Back to (Blogging About) Football!

Anyone else a little confused about the NFL's slogan for the 2011 season? Don't get me wrong, I understand the message and what the league is trying to do, but "Back to Football"? Really? What exactly did we miss? Rookie mini-camps? OTAs? Free-agent signings? Correct me if I'm wrong but the 2010 season ended with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. The 2011 season kicks off on September 8th. All we "missed" was a majority of the off-season.

But you know what? The slogan is working, or at least it seems to be. In fact, it makes you feel good just to say it, doesn't it? "Man I'm just glad this lockout is over so we can finally get back to football." Try it, it makes you sound like you were really strung out from the battle between the owners and players this off-season over a new collective bargaining agreement.

I'll be honest, I know it was an absolute nightmare for NFL execs, free agents and their agents once the lockout finally lifted...but man it was fun to watch. What was once spread over several months was done in a matter of days this year. And with the college football season kicking off Thursday night it is nice to know that we can now turn our attention...Back to Football!

NFL Draft Day(s) Success!

The 2011 NFL Draft has come and gone and we're happy to report that it was another banner year for Under Armour Senior Bowl players. A total of 83 guys off of our 2011 roster were selected over the three day event, including 12 in the first round.

The Senior Bowl also extended some pretty impressive streaks this year at the draft. First, when Von Miller went second overall to the Denver Broncos it marked the 15th consecutive year that we've had a top 10 pick! Six picks after Miller was selected, the Senior Bowl had their first quarterback taken when Jake Locker went 8th overall to the Tennessee Titans. Locker's selection marked the first time since 2008 (Sedrick Ellis, Keith Rivers) that we've had two top ten picks.

Another streak that we extended this year was the number of consecutive years that we've had 10 or more first round selections. That number now stands at seven after the aforementioned 12 first rounders this year. It was also a great year to be a Senior Bowl quarterback with two signal callers going in the first 12 picks (Locker-8th, Christian Ponder-12th, Minnesota) and two more going in the early portion of the second round (Andy Dalton-35th, Cincinnati, Colin Kaepernick-36th, San Francisco). This was the first year that we've had four quarterbacks taken in the first 36 picks!

It's always exciting to see our players get drafted after getting to know these guys leading up to Senior Bowl week and then of course develeoping those relationships when they finally do arrive here in Mobile in late January each year. Congrats to all of our draftees and once we get this NFL lockout thing squared away, we're confident that the players that went undrafted will land free agent deals.

Here are some of the highlights of the 2011 NFL Draft as it pertains to the Senior Bowl:

• 12 first round selections (15 juniors were selected)


• First senior player at 12 different positions (QB,TE,OG,OT,WR,DE,DT,OLB,S,ILB,K,FB)


• 7 straight years with 10 or more first round picks


• 15 straight years with a top ten pick


• Miller going 2nd overall was highest Sr. Bowl draftee since '03 (C.Palmer-1st overall)


• Two QBs selected in first 12 picks, four QBs selected in first 36 picks


• 30 of 32 NFL teams selected at least 1 Sr. Bowler (Redskins with league high 6)

Senior Bowl Gives Thanks!

The Senior Bowl staff would like to wish all of our fans a very Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday we thought we'd list all that we are thankful for--which is a lot. First and foremost--we are thankful for our fans. Without the 40,000 plus that turn out on Senior Bowl Saturday to support us plus the countless others that continue to party outside of the stadium during the game...we could not continue to put on a first class event year in and year out. We are also thankful for our committee. These 400 or so men and women are a vital part of our existence. Whether their business supports us through sponsorships or they serve on one of the several sub-committees to volunteer their time--or both--the Senior Bowl Committee is the heart and soul of the entire organization.

That leads us to our next reason to be thankful--our sponsors and Quarterback Club members. Like our committee members...our sponsors are the lifeline of the Senior Bowl. By making a financial commitment to the Senior Bowl, these businesses and organizations are helping carry on a Mobile tradition that has been in existence since 1951. Thank you to all of our sponsors and Quarterback Club members!!

Of course we are also thankful for the players. Although it would be easy for the top 100 senior college football players in the country to turn down a prestigious invite to our game--fearing a bad performance might hurt their draft status--quite the opposite happens. Players often jump at the chance to showcase themselves in front of the National Football League and national television audience. They are the reason we do what we do--so a big Thank You to them!!

Finally, we'd like to thank the National Football League. It is our strong relationship with the league that allows us to separate ourselves as the nation's premier senior showcase event. Each year, two complete coaching staffs coach the North and South squads--giving our players a glimpse of what life and football will be like at the next level.

We could go on and on about all that we are thankful for but that would just take time away from another highlight of Thanksgiving--Football and Food!! Enjoy both!!

Senior Bowlers Succeeding

One of the great things about the Under Armour Senior Bowl is the fact that for one week in late January the future of the NFL calls Mobile, Ala. home. We're reminded about the elite talent that visits the Port City each April during the NFL draft and then again in the fall when that talent shines each and every Sunday. This year there a few alums in particular that have really stood out to us here at the Senior Bowl. The first is Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews and the other is Tampa Bay running back LeGarrette Blount.

Matthews is on course to claim defensive MVP honors this season with an NFL leading 10.5 sacks heading into this weekend's (11/14) game. The former USC standout and 2009 Senior Bowler has quickly become one of the more feared pass rushers in the game today. We knew Matthews was special when he came to Mobile in January of 2009, but to be honest he was not even considered to be the best linebacker on his team. That honor went to Brian Cushing--another former Senior Bowl player--and the 15th pick of the 2009 NFL draft. Cushing, Matthews and Rey Maualuga all shined while in Mobile but it just seems that Matthews has gone to a whole new level in the pros. Sure, Cushing was named the NFL's defensive rookie of the year last year but in our opinion Matthews is on a clear path to becoming the best of the bunch.

Blount may be one of the great comeback stories of the year--and he's only a rookie! Nobody can forget that horrible scene in Boise, Idaho at the beginning of the 2009 college football season. Blount punching an opposing player and then having to be restrained as he was escorted off the field. To his credit Blount owned up to his mistake in countless interviews with scouts and media while in Mobile last January. He certainly seems to have put the incident behind him too. He's currently #2 among rookies in rushing with 268 yards and three touchdowns for the Bucs this year. Here's hoping he'll continue to be productive on the field and a shining example of making the most of a second chance.

Off and Running!

Wow...where has the time gone? We are literally off and running here at the Senior Bowl offices and apparently so busy that we haven't had time to update this blog (sorry about that!). A quick update for you though...since our last post we've been in full race mode. The 23rd annual Wells Fargo Senior Bowl Charity Run will take place this Saturday, Nov. 6th in downtown Mobile. We are expecting another strong turnout this year and the weather forecast looks like it is going to cooperate, which is always nice. There is still time to sign up and for $15 you can take part in the 10K or 5K! You receive the always popular long sleeve Charity Run t-shirt and admittance to the Family Fun Festival in Bienville Square. If the 1-mile fun run is more your speed...that will only cost you $12! It's a great event and one that we really believe offers a little something for everyone.

Outside of the run, we are also obviously scouting potential Senior Bowl players and putting together the preparations for the 2011 game. In case you haven't seen it, game day is scheduled for Saturday, January 29th at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Later this month we will announce a kickoff time--so be on the lookout for that. Tickets for the Under Armour Senior Bowl are on sale year-round and you can purchase yours by calling (251) 432-4109.

We promise to be more diligent in updating this blog and do a better job of keeping our fans informed on the goings on inside the Senior Bowl.

Welcoming Wells Fargo

In case you missed it...we announced some exciting news this week regarding our annual Senior Bowl Charity Run. Wells Fargo has signed on as the title sponsor of the 23 annual event to be held in downtown Mobile on November 6th. We are extremely excited about partnering with Wells Fargo and believe this year's run will be bigger and better than ever.

“We are proud to be the title sponsor of this year's Senior Bowl Charity Run,” said Chuck Harmon, Mobile Market President for Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company.

“With Wachovia transitioning to Wells Fargo in just a few weeks, the timing is perfect for us to show our commitment to Mobile by putting the Wells Fargo brand on an event that is so significant to our local community.”

If you're interested in participating in this year's Charity Run you can sign up online at http://www.seniorbowl.com/run.asp or pick up a race brochure at the Senior Bowl office (151 Dauphin St.), Running Wild in Fairhope (241 Fairhope Ave) and Uncle Joe's Running Store in McCoy Outdoors (3498 Springhill Ave).

We also feel like we've got another great design to this year's Charity Run T-shirt. You can take a look at the art of this year's shirt on our website. The long-sleeve shirt has long been a favorite amongst area runners and we are confident the 2010 shirt will be a hit as well.

The Charity Run's school program forms have been distributed and we hope that area students, teachers and parents take advantage of a great way to give back to their respective schools. Remember--for every registered runner we donate $1 to your school, but for every participant that amount increases to $2! So mark your calendars for Saturday, November 6th and be apart of all the excitement. Whether you take part in the 10K, 5K or One-Mile Fun Run you will be treated to free food, drink, music and interactive games at the Family Fun Festival in historic Bienville Square. See you there!!

What a Weekend Ahead!

Week two of the college football season kicked off with a down-to-the-wire SEC opener between Auburn and Mississippi State last night in Starkville. If the rest of the weekend follows suit..we could be in for a great couple of days. Although we'll have our eyes on several different games this weekend, we'll be in Tuscaloosa Saturday for the showdown between top ranked Alabama and Penn State. Both teams have good senior talent and leadership with QB Greg McElroy calling the shots for the Tide and RB Evan Royster setting the tone for the Nittany Lions.

Other games of interest to us (and the rest of the college football nation) include Georgia at South Carolina, Miami at Ohio State, Michigan at Notre Dame and Florida State at Oklahoma. That last game will feature two of the more talented seniors in the country in FSU's Christian Ponder and Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray. Both are coming off monster weekends and it should be interesting to see what they can do in Week 2.

On another note...it's a shame to see this cloud of controversy over college football right now with player suspensions and NCAA violations. What makes it even more unfortunate is that a lot of the players in question are extremely talented and it's hard to evaluate these guys for our purposes when they aren't on the field.

Finally, lots of exciting happenings going on here at the Senior Bowl office. We are not only in full player evaluation mode but we are also gearing up for the Senior Bowl Charity Run in November. Stay tuned for an announcement on our new title sponsor for the run! In addition to the run we are also back on the airwaves this fall with the Senior Bowl Locker Room Show presented by the Blue Gill. You can tune in to 105.5 FM on Mondays from Noon to 1pm to listen to Senior Bowl President/CEO Steve Hale and other Senior Bowl staff members break down the previous weekend's games and talk all things Senior Bowl. We hope you'll join us!