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Easy E or Big Ben: The Debate of the Class of 2004

Oct 25

Posted by admin in 2004 Nfl Draft, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, Pro Sports, QB controversy, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Steelers, Uncategorized, draft, giants, online sports community, pittsburgh, quarterback | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

The 2004 NFL deaft will certainly go down as one of the best drafts for Quarterbacks, perhaps in the history of the game.

That draft gave us 3 outstanding QB’s in Eli Manning the Number 1 overall pick, Ben Roethlisberger, and Phillip Rivers. Roethlisberger felt overlooked by the Giants when they chose Rivers with the fourth overall pick and packaged him in a trade to San Diego.

Big Ben vs. Easy E

Big Ben vs. Easy E

This Sunday’s marquee match-up between the 5-1 Steelers and the 5-1 Giants takes us back to a question many have been asking since that 2004 NFL draft: Which QB was the better pick?

It’s really a tough call, even for a Giants fan like myself, both QB’s have excelled at the game since entering the league though it is undeniable that it took Eli Manning more time to mature.

If based on pure stats Big Ben would seem to have the edge on Easy E. In his career thus far Roethlisberger has a better completion percentage (63.2), more yards (12,836), more TD (93), and less interceptions (57) then Eli.

In Eli’s career thus far he has a completion percentage of 55.4 has thrown for 12,774 yards, and has tossed 85 TD’s with 68 INT.Eli also led his team to a Super Bowl win last season against the undefeated Patriots.

In Roethlisberger’s first season he was dominant, going 13-0 and leading his team to a 15-1 record. In his next season he won the Super Bowl.

Manning’s first season was nowhere near as dominant. The Giants went 6-10 that year, with Manning compiling a 1-6 record.

In fact, Roethlisberger holds the edge in every statistical category including wins. Big Ben’s career record stands at 44-17 while Mannings’ stands at 35-26

So, if the game was measured in statistics alone clearly Roethlisberger would have the edge, but there are other factors to take into consideration.

For example, Manning was instrumental in leading the Giants on their playoff run and eventual Super Bowl win. Roethlisberger on the other hand, struggled mightily in his Super Bowl appearance and many would argue that his team won in spite of him not because of him.

Manning played superb in the Super Bowl and throughout his playoff run, leading his team on one of the most classic drives in history culminating with a 17 yard TD strike to Plaxico Burress to seal a 17-14 win over the then undefeated New England Patriots.

Also, Roethlisberger went to a team that was ready to win, and could suffer the occasional rookie mistake. Manning went to a team that was on a down swing and in just four years took them to a Super Bowl.

The debate will continue long after Sunday’s game and can only truly be measured when one of the two ends their football career. However, this Sunday at Heinz Field we get a measure of an answer with the winner taking the crown…at least for the time being.

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Saints McAllister and Smith Caught Doping

Oct 24

Posted by admin in Football, League Policy, NFL, New Orleans, Pro Sports, Saints, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Steroids, Substance abuse, Uncategorized, diuretic, doping, online sports community, violation | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Normally when we talk about doping these days we’re usually talking about a baseball player, a cyclist, or even a horse. Somehow the players of the NFL always manage to fly under the radar when it comes to the controversial issue of steroids.

I guess every dog has its day. It has recently been reported that the Saints Deuce McAllister and Will Smith are among several players that have violated the NFL’s steroids policy. A FOX affiliate in Denver citing an unnamed source stated that there have been  between six and 10 positive tests in the NFL for a weight-loss diuretic. However, the station only mentioned the names of the two Saints players who are in London this week for a game against the San Diego Chargers.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

ESPN citing two unnamed sources has stated that the number is higher somewhere in the range of 10-15 players.

While the NFL and the players teams have yet to comment on the report, an attorney David Cornwell told The Associated Press he has been hired to handle the appeals of a number of players who are facing possible suspensions.

Cornwell has declined to name any of his clients or how many clients he is representing. He did release a statement saying, “The recent reports about pending appeals by players who are alleged to have used weight loss supplements reflect the most egregious violation of the NFL steroid policy. The foundation of the policy is both a player’s right to appeal and an absolute right to confidentiality. By leaking this story, the ‘source’ is clearly attempting to put their thumb on the scale of justice and harm these men.”

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

A diuretic is used as a masking agent to dilute the urine in an attempt to excrete lesser amounts of any banned substances.

While major sports like baseball and lesser sports like cycling have been hit hard by steroid scandals the NFL has been able to cruise mainly under the radar. The sheer enormity of the games popularity has basically given the NFL and its players a free pass on what has become a hot button issue in sports.

Though news like this is never good for a player as they can face at minimum a 4 game suspension it should have little affect on the day-to-day buisness of the NFL.

We’ll have to wait and see just how many players are really involved in the doping scandal, and how the league will react once all the evidence is taken under consideration.

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Padres Ace Peavy on the Market

Oct 17

Posted by admin in Baseball, Braves, Cy young, MLB, New York, Peavy, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, Yankees, atlanta, jake peavy, online sports community, padres, san diego, trade, trade talks | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

In what I would deem a fairly surprising move, the Padres are considering moving ace pitcher Jake Peavy to the highest bidder.

Peavy, a Cy Young winner had somewhat of a down year this season with 10 wins and 11 loses, but performed quite well in every other pitching category. He had the third lowest ERA in the National League with a 2.85 and struck out 166 batters.

Peavy does have a no trade clause in his contract which could help him get his choice of team, but apparently his top five choices have not expressed enough interest to make them a viable option. Among Peavy’s top choices are Atlanta, St. Louis, the Chicago Cubs, the L.A. Dodgers and the Houston Astros.

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Yet, none of these teams have made a viable offer and the Padres have begun reaching out to other teams.  Of course, when any big name comes on the market the Yankees are always in the mix, but many believe that Peavy would not enjoy playing in New York or in the American League for that fact, and are unsure if he would sign off on a deal that sent him to the Yankees.

The Braves seem to be the team in the best position to make a deal for Peavy which would have to include some young pitchers and perhaps a few outfielders. The Braves have promising young talent in pitchers such as Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson and center fielders Jason Heyward and Jordan Scaefer. However, the Braves are reluctant to talk about dealing their best prospects.

Peavy is an extremely attractive trade option because he is under contract until 2013 and is just 27 years old. It is very rare that a pitcher of Peavy’s talent and youth is even considered trade bait, but many in the Padres front office feel the team needs to get younger now, and Peavy is their best bargaining chip.

Where Peavy will land is anyones guess, but one thing is for sure… it won’t be in San Diego.

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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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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: Start Em’ QB

Sep 20

Posted by admin in Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Quarterbacks, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, fantasy football, online sports community, professional sports teams | No Comments

The third fantasy week is rapidly approaching, so let’s give you some help on your way to a fantasy football championship. Here’s some QB’s and RB’s you should start this week. Obviously this list will not include marquee players that you should start regardless each week, players such as L.T., Adrian Peterson, Brian Westbrook, Peyton Manning,Tony Romo etc.

Start Em- Quarterbacks

1. Jay Cutler-

Cutler has been lighting it up against some fairly tough defenses in the first two weeks of fantasy football and this week should be a comparative cake walk for Cutler and company. So far this season the Saints secondary ranks 28th in the league relenting 256 passing yard per game. If Cutler can light up teams like San Diego and oakland he can easily torch the Saints secondary for some pretty big numbers. I expect somewhere in the vicinty of 300 yards and 2 TD’s. This all depends on how well Denvers ground game is going and if the Saints offense can keep pace with Denvers, if they don’t look for those numbers to come down a bit as Dnever will be using its ground game to grind out the clock.

2-J.T. O’Sullivan

Lucky for him O’Sullivan is playing the woeful Detroit Lions defense and that should mean some pretty big numbers for himself and basically everyone else playing along side him. I’m pretty sure at this point they should employ some kind of system similiar to European soccer leagues and just drop the Lions down to Division 1-A football and bring USC up becuase they would probably fare better against the rest of the league then the Lions have thius far. O’Sullivan put togther a nice performance last week against a much tougher Seattle defense passing for 321 yards and 1 TD. if he can do that aginst the Seahawks imagine what he could do to the Lions. A 300+ yard and multiple TD performance is well within reach. Also, consider that he is probably sitting on the waiver wire and J.T. could be a nice plug in start.

3-Eli Manning

Believe it or not the Bengals pass defense has played surprisingly well in the first two weeks giving up just 123.5 yards per game on their way to ranking 3rd in the league. However, this is probably more a result of their horrible rush defense which has been absolutely dominated in the first two games surrendering an average of 203 yards per game ranking them 30th in the league. The Giants have an excellent ground game so don’t look for Eli to post huge numbers through the air, but he should find himself in the red zone quite often and is likely to toss at least 2 TD passes. Im expecting around 200 Yds and 2 TD out of Eli, a nice solid fantasy performance.

4-Kurt Warner

Warner has played great since solidifying his starting QB role. Granted he hasn’t played the best defenses as of yet, but he’s not going to face one this week in Washington either so he is a more then viable option to post a strong fantasy day. Washington’d D is a little banged up especially in the secondary and the Cardinals running game leaves a lot to be desired so they should be airing it out all day long. The Redskins rank 18th in pass defense giving up 197 yards per game. Warner should go for around 250 yards and 2 TD.

5- Jake Delhomme

Delhomme has looked good in his first two starts of the seasons despite having thrown just one TD pass. He’s facing a Minnesotta defense that is stout against the run,but fairly weak against the pass rating 24th in the league, surrendering 237 yards per game. Delhomme also gets back his top receiving target Steve Smith who sat out the first two games for punching a teammate in the face during training camp. The Panthers won’t be able to run the ball much so Delhomme should be dropping back quite often, this could produce a very nice fantasy day and he could go for as much as 300yds with more then 3 scores . It all depends on the timing he has with Smith and the rest of his receiving corp.

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The Super Bowl Champ Will Come From the NFC East

Sep 19

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

For a long time all of the so called experts in the NFL have been declaring the AFC as the superior league in professional football.

Now, many of them seem to be changing their tune and for a damn good reason. If you watched any of the ridiculously entertaining shootout on Monday night between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys then you know why they suddenly seem to all be siding with the NFC as the  best league in the NFL and the NFC East as perhaps the best division in all of sports.

Take a look at the NFC East and you’ll find that even its presumably weakest team, the Washington Redskins, just beat the team many predicted to win the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints. Now consider, that the Dalls Cowboys are perhaps the leagues most talented team, the New York Giants are the defending Super Bowl champs and have continued to perform exactly like that through the first two weeks, and the Philadelphia Eagles nearly defeated the Cowboys and you have one tough division and the makings of a Super Bowl champ.

Yet, its not just the fact that the top three teams in the NFC East all have the potential to beat any other team in the league on any given Sunday it’s also the fact that all the “top” teams in the AFC haven’t looked anywhere near as prolific as the “beasts of the East”.

The Colts for example,who lost to the underdog Bears in a game that frankly wasn’t even close and then came back the next week to win a squeaker against the improved, but still unstable (especially at the QB position)  Minnesota Vikings.

Then there is the San Diego Chargers another favorite in the AFC, whose record now stands at 0-2 with loses to the Denver Broncos (though Ed Hoculi played a fairly major role in that one) and the unheralded Carolina Panthers. And who now may have to deal with an injury to star running back Ladanian Tomlinson that may nag him throughout the season and are playing without All-World linebacker Shawn Merriman for the rest of the season and their Super Bowl hopes look a bit dimmer.

Need I even mention the other heavy favorite in the AFC whose record setting quarterback suffered a season ending injury, dramatically altering the landscape of the entire NFL? Yes, the Patriots are still a good team without Tom Brady, but a Super Bowl contender with Matt Cassel at QB,….I don’t think so.

The fact is that there are no teams in the NFL and certainly no division NFC or AFC that can match the talent in the NFC East.

Let’s start with the defending Super Bowl champs. Though they lost the defensive prowess of both Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora their defense has yet to miss a beat. In their first two games the Giants D has surrendered just 20 points, scored 1 TD, sacked the QB 7 times and picked them off once.  Not to mention that Eli looks much improved, Plaxico Burress is an absolute beast, the rest of the receiving corps is solid as can be and they have what could be considered the best running back committee in the NFL with Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Bradshaw in the backfield and the G-Men look poised to make another deep run into the playoffs.

The Cowboys, the popular Super Bowl pick at the start of the season have thus far lived up to their star status. Romo continues to develop into an elite QB, connecting with Terrell Owens and Jason Witten both excellent receivers and their defense is as strong as ever (Monday night being the exception). The addition of Felix Jones as a change of pace back to the bruising Marion Barber has paid big dividends in the first two weeks and has added a threat not just in the backfield, but on special teams as well. Player for player Dallas is the most talented team in the league if they can avoid an upset like last year they could be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl and if they get there, there is no reason to think they shouldn’t win it all.

Now, perhaps the biggest surprise thus far has been the play of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have always had a strong defensive team with Jim Johnsons exotic blitzing schemes giving opposing QB’s fits. Yet, they haven’t had a healthy Donovan McNabb in a long time, that is until this year and its showing in their play. Brain Westbrook is in my opinion the best all-around running back in the league and the addition of rookie Desean Jackson has aided a passing game that has suffered a number of injuries to their starting wideouts, that is if he manages to cross the goal-line with the ball (come on buddy let’s not be silly!). If McNabb stays healthy, and with Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown due to return at some point this season the Eagles should be a major player for the rest of the year and a definite Super Bowl contender.

It’s a long road to the Super Bowl, but when its all said and done look for one of these three teams to be holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of season.

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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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A Round of Applause for Rocco Mediate

Jun 17

Posted by admin in 18 Hole Playoff, 2008 U.S. Open Championship, Defeat, Golf, Major Championship, PGA, PGA Tour, Rocco Mediate, Sports, Sports Event, Sports Star, Sports Stars, Tiger Woods, U.S. Open Championship, USGA, Victory, online sports community, united states golf association | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

(Tiger Woods wins the 2008 U.S. Open Championship.)

It may have been the outcome that most people expected… Tiger Woods captured his 14th major championship conquering Torrey Pines for the 7th time in his career to take home the 2008 U.S. Open crown.

But, honestly, it wasn’t really the outcome I was hoping for. Woods is always a great story to follow, the young golf prodigy who was molded by his father into one of the greatest champions golf, or for that matter, any sport has ever seen.

But to me the more compelling story was the inspired play of 45 year old Rocco Mediate. Mediate was seeking to become the oldest winner of the championship and the oldest to capture his first major. Mediates’ play throughout the tournament was in stark contrast to that of Tiger Woods. Mediate played consistent throughout the first four rounds, while Tiger struggled to find a consistent stroke and posted a number of bogeys and double-bogeys forcing him to make some spectacular eagle putts to stay in contention.

Mediate entered the clubhouse with the championship in hand and one player remaining in contention. Unfortunately for Rocco that player was Tiger Woods who, in dramatic fashion, sunk a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole to tie Mediate at 1-under par and force an 18 hole playoff today.

It was an omen of things to come for both players as it was the 18th hole that doomed Mediate to second place and propelled Tiger to another U.S. Open championship. For a while though, it seemed that the playoff wouldn’t even go that far, as Mediate fell three strokes behind Tiger after 10 holes and everyone waited for Tiger to seal the deal.

Yet, it never came as Mediate battled his way back on the back nine, eventually taking the lead away from Tiger on the 15th hole. And this is why we should be applauding Rocco Mediate and the spectacular effort he put forth in this championship. A man who has won just 5 PGA Tour events out of 535, in a career that has spanned 23 years and placed in the top ten just three times in major championships didn’t fold under the pressure of playing Tiger. In fact, Mediate seemed to enjoy the ride just as much as everyone who was watching him take the ride.

We’ve all become so accustomed to Tiger dominating his opponents especially when they must face him one on one in a playoff situation, but for once someone stood up to the challenge and took Tiger the distance.

For the entire tournament is was the 18th hole that plagued Mediate and his quest for a championship and it was no different on Monday. Tiger walked up to the 18th tee trailing Mediate by 1-shot, a deja-vu moment for both players. Mediate who teed off first found a bunker, while Woods who was clearly affected by his surgically repaired knee, followed with a painful, grimace inducing drive into the fairway.

Both of the players second shots cleared the lake guarding the green. Woods had to make a 50-foot eagle putt to secure victory but left it just three feet short, opening the door for Mediate to sink a 20 footer to win the championship. However, like so many players before him Rocco couldn’t find a way to finish off Woods and had to settle for par, sending the championship into a sudden death playoff hole.

As they walked to the seventh hole for the sudden death playoff, you began to be filled with a sense that Mediate had let Tiger off the hook one time to many and it was just a matter of time before Tiger pounced. Tiger received his opportunity quickly as Mediate drove his ball into the left fairway bunker on the dogleg right, after Tiger had put his drive in the fairway. Mediate’s second shot went left again, into a drop zone in front of the spectator stand.

Tiger stood on the green and watched Mediate’s chip shot roll 18 feet past the flag, placing the potential championship clinching shot in Tigers hands. Tiger rolled his putt just a few feet from the hole placing all the pressure back on Mediate to sink his 18 footer to force another hole.

Mediate missed and Tiger won.

(Rocco Mediate left to wonder what more he could have done to win.)

After it was over Mediate told reporters, “I can handle this heat. I’ve won golf tournaments, but not this stuff. I can handle this heat. And especially against him with everybody in the world all looking in and everything everyone is expecting me to get my (butt) handed to me and I didn’t. And I almost got it done. I almost got it done.”

I wish you had Rocco.

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Fantasy Update: Top 5 Fantasy Pitchers

May 15

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Fantasy Top 5 Starting Pitchers:

By Matt Valentine

Just so you know, I base these rankings off of past and current production, like the everyday players I feel that it’s in a fantasy player’s best interest to have pitchers who have a long track record of success, rather than just going with potential or rising stars. Therefore, these are the pitchers you should find a way to get on your teams roster if they’re not already there.

1. Jake Peavy

Peavy has been a workhouse over the last three years never having pitched under 200 innings. He is also been a K machine during that span with over 200 strikeout in the past three years. Last year proved that Peavy is an elite pitcher when he posted a record of 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA. Peavy is one ace every fantasy owner should want on their roster.

2. Johan Santana

No pitcher has been a better fantasy stud then Johan has over the last several years. He’s always a candidate for the CY Young award, and has not pitched less than 200 innings since the 2004 season. You can almost guarantee that he will win 15+ games and strikeout 200+ batters. The move to the NL should help Santana’s win total as long as the Mets offense can get itself hitting on all gears.

Brandon Webb

Webb is another workhorse pitcher that will throw a ton of innings. Only in his rookie year did he not surpass the 200 inning mark. Webb doesn’t strike people out like Santana our Peavy but he still manages above average strikeout totals somewhere between 160-190 K’s a year. Webb has been absolutely dominant this season going 8-0 thus far, and dare I say, may be coming into the prime of his career. I would trade away the top pitcher on my staff not named Peavy or Santana to nab this stud.

Carlos Zambrano

If you want a pitcher who will put up good numbers in every category year in and year out then Zambrano is a solid choice. Despite the occasional mental lapse on the mound Zambrano is a dominating pitcher on a team that should put up a lot of runs helping him to secure a good amount of wins. 15-20 wins is an extremely realistic goal. He also strikes batters out, but may walk more batters then you would like. Still, Zambrano is a pitcher that can be trusted and you can ride him as your ace if you the other options are unavailable, he may even come at a cheaper price.

5. John Smoltz

Smoltz is having trouble with his shoulder this year having been on the DL twice already. He may find himself back in the bullpen if his shoulder continues to bother him. However, he has been a dominant pitcher all of his career whether it is in the bullpen or as a starter and is one of baseball’s most consistent on the mound. Smoltz is 200k threat, and always puts up double digit win totals as long as he remains a starter. If Smoltz makes a trip to the pen look at it as an opportunity to snag a valuable starter for a lower rate as I doubt he’ll remain in the pen for the entire season.

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