I'm hot and cold with the Skins draft, and I feel like Denny Green saying this but ... they did what they said they would do.

They drafted the best player on their board. LaRon Landry was rated by everybody as the best defensive player in the draft along with Gaines Adams. That being said, I am very curious to see how he meshes with Sean Taylor. Both are big hitters and risk-takers.

On paper, they don't seem to compliment each other very well. Reading the scouting reports on Landry, it says he tends to not be the best at deep coverage. Neither is Taylor. That will have to be worked out. However, Landry runs a 4.35 in the 40, which is big-time speed for a safety, so he will be able to make up for a mistake here and there.

I think Landry will be starting by the fourth week of the season, but he will go through some growing pains. His dad says that his mind tends to wander at times ... let's just hope it's not againt the Eagles, Giants or Cowboys.

As for the rest of the draft, I like Jordan Palmer, and I'll be honest it's just because of his gene pool. If he could be half of his brother (Carson Palmer, Bengals QB) that wouldn't be too shabby.

HB Blades, the linebacker from Pitt, is a player. He is a bit undersized, but come on -- the Big east defensive player of the year and a first-team All-American in the sixth round? I don't care if he's 5-foot-2 -- that's a good get. Sometimes you just have to draft guys who can play the game and stop worrying about 40 times and how tall somebody is.

Dallas Sartz was a three-year starter at USC and won a pair of national championships but he was never one of their standout guys. He missed a year with an injury but then came back last season and led the team with seven sacks -- not too bad for a linebacker. I think he will have to find a spot on special teams to make the squad.

The tight end from Michigan I don't know a whole lot about. He only had 12 catches during the season. He's a big guy who isn't a great blocker so he probably won't last long.

Redskins Draft Grade: B-

Pride, passion and tradition, simply they are the bedrock attributes of D.C. United. From the moment I drove into the 46-year-old parking lot at RFK Stadium, I could feel the Black-and-Red buzz in the air.

Consider tailgating three hours before kickoff in cold rainy weather. You know the kind of conditions perfect for a cozy night in the front of the TV with your favorite refreshment. And well, that’s NOT where you’d find the United faithful, they’d rather be "braving the elements" with thousands of their closest friends cheering on one of the best team’s in Major League Soccer. And hey, I’m right here with them, enjoying my first United game that happens to be D.C.’s home opener.
I love the fans that don’t sit down and carry a chant that’s loud enough to bust through the walls of RFK Stadium.

The fans I’m talking about ... the SCREAMING EAGLES, arguably some of the best fans in professional sports, yeah, I’m serious! I encourage you to come to a game and witness the pride and passion they have for D.C. United soccer.

Okay, so I know soccer isn’t a very popular sport to watch in the United States, but take a look around. The game of futbol is global and it’s a sport that speaks no language. You can go anywhere in the world and soccer is what bridges people from all walks of life. Now that is something you can appreciate even if you’re not a fan of the game. The appreciation for the game of soccer is sort of like the admiration for classical music. The piece is orchestrated, much like the rhythm and pace of a soccer game. There isn’t always "instant gratification" like in football and basketball. As a fan and former player of the game, I appreciate clean, crisp passing, using your head (literally) and the graceful footwork of an attacker. Soccer is truly a beautiful game no matter if there are five goals scored or only one.

Some struggle to see how soccer can survive in the US, but all it really takes is a little appreciation ... and that starts with YOU. Go United!

This Saturday at Churchill Downs, the best 3-year old horses in the world will "Run for the Roses" in the 133rd Kentucky Derby (to be shown by NBC4 at 5pm Saturday). Among the horses running is "Hard Spun", ridden by Maryland jockey Mario Pino. The 45 year old jockey is Maryland's all-time winningest rider having won more than 5,800 races in over 36-thousand mounts. So why is it that he's riding in his first ever Kentucky Derby? Turns out Pino has always been overshadowed by other Maryland jockeys such as Kent Desormeaux. Now Pino will finally get his chance with a horse that has a legitimate chance to win. Hard Spun has taken 6 weeks off prior to the Derby so there's no question the horse should be fresh. Keep Pino and the horse in mind when looking for somebody to root for on Saturday.