Mar 3, 2013; Florham Park, NJ, USA; Lauren Silberman talks reporters after walking off at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center after her second kickoff during kicker tryouts. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

I mean, come on, Silberman!! Really?! You kicked the ball 19 yards. And then tried again, this time kicking it 13 yards. You really do have a lot to answer for. Women across the world were counting on you to show that they can compete in a man’s world (even as a kicker), but you stunk it up. And I for one, am not buying the ‘injury’ excuse either.

OK, so the whole thing was a little anti climatic, and I am surprised she is not being more thoroughly mocked after pretty much securing herself a position on every future ‘epic fail’ video that will vomit its way out of the Internet in days and weeks to come.

For those who haven’t followed this story, 28 year old Lauren Silberman was taking part in a regional combine in New Jersey, along with 36 other kickers – all of whom were male. Although she has never actually kicked in a competitive football game, she has played soccer, and apparently possesses some good athletic ability.

At the tail end of 2011, the NFL announced that it would allow women to play in the NFL; a move which I comprehensively applaud. I think we need to see female players and also more female referees, following Shannon Eastin refereeing a game last season. Commissioner, Roger Goodell said:

“Times are changing. The military is about to allow women into combat.   If women are going to be fighting on the battlefield, how can we stop them from participating in football.  It’s not fair  The NFL is open to all players now – regardless of gender.”

Silberman made history as the first woman to try and land a place on an NFL roster, but let’s be honest – it couldn’t have gone any worse. In case you haven’t seen her ‘kicks’ here’s the video:

You’re feeling pretty sorry for her after watching that, aren’t you? Well, I’m not!!! Why oh why could she have not blasted the ball 60 yards down the field like she claimed she could? Why couldn’t she have made the whole world take notice, and be an inspiration for thousands of young women, hoping to make a name for themselves in a sport shamefully dominated by men.

Silberman herself said:

”I’m just really happy I had this amazing experience,. I might be the first woman trying out for the NFL, but I certainly hope I’m not the last.”

Yes, but we could all be a lot more hopeful if you hadn’t of sucked so badly. Need I remind you Lauren, and the rest of the watching the world, that your two combine kicks travelled a combined distance of 32 yards. You let the side down, Lauren. It’s no good smiling about it, and shrugging your shoulders with a quasi-positive outlook. Women were counting on you to lead the way. Now, no woman in the right mind wants to try and make an NFL team.

All that has been achieved throughout this whole sordid affair is this – now even more boneheaded male idiots can sit there and say stuff like: “see, I told you women can’t play football’ or, “oh man, she can’t kick to save her life, but I’d still hit it”. Here are some genuine comments from several fools that I found on the Internet regarding Silberman’s tryout:

“back to the kitchen she goes. not even 20 yards she kicked…..what a attention whore”

“Women, you are not equal to men and never will be. The fact that she was even allowed to try out is blasphemy. Our country is really going backwards…Fat is normal, Illegals have more perks than US born citizens, freedom of speech doesn’t apply to gay people ect..WTF America, lets get this shit together before we crumble!!”

“When is a woman going to come along that can truly compete at a man’s level, I want to see a hott chick suited up in a New York Mets uniform or playing for the Chicago Bulls…”

“She set women back 100 years. After seeing her attempts, I now believe women should be barefoot, pregnant, and shown the occasional back of the hand…”

“women belong in the bedroom!!!”

“Women in the NFL will be like women in the army. Meat for the men. Sorry to say it, but they will not like what they find at the end of this road.” (sounds a bit threatening to me – maybe I should report this one.)

So, you see the kind of attitude that a lot of women appear to be up against. And, dear reader, I hope you have picked up on the tone of this article, and realize that I am in full support of Lauren Silberman, and any other woman that steps up to try out for an NFL team. It pains me to point this out, but I fear that if I don’t, people will genuinely think that I hate Lauren Silberman.

Even though she did suck at kicking the football, at least it has planted a seed. Everything has to start somewhere, right? And in years to come, when the NFL is hopefully full of  female players, from kickers to safeties, to linebackers; we will look back on the day that Lauren Silberman totally screwed up two kicks and say – ‘thank you, Lauren’.

At this year’s meat market, er, sorry, I mean NFL combine, Colorado tight end Nick Kasa was apparently asked whether he liked girls or not. Kasa said:

“They ask you like, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ Are you married?’ Do you like girls? Those kinds of things, and you know it was just kind of weird. But they would ask you with a straight face, and it’s a pretty weird experience altogether.”

I really am disgusted when I see stuff like this happening. I can’t imagine it taking place in any other type of job interview, so why NFL teams feel the need to pursue this line of questioning is beyond me. Thankfully the NFL and the NFLPA have responded, with NFLPA executive, DeMaurice Smith telling Outsports:

“I know that the NFL agrees that these types of questions violate the law, our CBA and player rights. I hope that they will seek out information as to what teams have engaged in this type of discrimination and we should then discuss appropriate discipline.”

And disciplinary action must definitely be take, in my opinion. Imagine asking a player if he liked black people. Or who they voted for. Or any other kind of question that has nothing to do with playing football.

During the build up to the Super Bowl, we saw 49ers safety Chris Culliver expose himself for the fool that he is, when he said:

“I don’t do the gay guys man. I don’t do that. No, we don’t got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.”

Even though he vaguely apologized for his obnoxious comments, it is precisely this kind of attitude that appears to permeate through the NFL, at least in the locker rooms. Obviously this is not the case for all player, with NFL players Chris Kluwe and Brandon Ayanbadejo being outspoken supporters in terms of gay players and seeking to shine a spotlight on the type of ignorant remarks that Culliver and others have made. And I commend them for it.

What the NFL desperately needs is an openly gay player. Don’t get me wrong, I wish this wasn’t necessary. I don’t think anyone should have to let the world know who they prefer to sleep with, but I feel it could move things forward, and give other players the courage to step up and say they are gay.

Of course, the NFL would need to ensure that those players were fully supported, and were seen to come down hard on anyone who said anything offensive or hateful. The fact that Culliver wasn’t

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te

suspended by the league still baffles me, given that 49ers running back, Brandon Jacobs was suspended for having the nerve to criticise the coaching philosophy. What message does that send out to gay players? That they can be mocked and ridiculed by colleagues and nothing will happen. That needs to change.

Everything needs to start at a grass roots level. Kids growing up and playing high school football need to be educated and gay players given an environment they feel accepted in, and trusting that they will be judged by what they do on the field, not off it.

I really think it says a lot about someone if they are truly concerned whether a football player is gay or not. The question is a simple one: what does it matter if a player is gay?

But judging by the latest happenings at the combine, it obviously matters to some NFL teams, which as I’ve said, is disgusting and sadly points to how little progress has been made on this issue.

Things need to change, and I believe they will. But I don’t think it will be a quick fix. The NFL needs to ensure that players are treated fairly and with respect, and if anyone is seen to be making anti-gay remarks, they need to be dealt with.

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy (42) runs with the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Teo.

From an early September tilt against Michigan State through finishing second in the Heisman Trophy, no college football player had a more magic season than Manti Teo. Media and fans alike fell for the story of a former five star recruit resurrecting the Notre Dame program through the grief of losing his grandmother and girlfriend. Athletes like Lance Armstrong and Alex Rodriguez may have fallen harder from grace, but no athlete became a national punch line faster than Manti Teo once the Lennay Kekua tale became tabloid fodder.

The biggest myth is that Manti Teo was an overall top ten NFL prospect. While an excellent player, he was not considered a franchise changing defensive presence at the next level. Te’o rang up big plays in big moments on national TV because the play of his defensive line. He is a solid, classic middle linebacker, but not the fastest guy, nor most athletic.

Studs like nose tackle Louis Nix III allowed Te’o the freedom to range from sideline to sideline making tackles. Against NFL caliber offensive lines Stanford and Oklahoma, Te’o was generally untouched by offensive linemen, free to shoot gaps and meet ballcarriers unimpeded.

On the night of January 7 in Miami, before we had ever heard of Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the magic carpet ride ended. Chance Warmack, D.J. Fluker and Barrett Jones did to Notre Dame what no team had done all year. The Alabama offensive line pushed around the vaunted Irish defense, controlling the line of scrimmage. Te’o was in backpedal mode or forced to shed lineman for the first time all season. When he did have a crack at Eddie Lacy or T.J. Yeldon, Te’o whiffed.

Once the catfishing story broke, Te’o became a laughingstock. Any rational analysis of his play or draft prospects went out the window. It was replaced by Page Six type stories and an ill advised appearance with Katie Couric.

The tabloid nonsense is a sidebar, a distraction, the only thing that matters is Teo’s on field performance and how he handles himself in his new locker room. He will have to handle getting his kiki popo’s busted unmercifully, but if he plays well, he will be welcomed with open arms.

As we work our way through the coverage, keep your eyes on the ballcarrier’s hips, don’t get distracted by the media generated distractions. Every time a talking head mentions character issues, remember Lawrence Phillips and Pacman Jones. For better or for worse, the most important thing, often the only thing, is performance.

Manti Te’o is probably looking forward to the combine, being drafted and returning to a football field more than any player in America. There he can return to doing what he does best, playing football. After all the lunacy, he remains the best true middle linebacker in the draft.

Jarvis Jones is graded as the top linebacker in the draft, but he is an outside linebacker. His Georgia teammate Alec Ogletree is also a prospective first round pick, but at 232 pounds is an outside linebacker in the NFL. These two players are considered the draft competition for Te’o.

Before Te’o and the Irish were manhandled to the tune of 529 total yards and 265 rushing yards in the BCS Championship Game, Georgia played Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Yardage for Alabama vs. Georgia: 512  total yards,  350 yards rushing. A Georgia defense led by Jones and Ogletree was pushed around by Alabama just as badly as the Irish were in Miami.

As the most visible player on the most popular college team in the country, Manti Te’o got too much of his team’s credit as they went 12-0. When they lost, and he became a national punch line, he took too much of the blame. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle.

And in the middle, as a linebacker, is how Te’o will ultimately be judged.

Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

We are all aware that the NFL Combine has been underway and ends on Tuesday. I wrote a piece a few weeks ago titled ’2013 NFL Draft Preview: Top 5 Offensive Linemen’, if you haven’t checked it out, please do so and come back to this piece for a look at Jonathan Coopers combine numbers.

Being 6’3 and 311 pounds, Guard Jonathan Cooper was one of the most athletic offensive linemen the Tar Heels had and could possibly be their highest drafted lineman in Tar Heels history.

He could potentially be a leader on an offensive line where ever he may get drafted. I had him going at the #20 spot for the Chicago Bears who we know are looking to improve their struggling offensive line.

Has quick foot work and is good when it comes to both pass and run blocking. The ability for him to get off the ball and seal his block is beautiful, has the speed to get to linebackers. Frame work is excellent, this is what you look for when you want to improve your offensive line and help keep your offensive consistent on a game to game basis.

A look back at my previous look at Jonathan Cooper (my Top 5 Offensive Linemen piece) if you haven’t had a chance to look at it. He did stay healthy in his last two seasons with the Tar Heels. Recording double digit pancake blocks in 9 of 12 games last season, while leading the way for one of the best rushing games in the NCAA where they averaged 198 yards a game.

Cooper started off as a Center but was later moved to Guard as a red shirt freshman where he earned All-ACC Freshman honors. This could be good when it comes time to him being drafted, opening up options for his offensive line coach if they have to move players around to get the right combination down on the front line.

NFL Combine Numbers (Grade: 86.9) -

40 YD Dash - 5.07 sec

Bench Press - 35 reps (Top Performer)

Vertical Jump - 27 inches

Broad Jump - 108 inches (Top Performer)

3 Cone Drill - 7.78 sec

20 YD Shuttle – 4.84 sec

With question marks surrounding many of the other positions, lineman may dominate the combine and the first 10 picks of the draft. The best college running back entering 2012, Marcus Lattimore, destroyed his knee and the best quarterback, Matt Barkley, separated his shoulder. The highest graded receiver, Cordarrelle Patterson, had yet to take an FBS snap entering 2012.

National Champion Alabama’s offensive line was led by guard Chance Warmack,

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard and prospective top ten draft pick Chance Warmack (65) in action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2013 BCS Championship game. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

who along with Barrett Jones and D.J. Fluker paved the way for Eddie Lacy all year. A college interior lineman has not been drafted in the top ten since Chris Naeole in 1997, but an exception may be made for Warmack. He weighed in at a “small” 317 pounds on the opening night, but has come up large for Nick Saban against high caliber SEC competition. Warmack displayed tremendous explosivity with a 9’2″ broad jump at the combine. NFL Network draft maven Mike Mayock was clear on his opinion of Warmack.

“Chance Warmack from Alabama is the best football player I saw on tape this year.”

All-American offensive tackle Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M may beat Warmack off the board. Joeckel spent the last two seasons keeping Ryan Tannehill and Johnny Manziel clean. Joeckel’s 6’6” 306 pound athletic frame and 34 1/4 arm length give him the measurables that NFL executives and coaches love in pass blocking tackles. Joeckel put up the fourth best three cone drill score (7.4 seconds), showing his agility and quickness. Without a franchise quarterback in the draft, Andy Reid may build the Chiefs offensive line around Joeckel.

Eric Fisher is the third offensive lineman to garner attention as a possible top ten selection. Fisher was only a two star recruit out of high school and ended up at Central Michigan in the Mid American Conference. In four years as a Chippewa, Fisher blossomed into a top NFL prospect. His 6’7″ height and 306 pound frame give him the prototypical size for an NFL offensive tackle.

Fisher’s top score in the 20 yard shuttle (4.44 seconds) and second in the broad jump (9 feet 8 inches) at the combine plus his 27 repetitions on the bench press show that Fisher has the fast twitch ability and strength to protect quarterbacks from speed rushing ends and outside linebackers.

As much as fans love franchise quarterbacks, high profile receivers and blazing running backs they simply are not in this years draft pool. In this years draft, Chance Warmack has a chance to be the highest drafted interior offensive lineman in a generation. With the importance of containing rush ends, tackles have been a popular commodity in recent drafts. Many of them like Tyron Smith, Russell Okung and Matt Kalil have been successful, though there is always a Jason Smith (second overall 2009) in the bunch. The draft is always a bit of a crapshoot, but some of the safest bets this year appear to be offensive lineman.

Jan 2, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver (81) Justin Blackmon runs into the end zone to score a second quarter touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

As the players prepare themselves for the upcoming combine, reports surface regarding how prepared some players seem to be and predictions about how they will perform. The draft’s top receiver Justin Blackmon has made predictions of his very own.

Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network, Blackmon will do all of the workouts in Indianapolis — including the 40-yard dash. What can we expect Blackmon to run in the 40? Well, just ask him.

Blackmon predicts he will run in the 4.4-4.5 range.

That prediction is really no surprise and leaves a lot for error. There is a big difference between a guy who runs the 40 in 4.41 seconds and one that runs in 4.59 seconds. Still, if Blackmon runs in the mid-4.5′s he should consider it a success. If he crack’s the 4.4′s, then he will be a sure-fire top five pick.

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To see the list of senior prospects who have received an invitation to the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, continue after the jump.

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