Last night I went to the Montreal Canadiens vs. Phoenix Coyotes game and in the process I knocked off another task on my bucket list.  Also I recently listened to Noel Gallagher’s solo endeavor, which was another facet of my Bucket List, so I need to revise my original list.

• Seeing my namesake graduate from The U or USC. Essentially any school besides my beloved Nevada.  Like any father, I want a better life for my child. Specifically I want him to go to a college with a better football team. Except Penn State, which is coached by pederasts.
• The Super Bowl. Regardless of teams involved, except the 49ers.
• MLB Playoffs. The Cubs picked up Theo Epstein recently, so in theory I may get the opportunity to see them in the playoffs. I am doing my best to be optimistic.
• NBA Slam Dunk Competition
• Tiger Woods playing in a Major. Tiger has not been Tiger since his marital fiasco but he may be the most dominate athlete of my lifetime. Yes, I consider golfers athletes, except Craig Stadler.
• Daytona 500 and the August race at Bristol.
• Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. I have seen them three times. At San Francisco (Jerry Rice Day, which was the low point of my life) Arizona (The Devin Hester Game, which was the greatest sporting event I have seen in person) and at Oakland.
• The Nevada Wolf Pack in a Men’s NCAA Tournament basketball game. The Pack is rebuilding so it could be a few years until they qualify for The Dance.
• The Wolf Pack in a bowl game. Hopefully without Coach Ault at the helm.
• Revisit London, Amsterdam and Dublin from my study abroad odyssey. Due to excesses of every kind I have a vague recollection of being in Europe and studying Art History and English Literature.
• Visit Graceland. It always time to TCB in Memphis, TN.
• See the NFL Draft.
• Marion Motley getting the statue and recognition he deserves at the University of Nevada.
• MLB retiring Roberto Clemente’s number 21.
• A bowling league championship. I didn’t spend three-semesters in bowling class at Nevada for no reason.
• See New York City. Convenient since my main man Our Kid resides there.
• Visit all the locations that Dazed and Confused was filmed at in Austin, Texas.
• Visit the Astrodome and Olympic Stadium. This will be difficult because the Astrodome has been open to visitors since Hurricane Katrina.
• See a Montreal Canadiens game in Montreal. Last night’s game was cool and the realization of a long held dream but there were very few Habs fans in attendance. I’d like the opportunity to be amongst my peers. I use the term peers loosely since I am not Canadian but I feel there is a cosmic connection among fans of the same team.

DavidPatrickCastro.net

I need to make a correction, or addition, to my prior post, Prime Time 100-Meter Dash. Jacoby Ford, of the Oakland Raiders, is now the fast player in the history of the NFL as he posted 10.01 100-meter time while at Clemson. If Ford ran in the 2008 Olympics he would have finished tied for 7th in the 100-Meter.

100-Meter Time in Seconds
Jacoby Ford: 10.01
Bob Hayes: 10.05 World Record 1964
Darrell Green: 10.08
Willie Gault: 10.1
Cliff Branch: 10.24
Deion Sanders 10.26
Chris Johnson: 10.38
Bo Jackson: 10.39
Darrius Heyward-Bey: 10.4
Tim Dwight: 10.41
Devin Hester: 10:42
Reggie Bush: 10.42
Rocket Ismail: 10:57
Usain Bolt: 9.58 Current World Record

2008 Olympic Men’s 100 meters August 16, 2008
1. Usain Bolt, JAM, 9.69
2. Richard Thompson, TRI, 9.89
3. Walter Dix, USA, 9.91
4. Churandy Martina, AHO, 9.93
5. Asafa Powell, JAM, 9.95
6. Michael Frater, JAM, 9.97
7. Marc Burns, TRI, 10.01
8. Darvis Patton, USA, 10.03

Dan (Patrick) asked when (Deion)Sanders was 23, who would win a race between Chris Johnson, Bo Jackson and Prime Time. “Not only am I getting out of the hole first, but the hand is behind the head,” Sanders said.

Dan said he was leaning toward Johnson. Sanders thought that was ridiculous. “When I was high stepping I was still gaining ground,” Sanders said. “Google me.”

Prime Time brought up an interesting topic on the Wednesday edition of the Dan Patrick but the ultimate question remains: Who is the fastest player in the NFL? The baseline for all players speed is the 40-yard dash. Sadly though, the accuracy of this NFL Combine staple was suspect before 1999, when the NFL Combine started using electronic timing. As opposed to manual starting and stopping a stopwatch. Because manual stopwatch work lends itself to inaccurate measurement of a player’s speed I will be using the 100-meter dash as the baseline for trying to figure out if Prime Time was the faster than Bo Jackson, Chris Johnson and other NFL burners.

100-Meter Time in Seconds

• Bob Hayes: 10.05 World Record 1964
• Darrell Green: 10.08
• Willie Gault: 10.1
• Cliff Branch: 10.24
• Deion Sanders 10.26
• Chris Johnson: 10.38
• Bo Jackson: 10.39
• Darrius Heyward-Bey: 10.4
• Tim Dwight: 10.41
• Devin Hester: 10:42
• Reggie Bush: 10.42
• Rocket Ismail: 10:57
• Usain Bolt: 9.58 Current World Record

So what have I learned from researching the 100-meter dash time of various football players? Well Bullet Bob Hayes is the fastest player in the history of the NFL and Darrell Green isn’t too far behind him. Prime Time was correct in his assertion that he would smoke Jackson and Johnson (10.38 and 10.39 respectively) with his time of 10.26. A couple of guys that I thought would clock crazy swift times, Ismail and Hester, finished at the rear of the list.

Also there are a few Oakland Raiders on the list: Tim Dwight, Rocket Ismail, Willie Gault, Heyward-Bey and Jackson. This, of course, is a given. I mean, how else can you run the Vertical Stretch to its absolute apex?

DPC Madden All Star and all time NFL Draft bust JaMarcus Russell was invited by the Washington Redskins for a workout. Washington is currently in a quarterback quagmire. Their anointed starter, Donovan McNabb, lost his elite status and was pulled in favor of the infamous Rex Grossman last weekend for the team’s two-minute drill due to physical woes.

“It came down to last week, when on Monday and Tuesday, because of his hamstring issues, we were deciding, that ‘Hey, this guy’s hurting, we know he won’t take himself out. We don’t think he should play. We’ve got to rest him up and get him better for the rest of the year,’ ” Redskins Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan said. “Donovan being the competitor that he is, came in and said ‘I will rise to the occasion. I will play.’ And he talked us into it. And we said, ‘Hey, we understand, we’re going to let you go. If we do feel you’re struggling in the game — which we think it’s possible because you can’t practice full speed — then we’ll have to go in a different direction.’ “

There is the distinct possibility that Washington could have a depth chart that includes one of my greatest villains, Grossman, and my near prototype quarterback, Russell. Unfortunately Madden football is not reality and one must remember that Russell washed out with the Oakland Raiders after three moribund seasons. But maybe he can be a reclamation project for Washington.

“He is very talented, ” Kyle Shanahan said. “So I think he can overcome some of the stuff that he struggled with. I don’t really know that personally, but if he looks like he’s in good shape out here and he’s working, and that’s all you can evaluate. Sometimes when guys do get a second opportunity, they can change their stripes.”

It stands to reason that Russell has realized that his window of opportunity is closing, despite being 25-years old, and should jump at the chance to be McNabb’s and Grossman’s understudy. The 2010 NFL season has been a funky adventure thus far and we have seen another NFL Draft flop, in this instance Mike Williams of the Seattle Seahawks, reclaim his rightful place as a contributing member of an NFL squad. If Williams, who was out of the NFL for two-seasons, can make a comeback then it is well within reason for Russell to make an NFL roster and finally use some of his prodigious talent.

As noted on this blog many times I am an Arizona Cardinals fan and a Chicago Bears fan. Both choices make sense because I was born in Illinois and I have lived in Phoenix for the last five-years. But there is a third squad that tugs at my heart strings and that stems from living in northern California for 20-years.

Yes, your author is an Oakland Raiders fan. I don’t mention this to casual acquaintances. As a matter of fact I have pretty much been in the closet about this issue for the past few years but if I can admit that I attempted suicide in a public forum (on my blog and on Facebook) I can definitely admit to liking the Silver & Black.

Back in 2007 I was living in Santa Rosa, CA and I decided to take the plunge and I purchased a partial season ticket package for the Raiders. Four regular season games, while sitting 22-rows from the 10-yard line, were had at $80 a ticket. A bit expensive? Yes, but well worth the money. Even though the Raiders lost three out of four games and I was forces to sit through JaMarcus Russell’s pro debut against the San Diego Chargers. But alas I became a Raiders’ fan as I sat through a sour campaign with my long suffering silver & black brethren. Beyond having my heart taken by the Oakland Raiders during the 2007 season I have always been a great admirer of Al Davis.

I recently noted on Life In The DPC that I use many of Al Davis’ strategies, both on the field and in personnel decisions, while playing franchise mode in Madden. My PS2 and PS3 existence is predicated on running the Vertical Stretch with a big armed QB. I also use many castaways, such Matt Jones, Drew Carter and of course Jeff George, to fill roster spots. Initially I was unaware that I predicated my Madden existence on the concepts put forth by Davis. My college roommate came to the conclusion that I channeled Davis because I kept using immobile QB’s with strong throwing arms. Apparently trading up to draft Byron Leftwich was a seminal moment in our apartment. My roommate was right. I did emulate Davis and there was no denying the similarities.

Do I consider myself a member of the Raider Nation? Yes and no. Yes because the Raiders sent me s letter, with my four-pack of tickets, welcoming me to the Raider Nation. No, because the Raiders are not my only love.

I recently went to a Raiders vs. Cardinals game and I cheered on the Cardinals and rejoiced when Sebastian Janikowski shanked a possibly game winning kick as time expired. Ultimately though, I consider myself a Raiders fan and soon I will by dressing like one because I recently ordered a Darrius Heyward-Bey jersey.

Also each Sunday I check their score and in the days leading up to the game I do my best to follow the latest happenings. I am a Raiders fan and it is time for DPC to be forthcoming and honest about one of the things he loves.

My Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie jersey arrived over the weekend and I am very pleased with my DRC purchase. Because I am a average to small sized fella the nameplate, that includes 16-letters and a hyphen, looks disproportionate across my small back. On a bigger man Rodgers-Cromartie could look somewhat normal but on DPC it is almost comical. But alas I like the jersey, despite the comical nameplate across my back.

Another reason why I purchased the jersey, besides the fact that he is an Az Cardinal and a good player, is the simple fact that DRC and DPC go by three-names. DPC is not a hyphenated affair. DPC is the somewhat pompous title that I gave myself while in college at Nevada. I used to be DC or David Castro but while in school I had a Physics class with another student named David Castro. Simply put I became Davide Patrick Castro to differentiate myself from a better student in a class I rarely attended. That was seven years ago and I still go by my full name or the simple moniker DPC.

I like going by three-names. Yes many political assassins and mass murders go by three-names but that is necessary to make sure that another Lee Oswald isn’t falsely associated with killing JFK. Having three names can ring of pomposity or other elite notions but if anything it makes one unique. Because I like to stay somewhat unique or ironic when shopping for jerseys this why I am thinking of buying a Darrius Heyward-Bey jersey.

Heyward-Bey has DPC Madden All Star written all over him. He is a speed burner with marginal receiving skills at best. In fact a little research on Wikipedia showed that Heyward-Bey had the second fastest 40-yard dash time since 1999. As a side note the Oakland Raiders drafted four out of the nine fastest players, based on 40-yard dash times since 1999.

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

This is a list of 40-yard dashes below 4.3 seconds since 1999, the first year electronic timing was implemented at the NFL Scouting Combine.^[4]

Time	Name	Height	Weight	Position	Year	Draft
4.24	Rondel Melendez	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)	178 lb (81 kg)	Wide receiver	1999	#247 overall by Atlanta Falcons
4.24	Chris Johnson	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)	197 lb (89 kg)	Running back	2008	#24 overall by Tennessee Titans
4.25	Fabian Washington	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)	188 lb (85 kg)	Cornerback	2005	#23 overall by Oakland Raiders
4.25	Darrius Heyward-Bey	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)	210 lb (95 kg)	Wide receiver	2009	#7 overall by Oakland Raiders
4.28	Champ Bailey	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)	184 lb (83 kg)	Cornerback	1999	#7 overall by Washington Redskins
4.28	Jerome Mathis	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)	181 lb (82 kg)	Wide receiver	2005	#114 overall by Houston Texans
4.28	Jacoby Ford	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)	186 lb (84 kg)	Wide receiver	2010	#108 overall by Oakland Raiders
4.29	Stanford Routt	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)	193 lb (88 kg)	Cornerback	2005	#38 overall by Oakland Raiders
4.29	Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)	184 lb (83 kg)	Cornerback	2008	#16 overall by the Arizona Cardinals

Like I mentioned Mr. Al Davis has drafted four of the nine fastest players since 1999 but missed taking a trio of Pro Bowlers, Champ Bailey, Chris Johnson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie respectively. The Raiders choice have produced but not necessarily for the Raiders.

Heyward-Bey has shown flashes of the talent that led him to be a first-round draft pick in 2009. Given a proper quarterback he could excel. Fabian Washington, like Heyward-Bey, was a first-round draft pick but was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth-round draft pick. He is currently a starter for the defensive back depleted Ravens.

Stanford Routt, who has been a DPC Madden All Star, has started four out of five-games for the Raiders in 2010. For his career he has 5-interceptions and 150-tackles.

Jacoby Ford was a fourth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and is currently a kick returner for the Silver & Black. As of this post he is averaging 22.9-yards per return.

On my old website, DavidPatrickCastro.com, I had a post that described my offensive theories and personnel decisions in Madden football. In many ways I ran my team like Al Davis, with speed and big armed quarterbacks dominating my roster. As a results of running my teams like Mr. Davis I became enamored with many players that were either reclamation projects or ran the 40 in 4.3 seconds or less. With each subsequent chapter of Madden I would have the same players filling out my rosters and as a result the DPC All Stars was born.

Sadly though many of my favorite players, known as DPC All Stars, have had less than stellar careers or ran into trouble with the law and find themselves on the outs with the NFL. I have never had an eye for NFL talent. This is painfully obvious when one realizes that I thought David Klingler would dominate the NFL after his transcendent career at the University of Houston.

But Madden is a different reality. Digital Reggie Bush is unstoppable but in reality he has had a very pedestrian career with the Saints. Ted Ginn Jr. has already been dumped by the Dolphins but his Madden doppelganger can not be covered.

The original DPC All Stars are scattered far and wide. Some are still in the NFL while others are on the outside looking in to a world they were supposed to dominate.

Matt Jones: The 6′ 6″ wide receiver with 4.37 speed ran afoul with the Jacksonville Jaguars and was recently cut by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Drew Carter: In four-years in the NFL the perpetually injured wide receiver totaled 71-receptions and 977-receiving yards. Currently retired.

Jeff George: The original DPC All Star and my prototype QB. I am still waiting for his triumphant return to the NFL.

JaMarcus Russell: My new Jeff George and currently unemployed after his debacle in Oakland.

Byron Leftwich: In my perpetual search for the next Jeff George I came across the cannon-armed Marshall University Buffalo. The Bears had a chance to draft Leftwich but traded down and grabbed Rex Grossman. That was seven-years ago and I am still bitter.

Darrell Hackney: Like a shorter version of JaMarcus Russell, without the Purple Drank.

David Boston: This will be the second consecutive entry on Life In The DPC that mentions David Boston. The former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver hasn’t had a reception since 2005 but makes headlines at this blog.

Michael Bennett: Fulfilling all stereotypes the Oakland Raiders have retained the services of the speedy running back.

Pacman Jones: Pacman was left out of Madden 2009 due to being suspended by the NFL. I created a version of him that was likely more talented than the original. Great cover DB and stellar return man.

Mike Williams and Tyrone Calico: A pair of large wide receivers that were busts in reality but I converted them to tight ends in Madden and had them reach their true potential.

Matt Leinart: Because I emulate Mr. Davis I run the Vertical Stretch and as a result I always have QB’s with at least 95 in throwing power. In Madden 11 Leinart has an 86 in throwing power and is ill equipped to replace Daryl Lamonica as the Mad Bomber. But alas Leinart garners DPC All Star status by being crafty. Also, his less than stellar throwing power can be augmented by off season training challenges.

I will be attending the Cardinals’ home opener this Sunday as they take on the Oakland Raiders. As a long time Cards fan, well a fan from 2006 when I was a season ticket holder, I take my loyalty to the Red Birds somewhat seriously. Specifically, I take my game day attire seriously.

Back in 2006 I opted to wear a David Boston AZ Cardinals jersey to every home game, except when the Bears came to town for their Monday night classic and in that contest I wore a Walter Payton jersey. The choice was ironic because I was 5′ 8″ and weighed approximately 115 pounds. Boston was a buffed out adonis of a wide receiver whose career in the Valley was short lived and had the lone highlight of a 2001 Pro Bowl selection.

I still have the Boston jersey but in the four-season since then I have put on 35-pounds and a boys extra-large jersey no longer fits. This year I am not a season ticket holder. Fiscal realities, and purchasing tickets to four Phoenix Coyotes game, have me attending four Cardinals games this season (Raiders, Rams, Buccaneers and Seahawks) but I still want to represent my fandom in a proper manner and that entails purchasing a jersey with irony.

In the off-season the Cards dumped my two favorites players, Antrel Rolle and Anquan Boldin. To honor their memory and to never forget their seasons in the desert I could purchase either of their jerseys and likely at a discount rate. But alas I can’t break down and purchase either from EBay because I have developed a Man Crush on all things USC in recent weeks and the obvious choice is none other than Matt Leinart.

Leinart of course was at the helm of the Cardinals as a rookie during the 2006 season when I was at every game and I became a fan of him as a result. In recent weeks I found myself attending the USC vs. Virginia game and I became enamored with the Men of Troy. Sadly though, Leinart was recently cut by Arizona and then signed by the Houston Texans as backup. As of this writing his career highlights will likely stem from his days at USC where he led the Trojans to a BCS title and won the 2004 Heisman.

To honor Leinart properly and to be a Cardinals fan I have decided to purchase a USC Leinart jersey with the 2005 Orange Bowl patch. Sadly my purchase won’t be here by this Sunday so I will be wearing a Kurt Warner t-shirt as the Cardinals looked to halt a one-game losing streak to the Raiders. After the Raiders game the next game I will be attending is against Tampa Bay on Halloween. By that game I will have the Leinart USC jersey and will feel like a proper fan again as I cheer on the Cardinals from the upper reaches of University of Phoenix Stadium.

T.R.O.Y. Jack Tatum