Football: The U2 draft

The NFL had their annual draft last week (you can find a good breakdown of the first-round picks over at SB Nation), which was interesting as usual. There were plenty of surprises, including the Raiders doing something logical (taking Rolando McClain, generally considered the best linebacker in the draft) with the eighth pick, the Jaguars going off the board with the 10th pick to take defensive end Tyson Alualu, the Broncos taking Demaryius Thomas (widely thought to not even be the best wide receiver in the draft) with the 22nd pick overall and then trading up to take Tim Tebow with the 25th pick, a quarterback many thought wouldn't go until the second or third round but a guy some Denver bloggers, including my Fanball comrade Bryan Douglass, are quite high on. All in all, it was a pretty entertaining few days.

In order to really enjoy the NFL draft, though, you have to keep extensive tabs on a lot of prospects. It's fun, but it either takes a fair bit of effort or you miss out on a lot of the significance. Thus, I present an alternative draft that you can enjoy without a lot of studying; picking a U2 song to represent each team. I got the idea from New York Times NFL writer Judy Battista, who started the idea up with a suggestion for the Raiders, "Bad" (coincidentally, my favourite U2 song of all time):



Thus, I went through the first round and picked a song for each team. I tweeted them all at the time (you can follow me on Twitter here if these sorts of random sports observations appeal to you), but figured I'd lay them out in draft pick order here, along with some relevant lyrics from each song. (Note; I did this before the draft, so this is in initial order and does not include any draft-day trades). Two teams, the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, did not have first-round picks thanks to trades, but I included them anyway under where the spot where they would have picked without trades. Here's the list, along with a few alternate songs that would also work for certain teams. (All lyrics from elyrics).

1. St. Louis Rams (chose Sam Bradford):

Song: "All I Want Is You"

Rationale: This is a pretty good description of the importance of a number-one pick, and also the massive amounts of money you have to pay them, especially for a quarterback like Bradford.

Relevant Lyrics: "You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want your story to remain untold/But all the promises we made/
From the cradle to the grave/When all I want is you"

2. Detroit Lions (picked Ndamukong Suh):

Song: "Running To Stand Still."

Rationale: For so long, the Lions have been struggling, but you never really got the sense that they were making any tangible progress. This was particularly evident during the draft, especially in the Matt Millen era where they took four wide recivers with top-10 picks from 2003 to 2007. That seems to have changed a bit now, and Suh should be a great addition for the Lions, but we'll see if they're truly able to turn it around or if they're still just running to stand still.

Relevant Lyrics: "Said I gotta do something/About where we're going/Step on a steam train/Step out of the driving rain, maybe/Run from the darkness in the night."

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (selected Gerald McCoy)

Song: "Where Did It All Go Wrong?"

Rationale: The title's appropriate, considering that new head coach Raheem Morris took the Bucs from a 9-7 team under Jon Gruden in 2008 to a 3-13 team in 2009 in what (in a study I did earlier this year) ranked as the worst first-season change under a new head coach from 2005-2009. Morris went from being an unknown secondary coach to following in Gruden's Super Bowl-winning footsteps, but things didn't work out as well as he hoped. There are plenty of parallels there to Bucs' owner Malcolm Glazer's ill-advised venture into owning Manchester United, which has worked out about as well. McCoy is a nice pickup, though,

Relevant Lyrics: "Did you get it?/Did you need it?/Did you really?/What you wanted?/Was it good in the sun?/Did you really have the fun?"

4. Washington Redskins (chose Trent Williams)

Song: "Crumbs From Your Table"

Rationale: The Redskins have been a historically great franchise, but they've struggled under Dan Snyder's ownership. That's not thanks to any willingness to spend; rather, they've always signed some of the biggest free agents. That focus on winning now at the expense of the future hasn't served them particularly well to date, though. They're doing plenty of speaking of signs and wonders, but their fans are still waiting on the crumbs from their table. Redskins fans will hope that Williams will be able to help turn that around.

(Oddly enough, thanks to the Jason Campbell trade, the Raiders will be literally relying on crumbs from the Redskins' table this year.)

Relevant Lyrics: "From the brightest star/Comes the blackest hole/You had so much to offer/Why did you offer your soul?"

5. Kansas City Chiefs (selected Eric Berry)

Song: "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"

Rationale: This is a pretty perfect description of the Chiefs so far. They've brought in a general manager in Scott Pioli who had great success under Bill Belichick in New England, and a coach in Todd Haley who was an excellent coordinator under Ken Whisenhunt, but those guys haven't been able to repeat that success in Kansas City so far. Now, they've added a couple of other ex-New England guys in Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. Will that help, will it be enough, and will Berry help them go it alone?

Relevant Lyrics: "You're telling me and anyone/You're hard enough/You don't have to put up a fight/You don't have to always be right"

6. Seattle Seahawks (picked Russell Okung)

Song: "In God's Country"

Rationale: This one is more about me being a proud Pacific Northwest resident than anything about the team. However, taking a tackle like Okung may help to keep Matt Hasselbeck from a premature arrival of God's country. Also, the Seahawks are pinning a lot of their hopes on new head coach Pete Carroll; we'll see if those dreams survive.

Relevant Lyrics: "Set me alight/We'll punch a hole right through the night/Everyday the dreamers die/See what's on the other side"

7. Cleveland Browns (chose Joe Haden)

Song: "Daddy's Going To Pay For Your Crashed Car"

Rationale: There hasn't been a lot to cheer about for Cleveland football fans over the past few years, and there's been lots of criticism of head coach Eric Mangini. It does take time to turn around a team, but it's up for debate just how much Mangini has done towards that end so far. This offseason, though, Mangini hung on to his job despite many thinking he was doomed, even though the Browns brought in Mike Holmgren to run the show. Those who believe in Mangini's rebuilding process will see this as an endorsement of that; Mangini's critics will likely see it as someone coming in to clean up his mess. Either way, their first step in that process was the selection of Florida cornerback Joe Haden; we'll find out down the road if it was a good step or not.

Relevant Lyrics: "Daddy won't let you weep/Daddy won't let you ache/Daddy gives you as much as you can take"

8. Oakland Raiders (chose Rolando McClain

Song: "Mysterious Ways" (credit to @roto_tudor, Judy's suggestion of "Bad" also works).

Rationale: This really doesn't need much explanation. McClain seems like a pretty good pick, as he was largely considered the best LB in this draft, even if he was widely expected to go a bit later. Next to the rest of Al Davis' recent draft picks, though, this appears positively conventional.

Relevant Lyrics: "Johnny take a dive with your sister in the rain/Let her talk about the things you can't explain/To touch is to heal/To hurt is to steal/If you want to kiss the sky/Better learn how to kneel"

9. Buffalo Bills (chose C.J. Spiller)

Song: "So Cruel"

Rationale: Again, not much explanation needed here given the Bills' long list of heart-rending losses. Can Spiller help them start to change that?

Relevant Lyrics: "We're cut adrift/But still floating/I'm only hanging on/To watch you go down"

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (chose Tyson Alualu)

Song: "A Day Without Me"

Rationale: The Jaguars are probably the least-noticed franchise in the league. They may be in the largest city in Florida, but that's mostly because Jacksonville's city limits include much of the surrounding metropolitan area; the Tampa, Miami and Orlando areas all have more people. Moreover, their team has only been around since 1994, so they don't have much of a history to build off of, and they're dominated in their own state by Miami and Tampa Bay, two teams with large fanbases and long traditions. Few would notice an NFL without Jacksonville, making them a perennial candidate for relocation rumours. Moreover, their first-round pick of Alualu, a guy few had thought of as a first-round candidate, much less a top-10 pick, also fits this identity; would anyone have noticed him if he wasn't drafted in the first round?

Relevant lyrics: "If I were sleeping/What's at stake/A day without me"

11. San Francisco 49ers (from Chicago via Denver, chose Anthony Davis)

Song: "Miracle Drug"

Rationale: It's not hard to connect San Francisco and drugs, but this one actually goes a bit deeper. The 49ers are searching for the miracle drug to get them back to their glory days, and Davis might just be a key part of that. His physical talents are off the chart, but his effort has been questioned at times. Like any miracle drug, he comes with plenty of promise but plenty of concerns. Can Mike Singletary mould him into a dominant tackle?

Relevant Lyrics: "Of science and the human heart/There is no limit/There is no failure here sweetheart/Just when you quit..."

(Note: because Chicago didn't have a first-round pick, we'll cover them here)

Chicago Bears: (pick traded to San Francisco)

Song: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (suggested by Garrett Bauman)

Rationale: The Bears have been rather cursed at the draft over the years, especially when it comes to drafting quarterbacks. Some of their recent first-round picks include Rex Grossman and Cade McNown. Thus, they tried to avoid another draft failure by trading Kyle Orton, two first-round picks and a third-round pick to Denver before the start of the season for All-Pro quarterback Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick. Unfortunately, Cutler struggled in Chicago and tossed up 26 interceptions last year. He may yet return to form, but as of now, the Bears still haven't found what they're looking for.

Relevant Lyrics:

"I have run/I have crawled/I have scaled these city walls/These city walls/Only to be with you/But I still haven't found what I'm looking for"

12. San Diego Chargers (from Dolphins, chose Ryan Mathews)

Song: "Electrical Storm"

Rationale: This is the obvious choice for a franchise that features lightning bolts on their helmets, but it also works with the pick. San Diego's rushing game was 31st in the league last year, largely thanks to former NFL MVP LaDanian Tomlinson falling off a productivity cliff. They're trying to bring their running game back to its previous levels of success, and they're hoping that Mathews will be part of that process.

Relevant Lyrics:

"You're in my mind all of the time/I know that's not enough/If the sky can crack there must be some way back/For love and only love"

13. Philadelphia Eagles (from San Francisco via Denver, chose Brandon Graham)

Song: "I Threw A Brick Through A Window"

Rationale: This could apply as a cheap shot at the violence Philly fans have been known to cause in the past, but the song actually fits the Eagles' situation and their recent move to trade Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. McNabb had given them many great years of service, but was getting older, and they had replacement options with Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. It was a difficult situation, and I'm sure they felt trapped the way the song's narrator does. With the trade, they certainly aren't going nowhere or walking into walls anymore; the question is if they're moving in the right direction.

Relevant Lyrics: "He was my brother/I said there was no other/Way out of here/Be my brother/Gotta get out"

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver, chose Earl Thomas)

Song: One Tree Hill

Rationale: It's not a perfect fit, as the song (one of my favourites) is about the tragic death of Greg Carroll, and there are no such tragedies around the Seahawks at the moment. They do have Pete Carroll (no relation that I know of) as their new coach, though, and the song's lines about "the cold, enduring chill" and rain are certainly a fit for the Pacific Northwest. Thomas, a strong safety out of Texas, also plays a quick and punishing style, which fits with some of the other lyrics, if not the overall theme.

Relevant Lyrics: "You run like river, on like a sea/You run like a river runs to the sea/And in the world a heart of darkness/A fire zone/Where poets speak their heart/Then bleed for it"

15. New York Giants (chose Jason Pierre-Paul)

Song: "New York"

Rationale: The song's a fit for obvious reasons, but also for some more subtle ones as well. Much of it's about overcoming some tough obstacles, and Pierre-Paul certainly fits that; he's spent time at three different colleges, faced severe injuries and made it out of a difficult neighbourhood. The Giants will be hoping he can stay afloat and help out their defensive line, which has faced its own issues in recent years.

Relevant Lyrics: "I hit an iceberg in my life/You know I'm still afloat/You lose your balance, lose your wife/In the queue for the lifeboat"

16. Tennesee Titans: (chose Derrick Morgan)

Song: "A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel"

Rationale: The famed Elvis song that inspired this one was recorded in Nashville, home of the Titans. Slipping to 16 also might have been a bit of a heartbreak for Morgan, a stellar defensive end in college at Georgia Tech. Still, he should get a chance to start thanks to the departure of Kyle Vanden Bosch. The Titans will be hoping he doesn't get distracted by the stars in his eyes as he moves from being a big fish in the small pond of Georgia Tech to a small fish in the big pond of the NFL.

Relevant Lyrics: "From where you're sitting, pretty one/I know it got to you/I see the stars in your eyes/You want the truth, but you need the lies"

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina, chose Mike Iupati)

Song: "The Hands That Built America"

Rationale: This works from a couple perspectives. First, the 49ers' team name is itself an allusion to history and immigrants, the focuses of the song. Iupati himself grew up in American Samoa and had trouble meeting academic qualifications for college, largely thanks to struggles learning English. He dominated in college at guard for Idaho and may be able to play either tackle or guard in the pros. Along with Anthony Davis, he should be a crucial part of the rebuilding of the 49ers' offensive line.

Relevant Lyrics: "From the stony fields, to hanging steel from the sky/From digging in our pockets, for a reason not to say goodbye/These are the hands that built America"

(Note: because the Panthers traded away their first-round pick, we'll address them here).
Carolina Panthers

Song: "Zoo Station"

Rationale: This works for obvious reasons considering the Panthers' feline logo, but also makes sense considering some of their recent moves; they gave quarterback Jake Delhomme a massive extension after one of the worst performances in playoff history, then inexplicably kept starting him for awful performance after awful performance before finally cutting him this spring (in a move unexpected enough that he said he was "blindsided" by it). That seemed to pave the way for the ascension of Matt Moore, who performed promisingly in a backup role last season; however, the Panthers then confused the issue by drafting three different guys who played quarterback in college. They're apparently planning to turn Armanti Edwards into a receiver, but you can't say the same about Jimmy Clausen or Tony Pike. From too few quarterbacks to too many? It's all part of the Panthers' zoo station.

Relevant Lyrics: "The cool of the night/The warmth of the breeze/I'll be crawling 'round/On my hands and knees/Just down the line...Zoo Station/Gotta make it on time...Zoo Station"

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (chose Maurkice Pouncey)

Song: "Pride (In The Name of Love)"

Rationale: Most of the news around the Steelers this offseason has been in relation to Santonio Holmes (shipped out for a fifth-round pick after being suspended for a drug-policy violation) and Ben Roethlisberger (suspended for six games after rape allegations but still a Steeler, despite other troubling reports). The Holmes deal and the attempts to trade Roethlisberger seemed like attempts to protect the franchise's image, perhaps at the expense of on-field success. Pouncey looks like a good pick who should help the team return to prominence, and the decision to hang on to Roethlisberger is probably the right one, but if their wide receivers struggle this year, many will wonder if the Steelers' pride hurt their on-field performance.

Relevant Lyrics: "Free at last, they took your life/They could not take your pride/In the name of love!/What more in the name of love?"

19. Atlanta Falcons (chose Sean Witherspoon)

Song: "Gone"

Rationale: The Falcons' identity will long be bound up with former quarterback Michael Vick, who became the best running quarterback in the league during his stint with the team before heading to prison for his role in a dogfighting ring and then making a comeback with the Eagles. Atlanta's moved on with young quarterback Matt Ryan, and they look to be better off for it. Witherspoon, a stellar linebacker with Missouri, should help them improve on the defensive side of the ball. They'll be an interesting team to watch in the days to come.

Relevant Lyrics: "You wanted to get somewhere so badly/You had to lose yourself along the way/You change a name but that's okay... it's necessary/And what you leave behind you don't miss anyway"

20. Houston Texans (chose Kareem Jackson)

Song: "A Sort Of Homecoming"

Rationale: The song works for both the Texans and Jackson. The franchise has an odd sort of history, as they're in a town with long football roots but have only been around since 2002 as a replacement for the Houston Oilers (who headed to Tennessee in 1997 and eventually became the Titans). Similarly, Jackson's spent his life in the South, so this is sort of staying close to home for him, but not really; he was born and raised in Georgia and went to Alabama for college, where he played cornerback. The Texans have been reasonably successful in their short history, but they still have struggled to attract fans at times and make an impression on the wider area. It will still take time for the wounds of the Oilers' departure to heal, but success will be a crucial part of that, and the Texans will be hoping that Jackson can make an impact in their secondary.

Relevant Lyrics: "And you know it's time to go/Through the sleet and driving snow/Across the fields of mourning/Light in the distance/And you hunger for the time/Time to heal, desire, time/And your earth moves beneath/Your own dream landscape"

21. Cincinnati Bengals (chose Jermaine Gresham)

Song: "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"

Rationale: Picking a tight end like Gresham in the first round is a reasonably unconventional move, but the Bengals are an unconventional team, one that's never shied away from collecting players other teams have written off (like Cedric Benson and Tank Johnson). This song might be the best fit for Bengals' WR Chad Ochocinco (formerly Johnson), though, possibly the best character in the NFL at the moment; he's certainly unconventional and crazy at times, but you wonder how much of his act is prompted by his audience's desire to see him act out.

Relevant Lyrics: "There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet/And there's a part of you that wants me to riot/Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit/Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit"

22. Denver Broncos: (from New England, chose Demaryius Thomas)

Song: "Vertigo"

Rationale: Aside from the obvious connections to the Mile-High City, the song's lines about emotion over logic seem to be a good fit here. Thomas is an interesting prospect, but largely thought to be less talented than fellow WR Dez Bryant, although without the character concerns that have plagued Bryant. Josh McDaniels probably didn't want to deal with another talented wideout with potential issues so soon after he dumped Brandon Marshall, but that's an emotional decision; we'll see if that works out better for them than Bryant, who some would peg as a more logical choice.

Relevant Lyrics: "Lights go down it's dark/The jungle is your head/Can't rule your heart/A feeling so much/Stronger than a thought"

23. Green Bay Packers (chose Bryan Bulaga)

Song: "With Or Without You"

Rationale: "With Or Without You" has been the theme of the Packers ever since they cut ties with Brett Favre before the 2008 season, but it was especially apt last year when he led their rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, to an NFC North division championship and a spot in the NFC chamionship game. Meanwhile, the Packers fell in the first round of the playoffs despite a stellar performance from Favre's replacement at QB, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers probably made the right move considering the ages of the two quarterbacks and Favre's propensity to throw picks; in fact, I'd argue that Rodgers is currently a better quarterback than Favre, but just with a less-talented team. It still has to sting for their fans to see their legendary QB leading a hated rival to success, though. Last year, they couldn't have won with or without Favre, and a big reason for that was the dismal play of the offensive line. They'll be hoping that Bulaga, a star tackle from Iowa who many had projected as a top-10 pick, can help to turn that around.

Relevant Lyrics: "Sleight of hand and twist of fate/On a bed of nails she makes me wait/And I wait without you/With or without you"

24. Dallas Cowboys (picked Dez Bryant)

Song: "Playboy Mansion"

Rationale: The new Cowboys Stadium has many things in common with the Playboy Mansion, of course; both cost incredible amounts of money, both are destinations for many of the top tier and both have been called tributes to American excess. Mansions have also figured prominently in the history of the team, most notably the "White House". Furthermore, a former Cowboy's mansion had a significant impact on Bryant's life, as lying about his visit to Deion Sanders' house resulted in his suspension for most of last season.

Relevant Lyrics: "If Coke is a mystery, Michael Jackson history/If beauty is truth, and surgery the fountain of youth/What am I to do?/Have I got the gift to get me through/The gates of that mansion?"

25. Denver Broncos (from Baltimore, chose Tim Tebow)

Song: "Elevation"

Rationale: Beyond the obvious reference to the height of Denver, this is a fairly spiritual song, which makes it a natural fit for Tebow. We'll see if McDaniels can educate Tebow's mind and make the Broncos feel like they can fly; otherwise, this pick might leave them feeling like moles digging in holes.

Relevant Lyrics: "High, higher than the sun/You shoot me from a gun/I need you to elevate me here/At the corner of your lips/As the orbit of your hips/Eclipse, you elevate my soul."

(Note: because the Ravens lost their first-round pick in this trade, we'll cover them here)
Baltimore Ravens:

Song: "Wire"

Rationale: This one was pretty obvious thanks to the TV series, but it also fits the team. The Ravens are in an odd place at the moment as a team with a good shot at the playoffs, but one few would bet on winning it all. Do they build for the future or gamble on taking a shot with their current lineup? It will be interesting to watch.

Relevant Lyrics:

"In I come and out you go you get/Here we are again now, place your bets/Is this the time/The time to win or lose/Is this the time/The time to choose"

26. Arizona Cardinals (selected Dan Williams)

Song: "One Step Closer"

Rationale: This one describes the Cardinals pretty well. In 2008-09, they made it all the way to the Super Bowl, but they fell off last year and crashed out in the second round of the playoffs. They've seen the top of the mountain, but fell just short, and may struggle to make it back to the summit now that Kurt Warner's retired. Williams may help in that regard, as current nose tackle Bryan Robinson is 35, but for the moment, it looks like the future may be getting away from Arizona.

Relevant Lyrics: "I'm on an island at a busy intersection/I can't go forward, I can't turn back/Can't see the future/It's getting away from me/I just watch the tail lights glowing/One step closer to knowing."

27. New England Patriots: (from Dallas, chose Devin McCourty)

Song: "Bullet The Blue Sky"

Rationale: This song could be Bill Belichick's entrance music. He wrestles angels, and the angels are (usually) overcome. His system plants demon seeds and raises flowers of fire. However, the crop yields have been somewhat reduced of late thanks to his aging players, particularly on defence. Can McCourty, an excellent cornerback from Rutgers, help the Patriots regain their dominance?

Relevant Lyrics: "In the howling wind comes a stinging rain/See it driving nails/Into the souls on the tree of pain/From the firefly, a red-orange glow/See the face of fear/Running scared in the valley below/Bullet the blue sky"

28. Miami Dolphins (via San Diego, took Jared Odrick)

Song: "Miami"

Rationale: This is the obvious choice, but it fits with the "cool again" image of the Dolphins under Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano. Odrick, a defensive tackle from Penn State, might just be a crucial piece for them on the defensive line as they look to fight their way back into contention in the stacked AFC East.

Relevant Lyrics: "Love the movies... love to walk those movie sets/Get to shoot someone in the foot/Get to smoke some cigarettes/No big deal we know the score"

29. New York Jets (chose Kyle Wilson)

Song: "City Of Blinding Lights"

Rationale: Another pretty obvious one for a New York team, but it fits the Jets quite well. Under Rex Ryan, they've got a boyish exuberance and a new us-against-the-world attitude, and they're doing everything they can to win now, picking up veterans like Jason Taylor and LaDanian Tomlinson. They've made odd moves, too, though, including cutting All-Pro guard Alan Faneca. It will take some time to see which category the selection of Wilson, a star cornerback from Boise State, will fall into.

Relevant Lyrics: "Oh, you look so beautiful tonight/In the city of blinding lights/Time, time, time, time, time, time/Won't leave me as I am/But time won't take the boy out of this man."

30. Detroit Lions (from Minnesota, chose Jahvid Best)

Song: "40"

Rationale: The Lions have a long history, but not an especially proud one; not only haven't they won a Super Bowl, they're one of four teams that have never appeared in one (and the other three, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Houston, are all more recent additions to the league. The old Cleveland team won a Super Bowl after moving to Baltimore, but the Browns have never made it there in their original or expansion iterations). They're showing some promise under Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew, but their fans have to be wondering how long they'll be singing the same song.

Relevant Lyrics:

"I waited patiently for the Lord/He inclined and heard my cry/He brought me up out of the pit/Out of the miry clay/I will sing, sing a new song/I will sing, sing a new song/How long to sing this song/How long to sing this song"

Note: The Vikings didn't have a first-round pick, so we'll cover them here.

Minnesota Vikings:

Song: "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of"

Rationale: At the moment, the Vikings are still waiting on "The Orbiting and Ever Present Brett Favre PR Death Star/ Country Bear Jamboree" to find out who their starting quarterback will be next year. Unfortunately, they're probably wise to do so; despite Favre's flaws and generally annoying nature, they're a championship contender with him and a so-so team with any of the other quarterbacks on their roster. So, for now at least, they'll remain stuck in this moment.

Relevant Lyrics:

"You gotta stand up straight/Carry your own weight/These tears are going nowhere baby/You've got to get yourself together/You've got stuck in a moment/And now you can't get out of it."

31. Indianapolis Colts (selected Jerry Hughes)

Song: "Who's Going To Ride Your Wild Horses?"

Rationale: On the surface, this is a reference to their logo, but it makes sense for the Colts, too. They've continued to stick to their guts and their policies on such controversial issues as resting starters late in the year, despite widespread condemnation from media and league rule changes intended to prevent such an occurence. Hughes, a defensive end from Texas Christian, should be a nice addition to an already-strong Colts team, but if they have nothing to play for late in the season, don't expect them to change anything. No one's going to ride their wild horses.

Relevant Lyrics: "Who's gonna ride your wild horses/Who's gonna drown in your blue sea/Who's gonna ride your wild horses/Who's gonna fall at the foot of thee?"

32. New Orleans Saints (chose Patrick Robinson)

Song: "Gloria"

Rationale: This is a perfect fit for both the reigning NFL champions and a team with a religious name. After a long history of struggle, they finally made it to the top, claiming their first title. Now, they'll be trying to return to those heights. They'll be hoping that Robinson, a Florida State cornerback, can help them do so.

Relevant Lyrics:

"I try to sing this song/I...I try to get in/But I can't find the door/The door is open/You're standing there/You let me in/Gloria...in te domine/Gloria...exultate."

Thoughts? Feedback? Alternative suggestions? Leave them in the comments below or get in touch with me via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter.