Tin Bits - Contest Results

• Well, it took me long enough, but I've finally managed to finish grading the papers of the Tin's Fins 2010 Draft Contest.  From the 1st entry to about the 26th entry, not a single person had correctly guessed a single Dolphins' draftee.  Out of about 50 entries, only about 6 even got one right - so I don't feel so bad about getting none right myself.  Results are at the bottom of this blog post.

• A couple of lagging news items following the Draft.  Former Elon star WR, Terrell Hudgins, a player I described in the live chat as being a sort of 'poor man's Dez Bryant', has signed a rookie free agent contract with the same team that drafted Bryant - the Dallas Cowboys.  As if they didn't have enough receivers already, the Cowboys also got 'retired-before-hired' rookie free agent TE, Scott Sicko to sign on the dotted line.  As of now, the Cowboys have at WR - Roy Williams, Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Dez Bryant, Terrell Hudgins, along with a slew of young unproven no-names.

• Speaking of the Cowboys and Dez Bryant - news has surfaced that Dolphins' GM Jeff Ireland asked Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute.  This yahoo reporter took it very personally. I thought it was hilarious.  It really trumps any of the other weird combine interview questions we've heard this year.  Ultimately, it sounds as if Dez passed the test, though whether or not he was ever a Dolphins' target is unknown.  If my theory is correct that certain NFL teams work together in the pre-draft evaluations, as I have suggested goes on between Dallas and Miami, then it makes sense that a team that wasn't going to draft Bryant would ask the question on behalf of the team that was.  Whatever you want to think of Dez Bryant and his future, he has, in my opinion, handled himself really well as a 20 year old in the spotlight and with all the criticism he's faced the past few months.  As for the question - yes it's class-less and brutish - it was meant to be - so that yahoo reporter should lay off the Yoo-hoo and stop comparing a 1st round NFL draft pick with someone who works in an office for $40k a year.  Those people also don't have to strip to their underwear, get prodded and medically investigated, interviewed four or five times, have their families and backgrounds checked, their internet history investigated, their twitter followed, and be in 'evaluation mode' for 4 months straight.  Then after they are drafted they are still under evaluation every minute they are at work.  There's really no comparison between an NFL player and a regular person when it comes to what is an appropriate question.  They obviously want to know how he reacts to confrontation, what his temper is like, etc.  This is a physical game, people are hitting each other, adrenalin is pumping.  So, Michael Silver, YOU need a reality check.

• Hooked up with new Miami Dolphin CB, Nolan Carroll, via the internet and verified that Dolphins rookie camp runs from Thursday morning through Sunday evening.  It will be interesting to see who the Dolphins call-in to fill in the missing holes (they essentially need enough players to run a 7-on-7 drill.

And now, drumroll please, the WINNERS of the 2010 TIN's FINS DRAFT CONTEST:

1. Dahlia305 - 52 points
2. 13kvFINS - 51 points
3. NcDolfan  - 44 points

NcDolfan managed to join us in the live chat from Bahrain (if memory serves) as he was deployed by the US Navy to fight pirates aboard the USS Farragut.  He was the only entrant to guess we would draft Austin Spitler and he even got the number pick right.  NcDolfan, as if you couldn't find any better motivation to be safe over there, there is a $15 Gift Certificate waiting for you when you get back!  

13kvFINS had the hardest to read entry, with the most additional narrative added - imagine a contestant on Wheel of Fortune asking if there are any 'R's and then while the Rs are being turned over, that contestant then stating his reasoning behind why he chose R and what other letters he thought of choosing, and you'll get the picture.  He was the only contestant to pick Koa Misi with our 2nd pick - but it didn't count as it was in his 'alternate answer', not the official one. which had zero correct.  Had he submitted the alternate instead, he would have edged out Dahlia305  for the win. 13kvFINS' entry was the only one out of over 50 entries that picked DE as the answer to #10, though his reason for picking that position was wrong, he did type out 'DE' s he gets the points and the $25.

Dahlia305 had some key scores on her entry.  First, she somehow knew/guessed that we would draft John Jerry.  She knew we would trade down.  She was the ONLY entrant to get full points for #1 (maybe she was smart enough to copy from my mock draft - as I also had Trent Williams going 4th overall).  And thus, she's the only one walking away with the $50 first prize.

Congratulations to all the winners.  Prizes will be sent out to Dahlia305 and 13kvFINS on Thursday.  NcDolfan - I will hold yours until you return unless you tell me otherwise.  A couple of honorable mentions:  Elias P. got 43 points and had the best score on #8 (WRs);  Fin_Fan_in_Japan scored 39;  Rob H. scored 38.  Twenty-four contestants scored a 37.  The lowest score was a 24.  There were a total of 112 possible points.