Seattle

Right now I'm in Seattle visiting family so my posts will be few and far in between since I don't get to be by a computer a whole lot for a week. When I get back though I'll have a lot to talk about since NFL Training Camps started up.

Just got word Jim Johnson passed away. Great coach. Rest In Peace.

I just landed in Dallas. Im going to be looking for the new Cowboys Stadium. As my friend said, I'm suprised there aren't beans of light coming from it.

The NFL Draft

Something I just found out that I am very upset about...
The NFL Draft is moving to a three day affair!!! Starting in 2010 the NFL Draft's first round will move to Thursday Evening's Prime-Time slot. Second and Third Rounds on Friday evenings, and the rest of the draft will take place on Saturday afternoons.
I hate this! I loved Draft weekend. There was nothing better then sitting on my couch all weekend and drooling over the draft for two days. Now it's just one round on Thursday, two rounds on Friday, and the rest on Saturday. What if I have to work? What about the difference in being a "first day pick" and a "second day pick?" There is too much tradition between the draft and people like me, The Fan. Ugh! I'm too upset.

The Fear of Tim Tebow

I've been watching a little bit of SEC media day, and the coaches and players comments on various things. A very funny thing has been occuring. There was a report that Florida QB Tim Tebow was not a unanimous selection for the Pre-Season All-SEC Team voting. And it turned out that one coach voted against Tebow. So the speculation went crazy, as to who was crazy enough not to vote for him. The first question every reporter had to the coaches was "Were you the coach who did not vote for Tebow?" Every coach said "no" except one. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was the "culprit" who did not vote for Tebow. He immediately placed the bame on someone who filled out his ballot, and said that it was a huge mistake and eventually changed his vote to Tim Tebow. Really, who cares? It's a pre-season vote. If Tebow gets injured for the season, then it won't matter anyway. But the funny thing occured as all the coaches answered the question. They all seemed scared. Here were a whole group of well respected, some legendary, grown college football coaches. And these guys were obviously scared of making Tim Tebow mad! Even Spurrier, made sure it was known that what had happened was an honest mistake and he would be changing his vote. So a 20 something year old boy, has found a way to scare the crap out of the SEC coaches. Ridiculous.

Do You Smell That?

Just wanted to write a couple things about what's going on these days. Nothing specific.

• The T.O. Show sucks. Completely fabricated. Scripted. Sucks.
• Spanish "sensation" PG Ricky Rubio has decided to leave his club in Spain to play in the NBA. In my opinion, this guy has BUST written all over him...or can you say El Bust.
• The tape of Lebron James getting dunked on was released. To me, not a big deal. I've seen worse (See Dwight Howard dunking on Tim Duncans face, or Vince Carter dunking on some poor foreign kid in the 2000 Olympics...seriously go find these dunks and watch over and over...actually now that I think about it go find Howard's and Carter's dunks throughout their career and watch over and over again.)
• The Pittsburgh Pirates traded another starter. Adam LaRoche to the Red Sox. 5th starter this season.
• NFL Training Camps start next week. YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
• The Yankees took the lead in the A.L. East after Boston dropped another game to Texas.
• Steelers QB Ben Roelthisomething is being accused of rape from a women in Nevada. At this point it seems like a strange case and could get stranger as it goes on. It has been two days since the story broke and ESPN has not even mentioned it. Weird. They said its because they don't report stories where criminal charges have not been filed. That's a lie (See Marvin Harrison, New England Patriots cheating scandal, Roberto Alomar, etc. etc. etc.).

Michael Vick

One of the things I want to be able to do on this blog is take the big sports story of the day and just give my opinion on it. I'm hoping it will open up dialogue between people who either share the same opinion or disagree. Today I just want to comment on Michael Vick, and his release from federal custody for dogfighting charges.

I think NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell needs to let Vick play. He did his time, paid for his mistakes, and now it's time to let him move on. Goodell has no right to punish him further. He is not above the law. Which gets me thinking, how great would it be if Goodell found himself in legal trouble. Do you think he would man up like he wants the players to do and accept whatever punishment he would get, or do you think he would try to finagle (sp?) his way out of trouble and try to avoid the public backlash. My guess is the latter. He does not seem like the kind of guy that would be fair if the circumstances fell out of his favor...but I digress. Back to Vick. Even though I don't really care if a team signs him or think he will be any good if he can get back onto the field, I think he does deserve to have the chance to get his job back. Goodell needs to lift the ban and let him take a shot at free agency. America loves comeback stories. And they love sports. This is the perfect chance for a comeback story of epic proportions. And Goodell could be apart of it. He could have the chance to say "I allowed the world to forgive Michael Vick and let him play in the NFL" or something cheesy like that as long as he gets to take some credit for Vick's image reinvention. Imagine if Vick can get signed by a team, show to the public he is a changed man, and find a way to throw or catch the game winning Super Bowl Touchdown. That would be redemption. And we love redemption.

There's something weird about watching TO make out with girls. He's a football player not a reality star. Strange. Much more to come on this circus.

One Injury Away- NFC North

In this second installment, I'll look at the teams in the NFC North and who could make a lot of impact in this year's Fantasy Football season if the guy in front of them on the depth chart goes down for any amount of time.
Minnesota Vikings
Chester Taylor, RB-
The best RB in the NFL, and overall favorite to go number one in most fantasy leagues this year is Adrian Peterson. He is a monster. Puts up record breaking numbers weekly it seems like. His back-up, Chester Taylor, is a very capable running back. So much so that even with the uncanny ability of Peterson running the ball, the Vikings still make it a point to get Taylor the ball. He is clearly the better pass cather out of the two backs, and will often be on the field on third down. But what if Peterson goes down with an injury (which, based on his bruising running style is very likely)? Chester Taylor will step in as the starter and put very good numbers. He already averaged 50 yds. per game last season in limited action. Plus the Vikings love to run the ball, giving the ball to Peterson well over 300 times last season.

Green Bay Packers
Matt Flynn/Brian Brohm, QB-
I put both QB's on this list because the battle for number two will take place during training camp. Aaron Rodgers is a solid starter, but he has had a few injuries in the past, so there is a small possiblity of him getting injured. The Packers offense is QB friendly too with very talented WR's in Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson. The difference in numbers from Rodgers (28 TD's and 252 YPG) to Flynn or Brohm will surely drop, but one of these guys could fill in nicely on a bye week or a few games if Rodgers goes down.

Chicago Bears
Earl Bennett, WR-
Even though Bennett is the number 2 WR next to Devin Hester, I still believe that with an injury to either Hester or RB Matt Forte, Bennett could move from being just another WR to the focal point of the offense. He played with QB Jay Cutler at Vanderbilt so there is a relationship already there. There isn't much depth on Chicago's offense so this was the best I could come up with for someone on the Bears.

Detroit Lions
Maurice Morris, RB-
It's no secret the Lions are bad. But a new coach usually brings a new philosophy and coach Jim Shwartz hired offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. Linehan has a tendency to get the ball into the hands of his RB and number one WR. Right now on the depth chart Kevin Smith is the number one back. The Lions signed Maurice Morris during the offseason and he should potentially have an impact on the running game. Morris is a speedy back who outperformed starter Julius Jones last season. In the last two years Morris was the feature back in 8 games. He averaged 80 rushing yards per game and scored 3 TD's. If Smith goes down or Morris plays well enough to overtake him, he could provide good numbers for fantasy owners to slot him as their number 2 RB.
*All stats came from Fantasy Football Index*

2009 NFL Predictions

It's way to early to know whats going to happen in this years NFL season. Training camps haven't even started yet. But what's the fun in waiting? I'm bored on a Sunday afternoon, so I figure I'll give my predictions for this year based solely on my opinion. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know...So without further ado...
NFC East
Philadephia Eagles- They loaded up this year, and both Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb know the window is almost closed. If it's going to happen, it happens this year.
New York Giants- They only lost Plaxico Buress and Derrick Ward. Ward is replaceable, Plax is not. You gotta believe there is a little drop-off from last year, but not much. Still one of the best running games and defenses in the league
Dallas Cowboys- I pretty much believe they bounce back this year and probably finish with the same record as the Giants. They lost T.O. but they plan on running more anyway, plus with a Top 10 defense, Dallas steals one of the wild-card spots.
Washington Redskins- They are SLOWLY improving. Their defense will be good again, but there offense just seems confused. Are they smash mouth? Are they an air it out team? Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell need to get it together or they will both be looking for new jobs in 2010.
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings- I'm just assuming Brett Favre is playing for them this year. The Vikings have the best running back in Adrian Peterson and best run defense in the league, which makes them a very dangerous team. Throw in a Hall of Fame QB, a fast WR (Bernard Berrian) for play actions, and a home run threat in rookie Percy Harvin, and this could be the team that sneaks up and wins the Super Bowl...maybe.
Green Bay Packers- The Brett Favre fiasco took a toll last year. But make no mistake, this a very good team that did go 13-3 two years ago. They have a high powered offense with a very capable QB in Aaron Rodgers (4,038 yds and 28 TD's in 2008) and a good young defense. Could be the other wildcard.
Chicago Bears- I know they went and got QB Jay Cutler, which instantly means improvement, but I feel like Cutler's ability as a gun swinger will now be limited in Chicago. They have a good young running back in Matt Forte and NO receivers. Plus an aging defense. A good team? Yes. But unfortunatley the NFC isn't weak enough for them to sneak into the playoffs.
Detroit Lions- You have to be better this year when you lose every game last year...right? RIGHT!?!?!?
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons- I gave them the division title, but not by much. They have Matt Ryan, a really good young QB who can manage the game, but also make the throws when needed. They also have a beast at RB in Michael Turner. As long as they don't lose the games they are supposed to win, they could win the division.
Carolina Panthers- Perhaps the best running game in the league won't repeat what they did last year. DeAngelo Williams had a phenomenial season, and Jonathan Stewart was great coming off the bench, but I just don't believe they repeat it. QB Jake Delhomme is done. I see no reason why the Panthers should have given him that extension (especially after his 5 INT performance in the playoffs last year). They finish second in the division just because the rest of the teams aren't that good.
New Orleans Saints- Great high powered passing game. That's it. No defense and a running game that should be good but the play calling just isn't balanced enough. They come close to making a run at the playoffs, but really it's just because the division is weak.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers- It's officially re-building time in Tampa. The Bucs got rid of the face of their franchise in Derick Brooks, and fired head coach Jon Gruden. Then they drafted QB Josh Freeman in the first round. For this season, this team isn't that good and should finish in the 4-12 range for their record.
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks- With a healthy Matt Hasselbeck and the addition of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and this team should bounce back just fine. Plus an extremely weak division and a greedy defense and the Seahawks could be dangerous come playoff time.
Arizona Cardinals- The defending NFC Champs return just about the entire team, but can Kurt Warner really stay healthy again all year? They come back down to earth this year but still contend. Plus the Super Bowl Hangover is real and could really bite this team hard.
San Fransisco 49ers- Who plays QB for them this year? Who cares. This team's rebuilding process is taking longer then expected and QB Alex Smith has probably just half the season to prove he can play and live up to Number 1 pick standards. A solid defense and RB Frank Gore win them a few games.
St. Louis Rams- They could finish above the 49ers just because they hired a tough coach in defensive guru Mike Spagnolo. An emphasis on running the ball with Steven Jackson and defense is the way of like now for Rams fans, but it may take a few years for the plan to work out. Good thing the division isn't that good.
AFC East
New England Patriots- They're Back. And everyone knows it. Tom Brady is healthy and there is a collective chip on their shoulders. This team is the definition of a Super Bowl hopeful.
New York Jets- With the hiring of new head coach Rex Ryan, this team will eventually develop a new swagger and an emphasis on defense. I think they are still one year away from contending with the Pats for the division, and it all goes with the development of first round QB Mark Sanchez.
Buffalo Bills- This is the surprise for the division seeing as how the Dolphins were a playoff team last year. They added T.O. and have continued to improve their defense. I think the Bills sneak a couple wins and are mathimatically still in it late, but will fall short until they put just a few more pieces together.
Miami Dolphins- Last year's season was a mirage. Yes, they have master builder Bill Parcells at the helm, but they also have an extremely tough schedule. Plus they won't be surprising people (especially New England) with the Wildcat offense. The Dolphins will come back down to earth this year.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers- The defending champs will have a bullseye on their backs, but they are good enough and tough enough to withstand it. They will be able to contend again this year as the best defense in the league remains in tact. Offensively they get Rashard Mendenhall back healthy and WR Limas Sweed should play a bigger role in the passing game. This team is still one of the favorites to win it all
Baltimore Ravens- An aging defense that still has one to two years left in the tank and finally an offense that can be considered respectable. Baltimore won't be able to get past the Steelers in the regular season, but if they can avoid them in the playoffs, they could sneak up and contend for a Super Bowl. QB Joe Flacco has to continue to play well for it to happen though.
Cincinnati Bengals- I believe this will be the most improved team in the NFL, and could actually contend for a playoff spot depending on what Baltimore does. QB Carson Palmer is 100% and WR Chad Ochocinco is focused and ready to reclaim his place as one of the leagues best WR's. Plus a Top 15 defense to boast, and the Bengals could surprise people.
Cleveland Browns- The only thing Browns fans have to look forward to is the official beginning of the Brady Quinn era. Is that a good thing? We'll see.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts- The window is starting to close for Peyton Manning to get another ring. A whole slew of coaching changes could mean a couple more losses, but the staff is familiar so it might not change a thing. Everyone is healthy as of now, so the Colts should remain dominant and make another run at the Super Bowl.
Houston Texans- The surprise of the year. I'm going out on a limb with this one. And it only happens if this team stays healthy, which they really have not been able to do. They have a high scoring offense with QB Matt Shaub throwing to top WR Andre Johnson, and a very versatile RB in Steve Slaton. Plus a good young defense led by former number one pick Mario Williams and this team should sneak into the playoffs.
Tennessee Titans- Despite the great run game and good defense, I think last year was a fluke for the 13-3 Titans. They lost the centerpiece of their D in Albert Haynesworth, and if something happens to Kerry Collins then Vince Young takes over. Those are not good things, so I see Tennessee falling down a bit from last year.
Jacksonville Jaguars- The team cleaned house in the offseason after an extremely disappointing 2008 season in which some pegged this team as a Super Bowl contender. The division is good, and they still have to put some pieces together. I see improvement, but not enough to get them out of the basement.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers- This is a very dangerous team. They no longer have to rely on RB LaDanian Tomlinson. QB Philip Rivers established himself as a gun slinger who can take over a game with his arm, and back-up RB Darren Sproles showed a home run ability like no other. Plus getting LB Shaun Merriman back this year will bloster a good defense. A dangerous team that should run away with the division.
Kansas City Chiefs- The rest of the teams in this division are interchangeable, but I put the Chiefs here just because of adding the right pieces to help them improve. They got QB Matt Cassell from the Pats, a new head coach in Todd Haley from Arizona, and a few front office guys who were responsible for building the great New England teams of this decade. Give it a few years and the Chiefs will be contenders.
Oakland Raiders- They have to be better. Their defense is not bad, and they have the best CB in the league in Nnamdi Asomugha. Darren McFadden will be back healthy and he should make some kind of difference. It should also be fairly obvious that QB JaMarcus Russell will lose the job for journey man Jeff Garcia at some point in the year.
Denver Broncos- Wow, this team had high hopes. Then came Head Coach Josh McDaniels. He shoved QB Jay Cutler out the door, and is currently not making any friends with WR Brandon Marshall. He set this team back a few years, so they should get comfortable at the bottom.
Wild Card Round- NFC- New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Green Bay
AFC- New York, Baltimore, San Diego, Indianapolis
Divisional Round- NFC- Philadelphia vs. Green Bay Minnesota vs. Dallas
AFC- New England vs. Indianapolis Pittsburgh vs. San Diego
Conf. Championship- NFC- Philadelphia vs. Minnesota
AFC- New England vs. Pittsburgh
Super Bowl- Philadelphia vs. New England
Super Bowl Champion- New England Patriots.

It always evens itself out no matter how many surprises there are. New England is back and rady to win.

University of Texas 2003

It's Saturday afternoon and I'm watching Comcast. They are showing a Texas vs Texas Tech Football Game from November 2003. Texas had on offense, Vince Young, Cedric Benson, Roy Williams. Do you remember this team? They were nasty! What about in the Pros? It's fun for me to look back at guys who tore College Ball up and, well, did nothing in the NFL.

• Vince Young- Then? First Round Pick. The future of the Tennessee Titans. Now? Backup QB. Looking for a new job. BUST.
• Cedric Benson- Then? First Round Pick. The next great back for the Bears. Now? After finding himself in trouble for numerous things he has found a starting role with the Bengals, and to be honest...did not suck last year.
• Roy Williams- Then? First Round Pick. Detroit's savior at WR. Now? One Pro Bowl season, traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Jury is still out.

It's always fun to reminisce on the past. I'm sure there were other players on those teams worth taking a look at, but I gotta go eat with my dad. Any ideas on teams with lots of players that had impact?

The Denver Broncos

I have been reading alot about the Broncos lately, due to WR Brandon Marshall's "situation." Plus my dad is a Broncos fan, so I tend to follow them and talk about them a little bit. But my questions is this: Has one man ever destroyed a franchise in such a quick fashion as Head Coach Josh McDaniels has destroyed the Denver Broncos? I know Denver was already a non-playoff caliber team, so it's not like he crushed Super Bowl hopes. But this was definitley a team that was on the ups and had a great future to look forward to. But, wow, McDaniels, in my opinion has already proven he does not belong on the sideline as a head coach. Why do I say this? Good thing you asked:

• Say what you want about whether QB Jay Cutler was acting like a baby when McDaniels tried and failed to get QB Matt Cassell from the Patriots. But, why would McDaniels want to get rid of a proven Pro-Bowl QB, and the first guy fans can believe in since John Elway for a guy who has had one good season? This whole fiasco led Cutler to demand a trade and eventually be shipped off to Chicago for Kyle Orton, two first round picks, and a third round pick (ESPN.com). OK, so McDaniels got rid of the face-of-the-franchise guy, but he got a lot of draft picks. There is an opportunity here for McDaniels to make light of a bad situation.....
• The Broncos had the 29th ranked defense. That is bad. They also signed a handful of running backs including LaMont Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, and J.J. Arrington to go with the backs already on the team (Peyton Hillis, Ryan Torain, and Darius Walker). So based off of these stats and a pretty good first round pick, what should McDaniels do? DEFENSE! Coming from the Patriots he should be well aware of the fact that DEFENSE wins championships. "With the 12th overall pick on the 2009 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Knowshon Moreno, Running Back, Georgia." WHAT?!?! Another running back? What about DEFENSE, hello what about a Quarterback? McDaniels goes with a running back. A very good RB granted, but not what this team needs. McDaniels messed that pick up, and did not address what the team needs most.
• As the soap opera continued, the Broncos Pro-Bowl WR Brandon Marshall, began to get antsy. He felt the way the medical staff handled his hip injury (which led to surgery) was inappropriate, so what did he do? Trade Demand. For the second time in the off-season the two best players on the team declared they did not want to be there. Cutler got his wish, will Marshall? Training camps start in two weeks, the Broncos told Marshall he has to attend, and by the looks of it there is only one way to find out what happens. Stay tuned.

So let's recap. McDaniels, hired in January of 2009, has managed to drive the franchise quarterback away, then signing a few too many running backs that simply aren't that good, then despite all those backs drafted a running back with a first round pick, and now driving away the best player on the team in WR Brandon Marshall. McDaniels is definitely not reading the book "Caoching for Dummies." He needs to take a look at how mentor Bill Belichek has been the model of consistency for so many years.

Baseball's Second Half

Now that the All-Star game is over, MLB's real-season starts. By now the playoff caliber teams and non-playoff caliber teams are pretty much set. But the World Series hopefuls still need to seperate themselves from the teams that are over-achieving just a bit. There are many intriguing story-lines taking place for the second half of the season. Division races, milestones, records, wins, and losses are all becoming much more important as the quest for The World Series Championship unfolds.

• Cy Young Race- There are a ton of great pitching performances taking place this season. In the A.L. it seems to be a two man race between Kansas City's Zach Greinke (10-5 with a 2.12 ERA) and Toronto's Roy Halladay (10-3 with a 2.85 ERA). There are a few dark horses who could come up and create a challenge, such as Boston's Josh Beckett (11-3 with a 3.35 ERA). The N.L. is being dominated by 2008's winner, San Fransisco's Tim Lincecum (10-2 with a 2.33 ERA). He is having another superb season and he may run away with the award for 2009. But a couple of other pitchers could sweep in and make the race interesting. New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana (10-7 with a 3.09 ERA) always finds himself in the mix, and he is having another productive season. Arizona's Dan Haren (9-5 with a 2.01 ERA) seems to be the only bright spot for the Diamondbacks. Los Angeles' Chad Billingsley (9-4 with a 3.38 ERA) has established himself as one of the main reasons the Dodgers are baseball's best team and Florida's Josh Johnson (8-2 with a 2.74 ERA) is doing his best to keep his name relevant. The race in both leagues should remain close and whoever wins the Cy Young Award will certainly have earned it.
• The Dodger's- Is the best record in baseball for real? Returning from a 50-game suspension for illegal substances, the Dodger's Manny Ramirez is settling into the role he signed up for. Leading this team to a World Series Championship. But are the Dodgers a legit champion? They've got good pitching led by potential Cy Young Award candidate Chad Billingsley. And the guys on the team not named Manny Ramirez are doing their part too. Of course, it helps too when you have Joe Torre calling the shots as manager. He has plenty of postseason experience (6 Pennants and 4 World Series Titles). Only time will tell if the Dodgers are legit or as my dad says, "they'll probably choke like usual."
• Albert Pujols and The Triple Crown- St. Louis first baseman, Albert Pujols, is putting up ridiculous numbers this year. He could even be on pace to break the steroid enhanced single season home run record set by Barry Bonds (73 HR's in 2001). But more importantly Pujols is looking to win the first triple crown (leading the majors in Batting Average, Home Runs, and RBI's) since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1967. As of right now, Pujols has a league leading 32 Home Runs, 87 RBI's, and is hitting .332.
• A.L. East- Don't let 2007's Tampa Bay Rays team fool you. The A.L. East is still all about the Yankees and the Red Sox. This rivalry will surely heat up as the season progresses and the Yankees try to gain the 3 game deficit they are in as of July 15. According to MLB.com the teams will face each other for a four game series and a three game series in August and a three game series at the end of September. Who knows? Maybe another October classic to entertain us is in store for the playoffs too.
• Roy Halladay- Toronto has announced they will listen to trade offers for the super star pitcher. The 2009 All-Star starting pitcher is the face of the franchise, but he is all this team has. They should trade him. They won't catch the top of the A.L. East with just one pitcher. They should get some good hitters, prospects, and a draft pick or two. There is a team out there desperate enough to give what Toronto wants.

There are many more sub-plots to the second half of the baseball season. These are just a few intriguing stories that are worthy paying attention too. Enjoy the second half!

*All stats came from baseball-reference.com*

All Star Game, Baseball

I just got home from work, I've missed 7 innings of the All-Star game, which I love to watch. I turned it on in time to see that great catch by Carl Crawford. Also, glad to see my boy Adam Jones (NOT Pacman) is in the game. Special baseball events (i.e. All-Star Game, World Series) always stir up the conversation of late start times. I personally do not care how late these games start. I know everyone says things like "Well, if it starts to late then the kids won't be able to watch it and they are the future of baseball" as well as other arguments. It is definitley a good argument but I personally don't care. When I have a kid (fingers crossed for a son) I'll let him stay up as late as he wants to watch any sporting event. In my mind, one late night every now and again is not going to ruin his future. So, all I'm saying is who cares how late these games start, I'll be letting my kid watch.

All-Star Game update- Victor Martinez intentionally walked...Adam Jones coming to the plate...Curtis Granderson on third with one out....hope my boy can hit the go-ahead RBI...sacrifice fly, Baltimore's Adam Jones hit it to deep right and allowed Granderson to score. 4-3 A.L. in the eigth. Good job Jones.

Allen Iverson update. He is now in talks with the CLIPPERS. Very interesting if he ends up teaming with Blake Griffin. Definitely stay tuned.

One Injury Away

Sure, you can easily read the magazines, watch the fantasy specials on ESPN, and scour the internet for information on players to draft in your quest for the coveted Fantasy Football Championship. But what about the guys you need to truly make your team the best? What about the guys you need in the later rounds of your draft, or when your top pick goes down with an injury? Or even just to stay competitive during the dreaded bye week? That’s the hard part. You really need to do your homework to find that gem that will set your team apart. It takes luck sometimes, but if you know what you’re doing you can find your version of Tom Brady, hiding amongst hundreds of names. These are the guys that are just one injury away from making a difference on the field as well as on your fantasy team. In the first installment, I’ll tackle the NFC East for players that could pay huge dividends for you if the guy in front of them goes down for a period of time with an injury.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Martellus Bennett, Tight End-
It’s tough to think that anyone playing Tight End on a team with All-Pro Jason Witten would get a chance to shine, the guy gutted it out with broken ribs last year, but second year player Martellus Bennett has seen enough playing time to prove he has talent. This season if Witten were to go down and miss any games due to injury, Bennett could very easily step in and put up decent fantasy points. In 2008 Bennett caught 20 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns (Witten also caught 4 TD’s though he had 81 catches for 953 yards). Without Witten in the lineup plus the subtraction of Terrell Owens, Bennett would easily benefit by having the ability to put up similar numbers to Witten’s. Afterall, it is no secret that quarterback Tony Romo loves to throw to his tight end.
Giants
David Tyree, WR-
The hero of Super Bowl XLII, David Tyree, did not play in 2008 because of a knee injury suffered during training camp. He also seems to be buried on the depth chart behind young, unproven wide receivers Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden. But he is also the most experienced wide receiver on the team and quarterback Eli Manning has always liked throwing to him in practice. Add that to the loss of Plaxico Buress from last season, and Tyree could get on the field sometime this season. It will most likely take more than one injury for Tyree to see the field, but if he does not get cut during training camp, he could become a productive WR for the Giants.
Redskins
Ladell Betts, RB-
Clinton Portis is the work horse of the Washington Redskins. He has had 4 seasons of 300 plus carries in his five years with the team. But Portis is the definition of injury prone. Last season, he had nagging injuries that affected his performance late in the season. He averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and put up just 2 TD’s in the second half of 2008. His body is simply breaking down. Projecting him to play all 16 games is beyond a long shot. This is where Ladell Betts comes in. As the starting running back he would fill in nicely for Portis. He won’t put up the numbers that a healthy Portis would, but he would certainly put out a few games that would be respectable for fantasy. Three years ago Betts put up over 1,000 yards and scored 4 TD’s while filling in for Portis. He has not had a lot of opportunities since that year, but if Portis misses more time because of injury he will be the feature back and given plenty of chances to pile up numbers that would benefit a fantasy team. The ability is there, it’s just a matter of when he gets his chance.
Eagles
Jason Avant, WR
Traditionally, wide receiver has been the Achilles heel for the Eagles. They have not had much depth or even a true number one receiver besides the year and a half long Terrell Owens Experiment. That is not the case anymore. The Eagles have five guys who could play and put up numbers. Second year pro DeSean Jackson is going to be the number one guy this season. Number two is most likely going to go to Kevin Curtis as the Eagles hope he can return to 2007 form (1,110 yards and 8 TD’s). The Eagles seem to be grooming rookie Jeremy Maclin to eventually be their number one guy in a few years, but for this season he will play mostly as a return guy and do spot duty on offense. Hank Baskett, though big, has questionable ability. So who gets the nod in the event that Jackson or Curtis gets injured? Jason Avant has better size (6-0, 212) and better hands then the other receivers on the team. He is also willing to go over the middle of the field to catch passes. If he sees significant playing time he could post the kind of numbers that Jackson is expected to post (According to various fantasy football publications Jackson is projected to put up on average 8-9 FPG).

David Beckham

In response to a question from a friend, I have decided to say something.

David Beckham has done for American Soccer what Napoleon Dynamite did for comedies: Nothing at all, if anything, it set it back a few years.

MLB All-Star Game

I love the MLB All-Star Game. Every part of it. The home run derby is fun to watch. The celebrities game is fun to watch. The actual All-Star Game is fun to watch. This years game should be fun to watch because of a few things. It's being held in St. Louis so there will be A LOT of Albert Pujols, the BEST player in the majors, and one of those guys who will go down as an all time great. He is even participating in the Home Run Derby, which is like Kobe Bryant being in the Slam Dunk Contest. Plus Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is from St. Louis, so he will be looking to put on a show in the Derby and in the game. I'm also looking forward to watching Zach Greinke pitch. Playing for the Royals, I don't get many opportunities to watch him, so I'm looking forward to that. Should be a good fun break for everyone (especially Orioles fans, like myself, so I can forget how bad my team is), regardless of people's opinion on whether or not they like the fact that the game counts for home-field advantage in the World Series. So kick back, and enjoy the game, it's supposed to be fun, don't forget that.

Is it just me or is Lebron starting to rub people the wrong way? Starting to remind me of the complaining Ladanian Tomlinson has been doing for 2 or 3 years now

NBA Offseason

Now that the celebration in Los Angeles has subsided it's time for the teams to look forward to next season. Of course, most teams are looking a year further into the future with the 2010 free agency period casting a large expensive shadow over the whole league. Super stars Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and some guy named Lebron James (as well as a large handful of other stars) are expected to test the waters and change the whole landscape of professional basketball. But that's next year. What about this year? Some teams (New York Knicks) are obviously tanking next season to try and get one of those coveted players in free agency (There are rumors the Knicks are looking at signing a combination of either Wade, Bosh, and James), but other teams (L.A., Dallas, Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, San Antonio) know they are contenders now and want to win the title next year. Those teams are being aggressive and signing guys they believe will put them over the hump to legitimally give them a shot at the title. Let's take a look at some signings and potential signings and their impact on the league.

• Allen Iverson- Do you really see A.I. in a Memphis uniform? He's one of the greatest players of our generation (his crossover on Michael Jordan is one of my all-time favorite sports moments). Why would he want to finish his career in the Siberia of the NBA? It makes no sense. According to Memphis Commercial Appeal, the Grizzlies are prepared to offer Iverson a 1-year $5 million deal. Say it ain't so! I want to watch Iverson. He's fun! He has the heart of a lion. Thank goodness for the Miami Heat. Rumors are swirling he ends up there with Dwayne Wade (who, in my opinion should have been the MVP this past season). After much convincing I've come to the conclusion that if Iverson ends up in Miami this would be a good fit for him, Wade, and Miami. Iverson fits because he can get back on a good team with good players surrounding him. If he is willing to pass the ball then the 1-2 punch of Wade and Iverson could be very difficult to guard. Dwayne Wade already said he will remain with the team if management makes it look like they are trying to build a legit contender. By adding AI, they are showing Wade what he wants. Which will make him stay. Which obviously, helps Miami keep their superstar and face-of-the-franchise guy on the team, and happy to be there.
• Shaquille O'Neal- Another all-time great found a new place to play, and wow he found a good team to go to. He joined Lebron James and his misfits in Cleveland in what the team believes is the last piece to the puzzle. Cleveland got dominated in the playoffs by Superman Dwight Howard (13 Boards and 25.8 PPG) exposing the team for what they really are. With Shaq, they have the big man presence that, if they play him right and he's healthy come playoff time, can match-up against Howard and Boston's Kevin Garnett. And just like Miami with Dwayne Wade, it shows Lebron that they are really trying to get him a championship and keep him in Cleveland past 2010. Will this work? Only time will tell, but personally, I like it. Cleveland is going to be better with Shaq and once the playoffs start will re-establish themselves as one of the top two teams to beat.
• Rasheed Wallace- Sheed got himself out of the mess that is becoming the Detroit Pistons. He signed a 5-year $57 million deal (USAToday.com) to join an already stacked Boston Celtics team. This signing plus the return of a healthy Kevin Garnett makes, in my opinion, the Celtics the best team in the East. Their opening day line-up will be Sheed, Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo. This could easily be the starting line-up for the All-Star game. Wallace brings an outstanding amount of experience talent to a team that already has an abundance of experience and talent.
• Vince Carter- The defending Eastern Conference Champions traded with the New Jersey Nets to land forward Vince Carter (Courtney Lee, Raefer Alston, and Tony Battie for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson) knowing they would be losing Hedo Turkoglu (who eventually signed with the Toronto Raptors). Though Hedo is a better perimeter shooter then Carter, I consider the addition is an upgrade and the Magic still managed to keep their bench deep. Carter has the experience and ability to help the Magic stay relevent in the East as the regular powerhouses stock up to remain at the top. Carter brings 10 years, 23.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.3 APG to a team that is still young and looking to build a dynasty around Dwight Howard. Plus, two of the best dunkers on the same team? Could be really fun to watch on fast break opportunities.
• Trevor Ariza/Ron Artest- It wasn't a trade, but the Lakers and Rockets swapped players via free agency. Ariza used his outstanding playoff performances to help land him a 5-year deal with the Rockets. Even though his defensive abilities aren't as good as Artest's are, Ariza is young enough to develop into a top-tier player and still gives Houston a good defensive presence to guard against some of the tough players Houston faces in the Western Conference. Artest joins the Defending NBA Champions in what could be his last chance at winning a title. The Lakers get one of the best defenders in the league in Artest and definitely a guy with swagger to help toughen up this team. The Lakers have gotten better because of this acqusition, which is scary because they are already the best team in the NBA.

The 2009 offseason just began so many more moves are sure to happen. Teams are building for this year, and looking forward to next year so this is a crucial time for the NBA. The landscape is going to be different in the next two years making it a very exciting time for the fans. What are your thoughts? I'll write about the draft and the potential salary cap issues for 2010 in another post. There is a lot going on right now in the NBA, so stay tuned.

No-Hitter

Wow. Jonathan Sanchez's no-no last night was nasty! 11 K's and 0 Walks. If it wasn't for an infield error he would thrown a perfect game. Amazing thing is his overall record is only 3-8 and he was filling in for an injured Randy Johnson. Good story. Even more interesting is how well the San Fran Giants are playing this year. They have one of the best records in the majors, and trying to catch the Dodgers. I must say, I know they were rebuliding after the Barry Bonds Era but I really thought it was going to take a long time for them to be respectable. Especially with having to carry Barry Zito's enormous contract in what was one of the biggest free agency blunders in baseball history. Easily. Could be top 5. Congrats to Sanchez.

Im with Greg Jennings on his opinion of Brett Favre- I dont care.

Getting This Thing Started

Hello World!
This is the first official post on this blog that I have started. I am new to the blogging world, but very interested in getting my thoughts out there. I don't even know if people will read this thing, or comment on it. So why did I start this? Reasons to start a blog are different for everyone. This blog will focus mainly on sports but I'll throw in a few other things every now and then. Feel free to comment anytime, I'll always check and respond to any agreements or disagreements with what I write. You can be as rude as you want, I won't get too upset. I hope to one day have this blog be a source of valuable information for those people who have a profound love for the sporting world. I figure this is a good time to start a blog to because football (!!!) is starting soon. So enjoy what you read and please feel free to write me for any reason at all. Enjoy.