have stumbled onto the idea of creating these. One specific example was used for the most recent Super Bowl in 2012, held in Indianapolis. A team of 20 professionals staffed a 2,800 square-foot space in downtown Indianapolis for 15 hours per day for the two weeks leading up to, and including, the event. Managers, content developers, analysts, strategists, and a few volunteers made up the team.

The team monitored the major social media to make sure they extended a friendly hand to everyone arriving in the area. It also monitored various social media conversations in the interest of public safety, and combined with other command centers, so that if an emergency arose, the response would be widespread and instantaneous. The third objective was to create regular content and keep people engaged in the event. Finally, the team was to make the positive experience fans had even more intense than usual.

That's how it worked in a nutshell for the Super Bowl. But, the question you are probably really interested in is...

What Can Social Media Command Centers Do to Help Your Business?

Say your company launches a new advertising campaign. Let's say you want new content developed for that campaign as it evolves. The team manning your social media command center could get that new content out to all of your followers, and additional distribution channels, within the same day.

When you need to perform customer service for your products and services, instead of having people call, wait, or perhaps attempt to navigate their way through the maze of phones at your company, they could send a direct message to your social media account. With multiple people managing the account, it would be possible to respond to customer inquiries in a much more efficient manner.

You can also use them to listen to your customers. Ask a question about your product or services (make sure it's yes/no), and see what people say. Hold a contest, which can reveal different ways people are using your product. The point is that you receive a free method for conducting market research!

Would a Social Media Command Center be Right for Your Business?

Now that you know of the advantages of social media command center, how do you think they would add value to your company's bottom line?

Social Media Command Centers: What Are They and How Can They Help Your Business?

If you are a website owner and feel that your site can use a re-design, visit Scranton, PA web design company zendesignfirm.com... We can help!

2012 Iowa Hawkeyes Football Predictions

Under head coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa has put together a number of successful seasons. In his first 13 years on the job, he has led the Hawkeyes to at least seven wins in nine of the past 11 seasons. This year, another 7 win season is definitely within reach.

Iowa could just have easily won nine games last year if it wasn't for some very close contests that they let slip away in the form of an Iowa State overtime loss and one point heartbreaker against Minnesota. The schedule once again seems to favor the Hawkeyes, but they need to adjust to new coordinators Greg Davies and Phil Parker.

Nfl 2012

The changes to the coaching staff might just work out well for Iowa since they had gotten stale and predictable on both sides of the ball.

Offense

Senior quarterback, James Vandenberg might very well be the best pure passer in the Big Ten. He threw for 3,032 yards with 25 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2011. While he will certainly miss Marvin McNutt's excellent play as the school's all-time leading receiver, the presence of Keenan Davis will still make life easier for Vandenberg. Davis caught 50 passes for 713 yards and four scores last season.

Sophomore wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manly seems to be coming into his own, showing flashes of brilliance last year. Look for him to be even more productive in 2012 in a larger role.

With Iowa being known for having good tight ends, it looks as though C.J. Fiedorowics might just be the latest player to be added on that list and have a bright future with the NFL on the horizon.

Iowa's offensive line might be decimated with the loss of three starters, and they will definitely miss the play of All-Big Ten left tackle Riley Reiff.

Coming into the new season, the running back position seems to be the biggest area of concern for the Hawkeyes. Last year's leading rusher, Marcus Coker, has left the program and the guy that was supposed to replace him, Jordan Canzeri, had a debilitating knee injury that will sideline him for the season. Now it seems as though Damon Bullock, the unproven sophomore, will get the starting job.

Defense

Iowa was a regular fixture among the elite defensive teams in the nation for a number of seasons until they drastically fell off last year. The Hawkeyes finished just eighth in the Big Ten in both total and scoring defense with 378.9 yards and 23.9 points allowed. Their struggles were even more apparent against the pass as they would repeatedly fail to mount much of a pass rush.

Parker is expected to blitz more to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but he'll also be counting on end Dominic Alvis and tackle Steve Bigach to get penetration.

Big Ten Legends Prediction: 4th Place

Iowa has had years where they overachieved and 2012 could prove to be one of those years. The Hawkeyes have very little chance to win the Legends division but they could finish as high as second with a relatively easy schedule.

2012 Iowa Hawkeyes Football Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

New Sports Centres Indoors

New and more ambitious indoor sport complexes are being planned all the time and even some of the world's newest and largest sports stadia are being built with the option of turning them into indoor facilities.

The new Wembley Stadium in London, the most expensive ever built, does have a sliding roof which, although it cannot completely close, does afford protection from the weather for fans while still being able to retract and provide the conditions for the pitch to grow. Wimbledon famously added a roof to its centre court, after several tournaments were interrupted by rain and now there is hardly a major stadium design process that doesn't at least consider including a roof.

Nfl 2012

In the US the redevelopment of the Dallas Cowboys NFL stadium will be the most expensive NFL stadium ever built when it is completed in 2009. It will have a 660,000 square foot retractable roof and will have a capacity of 100,000. In Japan, the Oita Stadium was nick-named the Big Eye, after its closing roof section which resembled an eyelid as it was being closed.

In the UK the popularity of sport as a pastime has allowed the investment need to build facilities to bring ever more sports indoors and away from the vagaries of the British weather. Indoor ice rinks date back to well before the first world war when Richmond in Surrey already had a rink that was taken over during the war effort to make hand grenades. The rink was used by some of Britain's most famous skaters including john Curry and Robin Cousins, both Olympic gold medallists who used to train there. For a time it was the world's biggest indoor ice rink until Vienna Stadthalle opened in 1950.

Streatham Ice rink in London has also been around, having existed as an indoor skating venue for over 75 years. Back in the 1960's and 70's there was even more interest and several new indoor ice rinks opened around the UK including the popular Silver Blades rink in Sheffield that opened in the late sixties.

The next sport to receive the indoor treatment was the wave of interest in water theme parks. These types of venues had already been built in warmer holiday resort areas such as the Costa del Sol, but again Britain's cooler, wetter weather made outdoor complexes unsuitable. So, indoor water parks were built. Again Richmond in Surrey was one of the first towns to build an indoor facility in the 1980's. Canada claims to have built the world's first indoor water park with West Edmonton Mall in 1985. Now there are several of these waterparks in the UK including Coral Reef in Bracknell, The Dome in Doncaster and WaterWorld in Stoke.

In the 1990's motorsport was the next sport to find itself transformed for indoor venues. Indoor gokarting tracks were opening up all over the country, from small tight tracks built in empty warehouses to long custom-built tracks that included bridges, pit areas.

One of the largest is the Speedkarting complex in Warrington that claims to have a main track of over 1 kilometre in length on three different levels and even boasts a Monaco-style tunnel!

Back to the present day and it seems adventure sports are no receiving an indoor focus. Mountain climbing now doesn't require any mountains. Climbing walls are often included as a special area in many general sports centres around the UK and there are now several dedicated indoor climbing centres. Facilities like the Craggy Island centre in Guildford Surrey have over 1000 square metres of wall, providing 100's of different routes, while the Awesome Walls Climbing Centre in Stockport has 23.5 meter tall wall area. Skiing is the latest mountain sport to come in out of the cold, into the cold as it happens. That's because indoor skiing is no longer restricted to artificial slopes. Technology has allowed indoor skiing centres to offer real snow slopes, with snow cannons capable of generating snow that provides slopes as long as 160m, such as those at the new Snow Centre just outside London. This impressive venue provides indoor facilities for both skiers and snowboarders on two wide slopes.

Of course the 2012 Olympics that will be held in London are sure to enhance what is already an impressive list of indoor sports venues in the UK. These include a 6000 seater velodrome, a basketball arena and an impressive aquatics centre which will house two 50 meter pools and a 25 metre competition diving pool. A separate temporary building next door will house two pools for the water polo competitions.

New Sports Centres Indoors

Sports writer Mark Bartley reports on the latest indoor snow sport centres. Indoor ski slopes are appearing all over the world now with the UK being one of the leading countries.

Creativity, Concept, Imagination and Innovation - What Have They in Common?

Too often today we focus on crafting interesting campaigns and ads that give the consumer 30 seconds of original entertainment. We may be missing the point by not giving them something to think about. If your brand is well established, your strategy should involve the use of other platforms that are designed to associate the imagination with the brand.

Video ads, the really good ones, win awards. Even if they are not honored at the Cannes Lions annual festival, they are recognized for their excellence. In these mass media ads, the consumer is targeted when their focus is on a network program, a sporting event or as a predicate to a film. Unless the audience is there specifically to appreciate the ads, they may be amused, but are most likely otherwise engaged in conversation or texting. You know texting - the digital age definition of thumbs up.

Super Bowl 2012

I do not suggest that it is time to consider plowing up the advertising fields, but perhaps it is time to cultivate some new options with a fresh approach. Where have we not sought to reach the consumer? Advertisements populate the Internet, cross every televised presentation, keep the newspaper presses rolling, reach you by satellite radio, appear on your gaming screen and may even invade your dreams.

Ads have become an annual showcase during the Super Bowl telecasts. A 30 second ad reportedly cost a cool .5 million. In the first Super Bowl, the same air time set you back less than ,000. Add to that the cost to produce the ad and the investment becomes somewhat staggering. Do you have a favorite Super Bowl ad? Did it make you rush out to buy more of the product? What was the most popular ad in the 2012 Super Bowl? How about the 2011 Super Bowl? With the stiff competition for this distinction you have to ask; which comes first, the message or the recognition? Has advertising become entertainment in installments? Consensus hits in advertising may be a fungible commodity to the viewing consumer.

We still love to read; well thankfully most of us enjoy it. With the changes in technology, our reading choices and the reading process are undergoing a dramatic shift. We still read classic novels, but more and more these are read incrementally and simultaneously with other material. The trend in reading choices is to shorter reads that fit today's lifestyles, and we should focus at least a modest part of the marketing budget in this arena. The strategy needs variety, not just more of the same. Why not invest a small part of the budget in cultivating the relationship between the advertiser and the consumer audience with a digital age one-to-one relationship? It isn't mainstream you say. Well, when it becomes conversation at the cocktail party, you find yourself playing catch up.

The consumer is a more social creature today than ever. This sociability is not always in a personal setting. It is paradoxically becoming a virtual setting punctuated with sharing images, stories and items of interest. By using some creativity to produce these short stories and passages and to present them in a way that promotes the sharing process, a whole new and more personal avenue is opened to the reader. Every reader is a consumer. Every tagged and shared excerpt with embedded content grows your one-to-one relationships.

Embedded in the pages of carefully crafted content resides a fresh media and connection with the consumer. The reader most often will not see embedded content as a brand promotion (that is the objective) and it does not detract from their enjoyment. I've tested it with a focus group. If the ads were overt, they would be removed before they are shared and might completely negate the effectiveness of the placement.

How much do you buy from the flashing Internet banner ads? How many times have you clicked on one out of curiosity to find an impersonal appeal to buy something? This type of advertising does have a degree of success, but it is not a total or a long term solution.

Many campaigns have become defensive in nature. If everyone else is doing it, perhaps we should as well. What happens when everybody is doing the same thing? It starts going unnoticed at least as to its intended purpose. Mass media may have reached the point of oversaturation.

Creativity, concept, imagination and innovation are connected through reading. The brain is engaged in an entirely different way, and the introduction of the embedded message is promoted with the reader's interest in the topic and the story. If done well, creativity, concept and imagination will equate to innovation, and you have a fresh new medium and approach to add to the mix.

Creativity, Concept, Imagination and Innovation - What Have They in Common?

Books are the new venue for brand placement and advertising. Captive Marketing Concepts has created a model that merges corporate advertisers and ad agencies with authors and publishers. We retain the copyrights and can tailor full color print media books and e-books to fit the clients needs.

US Elections - A Hollow Victory For Style Over Substance

"Just seeing the excitement on television is like watching the Super Bowl!" What seems an innocuous quote regarding the recent US elections, is actually a sad indictment of how the "race to the White House" is now won. The words come from a member of the hugely popular music group Black-Eyed Peas and this speaks volumes of a new style-orientated way of campaigning. There was once intense political debate; now there is a culture of sloganism. The focus used to be on appealing to people's heads; now it is about appealing to their hearts. Through this new focus, the candidate's campaigns are bettered or worsened by language, public image and the media rather than their policy. Surely this not only devalues the political process, but affects the rest of the world given America's global standing?

"Yes We Can". That was one of the many slogans that were carved into the electorate's mindset by the Democrat Party. Team Obama's slogans and catchphrases were matched all the way by "The Original Maverick", John McCain's Republican Party. The use of such propaganda completely detracted from any political issues. At a rally in Iowa, Michelle Obama perfectly captured this new focus on language. As Tony Allen-Mills of the Sunday Times reported, her speech was "a masterpiece in bland reassurance". Of serious policy issues barely a word was said, but that didn't matter because the public were informed by Mrs. Obama that her daughters would be dressed as a "corpse bride and evil fairy" respectively for Halloween. Is this necessary? What use is this to make an informed decision about who next to run the country at a time of global economic and military uncertainty? Of course, it is not just the Democrats who were at it. When asked about the issue of importing foreign oil, the Republicans gave a knowledgeable answer that provided great detail as to how to make the USA more self-dependent: "Drill Baby, Drill". For the best example, however, it is the Democrats who take the prize. Political commentator David Sirota described Barack Obama as "the most mesmerizing politician" he had ever met after speaking with him. Sirota, however, read the transcript of his interview and was shocked to find "Obama had been trampling what he had just said". The American people do not have access to a transcript for politician's speeches, so surely this shows that the ability to mesmerize with words is essentially a way of tricking the public into voting for a particular candidate.

Super Bowl 2012

The ability to communicate through slogans and speeches is only effective if candidates have the "image" to back it up. In fact, as Toni Preckwinkle of Chicago City Council said in an interview with Panorama, "it's bad enough to think you're the most intelligent person...but if that's the impression you give, it doesn't do you any good." Candidates therefore have to strike a balance between being seen as someone able to lead the country and also someone who you might want to have a drink with. A ridiculous situation? Yes, but one that has become part and parcel of campaigning. Early doubts were cast over Senator Obama's campaign because, as Joe Klein of TIME Magazine notes, he "represents this kind of multi ethnic America that scares the Hell out of some people". Public image is also dependent on more than personality; a candidate must look good to the electorate as well. Both Obama and McCain were, to an extent, judged on the appearance of their wives. One poll of Americans showed that 62% believed that what a candidate wears affects the public's judgment of them. If you think that is absurd trying telling it to the thousands of women who flocked to the shops to buy a dress that Michelle Obama wore in an interview with Ellen de Generes. What is truly worrying about this is that American can elect a leader to take major international decisions based partly on how they look. So forget foreign policy, Michelle's got a new coat on.

As Michelle's dresses turned heads, the Republican Party's selection of Sarah Palin as vice-presidential candidate raised eyebrows across America and within the party itself. Palin was chosen simply for the fact that, as Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh puts it, "she equals guns, babies and Jesus"- the dream of the Republican wide right. It is clear no real vetting process took place: here is a woman who plunged her constituency in Alaska into debt, simply fired those who crossed her path without hesitation and shoots innocent polar bears and moose for a hobby. Palin is the embodiment of both image and language: the Republicans had to spend £92 000 on a new wardrobe for Palin in order to make her look more presentable while during her speeches, she hid behind a shield of sound bites. "Joe Six-Pack", "pitbull with lipstick" and "they don't call me Sarah Barracuda for nothing", were commonly used in her speeches. Palin was merely a puppet, chosen to distract from McCain's policies that were essentially the same as those of the deeply unpopular George W. Bush. She made wild statements such as, "(McCain-Palin) will never allow a second holocaust" that sounded great to the American people, but have no real substance. She is Exhibit A on the tour of how style was put in front of substance in an attempt to win votes and while the Republican Party's defeat may suggest that it didn't pay off, well "doggone it", guess who wants to run for Presidency in 2012?

In Britain, David Cameron was lambasted by the media for not providing a strong solution as to how to tackle the country's financial turmoil should the Conservatives challenge Labour at the next election. In America, the New York Times ran an article titled "Style points count". It described McCain as "frantic", Obama was "measured". The ease of contacting the media has also helped to paint a candidate in a certain light. The National Rifle Association, a pro-Republican organization, ran a radio advert claiming "predators are breaking into your children's bedroom-but Obama won't let you shoot them". The media is supposed to focus intensely on how one party will be better than the other through policy; instead it has become a vehicle that merely drives party substance into a brick wall.

The focus of the recent elections was on almost every aspect of the candidate other than policy. If people are limited to speeches filled with gushing emotional rhetoric and candidates that appear great but are actually low on ideas, how can an informed decision be made? The world depends on America and the decision made at election time can affect everyone, so surely it is a decision that should be made properly?

Bibliography in order of appearance

"Fergie" (Stacey Ann Ferguson), interviewed on Panorama, 16/10/08
"Yes We Can", Democrat Party slogan
"The Original Maverick", Republican Party Slogan
Tony Allen Mills, Sunday Times, 26/10/08- "Michelle loses radical image to become schmoozer-in-chief"
"Drill Baby, Drill", Republican Party slogan
David Sirota, Political Commentator, interviewed on Panorama, 16/10/08
Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago City Council, interviewed on Panorama, 16/10/08
Joe Klein, TIME Magazine, interviewed on Panorama, 16/10/08
Rush Limbaugh, Radio Talk Show Host, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 29/07/08
Sarah Palin, Vice-Presidential Candidate's Acceptance Speech 03/09/08
New York Times, "Style Points Count", 29/09/08
National Rifle Association, quote from aforementioned Sunday Times article, 26/10/08

US Elections - A Hollow Victory For Style Over Substance

Repeat As World Champions?

As the NY Giants celebrated their triumphant victory 17-14 over the New England Patriots, many Giant fans were already thinking about next year. Can they repeat as World Champions in 2013?

First and foremost is who will they lose in free agency? On the offensive side of the ball, Brandon Jacobs didn't have a great year by any stretch of the imagination but did run well as the playoffs began. Mario Manningham who caught that great pass from Eli Manning to start the final drive has in all likelihood played his last game as a Giant. Both tight ends Ballad & Beckum tore their ACL's during the game and won't be ready til sometime after training camp. Even though the offensive line did well as a unit. their big right tackle, Kareem McKenkie could also leave via free agency.

Super Bowl 2012

It should be interesting to note to see if Will Beatty retains his place at left tackle or does David Dehl who went to to left tackle when Beatty got hurt stay at left tackle. Rookie James Brewer figures to take Mckenzie's place at right tackle. There is needed depth at guard which I believe the Giants will address during free agency or the draft. We have yet to see what WR Ramses Barden and Jerel Jennigan can do on a consistent basis. RB Da'Rel Scott this year's 7th round pick has blazing speed & should be in the mix at running back this year.

On the defensive side of the ball, Giant fans alike want to know is Osi Umenyiora going to be back in 2012? Time will only tell but we do know that when Osi returned to the rotation, the Giants pass rush improved greatly. Rookie DT 2nd round pick Marvin Austin who the Giants are very high on and should give improve the Giants interior pass rush. Austin missed the entire year with a torn pectoral muscle. DB Terell Thomas & MLB Jon Goff are also expected back. Also CB Bruce Johnson & Brian Witherspoon.

Also the Giants have been fortunate in maintaining a solid core of players and coaches throughout these years. You hate to lose either one but when you are winning other teams want to know your formula for success and those players & coaches go elsewhere and the core is broken.

The Giants got hot at the right time just like they did in 2007. But again so much luck is involved and now they're the hunted and not the huntee. So many teams will be gunning for them. They're hasn't been a repeat Super Bowl Champion since the 2004 &2005 New England Patriots. So go ask the 15- 1 Green Bay Packers who the Giants whipped at Lambeau in the playoffs. You just never know.

Repeat As World Champions?

Cincinnati Bengals' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#17) CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama

1st Round (#27) G Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin

Nfl 2012

2nd Round (#53) DT Devon Still, Penn State

3rd Round (#83) WR Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers

3rd Round (#93) DT Brandon Thompson, Clemson

4th Round (#116) TE Orson Charles, Georgia

5th Round (#156) CB Shaun Prater, Iowa

5th Round (#166) WR Marvin Jones, Cal

5th Round (#167) FS George Iloka, Boise State

6th Round (#191) RB Dan Herron, Ohio State

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Dre Kirkpatrick: Cincinnati had a major need at cornerback and Kirkpatrick was a fine choice. Leon Hall is recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. No one knows for sure whether Hall can return to his prior high-level of play. The Bengals also missed Jonathan Joseph last year who went on to have a terrific season with the Texans. Kirkpatrick is a physical cornerback with good length and size. He will fit in well in the rugged AFC North division.

Kevin Zeitler: The Bengals traded their 2nd 1st round draft choice to New England for their 27th pick overall and a 3rd rounder. This trade worked for both teams. The Bengals wanted a quality guard in the draft and secured one by choosing Kevin Zeitler. The former Badger is a tough run blocker and a superbly dedicated football player. Cincinnati upgraded their offensive line with this selection and added another fairly high draft pick.

Devon Still: The key to having a strong 4-3 defense is a deep and talented front four (just ask the Giants). Devon Still was inconsistent at Penn State, but he had a big senior season. He also has an outstanding frame and fine quickness. He has the talent with good coaching to be part of Cincinnati's defensive tackle rotation. Still will likely spell Geno Atkins and help keep him fresh.

Mohamed Sanu: Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson both signed with new teams (Denver and Minnesota) via free agency. Cincinnati has a star in A.J. Green at wide receiver, but he could use some help. Mohamed Sanu is a big, physical target who has a chance to be a solid possession receiver. Sanu runs the slant well and is a willing blocker. The former Rutgers' star could be a poor man's version of Hines Ward. He made a lot of sense for Cincinnati in the 3rd round.

Brandon Thompson: The former Clemson star represented too much value late in the 3rd round. Thompson is not much of a pass rusher, but he is very good defending against the run. The Bengals add another quality defensive tackle to their rotation. Thompson was picked using the selection obtained in the trade with New England. The Bengals acquired two quality players (Kevin Zeitler and Brandon Thompson) in the trade who will strengthen their offensive and defensive lines.

Orson Charles: The athletic former Bulldog represented value in the 4th round. Charles runs well and will give effort as a blocker. Jermaine Gresham is a fine young tight end for Cincinnati and will be the starter. However, if Charles can learn the playbook well enough then he may convince Jay Gruden to use some two tight end sets. Charles could find a niche in Cincinnati's offense and give Andy Dalton another target.

George Iloka: It was a little surprising to see Iloka fall this far in the draft. His ability to change direction and cover began to be questioned. Iloka is a big safety who was productive at Boise State. He may not be able to hold-up in pass coverage against NFL receivers and tight ends. However, in the 5th round there is not much risk. He can contribute on special teams and will do his best to learn the defense and adjust to pro football. Cincinnati again finds value in the draft.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: A

Bottom Line: The Bengals had a lot of draft choices and did an outstanding job utilizing them. The team addressed two area of need (cornerback and guard) with quality selections (Kirkpatrick and Zeitler). The rest of their draft was spent finding value with a bunch of picks. The Bengals are deeper on the defensive line, tight end and wide receiver positions. If Mohamed Sanu develops into a good possession receiver then this draft could be special. The future looks bright for Cincinnati and they should be a force in the AFC North for some time to come.

Cincinnati Bengals' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 Baylor Bears Football Season Preview

Head coach Art Briles has done a wonderful job of turning this program around in just his 4th year on the job. Baylor just completed their first 10-win season since 1980, and Briles has taken this team to two straight bowl games. Art has certainly proved himself to be a solid recruiter, now it will be up to him to take this team to the next level with the loss of a great talent in Robert Griffin III.

While the Bears return a solid 14 starters and 54 lettermen, their offense take a hit since they lose five NFL draft choices on that side of the ball alone. Baylor relied on their offense to win games last year, now they may need their defense to shoulder most of the weight in the new season.

Nfl 2012

Offense

Baylor had one of the better offenses in the country last season. They averaged a whopping 45.3 points and 587 total yards/game. They also had extremely good balance that made them extremely tough to defend. They averaged 351 yards through the air and 236 yards per game on the ground. With only six starters returning on offense, Baylor will have a very hard time putting up the same numbers it did last year.

Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III will be very difficult to replace at quarterback. He was selected as the second overall pick in the draft by the Washington Redskins and his amazing production will be sorely missed.

Senior Nick Florence takes over at quarterback, and even though he is nowhere near as talented as Griffin, at least he has some experience.

Running back Tarrance Ganaway will be missed by the Bears in many different ways as he was an extremely underrated player on the team. He was picked by the New York Jets in the 6th round of the NFL draft. Oregon transfer Lache Seastrunk will likely be the new starter in 2012.

Kendall Wright also moved on to the NFL, but the Bears can take the solace on the fact that they bring back six of their top seven receivers. The players returning include Terrance Williams, Tevin Reese, Lanear Sampson, and junior TE Jordan Najvar.

The Bears also lose great players on the line in first-team All-Big 12 Philip Blake and second-team All-Big 12 right guard Robert T. Griffin. They do bring back three starters and 77 careers starts up front, but they have lost their two best linemen.

Defense

Despite a criminally poor defense that yielded 37.2 points and 488 total yards/game, Baylor was still able to win 10 games. Whatever the cause, 2012 should be a much improved season for them on defense with eight starters returning.

The Bears gave up 197 yards per game and 5.2/carry on the ground last season. They lose two solid defensive tackles in Nicolas Jean-Baptiste and Tracy Robertson. Junior DE Terrance Lloyd and senior DE Gary Mason are two returning starters who will anchor the defensive line.

The Bears should still be solid at linebacker despite losing leading tackler Elliot Coffey to graduation. They have five of their top six returning including junior starters Ahmad Dixon and Rodney Chadwick. Sophomore Bryce Hager is expected to replace Chadwick at middle linebacker, while Eddie Lackey is expected to start right away.

The secondary may just be the strength of the team as they helped Baylor to force a lot of turnovers. They had a ridiculous 18 takeaways over the final five regular season games and with the entire 2-deep back in the defensive backfield, more of the same can be expected.

Big 12 Prediction - 9th Place

This is a rebuilding year for Baylor since it's virtually impossible to replace the players they lost to the NFL draft. A lot of their talent on the offensive side of the ball is gone and it's very hard to see them post anywhere near the same numbers as last year. While their defense will obviously be improved, their defense last year was so bad that it won't mean much. Baylor has an extremely tough schedule ahead of them and it seems as though this team can win no more than two conference games.

2012 Baylor Bears Football Season Preview

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

2012 New York Jets Football Preview: Turbulence Ahead For Mark Sanchez and the Jets

2012 New York Jets football Preview: Turbulence Ahead For Mark Sanchez and the Jets

The New York jets followed up an 11-win season two years ago with a dismal 8-8 season in 2011. The Jets finished the season in a free-fall losing three straight games to a combined 93-50, and that trend will continue into the upcoming season.

Super Bowl 2012

Online sportsbook Just Bet has listed the Jets as 12-to-1 to win the AFC and an eye-popping 25-to-1 to win the Super bowl.

In the Super Bowl preview, the Jets did not make the cut and in the NFL Win Total Predictions for every team, the Jets were forecast to go under 8.5 wins on the season. The win totals for the Jets is currently listed at 8.5 (u+125). If that were to come true, the Jets would fall below.500 for the first time since the 2007 season.

One of the biggest problems for the Jets a year ago was team chemistry as the locker room turned on one another as the season ended. As long as players like Santonio Holmes are still on the team that is unlikely to change.

Mark Sanchez is under tremendous pressure at the quarterback spot and the Jets brass did not do him any favors by bringing in the mass-media mega machine in Tim Tebow. Rex Ryan has already announced that Tebow will play a big role in the offense and any bad play by Sanchez will turn the team, fans, and media on Sanchez. The disappointing season by the Jets could most certainly mean the end of Mark Sanchez with the Jets.

The 2012 Jets football schedule is not going to help them either. They start the season off by hosting the improved Buffalo Bills and the opening line posted by WagerWeb was unbelievable. The Jets will lose that game, yet they are still favorites? They could easily be swept by the Patriots, have tough road games against the Steelers, Buffalo, and Seattle, and brutal home games against the 49ers, Texans, and the Chargers.

In short, the New York Jets are looking for another long season without a chance of taking down the Patriots for the AFC East.

The Jets have not addressed the lack of speed on this team and if anything they have taken a step back. The Jets will finish the season at 7-9 if they are lucky and will miss the playoffs for the second season in a row.

2012 New York Jets Football Preview: Turbulence Ahead For Mark Sanchez and the Jets

For more NFL previews on the upcoming season check out http://www.bookieblitz.com for all your NFL needs.

Overview of the 2012 Rutgers Football Team

With the departure of 11-year head coach Greg Schiano for the NFL, the Rutgers are now set for a new era. Schiano's time with the team was littered with accomplishments and success and he will be sorely missed.

Rutgers hired Schiano's assistant Kyle Flood in the hopes that he could maintain Schiano's program. Flood takes over the team with some real talent and 15 starters returning. They had a record of 9-4 last season, and the transition to the new coaching staff will certainly be easier, but it's still a concern.

Nfl 2012

Offense:

Last year, Rutgers was forced to split quarterback duties between a couple of freshman in Gary Nova and Chas Dodd and they struggled in the process. Neither quarterback did well enough to secure their spot in the starting lineup in 2012. What will likely happen is that neither player will have the starting job locked up until the end of fall practice.

Regardless of who ends up starting at quarterback, they need to find a way of turning things around in the running game. They averaged a measly 98 yards/game and only 2.8 yards/carry last year. The Scarlet Knights once again struggled to crack the 3.0 yards/carry mark. It was certainly a surprise to see the team struggle with their running game as much as they did last year. Rutgers landed one of the top recruits in the nation in Savon Huggins but he struggled to make a lasting impact until his season ended seven games into the season. Red-shirt freshman Jawan Jamison managed to lead the team with 897 yards and nine touchdowns, but it's likely he takes a step back to Huggins in 2012.

The Scarlet Knights must find a way to replace the production of 4th Team All-American Mohamed Sanu. The departure of Sanu would have definitely hurt more if it wasn't for the emergence of freshman Brandon Coleman last year.

Despite having a mediocre quarterback under center and an unproven running game, their offensive line should be one of the best in the Big East this coming season. They have to replace three starters, but the addition of Maryland transfer R.J. Dill at right tackle, the emergence of Andre Civil as one of the top left guards in the conference and with 3rd Team Freshman All-American left tackle Kaleb Johnson coming back, this unit looks to be deadly in 2012.

Defense:

The defense of the Scarlet Knights is what will make this squad fun to watch as they had an excellent campaign in that regard last year. With eight starters coming back in 2012, look for the team to continue to be one of the best defenses in the Big East.

Despite losing starting defensive tackle Justin Francis and defensive end Manny Abreu, the defensive line should be even better than it was a year ago. Rutgers returns one of the premier defensive tackles in all of college football in Scott Vallone, and add in one of the top ten freshman defensive ends in the country in Darius Hamilton. They also expect big things out of highly touted red-shirt defensive tackle Marquise Wright.

The return of all three starting linebackers from last year is what is keeping this team as one of the top defenses in the Big East this season. Weak-side linebacker Khaseem Green headlines this unit and he was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

The secondary also figures to be unit loaded with different weapons and talent. The Scarlet Knights have one of the top corners in the nation in junior Logan Ryan and a big time playmaker at free safety in Duron Harmon. They also have starting corner Brandon Jones and one of their top backup corners in Mason Robinson both coming back.

Big East Prediction - 4th Place

The loss of Schiano is the biggest reason this team slips to 4th place. Flood can still lead this team to a Big East title, but chances are they will disappoint. They have a very hard schedule where they face both South Florida and Pittsburgh on the road. Both teams are among the two highest rated teams in the conference.

Overview of the 2012 Rutgers Football Team

Jack Jones provides his football picks each Saturday at BetFirms and Football Free Picks.

The Avengers Movie's Success

The Avengers is a film produced by the Marvel Studios and released in 2012. It is a superhero film based on the superhero team from the Marvel Comics. The screenplay was written by Joss Whedon and is distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The cast of the Avengers film has famous actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and additional cast members: Cobie Smulders, Chris Hemsworth, Clark Gregg, Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Renner among others.

The Disney Company decided to change the title of the film in the United Kingdom. Instead of Marvel's Avengers it was released as Marvel's Avengers Assemble. This is because the company did not want the public to confuse the film with a TV series in the UK that has the same name. The film had its world premiere on April 11th 2012, at the El Capitan Theatre in California. The film broke many box office records immediately after its release on that day. The Avengers film made a record 7,438,708 during its first weekend at the theaters. This is a noteworthy record because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 managed to acquire 9.2 million in its first weekend after the premiere. In its first week, the film broke the Dark Knight's 2008 record of 8.6 million by bringing in 0.019 million in ticket sales.

Super Bowl 2012

The Avenger's film received positive reviews by many notable critics. For example, the film got a 93% rating from the Rotten Tomatoes, which is a review aggregator website. It also obtained an average 8.1 points on 10 from the overall 267 reviews. CinemaScore gave the film an A+ grade based on the audience reviews. Another review from Metacritic showed the film received a score of 69 out of 100, due to the aggregation of 43 reviews.

The factors that contribute to the success of the movie are the stars, careful planning, as well as the original content. The stars of the film were all main characters in their various films and Marvel Comic books. When they came together, the fans wanted to know what would happen in the film, making the film a box office hit. The directors and producers of the film took the time to plan the film and released several teasers and one commercial spot in the Super Bowl. These actions increased the hype of the film, and many people looked forward to the premiere of the film.

The film did not make any changes to the characters, and they appeared just as they did in their previous films and comic books. The only character who underwent some changes was the Hulk. He was greener in the first Hulk film released in 2003, and the 2008 Hulk was too masculine. The film director decided to reduce the Hulk's green color and minimize his muscled appearance in the Avengers Film. The actors also showed their professionalism and dedication, by bringing out all the emotions required, despite the fact that it is an action film. In the film, there was no main character because all the characters worked as a team and each of them had their own moment to shine. The film's special effects, as well as the action, proved worth watching and increased the film's appreciation by the audience. Another important factor in the success of the Avengers is the dedication of the director/ producer Joss Whedon. He developed the story from the comic characters and did not try to create a completely new story that deviated from the comic characters.

The character of Bruce Banner enhanced the success of the film. Mark Ruffalo played the roles of the brilliant, yet cynical Dr. Banner and the Hulk in the film. He brought out the characters in such a marvellous way, enhancing the film's reception. He brought out the Hulk's character well by refreshing the character. He also brought out the geeky and irritated character of Dr. Banner in a spectacular way. Many critics appreciated the film's plot in addition to the character's dialogues.

The Avengers Movie's Success

Nicki Minaj On Faith and Lifestyle

Onika Tanya Maraj grew up in Queens, New York City, after moving from Trinidad, where she was born in 1982. She was 5 yrs old at the time, and was not yet known as Nicki Minaj, the songwriter, singer, rapper and performer.

In August of 2009, after the release of three successful mixtapes, Minaj was signed to Young Money Entertainment which is owned by Lil Wayne. Her debut album titled Pink Friday, was released in November of 2010, and was quickly recognized as a commercial success. It was certified Platinum, selling well one over one million units in one month after being released, and peaked at number one the U.S. Billboard 200 charts.

Super Bowl 2012

Along with recognition as a recording artist and performer, Nicki Minaj has also become involved with endorsing several products. She has contracts signed with a variety of corporations that include soft drinks manufacturers, Doll makers, clothing brands and cosmetics.

She appears to have been influenced by a wide range of personalities, including Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, Jada Pinkett Smith, Britney Spears and Madonna, with whom she performed a number at the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

Not only recognized for her music, Nicki is recognized for her personae, that includes costume and make up that may be considered as outlandish. She may also receive attention for some of her quotes on various aspects of life and faith

Minaj is transparent on her faith as a Christian, and on December 25, in 2011, she sent a biblical passage to millions of followers on the social network Twitter. She openly states that her heroes are God and her mother. She also revealed some personal details about her dad, who changed his life after attending rehab and started going to church.

In many of her songs and during many interviews, there appears to be an implication of sexual ambiguity, or that she does not date. During an interview with Vibe magazine, she states "I just embrace all people of all lifestyles and I don't tell them they are bad people. And I say girls are beautiful and girls are sexy and they need to be told that, and if they don't have anyone to tell them that and mean it, I'm gonna tell them that. But I feel like people always want to define me and I don't want to be defined."

Although she accepts the fact that she may be considered as a role model by many, Minaj seems to dislike being labelled and further states that "The point is, everyone is not black and white. There are so many shades in the middle, and you've got to let people feel comfortable with saying what they want to say when they want to say it."

Nicki Minaj On Faith and Lifestyle

You can find out more about the influences and background of Nicki with Nicki Minaj quotes
Public figures may sometimes be reluctant to express a belief or adherence to any faith. Read more about the influence of faith with Faith quotes.

Six Non-1st Round Rookies To Consider In Fantasy Football

Most fantasy football players will be concentrating on the big-name rookies selected in the 1st round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Trent Richardson, Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Doug Martin are the obvious rookies to consider adding to your fantasy team. However, often there are rookies taken after the 1st round who have surprisingly productive seasons and outperform the more heralded ones.

Marques Colston was a little-known 7th round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. All he did for the Saints in his rookie year was catch 70 passes for 1,038 yards (14.8 per) and score 8 touchdowns. Aaron Hernandez was taken in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft and contributed 45 receptions for 563 yards (12.5 per) and 6 scores for New England as a rookie. DeMarco Murray (3rd round, 2011 NFL Draft) was the most impressive rookie running back last year before an ankle injury ended his season. Murray rushed for 897 yards, averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored 2 touchdowns with just 7 starts for Dallas. The following are six rookies who could be more productive than many fantasy football players expect:

Nfl 2012

TE Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts: The 2011 John Mackey Award winner was the draft's best all-around tight end. Allen has the size and strength to be a solid blocker. He also has the athleticism and hands to be a receiving threat. The Colts would like to play 2 tight ends, 2 wide receivers and 1 running back as their base offense. That is why they drafted Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen back-to-back. Allen figures to play a lot in this offense. Indianapolis is wisely tailoring their offense around the talents of their quarterback, Andrew Luck. The former Stanford star is used to an offense that features tight ends. Stanford did not have a strong core of receivers, but Luck thrived throwing to a deep and talented group of tight ends. A tight end can be a fine security blanket for a quarterback. Dwayne Allen could find himself the target of a good number of Andrew Luck passes.

WR Juron Criner, Oakland Raiders: The Silver & Black need a good possession receiver to complement some of their speed on the outside. Juron Criner may prove to be a steal for the Raiders and fantasy football players. Criner caught 32 touchdowns passes in college and has a knack for catching the ball in traffic. His route running ability enables him to play faster than he times in the Forty-yard dash. Carson Palmer should develop confidence in throwing the ball to Criner because he has such terrific hands. Palmer should also be better this year with a full off-season to learn the Raiders' offense. Juron Criner could push for playing time as a rookie and be a surprising contributor to the Raiders.

WR Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears: The Bears were wasting Jay Cutler's passing ability with a mediocre group of receivers. That changed this off-season. Brandon Marshall was brought in via a trade and Alshon Jeffery was drafted in the 2nd round. Jeffery is a big target with huge, soft hands. His ability to highpoint the ball is very impressive. A subpar conditioning effort and poor quarterback play led to a less productive 2011 season for Jeffery and cost him being a 1st round selection. He reportedly is in shape now and Jay Cutler can deliver the football. Jeffery can be a factor in the end zone and a solid possession receiver for Chicago in 2012.

RB Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins: There is a lot of change in Miami with a new coaching staff. The west coast offense will be used and that means a good number of quick, short passes. Naturally, Reggie Bush will be utilized more as a pass receiver this season. Lamar Miller did not catch a lot of passes out of the backfield for the Hurricanes, but displayed pretty good hands. Miller has outstanding acceleration and speed. His burst was better than any back in the 2012 NFL Draft. The University of Miami product dropped in the draft due concerns over his surgically repaired shoulder. Miller is recovering well from his December surgery and will be able to handle contact in time for training camp.

He could very well beat out Daniel Thomas who was very disappointing as a rookie last year. Thomas (581 rushing yards, 3.5 yards per carry and zero touchdowns) did not run with power or speed in 2011. Miller could carve out a nice niche in Miami's offense as a complement to Bush. In addition, Reggie Bush has averaged only nine starts a season in his six-year career. It may have been an aberration that Bush started fifteen games last year. Miller is also a dangerous kickoff returner and his speed is a big play waiting to happen. A mediocre group of receivers could mean that the Dolphins must find a way to get the ball into the hands of their two most explosive players (Reggie Bush and Lamar Miller).

WR Rueben Randle, New York Giants: A rookie playing much on a Super Bowl-winning team normally does not happen. However, the Giants lost Mario Manningham to free agency and need a 3rd receiver to emerge. Randle could have put-up much bigger receiving numbers in college had he been in a better situation. LSU wins a lot of games with their strong defense and running attack. This philosophy combined with erratic quarterback play does not shine the spotlight on receiving talent. Randle ran a number of routes in college and has a good feel for the wide receiver position. He has an NFL body and physically should be able to handle press coverage. Randle is not a speed merchant, but he has enough to make some big plays downfield.

He will also notice a big difference between Eli Manning delivering the ball to him rather than Jarrett Lee or Jordan Jefferson (his LSU quarterbacks). The competition for the 3rd receiver spot is not steep for Randle. Domenik Hixon has struggled with injuries and really is a better kickoff returner than receiver. Ramses Barden has made zero impact in three seasons. Jerrel Jernigan has speed and quickness, but is small. He may be best as a punt returner and slot receiver. The Giants ideally would like Victor Cruz to work the slot and have another receiver complement Hakeem Nicks on the outside. Rueben Randle will have every opportunity to be the Giants' 3rd receiver this season.

WR Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati Bengals: The free agency losses of Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell means the Bengals need some young wideouts to emerge. A.J. Green clearly is the lead receiver and an emerging star. Who is going to complement Green remains up in the air. Sanu has a good chance to emerge as a valuable contributor to Cincinnati's passing attack. Andy Dalton does not have a big arm and the fact that Sanu lacks speed may not matter much.

Sanu uses his good size and toughness to run slants effectively. Dalton may develop confidence in the rookie to keep drives alive with well-executed short passes. His competition for playing time is an undistinguished group of receivers. Jordan Shipley (recovering from a serious knee injury), Marvin Jones (fellow rookie), Brandon Tate (better kickoff returner than receiver), Armon Binns and Ryan Whalen are not proven NFL wide receivers. Mohamed Sanu has an excellent opportunity to play a good number of snaps as a rookie.

Six Non-1st Round Rookies To Consider In Fantasy Football

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches, players and mock drafts.

McConnell's Gamble: Give 'Em What They Asked For

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell gave Democrats a way out of financial Armageddon yesterday, offering them what they said they wanted: a way to raise the national debt ceiling on a "clean" vote.

Will they take it?

Super Bowl 2012

Let's settle in with our snacks and beverages and watch the action unfold. With pro football and basketball officially on lockout, and with all due respect to last night's All-Stars and the rest of Major League Baseball, the big game is getting underway on C-SPAN and the cable news networks.

McConnell's move was as stunning - and some would say as risky - as the onside kick that New Orleans used to strip the ball from Indianapolis at the start of the second half of Super Bowl XLIV. Let's set the scene. With the clock ticking down toward the Aug. 2 deadline at which the Treasury expects to run out of borrowed cash, President Obama and the Democrats were grinding out political yardage by accusing Republicans of risking national default rather than raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Democrats pointed to their own willingness to cut spending - though the spending cuts offered were both ephemeral and years in the future - while they said Republicans were stuck in take-it-or-leave-it mode.

These same Democrats have long argued that the national debt ceiling should be raised on its own merits. The nation has already borrowed more than trillion, and it needs to continue borrowing so it can refinance and pay interest on that debt, as well as fund this year's .5 trillion of red ink. The White House spent the first quarter of the year calling for a pure debt limit vote. So did Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Both Obama and Reid declared that their own votes against raising the debt ceiling in 2006, when George W. Bush was in the White House and Republicans controlled the Senate, were mistaken.

Yet when the Republican-controlled House of Representatives held just such a vote last month, Democrats denounced the maneuver as a stunt. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said he wanted a clean debt limit increase but still urged Democrats to reject it as an "irresponsible piece of legislation that should have been handled in a bipartisan fashion." (1) Reid said it "sends a terrible message to the international community." Apparently that message was that it is important to increase the debt ceiling, but it is more important to diffuse responsibility so that Democrats won't have to face irate voters alone.

The bill died on a 318-97 vote. Every Republican voted against it, while 97 Democrats voted for it, 82 voted against, and seven courageous souls pronounced themselves "present."

McConnell's proposal would revive the clean debt ceiling increase, with a couple of twists. It would come in three stages: 0 billion, 0 billion and 0 billion, totaling .5 trillion. That would cover new borrowing past the 2012 elections and into the next Congress. Obama would be required to propose offsetting spending cuts, but the debt limit increases would take effect regardless of whether the spending cuts were enacted, unless a two-thirds vote in each chamber blocked the scheduled increase. There would be no tax increase.

Default would be averted. Obama and his fellow Democrats could choose whatever spending cuts they wanted to propose, and they would not even be obliged to pass such cuts into law. The federal debt mountain would grow, but that is inevitable under any form of debt limit increase. The debate is about how fast the mountain will grow, how big it will get, and who will ultimately pay more in taxes or receive less in federal spending to keep it from getting even bigger.

This is pretty disappointing to many Republicans. They hoped to use the impending debt limit to force major cuts in federal outlays. The problem is that they do not have the votes to force that outcome unless, on the eve of a default, Democrats simply cave. That is possible, but it is not a prospect that is very soothing to financial markets already preoccupied with fiscal turmoil in Europe. McConnell called his own proposal a "last-choice option," acceptable only because he is convinced that the "first choice" of deep spending cuts without major tax increases is unattainable while Obama occupies the White House.

A lot of Republicans, especially House freshmen who arrived with strong Tea Party backing, are going to reject McConnell's idea outright. House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor did not immediately weigh in, but I think they could deliver enough GOP votes to get it passed - if Democrats say "yes" this time to the debt ceiling increase they themselves demanded. On the Senate side, Reid and McConnell likewise ought to be able to deliver enough votes to put a deal on the president's desk.

Once that happens, it remains to be seen whether Obama still wants the clean increase he once called for. The real brilliance of McConnell's plan is that it places full responsibility for additional debt and spending in the remainder of Obama's current term squarely on the president's shoulders. This is not a president who typically relishes carrying such burdens.

If you are not a football fan, an onside kick is a trick play in which one team deliberately kicks the ball only 10 yards or so, rather than toward the other end of the field. The risk is that if the receiving team grabs the ball, it is much closer to the kicking team's goal and a potential touchdown. But if the receiving team is taken by surprise or fails to grab the loose ball, the kicking team can recover it and try to keep its own touchdown hopes alive.

It is usually a desperate move, tried by teams that are losing late in the game. The New Orleans Saints shocked everyone when they did it with half a game still to play and only a 10-6 deficit against the Colts. It worked. The Saints recovered the ball, drove for a touchdown that gave them the lead, and won the Super Bowl handily.

Big gambles can bring big payoffs. McConnell's gutsy call shows he knows how to play.

Sources:

1) CNN Politics, "House rejects debt ceiling increase, 318-97"

McConnell's Gamble: Give 'Em What They Asked For

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Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#19) DE Shea McClellin, Boise State

2nd Round (#45) WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#79) FS Brandon Hardin, Oregon State

4th Round (#111) TE Evan Rodriguez, Temple

6th Round (#184) CB Isaiah Frey, Nevada

7th Round (#220) CB Greg McCoy, TCU

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Shea McClellin: Chicago sought a bookend defensive end to pair with Julius Peppers. McClellin (6' 3" and 260 lbs) is a high motor player who lacks great physical tools for an NFL defensive end. He very well may have more potential as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 than as a defensive end. The former Boise State star may have trouble defending the run against powerful NFL offensive tackles. McClellin was a good (7 sacks in his senior season), but not an exceptional pass rusher in college. The Bears passed on Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry. Jones has a bigger frame and more growth potential than McClellin. Perry is a more explosive athlete than McClellin. Mercilus led the nation in sacks (16) playing against better offensive lineman than McClellin faced. McClellin was a questionable selection by the Bears.

Alshon Jeffery: The Bears traded for Brandon Marshall to provide him with a talented lead receiver. The selection of Jeffery adds a big possession receiver and an excellent red zone target to Chicago's passing attack. Jeffery could be a bargain in the 2nd round. The former Gamecock has terrific hands and made plenty of plays against SEC defenses. He slipped to the 2nd round due to concerns over his conditioning and work ethic. If he keeps his weight down and commits to being a pro then Jeffery is going to help the Bears. This was a relatively low risk/high reward selection.

Brandon Hardin: The search for improved safety play continues for Chicago. Hardin played cornerback at Oregon State, but has the size (6' 2" and 220 lbs) and tackling skills to play safety. The problem is he was frequently injured in college (missed last season with a shoulder injury that required surgery). Hardin also was not much of a ball-hawk (7 pass breakups and 1 interception in 3 seasons) for Oregon State. The Bears passed on offensive line help (Bobby Massie) and cornerback help (Jayron Hosley and Jamell Fleming) for Hardin. This pick looks like a reach and Hardin may have been available later in the draft.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C+

Bottom Line: The Bears have to hope that Shea McClellin is big and strong enough to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His career production will be compared to Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry to see if Chicago made the right decision for years to come. Chicago did not improve their offensive line or the cornerback position in this draft. A team that plays twice a year against Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford should have done more than add Brandon Hardin as a potential safety.

Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are coming off of their most productive season in school history. The only that thing that kept the Cowboys from competing for a national title was their shocking loss to Iowa State. Even so, the team won their first outright conference championship in the post WWII era. They finished with a 12-1 record after narrowly beating Stanford 41-38 in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing No. 3 in the final polls.

Mike Gundy has completely turned the OSU around in just seven seasons as the team's head coach. Not only has he turned the Cowboys in a Big 12 contender, but a national contender as well. 2012 will be a tough year for him though as he loses several key players on last year's team. The Cowboys return just 12 starters in all, but they do have a good amount of depth with 50 lettermen coming back.

Nfl 2012

Offense

The Cowboys had a record-setting offense last season that will be tough to replicate in 2012. They averaged 48.7 points and 546 total yards per game last year, and those gaudy numbers are almost certain to drop drastically in the new season. This is because only four starters return on offense, and almost all their best players are gone.

Brandon Weeden is irreplaceable after throwing for 4,277 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2011. Freshman Wes Lunt will have big shoes to fill as he earned the starting job in the spring. He's a big, strong pocket passer and he does resemble Weeden's lanky frame of 6'4'' and 211 lbs. I still expect their passing numbers to take a big hit in 2012.

OSU may have to rely heavily on its rushing attack more this season and their top returning playmaker, junior RB Joseph Randle needs to step it up even more. He rushed for 1,248 yards and a whopping 24 touchdowns last season, while also catching 43 balls for 266 yards and two scores to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. Junior Jeremy Smith (666 yards, nine touchdowns), and sophomore Herschel Sims (244 yards, two touchdowns) will return to help form one of the best backfields in the Big 12.

The receiving corps lost its top two playmakers in Justin Blackmon (122 receptions, 1,522 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Josh Cooper (71 receptions, 715 yards, 3 touchdowns). They lose three of their top four, but do retain senior starter Tracy Moore (45 receptions, 672 yards, 4 touchdowns). Sophomore Josh Stewart (19 receptions, 291 yards, two touchdowns) and Junior Isaiah Anderson (28 receptions, 315 yards, 4 touchdowns) are all expected to have increased roles in the upcoming season. Junior college All-American Blake Jackson should also make significant contributions.

The offensive line loses three starters up front, including first-team All-Big 12 and first-team All-American tackle Levy Adcock and center Grant Garner, the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2011. Despite big losing two of their best linemen, they do return 63 career starts. The returning players they have up front are right guard Lane Tayler and senior left guard Jonathan Rush.

Defense

The Cowboys were able to win the Big 12 last year despite subpar defense. They allowed 26.8 points and 457 total yards per game. Despite giving up so much yardage, this unit was able to come away with many key takeaways throughout the year. OSU finished +21 in turnover margin in 2011.

All-Big 12 DE Jamie Blatnick (50 tackles, 8 sacks) and DE Richetti Jones (33 tackles, 4 sacks) are moving on to the NFL. No defensive lineman had more than two sacks last year. That's unfortunate considering the Cowboys surrendered 185 yards and 4.4 per carry on the ground last year. Senior DE Nigel Nicholas (35 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 tackles for loss) and junior DT Anthony Rogers (21 tackles) are two of their most experienced linemen returning.

Linebacker will definitely be a position of strength for the Cowboys in 2012. This is mainly due to them having five of their top six guys coming back, including their #2, #3 and #6 tacklers. These are Alex Elkins (90 tackles), junior Caleb Lavey (74 tackles) and junior Shaun Lewis (61 tackles, 8 for loss). Gundy has boasted that this is his best linebacker corps yet.

OSU finished #2 in FBS with 24 interceptions a year ago. The secondary loses first-team All-Big 12 strong safety Markelle Martin, but brings back seven of their top eight defensive backs. Three starters return in first-team All-Big 12 corner Brodrick Brown (68 tackles, 15 pass break-ups, five INT), junior corner Justin Gilbert (59 tackles, 10 pass break-ups, five INT) and junior free safety Daytawion Lowe (97 tackles). The talent and depth this team has could make the Cowboys the top secondaries in the country.

Big 12 Prediction - 4th Place

While the defense should be improved, the offense is going to take such a big hit that there's very little chance the Cowboys contend for a repeat at the Big 12 title. QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon are huge losses to their team and they'll have a very hard time to replicate the success they had last year at the offensive end. They also lose two of their top linemen from one of the most underrated front fives in the country last year. OSU does have a manageable road schedule aside from a visit to Oklahoma. They have Texas, TCU and West Virginia at home, but it is highly unlikely that they win all three of those games. That's the reason why the Cowboys will have difficulty in contending for another conference championship.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

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2012 Dallas Cowboys Offseason Needs

The Dallas Cowboys always seem to have a way of ruining their season. In 2011, the Cowboys started out the year primed to win the NFC East with a 7-4 record, but they ended their year just 1-4 over the final five games to finish with a disappointing 8-8 record. The poor finish was even more disconcerting for the Cowboys since the rival New York Giants won the division with a mediocre 9-7 record and went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas has the weapons on the offensive side of the ball, but it needs to address some of its needs on the defensive side. The Cowboys took a big step forward thanks to the addition of free agent cornerback Brandon Carr, but more work needs to be done. Here are some of the Cowboys' big additions and subtractions so far in the young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Super Bowl 2012

CB Brandon Carr

QB Kyle Orton

ILB Dan Connor

FB Lawrence Vickers

S Brodney Pool

G Nate Livings

G Mackenzy Bernadeau

Subtractions:

WR Laurent Robinson

CB Terence Newman

ILB Bradie James

TE Martellus Bennett

FB Tony Fiammetta

G Kyle Kosier

Top 5 Needs:

1. Center/Guard
Dallas had huge problems just getting the snap to the quarterback last year. Some of the Cowboys' problems stemmed from the insane number of bad snaps their starting center, Phil Costa, had last year. If he remains the starter in 2012, then the Cowboys may have more of the same problems. They also need help at the guard spot. While there aren't any centers worth taking in the first round, the addition of Stanford's David DeCastro or Georgia's Cordy Glenn could greatly improve their offensive line.

2. Defensive Line
Despite being undersized, Jay Ratliff has shown tremendous awareness and ability at nose tackle. If the Cowboys had their way, they would move Ratliff to one of the two defensive end spots and find a new starting nose tackle. However, if that doesn't happen, look for the Cowboys to get an upgrade over Kenyon Coleman and Marcus Spears on the outside.

3. Outside Linebacker
The Cowboys re-signed outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, but I think they need to look for another player who can get to the quarterback. Spencer had just 6 sacks last season, while fellow outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware had a whopping 19.5. Someone line Alabama's Courtney Upshaw would do wonders for the Cowboys defense. While there may be bigger holes in the secondary, an improved pass rush can generally improve the play of your defensive backs.

4. Safety
Last year, the Cowboys brought in Abram Elam from the Cleveland Browns along with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. While Ryan's defense showed some promise last year, Elam was such a huge disappointment that the Cowboys seem uninterested in retaining the free agent. They added Brodney Pool from the New York Jets, but he's not that much of an improvement over Elam. If the Cowboys feel that they need to address this need through the draft, then they might go after Alabama safety Mark Barron, who is by far the best safety prospect in the draft.

5. Cornerback
Now that they have added Carr to the defensive unit and let go of Terrence Newman, the Cowboys have a vastly improved secondary. Carr was the Kansas City Chiefs' No. 2 corner behind Brandon Flowers, but he is more than capable of being the top guy. The Cowboys might be more compelled to add additional help at this position, unless Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick show marked improvements.

2012 Dallas Cowboys Offseason Needs

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Houston Texans' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#26) DE Whitney Mercilus, Illinois

3rd Round (#68) WR DeVier Posey, Ohio State

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#76) G Brandon Brooks, Miami (OH)

4th Round (#99) C Ben Jones, Georgia

4th Round (#121) WR Keshawn Martin, Michigan State

4th Round (#126) DT Jared Crick, Nebraska

5th Round (#161) K Randy Bullock, Texas A & M

6th Round (#195) OT Nick Mondek, Purdue

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Whitney Mercilus: The Texans finally made it to the playoffs and the defensive turnaround was a huge reason why. Houston let Mario Williams depart via free agency. The key element to a Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense is a strong pass rush. Mercilus led the nation in sacks last season and has the pass rushing skills and work ethic to develop into a fine outside linebacker in Houston's defense. The team wisely passed on wide receiver help to further strengthen the defense with another young and talented front seven defender. Mercilus has work to do at stopping the run and setting the edge. He likely will start out as a pass rushing specialist and join Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed in a rotation. The Texans passed on Nick Perry. Mercilus has more pass rush moves than Perry does and looks more comfortable standing up.

DeVier Posey: Houston has been looking for improved receiver help to complement Andre Johnson for quite some time. Posey has decent size (6' 1 ½" and 210 lbs) and speed (4.45 in the Forty), but needs a lot of work on becoming a precise route runner. He is a bit of a project who may never develop into a trusted 2nd receiver. The Texans passed on several promising wide receiver prospects such as, Mohamed Sanu and Jarius Wright. Houston was correct in addressing the wide receiver position, but they may not have chosen the correct one.

Brandon Brooks: The former University of Miami (Ohio) offensive guard has heavy hands, tremendous size and a powerful lower body. He has a chance to push for a starting job in Houston at guard provided he keeps his weight under control. Brooks moves well for a player of his size (6' 5" and 345 lbs) and is athletic enough to handle Houston's zone blocking scheme. The key question for Brooks is conditioning and keeping his focus during games over the course of a season. The Texans love to run the ball and Brandon Brooks has the potential to be a solid addition to the team's offensive line.

Jared Crick: A torn pectoral muscle cost Jared Crick 8 games during his senior season and he dropped to the 4th round. Crick does not have J.J. Watt's size, but he plays with a similar intensity and awareness. The Texans will convert Crick from a defensive tackle into a defensive end in their 3-4 defense. Wade Phillips version of the 3-4 defense enables smaller defensive linemen to excel, as long as they have quickness. Crick has to get stronger, but he does fit Houston's defense. He represented value in the 4th round.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: B

Bottom Line: The Texans added a key pass rusher (Whitney Mercilus) to their defense and that is always a positive. They also added to their offensive line depth with the selections of Brandon Brooks and Ben Jones. The Jared Crick pick was likely the team's best from a value standpoint. He joins a young and talented front seven. The only question regarding Houston's draft was did they find receiver help for Andre Johnson? DeVier Posey was a key pick near the top of the 3rd round. Posey has to prove to his quarterback that he can consistently be in the right spot and relied upon.

Houston Texans' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.