Change of Heart? Or “We just said that to get clicks/ratings/sales”?

ESPN has changed its tune on Brady Quinn's draft status.  Oh, and guess what, most other people have too.  Quinn started out as "God's Gift to the Draft" early in the year, slipped to anywhere from spot 10 to 1,000,000, and is now back up to #2 in Kiper's mock draft.  Kiper's top 3:

1. Oakland - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU: Nothing changes at the top of the draft board. The Raiders passed on Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler last year, so opting away from another highly regarded signal-caller won't happen this time around. Russell's physical prowess seems to have everyone wowed.

2. Detroit - Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame: The Lions have the option of selecting QB Brady Quinn or RB Adrian Peterson, trading down, or adding a pass-rusher supreme such as Gaines Adams to bolster what already has the makings of a standout defensive front. By trading down, they could still get a player like Adams. Quinn, though, might be too hard to pass up for an organization that needs a smart, tough, high-profile signal-caller like him to become the face of the franchise. Remember, the Lions are one of the few teams that have never even been to a Super Bowl, let alone won one. Additionally, they passed on Dan Marino back in 1983 and, as recently as last year, opted away from Leinart and Cutler.

3. Cleveland - Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma: You would figure this choice to be between Peterson and Quinn, depending on whether the latter is still on the board. Either would look great in a Browns uniform. Veteran RB Jamal Lewis was signed to only a one-year deal, so that obviously doesn't preclude the team from taking a potential franchise back like Peterson.

Two weeks ago Quinn's "stock was falling", he "would be lucky to make the top 10", etc.  Now he is a "smart, tough, high-profile signal caller" and would "look great in a Brown's uniform".

So what the F gives?  The kid hasn't played in months.  He worked out and showed what everyone already knew from watching a shite-ton of game film:  he's a good quarterback.   They learned in the interviews how hard of a worker he is, and how dedicated. And they learned he can pump iron, and not like a girly-man.

Now's he's #2.  My question is, why did he drop in the first place?  Well, it's the same reason we always see with ND football:  The media talking about how great the team/its star QB is gets people to dial in, log on or buy a magazine.  Same with the opposite - trashing ND or its star QB gets the same result.  Not like this is a new message:  but people either love or hate ND, and it drives ratings/ad rates/spending/etc. that are the fuel to the economic fire that is college sports today.  He never really dropped, or moved back up again.  It was just fun and profitable for the media to say he did.

Brady got no better and no worse in the eyes of the scouts and owners.  Sure, he may have piqued an interest where there was none before.  Or maybe someone that loved him early is now leaning another way.  But his stats havent changed, his demeanor hasnt changed, nothing has changed. If anything, he's just gotten stronger.  Everything else is about status quo at this point.

And everything in between was a big make-believe roller coaster ride that ESPN and Sports Media in general took the unknowing masses on to get their time and money.  Yay capitalism!  But as Flav-o-flav and his big clock said:  don't believe the hype.   Boyyyyeeeeeee!

BQ could still go #1, if the work ethic (or lack thereof) of J. Russell is exposed.  If not, he'll be sitting pretty somewhere in the Top 2-3 picks after trading up and all that Jazz.

But we're gonna go with the line:  Quinn Projected #1.  Because we want people to visit our web site. And we know our audience well.

Too bad we have nothing to sell you but love for Our Lady.  For us, that's plenty.   Go Irish.