Beer Run
Beer and the NFL are like peas and carrots
Football and beer are inseparable. In an effort to make the running backs in this year's draft class inseparable from memory, I have characterized each of the top seven prospects to a beer. Like an ice cold beer on the Fourth of July, Enjoy!
Maurice Drew - Michelob Ultra
At 5'6", Maurice Drew has been told many times that he is too small to play at the next level. He has quieted the doubters to the tune of becoming a top NFL prospect. In the NFL, Maurice Drew projects as a situational back, working well in select situations just as Michelob Ultra works well for those with select dietary needs. There is a time and a place for a light alternative, and both Drew and Michelob Ultra offer that. As a guy who has spent his entire life in southern California, you can bet Maurice Drew has seen a few Michelob Ultras drank in his day.
Brian Calhoun - Ice Man
There is nothing glamorous about Brian Calhoun's game. Averaging over 27 carries per game, he quietly amassed 1,646 yards this past season. What better beer to characterize a hard-nosed Badger running back than a Wisconsin-brewed malt liquor: Ice Man. After drinking a 40-ounce of Ice Man, you can bet that you are going to get to the promised land. Last season, no running back in the country got to the promised land more than Brian Calhoun, who scored 22 touchdowns. One way or another, Calhoun just gets the job done.
Joseph Addai - Heineken
Joseph Addai has the tools to be great. He has 4.40 timed speed; he is an outstanding receiver out of the backfield; he is a very good pass protector; he can run inside and outside the tackles. Like a Heineken, Addai has it all. Addai's most major knock is that he has only has one year of experience. In the same way, Heineken is a beer that most people know little about. The question remains whether Heineken would be just as interesting a beer if it was experienced regularly just as the jury is still out on Addai as an every-down back.
Laurence Maroney - Miller High Life
Laurence Maroney is highly regarded for having had a champagne career. He operated in the dominant Minnesota rushing system and had one of the best offensive lines in the country paving his way. In that way, he is like the Champagne of Beers: Miller High Life. On a hot summer day, a sizzling grill and a cold High Life make for a perfect combination. But, it always seems that with one flip of a burger, the beer is gone. In the same way, Maroney can be gone in the blink of an eye. He is a threat to score each and every time he touches the football.
LenDale White - Guinness
Perhaps the most obvious choice, nothing says 240-lb running back quite like a Guinness Stout. It is no secret that LenDale White is oversized and underworked. White was described by scouts as "portly" and "needing a bra" at the USC Pro Day. Nevertheless, no one can deny that LenDale brings excellent skills and oustanding production to the table. He averaged over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns duringh is three-year career at USC. In the same way, Guinness is one of the highest selling, most revered beers in the world.
Deangelo Williams - Pabst Blue Ribbon
Who is the NCAA record holder in all-purpose yards? It's Deangelo Williams. His 7,573 yards are 373 more than Ricky Williams' previous mark. Yet, among the Williamses, Ricky was a household name in 1998 and Deangelo is a relative unknown in 2006. Nothing says blue collar like an Arkansas boy breaking records playing football under the radar in Tennessee. In the same way, nothing says blue collar like Pabst Blue Ribbon. For the working man, Pabst fits the bill. It's good value, effective, and carries the right image. Projected to fall in the middle of round one, Deangelo Williams -too- is an excellent value.
Reggie Bush - Bud Light
No name carries more prestige in American College Football right now than Reggie Bush. Just as Budweiser is the King of Beers, Reggie is the King of College Football. He is an explosive, fast back that simply produces on the field. He can run both inside and outside, catch the ball out of the backfield, return kicks, and even be effective lining up in the slot. Bush is excellent in so many situations like a Budweiser is good at the game, in front of the tube, grilling on the back porch, or at the bar. The only question mark surrounding Reggie Bush is his size. At 5'11"/204, he is slightly undersized. For that reason, Reggie Bush is a Bud Light. Regardless, Reggie is the King.