http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/players/macho_harris/90516 Recent articles about Macho Harris en-us By Scott Kacsmar Cold, Hard Football Facts Pigskin Border Patrol If you believe in the East Coast bias, then you probably think the teams in the NFC East are given too much coverage from the media.   We give them all an equal spotlight here, but the criticism will not be the same. Now through 20 teams in our 2009 NFL Draft review, the NFC East is home to: the worst team draft yet, the best player taken in the second round, one of the best pass rushers, and arguably the best wide receiver in the whole draft.   While it is annually one of the toughest divisions to predict (look at the challenge this season), no division was easier to rank the 2009 draft for than the NFC East.   2009 Draft Reviews Part I: NFC North Part II: AFC North Part III: NFC South Part IV: AFC South   Notes: Players listed in bold are still on the active roster of the team that drafted them. A player with his games played (GP) and games started (GS) listed in red has appeared in games for a team other than his d... Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:44:45 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/flash_forward_2009_nfc_east_draft_review/11046314 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/flash_forward_2009_nfc_east_draft_review/11046314 Flash-forward: 2009 NFC East draft review http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/flash_forward_2009_nfc_east_draft_review/11046314 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Immediately following the 2012 NFL draft, nearly all sports websites will have an article giving grades out and evaluating how each team did.  Of course, most of these articles will be prefaced by saying something like “It takes three years to really be able to evaluate any draft.”  With this in mind, I decided to look back at the ’09 draft and assign grades to all thirty teams.     Arizona Cardinals                  D+ Round    Pick   Player 1              31           Beanie Wells RB 2              63           Cody Brown DE 3              95           Rashad Johnson S 4              131         Greg Toler CB 5              167         Herman Johnson G 6              204         Will Davis DE 7              240         LaRod Stephens-Howling 7              254         Trevor Canfield G The Cards get Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:29:40 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/2009_nfl_draft_analyzed_3_years_later/10604323 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/2009_nfl_draft_analyzed_3_years_later/10604323 2009 NFL Draft: Analyzed 3 Years Later http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/2009_nfl_draft_analyzed_3_years_later/10604323 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Eagles have had tons of scapegoats over the years. Reid and Donovan McNabb have obviously been the most popular, Juan Castillo the most recent and it probably won’t be long before it’s Michael Vick either for his inability to stay on the field or his inability to be Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. But to me, the reason the Eagles haven’t found themselves hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February has been very, very simple. The Eagles are completely incapable of drafting, and developing, young defensive players. Since 2003 (9 drafts) the Eagles have drafted 44 defensive players. Only 1 (Trent Cole) has made a Pro Bowl. Even worse, only 4 (Cole, Patterson, Bunkley, Gocong) spent more than 2 seasons a full-time starter. Think about that. In 9 drafts, only 4 defensive players have become long-term starters and two of them (Bunkley and Gocong) were unceremoniously dumped. There has not been a similar problem on the offensive side of the ball, and that’s the only thing that has kept us go... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:38:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/the_very_simple_reason_the_eagles_cant_reach_the_next_level/10577932 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/the_very_simple_reason_the_eagles_cant_reach_the_next_level/10577932 The very simple reason the Eagles can’t reach the next level http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/the_very_simple_reason_the_eagles_cant_reach_the_next_level/10577932 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png When looking at the Philadelphia Eagles’ previous habits and patterns leading up to the NFL draft, one can start to discern a few things that may give us some insight as to what they might do come draft day. Photo: gcobb.com The Eagles are very difficult to predict when it comes to their first round pick.  This is because of perhaps their most notorious tendency when it comes to the draft: the “smoke screen.”  They are the masters at keeping their first round target surrounded by numerous possible targets. The more potential first round players they can attach their name to, the better.  Private workouts and pre-draft visits are not only the Eagles doing their due diligence, it’s also putting the thought out there that they could be considering drafting the player. Let’s re-cap the Eagles’ last three first-round players: Danny Watkins, Brandon Graham and Jeremy Maclin. In 2011, the consensus was that the Eagles were going to either take a cornerback or offensive lineman with their f... Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:21:05 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/philadelphia_eagles_draft_things_that_may_offer_insight_into_first_round_pick/10516055 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/philadelphia_eagles_draft_things_that_may_offer_insight_into_first_round_pick/10516055 Philadelphia Eagles Draft: Things That May Offer Insight Into First Round Pick http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/philadelphia_eagles_draft_things_that_may_offer_insight_into_first_round_pick/10516055 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Houston Texans re-signed safety Quintin Demps on Thursday.  Terms of the contract were not disclosed, via team’s press release. Selected in the fourth round (119th overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Demps, 26, quickly made a name for himself as a returner, finishing fourth in the league with 1,638 yards on 52 kick returns and averaging 25.3 yards a pop in his rookie campaign.  He appeared in every game and also made 18 tackles, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble in 2010. Demps was the favorite to start at free safety entering the 2009 regular season, according to former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, but lost the job to Macho Harris and was later waived by the team in September 2010. Photo Via GridironFans.com The 5-11, 206-pound defensive back out of UTEP joined the UFL (United Football League) two months later on a deal with the Hartford Colonials, before reentering the NFL the next month as a Texan after Houston placed DE Jesse Nading on IR. He failed ... Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:25:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/houston_texans_bring_back_safetykick_returner_quintin_demps/10495412 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/houston_texans_bring_back_safetykick_returner_quintin_demps/10495412 Houston Texans Bring Back Safety/Kick Returner Quintin Demps http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/houston_texans_bring_back_safetykick_returner_quintin_demps/10495412 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/7/37f370df535686a262433f3e0551c7a5bd08d1e4/mini/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f89750840.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0E4FB08313ED5389642221D29D270B0D2136E649736305C59.jpg Life has a funny way of turning out some times. In 2007, I watched in the pouring rain as the the Hokies lost one of the most heartbreaking games I can remember, 14-10 to Boston College. We didn't know it at the time but it ended up keeping the Hokies out of the national title game that year. However, in the postgame locker room, team leader Macho Harris gathered the team around him and said "This is a minor setback for a major comeback". That line - from a Dirty South record by Lil' Keke - was on Macho's iPod at the time and he had listened to it before the game. He turned that line into a mantra for the team and they responded, winning the rest of their games and going to the ACC title game where they faced Boston College. They capped the season by defeating the Eagles in the rematch and Harris' prophetic words came true as the Hokies won the ACC title.Earlier this year, after the Hokies devastating defeat to the Clemson Tigers in Lane Stadium, they were ... Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:43:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/game_preview_acc_championship_2011/8479264 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/game_preview_acc_championship_2011/8479264 Game Preview - ACC Championship 2011 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/game_preview_acc_championship_2011/8479264 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Its the bye week and there is not much going on so just for fun lets take a look back at what happened this offseason to get us to this point.  The Steelers made 18 Free Agent Signings this offseason.  Only 3 of which were signed from other teams.  The others were either our free agents we brought back, restricted free agents or extensions.  I am not going into all the undrafted Free Agents.  The only person on this list is Weslye Saunders because he made the team.  Here is the good, the regretful and the ehh. Good: LaMarr Woodley-  Well worth every penny.  His month of October alone pays for this season.  7.5 sacks in a month.  Most do not get that in a season.  If he keeps this up you can be nothing but happy for him and the Steelers.  It was a great signing and having him here until his early 30′s at a minimum is a great deal.  On the season he has nine sacks.  That is the most in the AFC.  That is with him missing 2 games.  When he gets back from the hamstring injury I hope to ... Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:26:21 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/a_look_back_at_the_steelers_in_the_2011_free_agent_market/8145439 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/a_look_back_at_the_steelers_in_the_2011_free_agent_market/8145439 A Look Back at the Steelers in the 2011 Free Agent Market http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/a_look_back_at_the_steelers_in_the_2011_free_agent_market/8145439 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png 40) Between the '20s, there is no better offense in NFL history than this Eagles team39) Jason Peters clearly gets his rocks off when he gets to block a cornerback38) That first Dallas series on defense proved that Buddy only raised one son, and kept this one in the crawl space37) I keep waiting to see why Alex Henery was a high draft pick, or employed36) The first sack of Tony Romo was Aikman-esque in its concussive potential35) The second sack of Romo was shocking in that Dallas didn't get a bailout flag for a late hit34) Dallas punter Mat McBriar was limited by his lack of a second T33) if you had 6 minutes in the first quarter for the first inexplicably wasted timeout in this week's Eagles mistake pool, you win32) And... if you had a false start after the timeout, you get double bonus points31) Vick nearly fumbled and ran for 11 yards on a play that defined his existence30) Rob Ryan's going to have to grow a lot more hair to keep his genius reputation after this ... Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:01:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/eagles_cowboys_takeaways/7763551 http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/eagles_cowboys_takeaways/7763551 Eagles - Cowboys Takeaways http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/eagles_cowboys_takeaways/7763551 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png