Ever wonder what ERA means? Or how a Quarterback rating is calculated? What's a slugging percentage? I have too. For that reason I'm working on an FAQ of sorts which will cover all things football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. When I first got interested in the sporting world I attempted to find information like this and it was much more difficult to access than it needed to be. If you have any questions you'd like to see answered, drop me an e-mail and I'll look into it. I hope to have it up in a few weeks but I'm pretty busy.
Home Field. Fixing this interweb thing one step at a time.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
The North
Let's head North for a double dose of good times as we cover both the AFC and NFC divisions in an attempt to meet the kickoff deadline on Thursday. The decision to do both comes mostly based on my apathy towards the NFC North as a division, however. Without further ado...
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings- These guys surprised a lot of people last year with a late-season bid for a wild-card spot after starting out lousy. Quarterback instability hampered them throughout the season and ultimately the offense (not to mention the terrible secondary) couldn't make the grade. This year the team returns as a favorite to make the playoffs with free agent acquisitions on both sides of the ball. Bernard Berrian of Chicago was signed to be a deep threat for incumbent starter Jackson, and Jared Allen was picked up in a trade to shore up the pass rush. Safety Madieu Williams was also picked up and should provide immediate help for the secondary. Had the quarterback questions been answered (as many thought it would with Favre's return) this team would certainly have become a favorite to many analysts as a Super Bowl contender, but I would hold my hopes for another year or two.
Chicago Bears- There's little to say about this team. Underachievers are abundant on offense and it will be shocking if this squad gets down the field at all. The #1 receiving job has been handed to Marty Booker, a free agent acquisition who was signed after Chicago lost both starting wideouts to free agency (who allowed that to happen, anyway?). That's just sad. Chicago's collective hopes lie in rookie Matt Forte, who has received early buzz and may be one to surprise a lot of people. It's a lot of weight to put on a rookie however, as his backups include an inconsistent Adrian "The Other One" Peterson and a fragile Kevin Jones. One can't help but get the feeling Chicago's management is asleep at the wheel. The defense could return to form but needs to prove last year was nothing more than an anomaly.
Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers needs to prove he's the man Ted Thompson thinks he is, and this team is primed for another Super Bowl run. Simple as that.
Detroit Lions- In all likelihood, Detroit has another year of mediocrity to look forward to. In a hilarious turn of events, the offense has been switched to a more run oriented attack, and yet this team has NO quality/proven runners. Two potentially elite wide receivers, but no proven running back. Anyways, this is likely Jon Kitna's last chance to be productive and cut down on the interceptions before the organization starts thinking replacement. A unit which was second only to Minnesota in receiving yards allowed last season has been rebuilt with some guy from Cleveland who in reality probably won't be the playmaker they need. This team is forever irrelevant. Prove me wrong.
AFC North (aaah that's better)
Pittsburgh Steelers- On the other end of the spectrum from Detroit is this Pittsburgh team which always seems to find it's way into relevance. Even if the team is underperforming, a loud mouth defender will openly guarantee a win against a previously unbeaten team a week before they're due to play each other. As usual, the defense will be stout, particularly against the run, and Troy Polamalu should be back to normal after a season in which he was hampered by injury. There's a few questions at the O-line with the loss of guard Alan Faneca, but this remains to be seen. In my estimation this will be the year in which Santonio Holmes takes over as the premiere wideout above incumbent Hines Ward. His preseason has been impressive and he showed many flashes of potential last season. Rookie Rashard Mendenhall will immediately contribute and may be seen in the all-too-common runningback by committee. Willie Parker is already being seen as on his way out. He may prove some people wrong a la Fred Taylor of Jacksonville last season (more on that tomorrow). They make the playoffs again.
Baltimore Ravens- You heard it here first: The Ravens are actually interested in building a quality offense! Jim Harbaugh's first moves as head coach has been to stress the importance of a dominating offense which isn't overpowered consistently in practice by the ever-awesome defense which single-handedly won them a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they still don't have anyone to throw the ball. With a first round pick the Ravens gambled their future on 1-AA Joe Flacco out of Delaware, but have since eliminated him from the open competition due to the vast adjustments necessary. This leaves Troy Smith and Kyle Boller, who we're all sick of seeing. Troy Smith, on the other hand, is too short, whatever that means. I asy go with the Heisman winner. Willis McGahee will be the center of this offense while a quarterback is born, with rookie Ray Rice of Rutgers (alliteration!) backing him up competently. Oh, the defense is pretty good, too. Welcome back to the AFC North basement, boys.
Cincinnati Bengals- If this offense coupled with the Ravens' defense, the end result would be a quality team capable of being a dynasty. Unfortunately, the remaining halves joining forces would look something like the Miami Dolphins of '07. With even a halfway competent defense the Bengals could go a long way, but unfortunately this isn't the case, even with defensive guru Marvin Lewis (who originally was the D Coordinator for...yup you guessed it, the Ravens) in tow. Carson Palmer is an elite field general and is a shoe-in for 4,000 yards if his receivers can stay in the game. Houshmandzadeh is in a contract year and will be motivated to produce, while Chad Johnson (Chad Ocho Cinco?) appears to be ignoring an injury. This may or may not be disastrous to a team which is a bit light in receiver depth. Rudi Johnson was dropped on Saturday which means oft-injured Chris Perry should get the starting nod with Kenny Watson in a backup role. Hopefully the Bengals have taken strides to improve the Swiss cheese defense, but nothing comes to mind.
Cleveland Browns- Can someone tell me what a Brown is? The mascot's a dog but.. ah nevermind. This team is finally looking ready to compete and is very much in the position Cincinnati would like to be- namely a playoff caliber offense and a defense which can keep up on a good day. Surprise star Derek Anderson returns as a starter, with Brady Quinn waiting in the shadows should he turn into the lame duck we all took him for a year ago. With a receiving unit like Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth, Anderson will have plenty of targets and a reliable deep threat. Braylon Edwards will be a big red zone target and should take a lot of double team coverage off of the receiving unit. Jamal Lewis is a year older, and should he have a setback there isn't much behind him in terms of talent. The defense picked up Shaun Rogers from Detroit over the offseason and he should help lock up the middle in a somewhat run-happy division. These guys make the playoffs in what seems like a hundred years.
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings- These guys surprised a lot of people last year with a late-season bid for a wild-card spot after starting out lousy. Quarterback instability hampered them throughout the season and ultimately the offense (not to mention the terrible secondary) couldn't make the grade. This year the team returns as a favorite to make the playoffs with free agent acquisitions on both sides of the ball. Bernard Berrian of Chicago was signed to be a deep threat for incumbent starter Jackson, and Jared Allen was picked up in a trade to shore up the pass rush. Safety Madieu Williams was also picked up and should provide immediate help for the secondary. Had the quarterback questions been answered (as many thought it would with Favre's return) this team would certainly have become a favorite to many analysts as a Super Bowl contender, but I would hold my hopes for another year or two.
Chicago Bears- There's little to say about this team. Underachievers are abundant on offense and it will be shocking if this squad gets down the field at all. The #1 receiving job has been handed to Marty Booker, a free agent acquisition who was signed after Chicago lost both starting wideouts to free agency (who allowed that to happen, anyway?). That's just sad. Chicago's collective hopes lie in rookie Matt Forte, who has received early buzz and may be one to surprise a lot of people. It's a lot of weight to put on a rookie however, as his backups include an inconsistent Adrian "The Other One" Peterson and a fragile Kevin Jones. One can't help but get the feeling Chicago's management is asleep at the wheel. The defense could return to form but needs to prove last year was nothing more than an anomaly.
Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers needs to prove he's the man Ted Thompson thinks he is, and this team is primed for another Super Bowl run. Simple as that.
Detroit Lions- In all likelihood, Detroit has another year of mediocrity to look forward to. In a hilarious turn of events, the offense has been switched to a more run oriented attack, and yet this team has NO quality/proven runners. Two potentially elite wide receivers, but no proven running back. Anyways, this is likely Jon Kitna's last chance to be productive and cut down on the interceptions before the organization starts thinking replacement. A unit which was second only to Minnesota in receiving yards allowed last season has been rebuilt with some guy from Cleveland who in reality probably won't be the playmaker they need. This team is forever irrelevant. Prove me wrong.
AFC North (aaah that's better)
Pittsburgh Steelers- On the other end of the spectrum from Detroit is this Pittsburgh team which always seems to find it's way into relevance. Even if the team is underperforming, a loud mouth defender will openly guarantee a win against a previously unbeaten team a week before they're due to play each other. As usual, the defense will be stout, particularly against the run, and Troy Polamalu should be back to normal after a season in which he was hampered by injury. There's a few questions at the O-line with the loss of guard Alan Faneca, but this remains to be seen. In my estimation this will be the year in which Santonio Holmes takes over as the premiere wideout above incumbent Hines Ward. His preseason has been impressive and he showed many flashes of potential last season. Rookie Rashard Mendenhall will immediately contribute and may be seen in the all-too-common runningback by committee. Willie Parker is already being seen as on his way out. He may prove some people wrong a la Fred Taylor of Jacksonville last season (more on that tomorrow). They make the playoffs again.
Baltimore Ravens- You heard it here first: The Ravens are actually interested in building a quality offense! Jim Harbaugh's first moves as head coach has been to stress the importance of a dominating offense which isn't overpowered consistently in practice by the ever-awesome defense which single-handedly won them a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they still don't have anyone to throw the ball. With a first round pick the Ravens gambled their future on 1-AA Joe Flacco out of Delaware, but have since eliminated him from the open competition due to the vast adjustments necessary. This leaves Troy Smith and Kyle Boller, who we're all sick of seeing. Troy Smith, on the other hand, is too short, whatever that means. I asy go with the Heisman winner. Willis McGahee will be the center of this offense while a quarterback is born, with rookie Ray Rice of Rutgers (alliteration!) backing him up competently. Oh, the defense is pretty good, too. Welcome back to the AFC North basement, boys.
Cincinnati Bengals- If this offense coupled with the Ravens' defense, the end result would be a quality team capable of being a dynasty. Unfortunately, the remaining halves joining forces would look something like the Miami Dolphins of '07. With even a halfway competent defense the Bengals could go a long way, but unfortunately this isn't the case, even with defensive guru Marvin Lewis (who originally was the D Coordinator for...yup you guessed it, the Ravens) in tow. Carson Palmer is an elite field general and is a shoe-in for 4,000 yards if his receivers can stay in the game. Houshmandzadeh is in a contract year and will be motivated to produce, while Chad Johnson (Chad Ocho Cinco?) appears to be ignoring an injury. This may or may not be disastrous to a team which is a bit light in receiver depth. Rudi Johnson was dropped on Saturday which means oft-injured Chris Perry should get the starting nod with Kenny Watson in a backup role. Hopefully the Bengals have taken strides to improve the Swiss cheese defense, but nothing comes to mind.
Cleveland Browns- Can someone tell me what a Brown is? The mascot's a dog but.. ah nevermind. This team is finally looking ready to compete and is very much in the position Cincinnati would like to be- namely a playoff caliber offense and a defense which can keep up on a good day. Surprise star Derek Anderson returns as a starter, with Brady Quinn waiting in the shadows should he turn into the lame duck we all took him for a year ago. With a receiving unit like Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth, Anderson will have plenty of targets and a reliable deep threat. Braylon Edwards will be a big red zone target and should take a lot of double team coverage off of the receiving unit. Jamal Lewis is a year older, and should he have a setback there isn't much behind him in terms of talent. The defense picked up Shaun Rogers from Detroit over the offseason and he should help lock up the middle in a somewhat run-happy division. These guys make the playoffs in what seems like a hundred years.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
NFL Preview- AFC East
Today we preview the AFC East which has been infused with some much needed divisional competition over the offseason. Simply put, the New England Patriots will no longer have six guaranteed wins a year. Maybe just two or three.
New York Jets- Despite perhaps the biggest trade acquisition of the year at QB, if New York (Jersey?) is looking for another championship they aren't likely to find one here. Unfortunately for Favre, who was interested primarily in making a comeback for another run at a title, the Jets still have too many holes to win out in what has become a very crowded conference. The Jets signed the marquee lineman of the offseason, guard Alan Faneca, away from the Steelers which should help answer some questions on the O-line, but Favre should still find himself running from defenders quite a bit more often than he's used to. Fortunately, he's got a couple of bright young receivers in Laverneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, to say nothing of his favorite rookie target Dustin Keller, a former Boilermaker. It looks as though Cotchery may surface as the preferred target ahead of Coles, who has been the unquestioned No. 1 wideout for several seasons. The running game should see an increase in productivity now that Favre will keep defensese honest, and Thomas Jones may return to the form he showed as a Pro Bowl caliber back in 2006. The defense is another question mark, and 1st round pick Vernon Gholston has been cited by many as being initially the biggest bust of the draft, though it's a bit early to judge don't you think? The Jets are certainly poised to make a run at the playoffs, perhaps as a wild-card, but I don't see them getting past their divisional rivals the Patriots or several other AFC teams who have had longer to develop.
Buffalo Bills- Another new contender in the AFC East, the Bills have been kept out of the playoff picture since 1999 and look poised to make a case for themselves. After a season which saw many key players on Injured Reserve and a change at QB, the future looks bright on both sides of the ball. The defense has looked impressive in most showings during the preseason, and on the other side of the ball, Trent Edwards looks to have developed well over the offseason. The Bills are fortunate to have a potential elite running back in Marshawn Lynch, one of the few every-down backs left. Turk Schonert, former QB coach, has been promoted to offensive coordinator and has professed an interest in making Lynch the centerpiece of his offensive scheme. A wise move indeed, considering Edwards is coming into his second year and will need time to develop into the quality field general the organization is hoping he will become. First round pick Leodis McKelvin will soon become a fine complement to Terrence McGee and likely will spend his first season filling in the nickel defense. In the meantime, he's looked like a stud at kick returns and may contribute thusly. Though it may be too early to be talking championships, the Bills are returning to form and should be able to look forward to their first winning season in nearly five years.
New England Patriots- Ahh, the team everyone has come to love to hate. There's little to say about these perrenial contenders, except that despite many analyses to the contrary, I don't believe the Patriots will repeat their Super Bowl appearance or their domination of the entire league. The Giants cracked the code on the Patriots seemingly unbeatable offensive scheme and I expect many able teams will follow suit. The pass rush is the key to unraveling the Wonderboy and his cronies.
Miami Dolphins- This team has made perhaps the greatest remodel in the league, and unfortunately will not have much to show for it this season. That said, Miami has been liberal in flushing out the veterans of worth and getting future draft picks in return for them. This spells success in terms of rebuilding. Parcells as VP/General Manager will soon become the envy of the league as he rapidly rebuilds a team which hit an all-time low in the previous season. The running game should be bright with the return of Ronnie Brown and a renewed Ricky Williams backing him up and ready to start should Brown have a setback, and the O-line's ability to create holes for the run was one of the few abilities which were present in the 07-08 incarnation, and this should be the case this year as well. Capable, steady Chad Pennington is a perfect fit for Miami, a team and its fanbase which is simply looking for stability at the position rather than a big arm and outstanding plays. He should have a couple of good years left in him, and provides a great mentor for rookie Chad Henne out of Michigan. Miami, get comfortable in the basement of the AFC East, you've got another rough season to get through.
New York Jets- Despite perhaps the biggest trade acquisition of the year at QB, if New York (Jersey?) is looking for another championship they aren't likely to find one here. Unfortunately for Favre, who was interested primarily in making a comeback for another run at a title, the Jets still have too many holes to win out in what has become a very crowded conference. The Jets signed the marquee lineman of the offseason, guard Alan Faneca, away from the Steelers which should help answer some questions on the O-line, but Favre should still find himself running from defenders quite a bit more often than he's used to. Fortunately, he's got a couple of bright young receivers in Laverneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, to say nothing of his favorite rookie target Dustin Keller, a former Boilermaker. It looks as though Cotchery may surface as the preferred target ahead of Coles, who has been the unquestioned No. 1 wideout for several seasons. The running game should see an increase in productivity now that Favre will keep defensese honest, and Thomas Jones may return to the form he showed as a Pro Bowl caliber back in 2006. The defense is another question mark, and 1st round pick Vernon Gholston has been cited by many as being initially the biggest bust of the draft, though it's a bit early to judge don't you think? The Jets are certainly poised to make a run at the playoffs, perhaps as a wild-card, but I don't see them getting past their divisional rivals the Patriots or several other AFC teams who have had longer to develop.
Buffalo Bills- Another new contender in the AFC East, the Bills have been kept out of the playoff picture since 1999 and look poised to make a case for themselves. After a season which saw many key players on Injured Reserve and a change at QB, the future looks bright on both sides of the ball. The defense has looked impressive in most showings during the preseason, and on the other side of the ball, Trent Edwards looks to have developed well over the offseason. The Bills are fortunate to have a potential elite running back in Marshawn Lynch, one of the few every-down backs left. Turk Schonert, former QB coach, has been promoted to offensive coordinator and has professed an interest in making Lynch the centerpiece of his offensive scheme. A wise move indeed, considering Edwards is coming into his second year and will need time to develop into the quality field general the organization is hoping he will become. First round pick Leodis McKelvin will soon become a fine complement to Terrence McGee and likely will spend his first season filling in the nickel defense. In the meantime, he's looked like a stud at kick returns and may contribute thusly. Though it may be too early to be talking championships, the Bills are returning to form and should be able to look forward to their first winning season in nearly five years.
New England Patriots- Ahh, the team everyone has come to love to hate. There's little to say about these perrenial contenders, except that despite many analyses to the contrary, I don't believe the Patriots will repeat their Super Bowl appearance or their domination of the entire league. The Giants cracked the code on the Patriots seemingly unbeatable offensive scheme and I expect many able teams will follow suit. The pass rush is the key to unraveling the Wonderboy and his cronies.
Miami Dolphins- This team has made perhaps the greatest remodel in the league, and unfortunately will not have much to show for it this season. That said, Miami has been liberal in flushing out the veterans of worth and getting future draft picks in return for them. This spells success in terms of rebuilding. Parcells as VP/General Manager will soon become the envy of the league as he rapidly rebuilds a team which hit an all-time low in the previous season. The running game should be bright with the return of Ronnie Brown and a renewed Ricky Williams backing him up and ready to start should Brown have a setback, and the O-line's ability to create holes for the run was one of the few abilities which were present in the 07-08 incarnation, and this should be the case this year as well. Capable, steady Chad Pennington is a perfect fit for Miami, a team and its fanbase which is simply looking for stability at the position rather than a big arm and outstanding plays. He should have a couple of good years left in him, and provides a great mentor for rookie Chad Henne out of Michigan. Miami, get comfortable in the basement of the AFC East, you've got another rough season to get through.
One happy guy and hundreds of crying dudes....
Today is NFL Cut Day, signifying that all NFL teams must trim their rosters to a lean 53 players. Rather than spend the entire day listing names I and most likely you have never heard of, I'm simply going to link you to the NFL's blog so they can do the work for me.
Among the more interesting cuts were former 49er first-round pick Ashley Lelie, Bengals RB Rudi Johnson and T Willie Anderson, Former Tampa starting QB Chris Simms (he's the happy one), and perhaps the most amusing of all- Joey Harrington of Atlanta for the SECOND time this season and Marcus Pollard also of Atlanta (for like 3 seconds) for the THIRD time by three different teams. Time to hand up the pads, broseph.
Ahhh the drama..
Among the more interesting cuts were former 49er first-round pick Ashley Lelie, Bengals RB Rudi Johnson and T Willie Anderson, Former Tampa starting QB Chris Simms (he's the happy one), and perhaps the most amusing of all- Joey Harrington of Atlanta for the SECOND time this season and Marcus Pollard also of Atlanta (for like 3 seconds) for the THIRD time by three different teams. Time to hand up the pads, broseph.
Ahhh the drama..
Friday, August 29, 2008
NFL Preview
As we wind down the final days of the offseason, I will be posting team-by-team previews organized by division. Ideally, one division a day would be posted, but as there are more divisions than days left (hell yeah) I'll do two divisions on the days of my choosing. Today we'll begin with the NFC East, arguably the most competitive division in the league.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: After a season in which seemingly the entire starting unit was elected to the Pro Bowl and few losses to free agency, it's hard to imagine the 'Boys not taking this division once again. The Cowboys had two first round picks in the draft in which they took Michael Jenkins (CB) and Felix Jones (RB). Free agent acquisition Adam Jones, who was recently reinstated by the NFL, should provide immediate help in the nickel package. With this stack of talent, they definitely look at ready as ever to make a serious run all the way to Tampa. However, as recent years have proved it's easy for a good team to be eliminated from the playoffs when they aren't postseason ready. Romo and Co. are going to have to prove they have what it takes this year if they are going to be champions. Especially in this division.
New York Giants: The reigning Super Bowl champions took a major hit this week when standout defensive end Osi Umenyiora when down with a season-ending knee injury. Couple this with the fact that the G-Men have lost two additional D-lineman to free agency and retirement (Mitchell and Strahan, respectively) and a repeat win for New York looks bleak. The offensive unit returns mostly intact, but one must remember that Eli Manning, despite being the Super Bowl MVP, is still very much under the microscope and does not come into the season as an elite field general. Additionally, Amani Toomer isn't getting any younger and one of these days his age will start to show. This shouldn't be an issue if one of the receivers that they take annually in the draft pan out to be even a second receiver.
Philadelphia Eagles: As usual, Donovan McNabb can't stress enough to the media how ready he is to return to the star caliber he once showed the league. And, as usual, the organization made little effort to secure anything even closely resembling a proven, reliable wideout. Second-round pick DeSean Jackson of California should make an immediate impact returning kicks and, looking at those ahead of him on the depth chart, could make a bid for a starting receiving job by mid-season. The running game will be as stellar as ever with Brian Westbrook returning once again to run all over defenses and tackle himself at the 1-yard line. Will they make the playoffs? In this division, I don't see it happening, and if anything the Eagles will enter as an NFC wild-card.
Washington Redskins: After the departure of legendary Joe Gibbs, little else has changed for a team which made a remarkable end-of-season run to make the playoffs as a wild-card. Jason Campbell is still unproven, the receivers still the same underachievers they were last year, and Chris Cooley still a dominant force at the tight end position. Clinton Portis returns with a more than capable Ladell Betts backing him up, What looks to be a fairly stout defense should hold the Redskins afloat while Campbell gains ground, and this team could challenge New York for the second spot in the division. I'd put my money on a return to the wild-card spot or a "just-miss" based on the merits of a new coach.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: After a season in which seemingly the entire starting unit was elected to the Pro Bowl and few losses to free agency, it's hard to imagine the 'Boys not taking this division once again. The Cowboys had two first round picks in the draft in which they took Michael Jenkins (CB) and Felix Jones (RB). Free agent acquisition Adam Jones, who was recently reinstated by the NFL, should provide immediate help in the nickel package. With this stack of talent, they definitely look at ready as ever to make a serious run all the way to Tampa. However, as recent years have proved it's easy for a good team to be eliminated from the playoffs when they aren't postseason ready. Romo and Co. are going to have to prove they have what it takes this year if they are going to be champions. Especially in this division.
New York Giants: The reigning Super Bowl champions took a major hit this week when standout defensive end Osi Umenyiora when down with a season-ending knee injury. Couple this with the fact that the G-Men have lost two additional D-lineman to free agency and retirement (Mitchell and Strahan, respectively) and a repeat win for New York looks bleak. The offensive unit returns mostly intact, but one must remember that Eli Manning, despite being the Super Bowl MVP, is still very much under the microscope and does not come into the season as an elite field general. Additionally, Amani Toomer isn't getting any younger and one of these days his age will start to show. This shouldn't be an issue if one of the receivers that they take annually in the draft pan out to be even a second receiver.
Philadelphia Eagles: As usual, Donovan McNabb can't stress enough to the media how ready he is to return to the star caliber he once showed the league. And, as usual, the organization made little effort to secure anything even closely resembling a proven, reliable wideout. Second-round pick DeSean Jackson of California should make an immediate impact returning kicks and, looking at those ahead of him on the depth chart, could make a bid for a starting receiving job by mid-season. The running game will be as stellar as ever with Brian Westbrook returning once again to run all over defenses and tackle himself at the 1-yard line. Will they make the playoffs? In this division, I don't see it happening, and if anything the Eagles will enter as an NFC wild-card.
Washington Redskins: After the departure of legendary Joe Gibbs, little else has changed for a team which made a remarkable end-of-season run to make the playoffs as a wild-card. Jason Campbell is still unproven, the receivers still the same underachievers they were last year, and Chris Cooley still a dominant force at the tight end position. Clinton Portis returns with a more than capable Ladell Betts backing him up, What looks to be a fairly stout defense should hold the Redskins afloat while Campbell gains ground, and this team could challenge New York for the second spot in the division. I'd put my money on a return to the wild-card spot or a "just-miss" based on the merits of a new coach.
Maybe it was the hair...
If you get swept by the Nationals, expect to be relevant in about four more seasons. Manny Ramirez was supposed to bring the Dodgers a slugger who could drive in the runs and give the starting rotation some help. Instead he's acclimated quite smoothly into the overall apathy and lack of drive which has characterized the season in Los Angeles. As a team they're batting in the mid .200s and even the pitching has dumped off with a team ERA of 6.06. For an organization which gave up a considerable amount of its future prospects for a crack at the post season, the guys in the clubhouse just can't seem to get past the Diamondbacks who have (quite apathetically as well) held first place throughout the season. The two meet up starting this weekend for a three game series which many believe is absolutely crucial for the Dodgers to claim.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
NC State's Wilson Removed from the Field on a Stretcher
Near the 9'oclock hour (EST), Russel Wilson went down with a presumed neck injury while running the ball downfield. While being carted off the field, Wilson was able to move his arms suggesting that he will not be paralyzed, though no other speculation has come forth at this time. In a bold attempt to comfort his team and the fans, Wilson could be seen multiple times giving a thumbs up. Daniel Evans came in to replace Wilson after he was removed from the field en route to a local hospital for observation.
Update: Medics on site have declared the initial injury to be a concussion, though little information is yet available and further injuries could present themselves.
Update: Medics on site have declared the initial injury to be a concussion, though little information is yet available and further injuries could present themselves.
Goodell reinstates Pacman...
Thursday morning, Roger Goodell formerly reinstated Adam "Pacman" Jones to the NFL. The decision comes in time for Pacman to be eligible for the opening game versus the Cleveland Browns. Yes, I know he doesn't want to be called Pacman anymore, but being a small-time blogger, let's see him do something about it.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
After four opinions, Merriman still doesn't get it...
After crossing the country to find a doctor who would endorse his desire to play through the 2008 season despite two torn ligaments in his knee, Shawn Merriman has decided he can go without said endorsement (and apparently, the knee). Though the injury is potentially career threatening, Merriman has an intense desire to play which would be admirable were it not for the immense lack of self-preservation on display. At 24 years old, Merriman has only just entered his prime and is ready to confront a possible end to his career should the damage to his knee further escalate. The question arises of whether the Chargers as an organization are wise to allow him to play when in the long run they would be safer to bench him. This speaks to the overwhelming feeling that the Chargers are entering a "make or break" season as their talent continues to age.
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