What Happens When Diva Overrides Football Player

Michael Crabtree was college football’s best wide receiver in 2008. At 6-foot-2, 215 pound he was physically imposing compared to most college cornerbacks. His skills were on display, to the maximum, every week in Texas Tech’s spread offense. Crabtree finished the season with 97 receptions for 1, 165 yards and 19 touchdowns. His numbers were extremely impressive, good enough to merit leaving Texas Tech after his sophomore season to enter the 2009 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, Crabtree’s play on the field has nothing to do with why he currently is in the news. Crabtree, according to Profootballtalk.com, is ready to sit out the 2009 and re-enter the Draft in 2010 if a deal cannot be worked out with the San Francisco 49ers. David Wells, Crabtree’s cousin and adviser, confirmed the report later in the afternoon. Though Crabtree’s agent, Eugene Parker, is denying this, it is scary that a player of Crabtree’s caliber would be willing to make a move such as this one.

But maybe the 49ers should have seen this coming. There were a litany of warning signs that began to manifest the minute Crabtree left Lubbock, Texas.

Just before the NFL Scouting Combine, it was revealed that Crabtree would need surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot. . The Combine is quite possibly the biggest event for a future draft choice, because it is the ultimate job interview. Doing agility and positional drills, coaches get to the opportunity to see how a player’s skills can be utilized in the NFL. Teams also get to interview the players to see how they function mentally, and they also see them lift weights and perform vertical and broad jumps — basically, it gives teams everything they need to know about a player, and much more. But the crown jewel of the Combine is the 40-yard dash. The NFL is all about speed, and the 40-yard dash gives teams the opportunity to gage how fast a player is. This drill is especially important for wide receivers, because they need speed to be able to separate from 0pposing cornerbacks. Because of the need for surgery, though, Crabtree would not be able to work out in front of every head coach and general manager in the league. Missing out on the Combine proved to be the first step in a very confusing journey.

Once it was revealed that Crabtree would not be able to participate in the Combine, questions about the receiver quickly emerged. Originally, he had been projected to be a top-5 pick in the Draft. But without the ability to view Crabtree in person, teams couldn’t know for sure just how fast he ran the 40-yard dash. Though Crabtree told anyone who wanted to hear it that he could run the dash in 4.4 seconds, no one would believe it until they saw it for themselves. Also at play was his height. He was listed at 6-foot-3 in college, but when he was measured at the Combine, he was barely 6-foot-2. His stock didn’t necessarily plummet right then, as there was still the possibility that he would run for scouts sometime before the draft. He never was able to run, leaving a question mark surrounding his speed.

What really hurt Crabtree in the end, though, was his interviews. During the interview process following the Combine — where teams bring in draft picks to their facilities and get to further interview them — Crabtree took a serious hit. An interview with the Cleveland Browns reportedly left many in Cleveland saying that Crabtree was a diva, to the fullest extent. Now, most wide receivers in the NFL are divas (see Brandon Marshall, Terrell Owens). But most develop that type of attitude as they progress in the league and become stars. If Crabtree, on the other hand, already had that attitude it college, how bad would it become once he got to the NFL?

Whatever the reasoning behind it, the first 9 teams in the Draft passed on Crabtree. They weighed the risk and reward, and figured the former was too great. With the 10th overall selection, the 49ers selected the wide receiver. Things got off to a rocky start, as Crabtree was unable to participate organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps due to the injury. While he was able to study the playbook and get a general feel for how the 49ers operated, he still wasn’t getting the reps necessary to contribute right away. Crabtree’s diva status still found a way to make its way onto the field during the Spring, as he reportedly tried to jog around with the team even though he hadn’t been medically cleared to do so. Mike Singletary, coach of the 49ers, reportedly ripped into Crabtree for trying to run when he was not supposed to.

Now, as training camps are in full things, things have gotten even worse. Crabtree, as of this post, is still unsigned, and it reportedly stay that way for a while. While most picks are under contract and preparing for the season, Crabtree is nowhere near Santa Clara, California, which is where the 49ers training camp site is located. Instead, he and his agent, Parker are trying to get Crabtree a big contract. The biggest issue, reportedly, is that Parker wants Crabtree to be compensated as if he were a top-5 pick. But there’s a fundamental problem with that line of thinking: Crabtree went No.10 overall, which means he didn’t go in the top-5. Parker, though — and likely Crabtree — feels that his client would have been selected higher if not for the injury.

All of this is clearly frustrating for the 49ers. “I don’t know anymore about Michael Crabtree now than I did when we drafted him, other than what we evaluated him on in college,” offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said. “I think you all are probably a little more concerned about him not being here than we are.” Raye made those comments to reporters, and obviously was not happy for the whole ordeal.

The 49ers selected Crabtree to live up to his talent and become the No.1 wideout for the team. Things have not worked out that way so far, and the blame must be placed solely on Crabtree. Look, Crabtree very well may have been the best wideout in the draft, but Darrius Heyward-Bey, who plays the same position, was selected by Oakland with the No.7 overall pick. Crabtree was not the first wideout taken, so why does he deserve to paid as if he were? It all goes back to the diva attitude that made the Browns back off from taking him. They realized that Crabtree would be a pain to deal with and decided to go in a different direction.

If Crabtree does decide to re-enter the Draft in 2010, he will look like a fool. Quite frankly, his stock may plummet even more at that point, because teams will be weary of taking someone with his caliber. There’s no doubt that Crabtree is an extremely talented football player. He may turn out to be one of the best players in the league, but right now he’s nowhere near becoming that. Right now, he’s letting his diva attitude make people forget about how good of a football player he can be, and that’s a sad story.

Training Camp Power Rankings

Training camps have begun for all 32 teams in the NFL. The preseason will be here in a flash, and the regular season will shortly follow. It’s a great time for football fans, there’s no doubt about it. As training camps are now in full swing, this is a great time to take a look at where teams stand in the power rankings. Injuries will certainly impact the standings on almost a daily basis, and new rankings will be posted periodically during training camp and the preseason. I hope to make this a regular feature during the regular season.

1. New England Patriots — The return of quarterback Tom Brady and various offensive additions (wide receiver Joey Galloway, running back Fred Taylor) make the Patriots the odds-on Super Bowl favorites.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers — The defending champs lost Nate Washington, their No.3 receiver, but that’s about it. Look for the running game to re-emerge this season. The Steelers should see improved offensive line play in 2009.

3. Tennessee Titans — QB Kerry Collins was a surprise last season, and he will need to do more of the same this season. The running game is where the Titans will excel, which is a great formula for winning football games.

4. Philadelphia Eagles — Eagles management finally gave QB Donovan McNabb the offensive playmakers he needs to win it all. There will be no excuses in Philly this season.

5. New York Giants — A young receiver corps is going to have to develop quickly, but the Giants will have the ability to rely on their running game and defense to win football games. Not a bad combination.

6. Indianapolis Colts — The model for consistency in the NFL is QB Peyton Manning and the Colts. Always at the top of the standings, expect nothing different this year. Anthony Gonzalez will need to step up as the No.2 WR.

7. Baltimore Ravens — Don’t underestimate the loss of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. He also took with him to New York linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard. How new DC  Greg Mattison adapts will be key.

8. Atlanta Falcons — There will be no sophomore slump for QB Matt Ryan. The addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez makes the Falcons even better. For the Falcons to improve upon last season, the defense has to be better.

9. San Diego Chargers — The window for winning with the team as currently constructed is closing. With RB LaDainian Tomlinson approaching 30, this may be the last chance the Chargers have to win it all with this group.

10. Minnesota Vikings — Brett Favre won’t be playing QB, but that doesn’t mean the Vikings hopes are dashed. With the best RB in the game in Adrian Peterson, a return trip to the playoffs is almost inevitable.

11. Arizona Cardinals — The history of Super Bowls runners-up hasn’t been pretty over the past decade. The Cardinals will have a good chance to reverse that trend playing in a weak NFC West.

12. Dallas Cowboys — Addition by subtraction is the phrase being thrown out around Valley Ranch. Getting rid of WR Terrell Owens is the best thing the Cowboys could have done to improve the team. This is now QB Tony Romo’s team.

13. Miami Dolphins — After shocking everyone by going 11-5 last season, it will be difficult to improve in 2009. Teams began figuring out the wildcat late in the year, so improvements to the formation must be made.

14. Chicago Bears — With the easiest schedule in the league and the addition of QB Jay Cutler, expect big things from the Bears. A questionable receiver corps keeps them out of the playoff picture, for now.

15. Carolina Panthers — One of the league’s best teams last season, the Panthers now stand to take a dip down in the standings. The big question: can Jake Delhomme recover from his 6-turnover performance in the NFC Division round?

16. Green Bay Packers — As long as they can avoid the injuries that plagued them last season, a playoff run is possible. RB Ryan Grant needs to return to his 2007 form. How they transition to the 3-4 defense will be something to watch.

17. New Orleans Saints — The Saints have one of the best offenses in the league, but they will need the help of the defense in order to compete in the tough NFC South. Expect QB Drew Brees to have another monster season.

18. Houston Texans — With playmakers across the board, the Texans figure to compete in the always-competitive AFC South. QB Matt Schaub, who hasn’t played a full season with in Houston, must stay healthy for this team to have a chance.

19. New York Jets — New head coach Rex Ryan will give this team loads of toughness on both sides of the football. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez likely will start right away, and he will be counted on to limit his mistakes and make a few big plays.

20. Washington Redskins — Coach Jim Zorn is on the hot seat. The addition of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will improve the ‘Skins front seven, but the play of QB Jason Campbell will determine wins and losses.

21. Buffalo Bills — Good luck to you, Trent Edwards. The signing of WR Terrell Owens could easily stall Edwards development as a QB. The over/under on a T.O. blowup is Week 8. Coach Dick Jauron’s seat is getting very warm.

22. Cincinatti Bengals — Losing WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh won’t hurt the team as much as people think. Laveraneus Coles was signed in the offseason, and Chris Henry is reportedly ready to have a big year.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars — Injuries to the offensive line had a dramatic impact on the Jags last season, which is why they drafted Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton in the first round of the draft.

24. San Francisco 49ers — The Mike Singletary era has begun in San Fran. Signing rookie WR Michael Crabtree is going to be tricky, and there’s also a QB battle to worry about. Welcome to coaching, Samurai Mike.

25. Seattle Seahawks — QB Matt Hasselbeck’s health will be a key to the season, as will the improvement’s of the defense. Adding Houshmandzadeh will help the receiver corps, but that group must also stay healthy, which didn’t happen last year.

26. Tamba Bay Buccaneers — New head coach Raheem Morris has a lot of work cut out for him. The team cut a host of veterans in the offseason, and a rebuilding process is under way. Picking a starting QB will be Morris most important task yet.

27. Denver Broncos — Trading away disgruntled QB Jay Cutler was far from smart. Now the Broncos must go into the season with Kyle Orton as the starter, and WR Brandon Marshall requesting a trade. Even in the AFC West, the Broncos stand to struggle.

28. Oakland Raiders — QB JaMarcus Russell needs to have a big season to shed the “bust” label. QB Jeff Garcia is ready to take his job if things don’t go well. Second-year RB Darren McFadden needs to have a big year after suffering a rash of injuries in 2008.

29. Kansas City Chiefs — When you go 2-14, it’s hard to get much worse. New head coach Todd Haley must have that attitude as the Chiefs embark on a rebuilding process. Adding QB Matt Cassel is a great way to start the process.

30. St. Louis Rams — Like the Chiefs, the Rams are coming off a 2-14 season. The Rams have had just 5 wins over the past two seasons, so new head coach Steve Spagnuolo has a lot of work to do. Spagnuolo will bring the team a better plan defensively.

31. Cleveland Browns — New head coach Eric Mangini has a tough decision to make at QB. Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn have both been unimpressive, reportedly. Without good QB play, the Browns could struggle mightily in 2009.

32. Detroit Lions — For the Lions, the only way to go is up. They were the first team in league history to 0-16 last season. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford will likely be counted on to play and play well. RB Kevin Smith should be a bright spot.