Pick 5 for $50

Week 7: Pick 5 for $50

2010-10-21T13:37:00.002-04:00

Good Thursday to you all. Week 6 was a bust in many different ways for Pick 5 for $10. It's a new week, it's a new set of matchups, and it's a new set of picks. Do some research or wing it, I do not care. At this point, winging it may be the best option. Before we get into picks, let's talk a little bit about the NFL and it's dealings with helmet to helmet hits.

Wednesday the league announced that players will be suspended for not only head shots, but "devastating" hits. I'm sorry, but part of football is devastating hits. Players agree when they step on the field that there is a chance they will get hurt. It's actually a given that they will at least once a season experience a "devastating" hit. To overwhelm, confound, or stun. That's what devastating means. I get the head shots thing. That can really change the course of a player's life. Nothing in me wants someone's career to be ended by a head shot.

Then there is the interpretation of the hit. There is such a fine line between intentional and unintentional. There may be some guys in the league that try to produce head shots, I understand that. Take James Harrison for instance. The guy is known for hitting people hard. He's a little full of himself too. He claims he doesn't know if he can play in the NFL anymore because he doesn't know if he can hit legally. Really James? Come on man! You are not a great NFL player then. If you can't adjust to changes, you don't deserve to be named among the greats.

Wrapping up and tackling has faded in the NFL over the past decade. I've never been to an NFL practice, but I think this way of hitting has to come from the top down. On MNF Tony Dungy even said that he taught players to break up a pass no matter what, that's what they're supposed to do. Defensive coaches' jobs are to teach how to keep opposing offenses from getting the ball and if that means hitting them hard to break up the pass then so be it. BUT, there is a double standard.

The league is saying players need to be more cautious about hitting people and if they aren't, they get punished. So you have your direct coach saying break that pass up no matter what, and you have the league saying don't hit so hard or hit helmet-to-helmet. If I'm a player, I don't know who to listen to! Your coach controls your immediate future as far as playing time and salary in a sense. The league controls your long-term future and if you are even allowed to play. For me, I would probably listen to what my coach is saying.

So what's the NFL to do? If it were me, I would start with the coaches. Why not punish the coaches as well as the player? I'm not saying I support the NFL's decision in all this, so just wander with me for a moment. If they are going to fine players, why wouldn't they fine coaches as well? You know those coaches are elated inside when they see a hard hit. They teach it. Just like a CEO or management controls a company's core values, coaches do the same thing. If coaches were more apt to teaching legal, correct tackling, I think this rule would be way more effective. And if you put a punishment on the coaches as well, the NFL would see changes pretty fast. Not saying I support this whole ordeal, just putting it in perspective.

Ok, so you have read my blabber about the new rules, let's get down to it. As you may know, it's now called Pick 5 for $50. Not that this will attract more people, but this contest is harder than I thought it would be. I will gladly send a $50 visa gift card to the person who picks the right 5. Does anyone oppose Simon Mall cards? Anyway, here's my picks:

QB - Drew Brees - 300 3/0 - Brees has not had a stellar season thus far. He has been hampered with all sorts of problems in his backfield, either injuries to RB's or them just being ineffective. He's coming off a pretty good week throwing 3 TD's and he's playing the Browns. Big Ben, in basically a preseason game, threw three touchdowns in his first game back against the Cleveland. The Browns have given up 11 pass TD's this season so I think Brees is in for a good week.

RB - Ray Rice - 115 1 - 3/50/1 - Ray Rice has looked better the past couple weeks, but this is more about the Bills than it is Rice. Here's some of the Bills stats: 180+ yards allowed per game on the ground; 200+ yards allowed three weeks in a row; 7 rushing TD's given up. Not to mention, teams aren't passing against them. The past three weeks, teams have carried the ball 40+ times against the Bills. I see Rice getting 60% of those carries this week, so that means 24+ carries.

WR - Roddy White - 8/145/1 - Roddy White is in the top 5 WR for me so far this year. His team has had trouble establishing the run and that has hurt him, but he has performed. He plays a Bengals D that has 6 sacks this season. If you give Matt Ryan time, he will make good throws. Last week, the Falcons played a pretty aggressive Eagles D that has 18 sacks on the season. This week might look like slow motion for against the Bengals, which is great for Roddy White.

TE - Vernon Davis - 6/95/1 - Davis has been getting hot the past couple weeks. He has had a TD in three consecutive weeks and he is beginning to look like he did last season. Mike Johnson took over play calling duties from Jimmy Raye three weeks ago and Davis has become a bigger focus. This contest is beginning to be a guessing game, so maybe that's part of this pick too.

DEF - St. Louis Rams - Speaking of playing the guessing game. There is little theory behind this pick. The only two thing I have going for me: 1)The Rams sacked Philip Rivers 7 times last game and 2) The defense that wins is never who you think it will be. So, let's go Rams.

There you have it people. Some picks this week are getting away from the predictable, but choosing who I think will have a good chance of winning hasn't worked so far. Remember, it is now Pick 5 for $50. Stakes have risen, who will rise to the occasion. Probably not James Harrison.

Found a Pony,

Sporticus

Week 6: Pick 5 for $10 Results

2010-10-20T12:14:00.001-04:00

Week 6 has come and gone. Plenty of crazy things happened this weekend, including 7 players being taken off the field due to helmet to helmet hits. As a fan I'm all for hard hits, but it's got to stop somewhere. Come back later today and read up about this whole ordeal.

I'm not really sure what to say. Another crazy week in the NFL, another week of unpredicted players coming up big. I'm thinking I need to raise the stakes, so for the next month if anyone gets the 5 correct picks, you will get $50. We'll call it Pick 5 for $50. That's right, a fresh $50 visa gift card, cash, or check. It doesn't matter, you can decided if you win. Heck if you get the picks right, I will throw in a free Christmas Tree when the season comes around. The guys over at Raise The Tree will deliver it to your door. So down to the nitty gritty.

For the second consecutive week, we recorded a whopping zero correct picks. None. I think this is going to turn into one of those million dollar challenges within the next two years. Throw a kicker in the mix and there is no way anyone gets it right. Of course, we will never throw in a kicker, but those bigger sites are run by the man (see George Orwell's 1984), so they probably will. When no kickers are involved, a slight glimmer of hope surrounds the contest. Here's how things shaped up in week 6:

QB - Kevin Kolb - 326 3/1 - 31.4 - It is actually really good to see this guy do well. He has been tossed around the Eagles for most of the season, and to see him play well makes me feel all warm inside. He was supposed to be the man in Philly and he may not be for much longer, but this performance helps his case. Good for him.

RB - Ryan Torain - 100/2 - 22.9 - Everyone saw this coming right? This was Torain's first 100 yard game this year, but he looked solid running between the tackles. He looks like a pretty patient back, but he doesn't have breakaway speed. It should be noted that he did not touch the ball in the 4th quarter, so his numbers might have been higher. This is what I like to call an outlier.

WR - Jeremy Maclin - 159/2 - 27.9 - Take away the 90 yard TD, and Maclin would be about where he usually is. I will say this, he was thrown to seven times and caught seven passes. If you are Kevin Kolb, you like looking at those stats, so this might be a connection that continues if DeSean Jackson is out for an extended amount of time.

TE - Benjamin Watson - 88/1 - 14.8 - Watson leads his team in receptions at 29. Last year with the Pats, he totaled 29 for the entire year. Either the Browns are really bad or the Pats didn't use him like they should have. In his first start, McCoy targeted Watson nine times, more than any other player on the Browns. I still think it's an outlier.

DEF - Tennessee - 3 PA, 2 Sacks, 3 INT, 1 FR - 21 - If I dare so say, this is the only true non-outlier of the week. The Titans have scored double digit fantasy points in all but one game so far this season. There D line was all over whoever was in the backfield for the Jags. It seemed like they put eight men in the box on every play, as MJD went nowhere the entire game. The Titans even held the Jags on the final drive of the game, when the Jags got all the way to their 2 and couldn't score.

I'm still disappointed about this week. I didn't think there was any way two weeks would go by and no one would get anything right. I would say get back in the saddle fellas, but I don't know where the horses are.

Remember, it is now Pick 5 for $50.

Looking for the Horses,

Sporticus

Week 6: Pick 5 for $10

2010-10-14T13:11:00.003-04:00

I know it's a bit early for the weekly Pick 5 for $10, but I can't seem to think of a good reason not to do it on a Thursday instead of a Friday. I watched some intramural football down at the UT, and it got me fired up about this week's picks. Don't think for a minute I'm fired up because no one has won yet, but there is no way that two weeks go by without a correct pick. Redemption time fellas. By the way, still looking for the first lady to make picks. Who will it be? Whoever she is, she has my heart.

QB - Philip Rivers - 370/3/1 - Hey, old man Rivers. Ok, so Philip has had a couple of pretty good passing match-ups thus far, but he is taking advantage of them. Give the guy some credit, he has thrown for 11 TD's already in 5 games, and has eclipsed the 300 yard passing mark thrice. He plays St. Louis, who has held most quarterback's in check as far as touchdowns, until last week when Shaun Hill heaved up 3. They have only given up 6 on the year, but there is no way the Lions ever play that good on defense again.

RB - LT - 130/2 3/55/- For two weeks in a row, Denver has allowed top tier running backs to go over 100+ yards on the ground. It should be no different this week for LT. Ray Rice and company amassed 233 yards and 4 touchdowns against the weak Broncos front. The Titans only had 22 carries and they still went well over 100 yards rushing two weeks ago. It seems like the Jets are establishing the run early in the game, so against a weaker defensive front, it should be no different this week. Disclaimer, if Favre sits, I will change my pick to AP and I will record it in the comments.

WR - Reggie Wayne - 8/160/1 - Joseph Addai is banged up, Manning didn't have a good week last week, and Garcon and Collie are ailing. That combination of things mixed with a Redskins D that is allowing close to 300 yards passing a game, means Wayne might be in for a real good day. Manning will look to throw early to try and create some space for Mike Hart to run, so expect Wayne to see at least 10 targets this game. If Collie was 100% he might be interchangeable with Wayne, but as of now, I'm going with Reggie Making it Wayne.

TE - Antonio Gates - 6/95/2 - You might be thinking to yourself "You're picking two players from San Diego to be the top players this week?" To that I would reply, why yes I am. It's a free country and so is the Rams secondary. No one is there. Gates has seven TD's in his first 5 games and Rivers has thrown for over 400 yards in two out of the last three weeks. Plus, Shaun Hill, the Lions back-up, threw for over 300 yards and three TD's last week. I repeat, the Lions back-up.

DEF - Pittsburgh Steelers - 12 PA, 3 sacks, 2 INT, and 2 TD's - This is the Steelers opening game. Big Ben is back and although he doesn't play defense, he is the leader of the team, whether he wears the captain badge or not. Everyone on the Steelers team supports Ben and they will come out and show that in the way they play this week. Oh, did I mention they are playing the Browns? Colt McCoy will get his first shot at the NFL this week, and it couldn't come at a worse time for him.

It is time to step up to the plate this week and see if we can't get a pick right between all of us. A poor showing last week from all makes me think this is the week for perfection. So let it be written, so let it be known.

Sporticus

Hump Days with the Hog

2010-10-13T08:00:00.011-04:00

First of all, it's good to be a part of this blog. Fantasy football is important, and you should treat it that way.

I wanted to talk a little bit about the age old fantasy no-no of buying high. Even the novice, first year player probably says he understands the concept of buying low and selling high. Unfortunately, many people still make dumb desperation trades.

Allow me to give an example. Let's talk about this whole Kolb/Vick fiasco. Full disclosure: I drafted Kevin Kolb as my second quarterback in August. I knew it was a roll of the dice, but went for it. I would never have had the faith to have him as my #1, but felt it was worth the risk to have him as a #2. I figured that if he lost his job, I would pick up Vick. I didn't draft Vick, figuring he would be available on the wire in a couple weeks.

So, Kolb obviously gets hurt, or just sucks, or whatever happened that first game. Someone beats me to Vick, and I am left to figure out an alternative. The last thing in the world I am going to do is trade for Vick at this point. Sure, Vick went nuts for a little while, but his value will never be quite that high, no matter how good of a season he has. I hold on to Kolb for a little while to see if Vick can keep his job. He plays great. I end up dropping Kolb, I can't justify him taking up a space with bye weeks here. Vick goes down, I am beaten to Kolb, and the whole mess continues.

The point of this mess is not to show you how badly I managed the Philadelphia QB situation, but to talk about the fact that in no circumstance should you make a desperation trade. Immediately after missing on Vick and Kolb, trade offers came my way. I don't blame the guys for trying, but come on. Five minutes after the injury and you are offering me a trade? Anyone who makes these trades has no idea what they are doing.

The worst thing is that several people I know in other leagues did just that. As soon as Kolb went down, they offered star players for Vick. I get it, he's exciting. He is a great fantasy QB. Who cares about his passing stats, the guy gets it done in the areas we need him to. But buying stock in Vick right after his first game? It will never be that high again. Look, I would love to have a talent like Vick on my team for the right price, but most leagues out there simply overvalue him.

If you want to perform well in your league, you never make a reactionary trade like that. You take time to see how the situation plays out. Any of you remember Quentin Griffin in 2004? Three TDs for the Denver RB in the first week, doubt he has had three since then. If you traded for him, the star of the week, I am going to go on a limb and say you did not win your league that year. Obviously Vick is a known commodity and is different than a one week wonder like Griffin, but the concept is still similar. Going after the hot target of the week is never a good decision. EVER. Sure, the big name is exciting. But it's not going to be real exciting when you are watching the playoffs from the outside because of bad trades.

Hog

Week 5: Pick 5 for $10 Results

2010-10-12T12:21:00.000-04:00

Well, I think this is a first for Pick 5 for $10. Not one person picked even one player correct for week 5. Let's be honest though, it was a weird week. Here's how things shaped up:

QB - Tony Romo - 406 3TD/3INT 9 Rushing yards - 35.2 points - First off, I don't see how you can throw three picks and still score 35.2 points. I think Yahoo! has a deal with all the QB's in the league stating that no matter how many INT's you throw, your fantasy points won't be effected too heavily, so call audibles at the line like it's your job! But, Romo did throw the ball well, so not terribly surprised here.

RB - Matt Forte - 166/2 - 22 Receiving Yards - 30.8 points - The crazy thing about his stats was that his two TD's and over 100 yards rushing came in the first quarter! Seems more like a freak thing, considering that was the Bears first two rushing TD's of the year. He did have a game like this earlier in the season, so maybe he's playing more like the Forte of '08.

WR - Malcom Floyd - 213/1 - 32.3 points - Here's a great picture of it being a weird week. Floyd has never caught more than six passes in any game of his career and has only eclipsed the 100 yard mark twice in his six year career with the Chargers. He is almost half-way to last years total receiving yards with this one game. Okay, Vincent Jackson's role has to be replaced by someone, but I'm not convinced this will be a weekly thing for the undrafted Floyd. Outlier.

TE - Mercedes Lewis - 54/2 - 17.4 points - Lewis gives us yet another example of how quirky and unpredictable fantasy football can be. In Yahoo!, he isn't even owned in half of the leagues. In ESPN leagues where he's owned by closer to 60 percent, only 30 percent started him. He isn't a top TE, but Garrard has been looking his way quite a bit more the past couple weeks. I'm still saying, outlier.

DEF - Detroit Lions - 6 PA, 1 Sack, 2 INTs, 1 FR, 1 TD, 1 Ret. TD - 29 points - The biggest outlier of them all! They totally nullified Murphy's law and everything went right for them, including Mark Clayton's injury early in the game. The Lions defense is owned by 9.5 percent in Yahoo! and ESPN leagues combined! Not sure what else to say about this except that this will most likely not happen again this year.

As you can see, this week was full of what I've been calling outliers. They break the bell curve. They are 4-5 standard deviations outside of what they should be. But, that's fantasy football for you. If you're like me and have trouble making it through the week, stop by tomorrow for the first ever Hump Day with the Hog. Hog will be writing about anything fantasy football and tomorrow's topic is Desperation Trades. Should be good.

Thanks for stopping,

Sporticus

Week 5: Pick 5 for $10

2010-10-07T16:01:00.000-04:00

That time of the week has come again. Trying to decide who to start/who not to start, eyeing the competition's lineup to see how your team measures up, watching the waiver wire to see if you get who you want; you know the drill. It's also the time of the week for Pick 5 for $10. If you aren't familiar with how it works, look back at older posts and you will quickly get the point. Now on to the good stuff.

I have had some rough weeks with my picks thus far, but last week I had some tough luck with certain picks. For instance, Dustin Keller had two touchdowns and came in 3rd for TE's. LT had a brilliant day, rushing for 133 yards and 2 TD's, and came in second for RB's behind Arian Foster. And for some of you out there who picked Reggie Wayne, his 196 yards didn't outdo TO's 222 yards and a TD. Tough luck, but it makes me want to keep on picking, so here's my week 5 picks.

QB- Peyton Manning - I know he won last week and it's tough to win two weeks in a row, but he's playing a weaker Kansas City defense that has allowed every opposing team's QBs to throw for at least 220 yards and a TD, with Alex Smith and Seneca Wallace being two of those. The biggest red-flag for the Chiefs defense is their pass rush. In week 3 they did have 5 sacks, but that was more to inexperience and poor blocking by the 49ers OL. Manning is going to have time to through the ball. With a youthful secondary, the Chiefs will see their usual mistakes made, turned into touchdowns for Manning and the Colts. 325/3/1 Eric Berry INT.

RB - MJD - MJD is coming off his best week of the season thus far. In week 4, Jack Del Rio realized he hadn't given his best player a chance to make plays and decided he would give him the ball his due amount. MJD turned that into 121 yards of total offense and 2 TDs. Jack Del Rio has not been a smart head coach thus far, so who knows if he will give MJD the ball this week. Someone needs to tell Mr. Rio that Buffalo gave up a combined 240 rushing yards to LT and Shonn Green, with LT getting to the end zone twice. In week 3, the Law Firm and Mr. Woodhead combined for 140 yards and 2 TDs on 19 carries. All I'm saying is, if MJD gets the ball, he will put some numbers up. 150/2

WR - Roddy White- After last week's performance, White has to be salivating looking at the Brown's defense that gave up 222 yards to TO. For the past two weeks, the leading WR has come from a team playing against the Brown's, and with White's play making ability, he should be in no different a situation. 160/1

TE - Dallas Clark - I hate picking two players from the same team, but with Austin Collie's status up in the air for this week, I like Clark's chances of having a big game. I realize I am picking against the only undefeated team left, but Manning has so many weapons to beat a young secondary that hasn't really faced a quarterback able to check plays at the line like Manning does. A lot of the time, Clark is the recipient of those check downs. 110/1

DEF - Da Bears - I'm still trying to figure out why Yahoo! has the Bears barely making the top 10 for projections this week. They are playing a weak offense in Carolina this week, that has allowed 4 sacks per game and has thrown 6 INTs so far this season. Although Jimmy Clausen didn't throw an INT last week, he only threw for 146 yards and looked extremely inaccurate with some makeable throws. Plus, it looks like Steve Smith might be unable to play, along with a questionable DeAngelo Williams. If those two players do not play, the Bears defense might be in for a fun game. 3 Sacks/2 FR/2 INT/1 TD/1 Hester TD

There you have it my people. Hope everyone has a good weekend and best of luck. Don't forget to make your picks!

Sporticus

Pick 5 for $10 Results

2010-10-07T13:10:00.004-04:00

Crazy week here for the fantasy football world. The two biggest things happening have to do with two players, Michael Vick and Randy Moss. In my mind, they are both number one draftees, even though Moss was stiff-armed by the Cowboys and taken in the 21st round of the '98 draft. Moss was traded back to his original owners this week and was probably met at the airport by his grandfather, Brett Farve. Vick suffered what was originally thought to be a rib injury, but is now being diagnosed as a cartilage injury. The Eagles are now playing their first game without Vick, which should be interesting to watch. He has played a huge role since week 1, and this will be the first week Kolb will play the entire game.

Anyways, here's how Pick 5 fro $10 shaped up this week.

QB - Peyton Manning- 352/2/1 Manning was on his game once again, as he slowly but surely shredded Jacksonville's D. You could say the same about David Garrard's play (fantasy point-wise) as well (163/2/0 and 44/1), as the top 2 QB's for this week played in the same game. That's a first for Pick 5 for $10 folks, you can put it in the books.

RB - Arian Foster - 131/1 56/1 This is not surprising that he is the leader for this week. What is surprising is that his numbers are for three quarters. He missed some meetings, so they sat him in the first quarter. Wonder what he would have done in all 4?

WR - TO - 222/1 I wonder how many people sat TO in week 4? Carson Palmer seemed to have tunnel vision for TO, so I doubt he will have numbers like this again. Although, as one of those aforementioned TO owners, I hope he does.

TE - Antonio Gates - 144/2 Not much to say here. If Gates is on your team, it's like having a WR1.

DEF - New England - This isn't so much about NWE as it is about Miami's horrendous offensive game. The only bright spot for Miami was Ricky Williams having some nice plays, but other than that, the Dolphins made the MNF game secondary to Hoarders.

Anyways, there was no winner this week, but first time player Nick Wendel came the closest of the season. His lineup included Peyton Manning, Arian Foster, and Antonio Gates. Week 5 picks will be able to be put up around midnight tonight.

Now or Later,

Sporticus

Pick 5 for $10

2010-09-30T23:21:00.000-04:00

Alright folks, this weeks Pick 5 for $10 is here. I'm sure you know the drill, but in case you forgot, here it is. The object of this contest is to pick who you think will perform the best in Week 4. You pick 1 each of QB, RB, WR, TE, and DEF. Before everyone makes their picks, I will give you a run down on mine and why I've picked them.

QB- Aaron Rodgers - Let's be honest, the Packers should have won last week verse the Bears. Rodgers had a dropped pass in the endzone that would have boosted his point total last week, and he didn't have his best outing of the year. He's going to come out slinging the ball this week. Quarterbacks have averaged scoring about 21 points on them in the first three weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if Rodgers led GB over 450 total yards on offense against a vulnerable pass D. 315 passing yards/3 TD's/30 rushing yards

RB- LT- Wow. This is hard for me to even think that I'm picking LT, but he's looking real solid. He is running the ball like the LT of old, and with Mark Sanchez stretching defenses out like he's been, holes are going to be open. Last week, a fair New England rushing attack rallied up over 150 yards and 2 TD's against the Bills D. LT is the man for the Jets this week, let's see if he's got anything left. 100/2

WR - DeSean Jackson - This is more about a matchup rather than a player, not saying that Jackson's not good. I'm saying Washington gave up over 250 yards to Dallas's top three in Week 1 and they gave up over 300 yards to Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter in Week 2. With Vick 2.0 playing like he is, Jackson should have a pretty good day. 145/2

TE- Dustin Keller -There is something good happening between Keller and Sanchez. I'm not sure if it's just Sanchez really likes Keller as a friend and wants him to score, or if he really is his go-to guy. Sanchez treated Keller like he was his top wide out last week and looking at the Bills D, I'm not sure they will be able to stop the connection. In Week 2, Jermichael Finley had over 100 yards receiving and in Week 3, two different TE's for NWE say 9 receptions for over 100 yards and a TD. 95/1

DEF- Pittsburgh - How can you go against them right now? Polamalu seems to bring out something in the Steelers defense that is not there when he's out. He caught an errant throw last week by Vince Young, and he wasn't even in the play. He was walking on the sidelines and caught the pass. Something about the Steelers D having everyone thinking they can't win without Big Ben has them playing to their full potential, week after week. 2 Sacks/2 INT/FF/TD

Alright people, make your picks. I have changed my mind about when the last possible time is to turn your picks is, and I've decided that as long as you do it before the first game of the week kicks-off, then that will work. Best of luck to everyone. I'll see you on this side or the next.

Sporticus

Week 3 In Review

2010-09-30T00:19:00.000-04:00

Week 3 was full of surprises. I want to make a disclaimer and say I will never pick Tampa Bay's defense for anything ever again. If I needed to take over a ship in the Caribbean, I would pick Captain Ron over your mascot's namesake every time.

Here's to the Law Firm. Young attorney's everywhere now have a cover when their boss comes in and sees they are Googling BenJarvus-Green-Ellis. (rc)

Here's to you Charlie Batch and Jay Cutler. You guys both played terrible and were saved by either poor defense or getting bailed out by the refs. There was a combined 9 throws that were either intercepted and called back or the defense put on their deer hands for the play and missed a pick.

Here's to you Tony Moeaki for making the best catch of the season thus far. Rookie route, veteran play. Maybe you should talk to TO about where you go to church.

The list for this weeks Pick 5 for $10 goes like this:

QB- Michael Vick- 290 yards passing, 3 TD's, 30 yards rushing, 1 TD - 41.55 points (Sporticus Pick)

RB- Adrian Peterson- 160 yards rushing, 2 TD's, 30 receiving yards - 31 points

WR- Anquan Boldin- 142 yards receiving, 3 TD's - 31.9 points

TE- Dustin Keller- 98 yards receiving, 2 TD's - 21.8 points

K- Just kidding.

DEF - Seattle - 18 points against, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 3 Fumbles Recovered, and Two Return TD's - 32 points

There was no winner this week. As you have probably found out after the first week of this, it's going to be pretty hard to pick the right combination. We did have some people pick one player right, in Adrian Peterson. Matt, Travis, and Clay picked AP (really going out on a limb there). I kid. I will keep a total as far as correct picks goes for the entirety of the season, and if you have the most right, we will be talking a $25 gift certificate to a nice establishment. Or cash. It doesn't matter. The best part about all this is it's FREE. I really don't think anyone will get the right combination of players, so if you have some really smart fantasy gurus that think they know it all, invite them in and tell them they suck. And they can suck for free. I will have this weeks picks up by Friday, and you will be able to leave your picks under the column like last week.

Sporticus

Pick 5 for $10

2010-09-23T15:46:00.001-04:00

Here's the deal people. I have picked 5 players that I think are going to be the standouts for week 3. I've picked 1 QB, 1RB, 1 WR, 1 TE, and 1 DEF.

Here's my challenge to you guys: Pick one player from each position that you think will be the standouts for the week and post them as a comment no later than Saturday at midnight, EST. (When Thursday games are played, deadlines will change). To win this challenge, your picks in each category have to be the tops for the week, based on Yahoo Sports scoring (http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/672338/settings). So for week 2, Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Jahvid Best, Antonio Gates, and Pittsburgh would have been the winning combo. The winner each week will be given a $10 gift certificate to the place of my choice, whether it's a sporting store, restaurant, etc.. That's why it's called Pick 5 for $10.

If there is a tie, meaning two or more people have the same winning combination, or no one picks the right combo for that week, then it's a push and no prize will be given out for that week, with no prize carry-over. Each Tuesday, the winner will be announced on the blog and will be given the $10 gift certificate. Make sure you put your name and city at the end of your picks. Thanks for your participation and tell your friends! For every 50 people that enter, $5 more will be added for that given week. Also, limit one set of picks per person. Anyone who does not abide by the rules will not be eligible for the prize.

Sporticus

P.S. For sponsorship opportunities, shoot me an email.

Fantasy Picks for Week 3

2010-09-22T11:33:00.000-04:00

I've decided that I am going to pick a player at each position from here on out that I think is going to have a stellar week.

Week 3, oh week 3. For some of you out there week 3 is another opportunity to continue that winning streak. Some of you are still fighting for that first win. You probably played Arian Foster in week 1 and have been crying about it since. If you were lucky enough to play against Foster in week 1, then you might have even played Jahvid Best in week 2. I'm sorry that I'm not sorry for you, but every week is new for fantasy football. Let me give 2 shout-outs before I get on to my breakout picks for week 3.

Here's to you Randy Moss. Not for crying about not getting your contract extended as fast as Tom Brady's (come one man, he's the face of Foxsboro). Here's to you for your one-handed grab, thrown from your team nemesis. You didn't even squeeze your hand when you caught that ball, nor did you even think about letting your left hand do anything. Cheers Mr. Moss.

Jahvid Best. Rookie of the year is coming your way my friend. Run like that and you might find yourself breathing down Chris Johnson's neck for the coveted no.1 fantasy pick next year.

Ok, I know this is probably what you though I would say, but if you're sitting Mike Vick on the bench, or he's still available in your league, pick the guy up. He's owned by 78% of yahoo leagues and 88% of ESPN leagues. Only 34% of ESPN owners are starting him. Come on ya'll, he won't hurt your puppies, put him in your lineup. 250 pass yards, 100 rush yards, and 3 tds. (250/100/3)

Darren McFadden has some players around him now. No more JaMarcus and no more less than desirable wide receivers. Louis Murphy and Zach Miller seem to be opening up some things for McFadden, but frankly, McFadden's opening up things for himself. He's had two great weeks as far as yardage, and he's ready to breakout for some TD's. 110/75/2.

This pick is going with my boi, TO. Owens hasn't had a good week yet, but with 85 nursing that cracked rib, I think Owens will be looked at quite a bit more. Plus, Carson Palmer is coming off a less than memorable game against the Ravens so he's hungry. Carolina has had it's problems in the secondary thus far; they didn't even sniff a point from Tampa Bay, and Eli, who isn't having the greatest start, threw two bombs for TD's in week 1. Owens is the deep threat so he's my pick for this week at WR. 8/145/2.

The Dallas Cowboys are struggling. Romo hasn't been much of Romo in the first two games. He's been moving the ball down the field well, but when they get in that red zone, they're having trouble punching the ball in. That's where Jason Witten will come into play this week. Houston is usually up for a gun show, so both teams will be coming out slinging. Jason Witten hasn't got the ball thrown his way much, and the Cowboys aren't winning. I think this week the game plan will change and you'll see Witten double his looks. 11/90/1.

No one really cares about kickers, right? Ok, just making sure.

DEF

Tampa Bay. It's tough not having your starting quarterback, or your backup, or your third string. I don't even know who the starter is in Pittsburgh this week. I heard rumors that Hines Ward is starting (I kid). But seriously, without a passing threat this week, look for Tampa to shut down Mendenhall. Yeah, TB's defensive front is lacking, but they'll be playing for the run this week. Besides, without Mendenhall's late 60 yard score in week 1, he's had two 7-8 point weeks. Tampa Bay will force at least 1 turnover and points allowed will be way down. 2 int/1 TD/ 15 points total

That wraps up my picks at each position. Over and out.

Sporticus

96 Teams- Are you serious???

2010-04-03T19:22:00.000-04:00

Michigan St and Butler just started the 2nd half of their Final Four matchup of what has been one of the best NCAA Tournaments in recent memory. Before this weekend, everyone has been talking about the potential for a 96 team field in the years to come.

This is a tuhrible (Charles Barkley voice) idea.

Why mess with what many consider the best sporting event of the year? Men contemplate quitting their jobs because of this tournament.

Here is what the 96 team bracket might look like for the 2010 postseason.

Here are a few of my arguments against this proposed idea and from what I understand, everyone except the NCAA powers at be are opposed to this.

This was a painful process for the two of us figuring out how to seed 96 teams with match-ups like a 15 seed vs an 18 seed. I can't imagine being on the selection committee with an additional 32 teams. "Should Rhode Island play St. John's, or should they play Sam Houston?" That's the kind of questions created under the 96 team tournament.

Currently there are 34 at large bids given out to teams. Under the new system there would be potentially 50 or more at large bids. This number would fluctuate year to year because there is no set rule on the automatic bids given to conference winners. The way that we constructed our field of 96 was simply adding the 32 team NIT and seeding them with the NCAA field. Under the current NIT format, regular season conference champions who do not win their tournament are given automatic bids into the NIT. This will be something that will need to be resolved if the field expands to 96.

Under the new format, the Murray St upset over Vanderbilt never happened. Instead, Vandy gets the winner of Illinois vs. Illinois State. The state of Illinois would be the only state tuned into that game.

This year, basketball powers North Carolina and UCONN had very mediocre seasons and did not even sniff the bubble of the NCAA tournament. Under the new 96 team format, both North Carolina and UCONN would make the field and have a 16 seed by our projections. Thus, established basketball programs can have sub-par seasons and still make the tournament. Then they are 3 victories away from making the Sweet 16.

This expansion takes away the gruel and grind of the regular season for some teams. For major conferences, why even focus on having a strong schedule? You know if you finished top 5 in the regular season you are most likely in.

With so many at large bids available, we would see these gobbled up by the power conferences. We could see potentially 13 or so teams from the Big East make the field. In past years, the ACC has had 9 teams make the field of 64 with a few on the bubble. They could have all 12 teams make the field. A bid to the tournament does not reward performance anymore, it is simply a benefit of membership, specifically the Power 6 conferences (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC).

On a lighter note, "Selection Sunday" now becomes "Selection Sunday and Monday."

What do you have to do to get a #24 seed? Finish third in the Colonial League? Probably.

Congress has never tried to fix the NCAA tournament, only the BCS. Why mess something up? Let Congress mess it up.

I can't wait to hear Dick Vitale break down the Illinois vs Illinois St or UTEP v Troy first round matchup. This game actually matters though. Out of the 96 teams, Dickie V will have not seen 30 of them play. You're telling me he's going to call a Jacksonville vs Somebody State game? Not a chance.

The way our bracket is setup, there is potential for a Northeastern v Northwestern Championship Game. Talk about a money maker. Raise your hand if you know where either of those schools are? You can put your hand down Kevin O'Neill.

I'm American. I bleed red. But how are we supposed to take more days off work or take more 3 hour lunch breaks than we already do in March? We will for sure see the unemployment rate rise.

What becomes the new measuring stick for success in the tournament? The Round of 32? The Sweet 16? Depends if you're Stony Brook or Duke. Stony Brook's voting for an expansion to 120.

Can Tiger Do It?

2009-06-21T09:35:00.000-04:00

There was hype going into the 2009 U.S. Open, after 2008's ended in Tiger coming from behind and winning with a torn meniscus. It was incredible, not only to see him play that well, but to see him limping around and grimacing after every shot. This year's Open has Tiger barely making the cut, as he is 11 strokes back of the leader. Tiger is not hitting the ball great, but once again it's his short game that has him close enough for a win. The only reason he is close enough, is because the leaders know Tiger is capable of producing a 65, and the players also are probably thinking don't screw this up. So with the fear he instills, and the paralyzation the players in front face from that fear, I'd say Tiger has the same chances of winning as he did from round 1.

Knoxville Open

2009-06-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

As the Knoxville Open approaches, local golfers are ready to watch the pros play at one of the hardest course in town. Fox Den boasts close to 10 years hosting the Open and the course seems to be in great shape. For those of you who aren't familiar with Fox Den, let me enlighten you. From the tips, Fox Den plays a little over 7,100 yards with a couple of challenging holes. Number five is a hole that requires a pretty precise tee shot and second shot. For longer hitters, getting there in two is possible, but the second shot requires hitting to an elevated green over trees. With bunkers nestled in just about every spot you would like to hit, laying up in front of the green makes it difficult too. Most players hit further to the right to avoid the bunkers. No two par fours are the same at Fox Den, which makes for a challenge. Arguably the most difficult par four is number 17. It plays 458 yards from the tips, so a long tee shot is best. Off the tee you cannot hit it straight or you will end up in the trees or bunker. You have to play either a draw or hit it along the left side beside a tree on a rolling hill. Bunkers in front left and middle right makes for a touch approach. For fans, the hole before 17 is where a lot of people go. It's a par three that plays about 212 yards over water. The green is pretty big, so it is definitely three putt territory. A sand trap in the front right also adds to the difficulty.

Number 18 is probably the signature hole. Playing 597 yards from the back, getting to the green in two is almost impossible for most pros, unless you are Bubba Watson. Bubba hit driver five iron into 18 a couple years back. You need to hit a 300+ yards shot off the tee to be there in two. There is a pond in front of the green that most pros lay-up in front of for their second shot. The green slopes from back to front, so hitting below the hole is a good idea. Grand stands are filled most of the second half of the day, as golf lovers choose to see who has the guts to go for it in two. For more information on where Fox Den is, or to get information about the Open, visit www.foxdencountryclub.com.

The Wee Course at Williams Creek

2009-05-28T11:23:00.000-04:00

Some of you might not have ever heard of the Wee Course. I don't know if they meant to make the name match up with the course, but it is actually a par three course. A full 18 holes with the longest par three being 240 yards, it is a challenging shot to your short game. It has been ranked in the top ten nationally for par three courses within that past five years, so it is a great course. The par is 54 and the layout is pretty good for a par three course. No two holes are the same, which becomes the case at most par three courses. The greens are fairly decent and would give some public courses in Knoxville a run for their money. What makes this place so great is the fact that they go hand in hand with The First Tee program, which is a program that aims to "Impact the lives of youth by providing a place where they can learn and play the game of golf and benefit from the 'life's lessons' it teaches." It's a great non-profit program full of great values. Another aspect of this place I love is the practice facilities. For a par three they are pretty good. They have a driving range, putting green, and a short game area. It's a nice change of pace from the ole 6,700 yard course. Overall I would give it a 3.5 to a 4.

Egwani Farms

2009-05-26T14:51:00.000-04:00

Egwani Farms is located on Alcoa Highway about 4 miles east of the airport. You turn on a road right before Buddy's BBQ, and go about 1 mile until you cross some railroad tracks. As soon as you cross over them you take a left and you are there.

The first thing most people do when going to play golf is to figure out which course to play based on how much they are willing to pay. If you are willing to walk, Egwani is not a bad deal, as you will pay around $35 for 18 holes. Keep in mind that Egwani is a great course in Knoxville, so paying an extra $10 might be worth it.

Egwani is a course that takes pride in the whole golf experience. When you first arrive at the course, a golf cart meets you at your car to take your bag and pick you up. You also get range balls to hit before the round with the price of the round. The person who started Egwani wanted it to be a course where the service and facilities were top notch. They have done a pretty good job of keeping that idea flowing through since it opened.

Most people who play golf don't know what course rating or course slope are, so I will give a very short explanation of each. The course rating is a number that corresponds to the difficulty of the course to a scratch golfer. The rating at Egwani is 72.3 from the tips, meaning that it is barely above average when thinking in terms of difficulty. It might be harder for a scratch golfer to shoot 72 in other words. The course slope is a term that describes the difficulty of the course to a bogey golfer (someone who normally shoots 18 over par). The average number is about 113, so anything above that is usually a harder course for a bogey golfer. Egwani's slope is 128, indicating that it is considered a harder course for a bogey golfer.

For golfers longer off the tee, Egwani might be an easier course. There are a handful of holes that tend to play short (#1, , #10, #12, and #13). These are relatively shorter par 4's that leave a considerably shorter distance for the second shot. From the tips, the par 5's are tough to reach in two but possible. Number six is especially hard as it plays over 550 yards. You need a 300 yard drive to get there in two. The par three's don't have much to them, a little water on numbers 14 and 17, but for the most part aren't too difficult.

The greens, for the most part, roll true and have their days when they roll pretty fast. Fairways are always in nice condition and rough can prove to be a challenge at some points. It gives you the feel of a links course with rolling hills (although 1 and 1o start at the same place, no real tough wind, and a number of other differences). Out of 5 stars for public courses in Knoxville, I would give it a 4 (keep in mind I'm comparing course with other public Knoxville courses). They treat you good, the course is challenging, and the facilities are well-kept.

Public Courses in Knoxville

2009-05-25T10:20:00.000-04:00

Summer time is filled with lake days, swimming pools, and for a good number of people golf. Maybe even a mixture of two of those in a given day if you're lucky. I thought it might be good to go over a couple of places to play within the Knoxville area and review the courses as a whole. So for the next couple of days I will review some courses in Knoxville that I like that are public. I might even get into some courses that I don't like so much. Later in the week I will go over the private courses in Knoxville (atleast the ones I've played). Things like slope and course rating will be explained to those who don't understand what that means, and I will give an overall sense of the course layout.

Bent Creek

2009-05-23T22:32:00.000-04:00

Gatlinburg is known for a number of things. Vacation spot for a lot of people that don't know what they are getting themselves into, Dolly Parton, funnel cakes, Ober, and a hundred different as seen on T.V. stores. Not so much for golf. I recently received a free round of golf from a fundraiser for SevCo Younglife (Will Odom and Drew McMillin), so me and my boys (Ace, the Vestallion, and Maryville Sweats) thought we would check it out. Upon passing through the tri-cities (Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge) we arrived at the once well-kept Bent Creek Golf Course. We saw one green driving in that we hoped would be the driving range green and it turned out to be number 15. The course as a hole was very tight; as tight as any course I can remember playing. But as far as distance, the tips were only about 6,500 yards, it was very short. The greens were very, very slow. It was almost like putting on turf; not that bad, but close. The front nine consisted of holes that you could see the whole way from tee to green, and the back nine may have had one or two holes where you could see the green from the tee. Overall, I would equate it to the quality of a Dead Horse/Three Ridges, with the actual difficulty of play of a Gettysvue/Willow Creek from the men's tees. To add to all this, the course was packed. At any given time there were three foursomes on a hole. We had a foursome behind us that consisted of Rick Flair and Captian Ron. It was phenomenal.

So if you ever head up to Gatlinburg, try and stay away from golf and hit up the local attractions; Ripley's Aquarium, Pancake Pantry, etc., or go a little further back towards Pigeon Forge and hit up the all new Titanic Museum that is being built as we speak. Looks like the ship and will be epic I'm sure.

Putting is all about confidence.

2009-05-22T10:13:00.000-04:00

And using the right putter is about how it feels for you. If that wasn't the case then every pro would hit a Scotty Cameron. But they don't. Putting has a lot to do with feel and mechanics, but putting really boils down to confidence with the putter in your hand. If you ever stand over a putt and think you might miss it, why putt it at all? Just step back from the putt, clear your mind, and start over. Until you know your going to make the putt, don't step over the ball to putt it. Another factor when you are putting is how you feel over the putter. If every time you look down at your putter you think to yourself "Man my putters ugly" or something of the like about aesthetics of the putter, that adds nothing to you feeling comfortable or confident over the putt. With all that said, there are a couple of putters that have good feel and a couple who don't. I will not feature anything about belly putters or anything of the like. If you are putting with one of those you have no confidence and are trying anything possible. You will never see a top 5 PGA golfer using one of those.

The putter I am currently using is a Ping Anser made about 12 years ago. It's not the newest technology, but the putter feels good. It is solid when you putt and gives a good feel for a putter 12 years old. Ping makes putters at a pretty decent price and for some people is a pretty good option.

Before the Ping, I was using a Odyssey White Hot number 2 that I routinely hit terribly. There was a point in time where I had a nice putter throw that might have sent it out of alignment, but it was still a putter that I never got used to. It was not a solid feeling putter, as it felt like my ball was hitting a soft material when putting.

Golf Digest rated the Odyssey Black, TaylorMade Daytona, and Scotty Cameron Studio Select as the top three for 2009. If I were to get a new putter today, I would undoubtedly go with a Scotty. Scotty Cameron has been the premier putter among a wide range of golfers for a number of years. It is the Performance and Look/Sound/Feel winner for 2009 as well. Odyssey makes a solid putter; don't let my experience influence yours. They are considered by some as the #1 putter in golf, although I don't buy it. TaylorMade has kind of appeared into the putter realm, as for the past couple of years they have had a best selling putter. I'm still skeptical of trying one of them.

But let me stress the fact that it doesn't matter what the reviews say about putters. You have to find one that feels good to you and fits you. Whether it's a Scotty or a Classy Gentlemen. Again, putting is all about confidence. Know you are going to make your next putt.

Iron Works

2009-05-21T08:38:00.000-04:00

So we've talked about the combo of drivers and shafts, we've talked about the right ball, and now it is time to talk about irons. You can guess that your irons will be your most hit club throughout any golf day, besides your putter that is, so irons are pretty important to any golfer's game. I have hit a couple of different sets of irons and have always come back to my first set which is the Tommy Armour 855. They were made about 10 years ago and I have had them since then. I just haven't found anything that feels better yet.

Along the way, I have hit Ping, Titleist, and Cleveland irons. All four are major brands within the golf realm and make quality products. None of them however, fit for me. The Ping irons I hit were from about 2000 and one of my golfing buddies plays them today. The face was oversized and I could never really be comfortable over the ball, so that combination did it for me. The second set I hit and liked a good bit were the DCI's made by Titleist. I played with them for about one year and played pretty well. I probably would have kept playing with them, but they were my brothers, so they were taken back from me. The latest set of irons I hit were the Cleveland TA7's. They were my dad's clubs and he got new ones and let me see how I hit them. The first time I played with them I was hitting a pitching wedge from about 140 yards away. I swung and the club head flew off of the shaft about 40 yards. I then noticed the clubs were regular flex and I tried to slow down my swing on the next holes. That didn't work. I didn't hit them for about 15 of the 18 holes. I do think they make good clubs, they just weren't fitted for me.

As far as buying new clubs goes, there are a couple of options depending on your handicap and swing type. One of the hottest sets of irons for 2009 are the new ones made by TaylorMade. They were rated by Golf Digest as the number one set of irons of 2009. Another set made by Titleist are the AP1, which are more of a cavity back than they have made in the past. Reviews say they are good irons, but if I were buying new irons I would go with Mizuno. The MP-60's are a set I have wanted to hit for a while, just haven't had the chance. Every person I have come across that plays them, has absolutely loved them. Ping has come out with a pretty conventional line of irons that a lot of people play, but I have yet to play with them. My dad and brother both play Ping and seem to love them.

It's a shame that cavity backs have gotten such a bad wrap. 12 out of the 20 PGA tournaments so far this year have been won by a player with cavity back irons. Henrik Stenson used cavity backs in his TPC victory. Maybe I should try some of those...

Shaft Fitting

2009-05-20T08:38:00.000-04:00

Like I said yesterday, choosing the right shaft is probably more important than the actual driver itself. If you don't have the right shaft that fits your swing and speed, you will not create a consistent shot off the tee. I am sure you have heard that the faster the swing, the stiffer the flex of the shaft. That is generally the rule of thumb. If your swing speed is under about 95 mph, you would generally be best off going with a regular (R) flex shaft. The only thing about shafts is that all the different shaft manufacturer shafts are different; there is no industry standard. So a Grafalloy regular flex shaft feels different than an Aldila regular flex shaft. The best way to find the right shaft is to go to your local golf store or pro shop at the country club and ask them to let you hit a handful of different shafts and see what best fits your swing speed and strength. For golfers looking to upgrade from the shaft provided by the manufacturer, you need to be an every week type golfer to do this. The shafts that come with the club are already quality; if they weren't the manufacturers probably wouldn't be in business.

For those of you who think your swing speed is slower than normal or you don't like swinging a stiff shaft, here are a couple of options to be considered when upgrading to a better shaft: The number one shaft on the senior PGA tour is the Grafalloy ProLauch Blue 45. Graffalloy is the maker and the 45 stands for how much the shaft weighs (45 grams). Usually a lower weight equates to a higher torque degree. The higher the torque degree the more likely the club is going to twist and turn on the down swing. If you want something with a lower trajectory, go with a ProLite series that Grafalloy carries.

For a stronger and faster swing, obviously a club with lower torque is best, as this provides you with more resistance to twisting and turning on down swing. I swing a ProLaunch Blue 65 S.

It weighs 65 grams and the toque is 2.8, which is relatively low. Stronger players with faster swings never want more than four degrees of torque. If you like the feel of a certain shaft like the ProLaunch Blue 65 but have a slower swing, try the next level down which is a ProLaunch Blue 45. The difference is lighter shaft and a little less torque.

Another shaft that I have hit before and have liked is the Aldila. You can find this shaft on a lot of standard bought clubs. The NV series is the most basic, as it goes from NV 55 up to NV 85. If you are catching on, you know that the 55 is the weight. The higher the number equates again to a heavier club and less torque. They also have a line called the NV Prototype which is similar to the ProLite series Grafalloy makes. It has a lower ball trajectory for a less dynamic ball flight.

The last tid-bit I will offer is this: If you find your ball hooking to the left consistently, the shaft is probably too flexible and you should switch to a stiffer shaft or less torque. Before you do that though, go out to practice with that club and work solely on your tempo. Pulling the ball left usually means your tempo is bad and you are too quick from the top. If the ball is fading on you consistently, you might want to look into getting a shaft with more flexibility or more torque. Or you can just try and swing harder, but still maintain good tempo, if that is possible for you.

And for all you Tiger fans, he swings a Mitsubishi Diamana 85s. The shaft weighs 85 grams and the torque is 2.8. This shaft provides him with stability with lower torque, while still giving him good feel.

Hitting the Bomb

2009-05-19T12:10:00.001-04:00

The younger generations of golfers have grown up in the Tiger Woods era. We have seen him hit drives further than most people dream of hitting. Throw in guys like 'ole John Daly (probably smoking a cigarette with his shirt off) driving the ball 350+ yards and you've got yourself icons that people love to see hit the ball. Younger golfers have got into the mindset that hitting the ball further than anyone else makes you a good golfer; that is far from the truth. You might be able to hit the ball 300 yards and consistently, but i'd like to see you hit a flop shot over the sand to a pin tucked right behind like a Siamese twin. My game for a long time was seeing how far I could hit my driver, as I would go to the driving range and pull out my 9.5 degree for the first swing. Luckily my practice sessions have changed since then and consist of mostly chipping and putting, shots usually no more than 85 yards. With that said, there is a need for hitting the long ball and I am going to share my insight on drivers I have hit in the past.

I had a period of time where I did not hit my driver at all. For about three years I hit a Callaway Big Bertha three-wood that was a hand-me-down from my dad. I hit it great and it always went straight, but I would consistently be behind whoever I was playing with.

The Cleveland Launcher was my first real driver. It was the smaller 360 (I think) made in about 2000. The driver felt very good, as the head was not too big to where I felt like I was swinging a club with a grapefruit attached to it. I used it for about five years and it become out-of-date and I had to get a new driver with more power (and technology).

Two summers ago I switched to a Callaway FT-3 that I bought for about $100 used. This driver was one of the first with the technology of what some people call the trampoline affect. It increased my drive distance about 15-20 yards and helped me create a consistent drive (although there are those days..). I have the club set up to be more open and with an off-set approach. I probably will not switch until it breaks or someone gives me a free driver.

Other drivers I have hit somewhere along the road: Titleist 905, TaylorMade R5, Callaway FT-9, Ping G5, and others.

For the high handicap golfers, I would recommend either the Cleveland HiBore or the Callaway Diablo. These clubs are pretty forgiving and you can hit the ball pretty far with a solid swing. On a website someone said the Cleveland HiBore was an "ultra stable, forgiving monster". I support almost any driver made by Callaway as I haven't ever had problems with mine.

For mid handicap golfers, I would recommend any of the above listed, or you might want to go with something you can start trying to shape your shots with. Any of those you can, it is just more difficult. The Nike Dymo is considered a driver that is good for players of all skill levels, but has the workability to shape shots. Don't ask me why.

For the lower handicap players I would recommend a Titleist Driver of any kind. A driver with a lower center of gravity and smaller face is usually harder to hit, and Titleist offers that in the 909 D3. Less spin, less forgiveness, and lower ball flight is why this is considered a lower handicap driver as well.

Most of the differences with drivers is how they are set up and what kind of shaft is matched with the type of player. Shafts create another angle at which to look when buying a driver, and tomorrow I will look at driver shafts.

The Right Ball For You

2009-05-18T08:16:00.001-04:00

This weeks post will be split into three different categories: high handicappers (20+), mid handicappers (10-19), and low handicappers (9 and below). Fit yourself into one of those categories to find the right information for you.
There are many things that go into choosing the right equipment in golf, but one of the underlooked aspects is choosing the right ball. There are so many different types of balls to choose from, you almost get overwhelmed if you are new to golf or can't make up your mind. Just as I said about your swing, just because a ball is right for someone else, doesn't mean it's right for you.
For those who are high handicappers, a two-piece ball is probably best. Two-peice balls are made of harder material which in turn goes further and spins less. Since two-piece balls don't spin as much, they have a tendancy to fly straighter with a solid swing. A good two-piece ball that might be good to try would be a Top-Flite XL, which sells for about $18 a dozen. The Max-fli Noodle is also a good option at about $20 a dozen. One of my favorite distance balls is the Titliest DT 90; talk about teeing up a rock.
For those who are mid handicappers, you could choose to go one of two routes: get a two-piece ball similar to the ones above or try a three-piece ball and see how it feels. If you want distance though, go with one of the balls above. A three-piece ball that you might try, that is still harder that a ball for low handicappers, is the Callaway HX Hot. It is three-piece but since it's three piece lands with a little more spin than would a two-piece.
For you low handicappers, you probably already know what to hit, but i will enlighten you anway. Obviously you are looking for more spin on the greens so a three-piece ball is better. This gives you more spin and is softer off the club face. You will want to go with a ProV1 or for extra spin the ProV1x. The second ball I would say to play is the Callaway Tour ball. These balls are relatively pricing, but are the best you can get. If you are on a tight budget but want a three-piece ball, try the TaylorMade Tour ball. It is still a new ball on the tour, but Justin Rose has won with this ball and others use it as well. It offers good feel off the club and great spin around greens.
So next time you choose a ball to hit, it's all about what works for you and what kind of budget you are on. Hit em' straight.

This Week on Golfer Stop

2009-05-17T21:13:00.000-04:00

This week on Golfer Stop will feature a conversation about all the aspects that go into golf besides a swing. We're talking clubs, shafts, drivers, balls, tees, and some other things. Each day will feature one of the things mentioned. So if you have anything you would like to discuss, make a post and we'll make it happen. Thanks for reading!

64 Degree Wedge

2009-05-16T22:04:00.000-04:00

Is there room in the bag for a wedge that is 64 degrees? It all depends on a) how far you hit the ball off the tee and b) how far you hit your last wedge. If you hit the ball shorter off the tee, say 250 yards, most of the time you will be playing at a course you will need longer irons. If you hit the ball longer off the tee, say 300 yards, you might need a club that will go 100 yards or less. Also, say you already have a 58 degree wedge and you hit it anywhere from 100-115 yards. There is no reason to get a 60 degree wedge that goes 90-100 yards. Go ahead and get a 64 degree wedge that you are able to hit 70-85 yards so you have that club for shorter par fours. Phil hits a 64 degree wedge and his short game is very good. So you long hitters, go get you a 64 degree wedge and see what you can do.