Kage and the Seidkick's 2014 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Once again, my best friend, Kevin Gregus, and I do a weekly podcast (you can find that podcast on the right side of this blog or on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kage-and-the-seidkick/id635443276?mt=2),  A couple months back, we decided that a fun exercise would be to do a mock draft for the NFL where we alternate picks and then discuss our mock draft on the podcast.  Here is the resulting second edition of the mock draft for your enjoyment and keep your eye out for the connecting podcast next week where we will discuss our mock and how it matched up with the actual draft.

The Rules

The rules are simple: we flipped a coin to determine who selected first. Kage won the first go round, so we stick with the same picks.

In addition to the basic premise, we set guidelines for making our picks.  We are picking as we think the teams should and not as we think they will. This is a "if we were the GMs, this is our thinking" mock draft, not a "this is who we think that particular GM will pick" mock draft. That rule is simply because it's more fun to think of what a smart GM would do rather than try to guess what moronic move Jerry Jones will make this year.

Without further ado, our second mock draft!

Coolest Alums Of Each Tourney School - 2014 Edition

*This post is two months late, but it's definitely still a fun read. Apologies for the tardiness but do enjoy

Last year, my friend and podcast partner, Kevin Gregus, shared with me an article found on SI.com where they list and rank the 68 schools in the NCAA tournament based on their "coolest" alum (Find the article here).  A great idea, but terribly executed in my opinion.  First, there is no criteria explained for the "coolness" factor.  Second, and more annoying to me, is the fact that it credits schools with alumni who attended for one semester.  So I set out to provide a better list, with more concrete parameters.  Due to the reactions I received from those who read the post, I have determined that last year's list was a rousing success.  As a result, I have decided to do it again this year, but with a little tweak to the process.

So that the process doesn't seem repetitive to me and the blog post doesn't seem repetitive to my readers, I have brought Kevin, Don, and Steven into the process for this tourney.  We will rank the alums for each school, combining our rankings to determine the coolest alum for a school. Then we will rank the coolest alums, combining our rankings to determine the rankings for which school has the coolest alum.  With all that being said, remember, this list is subjective. I'm a certain kind of nerd, Kevin is another kind of nerd, the others are nerds as well. Our idea of cool will differ from yours and from each others.  Anyways, no more disclaimers, let's get down to business!

Rules:

• Coolness factor: To be cool, I must see your name and have an emotional reaction.  In more vulgar, animalistic terms, I need a stirring in my loins.  So, while Gerald Ford is influential and a great American, there is nothing there that makes me excited.  I also decided early on that this list would not enjoy the likes of athletes unless there was no other choice.  So Jim Brown, Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan and others of the like will not be gracing this article.
• Alumnus factor: You CANNOT have dropped out to pursue a career.  My reasoning is simple.  If somebody came up to me and told me they went to Michigan for one semester, I would not consider them a fellow Wolverine.  I'd consider them someone who knows how great Ann Arbor and Michigan is, but they do not share that common bond of putting in the work to get the degree I received.  This eliminates the Madonna (Michigan), Anthony Kiedis (UCLA) and Charles Lindbergh (Wisconsin) types from consideration, but it's necessary.  A graduate degree, on the other hand, will count.  You spent a decent amount of time and left with a degree. You can claim that school and they can claim you.  Any other close calls, I will decide upon and explain if necessary.

That's the two rules that will shape this list.  Without further ado, it's list time!

Kage and the Seidkick's 2014 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

For those of you who don't know, my best friend, Kevin Gregus, and I do a weekly podcast (you can find that podcast on the right side of this blog or on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kage-and-the-seidkick/id635443276?mt=2),  Anyways, we decided that a fun exercise would be to do a mock draft for the NFL where we alternate picks and then discuss our mock draft on the podcast.  Here is the resulting mock draft for your enjoyment and keep your eye out for the connecting podcast the following week for more talk of how we came to those picks.

The Rules

The rules are simple: we flip a coin to determine who selects first. After that, Kage and myself alternate picks until all 32 first round picks are made.

In addition to the basic premise, we set guidelines for making our picks. First, we assume that all teams are as they are and free agents are still on the team.  Second and more importantly, we are picking as we think the teams should and not as we think they will. This is a "if we were the GMs, this is our thinking" mock draft, not a "this is who we think that particular GM will pick" mock draft. That rule is simply because it's more fun to think of what a smart GM would do, rather than try to guess what moronic move Jerry Jones will make this year.

The coin flip was called tails by Kage and landed tails, so K will pick first with yours truly going second, and so on.

Without further ado, our first mock draft!