Monthly Archives: August 2009

Vick Story Fully Re-heated, Tastes Like Favre

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

I’m going to be conservative and estimate that half of ESPN’s football coverage over the next two months will be Vick-related.

They did put together a decent retrospective this morning on Vick’s career leading up to the dog fighting conviction.  Most striking was his arrogance and denials leading up to the indictment, at one point telling a reporter “people around the world love Mike Vick, and they’ll always be people loving Mike Vick.”

Seriously, who says that?

He definitely paid his dues (and then some) for the dog fighting charges.  But all of that nonwithstanding, this is the same guy that flipped off his own fans, smuggled weed through airports and got wasted at a strip club a few weeks ago (while pleading his reform to Goodell).   We’ve all been immature (still am!), but this guy’s hubris in the face of disaster was off the charts.

Everyone deserves a second chance, and I’m glad Vick is getting his due.  But I’m not looking forward to having his redemption story shoved down my throat vis a vis Favre’s retirement.

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Emeritus, Come Back Please

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

And here’s what Deadspin brought to tonight’s Vick news.

I understand AJ is an Iggle.  But come on.  Is he even trying anymore?

Anyone can do throwaway drunken commentary.

Ahem.

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Why Michael Vick Hurts the Eagles (and Donovan McNabb)

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

Just when the Eagles and Donovan McNabb seemed to be at peace, enter Michael Vick.

Why?  Why would you introduce another controversy-laden season after you re-upped across the board, signed McNabb to a new contract, and pushed your chips to the middle on a championship run?

I don’t get it.

You need to a see a  full season of McNabb in order to appreciate his play.  He tends to go through one or two game stretches where the focus and execution isn’t there.  But if you let him work through it, he usually pays you back in spades.

That’s not going to happen now.

I’m not going to hate on Philly fans but I will say, like any major sports town with a little success, they have very little patience for their teams and players.  Anyone remember the Jeff Garcia era?

There’s definitely a flip-side to that coin.  Running Vick 10-12 times a game will put the defense on its heels, open up running lanes for Brian Westbrook and make the wildcat possible.  McNabb doesn’t have the same running abilities he used to, and there’s always the chance of injury.

But why risk making him look over his shoulder, a position he isn’t comfortable in?  He’ll always be one bad game, or even a half, away from fans calling for Vick.  And let’s say Vick plays a significant role in the offense.  If he’s anything like pre-felon Vick, it’s going to be hard to take him off the field.

And I haven’t even mentioned the PETA or locker room distractions this will cause.  Philly fans probably care for PETA as much as I do (nil), but there’s going to be a rift in the locker room sooner or later, especially if the team starts slow.  Can you think of a bigger distraction as the team heads into the season?  Outside of Donovan getting caught running Terrible Newz Kennels, I can’t.

Perhaps there’s some brilliance here I don’t see.  But I just don’t think the positives outweigh the negatives on this one.

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ESPN: Eagles Sign Vick

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

Confirmation tonight from ESPN’s Chris Berman that Michael Vick will (or has) signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.  I can’t cite my source other than Boomer’s huge head on my TV during the MNF broadcast.

I don’t think anyone saw that coming (not his head, you could see that from a distance).

(Update:  Front page news on the Leader.)

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Let the Season of Chucky Begin

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

It’s the first broadcast for the new Monday Night Football crew and I already can’t stand Jon Gruden.

Here’s the short list of people I’d rather listen to during a game:

1.  Tony Kornheiser

2.  Dennis Miller

3.  My mother

4.  Ray Finkle

5.  Brad Dourif

And now for my poor MS Paint rendition of Chucky (much more terrifying than intended):

Chucky2

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Mock Draft Results

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

This is the first of a few mock drafts I’ll post leading up to the season opener.

I chose a tough starting spot at #5.  It’s a bad position for a few reasons.  Before the draft even begins, you’re forced to consider all major opening strategies, including alternatives like WR/WR or QB/WR.  The elite running backs (in 2009 at least) will be off the board, and you’ll have to weigh the value of being a ‘me too’ in the next RB tier or taking a top flight receiver (Fitzy, Moss, Johnson) or QB (Brees, Brady).

You also get absolutely no benefit from the turn.  You draft once every nine or ten picks. That makes it very hard to project who will be available, and hurts your chance of starting a run while covering up any previous oversights with a quick 1-2 punch.  No fantasy GM looks forward to picking 5, 6 or 7 (which is why an auction draft is better . . . if your league can stomach it).

Mock drafts aren’t the most reliable tool around, especially when 3-4 people leave their computer and let the autopilot pick based on rankings/need (hence some kickers going off the board long before the last round).  But they do give you a sense of how the draft will flow, and where some of the bigger runs start (QBs, TEs, DSTs).

On with the frustration.  This was a 10-team flex league with all mock owners present for at least the first four rounds.

Round 1 (#5):  Michael Turner

Grade:  B+

Comments:  Turner fell into my lap at five when an owner took a chance on LT with the fourth pick.  This hasn’t happened in one of my mock drafts yet, and I don’t imagine it will during the real deal.  But if Turner, MJD or Forte fall to five, they are a must take.  I would only take LT in the top 10 if I was picking on the turn.  The WR run began right after this pick . . .

Round 2 (#16):  Drew Brees

Grade: B

Comments:  The top flight receivers were off the board, most of the second tier backs and both Manning and Brady.  I was happy to take Brees but I had a bad feeling in my stomach.  Very little RB or WR value left, especially with nine picks before my next selection.

Round 3 (#25):  Ronnie Brown

Grade: B+

Comments:  I thought about taking Brown in the second round but Brees was too hard to pass up.  I considered myself lucky to pick up Brown in the third.  He’s in the same talent pool as most of the backs taken in round two.  But I’m still not feeling great at this point.

Round 4 (#36):  Chad Ochocinco

Grade: D

Comments:  I freaked out.  The WR crops are incredibly thin this year, and waiting until the fourth round was a mistake, which forced me to make another mistake here.  It made me reconsider taking Turner and Brees.  That’s how little faith I have in Ocho this year.  Amazingly, a TE run started after this pick . . .

Round 5 (#45):  Ryan Grant

Grade: B+

Comments:  Ryan Grant isn’t getting the respect he deserves in most drafts.  He was available when I took Ocho but based on previous drafts I was pretty confident he’d be overlooked until now.

Round 6 (#56):  Jonathan Stewart

Grade:  C

Comments:  All top flight WRs, RBs and even TEs are off the board at this point.  I had my eye on Braylon Edwards but took Stewart instead, betting he’d be available with the next pick (he wasn’t).  Stewart is a known commodity in a run-first offense.

Round 7 (#65):  Hines Ward

Grade:  B

Comments:  I’ll take the heat right now — I’ve long said that Ward is more valuable than Ochocinco.  So why did I draft Ocho first?   I don’t know.  Like I said, I panicked a bit.  And I knew Ward was going to be available later.

Round 8 (#76):  Chris Cooley

Grade:  C-

Comments:  With two other teams still needing a TE, this was forced.  I’m not a huge fan of Cooley (as a player) but I couldn’t risk not taking him.  I thought about waiting to take a chance on Shockey a few picks later, but I took the proven quantity in Cooley.

Round 9 (#85):  Chargers Defense

Grade:  A-

Comments:  A mediocre DST without Merriman.  An overlooked top 5 DST with him.

Round 10 (#96):  Donald Driver

Grade: C+

Comments:  It was a complete wasteland at this point.  I could’ve taken Santana Moss here (which I ultimately did in the next pick) but it  came down to Aaron Rodgers vs. Jason Campbell.

Rounds 11-14:

  • Santana Moss
  • Chester Taylor
  • Eli Manning
  • Neil Rackers

Grade:  C+

Comments:  Moss is hit or miss, Taylor could see time if AP goes down, Manning was best of the worst and Rackers will score well.

Overall Draft Grade:  C

  • Best Pick:  Drew Brees
  • Worst Pick:  Chad Ochocinco
  • Projected Finish:  5/10

There were a few trends in this draft that we can expect down the road.  The WR run happenened early with Fitzgerald, Moss, and both Johnsons off the board before the end of round two.   This led to a very early TE run in the fourth, followed by an early DST run in the sixth.

What we can take from this:

  • There’s a large distribution of second-tier running back talent, enough so that owners felt comfortable forsaking a third, or even second, back until the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.
  • The same can be said for the second group of QBs after Brady, Brees and Manning.  The remaining seven starters in a 10-man league are in the same talent pool.
  • Owners went nuts early over name-brand defenses.  The Ravens and Steelers were off the board early, as were the Eagles and Vikings.  Statistically, there isn’t much difference between the four, and probably the next few units.  I still wouldn’t take a DST before the eighth round.
  • WR/WR is no longer a gimmick.  It’s almost a must for owners drafting 6-10.

We’ll do at least another two mock drafts with that in mind, one in the top 3 picks, and another at 9 or 10.

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Let’s Get It On: Cardinals @ Steelers Tonight

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

The Cardinals visit the Steelers tonight for a “Super Bowl rematch” at Heinz Field.  As you’ll recall, Pittsburgh pantsed Arizona in the waning seconds of last February’s game.  Both teams face questions heading into the preseason. 

Steelers:

Running Game:  The team finished 23rd in total rushing last year thanks to a suspect line and injuries to both Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall.  With Parker expected to sit out tonight’s game, the Steelers will get an early look at Mendenhall, who is more question mark than proven quantity at this point. 

Wide Receivers:  Although reports of Hines Ward’s decline have been greatly exaggerated, questions remain for the Steelers receiving corps.  With the departure of Nate Washington, all eyes will be on Limas Sweed, the former Texas standout, to fill in as the team’s third receiver.  Coming off his Super Bowl MVP performance, Santonio Holmes needs to be a more consistent deep threat every week. 

Offensive Line:  One of the league’s worst units last year didn’t get any help in the offseason.  In fact, the team handed out long-term extensions for LG Chris Kemoeatu and LT Max Starks.  Head Coach Mike Tomlin appears confident that the group will gel after a full year together.  For Ben’s sake, let’s hope he’s right. 

Cardinals:

Running Game:  The departure of Edgerrin James opens the door for second-year back Tim Hightower and rookie first-round pick Chris Wells.  Hightower showed flashes last year before giving way to The Edge during the Cards playoff run.  But the team, which finished dead last in rushing in 2008,  is hoping the phsyically-gifted Wells will rebound from nagging injuries to compete for the starting role. 

Offensive Coordinator(s):  Head Coach Ken Wisenhut and co-offensive coordinators Mike Miller (passing) and Russ Grimm (running) will each have a hand replacing Todd Haley.  This won’t end up being too much of an issue.  Wisenhut is one of the league’s most talented play callers in his own right, and neither Miller or Grimm are ego guys. 

Defense:  Wisenhut likes players he knows, which includes last year’s acquisition of Steeler LB Clark Haggans and this year’s signing of CB Bryant McFadden, another Pittsburgh alumn.  Former linebackers coach Bill Davis is now running the defense, a talented unit that needs to be more resilient during the second half of games.

Other things to watch:

Matt Leinart vs. Brian St. Pierre:  Rumors are swirling that St. Pierre has a legitimate chance to unseat the USC star as back-up QB.  Wisenhut didn’t draft Leinart but he did sign St. Pierre in the offseason, promising to give the practice squad vet a chance to compete for the position.  With Jesus still sitting on Kurt Warner’s shoulder, it doesn’t really matter. 

Dennis Dixon:  The former Oregon standout should see a lot of playing time this preseason as the Steelers evaluate their own back-up QBs.  With Charlie Batch injured for the entire 2008 season, it will be interesting to see which QB gets the most reps going into tonight. 

Heinz Field:  This may be the only time this year that the stadium’s turf isn’t bombed out and depleted.

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ESPN Cites Deadspin On Air, Neglects to Credit DC Pro Sports Report

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

ESPN’s evolving relationship with the blogosphere took an odd turn today. 

Reporting on Michael Vick’s potential suiters for the upcoming season, ESPN cited a post on Deadspin.com during this morning’s Sportscenter.  For a brief period, the NFL Shop was selling a Mike Vick Washington Redskins Jersey. 

Forget the sports impact for a moment ( which is nil anyway).  ESPN not only cited Deadspin on air but neglected to credit DCProSportsReport.com, who Deadspin links to in their post.  The Leader typically keep things at an aggregate level during their ‘Blog Buzz’ segment, referencing only the volume of posts behind each day’s major stories.

The bigger issue is why ESPN decided to cite Deadspin.  A long-standing critic of ESPN’s online content policies, the site basically got promo’d during a Sportcenter segment for a two-sentence topper they bolted onto another site’s link.  Perhaps it was the lack of a clever lead-in by DCPSR for its post on the NFL Shop snafu. 

The jersey story itself is meaningless, and Deadspin had no control over ESPN’s editorial decision on how to cite the story.  But I hope AJ recognizes what happened and mentions it at some point.  The fact that ESPN lifted a witty topper rather than crediting the initial news source is a topic the site would usually address (ya know, unless they were the ones getting the traffic). 

Maybe there’s an underlying relationship between the sites, or some other connection I don’t see.  But it certainly looks like Deadspin got more than a little favor this time around.

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Stallworth Suspended

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Rewind After Use| 1 Comment

The punishment came down from on high today for Donte Stallworth.  The soon-to-be-former Browns wideout was suspended without pay for the entire 2009 NFL season. 

Details from Commissioner Goodell’s letter to Stallworth via NFL.com:

“As you recognized both at and following the hearing, guilt or innocence as a matter of criminal law is not the same as a violation of NFL policies. Here, longstanding league policies make clear that discipline is warranted “if a player is convicted of or admits to a violation of the law…relating to the use of alcohol.” The degree of discipline may take into account “aggravating circumstances, including but not limited to felonious conduct or felonious injury or death of third parties…” All of those factors are present here. There is no question that your actions had tragic consequences to an innocent man and his family, and that you have violated both the Substances of Abuse and Personal Conduct Policies. In that respect, you are clearly guilty of conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL.”

“Nor do I find that the outcome in the Florida courts is controlling in terms of determining disciplinary consequences within the NFL. The considerations that applied in Florida, particularly with respect to criminal standards of proof, claims of contributory negligence, consideration of crowded court dockets, and the like, do not enter into this decision. Without regard to the merits of the disposition of the criminal case, I believe that further consequences are necessary.”

“In my view, the essential facts are that you had alcohol in your system well above the legal limit, made a conscious decision to drive, and struck and killed a man. As you recognize, this conduct and the loss of life has caused serious damage to the NFL and NFL players generally. Legal arguments that focus on criminal liability under Florida law do not diminish that damage or your responsibility for your conduct.”

“Despite a repeated emphasis on the importance of avoiding driving under the influence of alcohol, you chose to drive under circumstances where you were legally impaired. And you did so even though safe and confidential alternatives, such as the “Safe Ride” program, were available to you. Your conduct endangered yourself and others, leading to the death of an innocent man. The NFL and NFL players must live with the stain that you have placed on their reputations.”

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Site News: Walls of Text and The Manpad

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Rewind After Use| Leave a comment

I’ve taken some heat regarding the unrelenting walls of texts on One Shotted.  It’s not that I don’t WANT to add images, I just don’t know which ones I can acquire from the Interwebs without legal repercussion.  We’re doing a little research on this topic.

While I figure out how to avoid any nasty requests to remove proprietary images, I’ll do my best to recreate those images in MS Paint.  I gave this concept a try by recreating my design for the next evolution in men’s undergarments.

The Manpad (patent-pending):

Manpad

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