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2008 Fantasy Football: Sleepers

Jun 27

Posted by admin in College Sports, Fantasy, Fantasy Football Sleepers, Fantasy Sports, Football, Football players, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas CIty Chiefs, NFC, NFL, National Football LEague, Player, Playmakers, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Event, Sports Events, Sports Star, Sports Stars, Sports Update, Super Bowl, Uncategorized, eteamz, fantasy football, fantasy wide receivers, online sports community, pittsburgh steelers, players | No Comments

Continuing on our quest to seek out the best sleepers for your 2008 fantasy football draft let’s take a look at some of the sleepers at the wide receiver position.

1. Anthony Gonzalez- Indianapolis Colts

No one is quite sure at what condition Colts WR Marivin Harrison will return to the team to in 2008. He suffered a knee injury that kept him out for much of last year and opened the door for Gonzalez to develop a nice repoire with QB Peyton Manning. Gonzalez was particularly effective towards the end of the season when teams started to key on the Colts other threats Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. In the final four games of the 2007 season Gonzalez raked in nearly half of his 37 receptions (16) for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns. Reggie Wayne is clearly Peyton Manning’s favorite target, but defenses will be forced to double Wayne often, and with Marvin Harrison’s status uncertain Gonzalez could easily emerge as Manning’s number two option. I like any player who has Manning throwing him the ball, but I especially like the situation that Gonzalez finds himself in this season, which could turn out to be a breakout year for this young, talented wide receiver. Gonzalez can be had late in drafts, I got him in the 12th round of a ten team league. Don’t jump the gun on Gonzalez and draft him too early, but grabbing him sometime after the 10th round is a pretty safe pick with great upside and value.

2. Dwayne Bowe- Kansas City Chiefs

In his rookie season coach Herm Edwards didn’t give Bowe much time to develop as a wide receiver in the NFL. It didn’t matter though, because Bowe responded with an extremely solid rookie campaign. He caught 70 passes for 995 yards and 5 TD. Think of Bowe as a solid third wide receiver for your fantasy team with tremendous upside. Granted, Bowe doesn’t have the greatest QB throwing him the ball, but he is the number one option at WR for QB Brodie Croyle and should receive a ton of looks in the 2008 season. Take a look at the Chiefs roster and examine their depth at the wide receiver position and you’ll find that Bowe is easily the most talented and one of the most experienced wide receivers on the team. Which does say a lot of things about the Chiefs passing game, but hey, this is fantasy football not real life football and all we care about is individual production. Outside of Tony Gonzalez Bowe is the only legitimate receiving threat on the team. On average Bowe is being taken in the sixth to seventh rounds of most drafts, which is exactly where he should be taken. Don’t reach for Bowe, but if you can pick him up later then the 6th round do it, because he could pay huge dividends for your fantasy squad.

3. Nate Burleson- Seattle Seahawks

For some reason or another Burleson is being completely overlooked as a potential fantasy star. On average he is being drafted in the 12th round, somewhere around the 114-120 pick range. This is somewhat shocking to me as I think fantasy owners are missing out on a player who has major potential and incredible upside. Then again I can’t complain that I have (in my opinion) stolen Burleson in every single draft I’ve had so far with a late round pick. Actually, I love Burleson’s fantasy potential this year and I’m about to tell you why. First, Burleson had a very productive fantasy season last year, he caught 50 passes for 694 yards and 9 TD. Second, take a look at the Seahawks wide receivers and you may notice that Burleson is slated as the number one option, with Bobby Engram as the number two option. Engram is a decent fantasy option as well, but when it comes to the redzone Hasselbeck just seems to look in Burleson’s direction. I expect Burleson to get a TON of looks from QB Matt Hasselbeck this year and more looks means more yards and more touchdowns. Third, his QB is Matt Hasselbeck! Hello? Unless I’m mistaken Hasselbeck has been a pretty damn good QB in this league for quite some time now. Fourth, the Seahawks running game doesn’t appear to be in great shape this year with Julius Jones set to take over the main bulk of the running back duties. Jones didn’t show much in Dallas, which is why he lost his starting role to Marion Barber and I think Seattle’s offensive line is better at pass protection then run blocking anyway. Let everyone in your league take a pass on Burleson while you grab him in the late rounds of your draft and brag about how smart you are.

4. D.J. Hackett- Carolina Panthers

We all know that Steve Smith is the man in Carolina. Yet, defenses have been allowed to double team Smith at will since Mushin Muhammad left and the team failed to fill the void with a legit number two receiver. Muhammad is back, Smith is still there, Dwayne Jarrett is coming in for his second season and Delhomme is finally healthy. This leaves the Panthers with one of the most solid wide receiving corps in the NFL and addition of Hackett in the offseason only helps solidify that notion. All of the prognosticators thought that Hackett would break out last year, perhaps their predictions were just a year off. Defenses will be sure to make eliminating Smith their number one priority and Hackett should benefit from that game plan. It’s hard to say what type of production you can expect from Hackett this coming season, it depends on a number of factors: Will Delhomme stay healthy? Will Dwayne Jarrett emerge into a good second option? What role Will Muhammad play? There’s certainly a number of questions surrounding Hackett’s rise to fantasy stardom, but it’s still worth a late round pick to find out.

5. Reggie Williams- Jacksonville Jaguars

Another guy who is being completely overlooked as a potential fantasy stud in 2008. Williams was easily Garrard’s favorite redzone target last year and I don’t see any reason why that should change. He caught just 38 passes last season but 10 of them went for touchdowns. In the final four games of 2007 Williams scored in every single one of them, a good omen for the future in my opinion. Once again this is fantasy football, and if i can grab a receiver very late in my draft who has the potential to score 10 TD for my team, then I am more then willing to take what minimal risk there is to get him. Touchdowns are what matter , but an increase in yardage for Williams is also a real possibility. If you are going to draft Williams try and target him for somewhere in the 12-13 round range, that would be excellent value for a player with his value and upside.

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Giants’ Great Strahan Retires

Jun 10

Posted by admin in AFC, Defensive End, Football, Hall of Fame, Hall of Famer, NFC, NFL, NY Giants, National Football LEague, Pro Sports, Retire, Sack, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Super Bowl, Uncategorized, defense, eteamz, stats | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

15 years into a sure-fire Hall of Fame NFL career with the New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has decided to hang up his cleats and retire from the NFL.

Strahan arrived at his decision early Monday morning, telling the Giants’ front office, but not the coaches or his teammates. Strahan had been mulling retirement since last season when he missed all of Giants training camp trying to decide if he would return for his 15th NFL season.

The decision to return is surely one Strahan does not regret, he recorded 9 sacks and 46 tackles missing only one start. He was also a crucial leader on the Giants’ Super Bowl championship team. It was Strahan’s first Lombardi Trophy.

(Strahan celebrating the Giants Super Bowl victory.)

He was the NFL’s active leader in career sacks with 141 1/2 and holds the same record for the Giants, surpassing another Giant great and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor (131 1/2 sacks).Strahan also owns the NFL record for sacks in a single season when he racked up 22 1/2 sacks in 2001. The last one coming on a strange play when Brett Favre fell, seemingly without reason, and Strahan was given credit for the sack.

Strahan walked away from a gauranteed 4 million dollar contract year, and his agent, Tony Agnone has told reporters that the Giants offered Strahan more money to play another season, but that was never a factor in his decision. He also said that he believes the key issue was that Strahan wanted to go out on top.

Some of Strahan’s teammates were stunned and dissapointed to learn that their leader and friend would be leaving the team. Osi Umenyiora the Giants other Pro bowl defensive end said, “It’s a very, very sad day for me personally,I loved him like a brother. You put in 15 strong years in the NFL, man that is something in this day and age is impossible to do.”

Amani Toomer who has been Strahans’ teammate for 12 years told reporters, “I am very happy for him, I think he is going to find a way on his feet. I just wish him the best.”

Strahan will most likely look towards a career in television as he has been a regular commentator on shows like Best Damn Sports Show Period, and others. He has always been a fan favorite and as a Giants fan myself I wish him the best of luck in the future and my graditude for having had the chance to watch him play. I look forward to seeing that gap-toothed grin somewhere on my television.

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On the Clock: NFL Draft Day Top Ten Selections

Apr 26

Posted by admin in College Sports, Football, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, eteamz, online sports community | 4 Comments

1. Miami Dolphins: OT Jake Long

A smart pick here by Miami locking up a player who fills a significant need and is considered by most to be a can’t miss prospect. Though he may struggle at the left tackle position in the NFL, he will be an outstanding right tackle for years to come. A team like Miami needs to build from the ground up and starting with your O-line is always a sound decision.

2. St. Louis Rams: DE Chris Long

Long is the proverbial chip off the old block. He has one of the most high powered, relentless motors in the entire draft. It is always a good choice to take a player who you know will play whistle to whistle and that is exactly what the Rams got in Chris Long. He showed improvement throughout his college career taking his sack totals from 1 his Freshmen year to 14 his Senior year. He has strong hands and great quickness and will one day be an elite pass rusher for a team that desperately needed help on the d-line. Long also has the intangibles and will be a leader on and off the field. An extremely solid selection here for the Rams.

3. Atlanta Falcons: QB Matt Ryan

This is possibly a risky pick as some people are not entirely convinced of Ryan’s ability to play at the next level. Consider that the Falcons O-line is not prepared to protect a young quarterback, who will be prone to holding on to the ball too long and take numerous sacks. Ryan does have many of the intangibles that people like to see in their QB’s and is a leader of men both on and off the field. He does have an excellent arm and is a better athletes then most people realize. He has a tendency to throw into coverage far too often resulting in too many interceptions. if Ryan is started immediately he could struggle tremendously, but he does have the character to bounce back from a potentially tough season. A risk but one that could pay huge dividends for the struggling franchise.

4. Oakland Raiders: RB Darren McFadden

Al Davis does it again. Darren McFadden is in my opinion and the opinion of many others the most talented player in the 2008 NFL draft. He has great upper body strength, and is a home-run hitter. He has great moves in open space, tremendous speed, and excellent cutting ability. He joins a somewhat crowded backfield with Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes all on Oakland’s roster. This is a smart pick though with a young QB in Jamarcus Russell poised to take over, the Raiders will need great offensive production from their backs to take the pressure off Russell. There are some questions about his ability to run inside, and his off-field issues. Still, I think this was a great choice for a rebuilding Oakland team.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: DT Glenn Dorsey

Dorsey is a powerhouse football player, considered by most to be the best defensive player in all of college football. He has very long arms, is extremely strong, has great burst and explosion and always stays on his feet. The only real issue with him is durability. Dorsey will immediately upgrade the Chiefs defense and will most likely be a Pro Bowl defense tackle in the near future as long as he stays on the field. Like Long Dorsey also has the character and intangible’s that you look for in a leader. It is never a bad idea for a team to select a player who will make an immediate impact and the Chiefs have done exactly that.

6. New York Jets: DE/LB Vernon Gholston

Gholston is the perfect player for the 3-4 defense of the Jets. He has a quick first step, the ability to bull rush and the ability to stand up and rush from the edge. The only question about playing that style defense will be his pass coverage ability. He will also struggle at times to shed blocks. The Jets had one of the worst defenses in the league last year and Gholston will make an immediate impact on the field. Gholston does not have the motor of a Jake Long and will need to prove that he can be consistent from whistle to whistle. All in all, a very solid pick for the NY Jets.

7. New England Patriots: (Patriots acquire 10th overall pick and 3rd round pick)Traded to the New Orleans Saints: DT Sedrick Ellis.

Another smart move by the savvy NE front office to trade down from this pick and stock pile draft picks. The Saints needed to shore up the front seven and made a solid choice here with Sedrick Ellis. He is a strong bull rush type player and can be a stalwart against the rush and pass. He does have some trouble with getting set too high and being thrown off balance by opposing O-linemen. Still, the Saints have a formidable offense and needed to add depth and balance to their defense. Ellis will provide this in spades.

8. Baltimore Ravens:(Baltimore recieves 1st round pick, two 3rd round picks, and a 4th round pick) Traded to Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Derrick Harvey

Derrick Harvey is a Junior that came out early, he is an excellent natural pass rusher and can really set the edge. Going to a team like Jacksonville that already has a solid front 7 will only help his development as he won’t see double teams often. He often shows a good motor, and hustle and will pursue the ball long after the play has passed him by. The only concern is how well groomed will he be having come out of college a year early. The Jags already potent defense just got better with this selection and they can take their time brining Harvey along. A good choice but did they give up to much to get there?
9. Cincinnati Bengals: LB Keith Rivers

Keith Rivers will immediately fill a huge need for a struggling Bengals defense. He is a smart player, with a terrific work ethic, which may mask the fact that is not an off the charts, elite LB. He is also a high character guy which the Bengals could certainly use in their locker room. He has had solid production throughout his college career, and will project well in the Bengals defensive scheme. Not really a wow factor pick here but a solid choice altogether.

10. New England Patriots: LB Jerod Mayo

What can you say about a team that finished 18-1 and still has a top ten draft pick? Well I can say this, I am a little surprised by the pick of Jerod Mayo here. The Pats could have used a CB here with the departures of Gay and Samuel. However, their linebacking corps is getting old and restocking that position was a need this team needed to address but it seems that Mayo was somewhat of a reach here. With that said he is a solid, productive player with good speed to the inside and the ability to cover the edge. In my opinion a reach, especially with the cornerbacks that were still on the board, but never question the New England front office.

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2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions:Round 2

Apr 24

Posted by admin in Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Facebook, Hockey, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Sports Tragedies, USCHO.com, Uncategorized, eteamz | 2 Comments

Eastern Conference-

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) Philadelphia Flyers

Both of these teams played tough 7 game series. Montreal went on a roller coaster ride of inconsistency against their opening round foe the Boston Bruins. Young goaltender Carey Price has demonstrated that he can handle the playoff heat and played well against the Bruins in the opening round. The strong play from Captain Saku Koivu, and Alex Kovalev are all good omens for the Canadiens entering the second round. But if they want to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals they are going to have to demonstrate that they can consistently play at a high level, and not go into periodic lulls.

(Canadiens Hamrlik and Flyers Eager battle for a puck)

The Flyers are having an offensive explosion in the playoffs leading the NHL in goals scored (23) after their opening round triumph over the Capitals. Daniel Briere played outstanding hockey in the opening round, becoming the playoff scoring leader with 11 total points. The Flyers also have to be extremely happy with the play of goaltender Martin Biron, and veteran defenseman Derian Hatcher who may have saved the Flyers seasons by blocking some key passes late in Game 7. If Briere can continue his rate of offensive production and if role player like Hatcher keep chipping in Philly could be a dangerous opponent for Montreal.

My Prediction: The Canadians are the more talented team, but must play a more consistent brand of hockey if they want to beat a hungry Philly team who has to be coming off an emotional high after their thrilling overtime victory. With that said, it’s hard not to pick the more talented team and that is Montreal. But don’t underestimate the power of desire when it comes to playoff hockey. Canadians in 6.

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (4) New York Rangers

Both of these teams are coming off relatively short series so neither has a rest advantage. In my opinion the Penguins are the more talented team up front and on the blue line. Like I said in earlier posts they have a great mix of young talent and grizzled veterans. The most important development for the Penguins though, is not the play of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, or any of its young super stars, but rather the fantastic play of goalie Marc-Andre Fluery who has really stepped up his game in the playoffs posting a 1.26 GAA in their opening round sweep of the Senators.

(Sydney Crosby nets a goal against the Rangers Lundqvist)

The Rangers are a talented team as well, and seem to be hitting on all cylinders at the perfect time. After a disappointing regular season Jaromir Jagr has amped it up in the playoffs posting 8 points against the Devils. Scott Gomez also proved his worth putting up 7 points against his former team and scoring some key goals in the series. The Ranger’s defense also showed a penchant for blocking shooting lanes and aggressively attacking the puck in their own end, a theme they will need to continue to stop the skill of the Penguins forwards. I hate to say this but the so called X-factor in this series could be Sean Avery. He knows how to get under his opponents skin and put up some good offensive numbers against the Devils as well.

My Prediction: The Penguins seem to be the more talented team especially up front. The Rangers have played strong defensive hockey and are getting production from their key offensive players. If the Penguins can plug their ears and drown out the constant bickering of Avery as well as maintain their offensive production they should be the team moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals. Penguins in 6.

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2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Predicitions

Apr 11

Posted by admin in Eastern Conference, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Hockey, NBC, NHL, NHL on NBC, Playoff hockey, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, USCHO.com, Uncategorized, Western conference, comissioner, eteamz, ice hockey, online sports community, playoffs, red light, slapshot, stats, update, wrist shot | 3 Comments

By Matt Valentine

Now that we’ve taken a look at the Eastern Conference playoff match ups, lets shift our focus to the Western Conference and find out which teams will be moving on to the conference semifinals and a possible shot at the Stanley Cup.

(1)Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Nashville Predators

This is a series that should be fairly lopsided. The Red Wings took home the Presidents Trophy leading the NHL with 115 points and 54 wins. They have two prolific goal scorers in Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, as well as one of the NHL’s best defenseman Nikalas Lidstrom. The goaltending tandem of Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood also captured the Jennings Trophy, awarded to the team with the least goals against, with each goalie surrendering only 84 goals each. Hasek will get the nod for the opening round as Osgood has gone cold of late, if Hasek can stay healthy Nashville will struggle to put up goals.

Nashville is the odds on long shot to win the Stanley Cup and for good reason. Their goaltending is inexperienced, with Dan Ellis and Chris Mason as their first and second options and they don’t have that elite forward that can carry the team through a playoff series. Also, they’re playing Detroit in the first round,all bad omens if you’re a Predators fan. With that said, they do have some solid forwards and some forwards that, for some reason or another put up good numbers against Detroit. Martin Erat and Alexander Rudalov have tallied 15 points in 8 games against Detroit this year and need to elevate their game to open up space for Jason Arnott (teams leading scorer) and J.P. Dumont.

My prediction: Nashville may sneak in a win at home but Detroit is too talented and too deep. Detroit in 5.

(Red Wings Goalie Dominik Hasek)

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Calgary Flames

At first glance this series may seem like a lopsided affair. San Jose went on a tear going into the playoffs going 18-0-2 in their final 20 games and were by far the NHL’s hottest team. The addition of Brian Campbell at the trade deadline was exactly what the team needed and really seemed to push them to a new level. The team has perhaps the premier set up man in the NHL in Joe Thornton,who will assist gifted forwards Patrick Marleau, and Johnathan Cheechoo. Evgeni Nabakov has been a steady presence in net all year and enters the playoffs hot.

However, the Calgary Flames may be the one team that nobody wanted to face in the opening round. They have an excellent playoff performer in goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff and one of the NHL’s best overall players and leaders in Captain Jerome Iginla. Don’t forget about Dion Phaneuf, who is considered by some to be the best checker in the NHL and is capable of playing at both ends of the ice. The Flames also seem to have Nabakov’s number posting 13 goals against him in 4 games. They play an extremely physical type of hockey as opposed to the speed and skill game of the Sharks. Their problem is depth, after the top two lines there is a significant drop off in talent that could cost them when the games are close.

My prediction: The Flames will take this series to the limit and leave a banged up Sharks team to face their next post-season opponent. Sharks in 7.

(San Jose forward Joe Thornton)

(3)Minnesota Wild vs. (6)Colorado Avalanche

Minnesota is a young, talented, well coached team. They are strong defensively, and play a smart two-way game. When healthy, they have one of the leagues premier talents in Marian Gaborik who gets support from the teams leading set up man Pierre-Marc Bouchard. They also have some strong veteran talent in Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra. The goaltending of Niklas Backstrom which may seem to be the teams biggest weakness is actually a strength in this series as he has dominated the Avs this season posting a 1.98 GAA and a .930 save percentage in 5 games (4-1).

The Avalanche are an extremely talented and deep team but they are aging and have been injury plagued all season. They brought back a few pieces from the 2001 Stanley Cup team, including Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote and still have future hall of famer Joe Sakic. They also have a great young player in Paul Stastny who led the team in scoring despite missing significant time due to injury. Goaltender Jose Theodore has often been criticized for his soft play in the playoffs and will need to step his game up or risk losing his starting role. Perhaps the Avs biggest struggle will be keeping its aging vets healthy for what should be a hard fought series. If they can finally figure out Wild goalie Backstrom they have a good chance of advancing to the next round.

My prediction: This series should come down to the wire, and if Backstrom is capable of continuing his dominance against the Avs he could single handedly take his team to the next round. I am not sure he will though and a healthy Avalanche team is a dangerous one. Avalanche in 7.

(Avalanche Captain Joe Sakic)

(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Dallas Stars

Another tough series to call here. Though they are the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Ducks didn’t play great hockey until the return of Teemu Selanne going 27-22-7 before Selanne and 20-5-1 after his return. Of course, the Ducks do have two of the NHL’s best defensemen in Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger and some top young talent in Ryan Getzlaf. Jean-Sebastien Giguere has been amazing in the post-season, in 46 games Giguere has posted 31 wins 14 loses and has a stellar 1.99 GAA and a .928 save percentage. As evidenced by his run in the 2003 playoffs Giguere is capable of putting a team on his back and carrying them to the Stanley Cup Finals. If their young talent and veteran players can perform like they have in post-seasons past the Ducks are a team to keep a close eye on.

The Dallas Stars made a good move acquiring former Conn Smyth trophy winner Brad Richards at the trade deadline and helped bolster their offense. Mike Modano is a good leader and great player but he is older now and may have lost a step. Marty Turco quieted his critics with a great performance in last years playoffs despite not being able to prevent his teams opening round exit. If Turco can perform exactly like he did last season the Stars will have a shot at sending the defending champs to an early exit, but he will need more offensive production from his teammates to accomplish this goal.

My prediction: Having the advantage of posting this article after game one of the series, the Ducks looked very undisciplined and were in the box far too often surrendering 3 power play goals, and all the momentum to the Stars. If the Ducks continue to play that style of hockey it could be a short series. I expect that they heard an earful from coach Randy Carlyle and will correct that mistake. I’m taking the Ducks in 6 but I’m a little nervous about it.

(Ducks goalie J.S. Giguere hoists the Stanley Cup)

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2008’s Best Japanese Imports

Apr 7

Posted by admin in Baseball, Basketball, College Sports, Facebook, Football, Golf, High School Sports, Hockey, Johnny Green, Morlon Greenwood, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Sportsclix.com, USCHO.com, Uncategorized, eteamz, gasf.com, online sports community, zAthlete.com | 2 Comments

This season will mark a record for the most Japanese baseball players in the Major Leagues. Some imports to keep a close eye on this season are Kosuku Fukudome, Chicago Cubs. Fukudome made an immediate impact in his first game at Wrigley Field, going 3-3 with a 3 run home run to tie the game in the ninth. He is a nice mix of power and speed, a hybrid of Ichiro and Matsui some say. He may be the perfect addition to an already potent Cubs lineup.

Another import to watch for is Hiroki Kuroda, of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2005 he led the Japanese Central League with 15 wins. 2006 was a remarkable year for Kuroda, ending the season with a league-leading 1.85 ERA, the lowest of any starting pitcher since 1989. He had shoulder surgery in the off season of ‘06 and had a down year in 2007 with a record of 12-8 an ERA of 3.56. If his shoulder is fully healed he could be a great acquisition for the Dodgers.

Masahide Kobayashi, of the Cleveland Indians could end up being the best bargain out of the bunch. He is Japan’s third best closer of all time becoming the third pitcher in Japanese history to eclipse the 200 save mark. He’ll be a late inning set up man for Clevelands Joe Borowski, but Borowski performed poorly in 2007 and Kobayashi could find himself as the front runner for the job should Borowski fail to improve on his ’07 numbers.

It seems that there is no stopping the influx of Japanese imports into Major League Baseball. This goes to show that baseball players may be Japan’s best import, maybe even better than sushi.

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SPORTSFACE, FACESPORTS, A FACEBOOK FOR SPORTS

Mar 31

Posted by admin in College Sports, Facebook, Johnny Green, Morlon Greenwood, Sportsclix.com, USCHO.com, eteamz, gasf.com, gymchat.com, online sports community, zAthlete.com | 1 Comment

Sportsface? Facesports? A Facebook for Sports Lovers!

Have you ever spent time on Facebook? Well, I reluctantly signed on and have been pleasantly surprised by Facebook’s ability to mimic an old fashioned gathering place. Of course, it’s all digital or virtual as they say. Instead of seeing the real person face-to-face, you read about them. So, of course, it’s not the same thing.

Nevertheless, in these busy times, with friends spread around the country, around the world, it does offer a chance to chat across time and space.

Why am I writing about this on all4prosports.com? Well because I think it’s a model for those of us who play sports, who love sports, who watch sports to share our enthusiasm and experience about pro sports.

Now there are several sites claim to be doing this but no one has quite pulled it off with the combined simplicity and elegance of Facebook.

U.S. College Hockey Online, USCHO.com, based in Minneapolis, calls itself “The Online Sports Community.” It has a scoreboard, blogs, and sections on major college sports, and information about “off the field” issues like “Activism; Administration; Alcohol/Drugs; Campus Life; Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual; Money; Race/Culture; Recruiting; Sports Admin; and Television.” The site is particularly good on college athletics and has a series of up-to-the-minute news feeds about current happenings. From USCHO’s home page on March 31, 2008:

ndakotaandrewkozekswinninggoaloverwisconsin-timbrule.jpg

N Dakota’s Andrew Kozek winning goal vs. Wisconsin – Photo: Tim Brule

Great American Sports Fans, gasf.com, declares itself “Your Online Sports Community.” But it’s got a real old-fashioned look about it and, in the free-for-all section there are posts about a variety of non-sports issues. “447 of 830 Members have made 5508 posts in 5 forums.”

Some self-described online sports communities seem to be mainly designed to sell web design services and websites to sports teams and clubs. Eteamz.com offers a variety of packages to help teams create a presence on the web. “Since 1998, eteamz has been connecting coaches, players, families, friends and fans from teams in over 120 countries. Our resources and customer focus have enabled us to become the Team Sports Web Site Leader. eteamz is home to over 2 million teams and is the official online community of Little League Baseball and NFL Youth Football. This is just the beginning.”

Then there’s gymchat.com: “More than just sports chit chat (but that too!” Gymchat urges you to “Connect with other sport clubs and sport players, coaches, parents, and sport fans here on Gym Chat.” Gymchat offers a variety of options: “Make your own player website, find & rate a sport club/store, look up tv schedule, sports news, view/upload events, videos and photos for your favorite sports, plus lots more! The ALL SPORTS network: from gymnastics and diving to football and soccer, ballet and baseball…any sport you do, this place is for you.” But it seems that this too is mostly about you purchasing website packages ranging from $1200 on up to $2100.

Sportsclix.com has 1504 members who “Make Predictions. Answer Trivia. Write Blogs. Meet Fans!

A group of high-tech investors in San Francisco, who clearly understand the online social-networking experience, recently invoked the Facebook name.

The Oakland Tribune described their venture this way: “Intraware Inc. wants to do for sports what Facebook did for the world of colleges and universities.

“The software company’s new Web site, zAthlete.com, is designed to create a digital community for people who are interested in recreational or competitive sports. Anyone who is an athlete, or is actively interested in sports, is the target audience of the company’s online site.” The site is still in transition.

SportGist.com describes itself as a place “where athletes meet.” While it is a bit hard to navigate and search you can find some rare gems of advice and information about sports.

johnnygreen.jpg

Johnny Newman when he played for the Bucks.

For example, former high-flying Jumpin’ Johnny Newman of the New York Knicks has a series of podcasts about the lessons he learned in the NBA.

Here are some of the topics:
1: Mental preparation for Game
2: What was the Recruiting process like for you?
3: Differences in recruiting then and now
4: What type of work ethic is required?
5: Typical game day routine
6: Music before the game
7: How do you handle distractions
8: Toughest guy to play

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LB Morlon Greenwood at work.

Morlon O’Neil Greenwood, linebacker for the Houston Texans, also has a series of fascinating podcasts ranging from how he adjusted to the changes from his native land of Jamaica to Syracuse, NY, his experience as a wrestler and the challenges of balancing academics and sports.

Sportsgist has a variety of groups you can join, ranging from golf, Texas football, cheerleading, weight training/bodybuilding, softball etc.
Until Facebook for Sports comes our way, happy online communicating.

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