In a shocking development, Kansas Chiefs LT Willie Roaf has announced his retirement.
Got to give credit to Mike Florio, the "Grand Poobah" at www.profootballtalk.com for publishing the rumor earlier this morning. According to PFT, Roaf's retirement has been rumored in league circles for quite some time.
This is not a good way for the Chiefs training camp to begin. Roaf was the anchor on the left-side of a very good, often dominant Chiefs offensive line, and the Chiefs are without an adequate replacement for the 11-time Pro Bowler.
Jordan Black filled in at left tackle when Roaf missed 6 games in 2005, and the team does have former Saints and Rams tackle Kyle Turley in camp. Turley hasn't played in an NFL game since 2003.
Chiefs fans are sure to be devastated by the news, as the Chiefs appear to be better than the 2005 version that won 10 games and missed the playoffs. But Roaf's retirement sheds some light on the big picture in Kansas City. Many of the key players, on both sides of the ball, are of the age where skills begin to deteriorate, and over the next season or two, the Chiefs will have no choice but to rebuild.
For you fantasy players, this will most likely impact the top of fantasy football drafts. Larry Johnson is the consensus #1 pick, but with Roaf's retirement, the Chiefs ground game is sure to suffer in 2006.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Bentley to Miss '06 Season; More 1st Round Signings
Bad news for the Cleveland Browns yesterday, as center LeCharles Bentley, the cornerstone of the Browns' effort to rebuild their offensive line, will miss the entire 2006 season due to a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
More 1st Rounders Sign
By Monday morning, every NFL team's training camp will be underway, and as expected, more and more first rounders have signed their first NFL contracts.
Here's an updated list:
1. Houston - DE, Mario Williams - signed
2. New Orleans - RB, Reggie Bush - unsigned
3. Tennessee - QB, Vince Young - signed
4. NY Jets - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson - signed
5. Green Bay - LB, AJ Hawk - unsigned
6. San Francisco - TE, Vernon Davis - unsigned
7. Oakland - S, Michael Huff - signed
8. Buffalo - S, Donte Whitner - unsigned
9. Detroit - LB, Ernie Sims - unsigned
10. Arizona - QB, Matt Leinart - unsigned
11. Denver - QB, Jay Cutler - signed
12. Baltimore - DT, Haloti Ngata - unsigned
13. Cleveland - LB/DE, Kamerion Wimbley - signed
14. Philadelphia - DT, Brodrick Bunkley - unsigned
15. St. Louis - CB, Tye Hill - unsigned
16. Miami - S, Jason Allen - unsigned
17. Minnesota - LB, Chad Greenway - signed/agree in principle
18. Dallas - LB, Bobby Carpenter - unsigned
19. San Diego - CB, Antonio Cromartie - signed
20. Kansas City - DE, Tamba Hali - signed
21. New England - RB, Laurence Maroney - signed
22. San Francisco - LB, Manny Lawson - signed
23. Tampa Bay - OG, Davin Joseph - unsigned
24. Cincinnati - CB, Jonathan Joseph - unsigned (and won't be signed until he breaks the law)
25. Pittsburgh - WR, Santonio Holmes - signed
26. Buffalo - DT, John McCargo - unsigned
27. Carolina - RB, DeAngelo Williams - signed
28. Jacksonville - TE, Marcedes Lewis - signed
29. NY Jets - C, Nick Mangold - signed
30. Indianapolis - RB, Joseph Addai - unsigned
31. Seattle - CB, Kelly Jennings - unsigned
32. NY Giants - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka - signed
Snag In Seahawks/Jennings Negotiations?
Mike Sando, who covers the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune, offered up a potential snag in the negotiations between the Seahawks and their 1st round pick, CB Kelly Jennings in his blog yesterday.
Basically, Sando writes that because the Giants guaranteed a lot of money early in the contract signed by Matthias Kiwanuka, who was selected one spot after Jennings, the rookie cornerback could ask for similar assurances. Assurances of which Seattle have not been willing to make.
Sando also mentioned that now that while Ben Dogra is currently listed as Kelly Jennings' agent, Dogra and his partner Jim Stein have teamed up with an agency led by Tom Condon, who negotiated the "poison pill" contract that led to Steve Hutchinson bolting for Minnesota, and Kiwanuka's deal with the Giants.
While I don't believe that an agent like Condon would have a vendetta against the Seahawks, it's unlikely that Condon will be receiving a Christmas card from Tim Ruskell this year.
My take? Conspiracy theories are nice, and juicier stories always grab headlines, but I don't think it'll take long for the Seahawks to sign Jennings, who could conceivably start this year for the Seahawks.
I'm sure Seahawk Nation will be on edge if Jennings isn't signed when camp opens up, but last year, neither of the team's top two picks (Chris Spencer and Lofa Tatupu) were in Cheney on Day 1 of camp.
With everyone picked around Jennings (with the exception of Colts RB Joseph Addai), the framework of a contract are firmly in place. I fully expect to see a 5-year deal worth anywhere from $6.9-$7.5M, with $5M in guaranteed money signed before the weekend is over.
More 1st Rounders Sign
By Monday morning, every NFL team's training camp will be underway, and as expected, more and more first rounders have signed their first NFL contracts.
Here's an updated list:
1. Houston - DE, Mario Williams - signed
2. New Orleans - RB, Reggie Bush - unsigned
3. Tennessee - QB, Vince Young - signed
4. NY Jets - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson - signed
5. Green Bay - LB, AJ Hawk - unsigned
6. San Francisco - TE, Vernon Davis - unsigned
7. Oakland - S, Michael Huff - signed
8. Buffalo - S, Donte Whitner - unsigned
9. Detroit - LB, Ernie Sims - unsigned
10. Arizona - QB, Matt Leinart - unsigned
11. Denver - QB, Jay Cutler - signed
12. Baltimore - DT, Haloti Ngata - unsigned
13. Cleveland - LB/DE, Kamerion Wimbley - signed
14. Philadelphia - DT, Brodrick Bunkley - unsigned
15. St. Louis - CB, Tye Hill - unsigned
16. Miami - S, Jason Allen - unsigned
17. Minnesota - LB, Chad Greenway - signed/agree in principle
18. Dallas - LB, Bobby Carpenter - unsigned
19. San Diego - CB, Antonio Cromartie - signed
20. Kansas City - DE, Tamba Hali - signed
21. New England - RB, Laurence Maroney - signed
22. San Francisco - LB, Manny Lawson - signed
23. Tampa Bay - OG, Davin Joseph - unsigned
24. Cincinnati - CB, Jonathan Joseph - unsigned (and won't be signed until he breaks the law)
25. Pittsburgh - WR, Santonio Holmes - signed
26. Buffalo - DT, John McCargo - unsigned
27. Carolina - RB, DeAngelo Williams - signed
28. Jacksonville - TE, Marcedes Lewis - signed
29. NY Jets - C, Nick Mangold - signed
30. Indianapolis - RB, Joseph Addai - unsigned
31. Seattle - CB, Kelly Jennings - unsigned
32. NY Giants - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka - signed
Snag In Seahawks/Jennings Negotiations?
Mike Sando, who covers the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune, offered up a potential snag in the negotiations between the Seahawks and their 1st round pick, CB Kelly Jennings in his blog yesterday.
Basically, Sando writes that because the Giants guaranteed a lot of money early in the contract signed by Matthias Kiwanuka, who was selected one spot after Jennings, the rookie cornerback could ask for similar assurances. Assurances of which Seattle have not been willing to make.
Sando also mentioned that now that while Ben Dogra is currently listed as Kelly Jennings' agent, Dogra and his partner Jim Stein have teamed up with an agency led by Tom Condon, who negotiated the "poison pill" contract that led to Steve Hutchinson bolting for Minnesota, and Kiwanuka's deal with the Giants.
While I don't believe that an agent like Condon would have a vendetta against the Seahawks, it's unlikely that Condon will be receiving a Christmas card from Tim Ruskell this year.
My take? Conspiracy theories are nice, and juicier stories always grab headlines, but I don't think it'll take long for the Seahawks to sign Jennings, who could conceivably start this year for the Seahawks.
I'm sure Seahawk Nation will be on edge if Jennings isn't signed when camp opens up, but last year, neither of the team's top two picks (Chris Spencer and Lofa Tatupu) were in Cheney on Day 1 of camp.
With everyone picked around Jennings (with the exception of Colts RB Joseph Addai), the framework of a contract are firmly in place. I fully expect to see a 5-year deal worth anywhere from $6.9-$7.5M, with $5M in guaranteed money signed before the weekend is over.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
'Hawks Sign Tapp, Obomanu
The Seattle Seahawks have officially signed 2nd round pick Darry Tapp (DE, Virginia Tech), as well as 7th round pick Ben Obomanu (WR, Auburn).
Rob Sims (OG, Ohio State) was signed on Wednesday, and Ryan Plackemeier (P, Wake Forest) and David Kirtman (FB, USC) signed their deals a few weeks ago.
The lone unsigned draft pick for the Seahawks is currently Kelly Jennings (CB, Miami), who was the 31st selection in April's draft. With the Jaguars signing of Marcedes Lewis (the 28th pick) and the Giants signing Matthias Kiwanuka (the 32nd pick), one can expect a deal between Seattle and Jennings to get done rather quickly.
It is a common practice of the Seattle Seahawks to keep all agreements private until the ink meets the paper. You'll notice several teams announcing that they've reached an "agreement in principle" with a player (ex: Chad Greenway and Minnesota), but most teams refrain from this as just about anything is possible from the time a contract is agreed to and when it's actually signed.
Chad Brown Re-Signs With Pats
Last year, Chad Brown was saddled with a decision. After being released by the Seattle Seahawks in a salary-cap manuever, Brown had a list of 3 teams that wanted his services.
Brown had spent 8 seasons in the Emerald City, and while Seattle was in the process of rebuilding their defense, they wanted Brown as a pass-rush specialist.
Pittsburgh, where Brown spent the first few years of his career, also was interested in Brown.
New England, who lost linebackers Teddy Johnson and Roman Phifer to retirement, and still weren't sure if Tedy Bruschi would return, also had an interest in Brown, who started off in a 3-4 alignment and is the type of versatile guy New England typically targets.
Brown wanted to win a Super Bowl, and he figured that New England was the safest bet.
Whoops!
Brown did not have much of an impact in New England, and once Tedy Bruschi returned to the lineup, Brown all but disappeared. Quite frankly, he looked absolutely lost in his first season back in a 3-4 defense.
Despite all that, Chad Brown has re-signed with the New England Patriots.
Rob Sims (OG, Ohio State) was signed on Wednesday, and Ryan Plackemeier (P, Wake Forest) and David Kirtman (FB, USC) signed their deals a few weeks ago.
The lone unsigned draft pick for the Seahawks is currently Kelly Jennings (CB, Miami), who was the 31st selection in April's draft. With the Jaguars signing of Marcedes Lewis (the 28th pick) and the Giants signing Matthias Kiwanuka (the 32nd pick), one can expect a deal between Seattle and Jennings to get done rather quickly.
It is a common practice of the Seattle Seahawks to keep all agreements private until the ink meets the paper. You'll notice several teams announcing that they've reached an "agreement in principle" with a player (ex: Chad Greenway and Minnesota), but most teams refrain from this as just about anything is possible from the time a contract is agreed to and when it's actually signed.
Chad Brown Re-Signs With Pats
Last year, Chad Brown was saddled with a decision. After being released by the Seattle Seahawks in a salary-cap manuever, Brown had a list of 3 teams that wanted his services.
Brown had spent 8 seasons in the Emerald City, and while Seattle was in the process of rebuilding their defense, they wanted Brown as a pass-rush specialist.
Pittsburgh, where Brown spent the first few years of his career, also was interested in Brown.
New England, who lost linebackers Teddy Johnson and Roman Phifer to retirement, and still weren't sure if Tedy Bruschi would return, also had an interest in Brown, who started off in a 3-4 alignment and is the type of versatile guy New England typically targets.
Brown wanted to win a Super Bowl, and he figured that New England was the safest bet.
Whoops!
Brown did not have much of an impact in New England, and once Tedy Bruschi returned to the lineup, Brown all but disappeared. Quite frankly, he looked absolutely lost in his first season back in a 3-4 defense.
Despite all that, Chad Brown has re-signed with the New England Patriots.
Bentley First TC Casualty?
Heading into 2006, and Romeo Crennel's second year as the top "dawg", Cleveland fans have a lot to be excited about.
Sergeant Winslow and Braylon Edwards are back, and reportedly healthy. Joe Jurevicius was signed to give second year QB Charlie Frye with a big, veteran target. Willie McGinest was signed to rush the passer and mentor Kamerion Wimbley, the team's 1st round pick in April, and Cleveland added planetoid Ted Washington to fill the NT slot.
And then something like this happens.
One of the more solid manuevers the Browns did in free agency was overhaul the offensive line by signing LT Kevin Shaffer from Atlanta and Bentley, who is expected to start at center.
It's too soon to tell what the extent of Bentley's knee injury is, the preliminary reports do not sound good. The lone bright spot is that as long as it's not a torn ligament, the regular season is still 6 weeks away, which should allow plenty of time for the knee to recover.
Turdman to Miss 4 Games
The secret wasn't very well kept, so the news that Odell Thurman will miss the first month of the 2006 season for violating the league's substance policy isn't much of a shock.
More 1st Rounders Sign
As the weekend approaches, and more training camps open up, it seems that not an hour goes by without another NFL team signing their 1st round picks.
Last night, the top Jets pick, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who was selected 4th overall, agreed to terms on a contract expected to pay him nearly $18M in guaranteed money. The team's other 1st round pick, center Nick Mangold, is expected to be signed, sealed and delivered by the time the Jets start practice on Friday morning.
Since Houston had already signed Mario Williams, the #1 pick this year, and the Jets have now signed Ferguson, the slotting for the contracts of Reggie Bush and Vince Young are in place. The one potential snag is that Bush and Young are "skill position" players, which could prompt their representatives to seek more lucrative deals.
Signing Status of 2006 1st Round Picks
1. Houston - DE, Mario Williams - signed
2. New Orleans - RB, Reggie Bush - unsigned
3. Tennessee - QB, Vince Young - unsigned
4. NY Jets - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson - signed
5. Green Bay - LB, AJ Hawk - unsigned
6. San Francisco - TE, Vernon Davis - unsigned
7. Oakland - S, Michael Huff - signed
8. Buffalo - S, Donte Whitner - unsigned
9. Detroit - LB, Ernie Sims - unsigned
10. Arizona - QB, Matt Leinart - unsigned
11. Denver - QB, Jay Cutler - unsigned
12. Baltimore - DT, Haloti Ngata - unsigned
13. Cleveland - LB/DE, Kamerion Wimbley - signed
14. Philadelphia - DT, Brodrick Bunkley - unsigned
15. St. Louis - CB, Tye Hill - unsigned
16. Miami - S, Jason Allen - unsigned
17. Minnesota - LB, Chad Greenway - signed/agree in principle
18. Dallas - LB, Bobby Carpenter - unsigned
19. San Diego - CB, Antonio Cromartie - signed
20. Kansas City - DE, Tamba Hali - unsigned
21. New England - RB, Laurence Maroney - unsigned
22. San Francisco - LB, Manny Lawson - unsigned
23. Tampa Bay - OG, Davin Joseph - unsigned
24. Cincinnati - CB, Jonathan Joseph - unsigned (and won't be signed until he breaks the law)
25. Pittsburgh - WR, Santonio Holmes - signed
26. Buffalo - DT, John McCargo - unsigned
27. Carolina - RB, DeAngelo Williams - unsigned
28. Jacksonville - TE, Marcedes Lewis - signed
29. NY Jets - C, Nick Mangold - unsigned
30. Indianapolis - RB, Joseph Addai - unsigned
31. Seattle - CB, Kelly Jennings - unsigned
32. NY Giants - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka - signed
Sergeant Winslow and Braylon Edwards are back, and reportedly healthy. Joe Jurevicius was signed to give second year QB Charlie Frye with a big, veteran target. Willie McGinest was signed to rush the passer and mentor Kamerion Wimbley, the team's 1st round pick in April, and Cleveland added planetoid Ted Washington to fill the NT slot.
And then something like this happens.
One of the more solid manuevers the Browns did in free agency was overhaul the offensive line by signing LT Kevin Shaffer from Atlanta and Bentley, who is expected to start at center.
It's too soon to tell what the extent of Bentley's knee injury is, the preliminary reports do not sound good. The lone bright spot is that as long as it's not a torn ligament, the regular season is still 6 weeks away, which should allow plenty of time for the knee to recover.
Turdman to Miss 4 Games
The secret wasn't very well kept, so the news that Odell Thurman will miss the first month of the 2006 season for violating the league's substance policy isn't much of a shock.
More 1st Rounders Sign
As the weekend approaches, and more training camps open up, it seems that not an hour goes by without another NFL team signing their 1st round picks.
Last night, the top Jets pick, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who was selected 4th overall, agreed to terms on a contract expected to pay him nearly $18M in guaranteed money. The team's other 1st round pick, center Nick Mangold, is expected to be signed, sealed and delivered by the time the Jets start practice on Friday morning.
Since Houston had already signed Mario Williams, the #1 pick this year, and the Jets have now signed Ferguson, the slotting for the contracts of Reggie Bush and Vince Young are in place. The one potential snag is that Bush and Young are "skill position" players, which could prompt their representatives to seek more lucrative deals.
Signing Status of 2006 1st Round Picks
1. Houston - DE, Mario Williams - signed
2. New Orleans - RB, Reggie Bush - unsigned
3. Tennessee - QB, Vince Young - unsigned
4. NY Jets - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson - signed
5. Green Bay - LB, AJ Hawk - unsigned
6. San Francisco - TE, Vernon Davis - unsigned
7. Oakland - S, Michael Huff - signed
8. Buffalo - S, Donte Whitner - unsigned
9. Detroit - LB, Ernie Sims - unsigned
10. Arizona - QB, Matt Leinart - unsigned
11. Denver - QB, Jay Cutler - unsigned
12. Baltimore - DT, Haloti Ngata - unsigned
13. Cleveland - LB/DE, Kamerion Wimbley - signed
14. Philadelphia - DT, Brodrick Bunkley - unsigned
15. St. Louis - CB, Tye Hill - unsigned
16. Miami - S, Jason Allen - unsigned
17. Minnesota - LB, Chad Greenway - signed/agree in principle
18. Dallas - LB, Bobby Carpenter - unsigned
19. San Diego - CB, Antonio Cromartie - signed
20. Kansas City - DE, Tamba Hali - unsigned
21. New England - RB, Laurence Maroney - unsigned
22. San Francisco - LB, Manny Lawson - unsigned
23. Tampa Bay - OG, Davin Joseph - unsigned
24. Cincinnati - CB, Jonathan Joseph - unsigned (and won't be signed until he breaks the law)
25. Pittsburgh - WR, Santonio Holmes - signed
26. Buffalo - DT, John McCargo - unsigned
27. Carolina - RB, DeAngelo Williams - unsigned
28. Jacksonville - TE, Marcedes Lewis - signed
29. NY Jets - C, Nick Mangold - unsigned
30. Indianapolis - RB, Joseph Addai - unsigned
31. Seattle - CB, Kelly Jennings - unsigned
32. NY Giants - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka - signed
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Pats' Branch to Hold Out
Patriots WR, and MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX, Deion Branch is expected to skip the start of the Patriots training camp, which opens on Friday, July 28th.
Of course, this does not come as any surprise to anyone who has followed the situation. Branch is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is set to earn $1.05M in 2006. While you and I wouldn't scoff at that figure, it's not exactly market value for an NFL wide receiver.
There's almost no telling what direction the Patriots will go in concerning Branch's holdout. Teams can now fine players up to $14,000 for each day of their holdout, and for a player like Branch, a 3rd round pick still working on his rookie contract, that's a lot of money. However, the Patriots are paper thin at the WR position, and entering the season without their top WR would be an arrogant mistake. With rookie Chad Jackson, Troy Brown and San Diego reject Reche Caldwell filling out the depth chart below Branch, the Patriots are in no position to let this contract matter steep for very long.
Branch's camp believes that he deserves to be paid on the same level of Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne, who signed a 6-year/$40M contract with $13.5 in guaranteed money. I'm sure they're also pointing to deals other free agent wideouts to support their position.
Washington shelled out $56M worth of contracts, as well as $20M in guaranteed money, to Antwan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, two players who are nowhere near as good as Deion Branch. Seattle shelled out a 7-year/$49M contract to Nate Burleson (though Burleson will never see anywhere near the full value of the contract), who also isn't as good as Branch. Even Branch's former teammate, David Givens, signed a 5-year/$24M ($8M signing bonus) with the Tennessee Titans this past off-season.
So with all that money being thrown at inferior wide receivers, you can understand where Branch and his agent are coming from. He's clearly outperformed his rookie contract and deserves some long-term security as he heads into his prime production years.
But is he really worth Reggie Wayne money? Let's take a look at the stats:
2005
Reggie Wayne - 83 receptions, 1055 yards and 5 TDs
Deion Branch - 78 receptions, 998 yards and 5 TDs.
Fairly even. But, over the course of their careers:
Reggie Wayne - 77 games played, 304 receptions, 4164 yards and 28 TDs.
Deion Branch - 53 games played, 213 receptions, 2744 yards and 14 TDs.
Wayne did enter the league a year before Branch did, and has missed only 3 games due to injury in his career. Branch missed more than twice than many games in 2004, when he only played in 9 games. Wayne also has the benefit of being the "#2" guy in Indianapolis' passing attack, as he plays opposite to future Hall-of-Famer Marvin Harrison. Branch is, and has been, the best WR the Patriots have had over the last 4 years, and hey, it's the Patriots, who are as likely to throw TD passes to linebackers and eligible offensive lineman than they are to their top wide receiver.
The numbers indicate that Deion Branch deserves a contract somewhere in between what Washington gave Lloyd and Randle El, Tennessee gave David Givens, what Seattle will actually pay Nate Burleson, and the deal Reggie Wayne got from Indianapolis. Maybe it's somewhere in the 5-year/$32M range, with 8-figures of it guaranteed?
I really don't know what the numbers ultimately will be, but the Patriots have the cap room in 2006 to make the deal very sweet for both sides.
Of course, this does not come as any surprise to anyone who has followed the situation. Branch is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is set to earn $1.05M in 2006. While you and I wouldn't scoff at that figure, it's not exactly market value for an NFL wide receiver.
There's almost no telling what direction the Patriots will go in concerning Branch's holdout. Teams can now fine players up to $14,000 for each day of their holdout, and for a player like Branch, a 3rd round pick still working on his rookie contract, that's a lot of money. However, the Patriots are paper thin at the WR position, and entering the season without their top WR would be an arrogant mistake. With rookie Chad Jackson, Troy Brown and San Diego reject Reche Caldwell filling out the depth chart below Branch, the Patriots are in no position to let this contract matter steep for very long.
Branch's camp believes that he deserves to be paid on the same level of Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne, who signed a 6-year/$40M contract with $13.5 in guaranteed money. I'm sure they're also pointing to deals other free agent wideouts to support their position.
Washington shelled out $56M worth of contracts, as well as $20M in guaranteed money, to Antwan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, two players who are nowhere near as good as Deion Branch. Seattle shelled out a 7-year/$49M contract to Nate Burleson (though Burleson will never see anywhere near the full value of the contract), who also isn't as good as Branch. Even Branch's former teammate, David Givens, signed a 5-year/$24M ($8M signing bonus) with the Tennessee Titans this past off-season.
So with all that money being thrown at inferior wide receivers, you can understand where Branch and his agent are coming from. He's clearly outperformed his rookie contract and deserves some long-term security as he heads into his prime production years.
But is he really worth Reggie Wayne money? Let's take a look at the stats:
2005
Reggie Wayne - 83 receptions, 1055 yards and 5 TDs
Deion Branch - 78 receptions, 998 yards and 5 TDs.
Fairly even. But, over the course of their careers:
Reggie Wayne - 77 games played, 304 receptions, 4164 yards and 28 TDs.
Deion Branch - 53 games played, 213 receptions, 2744 yards and 14 TDs.
Wayne did enter the league a year before Branch did, and has missed only 3 games due to injury in his career. Branch missed more than twice than many games in 2004, when he only played in 9 games. Wayne also has the benefit of being the "#2" guy in Indianapolis' passing attack, as he plays opposite to future Hall-of-Famer Marvin Harrison. Branch is, and has been, the best WR the Patriots have had over the last 4 years, and hey, it's the Patriots, who are as likely to throw TD passes to linebackers and eligible offensive lineman than they are to their top wide receiver.
The numbers indicate that Deion Branch deserves a contract somewhere in between what Washington gave Lloyd and Randle El, Tennessee gave David Givens, what Seattle will actually pay Nate Burleson, and the deal Reggie Wayne got from Indianapolis. Maybe it's somewhere in the 5-year/$32M range, with 8-figures of it guaranteed?
I really don't know what the numbers ultimately will be, but the Patriots have the cap room in 2006 to make the deal very sweet for both sides.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Bengals Ink Jones to 6-Year Extension
The Cincinnati Bengals have extended the contract of left tackle Levi Jones, who was set to hit unrestricted free agency next spring.
Jones hadn't made an appearance in the police blotter, but the Bengals extended his contract anyways. The deal reportedly has the Bengals forking over more than $16M in guaranteed monies.
Jones hadn't made an appearance in the police blotter, but the Bengals extended his contract anyways. The deal reportedly has the Bengals forking over more than $16M in guaranteed monies.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Law Signs With Chiefs
The biggest name remaining on the free agent market, CB Ty Law, has signed a 5-year/$30M contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Contract details are still unavailable, so it's yet to be seen whether or not this is the big-money, long-term contract that Law has been seeking for nearly 5 years.
Last year, Law signed what appeared to be a long-term deal with the New York Jets. Once the media dug into the pact, it was obviously a 1-year deal worth about $6M. If Carl Peterson is smart, and I believe he is, the contract with Law will be very similar to the one Law signed with New York a year ago.
Naturally, the Chiefs and their fans are ecstatic to have Law playing opposite Patrick Surtain this year. After all, Law is a much better option than Benny Sapp or rookie Marcus Maxey. Law gives them a marquee name, a veteran CB coming off a Pro Bowl season. In effect, he gives them credibility.
For 2006. With Law's age, injury history (Lisfranc injuries are a nasty business) and deteriorating skill set (you don't get 10 INTs without opposing QBs thinking they can beat you), you don't want your team tied into Ty Law for too long.
Witten, Cowboys Extend Agreement
One player I didn't want to see leave Seattle was TE Ryan Hannam, who signed a 2-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys once free agency started. Hannam was a sure-handed receiver, but his real value was in his blocking ability. With the injuries to Jerramy Stevens and Itula Mili, I wish Seattle could've found a way to keep him.
And after the Cowboys and TE Jason Witten agreed to a massive 7-year, $29M contract over the weekend, I'm wondering if Hannam wishes he had stayed in Seattle.
Hannam's status in Dallas was already questionable after the team spent a 2nd round draft choice on former Golden Domer Anthony Fasano, now Hannam sees the team committing big money to the top guy on the depth chart.
Between Terrell Owens (who can't be pleased to see a TE getting more guaranteed money than him), Terry Glenn, rookie Skyler Green and a two-pronged RB attack (Julius Jones, Marion Barber), and Witten and the highly drafted Fasano, how many passes can a guy like Hannam expect to reasonably see?
Answer: Not many.
As for Witten, I think it's a great deal. He's one of the elite tight ends in the NFL, and he absolutely deserves a deal of this magnitude. With Owens and Glenn attracting so much attention on the outside, Witten should be expected to post lofty numbers over the middle.
Last year, Law signed what appeared to be a long-term deal with the New York Jets. Once the media dug into the pact, it was obviously a 1-year deal worth about $6M. If Carl Peterson is smart, and I believe he is, the contract with Law will be very similar to the one Law signed with New York a year ago.
Naturally, the Chiefs and their fans are ecstatic to have Law playing opposite Patrick Surtain this year. After all, Law is a much better option than Benny Sapp or rookie Marcus Maxey. Law gives them a marquee name, a veteran CB coming off a Pro Bowl season. In effect, he gives them credibility.
For 2006. With Law's age, injury history (Lisfranc injuries are a nasty business) and deteriorating skill set (you don't get 10 INTs without opposing QBs thinking they can beat you), you don't want your team tied into Ty Law for too long.
Witten, Cowboys Extend Agreement
One player I didn't want to see leave Seattle was TE Ryan Hannam, who signed a 2-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys once free agency started. Hannam was a sure-handed receiver, but his real value was in his blocking ability. With the injuries to Jerramy Stevens and Itula Mili, I wish Seattle could've found a way to keep him.
And after the Cowboys and TE Jason Witten agreed to a massive 7-year, $29M contract over the weekend, I'm wondering if Hannam wishes he had stayed in Seattle.
Hannam's status in Dallas was already questionable after the team spent a 2nd round draft choice on former Golden Domer Anthony Fasano, now Hannam sees the team committing big money to the top guy on the depth chart.
Between Terrell Owens (who can't be pleased to see a TE getting more guaranteed money than him), Terry Glenn, rookie Skyler Green and a two-pronged RB attack (Julius Jones, Marion Barber), and Witten and the highly drafted Fasano, how many passes can a guy like Hannam expect to reasonably see?
Answer: Not many.
As for Witten, I think it's a great deal. He's one of the elite tight ends in the NFL, and he absolutely deserves a deal of this magnitude. With Owens and Glenn attracting so much attention on the outside, Witten should be expected to post lofty numbers over the middle.
Friday, July 21, 2006
More "Damon Sucks" Nonsense
Thanks to the plight of one Boston area woman, the "Johnny Damon as Traitor" story is rehashed yet again.
From the article:
"What Damon did is just the ultimate betrayal in baseball," she said in a telephone interview from her home in New Bedford. "I don't see how it could not be considered that."
Fans of the Boston Red Sox need to stop this nonsense. We're sick of it. The Red Sox didn't draft Johnny Damon. They didn't cultivate him in their minor league system (a system that was non-existent during the Duquette era), eagerly watching his progress through the ranks until he made his debut in Fenway Park. They merely outbid everyone else for Damon's services when he became a free agent in 2001, giving him a 4-year/$31M contract.
So why is Boston still surprised that Damon, whose hardly the posterboy for something like loyalty, left the Red Sox to sign with another team for more money? Because it's the Yankees? Come on, Boston, either get real, a life or a clue. Do something, because this whole "Boston-New York" thing stopped being interesting nearly 2 years ago, after the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit and beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS before moving on to sweep the Cardinals to win their first World Series title in 86 years.
That was supposed to be the end of it, right? I mean, we were all supposed to move on and enjoy life again. Apparently, some of us didn't get the memo.
Belichick's Chick?
Bill Belichick is a defensive genius. He's also a mastermind when it comes to game-planning for an opponent, and is currently the NFL's top head coach. There's simply no denying that when one thinks of Bill Belichick, an image of him hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy is usually the first to appear.
The Boston Herald's Inside Track is showing a different side to the Patriots head coach, though, one where the coach has hosted the wife of Vincent Shenocca, a self-employed New Jersey construction worker, at various events. Bon Jovi concerts, summer homes in exclusive parts of New Jersey, and even Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.
If the story is true, and Bill Belichick is the "other man" in this couple's divorce case, it's certainly going to be an ugly footnote (like his forgettable days in Cleveland, and his day as head coach of the New York Jets) to his distinguished career.
As for how it'll impact the New England Patriots, my guess is that it'll have zero impact on the team. Belichick is the ultimate taskmaster, and if he can coach the Patriots to a Super Bowl win (in 2004) while separating from his wife and family, he can certainly work through his name appearing in gossipy tabloids.
From the article:
"What Damon did is just the ultimate betrayal in baseball," she said in a telephone interview from her home in New Bedford. "I don't see how it could not be considered that."
Fans of the Boston Red Sox need to stop this nonsense. We're sick of it. The Red Sox didn't draft Johnny Damon. They didn't cultivate him in their minor league system (a system that was non-existent during the Duquette era), eagerly watching his progress through the ranks until he made his debut in Fenway Park. They merely outbid everyone else for Damon's services when he became a free agent in 2001, giving him a 4-year/$31M contract.
So why is Boston still surprised that Damon, whose hardly the posterboy for something like loyalty, left the Red Sox to sign with another team for more money? Because it's the Yankees? Come on, Boston, either get real, a life or a clue. Do something, because this whole "Boston-New York" thing stopped being interesting nearly 2 years ago, after the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit and beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS before moving on to sweep the Cardinals to win their first World Series title in 86 years.
That was supposed to be the end of it, right? I mean, we were all supposed to move on and enjoy life again. Apparently, some of us didn't get the memo.
Belichick's Chick?
Bill Belichick is a defensive genius. He's also a mastermind when it comes to game-planning for an opponent, and is currently the NFL's top head coach. There's simply no denying that when one thinks of Bill Belichick, an image of him hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy is usually the first to appear.
The Boston Herald's Inside Track is showing a different side to the Patriots head coach, though, one where the coach has hosted the wife of Vincent Shenocca, a self-employed New Jersey construction worker, at various events. Bon Jovi concerts, summer homes in exclusive parts of New Jersey, and even Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.
If the story is true, and Bill Belichick is the "other man" in this couple's divorce case, it's certainly going to be an ugly footnote (like his forgettable days in Cleveland, and his day as head coach of the New York Jets) to his distinguished career.
As for how it'll impact the New England Patriots, my guess is that it'll have zero impact on the team. Belichick is the ultimate taskmaster, and if he can coach the Patriots to a Super Bowl win (in 2004) while separating from his wife and family, he can certainly work through his name appearing in gossipy tabloids.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Dilfer to Honor 49ers Legend
Dennis Georgatos of the San Jose Mercury News is reporting that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer will be honoring a former 49ers quarterback this upcoming season.
Dilfer, currently wearing #10, will be wearing John Brodie's previously retired #12 jersey this upcoming season in an effort to accomplish two objectives:
1. Increase the sentiment for Brodie to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
2. Raise public awareness about stroke victims.
Brodie spent his entire 16-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, after an All-American career at nearby Stanford University. Brodie, who suffered a stroke 6 years ago, spent 14 years on the Senior PGA tour, winning one tournament (1991).
NFL teams rarely "un-retire" jerseys at the request of a player, but Dilfer honoring a 49ers legend isn't being done without Brodie's blessing. The two Bay Area QB's are longtime friends, and Dilfer's motivation to do so is, as always, 100% pure.
Dilfer, currently wearing #10, will be wearing John Brodie's previously retired #12 jersey this upcoming season in an effort to accomplish two objectives:
1. Increase the sentiment for Brodie to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
2. Raise public awareness about stroke victims.
Brodie spent his entire 16-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, after an All-American career at nearby Stanford University. Brodie, who suffered a stroke 6 years ago, spent 14 years on the Senior PGA tour, winning one tournament (1991).
NFL teams rarely "un-retire" jerseys at the request of a player, but Dilfer honoring a 49ers legend isn't being done without Brodie's blessing. The two Bay Area QB's are longtime friends, and Dilfer's motivation to do so is, as always, 100% pure.
Friday, July 14, 2006
'Hawks Sign 5th-Round Pick
The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a multi-year deal with their 5th round draft choice, fullback David Kirtman from USC.
Seattle's drafting of David Kirtman was one of the more interesting selections in the entire draft, as Kirtman's parents currently live right next door to Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.
Seattle's drafting of David Kirtman was one of the more interesting selections in the entire draft, as Kirtman's parents currently live right next door to Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Bengals Post 3rd Round Bond on Brooks
The Cincinnati Bengals, who have spent much of the last 3 seasons acquiring criminals and players with questionable character, today used a 3rd round draft choice in 2007 to draft Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks in the NFL's supplemental draft.
Brooks was kicked off the Cavaliers football team after an injury plagued 2005 season, and reportedly failed multiple drug tests during his career at the University of Virginia.
Brooks was kicked off the Cavaliers football team after an injury plagued 2005 season, and reportedly failed multiple drug tests during his career at the University of Virginia.
Two Weeks Notice
Last night there wasn't a single sporting event of any real importance played. Oh sure, you had the WNBA and triple-A All-Star games, but that was it. Even ESPN chose last night to hold their annual ESPY Awards, primarily because of the widespread availability of so many athletes. (Its a good thing Manny Ramirez wasn't nominated, isn't it?)
We won't have many more nights like July 12th, though. In just two weeks, all 32 NFL teams will have opened their training camps for the 2006 season of the National Football League.
The signs of this shift are already apparent. On July 18th, EA Sports will release NCAA 2007, which to me, always indicates that football season is getting closer. Watch the BottomLine on ESPN broadcasts and you'll see the reporting of teams signing their choices from April's draft. Even NFL writers are going through their own version of training camp, publishing articles like John Clayton's 53-man dream team, which leads to a colleague within the same news organization critiquing the fictional roster. We've seen ESPN's "Ultimate Depth Charts", the various sports news outlets ranking the top QBs, RBs and popcorn vendors for all 32 teams.
So with that said, I figured that I'd better get myself into writing shape for the 2006 season. And what better way to do that than to unveil my very first "Power Rankings" as we inch closer to the 2006 NFL season!
I will only be ranking how I see the Top 5 teams in NFL. Beyond that, the teams will be categorized in terms of their chances of making the playoffs.
The Elite
#1. Seattle Seahawks - Despite losing All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson and WR Joe Jurevicius, the 2006 Seahawks may be a far better group than the 2005 team that represented the NFC in Super Bowl XL.
The front office used the money earmarked for Hutchinson on Julian Peterson, who many "experts" believe, when healthy, is the best outside linebacker in the entire NFL. Seattle also added local product WR Nate Burelson to the WR corps, and added Tom Ashworth, a versatile veteran offensive lineman with Super Bowl experience, for depth at the offensive line spot.
Playing 10 games against the weak NFC West and NFC North should equate to another division crown for the Seahawks, as well as homefield advantage in January.
#2. Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis was the best team throughout much of the 2005 season, and despite being relatively inactive during free agency, the Colts did manage to improve themselves as they head into 2006.
Despite being outplayed by Pittsburgh for much of the divisional playoff game, the Colts had a chance to tie the game in the waning moments. Unfortunately, Mike Vanderjagt delivered one of the worst kicks in his idiot life, and the Colts season ended. If the Colts are in a similar position in 2006, they'll be turning their fate over to the most clutch kicker of this generation, and perhaps of all-time, Adam Vinatieri.
The Colts defense is very good, and didn't suffer any casualties in the off-season. Offensively, the Colts should be just as good as they always are, even without "The Edge". I loved the selection of Joseph Addai from LSU, and he could unseat projected starter Dominic Rhodes by the end of October.
#3. New England Patriots - As each day passed in free agency, I kept trying to figure just what, if anything, the Patriots were planning on doing. Vinatieri left for a conference rival. David Givens was allowed to mosey to Tennessee. Even Willie McGinest, a defensive stalwart for the Patriots for 11 seasons, was allowed to move on. The only free agent of any significance the Patriots signed was Reche Caldwell, and he's a #3 WR at best.
Then I remembered something: New England has the league's best overall QB (Brady) and best head coach (Belichick), and last year's team was much better than a 10-6 record and earlier than usual playoff exit. Injuries to key players (Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Corey Dillon, Tedy Bruschi, Dan Koppen, Matt Light) slowed this team down to a 10-6 finish. I repeat, they were slowed down to a 10-6 finish.
This year, all those guys, with the possible exception of Rodney Harrison, are 100% healthy. They could have Ty Law back at CB, and while I think he's washed up and not worth an 8-figure bonus, New England might view that as a bargain for the psychological lift he'll give the secondary. New England drafted very well, picking up two impact skill-position players (RB Laurence Maroney, WR Chad Jackson) who won't be expected to start and can be eased into their NFL career.
New England also plays in the same division as the NY Jets and Buffalo Bills, two teams not headed for the playoffs, and the Miami Dolphins, everyone's sexy pick to make a run at the Pats crown. The thing about the Dolphins is nobody knows if Duante Culpepper will be ready to start the season (leaving Joey Harrington as the starter) and what will be the fallout from Zach Thomas' sister filing for a divorce with Thomas' teammate, Jason Taylor?
#4. Carolina Panthers - Pundits tend to overlook just how good the Carolina Panthers have been under John Fox. I mean, if this team doesn't lose Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith in 2004, they make the playoffs. If they managed to hang onto Mushin Muhammed in 2005, they could've made another Super Bowl appearance.
This team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. There's no denying that, and I'm not at all surprised to see them land at the very top of other football writers' "Power Rankings". But I do have some problems with this team.
For starters, I'm not sure about the running backs. Nick Goings has never demonstrated the durability necessary to be "the guy" at this level, and DeAngelo Williams, though very talented, is an unproven commodity. I question whether or not Drew Carter or Keary Colbert can step up and make plays in the passing game, since every team is going to bracket Steve Smith all game long, and I really question why Keyshawn Johnson, the black Ricky Proehl, is viewed as being "the answer" to the problems in the passing game.
When I factor those offensive question marks, as well as my concerns about this team remaining healthy after 10 games against the NFC South and NFC East (toughest two divisions in the league), I can't reasonably project the Panthers to take the NFC.
They're still a damn good team, though.
#5. Denver Broncos - A year ago, I would've been surprised if the Broncos finished above .500. They ended up hosting the AFC Championship game. Whoops!
I'm still not sold on any team that has Jake "I Drive a Honda Element" Plummer calling the signals. Sorry Broncos fans, I just can't do it. I don't like that Mike Anderson is gone, but I'm willing to give Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne a shot. I liked the acquisition of Javon Walker, and I thought that Denver did a very good job in the NFL Draft.
I also like Denver because I view the AFC West as being a two-horse race (KC is the only other playoff-caliber team in the division) and Denver has a better defense than Kansas City.
A Glaring Omission?
I'm sure you're wondering where the defending Super Bowl champions are, so allow me to explain why I don't think they're a Top 5 team heading into 2006. I assure you it has nothing to do with a.) my being a fan of the Seattle Seahawks or b.) my bitterness over what transpired in Super Bowl XL.
#1. I'm not even sure if the Steelers are the best team in their division, nevermind the entire AFC. If Carson Palmer comes back at 100%, the Bengals will repeat as AFC North champs.
#2. They allowed Antwan Randle-El to leave via free agency, and replaced him with an unproven turd (Santonio Holmes). Big mistake. Randle-El is a rare athlete, and gave the Steelers a diverse weapon. Holmes gives the team's a rookie that's averaged one arrest per month since turning pro.
#3. "The Bus" has retired. He was their leader, and now he's rolled off into the sunset. Willie Parker is a good back who had a fine season and Super Bowl, but even the most devout Steelers has to wonder if Parker is more Timmy Smith, than he is Emmitt Smith.
#4. How can I put a team in the Top 5 when their star QB is head-butting Chrylsers at 35mph?
The Playoff Caliber Teams
AFC
Miami Dolphins - Technically, they could get in as a Wild Card. If, and only if, Culpepper is 100% and Ronnie Brown has a monster sophomore season.
Pittsburgh Steelers - The defense is good enough to get them into the party. Hey, "Drink Like a Champion", right?
Cincinnati Bengals - It all hinges on whether or not Carson Palmer can come back.
Baltimore Ravens - In all honesty, they could win the AFC North with a healthy Steve McNair. Then again, has that ever happened?
Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville probably the #6 team. Great defense, emerging offense and 4 games against Houston and Tennessee each year.
Kansas City Chiefs - Larry Johnson has 2,000 rushing yards written all over him. Same could be said about the Chiefs run defense.
NFC
New York Giants - Improved secondary and linebacking corps. This team will only go as far as Eli Manning can take them.
Dallas Cowboys - Am I the only one who thinks Terrell Owens and Bill Parcells would make an excellent buddy cop tandem? "Tonight on FOX: T.O. & the Tuna"
Philadelphia Eagles - Health, both physical and mental, should be improved in '06.
Washington Redskins - Solid defense, even without Lavar Arrington. Does Brunell last another full season, though?
Chicago Bears - Dominating defense, pitiful offense. That's probably enough to win the NFC North again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I'm convinced that nobody remembers that Tampa Bay, not Carolina, won the NFC South last year.
Atlanta Falcons - You have to like the addition of John Abraham. Maybe with the long-term security, he'll actually take the skirt off and play in a playoff game.
Teams Thinking About Winning This Year...Maybe
AFC
Buffalo Bills - With a 85-year old GM leading the rebuilding effort, you'd better at least think about winning this year.(Ok, they really belong in the group below)
San Diego Chargers - They have a good defense (I think), and the most talented running back in the NFL (I know), but is Philip Rivers ready to lead this team to the playoffs? (I doubt it)
NFC
Minnesota Vikings - My apologies to Sean Salisbury, but one left guard doesn't make up for the lack of proven talent at the skill positions. If they weren't in the NFC North, they'd be ranked much lower.
Green Bay Packers - All the running backs are back in the fold, as is Brett Favre. Problem is, who is he going to throw the ball to?
Arizona Cardinals - Great skill position players, absolutely no offensive line. If they merged with the Vikings, they'd be an elite team.
St. Louis Rams - With Mike Martz out of the picture, maybe the Rams will actually run the ball now that they've improved the offensive line. Defensively they're too much of a mess to make a serious run.
The Brady Quinn (?) Sweepstakes
Below are the teams who have virtually no shot at the post-season:
San Francisco 49ers - Worst team in football. Period.
New York Jets - Bad, but you can at least see where they're heading
Tennessee Titans - Same as the Jets, but nowhere near ready to tackle the Colts or Jaguars.
Houston Texans - Getting rid of Capers was a good start, and I actually liked (or at least understood) the selection of Mario Williams over Reggie Bush.
Detroit Lions - Be honest. You were just happy they didn't draft a WR in the 1st round.
New Orleans Saints - Reggie Bush should at least be entertaining during their upcoming 5-11 season.
Oakland Raiders - Liked the addition of Art Shell. The addition of Aaron Brooks? Not so much.
Cleveland Browns - The best of the worst. Under Crennel, the Browns will be in the playoffs by 2008.
We won't have many more nights like July 12th, though. In just two weeks, all 32 NFL teams will have opened their training camps for the 2006 season of the National Football League.
The signs of this shift are already apparent. On July 18th, EA Sports will release NCAA 2007, which to me, always indicates that football season is getting closer. Watch the BottomLine on ESPN broadcasts and you'll see the reporting of teams signing their choices from April's draft. Even NFL writers are going through their own version of training camp, publishing articles like John Clayton's 53-man dream team, which leads to a colleague within the same news organization critiquing the fictional roster. We've seen ESPN's "Ultimate Depth Charts", the various sports news outlets ranking the top QBs, RBs and popcorn vendors for all 32 teams.
So with that said, I figured that I'd better get myself into writing shape for the 2006 season. And what better way to do that than to unveil my very first "Power Rankings" as we inch closer to the 2006 NFL season!
I will only be ranking how I see the Top 5 teams in NFL. Beyond that, the teams will be categorized in terms of their chances of making the playoffs.
The Elite
#1. Seattle Seahawks - Despite losing All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson and WR Joe Jurevicius, the 2006 Seahawks may be a far better group than the 2005 team that represented the NFC in Super Bowl XL.
The front office used the money earmarked for Hutchinson on Julian Peterson, who many "experts" believe, when healthy, is the best outside linebacker in the entire NFL. Seattle also added local product WR Nate Burelson to the WR corps, and added Tom Ashworth, a versatile veteran offensive lineman with Super Bowl experience, for depth at the offensive line spot.
Playing 10 games against the weak NFC West and NFC North should equate to another division crown for the Seahawks, as well as homefield advantage in January.
#2. Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis was the best team throughout much of the 2005 season, and despite being relatively inactive during free agency, the Colts did manage to improve themselves as they head into 2006.
Despite being outplayed by Pittsburgh for much of the divisional playoff game, the Colts had a chance to tie the game in the waning moments. Unfortunately, Mike Vanderjagt delivered one of the worst kicks in his idiot life, and the Colts season ended. If the Colts are in a similar position in 2006, they'll be turning their fate over to the most clutch kicker of this generation, and perhaps of all-time, Adam Vinatieri.
The Colts defense is very good, and didn't suffer any casualties in the off-season. Offensively, the Colts should be just as good as they always are, even without "The Edge". I loved the selection of Joseph Addai from LSU, and he could unseat projected starter Dominic Rhodes by the end of October.
#3. New England Patriots - As each day passed in free agency, I kept trying to figure just what, if anything, the Patriots were planning on doing. Vinatieri left for a conference rival. David Givens was allowed to mosey to Tennessee. Even Willie McGinest, a defensive stalwart for the Patriots for 11 seasons, was allowed to move on. The only free agent of any significance the Patriots signed was Reche Caldwell, and he's a #3 WR at best.
Then I remembered something: New England has the league's best overall QB (Brady) and best head coach (Belichick), and last year's team was much better than a 10-6 record and earlier than usual playoff exit. Injuries to key players (Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Corey Dillon, Tedy Bruschi, Dan Koppen, Matt Light) slowed this team down to a 10-6 finish. I repeat, they were slowed down to a 10-6 finish.
This year, all those guys, with the possible exception of Rodney Harrison, are 100% healthy. They could have Ty Law back at CB, and while I think he's washed up and not worth an 8-figure bonus, New England might view that as a bargain for the psychological lift he'll give the secondary. New England drafted very well, picking up two impact skill-position players (RB Laurence Maroney, WR Chad Jackson) who won't be expected to start and can be eased into their NFL career.
New England also plays in the same division as the NY Jets and Buffalo Bills, two teams not headed for the playoffs, and the Miami Dolphins, everyone's sexy pick to make a run at the Pats crown. The thing about the Dolphins is nobody knows if Duante Culpepper will be ready to start the season (leaving Joey Harrington as the starter) and what will be the fallout from Zach Thomas' sister filing for a divorce with Thomas' teammate, Jason Taylor?
#4. Carolina Panthers - Pundits tend to overlook just how good the Carolina Panthers have been under John Fox. I mean, if this team doesn't lose Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith in 2004, they make the playoffs. If they managed to hang onto Mushin Muhammed in 2005, they could've made another Super Bowl appearance.
This team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. There's no denying that, and I'm not at all surprised to see them land at the very top of other football writers' "Power Rankings". But I do have some problems with this team.
For starters, I'm not sure about the running backs. Nick Goings has never demonstrated the durability necessary to be "the guy" at this level, and DeAngelo Williams, though very talented, is an unproven commodity. I question whether or not Drew Carter or Keary Colbert can step up and make plays in the passing game, since every team is going to bracket Steve Smith all game long, and I really question why Keyshawn Johnson, the black Ricky Proehl, is viewed as being "the answer" to the problems in the passing game.
When I factor those offensive question marks, as well as my concerns about this team remaining healthy after 10 games against the NFC South and NFC East (toughest two divisions in the league), I can't reasonably project the Panthers to take the NFC.
They're still a damn good team, though.
#5. Denver Broncos - A year ago, I would've been surprised if the Broncos finished above .500. They ended up hosting the AFC Championship game. Whoops!
I'm still not sold on any team that has Jake "I Drive a Honda Element" Plummer calling the signals. Sorry Broncos fans, I just can't do it. I don't like that Mike Anderson is gone, but I'm willing to give Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne a shot. I liked the acquisition of Javon Walker, and I thought that Denver did a very good job in the NFL Draft.
I also like Denver because I view the AFC West as being a two-horse race (KC is the only other playoff-caliber team in the division) and Denver has a better defense than Kansas City.
A Glaring Omission?
I'm sure you're wondering where the defending Super Bowl champions are, so allow me to explain why I don't think they're a Top 5 team heading into 2006. I assure you it has nothing to do with a.) my being a fan of the Seattle Seahawks or b.) my bitterness over what transpired in Super Bowl XL.
#1. I'm not even sure if the Steelers are the best team in their division, nevermind the entire AFC. If Carson Palmer comes back at 100%, the Bengals will repeat as AFC North champs.
#2. They allowed Antwan Randle-El to leave via free agency, and replaced him with an unproven turd (Santonio Holmes). Big mistake. Randle-El is a rare athlete, and gave the Steelers a diverse weapon. Holmes gives the team's a rookie that's averaged one arrest per month since turning pro.
#3. "The Bus" has retired. He was their leader, and now he's rolled off into the sunset. Willie Parker is a good back who had a fine season and Super Bowl, but even the most devout Steelers has to wonder if Parker is more Timmy Smith, than he is Emmitt Smith.
#4. How can I put a team in the Top 5 when their star QB is head-butting Chrylsers at 35mph?
The Playoff Caliber Teams
AFC
Miami Dolphins - Technically, they could get in as a Wild Card. If, and only if, Culpepper is 100% and Ronnie Brown has a monster sophomore season.
Pittsburgh Steelers - The defense is good enough to get them into the party. Hey, "Drink Like a Champion", right?
Cincinnati Bengals - It all hinges on whether or not Carson Palmer can come back.
Baltimore Ravens - In all honesty, they could win the AFC North with a healthy Steve McNair. Then again, has that ever happened?
Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville probably the #6 team. Great defense, emerging offense and 4 games against Houston and Tennessee each year.
Kansas City Chiefs - Larry Johnson has 2,000 rushing yards written all over him. Same could be said about the Chiefs run defense.
NFC
New York Giants - Improved secondary and linebacking corps. This team will only go as far as Eli Manning can take them.
Dallas Cowboys - Am I the only one who thinks Terrell Owens and Bill Parcells would make an excellent buddy cop tandem? "Tonight on FOX: T.O. & the Tuna"
Philadelphia Eagles - Health, both physical and mental, should be improved in '06.
Washington Redskins - Solid defense, even without Lavar Arrington. Does Brunell last another full season, though?
Chicago Bears - Dominating defense, pitiful offense. That's probably enough to win the NFC North again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I'm convinced that nobody remembers that Tampa Bay, not Carolina, won the NFC South last year.
Atlanta Falcons - You have to like the addition of John Abraham. Maybe with the long-term security, he'll actually take the skirt off and play in a playoff game.
Teams Thinking About Winning This Year...Maybe
AFC
Buffalo Bills - With a 85-year old GM leading the rebuilding effort, you'd better at least think about winning this year.(Ok, they really belong in the group below)
San Diego Chargers - They have a good defense (I think), and the most talented running back in the NFL (I know), but is Philip Rivers ready to lead this team to the playoffs? (I doubt it)
NFC
Minnesota Vikings - My apologies to Sean Salisbury, but one left guard doesn't make up for the lack of proven talent at the skill positions. If they weren't in the NFC North, they'd be ranked much lower.
Green Bay Packers - All the running backs are back in the fold, as is Brett Favre. Problem is, who is he going to throw the ball to?
Arizona Cardinals - Great skill position players, absolutely no offensive line. If they merged with the Vikings, they'd be an elite team.
St. Louis Rams - With Mike Martz out of the picture, maybe the Rams will actually run the ball now that they've improved the offensive line. Defensively they're too much of a mess to make a serious run.
The Brady Quinn (?) Sweepstakes
Below are the teams who have virtually no shot at the post-season:
San Francisco 49ers - Worst team in football. Period.
New York Jets - Bad, but you can at least see where they're heading
Tennessee Titans - Same as the Jets, but nowhere near ready to tackle the Colts or Jaguars.
Houston Texans - Getting rid of Capers was a good start, and I actually liked (or at least understood) the selection of Mario Williams over Reggie Bush.
Detroit Lions - Be honest. You were just happy they didn't draft a WR in the 1st round.
New Orleans Saints - Reggie Bush should at least be entertaining during their upcoming 5-11 season.
Oakland Raiders - Liked the addition of Art Shell. The addition of Aaron Brooks? Not so much.
Cleveland Browns - The best of the worst. Under Crennel, the Browns will be in the playoffs by 2008.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
MLB & Satan Extend Deal 7 Years
Major League Baseball has extended its contract with FOX by 7 years, which means that through 2013, FOX will have exclusive rights to the World Series and All-Star Game, as well as the rights to the ALCS in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013, and the NLCS in 2008, 2010, 2012. The article also states that FOX may increase the number of Saturday baseball games from 18 to 26, which deflates the value of the Extra Innings package available on DirecTV and cable providers.
So that means 7 more years of Joe Buck's fivehead, and 7 more years of bad suits and commentary by Lucifer himself, Tim McCarver.
Big smile you got there, Tim. Oh, of course you do, you're in Yankee Stadium.
So that means 7 more years of Joe Buck's fivehead, and 7 more years of bad suits and commentary by Lucifer himself, Tim McCarver.
Big smile you got there, Tim. Oh, of course you do, you're in Yankee Stadium.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Pierzynski & Garciaparra Voted In to All-Star Game
The results of Major League Baseball's equivalent to the "play-in" game during March Madness are in, and White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski and Los Angeles first baseman Nomar Garciaparra "earned" the final spot on the AL and NL All-Star squads.
How Pierzynski managed to garner more votes than Twins phenom Francisco Liriano (the AL's leader in ERA) and Cleveland DH Travis Hafner (the AL's leader in OPS) is a mystery to me. But, the All-Star game is a popularity, and the fans in Chicago (the only place Pierzynski is even moderately liked) got out the vote this week.
I'm actually happy for Nomar Garciaparra. He's one of baseball's "good guys", and is a major reason why the Dodgers are doing so well this year. Hopefully he can remain healthy the rest of the way.
Pujols Bows Out of the Homerun Derby
Albert Pujols, who only recently returned from the disabled list with an oblique injury, has backed out of this year's homerun derby.
Not at all a surprising turn of events given the nature of Pujols injury, but I have to question why he was even originally named as a participant. Didn't someone forsee this?
Lance Berkman will be taking Pujols' place in the event, which also features Philadelphia's Ryan Howard, David Wright of the New York Mets and Miguel Cabrera of the Florida Marlins.
The AL counters with Baltimore's Miguel Tejada, Toronto's Troy Glaus, Jermaine Dye of the Chicago White Sox, and my pre-event favorite to win the event, Boston's David Ortiz.
Pittsburgh seems to cater to left-handed power hitters, so I think the finals will feature Ryan Howard and David Ortiz, with Big Papi hoisting the trophy at the end of the night.
Final Weekend of the 1st Half
Before we even get the to All-Star break, there are some important series left to be played.
Boston travels into Chicago for the first time since they were swept in last year's ALDS, and the series features some intriguing pitching matchups. Tonight, Jon Lester goes against Mark Buerhle (rare Friday night ESPN broadcast), Saturday has Josh Beckett v. Freddy Garcia (which FOX will bogart), and in the Sunday finale, Curt Schilling against Jose Contreras.
The Dodgers host their bitter rivals, the San Francisco Giants, in a 3-game set in Chavez Ravine. Only a half game divides the two teams in the logjammed NL West.
Colorado hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks is another series to watch in the NL West. The Diamondbacks have fallen to 5 games out of 1st place, and since the Jason Grimsley nonsense first dropped in early June, the Diamondbacks are a dreadful 6-23. At the time, they were 34-22, and had just won 14 of their last 19 games. Now they're 5 games under .500 and the only team in the NL West not within 2 games of 1st place.
Though it started last night (with an Astros win), St. Louis will spend the weekend in Houston. FOX has Roger Clemens' start on Saturday at 4:05pm, and ESPN has the Sunday Night broadcast of Chris Carpenter going up against Andy Pettitte. Houston could conceivably pull even with the Cardinals in the NL Central with a sweep.
How Pierzynski managed to garner more votes than Twins phenom Francisco Liriano (the AL's leader in ERA) and Cleveland DH Travis Hafner (the AL's leader in OPS) is a mystery to me. But, the All-Star game is a popularity, and the fans in Chicago (the only place Pierzynski is even moderately liked) got out the vote this week.
I'm actually happy for Nomar Garciaparra. He's one of baseball's "good guys", and is a major reason why the Dodgers are doing so well this year. Hopefully he can remain healthy the rest of the way.
Pujols Bows Out of the Homerun Derby
Albert Pujols, who only recently returned from the disabled list with an oblique injury, has backed out of this year's homerun derby.
Not at all a surprising turn of events given the nature of Pujols injury, but I have to question why he was even originally named as a participant. Didn't someone forsee this?
Lance Berkman will be taking Pujols' place in the event, which also features Philadelphia's Ryan Howard, David Wright of the New York Mets and Miguel Cabrera of the Florida Marlins.
The AL counters with Baltimore's Miguel Tejada, Toronto's Troy Glaus, Jermaine Dye of the Chicago White Sox, and my pre-event favorite to win the event, Boston's David Ortiz.
Pittsburgh seems to cater to left-handed power hitters, so I think the finals will feature Ryan Howard and David Ortiz, with Big Papi hoisting the trophy at the end of the night.
Final Weekend of the 1st Half
Before we even get the to All-Star break, there are some important series left to be played.
Boston travels into Chicago for the first time since they were swept in last year's ALDS, and the series features some intriguing pitching matchups. Tonight, Jon Lester goes against Mark Buerhle (rare Friday night ESPN broadcast), Saturday has Josh Beckett v. Freddy Garcia (which FOX will bogart), and in the Sunday finale, Curt Schilling against Jose Contreras.
The Dodgers host their bitter rivals, the San Francisco Giants, in a 3-game set in Chavez Ravine. Only a half game divides the two teams in the logjammed NL West.
Colorado hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks is another series to watch in the NL West. The Diamondbacks have fallen to 5 games out of 1st place, and since the Jason Grimsley nonsense first dropped in early June, the Diamondbacks are a dreadful 6-23. At the time, they were 34-22, and had just won 14 of their last 19 games. Now they're 5 games under .500 and the only team in the NL West not within 2 games of 1st place.
Though it started last night (with an Astros win), St. Louis will spend the weekend in Houston. FOX has Roger Clemens' start on Saturday at 4:05pm, and ESPN has the Sunday Night broadcast of Chris Carpenter going up against Andy Pettitte. Houston could conceivably pull even with the Cardinals in the NL Central with a sweep.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Stealing For The Cycle
In the wake of not being selected by AL manager Ozzie Guillen for next week's All-Star game, Carl Crawford mentioned to reporters that he's using his All-Star snub as motivation.
And the Red Sox are paying the price.
Crawford is now hitting .325, with 12 homers, 45 RBIs and 32 stolen bases, and as always, provides Gold Glove-caliber defense in left field. Last night, he stole for the "cycle" (stealing 2nd, 3rd and home) when he took advantage of Jason Johnson's use of a full windup when Crawford was on 3rd base in the 4th inning.
Stealing home is one of those rare plays that make baseball an exciting sport. Few players have the speed to do so, and even fewer players have the confidence to try it. As Dennis Maffezzoli of the Herald Tribune points out, Crawford swiping home was in the works for days.
The Empire Strikes Back
After getting trounced by the Tribe on the nation's birthday (Big Stein's birthday as well), the Yankees used an 8-run 4th inning to secure an 11-3 win the following night.
How costly the win was is yet to be seen, as Johnny Damon left the game early on with an oblique injury. The Yankees could be looking at having another veteran outfielder on the DL, and that would most certainly escalate any trade talks they've been having. They cannot spend July with an outfield of Melky Cabrera-Bubba Crosby-Bernie Williams, can they?
Thursday Night's Marquee Matchup
The Red Sox send knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the mound with the hope that they scrounge at least one win out of their miserable 4 days in Tampa, Florida. Obviously the key will be to keep Carl Crawford off the basepaths tonight.
And the Red Sox are paying the price.
Crawford is now hitting .325, with 12 homers, 45 RBIs and 32 stolen bases, and as always, provides Gold Glove-caliber defense in left field. Last night, he stole for the "cycle" (stealing 2nd, 3rd and home) when he took advantage of Jason Johnson's use of a full windup when Crawford was on 3rd base in the 4th inning.
Stealing home is one of those rare plays that make baseball an exciting sport. Few players have the speed to do so, and even fewer players have the confidence to try it. As Dennis Maffezzoli of the Herald Tribune points out, Crawford swiping home was in the works for days.
The Empire Strikes Back
After getting trounced by the Tribe on the nation's birthday (Big Stein's birthday as well), the Yankees used an 8-run 4th inning to secure an 11-3 win the following night.
How costly the win was is yet to be seen, as Johnny Damon left the game early on with an oblique injury. The Yankees could be looking at having another veteran outfielder on the DL, and that would most certainly escalate any trade talks they've been having. They cannot spend July with an outfield of Melky Cabrera-Bubba Crosby-Bernie Williams, can they?
Thursday Night's Marquee Matchup
The Red Sox send knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the mound with the hope that they scrounge at least one win out of their miserable 4 days in Tampa, Florida. Obviously the key will be to keep Carl Crawford off the basepaths tonight.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Baseball Notes - July 5th, 2006
Let me begin by saying that there's nothing worse than having a head cold when the weather is 90 degrees and humid. Thanks to Nyquil and Throat Coat tea, I'm feeling much better, but am still not 100%.
We're inching closer and closer to football season. Draft picks are starting to ink their contracts, and though none of the major Seattle newspapers have a story on it, Seattle did sign their 7th round draft pick, punter Ryan Plackemeier, to a 4-year contract. ESPN has the scoop here.
The Seahawks selection of Plackemeier was one of the few I actually predicted in my 7-round mock draft back in April. Seattle had let go of Chris Kluwe, who enjoyed a good season punting in Minnesota. Plackemeier offers the team a booming leg, both on punts and kickoffs. While Josh Brown is an accurate placekicker, and ice water is beginning to be discovered in his veins, he's not real consistent with his kickoffs. Bob Casullo certainly hopes that Plackemeier can help in that area.
Manny to Skip All-Star Game
Manny Ramirez's knee won't allow him to participate in the All-Star festivities in Pittsburgh next Tuesday. Though no announcement has been made by Major League Baseball, his replacement is going to be Detroit Tigers OF, Magglio Ordonez. You can base this off comments made by AL manager, Ozzie Guillen.
Buster Olney already has an issue with Ramirez appearing on the ballot in 2007.
It's clear that the All-Star team selection process is seriously flawed, but the problem isn't with players not participating due to injuries. Sure, Ramirez has backed out before, but that's no reason to exclude him from being on the ballot in the first place.
The way I see it, a bigger problem is seeing players like Travis Hafner, Jim Thome, Jason Giambi and David Ortiz on the ballot as "First Basemen", when they've barely played games at that position this year. That's ridiculous. Paul Konerko is having a fantastic season, and he actually plays the position. Nowhere in the debate among All-Star snubs did one hear the name Kevin Youkilis, who has been invaluable to the first half of the Red Sox season, playing 1B, 3B, occasionally in LF while getting on-base at a clip above .400.
But you haven't heard Youkilis' name mentioned as an All-Star 1B, because the best DH's in the AL occasionally play 1B in inter-league games played in NL ballparks.
How "fair" is that to guys like Youkilis, Justin Morneau, Lyle Overbay or Chris Shelton?
A Glance at the Standings
The 19-1 drubbing the Yankees took was eased by the Red Sox inability to beat a left-handed pitcher in Tropicana Field. The Sox still have a 4-game lead on the Yankees and Toronto, who rode another stellar outing by Roy Halladay to move into a 2nd place tie with the Bronx Bombers.
Detroit is still clinging to a 1.5 game lead on the White Sox, and the Twins have managed to climb 9 games back of the Tigers. Cleveland's 19-1 pounding of the Yankees last night was fun to watch, but has me wondering where all that offense (and pitching) was from April-June.
The Mariners got to within a game of the A's, but then they came home to Safeco. They've now lost 3 straight, and find themselves 3 back in the division, with a red-hot Angels team nipping at their heels.
The Mets probably don't have much to worry about in the NL East, but if Pedro's hip injury is serious, and the pitching continues to falter, the Phillies could make that an interesting division race.
St. Louis holds a 2-game lead over the Reds, and a 4-game lead over the 3rd place Astros, who finally gave Clemens some run support the other night.
In the NL West, Los Angeles, Colorado and San Diego are all deadlocked atop the division, with the Giants only a half game out. Arizona's HGH tailspin has them 3.5 games out.
Dusty Baker-era Over in Chicago?
Cubs GM Jim Hendry is at least thinking about Dusty's future in Chicago, which I guess is a good start. How Baker has managed to hold onto this job, or any job, has long been a mystery to me. He was very successful in San Francisco, where he was a 3-time, NL Manager of the Year. But his stay in Chicago has been marred by underachieving teams (2004, 2005) and him co-writing the "How to Blow a Playoff Series" manual with Grady Little.
Oh, I know. It was Steve Bartman's fault. Yeah, sure...
We're inching closer and closer to football season. Draft picks are starting to ink their contracts, and though none of the major Seattle newspapers have a story on it, Seattle did sign their 7th round draft pick, punter Ryan Plackemeier, to a 4-year contract. ESPN has the scoop here.
The Seahawks selection of Plackemeier was one of the few I actually predicted in my 7-round mock draft back in April. Seattle had let go of Chris Kluwe, who enjoyed a good season punting in Minnesota. Plackemeier offers the team a booming leg, both on punts and kickoffs. While Josh Brown is an accurate placekicker, and ice water is beginning to be discovered in his veins, he's not real consistent with his kickoffs. Bob Casullo certainly hopes that Plackemeier can help in that area.
Manny to Skip All-Star Game
Manny Ramirez's knee won't allow him to participate in the All-Star festivities in Pittsburgh next Tuesday. Though no announcement has been made by Major League Baseball, his replacement is going to be Detroit Tigers OF, Magglio Ordonez. You can base this off comments made by AL manager, Ozzie Guillen.
Buster Olney already has an issue with Ramirez appearing on the ballot in 2007.
It's clear that the All-Star team selection process is seriously flawed, but the problem isn't with players not participating due to injuries. Sure, Ramirez has backed out before, but that's no reason to exclude him from being on the ballot in the first place.
The way I see it, a bigger problem is seeing players like Travis Hafner, Jim Thome, Jason Giambi and David Ortiz on the ballot as "First Basemen", when they've barely played games at that position this year. That's ridiculous. Paul Konerko is having a fantastic season, and he actually plays the position. Nowhere in the debate among All-Star snubs did one hear the name Kevin Youkilis, who has been invaluable to the first half of the Red Sox season, playing 1B, 3B, occasionally in LF while getting on-base at a clip above .400.
But you haven't heard Youkilis' name mentioned as an All-Star 1B, because the best DH's in the AL occasionally play 1B in inter-league games played in NL ballparks.
How "fair" is that to guys like Youkilis, Justin Morneau, Lyle Overbay or Chris Shelton?
A Glance at the Standings
The 19-1 drubbing the Yankees took was eased by the Red Sox inability to beat a left-handed pitcher in Tropicana Field. The Sox still have a 4-game lead on the Yankees and Toronto, who rode another stellar outing by Roy Halladay to move into a 2nd place tie with the Bronx Bombers.
Detroit is still clinging to a 1.5 game lead on the White Sox, and the Twins have managed to climb 9 games back of the Tigers. Cleveland's 19-1 pounding of the Yankees last night was fun to watch, but has me wondering where all that offense (and pitching) was from April-June.
The Mariners got to within a game of the A's, but then they came home to Safeco. They've now lost 3 straight, and find themselves 3 back in the division, with a red-hot Angels team nipping at their heels.
The Mets probably don't have much to worry about in the NL East, but if Pedro's hip injury is serious, and the pitching continues to falter, the Phillies could make that an interesting division race.
St. Louis holds a 2-game lead over the Reds, and a 4-game lead over the 3rd place Astros, who finally gave Clemens some run support the other night.
In the NL West, Los Angeles, Colorado and San Diego are all deadlocked atop the division, with the Giants only a half game out. Arizona's HGH tailspin has them 3.5 games out.
Dusty Baker-era Over in Chicago?
Cubs GM Jim Hendry is at least thinking about Dusty's future in Chicago, which I guess is a good start. How Baker has managed to hold onto this job, or any job, has long been a mystery to me. He was very successful in San Francisco, where he was a 3-time, NL Manager of the Year. But his stay in Chicago has been marred by underachieving teams (2004, 2005) and him co-writing the "How to Blow a Playoff Series" manual with Grady Little.
Oh, I know. It was Steve Bartman's fault. Yeah, sure...
Monday, July 03, 2006
Mac's All Star Teams
Like everyone else in Bloggerville, I've got my own thoughts on the MLB All-Star teams that were unveiled last night. Click here for the rosters.
Here's who I would've picked.
Mac's AL All-Stars
C - Joe Mauer, Minnesota
1B - David Ortiz, Boston
2B - Mark Loretta, Boston
3B - Alex Rodriguez, New York
SS - Derek Jeter, New York
OF - Manny Ramirez, Boston
OF - Vernon Wells, Toronto
OF - Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
Reserves
C - Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit
1B - Paul Konerko, Chicago
2B - Jose Lopez, Seattle
3B - Troy Glaus, Toronto
SS - Miguel Tejada, Baltimore
SS - Michael Young, Texas
OF - Vladimir Guerrero, LAA
OF - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
OF - Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay
OF - Jermaine Dye, Chicago
SP - Francisco Liriano, Minnesota
SP - Johan Santana, Minnesota
SP - Roy Halladay, Toronto
SP - Barry Zito, Oakland
SP - Curt Schilling, Boston
SP - Kenny Rogers, Detroit
SP - Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay
SP - Mike Mussina, New York
RP - Jonathan Papelbon, Boston
RP - Bobby Jenks, Chicago
RP - Mariano Rivera, New York
RP - BJ Ryan, Toronto
No Kansas City Royals on there, I know. I think that's an antiquated idea, so I'm not abiding by it.
Mac's NL All-Stars
C - Paul Lo Duca, New York
1B - Albert Pujols, St. Louis
2B - Chase Utley, Philadelphia
3B - David Wright, New York
SS - Jose Reyes, New York
OF - Jason Bay, Pittsburgh
OF - Carlos Beltran, New York
OF - Matt Holliday, Colorado
C - Michael Barrett, Chicago
1B - Ryan Howard, Philadelphia
1B - Lance Berkman, Houston
1B - Nomar Garciaparra, Los Angeles
2B - Dan Uggla, Florida
3B - Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh
3B - Miguel Cabrera, Florida
SS - Edgar Rentera, Atlanta
OF - Carlos Lee, Milwaukee
OF - Alfonso Soriano, Washington
OF - Andruw Jones, Atlanta
SP - Brandon Webb, Arizona
SP - Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati
SP - Pedro Martinez, New York
SP - Jason Schmidt, San Francisco
SP - Chris Carpenter, St. Louis
SP - Carlos Zambrano, Chicago
SP - Brad Penny, Los Angeles
RP - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
RP - Tom Gordon, Philadelphia
RP - Brian Fuentes, Colorado
RP - Derrick Turnbow, Milwaukee
With all the (deserved) furor sorrounding the omission of guys like Travis Hafner, Francisco Liriano, etc..., injuries will no doubt allow a few of the players, currently on the outside, into the festivities.
Here's who I would've picked.
Mac's AL All-Stars
C - Joe Mauer, Minnesota
1B - David Ortiz, Boston
2B - Mark Loretta, Boston
3B - Alex Rodriguez, New York
SS - Derek Jeter, New York
OF - Manny Ramirez, Boston
OF - Vernon Wells, Toronto
OF - Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
Reserves
C - Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit
1B - Paul Konerko, Chicago
2B - Jose Lopez, Seattle
3B - Troy Glaus, Toronto
SS - Miguel Tejada, Baltimore
SS - Michael Young, Texas
OF - Vladimir Guerrero, LAA
OF - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
OF - Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay
OF - Jermaine Dye, Chicago
SP - Francisco Liriano, Minnesota
SP - Johan Santana, Minnesota
SP - Roy Halladay, Toronto
SP - Barry Zito, Oakland
SP - Curt Schilling, Boston
SP - Kenny Rogers, Detroit
SP - Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay
SP - Mike Mussina, New York
RP - Jonathan Papelbon, Boston
RP - Bobby Jenks, Chicago
RP - Mariano Rivera, New York
RP - BJ Ryan, Toronto
No Kansas City Royals on there, I know. I think that's an antiquated idea, so I'm not abiding by it.
Mac's NL All-Stars
C - Paul Lo Duca, New York
1B - Albert Pujols, St. Louis
2B - Chase Utley, Philadelphia
3B - David Wright, New York
SS - Jose Reyes, New York
OF - Jason Bay, Pittsburgh
OF - Carlos Beltran, New York
OF - Matt Holliday, Colorado
C - Michael Barrett, Chicago
1B - Ryan Howard, Philadelphia
1B - Lance Berkman, Houston
1B - Nomar Garciaparra, Los Angeles
2B - Dan Uggla, Florida
3B - Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh
3B - Miguel Cabrera, Florida
SS - Edgar Rentera, Atlanta
OF - Carlos Lee, Milwaukee
OF - Alfonso Soriano, Washington
OF - Andruw Jones, Atlanta
SP - Brandon Webb, Arizona
SP - Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati
SP - Pedro Martinez, New York
SP - Jason Schmidt, San Francisco
SP - Chris Carpenter, St. Louis
SP - Carlos Zambrano, Chicago
SP - Brad Penny, Los Angeles
RP - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
RP - Tom Gordon, Philadelphia
RP - Brian Fuentes, Colorado
RP - Derrick Turnbow, Milwaukee
With all the (deserved) furor sorrounding the omission of guys like Travis Hafner, Francisco Liriano, etc..., injuries will no doubt allow a few of the players, currently on the outside, into the festivities.
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