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Weekly McAlester News-Capital Roundup

Matt Goisman — Tue, 21 May 2013 03:44:49 +0000

This has been one of the stranger weekends I've faced since moving out to McAlester. It started Saturday night, when I watched a football game get so out of hand the referees ran away and the game had ended midway through the third quarter and without a winner. The strangeness continued Sunday, when the weather started turning bad all over Oklahoma and I quickly educated myself on exactly what to do if a tornado hit McAlester (other than poop myself). I thought it had passed when I woke up Monday morning, but instead the weather somehow got even worse than it had been the day before. But for all the chaos going on elsewhere in the state, McAlester seems to have escaped with nothing more than a couple inches of rain. When I looked outside Monday night, I simultaneously saw the sun setting hazily behind thick yellow clouds in the west, streaks of lightning and the grey-green clouds of a heavy thunderstorm to the east, and an actual rainbow shooting into the sky from the south. If that doesn't characterize the last 48 hours, I don't know what will. Here's what I wrote this week. 3 locals make, skip OHS Meet of Champions Stuart’s Bowen leaving for Coleman Dance sends Katie Sams to UCO Rain cancels SEOBCA All-Star game Pitt 8 announces All-Conference teams Buff soccer player makes Olympic program Dugout Club still seeking Sunbelt hosts Box Score: Lake Eufaula Classic Fighting KOs Eufaula Classic in third

The Texas Rangers Beat Goes On

bestkeptsecret — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:37:04 +0000

As spring training was winding down the the Major League Baseball (MLB) season was about to open, people thought it was a forgone conclusion the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would run away and hide in the American League West division. With all of the money the Angels spent to bring in star power, it would look on paper to be the case. Luckily for us, the games aren't played on paper, and after the first quarter of the season, it's the Texas Rangers who have emerged as the leader of the pack. The Rangers, coming off of winning three out of four games in a weekend series with the Detroit Tigers, lead the AL West by 6 1/2 games over the defending division winner from last season, the Oakland Athletics, while the Angels are 12 games off the pace. The Rangers and Athletics start a three-game set Monday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Not only do the Rangers lead the division, they also have the best record in the majors. Their 29-15 record puts them a half game ahead of the National League's St. Louis Cardinals for the mark. While this may come as a surprise to many, it probably shouldn't be. Even though the Rangers lost solid players, such as outfielder Josh Hamilton (to the Angels), catcher Mike Napoli (to the Boston Red Sox) and utility player Michael Young (to the Philadelphia Phillies), they still have a solid all-around team lead by no-excuses manager Ron Washington. The team was able to make some quiet, efficient moves to offset those losses by picking up first baseman/designated hitter Lance Berkman and catcher A.J. Pierzynski. The Rangers still have a potent line-up that includes third baseman Adrian Beltre and right-fielder Nelson Cruz, and the pitching is still good but underrated. Yu Darvish, who has emerged as the team's ace, has a 2.97 earned-run average (ERA) and has a record of 7-1. He came close to throwing a perfect game earlier this year against the Houston Astros. As a staff, the Rangers have the best ERA in the American League. As for the offense, the bats have been inconsistent, but look out if they do become more consistent. Against the Tigers, they scored 10, 7 and 11 runs in the wins and only 1 run in the lone loss Friday night. It looks like things are only getting better since Pierzynski is set to return from the disabled list (DL) on Tuesday and they hope to get second baseman Ian Kinsler back in a couple of weeks. Yes, the Angels are the ones who have made all of the splash moves in order to produce championships, but it's the Rangers who have gone about their business and continue to be a perennial power in the league. I don't want to sound like the Rangers have everything in the bag because there is still a long way to go in the season, but this is definitely a good sign for Rangers fans who thought the franchise was starting a rebuilding phase from the transactions that happened in the off-season. Just because you spend the most money doesn't mean it buys happiness, or in this case, championships. Sometimes you can find players who might not have the star power, but just fit like a glove for the needs of a certain team. That seems to be the case with the 2013 version of the Rangers. As good as the players the Rangers lost were for them, it doesn't appear they have missed them all that much. It just goes to show you can have a collection of good players to create a great team. Give credit to Washington and his staff for keeping the team's head in the game, and let's hope the Texas Rangers beat goes on. By Charles Taylor

Bruins Take 2-0 Series Lead

Jared Smith — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:46:44 +0000

[caption id="attachment_177" align="aligncenter" width="576"] espn.go.com[/caption] After a miracle comeback in game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins look like a completely different team in their series against the New York Rangers. With the lack of consistency and almost collapse of the first round, the Bruins have dominated play for 90% of the series. They had a rough 20 seconds or so in game 1, but showed poise and came out with a overtime win, but dominated for most of the 3 periods in game 2. They should not get comfortable though, because we all know what happened in the last series, and the New York Rangers, who lost their first two games in round 1, are going to play a lot better in game 3. With 3 veteran defensemen going down with injury against Toronto, there were a lot of worries about playing 3 rookies on the blue line. After game 2 and Torey Krug becoming a cult hero, some of the veteran defensemen might have lost their job. With a lead in the series, the Bruins need to try to win one game in New York. If they can keep up their level of play and come back to Boston in game 5 with a 3-1 lead, they are in great shape. But the Rangers are going to be tougher in the upcoming games. The fact that Boston's shots are getting through to Henrik Lundqvist is surprising. The Rangers are notorious for blocking shots and being a tough team to score against. For some reason the Bruins have been getting shots through, and they are getting rebound chances which is rare against King Henrik. Lundqvist has not been as good as he can be in this series, but most of the blame goes on the Ranger defense. Dan Girardi, who is one of New York's top defenseman was a -4 on the game yesterday, and Michael Del Zotto was not much better posting a -3. The Rangers need their number 2 and 3 defensemen to be a lot better if they hope to come back in this series, if they are not, it doesn't matter how good Lundqvist is, they will not survive in this series. The story of the Bruins so far has been the little guys. Brad Marchand is finally back to being an agitator and more importantly is showing up on the scoreboard. He has a goal and an assist in both games against the Rangers, including the overtime game winner in game 1. With Bergeron and Marchand playing well, it may be time to put Seguin back on that line to see if the success of his line mates can open up space and get Seguin going. Another small guy, who was not even supposed to be part of the NHL playoffs this year has come up big in his first two career playoff games. Torey Krug, who was undrafted and signed as a free agent out of Michigan State has taken Boston by storm. Listed at 5'9, Krug is known as a puck moving defenseman with speed but is undersized. Many people including myself worried about playing 3 young defensemen, but for the most part they have all been good and Krug has been great. Offensively he is putting on a show with 2 goal and 3 points in 2 games against the Rangers. He also is showing his confidence with puck handling and willingness to shoot and not always looking to pass. Krug made a few plays that led to scoring or great chances in game 2. This is something fans have not seen from the Bruins defense in a long time, and by the roar of the crowd, you can hear how exciting everyone is about our young defensemen. With people getting healthy, I think the Bruins need to get Dennis Seidenberg back and maybe replace Dougie Hamilton with him, but as for Krug and Bartkowski, there is no way that they should be taken out of the lineup the way they have played. Some negatives with this team is the third line. I think Tyler Seguin has showed signs of turning it around, but the other players on his line have been terrible, and I cannot completely blame this all on Seguin. Chris Kelly has 0 points and is a -5 in the playoffs. Rich Peverley has not been much better with 1 goal and a -3 through 9 games. With this line being so terrible and the 4th line getting more minutes, you would think that there will be a change soon. With a lead in the series and the lack of production on that line, I think it is time to see what Carl Soderberg has to show. The Bruins worked so hard to get him on the roster this year, and with Kelly and Peverley playing so poorly, it looks like time for them to pencil the Swede into the lineup. Jaromir Jagr has also taken some criticism, though he is not scoring, I don't believe he is playing that bad. He has also made the power play a lot better since joining the team. I think if the Bruins move Seguin to the Bergeron line, and put Jagr and Soderberg back together, the lines could all come together and then the Bruins will have 3 legit scoring lines and the best 4th line in hockey. That mixed with the defense that they have had and the way Tuukka Rask has played, they could make real run at the cup.

Aaron Rodgers 2013 Fantasy Football Preview and Projection

Chris Peterson — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:53:46 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Aaron Rodgers is primed for another big fantasy season in 2013.[/caption] As a fantasy football expert, most of what you do is predicting the future. Trying to foresee how players will perform and how certain situations play out is essentially what fantasy football prognosticating is all about. Normally, predicting the future is a difficult thing -- but when it comes to projecting Aaron Rodgers fantasy value for the 2013 season, nothing could be easier. That's because the best way to describe Rodgers fantasy production is consistency, like unbelievably consistent. Since Rodgers became the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers in 2008, he has never finished lower than second in fantasy points scored among quarterbacks. In fact, he's finished first in standard scoring formats each of the past four seasons. Most fantasy experts will tell you that it's wise to wait on drafting a quarterback but with Rodgers sitting there in the first round, it's kind of hard to pass on him. For starters, you know you are going to get a guy stays on the field. He missed one start in 2010 due to injury and one in 2011 because the Packers were resting players, other than that he's been the picture of perfect health. Besides being reliable, Rodgers has also been incredibly productive. Dating back to 2009, Rodgers has posted four consecutive seasons with an average of at least 20 fantasy points per game (21.7 in 2009, 20 in 2010, 26.2 in 2011 and 21.9 in 2012) and been the top point scorer in fantasy football two years running. Yes, Rodgers and the Packers did see former Pro Bowl wide out Greg Jennings sign with the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason. But Jennings only played in five games last season and was really only healthy down in Week 17 and in the playoffs. So, while he will be missed, Rodgers value shouldn't suffer at all, especially considering he still has Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Jermichael Finley in his weapons arsenal. The Packers did invest heavily in the running game by drafting Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin in rounds two and four of the 2013 NFL Draft, respectively. This could mean that the Packers will place a higher emphasis on running the football in 2013 but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing for Rodgers. For one, a better running game can help keep him upright as opposing defenses will have something else to focus on besides Rodgers and the passing game. Also, a solid running game will open up the play-action passing game, where Rodgers can be downright deadly, especially down the field. He may see a slight dip in pass attempts next season but in this case, less may be more. The thing about Rodgers last season is he led quarterbacks in fantasy points without leading in any major single category such as touchdown passes or passing yards. He finished second in touchdown passes with 39 and eighth in passing yards with 4,303. Yet, what makes Rodgers so special is he can put up prolific passing numbers to match Drew Brees or Tom Brady, while also finishing seventh among quarterbacks in rushing yards with 241 to go along with a pair of rushing touchdowns. Only ten quarterbacks in the NFL rushed for at least 200 yards last season and Rodgers along with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck were the only two that eclipsed 4,000 yards passing. Rodgers consistency also rears its head again as he has rushed for at least 200 yards and scored at least two rushing touchdowns in each of his five seasons as a starter. Rodger's ability to run is often overlooked but when considering he scored 36 fantasy points (2.25 per game) last season with his legs, you can see how it keeps him a step ahead of other great passers like Brady, Brees and Peyton Manning. So while there are a number of highly talented, athletic quarterbacks such as RG3, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson, until they can get in the same ballpark as Rodgers throwing the football, they are always going to lag behind in terms of fantasy production. So here's my 2013 prediction for Rodgers: 4, 400 passing yards, 38 passing touchdowns, 225 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Rodgers will lead all quarterbacks in scoring once again in 2013 and has a very good chance to be the top overall scorer in fantasy football for the third straight season. All fantasy football stats are courtesy of four-downs.com

2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Bears QB Jay Cutler

Syndicated Sources — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:27:21 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is a 2013 Fantasy Football Sleeper.[/caption] Originally Posted on FantasyKnuckleheads.com The Chicago Bears spent this off-season addressing some major problem areas on the offensive side of the ball, all of which is why you find Jay Cutler on the fantasy football sleeper list for 2013. Newly appointed Bears quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh recently told the Chicago Tribune that after just four offseason workouts overseeing Cutler, he not likes what he sees, but more importantly what he hears. “Very impressed with Jay,” Cavanaugh said. “Very impressed. He’s borderline football brilliant. I think he gets it. I think he knows the game. I think he knows offensive schemes. I think he knows defenses.” This high praise comes after watching hours of film and coming from a guy who has worked with the likes of Randall Cunningham, Joe Flacco and Phil Simms. With “quarterback guru” Marc Trestman now calling the shots, I expect Cutty to finally take that next step in 2013 based upon the coaching changes alone. The key additions of Martellus Bennett and what looks to be a much improved offensive line with Jermon Bushrod, Matt Slauson and Kyle Long is only making Cutler’s expectations that much greater.

Cutler finally has say in what the offense will look like. Impressed with Cutler’s football knowledge, Cavanaugh says Cutler’s arm is one of the best he’s ever been around. “I think he’s embracing how we want to approach things,” Cavanaugh said. “There has been a lot of give and take. We didn’t come in here with a mandate that this is exactly how we’re doing it and there is no leeway. We wanted his feedback. He’s been willing to do that. It’s a good working relationship now. … We’re trying to impress on him, Marc [Trestman] too, that our job is to protect you and allow you to finish the throwing motion. If that’s our sole focus for you, you have to hold up your end and hitch into throws and follow through and throw a bunch of completions.” Entering his fifth season as a Bear, this will mark the first in which the coaching staff understands that they need to build an offense around him and not the other way around. Combined with the best assortment of offensive talent during his tenure in Chicago, the staff will look to implement an offense which gets the ball out of Jay’s hands — and into the likes of Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Bennett — quickly. The good thing here, you will not have to waste an early round pick on Cutler. Most will remain reluctant to draft Jay and you should have no problem scooping him up as a solid No. 2 fantasy quarterback late in drafts. Jay has the talent, now the question is can he finally put it all together. Read More @ Fantasy Knuckleheads

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Plaxico Burress: Mark Sanchez Will Become a Good Quarterback in the NFL

Syndicated Sources — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:22:58 +0000

Mark Sanchez has some unlikely detractors around the NFL (see: Steve Smith), but also at least one seemingly unlikely supporter. Plaxico Burress and Mark Sanchez didn't exactly light it up in their lone season together with the New York Jets, but Plaxico Burress is still a supporter of the Jets quarterback. Mark Sanchez needs to pull everything together if he is going to save his career with the New York Jets. There have been flashes, but never consistent play over an extended period of time. Worse yet, those flashes are a memory at this point, eroded by two futile seasons of offensive incompetence from the Jets. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress believes Mark Sanchez will turn it around. The two spent one season together with the Jets in 2011. If anyone can tell a quarterback prepared to go from below average to a franchise cornerstone, it's probably Plaxico Burress. He was with the New York Giants as Eli Manning progressed from a weekly scapegoat for the Giants to a Super Bowl Champion and one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. As Plaxico Burress told Sirius XM Radio:

"I think he will turn the corner and become a good quarterback in the league... I've said that from day one. But he has to just go out and put it together. I believe he will."

It has to be nice for Mark Sanchez to hear that kind of support from someone outside the Jets franchise. At this point, Plaxico Burress has no reason to go out of his way to say positive things about Mark Sanchez, so we can accept his support at face value. The important thing, as Plaxico Burress pointed out, is that Mark Sanchez has to go out and put it all together. It's on him. It's not on Marty Mornhinweg, it's not on the receivers. It's time for Mark Sanchez to take over this team and lead this offense, or step aside for Geno Smith. Also…

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Victor Cruz Contract Talks with New York Giants "Going Slowly"

Syndicated Sources — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:19:09 +0000

This past week, reports of the negotiations between the New York Giants and Victor Cruz "were on the two-yard line" with a deal potentially getting done at the end of the week. It's looking like the negotiations will carry on starting at the beginning of next week, as Mike Florio from NBC's Pro Football Talk is reporting that the negotiations with Cruz "are moving slowly." Cruz has been looking for a contract in the $10-11 million range, while the Giants are more comfortable paying him roughly in the $7-8 million range, which is what their current offer to Cruz is reportedly worth. On Wednesday, Dan Benton from Giants 101 had reported that Cruz dropped his contract demands from the reported $10-11 million and was much closer to the $7-8 million range that the Giants were offering. From this news, fans were speculating that a deal should get done rather quickly, but it has not and the saga continues. If Cruz does not sign a deal before June 17, then the Giants can rescind the first-round tender they had place on Cruz back in March which would have given him a one-year, $2.879 million deal, and instead give him a 10 percent raise from his 2012 salary to $594,000. As Florio stated in his story, the Giants also have to figure out what to do with Cruz along with Hakeem Nicks, who is coming up on the final year of his contract and could be in line for an even bigger payday since he is considered to be the team's number one receiver and worth more than Cruz, who many feel is just a slot receiver. That sound you may have just heard was the collective groan from Giants fans all over, as everyone will have to continue to keep being patient. Stay tuned to Giants 101 for any updates regarding Cruz and the contract negotiations with the Giants.

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The NBA's "Final Four" Is Set

bestkeptsecret — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:12:46 +0000

With the Indiana Pacers' elimination of the New York Knicks out of the Eastern Conference semifinals taking place on Saturday night, the NBA's version of the "Final Four" is set. The Pacers get ready to take on the defending champion Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 1 Wednesday night in Miami. The Western Conference Finals, which will feature the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs, will kick off Sunday afternoon with their Game 1 in San Antonio. These four teams are in the spot they're in because of two main things: consistency and health. Through all of the struggles and rigors of the regular season and playoffs, these teams have been able to stay true to their identities and avoid crucial injuries to key personnel. Two teams, the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder, were legitimate threats to compete for the NBA title before key injuries hampered their chances. With that said, there should be nothing taken away from the teams that are still standing. The games still have to be played, and all the credit goes to the teams who took care of their business. Looking at the east side of things, I don't think there's any doubt these are the two best teams in the conference. It seems everyone had their sights set on a match-up between the Heat and Knicks, as a rivalry that goes back to the mid-90s would have been reignited, along with have the markets of Miami and New York going against each other. While that might have looked sexy on paper, I don't think it would have been much of a series because the Knicks clearly aren't mentally tough enough to beat the Heat. I believe Miami would have beaten the Knicks in five games if they were to meet. The Pacers are better than the Knicks and proved it on the court by beating them in six. I also believe the Pacers are a better match-up for the Heat because of the strengths they possess. They can score on the inside with center Roy Hibbert and power forward David West, and they can hammer you in offensive rebounding. If you're going to topple Miami, you have to be able to do those things. I don't know if the Pacers can beat the champs, but I definitely give them a better chance than the Knicks would have had. Out west, the Grizzlies and Spurs are almost mirror images of each other and this series has six or seven games written all over it. People will tell you if the Thunder didn't lose point guard Russell Westbrook, the Grizzles probably wouldn't be in this position. Because of the way Memphis plays, they would have still been a tough out for even a healthy OKC team. Let's not forget the Grizzlies had the league's best defense, giving up only 89.3 points per game, and the inside combo of power forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol has been on fire in the playoffs. It would have been nice to see what would happen if the Thunder was healthy, but let's not take anything away from the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Spurs just do what they do. Just when you think they're done, here they are with another chance to be back in the NBA Finals. Most analysts thought the Golden State Warriors were primed and ready to take the Spurs out in the last round, but San Antonio made the adjustments to stop sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and slay the Warriors in six games. All and all, the best four teams are left standing, and that's the way it should be. Forget about all of the stuff with big and small markets. If you have good management, you can produce great teams. These teams are clear examples of that. Expect these two conference finals to be classics. By Charles Taylor

2013 PPR Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Top 25 (Post NFL Draft Update)

Chris Peterson — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:26:51 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="534"] Despite his injury issues, Rob Gronkowski still tops the PPR Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings for 2013[/caption] The tight end position is one that sometimes gets overlooked in terms of fantasy football. But as we have learned over the past few seasons, the tight end position can absolutely produce some big-time playmakers in the realm of fantasy football, so it's a position that needs your attention. However, entering the 2013 season there are some pretty big unknowns as far as tight end is concerned. The biggest question mark surrounds the health of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronk has been incredible as a fantasy player over the past two seasons, except for the fact that he missed five games last season due to injury. Despite his injury, Gronk still finished with 200 fantasy points in point-per-reception formats and averaged over 18 fantasy points per game. He also averaged an un-heard of 2.53 fantasy points per target, which is a ridiculous number considering the next best tight end was Vernon Davis with 2.05 fantasy points per target. The difference is that Davis played in every game and managed only to score an average of 7.9 fantasy points per game. Yet, with the news breaking about possibly two more offseason surgeries for Gronkowski, fantasy owners have to be a bit weary of investing a high-draft pick in the extremely productive but injury-prone tight end. Outside of Gronk, the same old stalwarts are back as Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten will give fantasy owners some elite options, while we will all have to decide if Heath Miller can be a top-5 producer at the tight end position again in 2013. To see where all the top tight ends rank, check out the 2013 PPR Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings listed below: 1. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots 2. Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints 3. Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons 4. Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys 5. Aaron Hernandez, TE, Patriots 6. Owen Daniels, TE, Texans 7. Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers 8. Heath Miller, TE, Steelers 9. Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers 10. Greg Olsen, TE, Panthers 11. Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers 12. Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens 13. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings 14. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions 15. Brandon Myers, TE, Giants 16. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Bengals 17. Jared Cook, TE, Rams 18. Martellus Bennett, TE, Bears 19. Jordan Cameron, TE, Browns 20. Dustin Keller, TE, Dolphins 21. Dwayne Allen, TE, Colts 22. Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals 23. Jacob Tamme, TE, Broncos 24. Fred Davis, TE, Redskins 25. Zach Miller, TE, Seahawks

2013 PPR Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings: Top 40 (Post NFL Draft Update)

Chris Peterson — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:00:26 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="566"] Calvin Johnson is the consensus choice as no.1 in our 2013 PPR Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings[/caption] To some the end of the NFL Draft signals the end of the NFL offseason period. Yet, to others, the completion of the draft process is the beginning of the fantasy football season. Now that rosters are mostly set and the significant player movement has already happened, it's a great time to re-evaluate our 2013 PPR Fantasy Football Wide Receiver rankings. Many things have changed since our first set of rankings that was done before the offseason began. Since then, Wes Welker has become a Denver Bronco. Mike Wallace is a Miami Dolphin and numerous rookie wide receivers have found homes in the National Football League. However, in the past rookie wide receivers have struggled to make an immediate fantasy impact. It does happen from time-to-time, such as Julio Jones and A.J. Green in 2011. Both players had strong rookie seasons and finished in the top-25 of fantasy points scored by wide outs in the rookie campaigns. Last season, Justin Blackmon was the only rookie wide receiver to crack the top-30 in fantasy points scored in PPR (point-per-reception) formats. This year's rookie class does have some very talented players but overall I wouldn't expect a huge fantasy impact from this class in year one, outside of Rams rookie Tavon Austin, who I felt was the best skill position player available in this year's draft. Austin is a perfect fit the for Rams' offensive system and he should gel immediately with quarterback Sam Bradford. I am expecting at least 80 catches from Austin in year one but would not be at all surprised to see him clear the 100-catch mark in his rookie season. To see where Austin, Welker and Wallace rank in our post-draft rankings updated, check out our new PPR Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings listed below: 1. Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions 2. Brandon Marshall, WR, Bears 3. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals 4. Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys 5. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos 6. Percy Harvin, WR, Seahawks 7. Julio Jones, WR, Falcons 8. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans 9. Randall Cobb, WR, Packers 10. Wes Welker, WR, Broncos 11. Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts 12. Victor Cruz, WR, Giants 13. Roddy White, WR, Falcons 14. Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants 15. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals 16. Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers 17. Vincent Jackson, WR, Bucs 18. Danny Amendola, WR, Patriots 19. Marques Colston, WR, Saints 20. Mike Wallace, WR, Dolphins 21. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs 22. Steve Smith, WR, Panthers 23. Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers 24. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers 25. Tavon Austin, WR, Rams (Rookie) 26. Steve Johnson, WR, Bills 27. Miles Austin, WR, Cowboys 28. Lance Moore, WR, Saints 29. Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens 30. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles 31. Eric Decker, WR, Broncos 32. Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins 33. James Jones, WR, Packers 34. Josh Gordon, WR, Browns 35. Mike Williams, WR, Bucs 36. Danario Alexander, WR, Chargers 37. Cecil Shorts, WR, Jaguars 38. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts 39. Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins 40. Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers

Thoughts about a famous Vin Scully quote

Graham Womack — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:13:09 +0000

Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamppost: For support, not illumination. -Vin Scully

Three years ago, in the early stages of this blog, I wrote a post suggesting the best eligible player not in the Hall of Fame. It was three years ago, granted, so I knew less about sabermetrics, less about baseball history, and less about eligible players not in Cooperstown. (I still don't know everything and I never will, which is one thing I like about baseball history. Through more than 150 years of organized play, there are seemingly endless expanses to explore.) Instead, I based my piece on what I knew best at the time, traditional stats. This led me down a rabbit hole which I can laugh about three years on. I started by visiting the list of highest career batting averages at Baseball-Reference.com. Why batting average? Before I knew of OPS+, wRC+, or wOBA, to name a few sabermetrics that measure a player's overall offensive contributions, I considered batting average the best measure of a hitter. And without knowing of total value metrics like Wins Above Replacement, JAWS, or Hall Rating, I figured the best candidate not in Cooperstown would be a great hitter. Don't ask me how my mind works sometimes. Starting at the top of the batting average list, I scrolled past all-time leader Ty Cobb whose .367 clip helped get him in Cooperstown long ago, past next runner-up Rogers Hornsby, also long since enshrined, and past Shoeless Joe Jackson, who isn't eligible. For some reason, I either missed or disregarded the fourth man on the list, Lefty O'Doul, though that's probably for the best. Lefty's a great hitter, no doubt, and he belongs in Cooperstown, but he hit .349 in a short career, in a Golden Age for hitters. His 143 OPS+ is worse than 15 eligible players not enshrined. His splits are also nuts: .426 in 733 at-bats at the Baker Bowl; .327 in 2,531 AB's elsewhere. After Lefty, I scrolled past a number of players already enshrined, as well as three 19th century hitters: Dave Orr, Pete Browning and Jake Stenzel. In discussions of all-time greats, I tend to reflexively disregard anyone who played before the Modern Era. I don't know if this is wrong. This in turn led me to the owner of the 22nd highest batting average in baseball history, Riggs Stephenson. At the time I clicked on his name, I'd never heard of Stephenson who hit .336 over a career that spanned 1921-1934, though the sponsor's message on his Baseball-Reference page proclaimed him: "The greatest baseball player who is NOT in the Hall of Fame!" That was good enough for me. If I ever do a post called "Times I was wrong here," what I cobbled together on Stephenson will rank highly. He's not the best player not in Cooperstown. Looking at other stats as well Stephenson's impact on the game and place in baseball history, I doubt he ranks among the top 100 candidates. I was reminded of all this by Scully's quote, which someone recently posted to Twitter. I think there's some truth in what Scully said (which, as Joe Posnanski noted, wasn't an original quote), though in the grand tradition of quotes, it's since been misappropriated by people looking to advance a cause. To my understanding, the quote is sometimes trotted out as an argument against sabermetrics. To an extent, I see the skeptics' point. In four years of blogging about baseball, I've seen discussions where people have used an advanced stat to bludgeon home an argument. Heck, I've done it. It's pretty simple to reference a player's OPS+ and WAR, throw in a few factoids about him from Wikipedia, his SABR biography, or Google, and call it a day on a post. But it's also easy to engage in this type of debate using traditional stats in place of sabermetrics. I've been the proverbial drunk on the lamp post with both traditional and advanced stats. In both cases, I've been wrong. There's not a stat in baseball, new or old, that's best used dogmatically and in the absence of other information. By that same token, I think it's also wrong to disregard stats entirely. They don't tell the whole story of what goes on in baseball, but they certainly are evidence of whatever's going on. They provide context as well. And they can serve as a gateway to learning about forgotten players. It's why I'm grateful for the rise of sites like Baseball-Reference, seemingly designed to introduce me to players like Riggs Stephenson and so many others I may never have heard of were they not a click away. Ideally, checking out their stats can be just the beginning for learning their stories.

2013 PPR Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Top 40 (Post NFL Draft Update)

Chris Peterson — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:59:16 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Adrian Peterson is the clear no.1 Running back in the 2013 PPR Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings.[/caption] Now that the 2013 NFL Draft has come and gone, most player movement in the National Football League has been completed. There will be a number of veteran signings trickling in during the coming weeks and months but for the most part rosters are set. Therefore, it's a great time to re-evaluate our pre-draft PPR Fantasy Football running back rankings. The running back rankings are particularly affected by the draft because no other position has more players make an immediate impact than at running back. The 2012 season was a perfect example of this. Doug Martin, a first-round selection of the Tampa Bay Bucs finished second among running backs in point-per-reception formats, while fellow rookies Alfred Morris and Trent Richardson, finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Not unlike the 2012 class, the 2013 running back class has a chance to have a big fantasy impact right away. Monte Ball in Denver for instance should have a great opportunity to rush for over 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns this season. Le'Veon Bell also will likely get plenty of touches in Pittsburgh. Same goes for Eddie Lacy in Green Bay. Running backs produce early on in pro football, so just be aware of that and don't be afraid to select one fairly early in your PPR league draft just because of the unknown. In addition to the draft, there were some key free agent signings and trades you need to be aware of starting with the Lions acquisition of Reggie Bush. Last season Bush ranked 14th in PPR formats and now that he's joined the Lions explosive offense, his value should only increase. Thus, he could be a top-10 running back before it's all said and done. Chris Ivory getting traded to the Jets is also a fairly significant move as he will replace the departed Shonn Greene as the starter in the Big Apple. Ivory was 88th among PPR running backs last season but that was mainly due to the fact he only received 40 carries, which he turned into 217 yards (5.4 YPC) and two rushing touchdowns. I think it will be interesting to see if he can carry the load in New York and have fairly high expectations for him. The running back position is not particularly deep this season but there are still some solid players available even into the 20's and 30's, so without further ado here are the 2013 PPR Fantasy Football Running Back Post Draft Rankings: 1. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings 2. Arian Foster, RB, Texans 3. Ray Rice, RB, Ravens 4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles 5. C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills 6. Doug Martin, RB, Bucs 7. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks 8. Trent Richardson, RB, Browns 9. Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins 10. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars 11. Jamal Charles, RB, Chiefs 12. Matt Forte, RB, Bears 13. Frank Gore, RB, 49ers 14. Reggie Bush, RB, Lions 15. Chris Johnson, RB, Titans 16. Darren Sproles, RB, Saints 17. Monte Ball, RB, Broncos (Rookie) 18. Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders 19. Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots 20. Ryan Matthews, RB, Chargers 21. DeMarco Murray, RB, Cowboys 22. David Wilson, RB, Giants 23. Steven Jackson, RB, Falcons 24. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers (Rookie) 25. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers 26. Vick Ballard, RB, Colts 27. Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers (Rookie) 28. Benjarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals 29. Chris Ivory, RB, Jets 30. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Cardinals 31. Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins 32. Fred Jackson, RB, Bills 33. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers 34. Giovanni Benard, RB, Bengals (Rookie) 35. Zac Stacy, RB, Rams (Rookie) 36. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Falcons 37. Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints 38. Jonathan Franklin, RB, Packers (Rookie) 39. Danny Woodhead, RB, Chargers 40. Daryl Richardson, RB, Rams All fantasy stats are courtesy of four-downs.com

Dallas Cowboys Should Look Into Signing Charles Woodson

Syndicated Sources — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:17:51 +0000

The most high profile free agent left on the market is former Green Bay Safety Charles Woodson. The 36 year old, 16 year veteran has yet to sign, but has reportedly made visits with the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. The New York Giants are reportedly interested in signing him as well. So what about the Dallas Cowboys? Might they make a run at the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year? Maybe. The team has been surprisingly mum on the subject, a stance we wish they would apply to other aspects of the organization. Yet, the team seems to have crossed all of their other to-do's off of their list. Tony Romo extension? Done. NFL Draft? Done. Doug Free situation? Done. The Dallas Cowboys have been surprisingly efficient in their getting-things-done mode in 2013. They've managed to fill a lot of holes on the current roster. The one spot where we have seen little to no action is at Safety, and the team appears to have a glaring need. Barry Church and Matt Johnson are the de-facto starters. Between them, they have 3 NFL starts. Johnson has never even set foot upon an NFL field. Calling them unproven would be an understatement. Charles Woodson is about as proven an NFL player as we have in this league. His impact would be felt extensively on and off the field. In addition to his reliable performance on the field, Woodson would provide an incredible mentor for the plethora of young safeties currently on the roster. Woodson would act as a player-coach for this team, a role that veterans at his age usually relish. Of course, money is a major factor in whether or not the team can go after Woodson. Before the Doug Free and Anthony Hargrove deals, the team was reportedly set to have about $7 million in cap space, $2 million of which comes in to effect after June 1st thanks to the Marcus Spears cut. Free opened up another $3.5 million on that, while Hargrove eats up only $550,000. Using my limited math skills, that would put us at around $8 million of available cap space, with that number jumping to $10 million in a couple weeks. Woodson's salary in 2012 was $6.5 million. Dallas should have enough, should they want to use it, to sign Woodson and all of their unsigned draft picks. The inner-workings of an NFL franchise are never easy to project. Dallas may already be on the phone with Woodson. They may have already crossed him off their list as well. We'll have to wait and see. Would you like to see Charles Woodson join the 2013 Dallas Cowboys? Sound off in the comments section, on Twitter, and on Facebook!

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Philadelphia Eagles 2013 NFL Draft Breakdown: QB Matt Barkley

Syndicated Sources — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:11:04 +0000

In a move that surprised many, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted quarterback Matt Barkley out of the University of Southern California in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Eagles were originally linked to having interest in Geno Smith and E.J. Manuel, but they ended up passing on both of them as they filled other important positions before making the plunge at quarterback. Barkley was ranked second at his position at the draft although he didn't go until the fourth round. He has the experience of running a pro-style offense at USC so the transition from college to the NFL should be a smooth one. USC designed the offense so that the pocket could move. This allowed Barkley to show his accuracy while on the move. Speaking of accuracy, Barkley is very accurate in the short and mid-range passes. His long-range accuracy is not as good but his receivers adjusted to get under the ball. The main weakness to Barkley's passing game is that he is inconsistent when he is under pressure and can't set his feet to step into his throws. Even with that weakness, he still manages to hit his targets. The other thing that is going to hurt Barkley is that he isn't much of a runner. Chip Kelly is known for his fast-paced, mobile offense so it is going to be interesting to see where Barkley fits in with that system. Barkley was one possibly the smartest quarterback in the draft so he should be able to adapt to the new offense. It should also be known that Kelly dealt with quarterbacks at Oregon who weren't known to break out in the run as well, yet his system was still successful with them. This is why Nick Foles is still in the running for the starting job against Michael Vick. With Barkley in the mix now, it's going to be him, Vick, Foles and Dennis Dixon competing for the starting job. It won't be known for months who the starting quarterback is going to be so it will be interesting as to who wins the starting and backup jobs. It will also be interesting to see if all of those quarterbacks will still be on the Eagles roster by the time the season starts. If Vick gets beat out by any of the other three, it wouldn't be a surprise if he is sent packing. There is also the possibility that Foles could be on his way out depending on where he stands in the quarterback competition and if the Eagles are able to work out a great trade.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Sports Media 101.

T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen Look Like Steals After Year One with Indianapolis Colts

Syndicated Sources — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:18:59 +0000

As great as the 2012 season was, it wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic draft Ryan Grigson pulled off last April. Obviouisly, a huge portion of that credit goes to Andrew Luck, who carried the team to 11 wins, despite ending up in the red in the season's point differential, yards differential, turnover differential, and just about every other metric as a team. But the Luck pick was decided months before the draft, and was a relative lock. Grigson's real gems in that draft seem to have come in the third round. The Colts selected TE Dwayne Allen with the first pick in the round, and traded up to the 92nd overall pick pick to select WR T.Y. Hilton. Both players received a lot of playing time in their rookie campaigns, and responded tremendously, outplaying their draft spot's average value by a significant margin. Allen had one of the best seasons for a rookie tight end since 2000, with the seventh most yards as a rookie during that span. Allen, who, along with Coby Fleener, was inevitably compared with Hernandez and Gronkowski of New England, had a relatively similar season to the Patriot tight ends as a rookie. With Allen and Fleener's role possibly increasing in Pep Hamilton's offense, Allen could have a special future ahead of him. But Allen was also a fantastic blocker, with his combined pass and run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus the highest of any tight end in 2012. Blocking was Allen's best quality in 2012, and yet he still managed to have a more than respectable receiving season. Chase Stuart' projected AV for the #64 overall pick is about 18 over five years. Dwayne Allen's rookie year puts him on pace for an AV of 30 over five years. T.Y. Hilton's rookie season was no slouch either, historically. Hilton struggled with drops at times (and is a real concern), but still managed to have the 14th most yards by a rookie receiver since 2000. While taking that in, remember that Hilton also only started one game, easily the least amount of any of the top 20 rookie receivers. I've highlighted a few receivers who you could compare to Hilton well, as deep threats who aren't necessarily great possession receivers. Percy Harvin doesn't necessarily fit that role, but he does play a role that I could see Hilton in with Hamilton's offense. Hamilton has consistently spoken about getting the ball to his playmakers, and Hilton is one of the best. Like Minnesota has had to do with Harvin, the Colts will use Hilton in other roles than just a deep threat (screen passes, end-arounds, etc.). Hilton's biggest threat though, is as a home run threat over the top. He led the team in touchdowns last season with eight (seven receveiving, one punt return), and not because he's a big target in the redzone. Just two of Hilton's touchdowns last season were less than 35 yards. We can see that big-play threat in Hilton's yards per receptions numbers, in which he ended up 10th all-time in Colts' history. Hilton had the highest Y/R since Bill Brooks in 1986, with Pierre Garcon's 2009 season the only season to come even a yard within Hilton's 2012 mark during the new millenium. Stuart's Draft Value chart gives the #92 overall pick an average AV of about 16 over five years. Hilton is currently on pace for an AV of 40 over five years. Of course, nothing is set in stone, but after years of poor luck in the third round for Indianapolis, Grigson looks to have picked up a pair of gems. We can only hope that Hugh Thornton follows suit.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Coltsider.

2013 Fantasy PPR Quarterback Rankings: Top 25 (Post NFL Draft Update)

Chris Peterson — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:50:36 +0000

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Aaron Rodgers secured the top spot in the Fantasy PPR Quarterback Rankings once again in 2013.[/caption] Much has changed since the first release of the 2013 Fantasy PPR Quarterback Rankings--the NFL Draft has come and gone, NFL Free Agency has mostly concluded and most significant player movement has already happened. There will be a few signings here and there but at this point, the impact moves have been made. Now that we have a pretty good idea of what 2013 NFL rosters are going to look like, it's a perfect time to re-evaluate our fantasy rankings for the 2013 NFL season and today we are kicking it off with the quarterbacks. One thing I quickly noticed as I was putting together these rankings, is just how deep this year's quarterbacks group has become. Waiting to draft a quarterback has always been a solid drafting strategy in fantasy football but this year will take that philosophy to new heights as there is an abundance of starting caliber fantasy quarterbacks available. Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees are still the four elite fantasy passers but dual-threat quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III are on the cusp of breaking into the elite class. The rise of the running quarterbacks as well as the emergence of Matt Stafford, Matt Ryan and Andrew Luck as legit fantasy options over the past couple seasons has made the quarterback position unbelievably strong. But that topic will be better explained further on another day. For now let's get to the rankings--here are my top 25 quarterbacks for the 2013 season: 1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers 2. Drew Brees, QB, Saints 3. Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos 4. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers 5. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots 6. Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers 7. Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks 8. RG3, QB, Redskins 9. Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons 10. Matt Stafford, QB, Lions 11. Andrew Luck, QB, Colts 12. Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys 13. Eli Manning, QB, Giants 14. Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals 15. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers 16. Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens 17. Matt Schaub, QB, Texans 18. Josh Freeman, QB, Bucs 19. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers 20. Sam Bradford, QB, Rams 21. Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals 22. Jay Cutler, QB, Bears 23. Michael Vick, QB, Eagles 24. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins 25. Alex Smith, QB, Chiefs

Fantasy Football: Will Kyle Rudolph Be an Elite Tight End in 2013?

Syndicated Sources — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:22:13 +0000

. Obviously a brilliant Pro Bowl appearance is not a good measure of future success, but his five catches for 122 yards and a touchdown en route to the MVP honors gave a glimpse into his potential. There were times during the season when Rudolph flashed that same brilliance, particularly as he scored five touchdowns in the first six games. After 25 receptions on 41 targets during that stretch, Rudolph basically went into the Witness Protection Program. He was nowhere to be seen the next three games, catching just two passes on two targets for 17 yards. . Just when fantasy football players began to jump ship, he scored in the next three games, averaging 56.7 yards along the way. Clearly he was back. Week 12 proved to be a trap as Rudolph wasn’t even targeted for the third time in seven games. Percy Harvin didn’t even play in the game against the Chicago Bears. Something called Micheal Jenkins led the Vikings in targets that day. . Rudolph scored one more touchdown over the final three games, but averaged just 27 yards. . Rudolph finished the season with 53 catches for 493 yards and nine touchdown. Clearly Rudolph has it going on in the red zone, but he was nowhere in the neighborhood of elite tight ends when it comes to receiving yards. . There is reason to believe that he can make the leap. . The Vikings brought in Greg Jennings. Not only should he help quarterback Christian Ponder’s development, he should stretch the field, giving Rudolph more room to work in the middle of the field. As good as Harvin is, he is best in the same space the Rudolph tends to work in. . Rudolph’s success is tied to Ponder, which is a bit scary, but as the fifth or six tight end coming off the board in most fantasy draft, he should be a solid value pick. Also check out:

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2013 Rookie Dynasty Debate: Eddie Lacy vs Monte Ball

Syndicated Sources — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:14:05 +0000

Rewind to a week before the draft and the number one rookie pick was Eddie Lacy in most instances. Ever since an injury induced draft slide found him landing on the Green Bay Packers roster alongside Jonathan Franklin, he’s been slowly trickling down the dynasty rankings. On the other hand, Montee Ball has seen his stock skyrocket since being selected in the second round by the Denver Broncos. In March, he was being picked in mocks as the eighth rookie off the board. Now, he’s a consensus top ten rookie pick with some taking him as early as second or third overall. Chris Rohrer and I will debate the two for another edition of rookie dynasty debates. Chris’ Argument for Montee Ball It’s no use pretending Eddie Lacy is all bad and Montee Ball is all good. We are talking about two running backs with successful college careers selected within three picks of each other in the NFL Draft. In the interest of being fair and reasonable, I will just be as straightforward as possible and sum up why I think Ball is the better running back selection for your fantasy team. I will start by stating I respect a lot of what Lacy has shown on the football field. He runs with a great combination of power, speed, balance, vision and even exudes some elusiveness with his patented spin move. I know Mark is prepared to tell you all about his upside and positives, so let me share some of my concerns. Let’s start with injuries. Mark will surely address these concerns and try to downplay their significance, but let’s take a closer look. While training for the NFL Scouting Combine, Lacy experienced a hamstring strain and later a small tear was found in the tissue of the surrounding area. He was prevented from running in the combine drills and has reportedly still been feeling some lingering tightness and inflammation. This is especially concerning for a running back that owners want to carry a heavy workload. Hamstring injuries can lead to some serious long-term health and usage concerns. Just ask Miles Austin. Even more alerting is the big toe on Lacy’s right foot. It was originally thought to be just a case of turf toe (which has in itself caused plenty of problems for many talented pro backs), but eventually required toe fusion surgery. This surgery entails inserting screws into the big toe to alleviate the pain caused from strongly planting his foot into the ground. This is a movement NFL backs tend to experience quite a bit. It appears the screws just release some of the pressure from the foot rather than provide a structural improvement. The Alabama sports website RollTideRoll.com reported, “the nagging turf toe injury was really just one of several small, persistent injuries that hung with Eddie throughout his career,” although “more casual viewers would never even know he was injured.” To get him through the season, in nearly every game he was taped up or had a metal plate in his cleat. There’s not much security in Lacy’s injury history to feel confident he can be a reliable back through the long, physical NFL seasons. On draft day, some NFL front offices saw it this way, which is why teams like the Steelers “wouldn’t touch him.” Following a sub-par pro workout day, questions arose regarding his work ethic, conditioning and toughness. Leading the accusations was NFL analyst Bucky Brooks, who called Lacy out on Twitter saying, “[Lacy] didn’t give maximum effort in drills. No finish.” He continued to say, “The lack of preparation also makes you wonder how much he loves football, and whether he will commit to doing the hard work.” Originally expected to be a first round selection, this was likely part of his fall down draft boards. Drafting Johnathan Franklin just one round later further limits Lacy’s future expectations. Despite a small stature, Franklin has exhibited elite skills and a hardworking attitude. As another high round pick, you can bet the Packers tend to use him in their game plan as well, limiting Lacy’s upside. Should Eddie slip-up for any of the previously stated reasons, Franklin will be there to pick up the slack and is quite capable of being the guy in Green Bay. Now I’ll tell you why Ball has the higher upside without the major bust potential. Similar to Lacy, Ball is a well rounded back with a keenness for physical play. He is able to generate quite a bit of power and he gets downhill in a hurry. Weighing in at 5’10” and 214 pounds, he doesn’t shy away from contact and can fight in short-yardage situations. Although Ball is commonly attributed as just a bruiser back, he has more athleticism than given credit for. He exhibits great lateral quickness and has the ability to shake defenders in the open field. Combined with his vision and decisiveness, he offers consistent big play ability. Unlike Lacy’s pro-day workout suggests, Ball has shown the stamina and conditioning to carry heavy workloads. During his college career, he amassed 924 carries for 5,140 rushing yards, which is good for a career 5.6 yards per carry. During this period he scored 83 touchdowns (an all-time NCAA record) and tied Barry Sanders’ single season record with 39 touchdowns. Did I mention Ball only lost two fumbles during his entire college career? Add superior ball skills (get it?) to the list of positives. I know my counterpart will present Ball’s heavy usage in college as a negative, but it proves he is capable of being a workhorse who can stay on the field. He is only 22 years old with a proven track record of durability. People are concerned Ball might eventually break down, but meanwhile are ignoring the fact Lacy already has. Furthermore, Montee is stepping into an ideal situation. The Broncos want a player they can trust with the rock, and his competition is a bit worse-for-wear. Willis McGahee has one foot out the door after last year’s season ending injury, Knowshon Moreno has an expiration date and his own long-term injury concerns and last year’s rookie selection, Ronnie Hillman, is hardly a threat in powder puff leagues. The Denver Broncos envision Ball as a three down back, and will give him every chance to fill this role. My argument against Lacy is not that he is an inferior back or that he doesn’t possess the necessary skills to make it at the next level. Rather, I find Franklin caps his upside, while injury and work ethic concerns represent a low floor and high potential bust rate. Ball also has elite skills, but he is void of these concerns and was drafted into the perfect situation to be a three down back. Thus Ball possesses a greater upside as well as a higher floor. Just a couple weeks ago, NFL organizations were posed with this exact debate, and the Broncos chose Montee Ball. “It was a close call,” the front office reported, but “it came down to the medical report.” When you’re on the clock deciding who is best for your fantasy team, I suggest you do the same. Mark’s Arugment for Eddie Lacy Lacy is ranked ahead of Ball here in the DLF rookie rankings and I think that’s the case on most reputable sites. There are a plethora of reasons for that, including workload discrepancies and efficiency differences. I’ll acknowledge Ball’s yardage totals were remarkable as he posted over 5,500 yards and 83 touchdowns rushing. Unfortunately, those yards came on nearly 1,000 career touches. Only about 100 carries separate Montee’s college numbers and Arian Foster’s NFL numbers. The wear and tear showed as his yards per carry numbers dropped by over a yard (6.3 to 5.1) from his Junior to his Senior season. Granted the Badgers’ offense wasn’t as dominant in 2012 as they were in 2011, but second string back James White averaged 6.4 yards per carry on his 125 carries. Some say college workload concerns are overblown. So, let’s imagine we have two equally talented NFL backs. One has 355 caries (Lacy) while the other has 924. Which one are you choosing? As noted above, Ball was obviously a productive college running back, but let’s take a closer look at his senior year numbers. His was over five yards per carry in just five games. Those five opponents (and their defensive ranks) were Indiana (#104), Illinois (#95), Purdue (#89), Minnesota (#45) and Nebraska (#58). His production was an inefficacious result of monstrous workloads. Willis McGahee proved last year that unremarkable talent can succeed in a Peyton Manning-led offense and as a result, Ball has reasonable immediate value. We all know Manning only has a couple years left. In short, he’s already accumulated a tremendous amount of carries, has mediocre talent and enters into a situation with instability in the relatively near future. Eddie Lacy was unable to participate in the combine due to a hamstring injury and there were reports that his draft slide was the result of concern over a prior toe surgery. I’ll forfeit the injury problems are somewhat concerning, but I’ll let Chris explore that. I will say everyone seems to love some drama come draft season. Lacy injured his hamstring and wasn’t able to perform at the combine. People pull their hamstrings fairly regularly. Foster did it and missed a few games in 2011 – I’d say he did alright after that. There was talk about his fused toe being a red flag, but his doctor in Alabama noted that it wasn’t a fused joint at all and that it won’t affect his NFL career. I wish he was healthier, but let’s not overreact to a couple minor injuries. He still has both ACLs and Achilles tendons without a concussion history. A pulled hamstring isn’t enough to scare me off. Much like his predecessor at Alabama, Lacy is built to punish defenders and displayed that ability in the National Championship game. While Trent Richardson is clearly the more dynamic talent, Lacy was actually more productive on a per touch basis. Operating as the Crimson Tide’s bell cow in 2012, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry for over 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns. Unlike Ball, Lacy did it against the some of the best defenses in the nation by dominating LSU, Georgia and Notre Dame with 404 combined rushing yards at seven yards per carry or better against the three. Popular opinion says Green Bay doesn’t produce valuable fantasy running backs – that’s because they haven’t had good running backs. Let’s go back a few years and look at some numbers.

Year	QB	RB	RuYd/RecYd	TD
2009	Rodgers	Grant	1253/197	11
2008	Rodgers	Grant	1203/116	5
2007	Favre	Grant	956/145	8
2006	Favre	Green	1059/373	6

So, that’s four straight years with pass heavy offenses, gifted running backs and legendary quarterbacks producing quality fantasy running backs. Mike McCarthy stubbornly tried to turn the Packers into a power running team last year to alleviate the pressure on Rodgers. Now he has a back capable of succeeding in that system. Workload won’t be an issue.

To sum it up, Lacy is more talented with a more stable long term situation. Check out the Packers’ drafting history as well. They know talent when they see it. Ball will be a viable RB2 for a year or two, then who knows. If Lacy stays healthy, he has RB1 potential for three-to-five years (at least) on one of the league’s best offenses. Lacy has advantages across the board in my eyes and if faced with deciding between the two, it’s Lacy in a landslide.

Conclusion

Congrats to Chris for a great job on his half of the debate. As with all my debate articles, I write my part before reading my counterparts and he really stung me with a few of his points. I think more goes into this debate than we could delve into here, but I think some intriguing ideas were laid out.

I’m counting on Lacy outperforming Franklin and staying healthy. Chris is counting on Ball being talented enough to outlive Peyton’s reign in Denver and not showing wear and tear from heavy college workloads.

You’re on the clock, who do you like? Montee or Eddie?

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New York Giants Would Be Ideal Fit for Charles Woodson

Syndicated Sources — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:08:26 +0000

Back in early March, the New York Giants were sniffing around defensive back Charles Woodson. At one point, they even reached out to his agent, but the interest eventually died down and then seemed to completely fade out. That changed on Thursday however, and Big Blue has reportedly re-entered the chase for the veteran.

"The Giants have just put their toe in the water again for Charles Woodson," Carl Poston, Woodson's agent, told ESPN.

The phrase "toe in the water" is certainly open to interpretation, and there remains a chance that Poston is just trying to drum up some additional interest in his client. That said, smoke usually equals fire, and this isn't the first time the Giants have been tied to Woodson. In addition to the Giants, Woodson had also received some interest from the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, although it remains unclear if they've also re-entered this chase. With so much uncertainty in the defensive backfield, signing a veteran like Woodson for the minimum would be an ideal scenario for the Giants. Even at 36 years of age, Woodson offers a lot of versatility, experience and leadership. He could play safety if the team needed him to, or he could play a Sam Madison-like role and fill in at cornerback. And, as we've said on Giants 101 previously, it would make sense for both sides if the price is right. Update: Ed Werder reports the Denver Broncos are also heavily in the mix and that the Giants' renewed interest has slowed their progress in talks with Woodson. Also…

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Where Is The Love?

Jared Smith — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:46:22 +0000

[caption id="attachment_174" align="aligncenter" width="594"] imagecpr.com[/caption] The Patriots have parted way with Kyle Love on Wednesday. This comes a few days after the team released fellow defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick. Kyle Love had played 3 seasons with the Patriots after being an undrafted in 2010. He also played in all 16 games the past two seasons. He also signed a 2-year extension during this past season which had fans thinking that Love would be a part of the team for at least the near future. After being released it came out that Love was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during this offseason. Love is a big man and has had a history of weight issues, this is just another road block for a player who will need to keep the weight off if he hopes to play a long time in the NFL. Though I am sure the diabetes played a bit of a part, I think the team cutting Love is a different situation completely. Both Love and Deaderick were bigger defensive tackles who are closer to the nose tackle in a 3-4 system. The Patriots have clearly made a commitment to becoming more of a 4-3 team. They signed Armond Armstead and Tommy Kelly during the offseason. Both these DT's are taller and better pass rushing defensive lineman than the two that were cut. With Wilfork plugging up the middle, the Patriots need more pressure from their defensive line and need to worry less about stopping the run. These moves show that they are committed to that. So all this coming out about Love and his health problems may have a small effect on the situation, but I believe the bigger picture for the Patriots was making moves that best suit the style of play they want for the upcoming season. Only time will tell if they are the correct moves or not. Armond Armstead though, is a player to watch this year. He was a really good player at USC and can be an impact player in the NFL.

What Happened Red Sox?

Jared Smith — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:18:13 +0000

[caption id="attachment_171" align="aligncenter" width="602"] providencejournal.com[/caption] After starting the season 20-8 the Red Sox have hit a bit of a wall and have dropped 9 out of their last 12 games. Now it was shocking to everyone with the start the Sox had, and nobody expected them to keep it up. With that said, they are not the team who is 5-9 in the month of May. After their series with Toronto to start the month, the Sox got swept by the Texas Rangers. That series brought them back to earth, and maybe even put them in a slump. The biggest part of this is the fact that they lost 3 out of 4 to the Minnesota Twins. The Twins who do have a couple good players are not a great team in the AL, and the Red Sox should have been able to win that series pretty easily. The team as a whole has slowed down, and the injuries to the back end of the bullpen haven't helped either. Joel Hanrahan has been pretty much a disaster all year, and it might be a blessing in disguise with him going to the 60-day DL, but losing Andrew Bailey who was pitching really well in the closer role is a big loss. Bailey is set to throw a simulated game today (Thursday) and will be re-evaluated. If the Sox can get him back, that will be a big boost for a struggling bullpen. The back end of the rotation needs to pick it up as well. Lester and Buccholz have done everything they need to this season so far, Dempster has been strong considering his age and what people expected, but they have to figure out the back end of the rotation if they want to be a true contender this season. The offense has slowed down as well. I know everyone wants to blame Dan Shaughnessy for David Ortiz coming back to earth after his start to the season. Though Ortiz said he had a sore oblique muscle the last couple weeks which would explain his slump. Ortiz has still been hitting the ball well though. There are a couple other players on this team that really need to pick up their offensive game if they expect the team to go far. Will Middlebrooks is probably the biggest disappointment so far. For a guy who was hitting in .288, hitting for power, and driving in runs last season, he has had trouble consistently hitting the ball. Since he hit his 3 home runs in Toronto, he has fallen off the bus. Middlebrooks is hitting .208 on the season right now and needs to pick it up for his sake and for the Red Sox. I still believe in him though, he is young and has the potential to turn it around. Like Tyler Seguin we are all waiting and hoping. Nobody expected the Red Sox to be the best team in the league this year, but many expected them to compete. It is a long baseball season and almost every team goes through stretches where they can't win consistently. I think this slump is one of those. Once they get a bit healthier and get into the summer, this team will be right in it. They are definitely in the conversation for winning the division, which would be huge coming off a season where they went 69-93. It is a little worrisome the way they have played in May, but it is not time to panic yet.

Pitching Woes for Orioles Continue

sportsguyguru — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:39:15 +0000

A right oblique strain has sidelined Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen. Baltimore reported that Chen was placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to today’s series opener against the San Diego Padres. For the third time this season, Reliever Alex Burnett has been called up from the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore’s AAA affiliate). Also added was Yamaico Navarro replacing reliever Mike Belfiore, who was optioned yesterday. As inconsistent as the Orioles rotation has been this season, Baltimore can ill afford to lose the 27 year old Chen for any length of time. Before leaving with his injury, Chen pitched five shutout innings Sunday raising his record to 3-3 and lowering his ERA to 3.04. Chen has probably been the O’s most reliable starter starting last year when he was the only pitcher to start at least 20 games, and this year, had turned in five quality starts in his first seven outings. Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has been stockpiling starting pitching since coming to Baltimore and is confident with the organization’s internal options. The O’s have two off-days this week and remain optimistic that Miguel Gonzalez (blister) will only miss one start. Jair Jurrjens will most likely start on Saturday. The Orioles are currently in 2nd place, a game behind the Yankees.

Tarheels Softball prepares for NCAA Championship

sportsguyguru — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:08:58 +0000

The University of North Carolina softball team will play Thursday in Eugene, Oregon at the University of Oregon in the First Round of the 2013 NCAA Softball Championship. Their first game will be against the University of Wisconsin at 6 p.m. Thursday. UNC already played the Badgers once this season losing 4-2 in the Louisville Classic. The No. 3 seed Ducks will also play Brigham Young University on Thursday. The setup for this years tournament will be four-team, double-elimination play at 16 regional sites. The regional winners will advance to super regional competition for a best-of-three series May 23-26 at eight campus sites. The remaining eight teams will advance to the Women's College World Series, a double-elimination tournament May 30-June 6 at the Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. This is the 11th appearance for North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels are 12-20 in NCAA play. In 2012, Carolina played in the Athens Regional. The Tarheels beat Georgia Southern in game one 2-1, then lost to Georgia 3-2 before beating Coastal Carolina 5-3 to make it to the regional finals, where the team lost its second game to Georgia, 2-1. The Tar Heels lead the ACC in fielding (.974) and rank 13th in the NCAA in that category. Carolina is tied with FSU for the top batting average (.304) and ranks 36th in the NCAA for batting and HR/game (1.00). Individual performers include Lori Spignola, who leads the ACC with her 285 strikeouts and is second in wins with 29. She ranks sixth in the NCAA for victories. Kristen Brown anks sixth in the ACC for hits (58); seventh for batting average (.352); and seventh for total bases (101). Constance Orr ranks third in the ACC with 117 total bases and third with 15 home runs; fourth with 50 RBIs; fourth with a .709 slugging; fourth in hits (59); and sixth with a .358 batting average. Orr ranks tied for 39th with her 15 homers. Haleigh Dickey (UNC's career HR record holder) is tied for seventh with 12 homers. Amber Parrish is fifth with a .448 on-base percentage, and is second with three runners picked off. Scouting Report

Wisconsin: UNC is 0-1 against Wisconsin, losing 4-2 earlier this season at the Louisville Classic. The Badgers are 42-11 and topped Minnesota to win their first ever Big Ten title last weekend. UW is led by Whitney Massey (.352), who has 49 RBIs, 27 runs and 56 hits, including 12 homers, and Mary Massel (.428), who leads with 50 runs and 77 hits, and has 37 RBIs and eight homers. Cassandra Darrah (1.82 ERA) leads in the circle with a 25-5 record and 151 strikeouts.

Oregon: The Tar Heels have not faced the Ducks yet. The No. 3 host team is 46-9 on the season, claiming the Pac-12 title by winning the series over Arizona State this past weekend. The Ducks are led by Kaylan Howard (.340) with 46 RBIs, 53 hits, 48 runs and 12 home runs, and Janie Takeda (.457), who has 43 RBIs, 84 hits and 49 runs scored. Pitchers Jessica Moore (1.59 ERA) and Cheridan Hawkins (1.68 ERA) have combined for 269 strikeouts this season.

BYU: Carolina is 0-1 against BYU, dropping a 3-0 contest against the Cougars in 2008. BYU is 33-23, winning 15 of the last 16 games. Gordy Bravo (.393) leads the Cougars with 43 RBIs, 68 hits and 35 runs. JC Clayton (.383) is 17-19 on the base paths with 77 hits and 45 runs, and Katie Manuma (.347) has 44 RBIs, 35 runs and 59 hits, including six home runs. Hannah Howell (3.08 ERA) is 12-14 on the year with 113 strikeouts.

Great Action In The NHL Playoffs

bestkeptsecret — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:25:49 +0000

It may be true hockey is the least popular of the four major sports in North America, but anyone who has had the chance to follow the action in the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs have seen treat after treat. The conference semifinals will begin Tuesday night after seeing a first round that included three Game 7s. On Sunday night, we saw the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Anaheim Ducks on the road to win that series 4-3. The win sets up an intriguing Western Conference semifinal series between the Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, which will begin Wednesday night in Chicago. On Monday night, we were treated to two Game 7s. One saw the New York Rangers blow the doors off of the Washington Capitals 5-0 in D.C., and the other saw the Boston Bruins storm back from a 4-1 deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime. The Rangers and Bruins will meet each other in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning Thursday night in Boston. It seems like just yesterday when a lot of people were saying the NHL wouldn't even have a season due to sagging lockout issues and the inability to come up with a new collective-bargaining agreement. Then when the owners and players union agreed to have a 48-game season, some fans didn't like the idea because too much time was already lost due to the lockout. Aren't we all so much happier things worked out the way they did? The season has been great because every game mattered. I'm not trying to say games don't matter when the season has a normal 82-game schedule, but there's absolutely no room for error when the season is shortened. That makes for more competitive games and the sense of urgency is higher than normal. We saw the same thing last season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), when a lockout cut the season down to 66 games. The season turned out to be more exciting and the room for error, much like this season's NHL campaign, was limited at best. Another thing you're seeing due to the shortened season is great parody. There's not a feeling the best teams record-wise are so much better that the rest of the teams. The Pittsburgh Penguins, the No. 1 seed in the east, was almost pushed to seven games by the eight-seeded New York Islanders in the first round, and it took a series-clinching overtime goal in Game 6 to avoid another win or go home game. When you look at the semifinal round, the four match-ups each have their own uniqueness. In the west, you have the San Jose Sharks taking on the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in the battle for the state of California, and the Blackhawks and Red Wings are longtime rivals from the old Norris Division. In the east, you have the Penguins taking on the Ottawa Senators in a match-up where the Senators won't be afraid of the likes of Pittsburgh stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and the Rangers and Bruins bring the dynamic of having the passionate fan bases of New York City and Boston go at it once again. I look forward to more great action from the NHL playoffs. If the first round is any indication of how the rest of the postseason is going to be, it's time to buckle up and enjoy the ride. By Charles Taylor

What Did We Just See?

Jared Smith — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:41:07 +0000

[caption id="attachment_169" align="aligncenter" width="576"] scores.espn.go.com[/caption] I am sitting here reflecting on what happened last night with the Bruins and Maple Leafs. I still can't believe what we saw. Going along with my last post, the Bruins never like to make it easy on themselves. Boston teams in general always have to make their fans feel terrible before they give the greatest comeback people have seen. First off, the Bruins should have not let this series go to game 7. They should have not let up on the gas after the first goal, which they did. The Bruins gave the Maple Leafs the chance to take a big lead and that should not have happened. With all that said, the 3rd period might have been the greatest 3rd period I have ever seen in my life. On top of that, this all happened to Toronto, just another thing to add to the list of Tuukka Rask and the Phil Kessel trade. Halfway through the third period, a majority of Boston fans, including myself, were talking about who needs to be fired and what changes need to be for this team. Twitter was blowing up with people just as disgusted, not only were coaches and the GMs being fired on twitter, players were being traded. I was right there with them. I was sitting next to my friend talking about what the Bruins do and how quickly they need to make a change. When Horton scored it was a so what moment and the talks continued. This all changed when Milan Lucic scored with 1:22 left and the goalie pulled. Once Lucic got the goal, mixed with our success of 6 on 5 hockey in game 6 and the goal in game 7, I had a feeling something might happen. There was plenty of time, Toronto was tired and we had all the momentum. When Bergeron scored the tying goal, anyone who was sleeping in the New England area was woken up by a crazy screaming fan somewhere. I was in so much disbelief what happened and couldn't believe how the team fought back after looking so bad. They definitely lived up to their Jekyll and Hyde title that coach Claude Julien gave them. With a missed chance to win the game with seconds left, the Bruins found themselves in another game 7 overtime. I love the Bruins experience in that situation, I absolutely hate being a fan in that situation. But leave it to Patrice Bergeron, he is the one player who always shows up big in game 7s and is the true Bruins captain in my opinion. For the team to be able to come back and win that game, it is going to be huge for their confidence moving into the next round against a good New York Rangers team. Nobody should overlook Patrice Bergeron in this game, because he played well and came up with 2 of the biggest goals in Boston Bruins history. But looking at the whole game, Milan Lucic was a difference maker. Lucic looked like the player that we all hoped he would be in the playoffs. He was hitting everything which led to good offensive opportunities. I absolutely loved when he challenged Dion Phaneuf behind the net, regardless if he would have had a scoring chance and he got a penalty. Typical Phaneuf would not do anything and took a punch to the face and skated away like a coward. Phaneuf has been running around taking shots at people all series and he runs away when Lucic challenges him. I know Lucic took a penalty, but that kind of intensity is what we need to see out of him. Not only was he a physical presence, but he set up the Horton goal and went over to the bench and told them, "that's one guys" and encouraged the team to keep fighting. When Milan Lucic scored to make it 4-3 and you could see him check the clock and tell the guys to keep going and keep the pressure, the team knew to jump on his back, and they did. It is about time Milan Lucic had his coming out party in the playoffs. Bruins fans have been waiting too long for this. He is about to be the highest paid forward on the team and now has been in the league for 6 years. It is time to be the 6 million dollar power forward, and boy did he pick a good time put the team on his shoulders. I am still in awe of what happened, but Bruins fans need to realize that this was only the first round, and the New York Rangers will be a tougher test than the Maple Leafs. If we played like we did for the majority of this series against Toronto, we will not stand a chance. But if we ride this momentum and play like the team that showed up for the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period last night, we can make a deep run. This is still the beginning of what Jaromir Jagr called a marathon. We have seen suspensions, upsets, and one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history. People who are not paying attention to the NHL playoffs yet, need to rethink what they are doing.