<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">I expect Rashard will test very, very well in the combines and should be a first round pick. Selfishly, I'd like to see him return for his senior season, but I can't blame him for leaving now.<br><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">----- Original Message ----<br>From: Robert Mingee <mingee@swbell.net><br>To: Fighting Illini Sports Enthusiasts List <oskee@heins.net><br>Sent: Tuesday, January 8, 2008 10:52:30 AM<br>Subject: Re: [Oskee] Football (was: Can we beat Northwestern?)<br><br>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <br><div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm glad you reminded me that I was going to post something here after the game about Mendenhall. I'm sure he's gone, but does anyone else wonder if he'll be making a mistake not coming back for another year? The announcers used that one blown block as an illustration that he's not ready, and while I'd certainly never rush to judgement on such a small sample of evidence, it does make me wonder if all aspects of his game are ready for the next level. And how much might he benefit from another year in an offense that's almost certainly going to be better next year, so long as the holes opened on the O-line by graduation, especially O'Donnell, can be adequetely filled? There was an article in the Gazette while I was home comparing the salary of the 1st running back taken to like the
3rd or 4th, and the differential was staggering. Apparently that was
Zook's advice to Rashard, and it seems sound to me -- do the best you can to evaluate where you would be drafted this year, try to project how that might change next year, and go for the bigger payday. Clearly no one will be taken ahead of McFadden this year. Could Rashard be the top back in the nation next year if he returns? <br></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">-- robert<br></div></div></div><br></div></div><br>
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