THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Chase Daniel will play in two college All-Star games in the next couple weeks (the East-West game and the Senior Bowl.) Is Daniel an NFL prospect already, or will his performance in these games determine whether or not he’s selected in the NFL draft in April?

VAHE GREGORIAN
Despite completing about 75 percent of his passes this season, Daniel’s tendency to turn the ball over and apparent happy feet through much of the second half of the season leaves him needing a profile boost — especially since his profile only is about 5-11. His performance in those games will matter, as will further scrutiny by NFL teams.

BRYAN BURWELL
Daniel’s NFL appeal suffered greatly this season and he’ll need strong workouts during practice weeks building up to those games as well as decent shows in the all-star games to revive his draft appeal.

JEFF GORDON
Actually, how Daniel practices will say a lot about his draft status. That may help (or hurt) him more than the games. Scouts will be all over the scene, watching each session closely. How will Chase perform outside of the spread offense? The revelation of his late-season thumb injury will help his case, since scouts noticed his inability to throw the ball downfield with much authority in the Big 12 Championship Game and the Alamo Bowl. Daniel can’t get any taller between now and the draft, but he CAN change perceptions about his passing ability. Can he throw the ball into the small windows of NFL defenses? And can he make those throws as a drop-back passer? The coming practice sessions will say a lot.

STU DURANDO
Daniel’s stock clearly dropped as the season progressed and it’s tough to find anyone who ranks him among the top 10 quarterbacks for the draft. I read one well-researched analysis that listed him No. 25. Sometimes good college players just don’t translate into NFL prospects. At this point, I think he’s just trying to play himself back into the draft. I would hope his performances in the all-star games don’t have any impact on his status.

DAN O’NEILL
I think what will be a determining factor is how many times the camera crews at those games focus on the Daniel family in the stands. If it is as often as they did during the waning moments of the Alamo Bowl, his chances of becoming an NFL prospect will not be greatly increased, but his chances of getting a new sitcom — “Meet the Daniels” — will be improved dramatically. As far as improving his NFL prospect status, I only see that happening if he is going to play tailback in the games. He had a great career as a college quarterback, but where Daniel’s chances of being an NFL quarterback are concerned, two words, sung in A-minor flat: “Ohhh Canada.”

TOM TIMMERMANN
The prototype college quarterback and the prototype NFL quarterback are two very different things. Daniel is a good college quarterback who can run, but that doesn’t always translate into NFL success. He’ll need to show he can excel in an NFL-type offense and not the spread. The all-star games will be the first steps for that. I think he’ll get drafted, but these all-star games will determine how high.

KATHLEEN NELSON
He can help himself a lot. A pack of his most vocal critics call Daniel a system quarterback. Perhaps he can prove otherwise by working with unfamiliar personnel outside Missouri’s version of the spread offense.

BILL COATS
He’s a prospect already. Daniel might not have all the “measurables” that NFL scouts like, but intangibles such as his leadership and competitiveness will earn him a shot. I’d guess he’s a middle-round pick.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE COLTS AND THEIR COACH: So you’ve got an NFL team that has been to the playoffs seven straight seasons, won five the last six AFC South titles and won at least 12 games in six consecutive seasons. And you’ve just lost a big-time, big-name coach in Tony Dungy. So who do the Indianapolis Colts put in charge? Well it was pre-ordained that Dungy’s longtime assistant Jim Caldwell would take over when Dungy left. That transition has now transpired. And one of the most potent teams in the NFL in recent years is now being run by a man who’s only head coaching experience consists of 26-63 record coaching Wake Forest.

Huh, I don’t get it. But it appears the folks in Indianapolis are buying it. Here’s what Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star had to say: “No, he’s not a sexy choice. … He’s not a Mike Shanahan or a Bill Cowher or a Marty Schottenheimer, not a choice who demands big, brassy headlines. But for the Indianapolis Colts, who said goodbye to a giant as coach Monday, Caldwell is the right choice at the right time.”

It’s hard to imagine the Colts not having success given the talent they’ve got, but it all starts with the head coach. We’ll see how Caldwell holds up a couple years down the line when the team begins to take on his identity.

ANAHEIM THROWS IN THE TOWEL: It appears the city of Anaheim is giving up its legal challenge against the Los Angeles Angels … formerly known as the Anaheim Angels. Can you believe it’s been four years already since new owner Arte Moreno made the marketing move that rocked the city of Anaheim and robbed the good citizens there of that civic pride? It also cost those citizens $4 million in legal fees fighting the name change in court.

Well, I guess the people of Anaheim could recoup some of that money and stick it to the man by not attending the Angels games anymore. It’s similar to what many Cardinal fans are threatening to do this offseason due to a lack of movement in the free agent market. But here’s what I’m guessing: With a powerhouse team like the Angels and a historically devoted fan base like the Cardinals have, neither team will have much trouble putting fannies in the seats … regardless of the public outrage.

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THINGS TO PONDER

HOW ’BOUT THEM COWBOYS: Former Cowboys wide receiver and current television commentator Michael Irvin has had his own run-ins with the law. But earlier this week Irvin became the victim when he apparently found himself looking down the wrong end of the barrel of a gun. Check out this story on how Irvin got out of this precarious situation just by talking football with a couple of would-be thugs … who turn out to love the Cowboys more than they do armed robbery.

BASEBALL’S CLASSIC DILEMMA: New York Mets ace Johan Santana says he is unsure whether he’ll be able to pitch in the World Baseball Classic this spring. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is rehabbing from offseason knee surgery. Santana joins a number of other players who are backing away from the WBC, though not all of those players are taking a pass due to injuries. Some simply say it’s more important that they stay with their teams in spring training to prepare for the season. Makes sense to me. The WBC is an attempt to create more interest in MLB worldwide … however, isn’t it more important that players (and pitchers in particular) are going through the proper work in spring training to have them primed for Opening Day? I just don’t see taking chances on multi-million dollar players getting hurt or being thrown out of rhythm for what is essentially a glorified exhibition game. And if MLB really wants to conduct this Classic, why can’t they do it in a warm-weather climate at the END of the season rather than risking injury before the season. I’m a simple man. I just don’t understand.

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STAT OF THE DAY

$120 million — That’s the ballpark amount that QB Eli Manning is likely to get in his new seven- or eight-year contract to stay with the Giants. According to the New York Daily News, that would make the 28-year-old Manning the eighth quarterback to top the $100 million barrier, and would put him near the top with Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb (12 years, $115 million), Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer (nine years, $118.75 million), and former Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick (10 years, $130 million). It would also mean he’d be making about a million more per year than big brother, Peyton. Ouch.