I know some of you have been asking where I’ve been hiding, but I’m here.  It’s been a crazy few weeks.  I went to the NFL Combine last week on partly on assignment for 700WLW and partly for business purposes.  Of course my partner Charles Fisher was with me.  I spent most of the day hanging in the media room with all of the local and national reporters.  I heard the same things from players and coaches that they did.  It was good to meet some of them.  Guys like Adam Schefter of ESPN and Greg Rosenthal of Profootballtalk.com, to name a few.  I also had the opportunity to appear on the John Clayton Show, I start at the 14:40 mark, that airs every Saturday in Seattle.  It was nice meeting him as well.  A bunch of guys there were nice and treated me well.  Charles and I would stop for lunch and dinner to meet up with NFL personnel people, scouts and pro directors.  That was pretty cool.  I learned a lot about the business and how different teams view the combine. Some of the things said I can’t repeat, but I now understand how a lot of things go.  But we will post more free agency and draft stuff.  Or you can ask questions in the comment section and I will answer them.  You can alway follow me on twitter @JohnThornton and Charles Fisher @CharlesFisher25

Sorry for the lack of posts, been traveling a little over the past few weeks.  Nothing has really happened in the football world other than the Saints winning the Super Bowl.  I had the Colts to win, but the Saints played better that night.  One thing that is going on under the surface in the NFL is a lot of agents are preparing for the unknown with the NFLPA and NFL fighting with each other.  Not only is this year cloudy, but how to proceed in the coming years is starting to be very cloudy.  I’m going up to the NFL Combine in Indy in two weeks to get the scoop after the agents have their yearly meetings.  Players really don’t know what to expect and I really don’t think that the teams know what they will do as well.  Another move that was made this week was the Bengals signing WR Matt Jones to a one year deal and working out DB Adam Jones.  When I heard about this, I didn’t believe it. I don’t see why the Bengals have to keep going to the well to grab players with troubled pasts.  There was so much made about the “new” team in 2009, that I don’t see why these players are even an option.  But with that being said, I really think that the upcoming uncapped year forced to team to look at WR Matt Jones.  Jones has some skills and he comes cheap.  If he can regain his form from two years ago, I think he can help the Bengals.  Is he the answer?  No.  I still think they the team needs a young No 1 type WR.  Not only to help Chad Ochocinco, but eventually replace him ala Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.  Matt Jones was never a No 1 and I don’t see him being that way.  He is a tall guy that can be a weapon on 3rd down and in the red zone.  He does not have Chris Henry type skills.  Matt ran a fast time at the combine that people love to talk about, but he has never played that fast in games or been known as a deep threat.  But he can come in and be a solid #2 WR.  I hope it works out.  Not a lot of risk for the Bengals if it doesn’t work out, but if it works, moves like these will continue to happen.  I said a couple of weeks ago that I think the team will take a DB with the first pick, and I’m sticking to that.  A 3rd corner or play making safety is where I would go in the first round.  But a guy that I really like is Penn St DT Jared Odrick.  He has NFL skills right now and is a big athletic guy.

By John Thornton- I was looking for a new cardio program to add to my workout so I called strength coach extraordinaire Ray Oliver.  He sent me about 20 programs.  They were for the treadmill, bike and elliptical machine. Tonight I tried the modified fat burning treadmill workout a little while ago and it had me beat.  It seems pretty simple but getting through it was tough.  If you are looking for a quick little workout, check this one out.  It ranges from a walk to a fast walk, all with inclines. 35 minutes total.

5 minutes- 3.5 speed- 5 incline

5 minutes- 3.6 speed- 6 incline

5 minutes- 3.7 speed- 7 incline

5 minutes- 3.8 speed- 8 incline

5 minutes- 3.9 speed- 9 incline

5 minutes- 4.0 speed- 10 incline

5 miuntes- 3.0 speed- 0 incline

By John Thornton-  How many of you are watching the Senior Bowl practices on the NFL Network?  I have watched most of the practices and listened to most of the commentary.  Some of it is like watching paint dry, and some of it is pretty good.  The thing you have to remember is that NFL people don’t expect these players to light it up this week.  These young guys have no idea what it is like to be a pro or practice with the tempo of a pro player.  This is the first time that coaches actually get to see these players.  Scouts and “some” GMs have been watching these college guys all year, now the coaches will get to see the guys that may end up on their teams.  The thing I find funny is that people keep saying that after every catch, deep pass, or INT, it’s being reported that guys are moving up or down the draft board.  Team draft boards won’t be set until April.  There is a whole body of work to look at here.  It is true that some guys can help their stock this week, but if you had a bad senior year in college and a good week at the Senior Bowl, that bad year will override everything.   But all in all, I think it’s interesting to watch.  The drills I like to watch are the pass rush drills and the run block drills that the DL and OL do at the start of practice.  That’s probably the best way to judge the players.  You can’t fake that.  Either you can do it or you can’t.  And I love it when the cameras cut to the crowd and shows NFL coaches either yawning, talking on their cell phones, or texting.  Shows you what they are thinking…