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On the Radar: NFL draft, earthquake drill, space update
NFL draft: The National Football League holds its draft of college players Thursday night, with Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton the favorite to be picked No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers.
In his mock draft, SI.com's Don Banks says the Panthers, who earned the top pick with a league-worst 2-14 record in 2010, would trade out of the top spot if they could, but that is unlikely.
"They will pick Newton, but they'll do so with a queasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs. They know he carries risk, but they also feel they have to roll the dice and take the quarterback who has the potential to make the biggest possible impact," he writes.
The draft comes amid an off-season of labor strife in the league. A federal judge this week ruled league owners must resume business and end a lockout of players from team facilities. Owner appeals of that ruling are ongoing.
So when their names are called at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Thursday night, the collegiate stars won't know when they might first don the uniform of their NFL team or even if there will be an NFL season in 2011.
The first round of the draft begins at 8 p.m. and can be seen on the NFL Network. Second and third rounds are Friday at 6 p.m. and the fourth through seventh rounds are Saturday at noon.
Earthquake drill: Residents of 10 states from Oklahoma to South Carolina will practice earthquake safety drills as part of the Great Central U.S. Shakeout.
Organizers say more than 3 million people will participate in the event, scheduled to begin at 10:15 a.m. local time. Participants will practice the "drop, cover and hold on" technique to protect themselves in the event of an earthquake.
Government agencies, schools and universities, hospitals and businesses in Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky join Oklahoma and South Carolina in Thursday's event. Indiana did its drills last week.
Voyager update: NASA updates the mission of its twin Voyager spacecraft on Thursday morning.
Since their launch 33 years ago, the spacecraft have traveled 10 billion miles to the edge of our solar system and are now heading toward interstellar space.
Besides sending information on their journey back to Earth, the spacecraft carry "a collection of images and sounds from Earth as a message to possible life elsewhere in the galaxy," NASA says.
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This is why the panthers are the worst team in the NFL (this, coming from a life-long lions fan)
and you Cam haters said it would not happen
And all you Cra ckerhaters said it would not happen...
All he did was run over every team in the SEC like a speed bump. Bama fans don't go away mad Just go away. Prayers with those affected by the severe weather.
You know, I'm an Auburn fan and even I know he is going to be a bust. He's got great potential but, watching him throughout the year, he is too inconsistent and was too reliant on his coaches to call the plays. He will not make it in the NFL.
He consistently willed Auburn to wins and put up great numbers in the process. The coaches called the plays, Cam executed them and often times made something out of nothing. What the hell do you think they pay offensive coordinators for? You're so ungrateful.
This kid is a great athlete, but i doubt he has the smarts to read an nfl defense. Maybe he can be converted to tight end if he is willing to block a little.
The Panthers are wasting a pick stick with Jimmy Clasuen and pick up Von Miller
Oh yeah, Cam. Don't forget to bring your birth certificate.
Another thing: If its not about him being black why do you guys keep comparing him to JaMarcus and Vince. First off I didn't know Vince Young had announced his retirement so the criticsm of his career (over .500 as a starter) is a little premature. And secondly nobody ever says he's another Ryan Leaf, Jeff George, Todd Marinovich, Heath Shuler, Derek Anderson, Matt Leinart, Gino Toretta, Tim Couch, Brady Quinn or my personal favorite Heisman QB bust, Chris Weinke. Just saying.
CNN should re-post this article and all of its responses 3 years from now. Cam for Heisman...oh moving on.
Carolina can't get much worse if they take him
Could Cam be another Culpepper? Remember how good Culpepper was before he hurt his knee. I don't like the Vince Young Comparisons. Cam has better mechanics than VY.
Another college cheat who's going to make millions!
Oh wow, a black quarterback, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting...for the implosion!
What a waste of a #1 pick.
This is really entertaining to watch grown men squabble over young boys in tight spandex. The racial element is pretty funny too. Ahh how anonymity gives someone courage. And yes there are many first pick QBs white or black that can't make it in the NFL. Time will tell about Cam. I just don't think a QB prospect should be given tons of $$$ upfront without knowing if they can hack it. Matt Stafford has tons of talent, but he appears injury prone and the Lions have to pay him serious money to watch from the sideline.