On the 24th of this month, more than 600 NFL Coaches, Scouts and other Official reps will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium (the home of the recently-defeated Colts) for an important event in every team's future. The 2010 Scouting Combine is an annual series of tests and drills, with all the richest talent in the country performing under a variety and multitude of microscopes.The workouts begin on the 27th when everything and everyone is ready.

The players are evaluated, measured, graded and then done so again...and again. Players can significantly increase, and likewise significantly damage, their draft value at the 'Combine. Teams, too, are not immune: poor analysis can yield a high-priced draft pick that sits on the bench while a better player starts. Having a succession of high-priced draft picks that don't pan out can cripple a team for years.

The 'Combine performance of a player does not make or break him in the long run, but it drastically influences the way the players come in to the league. Take Miami for example...

Some believe DT (Nose) to be the weakest area Defensively. There is merit to their arguments, even though I do not agree. Jason Ferguson's age and troublesome health and Paul Soliai's failure to sieze the job when given opportunity make it very shaky...not to mention there are several excellent talent prospects at DT this year. Mike Mayock, the respected analyst, said yesterday that usually there are 7-8 DT that go in the first three rounds, and that this year there was talent top-to-bottom and as many as a dozen or more could go in 2010. He listed McCoy as the number 1 prospect over Suh, which I don't agree with, but he did say he thought their draft position was interchangeable. Williams he lauded, as a true Noseguard, so there is relevence to the viewpoint in the need for the #12 pick to be one of them.

I personally think that FS is the most glaring need, though obviously DT is extremely precarious. FS isn't, imho...it's already putrid. In what is a deep DT draft, there are very few show-stopping Safety prospects. Taylor Mays hurt himself by going back to school and showing his limitations, but several others have elevated themselves. Berry is the gem here, but he won't last until pick #12...unless he dives at the 'Combine. That is unlikely, because he is not only the top-rated Safety on the board, he is also faster than all five of the next-highest rated prospects. He will have a decent 'Combine unless he simply falls apart.

Either way, it's good for sportsfans. We get to see the thoroughbreds put through paces, imagining them in our uniform doing great things for us.

Who will be the next Dolphins to come in and contribute? What stars will see their star rise, and which superstars will watch theirs fall?  

Here is the official schedule: 2/27-3/2

Day 1:  Group 1 (OLs, Specialists), Group 2 (OLs), Group 3 (TEs)

Day 2:  Group 4 (QBs, WRs), Group 5 (QBs, WRs), Group 6 (RBs)

Day 3:  Group 7 (DLs), Group 8 (DLs), Group 9 (LBs)

Day 4:  Group 10 (DBs), Group 11 (DBs)

The 16-2 Indianapolis Colts will face the 15-3 New Orleans Saints today in what promises to be one of the more entertaining Super Bowl games in a long time.  Both teams come into the game with very potent offensive teams and defense that are opportunistic, solid, but far from dominant.  Also, you cannot overlook the fact that the teams have 2 of the best 3 quarterbacks in the NFL in Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

Our Miami Dolphins are familiar with both teams, as the Dolphins battled both teams down to the wire in Miami in games that the Dolphins could have and a large majority of Dolphins fans will say should have won.  In week 2, the Dolphins dominated time of possession with over 45:00 minutes of time of possession, but did not score enough touchdowns when in the red zone and Peyton Manning and the Colts offense scored touchdowns in there limited chances and escaped out of Miami with a 27-23 win.  In week 7 the Dolphins came in and jumped out to a 21-3 lead and lead 21-10 at halftime.  The momentum of the game changed with the first possession of the 2nd half, as a perfectly thrown pass to Ted Ginn turned into an interception return by Darren Sharper for a touchdown.  It was discovered later on that week that Ted Ginn did indeed run down Sharper and stripped him before he crossed the goal line.  That was little consolation though, as the Saints went on a roll at that point and came from behind to beat the Dolphins 46-34.

Our Dolphins have work to do as 7-9 will attest, but the team has made solid progress and with another good year of work in free agency and the draft, this team will get closer to were we want the Dolphins to be.  Those 2 games against the 2 Super Bowl teams show the Dolphins are not very far away from being a legitimate, year in year out contender.

As far as the Super Bowl, I am an AFC guy and I believe and hope the Colts will win, although the injury to Dwight Freeney is HUGE.  But if the Saints were to win it would not upset me as the city of New Orleans has been through so much, it would be a great story to see the Saints bring a Super Bowl Championship back to New Orleans.

I'm just looking forward to the day when I can be amped up again about our Dolphins finally making it back to the big game again.  It's been to long.

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