After a brutal opening game to the NFL season, a game so bad that I was actually flipping to MTV to catch the JWOWW/Sammi Sweetheart fight, I was only able to take one memorable thing from the whole 4 hour New Orleans slobber-fest that was mistakenly promoted as a football game.
As is constant with all the major networks and new Fall shows, NBC was over-hyping their new show Undercovers. Each progressively frustrating commercial break during the Vikes/Saints game had a preview of this show. The premise, I guess, is a Mr. and Mrs. Smith husband/wife, spy/hitmen concept, using two black actors.
There was nothing memorable about these previews until the end of the ad. As the NBC logo popped up, so did a new slogan. "More Colorful." This made me laugh, in that the show focused on two black characters, and no one at NBC caught the irony.
Hopefully this weekend's slate of NCAA games won't be as disappointing as this game. Enjoy the college picks of the week in the post below.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
College Football Week 2 picks
An exciting week 1 of the college football season ended late Monday night when VTech's Tyrod Taylor failed to match Boise St. and Kellen Moore's TD pass in the last two minutes giving Boise the win and cover. Week 2 has four highly anticipated non-conference games on the slate along with a couple of early season conference games that will go a long way in determining conference champs. Just like last week we will take a look at all the big games this week and a few under the radar plays, always against the spread.
Miami @ Ohio State (-8): The biggest game of the weekend and one of the biggest of the season; OSU is looking to validate their status as favorites to play for the title while Miami is looking for a statement win and revenge. The 03' Fiesta bowl, and the game costing terrible pass interference call in OT, does feel like a lifetime ago just ask Maurice Clarett (recently released from prison) and Larry Coker (coaching UTSA). This Miami team has used that game as a rallying point and was reminded of it often by some of the most respected former Cane players like Andre Johnson, Michael Irvin, and Vilma. Both teams are coming off scrimmage wins on Thursday where both Pryor (17/25, 247 yds, 3 TD) and Harris (12/15, 210 yds 3 TD) impressed. Randy Shannon has recruited and "coached up" the most athletic defense OSU will see all year and Leonard Hankerson has emerged as a big play receiver and member of the all name team. I think the Canes are ready to step into the national spotlight again, so Miami +8 is the play and there is decent value on the +280 money line.
Florida State @ Oklahoma (-7.5): This game has been lost in the shuffle behind Miami/OSU, but should be a very revealing game for both team harboring high hopes for this year. In Christian Ponder FSU has their best QB since former Knick great Charlie Ward was taking snaps and running the floor in Tallahassee. FSU will put up points, but has their re-built defense improved enough to win at Oklahoma? Last season FSU could not stop the run vs. good teams as they gave up over 7 yds/carry to G Tech, WVU, and Florida. Oklahoma will test that run defense often with future NFL first round RB DeMarco Murray who ran for 218 yards in a much closer than expected win over Utah State last week. I think FSU will do enough defensively to slow Murray and Ponder will have another big day making FSU +7.5 the play. Just like the Miami money line, this +260 money line has value and a Miami/FSU money line parlay could turn a small investment into a big payout.
Michigan @ Notre Dame (-3): UConn's defense trying to stop Michigan QB Denard Robinson looked as hopeless as Paula trying to win immunity on the Real World/Road Rules challenge and in turn my UConn play went up in flames like Paula's chance to win money on that show. This week Robinson leads Michigan on the road, where Rich Rod is 1-8 as Michigan head coach, to take on Brian Kelly an ND. ND's defense looked better vs. Purdue, but will be thoroughly tested against Robinson, who might be Rich Rod's Michigan Pat White. ND should also be seeking revenge for the game last year that they gave away with terrible time management. Those mistakes won't happen under Brian Kelly and ND -3 is the play at home.
Penn State @ Alabama (-11.5): Penn State was able to get Freshman QB Rob Bolden (20/29, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT) comfortable at home last week in a 44-14 win vs. Youngstown, but Saturday at Bama and against a Nick Saban defense would be like Snooki going from the Gelato shop to the Supreme Court. PSU will need a big day from Royster who only gained 40 yards vs. Youngstown, and their defense will also need to improve this week after not forcing any tournovers in the opener. Bama will miss Mark Ingram and PSU will try to make Greg McElroy beat them, but he should be ready to take the next step this year with two future NFL WR's at his disposal. I think PSU will hold up in the first half, but Bama is too talented, too deep and the play at -11.5.
Georgia @ South Carolina (-3.5): If Florida continues to play like they did in week 1 this game could go a long way in determining who wins the SEC East. Both teams were impressive last week as South Carolina dominated Southern Miss while Stephen Garcia looked like a Steve Spurrier QB. This game features two of the best freshman in the nation, South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore and Georgia QB Aaron Murray. Both lived up to the hype last week vs. weak competition and we should know more about both after this game. Georgia coach Mark Richt saved his job by bringing in defensive cordinator Todd Grantham and his 3-4 defense from the NFL. South Carolina is 1-7 in the last 8 games vs. Georgia, while 5 of the 8 have been within 6 points. Even without WR A.J. Green, who was suspended four games for selling his own jersey, while Georgia continues to make millions selling his replica jersey (Got to love NCAA hypocrisy). I like the trend and NCAA karma making Georgia +3 and a hook the play.
Stanford (-6) @ UCLA: As Rick Neuheisel continues his ongoing search for an offense at UCLA he will get an up close view of one of the best in Stanford and QB Andrew Luck. The good news for UCLA is that they were gashed on the ground last week at Kansas State and Toby Gerhart graduated last year. Stanford is balanced and UCLA does not have the firepower to stay within a score of Luck making Stanford -6 the play.
BYU @ Air Force (-1): The bottom of the Mountain West conference resembles the NFC West, so the winner of this game will have the inside track in the conference race. BYU QB's Riley Cooper and Jake Heaps both are capable of leading the offense and while the BYU defense gave up yards last week they were stout in the red zone in a win over Washington. This week the BYU defense will have to adjust to the Air Force option attack and a game on the road. With the talent edge and a competitive win under their belt, BYU +1 is the play.
Troy @ Oklahoma State (-14): Kendall Hunter (257 yds, 4 TD, 12 yds/carry last week) will continue his under the radar Heisman campaign against a second straight sub-par run defense, that makes OK St. -14 the play.
Syracuse @ Washington (-13.5): The Huskies were a play short last week as red zone issues kept them from winning at BYU. This week they are home vs. the Cuse and as we learned last week the Big East should stick to basketball and traveling two time zones away is trouble. Those two week 1 trends make Wash -13.5 the play.
Miami @ Ohio State (-8): The biggest game of the weekend and one of the biggest of the season; OSU is looking to validate their status as favorites to play for the title while Miami is looking for a statement win and revenge. The 03' Fiesta bowl, and the game costing terrible pass interference call in OT, does feel like a lifetime ago just ask Maurice Clarett (recently released from prison) and Larry Coker (coaching UTSA). This Miami team has used that game as a rallying point and was reminded of it often by some of the most respected former Cane players like Andre Johnson, Michael Irvin, and Vilma. Both teams are coming off scrimmage wins on Thursday where both Pryor (17/25, 247 yds, 3 TD) and Harris (12/15, 210 yds 3 TD) impressed. Randy Shannon has recruited and "coached up" the most athletic defense OSU will see all year and Leonard Hankerson has emerged as a big play receiver and member of the all name team. I think the Canes are ready to step into the national spotlight again, so Miami +8 is the play and there is decent value on the +280 money line.
Florida State @ Oklahoma (-7.5): This game has been lost in the shuffle behind Miami/OSU, but should be a very revealing game for both team harboring high hopes for this year. In Christian Ponder FSU has their best QB since former Knick great Charlie Ward was taking snaps and running the floor in Tallahassee. FSU will put up points, but has their re-built defense improved enough to win at Oklahoma? Last season FSU could not stop the run vs. good teams as they gave up over 7 yds/carry to G Tech, WVU, and Florida. Oklahoma will test that run defense often with future NFL first round RB DeMarco Murray who ran for 218 yards in a much closer than expected win over Utah State last week. I think FSU will do enough defensively to slow Murray and Ponder will have another big day making FSU +7.5 the play. Just like the Miami money line, this +260 money line has value and a Miami/FSU money line parlay could turn a small investment into a big payout.
Michigan @ Notre Dame (-3): UConn's defense trying to stop Michigan QB Denard Robinson looked as hopeless as Paula trying to win immunity on the Real World/Road Rules challenge and in turn my UConn play went up in flames like Paula's chance to win money on that show. This week Robinson leads Michigan on the road, where Rich Rod is 1-8 as Michigan head coach, to take on Brian Kelly an ND. ND's defense looked better vs. Purdue, but will be thoroughly tested against Robinson, who might be Rich Rod's Michigan Pat White. ND should also be seeking revenge for the game last year that they gave away with terrible time management. Those mistakes won't happen under Brian Kelly and ND -3 is the play at home.
Penn State @ Alabama (-11.5): Penn State was able to get Freshman QB Rob Bolden (20/29, 239 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT) comfortable at home last week in a 44-14 win vs. Youngstown, but Saturday at Bama and against a Nick Saban defense would be like Snooki going from the Gelato shop to the Supreme Court. PSU will need a big day from Royster who only gained 40 yards vs. Youngstown, and their defense will also need to improve this week after not forcing any tournovers in the opener. Bama will miss Mark Ingram and PSU will try to make Greg McElroy beat them, but he should be ready to take the next step this year with two future NFL WR's at his disposal. I think PSU will hold up in the first half, but Bama is too talented, too deep and the play at -11.5.
Georgia @ South Carolina (-3.5): If Florida continues to play like they did in week 1 this game could go a long way in determining who wins the SEC East. Both teams were impressive last week as South Carolina dominated Southern Miss while Stephen Garcia looked like a Steve Spurrier QB. This game features two of the best freshman in the nation, South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore and Georgia QB Aaron Murray. Both lived up to the hype last week vs. weak competition and we should know more about both after this game. Georgia coach Mark Richt saved his job by bringing in defensive cordinator Todd Grantham and his 3-4 defense from the NFL. South Carolina is 1-7 in the last 8 games vs. Georgia, while 5 of the 8 have been within 6 points. Even without WR A.J. Green, who was suspended four games for selling his own jersey, while Georgia continues to make millions selling his replica jersey (Got to love NCAA hypocrisy). I like the trend and NCAA karma making Georgia +3 and a hook the play.
Stanford (-6) @ UCLA: As Rick Neuheisel continues his ongoing search for an offense at UCLA he will get an up close view of one of the best in Stanford and QB Andrew Luck. The good news for UCLA is that they were gashed on the ground last week at Kansas State and Toby Gerhart graduated last year. Stanford is balanced and UCLA does not have the firepower to stay within a score of Luck making Stanford -6 the play.
BYU @ Air Force (-1): The bottom of the Mountain West conference resembles the NFC West, so the winner of this game will have the inside track in the conference race. BYU QB's Riley Cooper and Jake Heaps both are capable of leading the offense and while the BYU defense gave up yards last week they were stout in the red zone in a win over Washington. This week the BYU defense will have to adjust to the Air Force option attack and a game on the road. With the talent edge and a competitive win under their belt, BYU +1 is the play.
Troy @ Oklahoma State (-14): Kendall Hunter (257 yds, 4 TD, 12 yds/carry last week) will continue his under the radar Heisman campaign against a second straight sub-par run defense, that makes OK St. -14 the play.
Syracuse @ Washington (-13.5): The Huskies were a play short last week as red zone issues kept them from winning at BYU. This week they are home vs. the Cuse and as we learned last week the Big East should stick to basketball and traveling two time zones away is trouble. Those two week 1 trends make Wash -13.5 the play.
NFL Week 1
I flipped on ESPN in the middle of Chris Berman’s Swami Picks, saw his mustache and laughed uncontrollably. I don’t know the situation surrounding the facial hair. Maybe it’s a joke. Maybe he’s showing solidarity for a friend who just finished undergoing a successful session of chemo and can now grow hair again. (I’m assuming chemotherapy hinders your ability to grow facial hair. This is a question I hope I never know the answer to because 1) I obviously hope I never get cancer and 2) I can’t see a situation where I could ask someone who would know a definitive answer. If I’m talking to someone with cancer, I don’t want to bring up another thing that sucks about the situation. And if I’m talking to a doctor, I don’t want to seem like an idiot. I mean, really, it seems like it’s an obvious answer, but I just don’t know for sure. Of course, this logic didn’t stop me from asking a girl the other day if pregnant women get periods. She just furrowed her eyebrows at me for about 20 seconds then said, “Did you ever hear the phrase ‘I’m late’?” Now it all makes sense.) But maybe he’s serious. And if that’s the case, I just can’t buy in. As a man whose experimented successfully (depends on your definition of success) with facial hair in the past, it kills me to say this, but Boomer missed his facial hair window. He’s been on TV for 30 years clean-shaven. You can’t start now...at least not with a mustache. If he had a beard on and off over the past three decades, fine. Even if he had facial hair for a 2 year span in the early 80’s and it hasn’t made it’s way back since, then it’s OK. But you have to set that precedent. I’ve gone on job interviews with a full grown beard, fully aware that it would hurt my chances on landing the job, just to set this precedent. If you start a job with a beard, you can always shave it. But it’s difficult to go the other way. Even if an employer asked me to shave (which they have), I know I can grow it back 3 years down the road without causing much of a stir. It’s called thinking ahead. Sorry Boomer. You didn’t have the foresight 30 years ago and because of that, when it comes to facial hair, you’re like a pregnant woman. You’re too late. On that note, here are some games I like on opening weekend.
I have no numbers or research to back me up on this, but in week 1, you should always take road teams favored by three points.
Dolphins (minus 3) at Bills
If the Dolphins expect to make the playoffs this year, they have to win games like this. Despite how he looked in the preseason, I believe Chad Henne is going to be a top 10 quarterback in the near future. Plus, this is the first half of the season, so they still have Ronnie Brown.
Packers (minus 3) at Philly
I’ll jump on the bandwagon.
49ers (minus 3) at Seahawks
I really think the Seahawks are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. They have a coach who hasn't succeeded in the pros and they’re obviously revamping their roster midstream with that Housh move. Rebuilding year.
Titans (minus 6.5) vs Raiders
Michael Bush is the best back on the Raiders by far and if he can’t go, they are going to have trouble against a team that can control the clock like Tennessee.
Browns Money Line (+130) at Bucs
Eric Mangini/Mike Holmgren vs. Raheem Morris
Bengals Money Line (+175) at New England
I’ve never been in a car wreck, but everyone always says you start to feel it the next day. I’m getting my money in before Brady realizes he can’t move his neck tomorrow.
Lions (plus 6) at Bears
The Lions and Dolphins are my two picks to improve drastically this year. From what I’ve read about Ndamokoung Suh (sorry if I misspelled that) he should be a game changer. And Jay Cutler makes me appreciate the guy I’m going to talk about next so much more.
Saints (minus 5) vs Vikings
For some reason, I can’t bring myself to root against Brett Favre. I want to so bad, but I just can’t do it. He could beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl the next three years, retire seven more times, kick me in the gonads at each retirement press conference, and, if I ever get married, sleep with my wife, and I wouldn’t root against the guy. Now, I like the Saints tonight and I’m rooting for them to win the game, but I would love to see Favre throw for 300 and 4 TD’s in a losing effort. I can’t explain why, but he has built up so much clout in my mind, that it would take him 20 years of evil deeds to switch to a villain. There is no other current athlete like this. Kobe raped someone too early in his career. Lebron had “The Decision” and the even more infuriating elbow injury in the first round this past year. (He got off way too easy for this. He played the entire game without the elbow being a problem but in the closing seconds, he couldn’t manage to shoot one more free throw with his right hand? He shot the first one right handed and made it. I can see if he would have missed it horribly, but it went in. If he would have shot the second one right handed and missed, no problem. But he wanted that built-in excuse. He wanted the world to know that he was hurt, so when they lost he would have something to blame. Jordan would have never let anyone know he was hurt.) Polamalu is a nice guy and a great player, but he’s not enough of a character to draw much emotion from me. Roethlisberger would be close in the other direction (wouldn’t be able to do enough good to get me to not root against him) if he played on any team other than the Steelers. Jeter would be close, but he plays for the Yankees. Lisa Leslie was always a class act, but she played in the WNBA. JoePa is close if you want to count coaches. But it’s more that he is too fragile physically to perform any single act that would tarnish his legacy that badly and he’s going to die before he can rack up a long enough string of smaller offenses. So anyway, I’ll take the Saints but go Brett Favre.
I'll leave you with this:
Right in the Kisser
I have no numbers or research to back me up on this, but in week 1, you should always take road teams favored by three points.
Dolphins (minus 3) at Bills
If the Dolphins expect to make the playoffs this year, they have to win games like this. Despite how he looked in the preseason, I believe Chad Henne is going to be a top 10 quarterback in the near future. Plus, this is the first half of the season, so they still have Ronnie Brown.
Packers (minus 3) at Philly
I’ll jump on the bandwagon.
49ers (minus 3) at Seahawks
I really think the Seahawks are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. They have a coach who hasn't succeeded in the pros and they’re obviously revamping their roster midstream with that Housh move. Rebuilding year.
Titans (minus 6.5) vs Raiders
Michael Bush is the best back on the Raiders by far and if he can’t go, they are going to have trouble against a team that can control the clock like Tennessee.
Browns Money Line (+130) at Bucs
Eric Mangini/Mike Holmgren vs. Raheem Morris
Bengals Money Line (+175) at New England
I’ve never been in a car wreck, but everyone always says you start to feel it the next day. I’m getting my money in before Brady realizes he can’t move his neck tomorrow.
Lions (plus 6) at Bears
The Lions and Dolphins are my two picks to improve drastically this year. From what I’ve read about Ndamokoung Suh (sorry if I misspelled that) he should be a game changer. And Jay Cutler makes me appreciate the guy I’m going to talk about next so much more.
Saints (minus 5) vs Vikings
For some reason, I can’t bring myself to root against Brett Favre. I want to so bad, but I just can’t do it. He could beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl the next three years, retire seven more times, kick me in the gonads at each retirement press conference, and, if I ever get married, sleep with my wife, and I wouldn’t root against the guy. Now, I like the Saints tonight and I’m rooting for them to win the game, but I would love to see Favre throw for 300 and 4 TD’s in a losing effort. I can’t explain why, but he has built up so much clout in my mind, that it would take him 20 years of evil deeds to switch to a villain. There is no other current athlete like this. Kobe raped someone too early in his career. Lebron had “The Decision” and the even more infuriating elbow injury in the first round this past year. (He got off way too easy for this. He played the entire game without the elbow being a problem but in the closing seconds, he couldn’t manage to shoot one more free throw with his right hand? He shot the first one right handed and made it. I can see if he would have missed it horribly, but it went in. If he would have shot the second one right handed and missed, no problem. But he wanted that built-in excuse. He wanted the world to know that he was hurt, so when they lost he would have something to blame. Jordan would have never let anyone know he was hurt.) Polamalu is a nice guy and a great player, but he’s not enough of a character to draw much emotion from me. Roethlisberger would be close in the other direction (wouldn’t be able to do enough good to get me to not root against him) if he played on any team other than the Steelers. Jeter would be close, but he plays for the Yankees. Lisa Leslie was always a class act, but she played in the WNBA. JoePa is close if you want to count coaches. But it’s more that he is too fragile physically to perform any single act that would tarnish his legacy that badly and he’s going to die before he can rack up a long enough string of smaller offenses. So anyway, I’ll take the Saints but go Brett Favre.
I'll leave you with this:
Right in the Kisser
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sign him up
Today the Pens went to PNC Park to take batting practice. Not only did Sidney Crosby hit a home run, he had the ball actually leave the stadium.
Hit more home runs at PNC than Bobby Crosby.
Hey Nutting and Huntington, sign him up, he can't be worse than Ryan Doumit.
Can see it now, Sidney Crosby bobblehead night next season.
Hit more home runs at PNC than Bobby Crosby.
Hey Nutting and Huntington, sign him up, he can't be worse than Ryan Doumit.
Can see it now, Sidney Crosby bobblehead night next season.
Fantasy Football Draft Part
We are going to pick up on the Fantasy Football draft with rounds 9 to 17. The important thing to remember is that this league is a "minus two keeper league" so you can't keep your first or second round pick and if you keep your third you give up your first round pick next year. So not only are you trying to draft quality for this year in the late rounds, you are also trying to hit big with your "keepers".
What made the Steve Young jersey so classy was that it didn't have San Fran anywhere on the jersey so it could have been any red eighth grade jersey with the last name Young. As for the Sams Club cookies, you really can't beat M&M. From someone on the other side of Ced Benson discussion, we really got somewhere once we defined what consistency means.
R 9 PK 1: Justin Forsett: The first Seahawk running back comes off the board as this team's 4th running back. I have a feeling Seahawk running backs are going to be like Giant WR's last year, a mixed back from week to week.
R9 PK2: Derrick Mason: Lost a lot of value after the Ravens signed Housh on Monday.
R9 PK 3: Austin Collie: Hoping for a Miles Austin type breakout where a 3rd or 4th WR on a good team becomes a star.
R9 PK 4: Z. Miller: Was a quality starter with the worst #1 pick ever at QB, so he should be even better with Campbell, who by defintion is an average NFL QB.
R9 PK 5: Niners D: The first D off the board was the #1 ranked D last year. Rarely do #1 D's repeat, but this solid D in an awful division with the addition of KR Ted Ginn makes them tough to bet against.
R9 PK 6: L.Evans: A #1 WR on the Bills is like being the the tallest midget.
R9 PK 7: T. Hightower: A solid third back on this team whose value is inversely tied to Beanie Wells.
R9 PK 8: S. Breaston: A good third WR option for this team with Rice out for half the year. This pick shows there is more Derrick Anderson fans in this draft there was in Cleveland.
R9 PK 9: L. Maroney: Love his sleeper potential this late. Doesn't NE have to try to find a #1 back to rely on with the age and injury history of the rest of the offense?
R9 PK 10: T. Jones: My pick and I have to admit I don't hate it. Good option on a starter's bye week or tough matchup.
R9 PK 11: V. Schiancoe: May not be elite, but very serviceable especially with WR questions and John Madden's hero.
R9 PK 12: D. Hester: Extra value if he goes back to doing what he does best, returning punts and kicks.
R10 PK 1: Jets D: With Revis back they are back at full strength and Rex Ryan and Bart Scott will sure talk these "D" up.
R10 PK 2: C. Taylor: Joins Portis as a two nice backup BR's for this squad.
R10 PK 3: G. Tate: Sleeper potential for this ND fan, my pick again
R10 PK 4: Minny D
R10 PK 5: B. Favre: Backup to M. Ryan on this team could give this owner more to think about then Sammi from Jersey Shore.
R10 PK 6: L.T. This owner, obviously a Hard Knocks fan.
R10 PK 7: K. Winslow: Good value for a player who has fallen faster than a Shanahan RB.
R10 PK 8: W. McGahee: Premier TD vulture going today.
R10 PK 9: K. Huggins: A double threat as a sleeper this year and keeper next year. Tampa's release of D. Ward showed Huggin's value.
R10 PK 10: J. Gafney: Seems too high with Eddie Royal still on the board.
R10 PK 11: D. McNabb: Should see plenty of time on a team whose starter is the other Manning, but is that really a good thing?
R 10 PK 12: C. Palmer: Two rounds after J. Cutler shows the skepticism that surrounds Kristen Cavalleri's new boyfriend.
R 11 PK 1: B. Edwards: More value the first 4 weeks before Holmes' return.
R 11 PK 2: K. Smith:
R 11 PK 3: V. Jackson: Like the value of this pick, he has a ton of talent and keeper potential as a Charger or anywhere else.
R 11 PK 4: C. Henne: Backup could have more value with Schaub's injury history.
R 11 PK 5: D. Sproles: Backup to a rookie and special teams value makes this a wise pick.
R 11 PK 6: J. Morgan:
R 11 PK 7: J. Snelling:
R 11 PK 8: D. McCluster: Great keeper potential for a player who is eligible at both RB and WR.
R 11 PK 9: L. Naanee: 11th round is a steal for the week 1 #1 WR in Diego.
R 11 PK 10: K. Britt: Second straight WR with keeper potential for my team.
R 11 PK 11: M. Stafford: A great sleeper pick who could become elite this year and only cost a ninth round pick next year.
R 11 PK 12: S. Slaton: Like a Real World Season, Who Knows?
R 12 PK 1: H. Miller:
R 12 PK 2: Eagles D:
R 12 PK 3: L. Washington: My pick, so I am buying the upside on this big play potential RB.
R 12 PK 4: V. Young: With Brees as your starter you only want to see one week of Vince or you are in trouble.
R 12 PK 5: Pittsburgh D:
R 12 PK 6: G. Olsen: The addition of Martz might hurt one of the best athletes on the Chicago offense.
R 12 PK 7: Green Bay D: My philosophy with D's is take the team you think will be good, this pick could be this year's N.O.
R 12 PK 8: A. Gonzalez: Never a bad idea to take a chance on a Colt early round draft pick.
R 12 PK 9: B. Scott: The Ced Benson discussion continues.
R 12 PK 10: Cowboys D
R12 PK 11: Ravens D
R 12 PK 12: T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Becomes a good start after signing with the Ravens Monday, the day after our draft.
R 13 PK 1: M. Massaquoi:
R 13 PK 2: E. Doucet:
R 13 PK 3: K. Orton: Vs. Baltimore on Tom Brady's bye week is not ideal for this one week starter barring a season killing injury.
R 13 PK 4: J. Jones: Surprised A. Johnson fellow WR was availiable so late, great keeper possibility.
R 13 PK 5: M. Cassel:
R 13 PK 6: A. Smith: Two backup QB's back to back, it will be interesting to see who has the better year?
R 13 PK 7: Saints D:
R 13 PK 8: J. Gresham: Nice keeper potential and a possible flex this year if things fall perfectly.
R 13 PK 9: T. Heap:
R 13 PK 10: D. Keller: Back to Back backup TE's with same question as Cassel and Smith 3 picks prior.
R 13 PK 11: M Williams: One of the best sleeper possibilities so far in the draft. A beast who loves football and hated college. Could become a force if Freeman develops with him.
R 13 PK 12: J. Edelman:
R 14 PK 1: D. Garrard:
R 14 PK 2: D. McFadden: Who has had more chances in Oakland, McFadden or Eric Chavez?
R 14 PK 3: Cleveland D: Banking on Cribbs more than Man-genious' D.
R 14 PK 4: Giants D:
R 14 PK 5: M. Manningham: Wouldn't stun me to see him break out this year.
R 14 PK 6: N. Burleson:
R 14 PK 7: L. Murphy: More value than a Wendys bacon-cheeseburger and just like a second there is keeper possibilities.
R 14 PK 8: Janikowski: Never a good sign when you ask for a re-do on a pick, which this owner did, blame it on the Miller Lites like Janikowski would do.
R 14 PK 9: Oakland D:
R 14 PK 10: Denver D:
R 14 PK 11: D. Henderson: A Brees WR always is a good pick this late.
R 14 PK 12: M. Lynch: Always productive when he can stay on the field and could easily bounce back to a top RB after this year.
R 15 PK 1: T. Gerhart: I like his sleeper and keeper chances, has been productive in every situation during his football career.
R 15 PK 2: J. Jones: Took a paycut to stay on the roster, not a great sign especially in Seattle.
R 15 PK 3: N. Kaeding:
R 15 PK 4: J. Carlson: The first in a string of three nice sleeper picks.
R 15 PK 5: E. Royal: Had a very productive rookie season and has the opportunity to be the main target in Denver this year with Marshall taking his talents to South Beach.
R 15 PK 6: T. Choice: Seems to always have a couple big weeks even playing behind injury prone Jones and aging Barber.
R 15 PK 7: R. Jennings:
R 15 PK 8: B. Lafell: First Carolina WR sighting since Steve Smith 12 rounds earlier.
R 15 PK 9: S. Gostkowski:
R 15 PK 10: J. Campbell: Backup to Kolb has Seattle during the Philly bye week.
R 15 PK 11: J. Shockey:
R 15 PK 12: M. Crosby:
R 16 PK 1: L. Johnson: Hard to believe he has fallen so far so fast, but could thrive in a reduced role with Shanahan.
RD 16 PK 2: G. Hartley:
RD 16 PK 3: M. Hardesty: A torn ACL makes this RB a sure fire keeper for my team next year.
RD 16 PK 4: D. Cribbs: All upside and value at multiple positions.
RD 16 PK 5: R. Longwell:
RD 16 PK 6: D. Akers:
RD 16 PK 7: R. Bironas:
RD 16 PK 8: D. Avery: Another sure-fire keeper due to injury.
RD 16 PK 9: T. Prater:
RD 16 PK 10: C. Chambers: Good value for a team thin on WR.
RD 16 PK 11: M. Bryant:
RD 16 PK 12: R. Gould:
RD 17 PK 1: Diego D:
RD 17 PK 2: Heyward-Bay: Will need to turn around his stat of having more drops than catches last year. Was drafted ahead of Crabtree, AAAALLL DAAAAAAAVIS!
RD 17 PK 3: D. Ward:
RD 17 PK 4: Cincy D:
RD 17 PK 5: D. Bess:
RD 17 PK 6: S. Bradford: Great keeper pick as you can let him sit on your bench this year while taking his lumps for the Rams and only lose a 15th rounder next year.
RD 17 PK 7: K. Boss:
RD 17 PK 8: J. Dwyer: The job to back up Mendenhall is wide open and this GTech product has the talent to seize that job.
RD 17 PK 9: L. McClain: The last of seven offensive players taken from the Ravens who used to be a team that was all D.
RD 17 PK 10: N. Folk:
RD 17 PK 11: B. Hartline:
RD 17 PK 12: H. Douglas: The last pick of the draft is a guy coming off an injury who should have an opportunity playing next to White with Ryan and Turner in the backfield.
What made the Steve Young jersey so classy was that it didn't have San Fran anywhere on the jersey so it could have been any red eighth grade jersey with the last name Young. As for the Sams Club cookies, you really can't beat M&M. From someone on the other side of Ced Benson discussion, we really got somewhere once we defined what consistency means.
R 9 PK 1: Justin Forsett: The first Seahawk running back comes off the board as this team's 4th running back. I have a feeling Seahawk running backs are going to be like Giant WR's last year, a mixed back from week to week.
R9 PK2: Derrick Mason: Lost a lot of value after the Ravens signed Housh on Monday.
R9 PK 3: Austin Collie: Hoping for a Miles Austin type breakout where a 3rd or 4th WR on a good team becomes a star.
R9 PK 4: Z. Miller: Was a quality starter with the worst #1 pick ever at QB, so he should be even better with Campbell, who by defintion is an average NFL QB.
R9 PK 5: Niners D: The first D off the board was the #1 ranked D last year. Rarely do #1 D's repeat, but this solid D in an awful division with the addition of KR Ted Ginn makes them tough to bet against.
R9 PK 6: L.Evans: A #1 WR on the Bills is like being the the tallest midget.
R9 PK 7: T. Hightower: A solid third back on this team whose value is inversely tied to Beanie Wells.
R9 PK 8: S. Breaston: A good third WR option for this team with Rice out for half the year. This pick shows there is more Derrick Anderson fans in this draft there was in Cleveland.
R9 PK 9: L. Maroney: Love his sleeper potential this late. Doesn't NE have to try to find a #1 back to rely on with the age and injury history of the rest of the offense?
R9 PK 10: T. Jones: My pick and I have to admit I don't hate it. Good option on a starter's bye week or tough matchup.
R9 PK 11: V. Schiancoe: May not be elite, but very serviceable especially with WR questions and John Madden's hero.
R9 PK 12: D. Hester: Extra value if he goes back to doing what he does best, returning punts and kicks.
R10 PK 1: Jets D: With Revis back they are back at full strength and Rex Ryan and Bart Scott will sure talk these "D" up.
R10 PK 2: C. Taylor: Joins Portis as a two nice backup BR's for this squad.
R10 PK 3: G. Tate: Sleeper potential for this ND fan, my pick again
R10 PK 4: Minny D
R10 PK 5: B. Favre: Backup to M. Ryan on this team could give this owner more to think about then Sammi from Jersey Shore.
R10 PK 6: L.T. This owner, obviously a Hard Knocks fan.
R10 PK 7: K. Winslow: Good value for a player who has fallen faster than a Shanahan RB.
R10 PK 8: W. McGahee: Premier TD vulture going today.
R10 PK 9: K. Huggins: A double threat as a sleeper this year and keeper next year. Tampa's release of D. Ward showed Huggin's value.
R10 PK 10: J. Gafney: Seems too high with Eddie Royal still on the board.
R10 PK 11: D. McNabb: Should see plenty of time on a team whose starter is the other Manning, but is that really a good thing?
R 10 PK 12: C. Palmer: Two rounds after J. Cutler shows the skepticism that surrounds Kristen Cavalleri's new boyfriend.
R 11 PK 1: B. Edwards: More value the first 4 weeks before Holmes' return.
R 11 PK 2: K. Smith:
R 11 PK 3: V. Jackson: Like the value of this pick, he has a ton of talent and keeper potential as a Charger or anywhere else.
R 11 PK 4: C. Henne: Backup could have more value with Schaub's injury history.
R 11 PK 5: D. Sproles: Backup to a rookie and special teams value makes this a wise pick.
R 11 PK 6: J. Morgan:
R 11 PK 7: J. Snelling:
R 11 PK 8: D. McCluster: Great keeper potential for a player who is eligible at both RB and WR.
R 11 PK 9: L. Naanee: 11th round is a steal for the week 1 #1 WR in Diego.
R 11 PK 10: K. Britt: Second straight WR with keeper potential for my team.
R 11 PK 11: M. Stafford: A great sleeper pick who could become elite this year and only cost a ninth round pick next year.
R 11 PK 12: S. Slaton: Like a Real World Season, Who Knows?
R 12 PK 1: H. Miller:
R 12 PK 2: Eagles D:
R 12 PK 3: L. Washington: My pick, so I am buying the upside on this big play potential RB.
R 12 PK 4: V. Young: With Brees as your starter you only want to see one week of Vince or you are in trouble.
R 12 PK 5: Pittsburgh D:
R 12 PK 6: G. Olsen: The addition of Martz might hurt one of the best athletes on the Chicago offense.
R 12 PK 7: Green Bay D: My philosophy with D's is take the team you think will be good, this pick could be this year's N.O.
R 12 PK 8: A. Gonzalez: Never a bad idea to take a chance on a Colt early round draft pick.
R 12 PK 9: B. Scott: The Ced Benson discussion continues.
R 12 PK 10: Cowboys D
R12 PK 11: Ravens D
R 12 PK 12: T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Becomes a good start after signing with the Ravens Monday, the day after our draft.
R 13 PK 1: M. Massaquoi:
R 13 PK 2: E. Doucet:
R 13 PK 3: K. Orton: Vs. Baltimore on Tom Brady's bye week is not ideal for this one week starter barring a season killing injury.
R 13 PK 4: J. Jones: Surprised A. Johnson fellow WR was availiable so late, great keeper possibility.
R 13 PK 5: M. Cassel:
R 13 PK 6: A. Smith: Two backup QB's back to back, it will be interesting to see who has the better year?
R 13 PK 7: Saints D:
R 13 PK 8: J. Gresham: Nice keeper potential and a possible flex this year if things fall perfectly.
R 13 PK 9: T. Heap:
R 13 PK 10: D. Keller: Back to Back backup TE's with same question as Cassel and Smith 3 picks prior.
R 13 PK 11: M Williams: One of the best sleeper possibilities so far in the draft. A beast who loves football and hated college. Could become a force if Freeman develops with him.
R 13 PK 12: J. Edelman:
R 14 PK 1: D. Garrard:
R 14 PK 2: D. McFadden: Who has had more chances in Oakland, McFadden or Eric Chavez?
R 14 PK 3: Cleveland D: Banking on Cribbs more than Man-genious' D.
R 14 PK 4: Giants D:
R 14 PK 5: M. Manningham: Wouldn't stun me to see him break out this year.
R 14 PK 6: N. Burleson:
R 14 PK 7: L. Murphy: More value than a Wendys bacon-cheeseburger and just like a second there is keeper possibilities.
R 14 PK 8: Janikowski: Never a good sign when you ask for a re-do on a pick, which this owner did, blame it on the Miller Lites like Janikowski would do.
R 14 PK 9: Oakland D:
R 14 PK 10: Denver D:
R 14 PK 11: D. Henderson: A Brees WR always is a good pick this late.
R 14 PK 12: M. Lynch: Always productive when he can stay on the field and could easily bounce back to a top RB after this year.
R 15 PK 1: T. Gerhart: I like his sleeper and keeper chances, has been productive in every situation during his football career.
R 15 PK 2: J. Jones: Took a paycut to stay on the roster, not a great sign especially in Seattle.
R 15 PK 3: N. Kaeding:
R 15 PK 4: J. Carlson: The first in a string of three nice sleeper picks.
R 15 PK 5: E. Royal: Had a very productive rookie season and has the opportunity to be the main target in Denver this year with Marshall taking his talents to South Beach.
R 15 PK 6: T. Choice: Seems to always have a couple big weeks even playing behind injury prone Jones and aging Barber.
R 15 PK 7: R. Jennings:
R 15 PK 8: B. Lafell: First Carolina WR sighting since Steve Smith 12 rounds earlier.
R 15 PK 9: S. Gostkowski:
R 15 PK 10: J. Campbell: Backup to Kolb has Seattle during the Philly bye week.
R 15 PK 11: J. Shockey:
R 15 PK 12: M. Crosby:
R 16 PK 1: L. Johnson: Hard to believe he has fallen so far so fast, but could thrive in a reduced role with Shanahan.
RD 16 PK 2: G. Hartley:
RD 16 PK 3: M. Hardesty: A torn ACL makes this RB a sure fire keeper for my team next year.
RD 16 PK 4: D. Cribbs: All upside and value at multiple positions.
RD 16 PK 5: R. Longwell:
RD 16 PK 6: D. Akers:
RD 16 PK 7: R. Bironas:
RD 16 PK 8: D. Avery: Another sure-fire keeper due to injury.
RD 16 PK 9: T. Prater:
RD 16 PK 10: C. Chambers: Good value for a team thin on WR.
RD 16 PK 11: M. Bryant:
RD 16 PK 12: R. Gould:
RD 17 PK 1: Diego D:
RD 17 PK 2: Heyward-Bay: Will need to turn around his stat of having more drops than catches last year. Was drafted ahead of Crabtree, AAAALLL DAAAAAAAVIS!
RD 17 PK 3: D. Ward:
RD 17 PK 4: Cincy D:
RD 17 PK 5: D. Bess:
RD 17 PK 6: S. Bradford: Great keeper pick as you can let him sit on your bench this year while taking his lumps for the Rams and only lose a 15th rounder next year.
RD 17 PK 7: K. Boss:
RD 17 PK 8: J. Dwyer: The job to back up Mendenhall is wide open and this GTech product has the talent to seize that job.
RD 17 PK 9: L. McClain: The last of seven offensive players taken from the Ravens who used to be a team that was all D.
RD 17 PK 10: N. Folk:
RD 17 PK 11: B. Hartline:
RD 17 PK 12: H. Douglas: The last pick of the draft is a guy coming off an injury who should have an opportunity playing next to White with Ryan and Turner in the backfield.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Fantasy Football Draft
This past Sunday, we, meaning all 3 members of the I'll Be Frank staff, took part in a 12-man, $200, Fantasy Football Keeper League. In what can only be described as a NFL/AFL-esque merger, two leagues became one, and in the process a uber league was created.
Amidst an ultra classy Steve Young jersey, piles of ribs that could be featured on BBQ Pitmaster's, and a crate of Sam's Club cookies, the following picks were made.
Granted, if you are not in the league and invested in the nostalgia of the draft, it could become mundane to just read over all the picks. For the sake of the members of the league, I will keep their names out of the post. We don't want to share with the whole internet the name of the person who actually picked Cedric Benson in the first round.
R1 PK1 : Chris Johnson
This was my pick. For the first time in my years and years of doing drafts, I was able to secure the No. 1 spot. All the so-called fantasy gurus had Johnson ranked #1, which made this decision relatively easy. Personally I am not so sure about Johnson, I have this feeling that he will end up with a high ankle sprain in week 2 and my season will be shot. I really wanted to take AP, but I was able to draft him second in another league, so I didn't want to put all of my eggs in one basket, so I settled for Johnson. I guess getting C.J. and A.P in my two drafts wasn't so bad. Picking at the top of the draft is so advantageous in that you can really hold off on getting that 2nd RB. You are able to load up in other positions, and because you have a stud already on the squad, your RB points will average out with everyone who took two RBs early.
R1 PK2 : Adrian Peterson
A no-brainer pick. It helps that Favre came back, but to me it made no difference. It seems impossible for a guy going 1-2 in every draft to not be getting any love, but it seems like everyone is down on AP this year, which is crazy. He will be the consensus #1 next season.
R1 PK3 : Ray Rice
Good Pick. The hush around MJD's knee concerns me. Not too worried about McGahee vulturing any TDs this year. By the end of the season last year, Rice was handling his own on the goal line. .5 points for reception is a great plus for a back like Rice.
R1 PK4 : Maurice Jones-Drew
He says his knee is fine, so there isn't any reason to believe that he won't continue to produce similar numbers. Solid pick, will put up big numbers and this pick marks the end of the no-brainer picks.
R1 PK5 : Aaron Rodgers
Love Rodgers and the Packers' O. Wanted to get my hands on as many members of that juggernaut offense as I could. The #5 pick is the first pick that actually has an effect on the shaping of the first round. Like I said, I love the Rodgers pick. He will probably score the most points in fantasy this year. Andre Johnson was another person I had tabbed here. The elite of the elite receivers would be a nice consolation at the 5 spot. I could even see the TD-machine Michael Turner, 27 TD in 27 games, going here, but his lack of receptions hurt.
R1 PK6 : Frank Gore
Can't really argue with the Gore pick. Personally I don't like him. Never had him on my team so all I really can say about him is that he is a sure bet to be penciled in for 2-3 games missed.
R1 PK7 : Steven Jackson
Love Jackson, just not at #7. On pretty much any other team he would be a perennial 1-3 pick. But with the Rams all he gets is a beating and not a lot of scores. It's like if Cooper Manning went on to cure cancer, in any other family he would be tops, but in his current family he still will never amount for anything but a football flunkie.
R1 PK8 : Andre Johnson
Steal of the first round so far. He's a beast. The only way to stop him is if he gets hurt. Just having this name on your team makes it look that much better.
R1 PK9 : Drew Brees
Another pick that can't be argued. With passing TDs worth 6 points, QBs will score the most points by far. Why not take arguably the best passer in the league. Chalk Brees up for 4000+ yards and 30 TDs.
R1 PK10: Michael Turner
Other than his lack of receptions, Turner has been a monster for the Falcons. Aside from his injury last year, he has averaged a TD per game as a starter. Falcons O-coordinator Mike Mularkey is trying to get Turner more involved in the passing game.
R1 PK11: Cedric Benson
Here was the first shocking pick of the draft. In my opinion this was more than just a reach at #11. I can see going for a back at this spot, but with guys like Greene, Mathews, and Williams still on the board, this Benson pick is a real head scratcher. A debate over this pick carried throughout the draft. I didn't like it, but some people felt it was all right because of Benson's consistency. Consistency? Ok so yeah he is the unquestioned feature back in Cincy, he will get a ton of carries. But consistency? Is this the same Ced Benson who was exiled from Chicago for being a complete bust? I mean the guy has had one good season, and even that season wasn't a full season. Yes he could have been argued as the first half fantasy MVP for the 2009 season, but that was only 8 weeks. After that Benson wasn't the same. He got hurt and missed a few games, and never got back to his dominant style. In the wild-card weekend against the Jets, he was a shell of his first-half self.. People will argue that Cincy is a rushing team, Ok, maybe they are, but do you think they went out and got Palmer weapons like Owens and Gresham for nothing? They will pass the ball more, and Benson is only one weekend on the lake away from being out of the NFL.
R1 PK12: Peyton Manning
It's Peyton, that should be enough. We don't get points for the NFL playoffs, so Peyton will still be a monster.
R2 PK1 : Randy Moss
Hard to argue with the Peyton/Moss combo. All signs are pointing towards Moss and Brady having another huge season. He is still able to blow by defenders so 10-15 TDs to go with 1200 yards should be very reasonable.
R2 PK2 : Shonn Greene
Makes up for the Benson pick and recovers with Greene. Nice back with potential, but we can only go off of his successes in the playoffs. Will LT steal carries? Probably. Does Sanchez still stink? Most definately. So yeah the Jets will run, and there will be enough carries for Greene and LT to both thrive. A question about Greene. He hasn't been featured on HardKnocks once. He is the team's #1 RB, and he hasn't had any face time. Does that mean he is completely stupid and would make a fool of himself, or is he the antithesis of Rex Ryan and Sanchez's diva personalities, and shuns the lime light? I would probably go with choice 1.
R2 PK3 : Ryan Mathews
So all the experts say that he was put in the perfect situation coming out of Fresno and being picked by the Chargers. He falls into a prolific offense without a starting back, and is immediately heralded by his coach and given the starting job. Time will only tell with Mathews. The kid looks good so far, but the strain of a full NFL season is enough to make even the toughest rookies crumble by playoff time.
R2 PK4 : DeAngelo Williams
R2 PK5 : Reggie Wayne
R2 PK6 : Ryan Grant
Only back in Packers' awesome offense. Should pick up big numbers, and steal touchdowns from receivers tackled inside the 5.
R2 PK7 : Larry Fitzgerald
Have fun with Derek Anderson. I guess for one season he made Braylon Edwards a star, and Fitz is better than Edwards, so who knows.
R2 PK8 : Calvin Johnson
Nice young offense. Stafford looks to him every pass. Healthy this season and should make up for a disasterous 09 campaign.
R2 PK9 : Roddy White
R2 PK10: Tom Brady
Looks like Justin Beiber has infiltrated the NFL
R2 PK11: DeSean Jackson
Maybe a little too early for a league getting points for catches, but there is no doubt Jackson is a play maker. Although he doesn't catch many balls, he is capable of stat lines of 3 rec 127 yds 2 TD, which make him worthy of a high pick.
Speaking of Playmakers, wonder what Omar Gooding is doing these days? Wild and Crazy Kids reunion? Just Hangin' with Mr. Cooper?
R2 PK12: Greg Jennings
Again love the Pack.
R3 PK1 : Brandon Marshall
With this pick I had a decision to make. I already had a receiver and running back, so do I take a QB, probably Schaub, or do I take Marshall, the top receiver on my board. (I had already decided against taking an RB here. None really stood out to me, plus I already have Johnson.)
How can you not like Marshall, he caught 100 balls from Kyle Orton, yes, the same Kyle Orton with the creepy neck beard, all while missing a few weeks. The guy can catch 30 balls in 2 weeks. People argued with me that Miami is a running team. Yeah that may be so, they do have 2 solid backs, but are one ACL pop and Phish concert from having none. They got rid of Pat White, so that tells me that the Wildcat gimmick might have ran its course, and if you are trying to tell me Bill Parcells went out and got a weapon like Marshall to use him as a decoy for a running team, then you have lost your mind.
That would be like if the Phillies signed Roy Halladay and told him he was going to just pitch the 8th inning. Marshall will have 90+ catches and single handedly make Chad Henne a household name.
R3 PK2 : Miles Austin
8th WR taken in the last 10 picks. I like Austin, but once again I'm not sold on just a single season of success. Dallas has a lot of weapons and I wouldn't be surprised if some of Austin's 2009 load is spread out. The diseases he has probably contracted from Kim Kardashian might slow him down as well.
R3 PK3 : Rashard Mendenhall
If I see one more unnecessary spin move from this guy.
R3 PK4 : Matt Schaub
Really wanted Schaub again, but at my last pick, it was too early. If healthy, and that is a big if, he will continue to put up huge numbers with Johnson.
R3 PK5 : Marques Colston
Still Brees' go-to guy, but because of Brees' generousity, doesn't get as many balls as he should.
R3 PK6 : Steve Smith (CAR)
R3 PK7 : Tony Romo
R3 PK8 : LeSean McCoy
Thought this was too early for McCoy. With a young QB under center, he will get more touches, but I just see him ending up like a younger Reggie Bush. I can't see him being an every down back, and Mike Bell is capable of spelling him at times.
R3 PK9 : Jammal Charles
I guess Tommy Jones is ahead of him right now, but that will change. Charles is the more explosive back and provides KC a better chance at winning compared to TJ's pounding style.
R3 PK10: Anquan Boldin
New team, new expectations. In Zona he was the obvious #2 but always tried to prove he was a #1. In Baltimore he gets that chance to be the #1. Can Flacco get him the ball as well as Warner? Will Housh and D. Mason protect him enough from double teams? For the Steelers' sake I hope not.
R3 PK11: Steve Smith (NYG)
R3 PK12: Beanie Wells
Has looked bad in the preseason. Hightower is said to be gaining on the former Buckeye back. With Anderson under center, I wonder if defenses will stack the box and focus on the run.
R4 PK1 : Chad Ochocinco
Promotes himself enough that I don't have to.
R4 PK2 : Philip Rivers
Underrated as far as NFL QBs go. But as a human being he is a real jackass. Numbers should still be decent, but not nearly as good as when V-Jax was in the lineup.
R4 PK3 : Wes Welker
Knee seems to be fine, but knees are tricky to return fully from. Has looked good in his return, and is definately an asset for receiving points. It's amazing how every white receiver out of college is dubbed the "next Wes Welker." It's like if Hollywood dubbed every actor that couldn't act the "next Brenden Fraser."
R4 PK4 : Mike Wallace
Obviously his value will be boosted in Week 6 with Ben's return, but it looks like this guy can make big plays with anyone under center.
R4 PK5 : Dallas Clark
Someone had to take the first tight end. With Peyton, you never know who will be his favorite target from year to year. Last year it was Clark, but with so many quality TEs on the board, maybe a bit early, but not a bad pick.
R4 PK6 : Pierre Garcon
R4 PK7 : Pierre Thomas
And so started a weird trend in this draft. Strange things like Pierre's being picked back-to-back kept popping up as the night went along. Thomas in the middle of the 4th, not too shabby.
R4 PK8 : Jason Witten
R4 PK9 : Michael Crabtree
Could be a stud if he keeps his head on straight. Alex Smith is the obvious question mark in Crabtree's success, if he can get him the ball, the former Texas Tech receiver will be taken a lot higher next year.
R4 PK10: Antonio Gates
With V-Jax out, becomes Rivers favorite target. Should finish as league's top tight end.
R4 PK11: Donald Driver
Old but still skilled. Plays on the Pack, so I'm ok with this pick. Driver has a great life story.
R4 PK12: JerMichael Finley
Had to get me another Packer obviously. Watch all this talk about the Packers and Rodgers will get hurt early, and Brian Brohm will make Pack fans envious of Jake Delhomme.
R5 PK1 : Jonathan Stewart
R5 PK2 : Joseph Addai
Might not be flashy, but has motivation with Donald Brown breathing down his neck. Still has a nose for the paint.
R5 PK3 : Matt Forte
If he can catch the ball like he did his rookie year, he can thrive under Martz. But I can't get why Mike Martz gets so much love. I could have been the O-coordinator for those Rams' teams. Hand it to Marshall. Dump it off to Marshall. Over the middle to Bruce. Deep to Holt. Everywhere else he has been, he has been terrible. Chicago has a few weapons, so we will see how clever he really is.
R5 PK4 : Jahvid Best
Like I said before, Detroit has a potentially dangerous offense. Kevin Smith isn't fully healthy and provides not threat to Best in the backfield. Should total about 1500 yards.
R5 PK5 : Jerome Harrison
Benefitted greatly from the Hardesty injury. Now has no real competition in Cleveland. Ended 2009 with a stellar finish. If Delhomme can manage to create a minimal passing game, it will definately help Harrison.
R5 PK6 : Mike Sims-Walker
R5 PK7 : Hines Ward
R5 PK8 : Arian Foster
The big riser this offseason. The injury to Ben Tate and Steve Slaton's overall underwhelming play makes Foster a nice pick in the 5th. The Texans have an offense that can be extremely dangerous, and because of the passing games success Foster won't be looked upon to carry the offense. Will steal a lot of TDs.
R5 PK9 : Percy Harvin
If only migranes were a scoring category.
R5 PK10: Kevin Kolb
For Eagles' fans sake, I hope he sucks.
R5 PK11: Dwayne Bowe
R5 PK12: Brandon Jacobs
All but out as the G-Men's go-to back. You would think a guy of that size would be more dominating.
R6 PK1 : Felix Jones
R6 PK2 : Malcolm Floyd
Has the potential to blossom into a very good receiver with the absence of Jackson.
R6 PK3 : Vernon Davis
Funny how he is the mature one on the Niners. Didn't he just yell at Crabtree for the same thing.
R6 PK4 : Jeremy Maclin
R6 PK5 : Knowshon Moreno
An absolute steal in the 6th round. Should put up very servicable numbers in Denver. As a 4th round pick next year, very possibly the best keeper pick so far.
R6 PK6 : Terrell Owens
Have to say something about my boy T.O.. Don't care what anyone says, T.O. is the best. Like I posted earlier, everyone sucks in Buffalo so there is no reason why he can't get rid of the '09 season and overtake his buddy Chad as the best receiver on the Bungles.
R6 PK7 : Joe Flacco
Boldin and Housh are nice new weapons for the former Blue Hen. Ray Rice make a nice little option out of the back field. The Ravens should be good, but their postseason success rests on this guy's right arm.
R6 PK8 : Ronnie Brown
Over/Under 5 games missed due to injury. I like the over.
R6 PK9 : C.J. Spiller
Has the talent, but plays in Buffalo. Good luck kid.
R6 PK10: Brent Celek
R6 PK11: Eli Manning
R6 PK12: Ahmad Bradshaw
Should be the unquestioned started for the Giants by season's end. Will probably lose a lot of TDs to Jacobs.
R7 PK1 : Dez Bryant
R7 PK2 : Owen Daniels
If his knee, like Welker's, is healthy, he should return to form. Nice #2 option for Schaub.
R7 PK3 : Santana Moss
McNabb loves the deep ball.
R7 PK4 : Hakeem Nicks
R7 PK5 : Bernard Berrian
Becomes Minnesota's #1 with Sidney Rice out. Not a very good year last year with Favre, needs to become more explosive in the deep passing game.
R7 PK6 : Carnell Williams
Something must be in the food down at Auburn. Brown and Williams can't seem to stay healthy.
R7 PK7 : Robert Meachem
Can he overtake Devery Henderson and become NOLA's deep threat?
R7 PK8 : Sidney Rice
For keeper purposes this is a good pick. But will you want to keep Rice as a 5th rounder next year with Tavarias Jackson throwing to him?
R7 PK9 : Marion Barber
The Barbarian thrived as Julius Jones' backup. He scored his most points as a third down and goalline back. Seems like Felix Jones is Dallas' starter, so we will see how many TDs Barber will steal.
R7 PK10: Devin Aromashadu
Him or Johnny Knox? Or is everyone forgetting Devin Hester and Cutler's fellow Commodore alum Earl Bennett. A pure crapshoot in Chicago.
R7 PK11: Clinton Portis
Was great under Shannahan the first time around. Only has LJ pushing him. Last year was a 2nd round pick, this year 7th. Could be a very servicable backup and spot starter.
R7 PK12: Tony Gonzalez
What does he have in the tank?
R8 PK1 : Kevin Walter
A white receiver not compared to Wes Welker. What does that say?
R8 PK2 : Johnny Knox
R8 PK3 : Demaryius Thomas
The heir to Brandon Marshall's receiving throne in Denver. By year's end should emerge as Denver's go to guy.
R8 PK4 : Chris Cooley
R8 PK5 : Matt Ryan
R8 PK6 : Ben Roethlisberger
Without the suspension, probably goes 4-5 rounds earlier. Misses 4 games but still has 9 fantasy weeks to prove himself. The quintessential backup for fantasy football. Will either be a starter or great trade bait later on in the year.
R8 PK7 : Michael Bush
R8 PK8 : Reggie Bush
See weird things kept happening. Two Bushes in a row. I haven't seen this much Bush lined up since a 1 a.m. viewing of Skinemax in 6th grade.
R8 PK9 : Santonio Holmes
Is only gone for 4 games, so becomes a great deal in the 8th round. Because Braylon Edwards stinks, will become Sanchez's go to guy. Too bad he is a terrible QB.
R8 PK10: Donald Brown
R8 PK11: Ricky Williams
Gotta like Ricky. I recommend watching the ESPN 30 on 30 about him. He's getting old, but did take all those years off, so really he is just right in his prime physically.
R8 PK12: Jay Cutler
Eh, waited too long for a QB and now have to suffer through a season with him. He did throw for 27 TD last year, but also 26 INT.
Amidst an ultra classy Steve Young jersey, piles of ribs that could be featured on BBQ Pitmaster's, and a crate of Sam's Club cookies, the following picks were made.
Granted, if you are not in the league and invested in the nostalgia of the draft, it could become mundane to just read over all the picks. For the sake of the members of the league, I will keep their names out of the post. We don't want to share with the whole internet the name of the person who actually picked Cedric Benson in the first round.
R1 PK1 : Chris Johnson
This was my pick. For the first time in my years and years of doing drafts, I was able to secure the No. 1 spot. All the so-called fantasy gurus had Johnson ranked #1, which made this decision relatively easy. Personally I am not so sure about Johnson, I have this feeling that he will end up with a high ankle sprain in week 2 and my season will be shot. I really wanted to take AP, but I was able to draft him second in another league, so I didn't want to put all of my eggs in one basket, so I settled for Johnson. I guess getting C.J. and A.P in my two drafts wasn't so bad. Picking at the top of the draft is so advantageous in that you can really hold off on getting that 2nd RB. You are able to load up in other positions, and because you have a stud already on the squad, your RB points will average out with everyone who took two RBs early.
R1 PK2 : Adrian Peterson
A no-brainer pick. It helps that Favre came back, but to me it made no difference. It seems impossible for a guy going 1-2 in every draft to not be getting any love, but it seems like everyone is down on AP this year, which is crazy. He will be the consensus #1 next season.
R1 PK3 : Ray Rice
Good Pick. The hush around MJD's knee concerns me. Not too worried about McGahee vulturing any TDs this year. By the end of the season last year, Rice was handling his own on the goal line. .5 points for reception is a great plus for a back like Rice.
R1 PK4 : Maurice Jones-Drew
He says his knee is fine, so there isn't any reason to believe that he won't continue to produce similar numbers. Solid pick, will put up big numbers and this pick marks the end of the no-brainer picks.
R1 PK5 : Aaron Rodgers
Love Rodgers and the Packers' O. Wanted to get my hands on as many members of that juggernaut offense as I could. The #5 pick is the first pick that actually has an effect on the shaping of the first round. Like I said, I love the Rodgers pick. He will probably score the most points in fantasy this year. Andre Johnson was another person I had tabbed here. The elite of the elite receivers would be a nice consolation at the 5 spot. I could even see the TD-machine Michael Turner, 27 TD in 27 games, going here, but his lack of receptions hurt.
R1 PK6 : Frank Gore
Can't really argue with the Gore pick. Personally I don't like him. Never had him on my team so all I really can say about him is that he is a sure bet to be penciled in for 2-3 games missed.
R1 PK7 : Steven Jackson
Love Jackson, just not at #7. On pretty much any other team he would be a perennial 1-3 pick. But with the Rams all he gets is a beating and not a lot of scores. It's like if Cooper Manning went on to cure cancer, in any other family he would be tops, but in his current family he still will never amount for anything but a football flunkie.
R1 PK8 : Andre Johnson
Steal of the first round so far. He's a beast. The only way to stop him is if he gets hurt. Just having this name on your team makes it look that much better.
R1 PK9 : Drew Brees
Another pick that can't be argued. With passing TDs worth 6 points, QBs will score the most points by far. Why not take arguably the best passer in the league. Chalk Brees up for 4000+ yards and 30 TDs.
R1 PK10: Michael Turner
Other than his lack of receptions, Turner has been a monster for the Falcons. Aside from his injury last year, he has averaged a TD per game as a starter. Falcons O-coordinator Mike Mularkey is trying to get Turner more involved in the passing game.
R1 PK11: Cedric Benson
Here was the first shocking pick of the draft. In my opinion this was more than just a reach at #11. I can see going for a back at this spot, but with guys like Greene, Mathews, and Williams still on the board, this Benson pick is a real head scratcher. A debate over this pick carried throughout the draft. I didn't like it, but some people felt it was all right because of Benson's consistency. Consistency? Ok so yeah he is the unquestioned feature back in Cincy, he will get a ton of carries. But consistency? Is this the same Ced Benson who was exiled from Chicago for being a complete bust? I mean the guy has had one good season, and even that season wasn't a full season. Yes he could have been argued as the first half fantasy MVP for the 2009 season, but that was only 8 weeks. After that Benson wasn't the same. He got hurt and missed a few games, and never got back to his dominant style. In the wild-card weekend against the Jets, he was a shell of his first-half self.. People will argue that Cincy is a rushing team, Ok, maybe they are, but do you think they went out and got Palmer weapons like Owens and Gresham for nothing? They will pass the ball more, and Benson is only one weekend on the lake away from being out of the NFL.
R1 PK12: Peyton Manning
It's Peyton, that should be enough. We don't get points for the NFL playoffs, so Peyton will still be a monster.
R2 PK1 : Randy Moss
Hard to argue with the Peyton/Moss combo. All signs are pointing towards Moss and Brady having another huge season. He is still able to blow by defenders so 10-15 TDs to go with 1200 yards should be very reasonable.
R2 PK2 : Shonn Greene
Makes up for the Benson pick and recovers with Greene. Nice back with potential, but we can only go off of his successes in the playoffs. Will LT steal carries? Probably. Does Sanchez still stink? Most definately. So yeah the Jets will run, and there will be enough carries for Greene and LT to both thrive. A question about Greene. He hasn't been featured on HardKnocks once. He is the team's #1 RB, and he hasn't had any face time. Does that mean he is completely stupid and would make a fool of himself, or is he the antithesis of Rex Ryan and Sanchez's diva personalities, and shuns the lime light? I would probably go with choice 1.
R2 PK3 : Ryan Mathews
So all the experts say that he was put in the perfect situation coming out of Fresno and being picked by the Chargers. He falls into a prolific offense without a starting back, and is immediately heralded by his coach and given the starting job. Time will only tell with Mathews. The kid looks good so far, but the strain of a full NFL season is enough to make even the toughest rookies crumble by playoff time.
R2 PK4 : DeAngelo Williams
R2 PK5 : Reggie Wayne
R2 PK6 : Ryan Grant
Only back in Packers' awesome offense. Should pick up big numbers, and steal touchdowns from receivers tackled inside the 5.
R2 PK7 : Larry Fitzgerald
Have fun with Derek Anderson. I guess for one season he made Braylon Edwards a star, and Fitz is better than Edwards, so who knows.
R2 PK8 : Calvin Johnson
Nice young offense. Stafford looks to him every pass. Healthy this season and should make up for a disasterous 09 campaign.
R2 PK9 : Roddy White
R2 PK10: Tom Brady
Looks like Justin Beiber has infiltrated the NFL
R2 PK11: DeSean Jackson
Maybe a little too early for a league getting points for catches, but there is no doubt Jackson is a play maker. Although he doesn't catch many balls, he is capable of stat lines of 3 rec 127 yds 2 TD, which make him worthy of a high pick.
Speaking of Playmakers, wonder what Omar Gooding is doing these days? Wild and Crazy Kids reunion? Just Hangin' with Mr. Cooper?
R2 PK12: Greg Jennings
Again love the Pack.
R3 PK1 : Brandon Marshall
With this pick I had a decision to make. I already had a receiver and running back, so do I take a QB, probably Schaub, or do I take Marshall, the top receiver on my board. (I had already decided against taking an RB here. None really stood out to me, plus I already have Johnson.)
How can you not like Marshall, he caught 100 balls from Kyle Orton, yes, the same Kyle Orton with the creepy neck beard, all while missing a few weeks. The guy can catch 30 balls in 2 weeks. People argued with me that Miami is a running team. Yeah that may be so, they do have 2 solid backs, but are one ACL pop and Phish concert from having none. They got rid of Pat White, so that tells me that the Wildcat gimmick might have ran its course, and if you are trying to tell me Bill Parcells went out and got a weapon like Marshall to use him as a decoy for a running team, then you have lost your mind.
That would be like if the Phillies signed Roy Halladay and told him he was going to just pitch the 8th inning. Marshall will have 90+ catches and single handedly make Chad Henne a household name.
R3 PK2 : Miles Austin
8th WR taken in the last 10 picks. I like Austin, but once again I'm not sold on just a single season of success. Dallas has a lot of weapons and I wouldn't be surprised if some of Austin's 2009 load is spread out. The diseases he has probably contracted from Kim Kardashian might slow him down as well.
R3 PK3 : Rashard Mendenhall
If I see one more unnecessary spin move from this guy.
R3 PK4 : Matt Schaub
Really wanted Schaub again, but at my last pick, it was too early. If healthy, and that is a big if, he will continue to put up huge numbers with Johnson.
R3 PK5 : Marques Colston
Still Brees' go-to guy, but because of Brees' generousity, doesn't get as many balls as he should.
R3 PK6 : Steve Smith (CAR)
R3 PK7 : Tony Romo
R3 PK8 : LeSean McCoy
Thought this was too early for McCoy. With a young QB under center, he will get more touches, but I just see him ending up like a younger Reggie Bush. I can't see him being an every down back, and Mike Bell is capable of spelling him at times.
R3 PK9 : Jammal Charles
I guess Tommy Jones is ahead of him right now, but that will change. Charles is the more explosive back and provides KC a better chance at winning compared to TJ's pounding style.
R3 PK10: Anquan Boldin
New team, new expectations. In Zona he was the obvious #2 but always tried to prove he was a #1. In Baltimore he gets that chance to be the #1. Can Flacco get him the ball as well as Warner? Will Housh and D. Mason protect him enough from double teams? For the Steelers' sake I hope not.
R3 PK11: Steve Smith (NYG)
R3 PK12: Beanie Wells
Has looked bad in the preseason. Hightower is said to be gaining on the former Buckeye back. With Anderson under center, I wonder if defenses will stack the box and focus on the run.
R4 PK1 : Chad Ochocinco
Promotes himself enough that I don't have to.
R4 PK2 : Philip Rivers
Underrated as far as NFL QBs go. But as a human being he is a real jackass. Numbers should still be decent, but not nearly as good as when V-Jax was in the lineup.
R4 PK3 : Wes Welker
Knee seems to be fine, but knees are tricky to return fully from. Has looked good in his return, and is definately an asset for receiving points. It's amazing how every white receiver out of college is dubbed the "next Wes Welker." It's like if Hollywood dubbed every actor that couldn't act the "next Brenden Fraser."
R4 PK4 : Mike Wallace
Obviously his value will be boosted in Week 6 with Ben's return, but it looks like this guy can make big plays with anyone under center.
R4 PK5 : Dallas Clark
Someone had to take the first tight end. With Peyton, you never know who will be his favorite target from year to year. Last year it was Clark, but with so many quality TEs on the board, maybe a bit early, but not a bad pick.
R4 PK6 : Pierre Garcon
R4 PK7 : Pierre Thomas
And so started a weird trend in this draft. Strange things like Pierre's being picked back-to-back kept popping up as the night went along. Thomas in the middle of the 4th, not too shabby.
R4 PK8 : Jason Witten
R4 PK9 : Michael Crabtree
Could be a stud if he keeps his head on straight. Alex Smith is the obvious question mark in Crabtree's success, if he can get him the ball, the former Texas Tech receiver will be taken a lot higher next year.
R4 PK10: Antonio Gates
With V-Jax out, becomes Rivers favorite target. Should finish as league's top tight end.
R4 PK11: Donald Driver
Old but still skilled. Plays on the Pack, so I'm ok with this pick. Driver has a great life story.
R4 PK12: JerMichael Finley
Had to get me another Packer obviously. Watch all this talk about the Packers and Rodgers will get hurt early, and Brian Brohm will make Pack fans envious of Jake Delhomme.
R5 PK1 : Jonathan Stewart
R5 PK2 : Joseph Addai
Might not be flashy, but has motivation with Donald Brown breathing down his neck. Still has a nose for the paint.
R5 PK3 : Matt Forte
If he can catch the ball like he did his rookie year, he can thrive under Martz. But I can't get why Mike Martz gets so much love. I could have been the O-coordinator for those Rams' teams. Hand it to Marshall. Dump it off to Marshall. Over the middle to Bruce. Deep to Holt. Everywhere else he has been, he has been terrible. Chicago has a few weapons, so we will see how clever he really is.
R5 PK4 : Jahvid Best
Like I said before, Detroit has a potentially dangerous offense. Kevin Smith isn't fully healthy and provides not threat to Best in the backfield. Should total about 1500 yards.
R5 PK5 : Jerome Harrison
Benefitted greatly from the Hardesty injury. Now has no real competition in Cleveland. Ended 2009 with a stellar finish. If Delhomme can manage to create a minimal passing game, it will definately help Harrison.
R5 PK6 : Mike Sims-Walker
R5 PK7 : Hines Ward
R5 PK8 : Arian Foster
The big riser this offseason. The injury to Ben Tate and Steve Slaton's overall underwhelming play makes Foster a nice pick in the 5th. The Texans have an offense that can be extremely dangerous, and because of the passing games success Foster won't be looked upon to carry the offense. Will steal a lot of TDs.
R5 PK9 : Percy Harvin
If only migranes were a scoring category.
R5 PK10: Kevin Kolb
For Eagles' fans sake, I hope he sucks.
R5 PK11: Dwayne Bowe
R5 PK12: Brandon Jacobs
All but out as the G-Men's go-to back. You would think a guy of that size would be more dominating.
R6 PK1 : Felix Jones
R6 PK2 : Malcolm Floyd
Has the potential to blossom into a very good receiver with the absence of Jackson.
R6 PK3 : Vernon Davis
Funny how he is the mature one on the Niners. Didn't he just yell at Crabtree for the same thing.
R6 PK4 : Jeremy Maclin
R6 PK5 : Knowshon Moreno
An absolute steal in the 6th round. Should put up very servicable numbers in Denver. As a 4th round pick next year, very possibly the best keeper pick so far.
R6 PK6 : Terrell Owens
Have to say something about my boy T.O.. Don't care what anyone says, T.O. is the best. Like I posted earlier, everyone sucks in Buffalo so there is no reason why he can't get rid of the '09 season and overtake his buddy Chad as the best receiver on the Bungles.
R6 PK7 : Joe Flacco
Boldin and Housh are nice new weapons for the former Blue Hen. Ray Rice make a nice little option out of the back field. The Ravens should be good, but their postseason success rests on this guy's right arm.
R6 PK8 : Ronnie Brown
Over/Under 5 games missed due to injury. I like the over.
R6 PK9 : C.J. Spiller
Has the talent, but plays in Buffalo. Good luck kid.
R6 PK10: Brent Celek
R6 PK11: Eli Manning
R6 PK12: Ahmad Bradshaw
Should be the unquestioned started for the Giants by season's end. Will probably lose a lot of TDs to Jacobs.
R7 PK1 : Dez Bryant
R7 PK2 : Owen Daniels
If his knee, like Welker's, is healthy, he should return to form. Nice #2 option for Schaub.
R7 PK3 : Santana Moss
McNabb loves the deep ball.
R7 PK4 : Hakeem Nicks
R7 PK5 : Bernard Berrian
Becomes Minnesota's #1 with Sidney Rice out. Not a very good year last year with Favre, needs to become more explosive in the deep passing game.
R7 PK6 : Carnell Williams
Something must be in the food down at Auburn. Brown and Williams can't seem to stay healthy.
R7 PK7 : Robert Meachem
Can he overtake Devery Henderson and become NOLA's deep threat?
R7 PK8 : Sidney Rice
For keeper purposes this is a good pick. But will you want to keep Rice as a 5th rounder next year with Tavarias Jackson throwing to him?
R7 PK9 : Marion Barber
The Barbarian thrived as Julius Jones' backup. He scored his most points as a third down and goalline back. Seems like Felix Jones is Dallas' starter, so we will see how many TDs Barber will steal.
R7 PK10: Devin Aromashadu
Him or Johnny Knox? Or is everyone forgetting Devin Hester and Cutler's fellow Commodore alum Earl Bennett. A pure crapshoot in Chicago.
R7 PK11: Clinton Portis
Was great under Shannahan the first time around. Only has LJ pushing him. Last year was a 2nd round pick, this year 7th. Could be a very servicable backup and spot starter.
R7 PK12: Tony Gonzalez
What does he have in the tank?
R8 PK1 : Kevin Walter
A white receiver not compared to Wes Welker. What does that say?
R8 PK2 : Johnny Knox
R8 PK3 : Demaryius Thomas
The heir to Brandon Marshall's receiving throne in Denver. By year's end should emerge as Denver's go to guy.
R8 PK4 : Chris Cooley
R8 PK5 : Matt Ryan
R8 PK6 : Ben Roethlisberger
Without the suspension, probably goes 4-5 rounds earlier. Misses 4 games but still has 9 fantasy weeks to prove himself. The quintessential backup for fantasy football. Will either be a starter or great trade bait later on in the year.
R8 PK7 : Michael Bush
R8 PK8 : Reggie Bush
See weird things kept happening. Two Bushes in a row. I haven't seen this much Bush lined up since a 1 a.m. viewing of Skinemax in 6th grade.
R8 PK9 : Santonio Holmes
Is only gone for 4 games, so becomes a great deal in the 8th round. Because Braylon Edwards stinks, will become Sanchez's go to guy. Too bad he is a terrible QB.
R8 PK10: Donald Brown
R8 PK11: Ricky Williams
Gotta like Ricky. I recommend watching the ESPN 30 on 30 about him. He's getting old, but did take all those years off, so really he is just right in his prime physically.
R8 PK12: Jay Cutler
Eh, waited too long for a QB and now have to suffer through a season with him. He did throw for 27 TD last year, but also 26 INT.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Pens Sign Comrie
Mr. Hillary Duff is coming to Pittsburgh.
Mike Comrie signed a 1-year $500,000 deal with the Pens, a bargin from the $1.25 million he earned last year in Edmonton, and way down from the $4 million he made on Long Island in 08-09.
Another "tough" player signing for the Pens, although, Comrie has the skill set to put a few pucks past goalies. In 568 career games, he has 167 goals, 192 assists, 359 points to go along with 48 powerplay goals.
Right now it is being reported that he will skate along side Crosby as the first line left winger. It so happens that this position is currently manned by Chris Kunitz. We'll see if they will all play together or if there will be some line juggling.
The addition of Comrie, who has, in the past, been a 30-goal scorer, gives the Pens a wealth of NHL calibur forwards. The problem is, there isn't enough roster spots for all of them to play.
Forwards guarenteed a spot:
Sidney Crosby
Evgeni Malkin
Jordan Staal
Chris Kunitz
Matt Cooke
Arron Asham
Forwards almost certain to have a spot:
Pascal Dupuis
Mike Comrie
Mike Rupp
Forwards on the bubble:
Max Talbot
Tyler Kennedy
Craig Adams
Eric Godard
Forward Prospects:
Eric Tangradi
Dustin Jeffrey
Nick Johnson
Chris Connor
Mark Letestu
The signing of Comrie is a good move by Shero based on the price they got him for. At only $500,000, he will be a steal if he can score 20+ goals and develop a chemistry with either Malkin or Crosby.
The signing also means we might not immediately get to see Eric Tangradi don the black and vegas gold for the Pens. That left wing spot beside Crosby was destined to be his, but he will now have to prove himself in the preseason in order to stick with the big club on opening night.
Also the Comrie signing makes it imperative for Talbot and Kennedy to have good preseasons, or their days with the club could be numbered. With the abundance of NHL calibur forwards, as well as NHL-ready prospects, Talbot and Kennedy will need to work their tails off to re-gain their spot on the team. Any sense of complacency could mean a one-way ticket out of the Burgh.
In other news, as expected, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger's suspension from 6-games to 4, meaning Ben can return to the team Oct. 17 vs Cleveland.
While suspended, Roethlisberger will be forbidden from participating in any team-related activities or practices. Ben has hired QB coach George Whitfield to work with him during the suspension. Ben will also have free-agent receivers, looking for work, running routes for him.
More news coming from the Steelers' QB situation is that Byron Leftwich suffered, what Head Coach Mike Tomlin called, a "serious" knee injury in Thursday's preseason finale against Carolina. Leftwich will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury.
EDIT: Leftwich suffered a mild sprain of his left MCL. He will miss the opener, but he could be back for Week 2.
Leftwich's knee opens the door for 3rd year QB Dennis Dixon to take the reins as the starter while Roethlisberger is suspended. After a good showing last year at Balitmore, many Steeler fans have been calling for Dixon to have the starting job while Ben is out. After a sub-par performance, especially in the Red Zone, against Denver, it appeared Dixon had lost the job to Leftwich.
With the Leftwich injury, Charlie Batch, who was almost guarenteed to be cut, and most likely offered a job on the Steelers' staff, will need to gear up and serve as the back-up to Dixon. With only Dixon and Batch on the roster as available QBs, it appears that the team will need to find another QB, presumably black, to serve as 3rd stringer.
Check out this trick play from the Wake Forest vs. Presbyterian game last night.
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