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What is Really Up With Tom Brady?

Oct 23

Posted by admin in American Football, Boston, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, Knee surgery, NFL, Patroits, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Surgery, Uncategorized, infection, injury, online sports community, out, rehab, season, setback, tom brady | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Most of us already know that Tom Brady suffered a season ending knee injury that required surgery to reapir. During the Patriots first game Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard hit Brady during the first quarter of the Patriots’ 17-10 win at Gillette Stadium sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Tom Brady clutches his injured knee in the teams first game against Kansas City.

Tom Brady clutches his injured knee in the teams first game against Kansas City.

We all know that Bill Belichick has never been to forth coming about about his players injuries, actually I think Brady is still listed as questionable on the Pats injury report. But, most have discovered that Brady sustained tears in both his ACL and MCL a serious knee injury that would sideline any athlete for an extended period of time even if everything went 100% right. However, for Tom Brady things seem to be going far from 100% right, and Brady seemingly has suffered a string of setbacks after his inital surgery.

Brady himself reported on his own website that he had an arthroscopic procedure done to “clean and to test the wound” last Wednesday, but recently the Boston Herald reported that Brady has undergone two additional surgeries since that “clean up” surgery.

Now, I am no doctor but common sense tells me that something is not going right with Tom Brady’s knee right now as evidenced by the two additional surgeries Brady required. Either the doctor is being overly cautious in treating this infection or Brady is at risk of having a second reconstructive surgery on his knee.

According to the source that spoke with the Boston Herald, the fear is the patellar tendon graft used to replace Brady’s anterior cruciate ligament is in danger of becoming compromised and may have to be removed. Extremely bad news for Patriots hoping to see Brady return to the field as quickly as possible.

If the infection does not subside and Brady is forced to undergo a second reconstructive surgery he may find himself not ready to start the beginning of next season and the Pats could be without their star QB much longer then they expected.

For his part Brady has wrote on TomBrady.com that “the infection is very treatable and, through a course of antibiotics, it will be knocked out of my system.” Brady referred to the second procedure as being “proactive” by doctors and said results have been positive.

We’ll know more as the situation develops, but if I am a New England fan I would be on my knees praying that nothing more goes wrong with Brady  otherwise they could be watching Matt Casell take more snaps then any of them originally suspected.

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Wildcat Formation Leading Dolphins to Victory

Oct 10

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, Wildcat, dolphins, formations, gimmick play, online sports community, playbook, ronnie brown | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Usually reserved for games played on Fridays or Saturdays the wildcat formation has found a home on Sundays.

The wildcat formation a formation popular among high school football coaches and some college coaches (or at least a variation thereof) has found its way to the Miami Dolphins playbook.

Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown taking a direct snap in the Wildcat formation

Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown taking a direct snap in the Wildcat formation

For those of us who enjoy watching football, but dont get too deep into the technical side of the sport here’s a very brief explanation of the Wildcat formation. The Wildcat is a variant of the single-wing formation which was founded by legendary coach Pop Warner in 1907. Basically, in the wildcat formation you have a running back that lines up in a simliar position to a quarterback in shotgun formation. This back will take a direct snap from the center while another back is sent in motion from a slot position just prior to the snap. Furthermore, it calls for an unbalanced, reshuffled line, often with two natural tackles playing on the weak side

The quarterback doesn’t even need to be on the field or can line up as a wideout in this formation. The formation is primiarly a run offense, but can be used to draw defenders in while a TE or WR sneaks out where he can receive a pass from the back.

Now the defense is left with a number of possible options: A. the back can take the direct snap and run the ball, B. the back can take the direct snap and hand off to the other back that is set in motion, or C. the back can take the direct snap roll out and look for a passing option downfield.

So, this leads us to Week 3 in the NFL the Miami Dolphins square off against the New England Patriots.  The Dolphins lined up in the wildcat formation a number of times and guess what….it resulted in five touchdowns all accounted for by Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown, 4 TD’s on the ground and one through the air, when Brown connected with TE Anthony Fasano for a 19 yard TD strike. For once Bill Bellicheck and his famed genius was nowhere to be found. His defense looked lost every single time the Dolphins lined up in the wildcat and it resulted in 38-13 blowout. In total the wildcat formation was employed six times during the Dolphins, Patriots game…I’d day the results speak for themselves.

Ronnie Brown is the key to the wildcat formation success in Miami.

Ronnie Brown is the key to the wildcat formation success in Miami.

The Dolphins would employ the wildcat again in their week 5 match-up against the San Diego Chargers. And while the wildcat would have a limited success this time around (47 net yards gained), it still resulted in a key touchdown that would give the Dolphins the lead and an eventual victory.

The Dolphins head coach Tony Sporano who is in his first year with the team, has stated that the Dolphins are just scratching the surface of how the wildcat can be employed this season. So far, the wildcat has helped lead a team that was 1-15 last year to a 2-2 record this season, with wins over some of the AFC’s best teams.

Now the question becomes will the wildcat catch on elsewhere in the NFL? The Patriots used the formation in their game against the 49ers, and the Dolphins have no plans to stop using the formation, at least until it stops working. Like the spread offense that is sweeping college football and lighting up scoreboards, the wildcat may soon have NFL defensive coordinators scratching their heads and NFL offensive coordinators salivating at the mouth.

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It’s About Time: Lions To Fire GM Millen

Sep 24

Posted by admin in Detroit, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, Ford family, Lions, Matt Millen, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, draft, fired, front office, let go, online sports community | No Comments

After years of futility, poor draft choices, losing seasons, and owning the NFL’s worst record over the last 7 years at 31-84 the Lions are reportedly going to fire GM Matt Millen.

How this did not happen years ago when it was more then obvious that the only place Millen would be taking this franchise was straight into the ground is a question that i don’t think many people in the NFL, or especially in Detroit can even begin to answer.

Look at Millen’s tenure and you have what could be one of the worst front office moves in the history of any sport. Since his arrival in Detroit in 2001, the team is 53 games below .500.  They have lost 9 or more games in every season. From 2001-2003 , the Lions did not win a single game outside of Detroit going 0-24 on the road until they opened the 2004 season with a win at Chicago. Overall, their road record stands at a dismal  8-50 under Millen.

Millen was a controversial selection in the first place, being taken out of the broadcasting booth and thrown into the front office despite having absolutely no prior player development or front office experience.

Yet, that’s not even the worst part about Millen’s tenure, I mean, you can’t really fault a guy for how his players perform on the field , but you can fault him for making some of the worst personnel moves in league history. Let’s face it, Matt Millen is the worst drafter/evaluator of talent in NFL history. As a matter of fact, I’ve seen six year old’s string together better drafts in Madden then this guy has ever put together. So here is a nice look at some of Matt Millen’s busts…keep in mind this only the first round picks.

Let’s start with the cream of the crop Matt Millen’s 2002 selection of Joey Harrington…need I say more? Probably not, but I’m going to anyway. Harrington has posted a 13-37 record as a starter for the Lions. He has posted some historically bad seasons, in 2002 and 2003 Harrington posted the two worst yards per attempt seasons in the NFL or AFL since 1960 among QBs with 425 attempts in a season. Only once during his Lions career did he pass for more then 3,000 yards or throw more TD (19) then interceptions (12) and that was in 2004. Since he left Detroit in 2006 he has played for several other teams never becoming a good player and he now is the Saints third string QB.

As bad as the Joey Harrington selection turned out to be perhaps Matt Millen’s worst picks came in the following season when he selected Charles Rogers second overall in 2003. Rogers started just 5 games before breaking his collarbone, before his expected return in 2004 Rogers broke his collarbone a second time and was sidelined for the season. In 2005 Rogers played in just 9 games racking up 14 receptions for 197 yards and 1 TD. He was released by the Lions in 2006 after he broke the leagues substance abuse rule for the third time in hi career. All in all Rogers caught 36 passes for 440 yards and 3 TD in his NFL career, not exactly second overall material. Oh did I mention that 2 time pro-bowl WR Andre Johnson was selected right after Rogers?

Besides for Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson perhaps one of Millen’s better picks was the 2004 selection of Kevin Jones. Jones had a very productive rookie season rushing for 1133 yards and 5 TD. However, injuries sidelines Jones and he never again started every game of the regular season, or come even remotely close to replicating his rookie season.  He was released by the Lions after the 2007 season and is now in Chicago.

Finally we come to Mike Williams another Matt Millen stud. Williams was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He currently resides, like many of Millen’s other selections, on the waiver wire. During his short career as a Lion, Williams caught 37 passes for 449 yards and 2 TD despite having played in 22 games.

All of these first round busts would be one thing, but the real problem comes when you look at all the talent that Millen has passed on to take these players. The Lions passed on such talents as Demarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Deangelo Hall, Terrence Newman, Roy Williams(the safety), John Henderson, and Dwight Freeney in favor of players like Mike Williams and Charles Rogers. Maybe Millen’s problem was that he was drafting on the wrong side of the ball all the time.

Now a new era can dawn in Detroit and no matter who they bring in it really can’t get much worse then Matt Millen can it? I’m sure Packers fans and everyone whose not a Lions fan are sincerely upset at Millens departure, hell it was almost a gauranteed win every year. But, at least Lions fans have some semblance of a future to look forward to, a future without Matt Millen.

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The Jets Are Not Getting Their Money’s Worth

Sep 24

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Favre, Football, Free Agents, New York, New York football, Offseason, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, defense, jets, offense, online sports community | No Comments

by Matt Valentine

The NY Jets were the most active team during the off season this year revamping their offensive and defensive units with what many thought would be some key signings. Then just when you thought they couldn’t do much more they added future Hall of Fame QB Brett Fave and instantly turned themselves into a playoff contender. At least, that’s the way most people thought it was going to happen, but after the first three weeks of the season that scenario is looking less and less likely.

The Jets opened the season promisingly enough holding off former Jets QB Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to capture a 20-14 victory. Since that game however, the Jets have looked anemic on both sides of the ball in loses to New England in week 2 and San Diego on Monday night.

The loss on Monday night seemed to magnify some of the Jets most glaring weaknesses. For one they had an extremely hard time moving the ball in the first half and though the Jets defense did score the games first points on a pick six by linebacker David Barrett, the offense turned the ball over 3 times in the half, twice on Favre interceptions and once on a Thomas Jones fumble.

Another obvious weakness was the Jets inability to convert on third downs. The Jets were just 1-8 on third downs, while Phillip Rivers and the Chargers were 9-13.

Though Favre’s final stat line looks decent enough ( 30-42, 271, 3TD, 2INT)  it is pretty deceptive. First, Favre should have finished the game with at least 4 INT, he threw the ball directly into the hands of Charges defensive backs Antonio Cromartie, and Clinton Hart ,but neither were able to haul in the pick. Second, Favre racked up most of his passing yards and touchdowns late in the second half when the Chargers had a large lead and went into prevent mode allowing Favre and the Jets to catch passes underneath and drain the game clock.

Favre has struggled to learn the offense and it has showed on the field. He has yet to establish timing with his receivers which has resulted in a number of miscues that have cost the Jets in the first three weeks. Add to that that the Jets supposedly revamped line has not afforded him with the time or protection to make plays down field and you have the makings of a 1-2 record.

The O-line has also not given Thomas Jones the type of running room you would like for the money. If they could give him more space to operate then maybe he could take the pressure off Favre and allow him to settle in, instead of basically placing the entire outcome of the game in his hands.

The Jets defense has struggled as well. The one thing that did become clear Monday night was that without Kris Jenkins manning the middle the Jets could be run on and run on often. Calvin Pace the Jets other defensive off-season acquisition has yet to make himself heard and he better start soon if he wants to earn the paycheck the Jets are handing him each week.

Then for the second week in a row there was questionable play calling by head coach Eric Mangini. With the Jets trailing by just 3 points (14-17) Mangini decided to go for an onside kick in the second quarter. The kick was recovered by the Chargers, who scored on the ensuing drive and all momentum was lost for the Jets.

The one bright spot for the Jets was their special teams. Leon Washington had two nice returns one 94- yarder and one to mid-field which eastablished excellent field position for the Jets.

If the Jets want to go anywhere this year they’re going to need the guys they brought in, in the off-season to play up to their contracts or this 1-2 record may not just be growing pains, but a sign of things to come.

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Fantasy Football Week Two QB Review

Sep 15

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

As week two of fantasy football comes to a close there have been a number of surprises and disappointments at the QB position so far this season. Let’s take a look back at some of the best week 2 performances from the NFL’s Quarterbacks.

1. Jay Cutler-Denver Broncos

Jay Cutler is emerging as a true fantasy star this season and Denver (and my fantasy team) are all the better for it. In the last two weeks Cutler has faced what were supposed to be some staunch passing defenses in Oakland and San Diego and has absolutely torched them to the tune of a combined 650 yards, 6 TD and 1 pick. Cutler was dominant in the first half against San Diego tossing three touchdown passes, he had some trouble moving the ball in the third quarter but came back to toss a 4th TD pass in the closing moments of the game and followed it up with a 2pt conversion (both to WR Eddie Royal) sealing a 39-38win over the Chargers.  At this pace Cutler could emerge as a top 5 fantasy QB by years end, I for one am keeping my fingers crossed.

2. Phillip Rivers- Sand Diego Chargers

Though he was outplayed by Cutler, Rivers more then held his own in this week two shootout, especially considering L.T. was sidelined for most of the game with a toe-injury. Rivers threw for 377 yards with 3 TD and 1 INT. He connected with Chris Chambers on on two TD strikes and got a nice assist from Darren Sproles on a check-down that Sproles took to the house. Rivers and the Chargers offense once again got off to a slow start, but heated up in the second half only to lose the game in the final moments. Right now Rivers looks like a solid play week to week.

3. Kurt Warner- Arizona Cardinals

Kurt put a big hurting on the Dolphins defense in week two making them look like fish out of water. He connected on 19 of 24 passes for 361 yards and 3 TD. For the second straight game Warner didn’t committ a turnover and he has clearly cemented himself in the starting role for the time being. I guess Leinart can go back to partying his ass off because if Warner keeps playing like this there’s no chance he’s going to see the field so he might as well go back to doing what he does best. He has another decent matchup against Washington next week and should be in your starting lineup as long as he’s the Cardinals starting QB.

4. Aaron Rodgers- Green Bay Packers

Brett Who? Thats probably what most Packers fans are saying after watching Rodgers the last two weeks, especially if they caught any of the Jets-Pats game. Rodgers has stepped in and led the Green Bay offense to two straight victories and although he played against a terrible Lions defense he is proving himself as a solid fantasy starter week to week, though next week he faces a much stiffer test in the Cowboys D so you may want to look elsewhere. Rodgers threw for 328 yards and 3 TD’s and has a great connection with last years breakout player Greg Jennings who racked up 167 yards receiving. If Rodgers continues his play people like me won’t even have to mention Favre and Rodgers in the same sentence again.

5. Eli Manning- NY Giants

Eli has never really been a fantasy stud, but he certainly looked like one on Sunday. He torched a woeful Rams secondary to the tune of 260 yards and 3 TD’s in leading the Giants to a 41-13 rout. Ever since his Super Bowl run Manning has the type of confidence you want to see in a QB and has demonstrated it on the field. The Giants play a fairly favorable schedule for the next few weeks with Cincinnati, Seattle, Cleveland, and San Francisco on the slate and Eli should be considered a starter for all of thos games if you have him on your roster.

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Zambrano Pitches A No Hitter

Sep 15

Posted by admin in Baseball, Cubs, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, MLB, Miller Park, Pitching, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Zambrano, major league, no-hitter, online sports community, pitcher | No Comments

The last time Carlos Zambrano faced the Houston Astros he had to leave the game with a sore rotator cuff.  This time around the Astros would not be nearly as lucky.

Zambrano tossed the first no-hitter for the Cubs in 36 years, in his first start since September 2, and shut down the Astros 5-0 Sunday night in a game that was played in Milwakuee because of Hurricane Ike.

The Astros who haven’t played since Thursday because of Hurricane Ike looked weary after arriving at Miller Park just hours before the first pitch. They looked even worse after Zambrano’s masterful pitching performance.

The move to Miller Park had little adverse affect on the Cubs whose fan base followed them for the short trip up I-94 and made Miller Park seem just like Wrigley Field.

Even Astros manager Cecil Cooper credited the disruption from Hurricane Ike as a possible deciding factor in the no-hitter, “It was a long travel day and Hurricane Ike, That’s what I put it on. That and having two days off. I’m not saying he wasn’t good.”

Zambrano embraces manager Lou Pinella after his no-hitter

Zambrano embraces manager Lou Pinella after his no-hitter

The no-hitter moved Zambranos record to 14-5 on the season and the normally emotional pitcher kept himself in check until striking out Darren Erstad to seal the no-hitter. It was at that point that Zambrano dropped to his knees and pointed to the sky, he was immediately mobbed by his teammates who obviously enjoyed watching a piece of history.

Though only 23,441 fans were on hand to witness the moment they filled the stadium with chants of “Let’s go Z!” throughout the final inning and erupted when Zambrano put the icing on his gem.

The last Cub pitcher to throw a no-hitter was Milt Pappas in 1972. Zambranos no hitter was the 13th in team history. It was just the second no-hitter in the majors this seasons with Boston’s Jon Lester pitching the other in a game against Kansas City at Fenway Park on May 19.

Unfortunately for Brewers fans and ball players it was the first no-hitter ever at Miller Park and they were nowhere to be found.

The Astros only came close to a hit on two occasions. David Newhan lined a drive to that first baseman Derrek lee stabbed out of the air on a leaping catch to end the fifth inning. Geoff Blum also put a scare into Zambrano when he sent a fly ball toward the right-field corner to lead off the eighth, but Mark Derosa made a nice grab to perserve the no-hitter.

Zambrano let his emotions get the best of him in the seventh inning when he was sat down on a strikeout and nearly broke the bat over his knee before taking a glance at manager Lou Pinella who was apparently able to translate the message that now was probably not the best time for Zambrano to do that.

Pinella didn’t want Zambrano to exceed 100 pitches on the night, having just recently had an anti-inflammatory shot, but as the game wore on with the no-hitter still intact it became clear the Zambrano was staying in the game no matter how many pitches it took. In the end Zambrano finished with 110 pitches, 73 for strikes.

The no-hitter was also Zambranos first shutout since 2004. The Cubbies continue to cement themselves as a potential favorite to win their first World Series in 100 years and if Zambrano can continue to perform at this level they will have an excellent chance.

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Giants Beat Skins in NFL Season Opener

Sep 5

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, New York Giants, Pro Sports, Season Opener, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, online sports community | No Comments

Before the game began fans of both teams had questions on their minds about this coming season.

Would Eli play like he did during his magical playoff run which led to a Super Bowl MVP? Would the Giants defense be able to apply the same pressure without Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan? Would the Redskins look as dismal as they did in their final two postseason games?

Actually the answer to all these questions seems to have been a resounding yes.

After Michael Strahan came out to fire up the crowd with the Lombardi Trophy in hand the Giants took the opening kick off and drove 84 yards in 11 plays with Eli running a boot leg in the endzone to secure a 7-0 first quarter lead. During the drive Eli and his favorite target Plaxico Buress, who was awarded with a contract extension hours before the game began, connected on some big third down conversions to keep the drive alive.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Then the Giants defense on their first play from scrimmage, were able to answer the questions about their ability to apply the same type of pressure on QB’s that helped lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. Justin Tuck and Fred Robbins both broke through the Skins line and sacked QB Jason Campbell. It was a foreshadowing of things to come for both the Giants defense and the Redskins offense.

The Redskins looked befuddled under new head coach Jim Zorn’s West Coast scheme. Jason Campbell in particular looked like he had little idea of how to run this offense, on many occasions electing to check down for three or four yard gains in 3rd and long or fourth and long situations.

Washington’s defense didn’t look too much better allowing the Giants to drive down field on three consecutive drives, but holding firm in the red/green zone, relenting field goals instead of touchdowns. Perhaps the closeness of the game was more a result of conservative play calling from the Giants rather then stellar defense from the Redskins.

The Giants have to be happy about their performance on both sides of the ball. Brandon Jacobs was an absolute beast last night, literally plowing over Redskins on his way to 116 yards on 21 carries. Just ask Redskins safety Dawan Landry about what its like to try and tackle Jacobs. Manning completed 19 of 35 passes for 216 yards and 1 interception. He looked very good on third down conversions, but did throw some of those trademark ill advised passes that could have reversed the course of the game had Washington been able to make a play on them. Plaxico Burress who is finally healthy after fighting through knee and ankle injuries last season had a dominant 10 catch 133 yard performance and at times made the Skins secondary look like high schoolers. Despite the win though the Giants left a number of points on the board and allowed Washington to hand in the game much longer then they shouuld have. They also did not score a point in the second half, but then again they didn’t really need to.

The Giants defense was outstanding. New York limited the new-look Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that these Giants are back for another run despite the preseason predictions that there chances of repeating are slim.

With one in hand now each team will go back to the drawing board and try to improve on this weeks performance. The Redskins will have to make a lot of adjustments if they are to be contenders in the ultra competitive NFC East. The Giants on the other hand have to be happy about picking up right where they left off, now they just have to focus on finishing drives instead of setteling for field goals and all should be well in New York.

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Fantasy Football 2008 Running Back Sleepers

Aug 29

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sleeper, Sleepers, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community, running backs | No Comments

1.) Chris Johnson- Tennessee Titants

Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson has been displaying some tremendous skills in the preseason so far and his ridiculous speed (4.24, 40) gives him that home run ability we all like. Also, consider that the Titans ran the ball more than any other team in the league last year and that the only thing standing in his way is the hefty Lendale White. White is like the Jared Lorenzen of running backs only much more talented. Johnson will see the field often as the lightning to White’s thunder and tho he may not get the ball at the goal line, the Titans are going to find ways to get him out into open space and that bodes well for a nice fantasy sleeper. Johnson is going somewhere in the 12-15 round range and with his tremendous upside he could turn out to be the best “sleeper” out there.

2. Ray Rice-Blatimore Ravens

Ray Rice

Ray Rice

Given the status of McGahee’s balky knee, the fact that he came into camp overweight and out of shape, and the fact that Rice has been performing more then admirably when given his chances with the first team offense this preseason and you have the makings of a nice fantasy sleeper. Despite Rice’s fantastic preseason the Ravens have continued to state that McGahee will be the starting running back when the season opens, but Rice could factor in heavily should McGahee’s knee fail him and he is sure to be used during the game to take some of the workload off of Willis. A word to the wise, if you draft Mcgahee you better make damn sure to handcuff him with Rice in a later round or you could end up crying if and when Mcgahee goes down with an injury.

3. Ricky Williams-Miami Dolphins

Ricky Williams

Ricky Williams

In my book this guys has been an absolute stud in my annual fantasy pot head draft, but seriously Willimas has looked like a beast during training camp and the preseason and given Ronnie Browns shaky situation he could turn out to be the most productive back on the Dolphins… that may not be saying much but he is defintely worth a pick somewhere after the 9th round. Brown is coming back from a torn ACL an injury which usually takes more than a year to fully recover from and Williams may have finally realized that he’s a 31 year old dude and smoking weed all day doesn’t exactly pay the bills. The main reason I like Williams is that i just don’t like a running back coming back from an ACL tear and though Brown was lighting it up last year until the injury he hasn’t exactly been a stud in the past. Williams has been an excellent fantasy back in the league years ago and he doesn’t have the wear and tear that a running back of his age normally would. Im predicting a pretty nice season for Williams at least worthy of an RB 3 spot.

4. Kenny Watson-Cinncinatti Bengals

Kenny Watson

Kenny Watson

After years of being one of the most consistent and productive fantasy backs Rudi Johnson seems to have hit that dreaded wall that all backs run into at some point in their career. Johnson was injured for a number of games last year paving the way for Watson to take the reigns at RB and steal the show.Even when Johnson was on the field he averaged a dreadful 2.9 YPC. Watson on the other hand averaged 4.3 YPC and ran for 763 yards on 178 carries and scored 7 TD’s. Recently sources have stated that the Bengals are willing to shop Rudi for a “legitimate receiver” which means that they don’t believe he can get it done anymore and that they’re fairly happy with their options at running back. It could end up being a time share with Watson and the oft injured but talented Chris Perry if Johnson does get dealt, either way at the moment Watson actually looks to be the teams best running back and should be worthy of a late 13-15 round pick.

5. Derrick Ward/Ahmad Bradshaw-New York Giants

Sure enough as many people predicted Brandon Jacobs is a beast when he is on the field. The problem is that he never seems to stay on the field for a full season. Jacobs’ upright running style leaves him susceptible to taking a lot of big hits, especially to his lower body. Even if Jacobs does manage to stay healthy for an entire season it is looking more and more like the Giants will use a committee approach at running back. That means that either Derrick Ward or Ahmad Bradshaw will be sharing the workload with Jacobs and could turn out to be nice sleepers picks if Jacobs should go down with an injury.

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Bretty and The Jets

Aug 7

Posted by admin in Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, brett favre, condiotonal pick, jets, online sports community, trade | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

The Favre saga in Green Bay has finally come to an end…allow me a moment to rejoice.

With a late night deal announced around 12:30 AM EST the Favre era in Green Bay officially came to an end and a new chapter will begin in the city that never sleeps.

Favre who is no stranger to the camera, will now find himself paying under the bright lights of Broadway, or more accurately the bright lights of Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It must be a stunning upset to Buccaneers fans who thought they were the front runners in the Brett Favre sweepstakes, only to wake and find that the Jets had lured Favre to New York for a conditional draft pick in 2009.

According to NFL.com, the Packers will receive a fourth-round draft pick in 2009. The selection would turn into a third-rounder if Favre plays in 50 percent of the plays this season, a second-rounder if he plays in 70 percent and the Jets make the playoffs, or a first-round pick if he plays in 80 percent and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

Favre will most likely have to pass a physical before the trade becomes official, but the more important aspect of the deal is that Favre, who was once seemingly opposed to playing in New York, apparently signed off on the deal.

Favre’s arrival in New York signals the beginning of one era and the end of another, that is the end of the Chad Pennington era. Pennigton who is due to make $6 million will be traded or released by the Jets to make room for Favre who is scheduled to earn $12.7 million in 2008. I feel for Pennington, who was a player that poured his heart and soul into the Jets organization  fighting throw significant arm injuries to return to the team he loved. Yet, there are plenty of teams out there, perhaps the Bucs or Vikings, who could use the services of the weak armed but accurate QB.

The Jets stock has risen on many fronts with what could prove to be one of the best off seasons in the leagues history.  The Jets made significant additions through free agency to shore up some of their most glaring weaknesses. Particularly the addition of Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca to a young and improving line that contains promising starters Nick Mangold and D’brickashaw Ferguson should provide Favre with plenty of time to air it out.

How long Favre will be a Jet remains to be seen. The Jets have stated that they are taking it year by year and with the way Favre has handled things in the past that’s probably the best way to look at the situation. For now though, the Jets may have just turned themselves into a legitimate playoff contender and could even challenge the Patriots for the top spot in the AFC East.

Now that the move has finally been made, the media can focus on Brett’s moves on the field instead of off the field and I for one am happy as hell. Still, I wonder if the Packers and Favre will ever be able to mend their relationship in the future, considering that just a brief time ago the two were pretty much synonymous with one another.

And while Green Bay fans are probably in a state of deep mourning, or anger depending on how quickly they’re moving through the grieving process, Jets fans are in a deserved state of euphoria.

A euphoria which will only last as long as the Jets and Favre win.

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Favre, Packers Remain in Limbo

Aug 6

Posted by admin in Fantasy Sports, Favre, Green Bay, NFL, Packers, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community, saga, trade | 2 Comments

With reports swirling today that Favre will most likely be dealt to a new team in the very near future, two candidates have emerged as front runners in the Brett Favre sweepstakes.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to be in the best position to deal for Favre with the New York Jets still in the hunt to acquire the 39 year old QB.

This came after Favre and Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke very candidly for approximately six hours over the past two days, and McCarhy drew the conclusion that Favre is not ” in the right mind-set” to play for the Green Bay Packers.

Favre cannot seem to move past what he deems, “emotional wounds” inflicted on him by the team as tensions mounted in recent weeks. This coming despite that fact that the Packers stated there would be an open competition for the starting QB role. Now, it seems that Favre and Green Bay will have to part ways and perhaps no one is more to blame then Favre himself.

While both sides have played a role in the disintegration of their respective relationships it is Favre who has rarely taken the high road. He has aired his grievances publicly on numerous occasions all but ensuring that any attempt at patching up the battered relationship would be futile.  In his many conversations about his situation Favre has never seemed positive about his status with the team. Even stating that he felt he couldn’t trust Packers GM Thompson because he failed to heed his pleadings to acquire Randy Moss and because he chose to hire Mike McCarthy over Favres long-time friend Steve Mariucci.

Honestly, what other QB in his right mind would try and tell a general manager how to do his job, and then get all pissy when the GM doesn’t do what he said?  Um, the last time I checked Brett your job was to run this teams offense on the field not determine roster moves or head coaching decisions. That’s Thompson’s job and apparently he’s done it pretty well considering you were 13-3 last season and you were one drive away from going to the Super Bowl, a drive that ended by the way on a terrible pass thrown by you!

Favrre has kept all of Green Bay in limbo for a number of off seasons now. He has been a consistent distraction to his teammates this time of year, and even the players are getting upset about it. Favre knows the type of power he holds in Green Bay and has wielded it with a childish, impetuous fist at times.  No quarterback should have the power to hold a franchise hostage like Favre has done for several years, none worse then this one.

And after all this, Favre feels he has the right to be traded to a team within Green Bay’s own division?  Why would someone who is so loyal to the fans, and the franchise want so desperately to play them twice a year? I think the answer is simple, so he can go in there and without raising his voice or middle finger send a big F-U to everyone in the Packers front office. But, Brett wouldn’t you be hurting the fans, and former teammates more then anyone else? It all seems so silly now, and the Packers have every right to finally refuse the man who they’ve given nearly everything he’s asked.

Of course,  the person getting the stiffest end of this deal is Aaron Rodgers, the only one who has handled the situation with even a shred of dignity. I  just hope that at some point those fans that relentlessly cheer “We want Brett” and  relentlessly boo Rodgers realize that this man is going to be leading this team and you better get behind him now, or keep your mouths shut. What sense does it make to boo your own QB? Especially considering the kid has yet to do anything, but put his head down, keep his mouth shut, and do his job. Wow, what a crime.

When this situation finally does resolve it self, with Brett being trade to whatever team wheter it be the Jets or Tampa I just hope Green Bay fans don’t cling so desperately to the notion of Brett the icon and open their eyes to who really took the situation to the point of no return.

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