I'm really super tired after a day at the lake and so I simply offer up some breaking news and links for you readers tonight and you can most likely expect some posting on these topics in the very near future!
1. Tom Brady
Who would have said otherwise? Brady was amazing last season throwing for 4806 yards and 50 TDs. I highly doubt he will repeat those numbers or anything remotely close to them but Brady should still be the number one QB. He should put up some freakish numbers again though.
2. Peyton Manning
If you need a QB you can trust it's Manning. He is no risk for injury at all and you know what you're going to get from him. He's going to continue to rack up the yards and TDs as long as he can walk and throw a football.
3. Drew Brees
I really like Brees. He should continue to put up some great numbers with the offense that he's in. I think he'll have an even better season than last year. Now that Jeremy Shockey is in a Saints uniform expect defenses to focus less on Marques Colston and cover more of the middle of the field.
4. Tony Romo
Romo will put up similar numbers again since he has Terrell Owens to throw to. But the Cowboys have such a balanced offense that helps out quite a bit.
5. Carson Palmer
Bearing no injury Palmer should have a somewhat similar season to last year, possibly even better. I think the Bengals will be a tad bit improved, even with all of the off-field problems. With all of the targets there's no reason not for Palmer to improve his stats.
6. Ben Roethlisberger
The Steelers struggled during the early part of 2007 but as the season wore on they looked better and better. Look for the Steelers to continue that momentum in this season. I think Big Ben can start off hot right away, which is also why I am a big fan of WR Santonio Holmes as well.
7. Derek Anderson
Anderson must show that last season was no fluke. I think he will continue his tremendous play. The Browns have a good chance to make the playoffs this season. And with the addition of Dontae Stallworth to go with Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, I don't see why not.
8. Donovan McNabb
If McNabb can stay healthy you know he will put up some good numbers. You know he's capable of putting up some godly stats but he can be too inconsistent as times as well. The Eagles still don't have a big-time WR but they do have quite a few capable ones.
9. Matt Hasselback
Hasselback has always put up some consistent and fairly good numbers. He has a decent WR crew and he always racks up the points at home.
10. Jay Cutler
Cutler should be improved with another year under his belt. He has some good targets to throw to in Brandon Marshall, Darrell Jackson, and TE Tony Scheffler. Expect the Broncos to pass a little more this season.
11. David Garrard
I am a big fan of Garrard. He throws the ball with such consistency and he can run as well. He will get you some rushing TDs of his own here and there and you know he will convert when it counts in the red zone.
12. Marc Bulger
If there's one QB who's high risk/high reward it's Bulger. He could break out and have an amazing season at any time or he could be a bust and get injured like last season. Anyways, I still like Bulger, he's has some deep threats and you know Steven Jackson will take some pressure off him.
13. Eli Manning
I don't know what to expect from Eli after he won the Super Bowl. Who know's how he'll perform. But I think he's a safe bet if you desperately need a QB in the mid to late rounds of your draft. I think the offense will be improved a bit, Plaxico Burress should be solid again and Sinorice Moss will be much improved.
14. Matt Schaub
Schaub has one heck of an arm. He has a great number one target in Andre Johnson. If the Texans can find any sort of run game, the sky's the limit for Schaub and Johnson.
15. Philip Rivers
Rivers should be good again, but not great. All of his numbers were down last season. But he is just putting a lot of pressure on himself and his team with his arrogant ego. But he still has some quality targets in Chris Chambers, Antonio Gates, and Vincent Jackson.
TSF's "10 Games in 10 Days" is back after a weekend break.
Day 1: Kansas at South Florida
Day 2: Ohio St. at USC
Day 3: Georgia at Arizona St.
Ohio St. at Wisconsin
Preview:
A Big Ten title could be up for grabs here, just early in the season. Both teams are looking to win the Big Ten and appear in a BCS Bowl game. OSU is hungry for a national title after falling the previous two years in the NC game. Wisconsin is looking for more after a disappointing set back last season after higher expectations.
OSU probably returns the most out of all the top teams with 18 starters back in all. The offense should be solid again with QB Todd Boeckman back. Beanie (Chris) Wells should be one the top RBs in the nation. The WR crew is pretty much all back with Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline returning. 4 of 5 OL are returning so expect the Buckeye offense to put up a good deal of points. The defense should be one of the best in the nation, they are loaded all over the place. The top LB in the nation in James Laurinaitis is back. The defensive line will be stellar with 4 solid experienced veterans in-tact. The secondary will be lights out as Malcolm Jenkins decided to stay and 3 other starters are back
Wisconsin returns quite a bit as well. Experience is plenty at most units for the Badgers. The offense should be solid with many weapons all over the field. They do need to break-in a new QB for the second consecutive season. Kansas St. transfer Allan Evridge looks to be the starter there. The ground game should be solid, PJ Hill should continue to be one of the best backs in the country as long as he stays healthy; He's rushed for 2,805 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first two seasons. The receiving corps is lead by TE Travis Beckum as he looks to be the top in the nation. Kyle Jefferson was a capable WR last season as a frosh. The offensive line should only make things better with 3 starters and plenty of size back there. The defense returns 8 starters lead by DE Matt Shaughnessy and LBs Luis Casillas and DeAndre Levy. The secondary will need to find some depth and athletes after losing CB Jack Ikegwuonu to the draft.
Offensive Player to Watch:
P.J. Hill, RB- Wisconsin
Defensive Player to Watch:
James Laurinaitis, LB- OSU
Outlook:
This game could go either way. Anything could literally happen here; I would not be surprised if it was close, Ohio St. stomped all over Wisconsin or vice-versa. With the game being in Camp Randall anything could happen. Wisconsin could come out of the floodgates and walk all over the Buckeyes or they could come out flat, nothing is impossible. This should be an interesting game.
Early Prediction:
Ohio St. 24 Wisconsin 18
I would love to pick th Badgers but with the way they were so inconsistent last season it's tough to pick them. It's easy to pick them when their playing at Camp Randall, but the Buckeyes are hungry. They return 18 total starters for a reason. OSU's Defense should be able to put a hold on Wisconsin's new QB. I think OSU win's a close and good defensive-minded game.
Please just stop Vikes fans. Brett Favre is not coming to your team. The Packers won't let him and even if he did, you guys wouldn't win the Super Bowl anyways.
He's not going to any NFC North team, period. The Packers will not do that to themselves. And there is no way he will grant a release from a team to get traded. Why would any team acquire him to release him? Come on people, let's use our heads.
Please Vikings fans, stop with the wishful thinking. Brett Favre is not going to be a Viking, so you can stop obsessing with it now. I am getting sick of it. Since I live in the heart of Viking nation it really gets annoying and old.
It's the same old rhetoric: "This is the Vikings year!" That's what you say every year. "The Vikings are winning the Super Bowl this year." When the Pope becomes Lutheran they will. "Brett Favre will be a Viking and we will win the Super Bowl." It just gets tiring.
It is most likely he will end up a Packer if he plays, mainly because of salary cap issues and the roster turnover that would be required by most teams to fit him under the cap.
If he end ups up anywhere else, three teams make the most sense right now: Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Carolina. You could argue the Jets, but I think they will stick with either Chad Pennington or Kellen Clemens.
Favre would be a great fit for the Bucs. They won the NFC South last season. They're loaded with talent and a good defense. They're already contenders. Favre knows Gruden well and he would just about put the Bucs over the top and make them a legit Super Bowl contender.
Kyle Boller just hasn't gotten it done for the Ravens lately and recent draftee Joe Flacco will need a few years to be a backup before he becomes a legit starter. Nothing better than getting Flacco ready and prepared behind one of the greats. Plus, the Ravens still have a good defense with Ray Lewis and one of the best secondaries in the league.
The Panthers need to win now. Jake Delhomme has suffered through many problems of his own and injuries. After underachieving over the years, the Panthers are desperate to win now. Plus, Favre would have targets Steve Smith, DJ Hackett, and Muhsin Muhammad to throw to.
So in the end, Favre will not end up on a NFL North squad, especially the Vikings. The Minnesota fans need to get over their own egos and realize "the answer" has still yet to come.
Friday I was very tuned and interested in watching basketball almost as much as March Madness.
When it comes to USA Basketball, I am a big fan. I am a fan of almost any national team. Whether it's basketball, soccer, or the whole Olympics in general. Maybe it's because I have a great sense of pride for my country, maybe not I don't know. But there's something about watching our countries teams.
The first quarter I was kinda not impressed with Team USA at all. They struggled a little bit with some stupid and mental turnovers and mistakes. They missed some rather easy and uncontested shots and gave up some offensive boards.
But maybe I was expecting too much too soon.
After watching the USA's dominance of the world in the sport of basketball when I was a little kid, I guess I just want to see that happen again.
With the way this team played last year in the Tournament of Americas, there's no doubt in my mind they will win the Olympics.
But the way they played in the first quarter it just seemed like another typical American basketball team.
It wasn't until after that first quarter, I was reassured we're going to win the Olympics. The way they played defense Friday in their 120-65 victory over Canada. This team since 2000 hasn't played any defense at all, which is why they've faltered in the past Olympics and World Championships.
They were impressive on both ends of the floor. They were defending the pick-and-roll for once, they were playing physical and making Canada earn their shots. This is what they need to do every game. Their defense stood out last night. They made the Canadians fights for their points and nothing came easy. The defensive was aggressive and feisty. Which was a site for sore eyes.
I'm sure most of you have seen the video on ESPN by now but in case you've been working too much or are a hermit or something, here it is. It happened yesterday between the Peoria Chiefs and the Dayton Dragons. This was a brawl that saw 15 players ejected, both managers ejected, and one player ARRESTED!
It is now Day 3 of TSF's '10 Games in 10 Days', previewing the Bulldogs vs. the Sun Devils.
Day 1: Kansas at South Florida
It's Day 2 of our '10 Games in 10 Days' promo. So let's roll...
Day 1: Kansas at South Florida
Ohio St. at USC
Preview:
Both teams return plenty of talent and experience. OSU probably returns the most out of all the top teams with 18 starters back in all. The offense should be solid again with QB Todd Boeckman back. Beanie (Chris) Wells should be one the top RBs in the nation. The WR crew is pretty much all back with Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline returning. 4 of 5 OL are returning so expect the Buckeye offense to put up a good deal of points. The defense should be one of the best in the nation, they are loaded all over the place. The top LB in the nation in James Laurinaitis is back. The defensive line will be stellar with 4 solid experienced veterans in-tact. The secondary will be lights out as Malcolm Jenkins decided to stay and 3 other starters are back.
USC will be somewhat young in some spots but very, very talented. They need a QB to step up which looks like Mark Sanchez at this point. Only 4 starters are back on offense but they still have loads of talent. The Wideouts should be solid with Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner and the RB department will be the deepest in the nation led by Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, C.J. Gable, and Allen Bradford. Look for the defense to be one of the best in the nation. The LB corps is loaded with Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing. The defensive line will be excellent with Everson Griffen leading the way. The secondary returns all 4 starters and it will be hard to pass on this bunch.
Well, it isn't exactly what I had in mind for TSF's 400th post, nor is it even close to the best brawl that we've seen go down in The Palace, but it cannot go unnoticed.
The skirmish started moments after Parker and Detroit’s Cheryl Ford had to be separated after Ford fouled Parker.
On the next possession, Parker got tangled up with Detroit’s Plenette Pierson and fell to the ground. As she was getting up, Pierson intentionally ran into her, setting off the melee.
Parker threw a punch at Pierson before being tackled by Detroit’s Deanna Nolan. Players and coaches from both teams joined in, and Mahorn knocked Lisa Leslie to the court at one point.
Interestingly enough Rick Mahorn was also involved in the 2004 Pistons-Pacers brawl while working as a Detroit broadcaster, going into the crowd to try to pull Ron Artest away from fans. Sources all seem to say that Mahorn was trying to play peacemaker and protect players from both sides. DeLisha Milton-Jones shoved and punched Mahorn after the incident with Leslie, and was ejected, along with Mahorn, Parker and Pierson. Nolan and Shannon Bobbitt received technicals. Ford sprained her right knee while trying to restrain Pierson, and left the floor in a wheelchair. Her status is unknown.
Has anyone noticed anything missing this summer? I am sure most of us have. Whether people want to admit it or not, most of us do miss watching Barry Bonds play the game of bas
Most people may not want to admit it, but we miss watching the high-flying HRs and the emotion and energy that Bonds gave nearly every fan when he stepped up to the plate.
If everybody hated Bonds as much as they say, then why did they care so much about him? Why was so much attention drawn to him last summer when he chased the career HR record? Why did he sell-out stadiums? Why did everybody still talk about him? And why did everybody stop what they're doing just to watch him when he was at bat?
Fans, admit it. If you watched the highlights and games, barely anybody was buying a hot dog or going to the bathroom when Mr. Bonds was up to bat. When he hit a HR even the most horrified Bonds haters didn't seem to mind standing up and clapping, but only to rephrase back to booing once he crossed the plate.
What is it? What does Bonds have that others don't? How can so many people hate this man so much and still care so much to watch him play the game?
As you can see, I am a Barry Bonds fan. I've been a fan of his and the San Francisco Giants nearly all of my life. While I wouldn't want to see him back in a Giants uniform, I would love to see him in just about any other uniform.
Here's some links for enjoyment as TSF trys to mend it's temporary bloggers block for now.
Josh Hamilton is all that is man... (Ed the Sports Fan)
NFL Player and TV Network comparisons... (NE Patriots Draft)
Mike Brey staying put at Notre Dame... (Notre Dame Basketball Blog)
I thought not playing baseball was considered retiring... (So Cal Sports Hub)
2008 Elite Baseball Series Press Release... (The College Baseball Blog)
Hornung's Advice to the NFL... (The Hater Naton)
Hope you enjoyed the links... come back soon!
CBS and College Basketball announcer/analyst Billy Packer have recently decided to part ways.
Yesterday, CBS announced that Clark Kellogg would replace Packer after 27 years of broadcasting basketball on CBS. Packer announced every Final Four since 1975.
Justin Morneau is the 2008 State Farm Home Run Derby Champion, but clearly Josh Hamilton is your Home Run King. I mean honestly, I could hardly believe some of these shots he was launching as I watched. He even flirted with the little gap out in right-center where you can see the subway! I mean you can play the thing to win it, or you can put on a show for the fans. Josh Hamilton didn't win. His performance lacked the strategy to win given the rules of the derby. However, he put on an unimaginable, record-setting show for the fans. I'll take that any day.
The other day I did the College BBall Pre-Season Rankings, so it seems fitting that I do some college football now.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia has to be the top team, they have plenty back, they return their QB in Matthew Stafford and one of the up and coming RBs in Knowshon Moreno, who should be one of the top backs in the nation. The offensive line is decent with 3 starters back and one decent WR in Mohamed Massaquoi. The have plenty of talent on the defensive side, they all have tremendous depth on the defensive line which includes Gino Atkins. The LB and secondary corps will need to step up with only a few starters back there. Overall, the Dogs have depth and tremendous talent. They have a tough schedule playing at Arizona St., South Carolina, LSU, Auburn, and Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech at home plus the Florida showdown. So we'll see if they can get through their schedule.
I don't know if anybody has seen this but I think it's definately worth a minute of your time. In case you haven't heard Jose Canseco "celebrity" boxed former Philadelphia Eagles return man Vai Sikahema and got his shit sent in the first round. As someone who doesn't care for Canseco at all I take much pleasure in this. The only wish I could have would be for them to lose the bulky headgear so we could see Jose's steroid-inflated head go rolling when he hits the mat. I can't wait to see what new sport Jose tries and fails at next.... what a tool.
The number 94 top high school baseball prospect of 2009 by Baseball America is Cole Frenzel of Dickinson, ND. I found this video on a blog thanks to Dickinson Sports Writer Dustin Monke.
We all know ND is not much of a baseball state and to be regarded as a top 100 prospect in the nation is a big deal. Frenzel is a great all-around baseball player. I personally played against him in my 3 years of varsity baseball and 1 outta my 2 years of JV ball. He is the real deal as he launched HR after HR after triple against my team. He is currently being looked at by Nebraska, Kansas, Oregon St., and Virginia to name a few schools.
I'm not trying to pimp the kid in anyway, but I just wanted to give North Dakota some recognition it deserves.
Here's what I think the NL All Star starting line-up should be:
Batting Order:
1. Hanley Ramirez- SS, Florida
2. Chase Utley- 2B, Philadelphia
3. Matt Holliday- DH, Colorado
4. Lance Berkmann- 1B, Houston
5. Chipper Jones- 3B, Atlanta
6. Ryan Braun- LF, Milwaukee
7. Aaron Rowand- CF, San Fran
8. Brian McCann- C, Atlanta
9. Nate McLouth- RF, Pittsburgh
-- Tim Lincecum- P, San Francisco
Some brief thoughts; I agree quite a bit with the fans. Ramirez, Utley, Berkmann, Jones, and Braun deserve to start. There will be a DH since the game is at Yankee Stadium. I think Matt Holliday should be the DH because of his tremendous power and hitting. I really think Aaron Rowand deserves to start and I hope he makes it on as the last player on the roster. Not only can he hit but can also get on base. He is a complete player. He is also one of the best defensive players out there. Brian McCann should be the catcher, he has great power numbers with 17 HR and 50 RBI for a catcher. And Nate McLouth deserves to start too with his surprising start thus far with the lowly Pirates. Tim Lincecum should be the starting pitcher with his solid 10-2 start thus far.
The MLB All Star rosters came out yesterday so I will give you a few thoughts.
As I look through the All Star rosters I can't complain too much, the fans did okay but there are some causes for concern.
Pardon my French but what the hell is Derek Jeter doing on the roster at all? I don't care if it's being played at Yankee Stadium for the last time. This is one of Jeter's worst seasons ever and he is also THE most overrated player in baseball. His fielding is average at best and his numbers are pitiful: .283 BA, .343 OBP, 48 R, 4 HR, 37 RBI. Michael Young should be the starter.
Where are the Rays players? Only two are on the roster and none are starting. The best team in the AL doesn't have one starter? What gives? Where's Evan Longoria? Carl Crawford? Matt Garza? This is a shame.
David Ortiz should not have been voted the DH, he has put up some good numbers, but he's been injured for quite some time now. Milton Bradley overwhelmingly deserved to be voted in right away. Bradley has put up some staggering numbers: 52 R, 17 HR, 52 BB, .320 BA, .439 OBP, .605 SLG.
Also, Jermaine Dye is probably the biggest snub of the AL. He has been on a tear lately. He's second in the AL in HRs with 19, 52 RBIs, and bats .308. What gives?
Now to the NL...
The NL Roster is a lot better than the AL roster, mainly because the NL fans aren't greedy. All the Yanks and Red Sox fans are pretty much homers and vote for their teams players no matter how they perform.
Lance Berkman, Chase Utley, Chipper Jones, Hanley Ramirez, and Ryan Braun all definitely deserve the starting spots.
For anyone who hasn't heard yet C.C. Sabathia is heading to Milwaukee in return for star prospect Matthew LaPorta (20 HR and 66 RBIs in AA) and 3 other prospects. Two of these prospects have been "confirmed" as P Zach Jackson and P Rob Bryson. The third is to be named later.
Obviously I am completely stoked about this deal! I absolutely love that my favorite "smaller market" wins the battle for C.C. Sabathia. Granted, they're giving up a great young power-hitting outfielder but I think it's a good move. The Brewers have a pretty good group of young outfield talent with Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, and Tony Gwynn Jr so I think this is a risk worth taking. it's also a granted that the Brewers are most likely using C.C as a "rentaplayer" as I really doubt they will be resigning him for the ridiculous money he will want at the end of the season. But fans, players, and management know that. This deal is about this season. The Brewers are in good position right now to make a run at not only the wildcard but also the NL Central.
I think the bottom line here is that the Brewers now have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the NL (possibly all the Majors) with Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia. If they can both stay healthy the Brewers will make the playoffs.
I have no doubts about the team's offense and now their starting rotation looks dominant. My only question mark for the team is their bullpen, which still bothers me a bit. However, for now I am saying the Brewers will be going to the playoffs for the first time in 26 years and I couldn't be more excited!
