Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race is just minutes away, but there's still time to post some predictions for the top 10 finishers. Last week's predictions went 5-5, leaving the Internet's favorite fantasy auto racing team with a season record of 17-23.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Third starting position, three wins out of five races and FOUR STRAIGHT TITLES! What more do you need?
2. Matt Kenseth. Yes, him again. He's got five top 10 finishes in five races. That streak continues.
3. Greg Biffle. So does his.
4. Jeff Gordon. Hard to argue with his history of winning on this track.
5. Denny Hamlin. He's a Virginia kid, and he seems to be due.
6. Tony Stewart. He put himself in a position to win last week's race at Bristol.
7. Kevin Harvick. The rain gave Harvick his first pole of the season. His strong driving over the first two months of the NASCAR season put him in a position to claim that pole.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Maybe last week's tirade lit a fire under Mister 88 and his crew.
9. Jamie McMurray. Last week's finish showed that the Daytona 500 was anything but a fluke.
10. Martin Truex Jr. This week's medium-to-long shot came close to getting his second top 10 finish of the season last week. Maybe the switch from wing to spoiler will get him over the hump.
Speaking of spoilers, our latest poll asks about your preferences in auto accessories. (The results of our underachiever poll appear below.) Feel free to vote now, and enjoy the race.
[polldaddy poll=2922124]
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
The People's Choice - Martinsville
One will have to wonder if the voters in this week's polls were meteorologists.
You, the Internet, selected our starting lineup for the People's Pitstop before Friday's qualifying session at Martinsville. Then Mother Nature decided to cancel the qualifying session, so the field has been set by owner's points. Maybe you fantasy racing fans saw this coming, because you selected the top three drivers in points for our starting lineup. (We'll get no bonus points for that foresight, though.)
A List. This should come as no surprise, given his three wins so far this season, but you chose Jimmie Johnson for the starting spot. He won out over Kurt Busch by virture of the points tiebreaker. (Please bear in mind, though, that Jimmie can be used only nine times over the course of this season, and this week will be his fourth start for our fantasy NASCAR team.)
B List. Our starters this week are the two drivers on the front row for Sunday's race: Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth. On the bench, we have Dale Earnhardt Jr. (PG-rated version) and Jeff Burton.
C List. Even this starter, Paul Menard, has a top 10 spot for this race. Backing him up, we have A.J. Allmendinger.
We will leave the underachiever poll up through the weekend. The lineup polls results appear below. We'll be back with our top 10 predictions.
[polldaddy poll=2938376] [polldaddy poll=2938392] [polldaddy poll=2938407]
You, the Internet, selected our starting lineup for the People's Pitstop before Friday's qualifying session at Martinsville. Then Mother Nature decided to cancel the qualifying session, so the field has been set by owner's points. Maybe you fantasy racing fans saw this coming, because you selected the top three drivers in points for our starting lineup. (We'll get no bonus points for that foresight, though.)
A List. This should come as no surprise, given his three wins so far this season, but you chose Jimmie Johnson for the starting spot. He won out over Kurt Busch by virture of the points tiebreaker. (Please bear in mind, though, that Jimmie can be used only nine times over the course of this season, and this week will be his fourth start for our fantasy NASCAR team.)
B List. Our starters this week are the two drivers on the front row for Sunday's race: Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth. On the bench, we have Dale Earnhardt Jr. (PG-rated version) and Jeff Burton.
C List. Even this starter, Paul Menard, has a top 10 spot for this race. Backing him up, we have A.J. Allmendinger.
We will leave the underachiever poll up through the weekend. The lineup polls results appear below. We'll be back with our top 10 predictions.
[polldaddy poll=2938376] [polldaddy poll=2938392] [polldaddy poll=2938407]
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The People's Facts - Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500
Fantasy racing fans, you still have time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for this Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. While you ponder your votes (remember, 2 from the A List, 4 from the B List and 2 from the C List), here are some things to know about this week's site.
Track basics. Martinsville Speedway, with its famous "paper clip" shape, is the shortest track NASCAR uses. It's only 0.53 miles long, and it's been hosting races since 1948. That's right; it's even older than Mark Martin.
Recent winners. Jimmie Johnson (2009), Denny Hamlin (2008), Johnson (2007)
Who wins here a lot. Jeff Gordon has 7 wins on this track in the Sprint Cup series. Johnson (you may have heard of him) has 6.
We hardly knew ye, wing. I guess if the NHL can change its rules on head shots in the middle of its season, NASCAR can change the look of its cars in the middle of its season. This week marks the return of a rear spoiler, replacing the three-year-old wings. So does this mean all those folks designing pink cars with kitties for Kyle Busch have to resubmit their designs?
So what's with the clock? In 1964, Martinsville Speedway's founder, H. Clay Earles, found a way to distinguish his race from all the others on the NASCAR circuit and support local businesses. He awarded the winner a grandfather clock from a nearby manufacturer. The tradition stuck, even though the manufacturer has changed.
For a more thorough preview of Sunday's race, click here to download a PDF from the fine folks at Yahoo Sports.
We'll be back tomorrow with the poll results.
Track basics. Martinsville Speedway, with its famous "paper clip" shape, is the shortest track NASCAR uses. It's only 0.53 miles long, and it's been hosting races since 1948. That's right; it's even older than Mark Martin.
Recent winners. Jimmie Johnson (2009), Denny Hamlin (2008), Johnson (2007)
Who wins here a lot. Jeff Gordon has 7 wins on this track in the Sprint Cup series. Johnson (you may have heard of him) has 6.
We hardly knew ye, wing. I guess if the NHL can change its rules on head shots in the middle of its season, NASCAR can change the look of its cars in the middle of its season. This week marks the return of a rear spoiler, replacing the three-year-old wings. So does this mean all those folks designing pink cars with kitties for Kyle Busch have to resubmit their designs?
So what's with the clock? In 1964, Martinsville Speedway's founder, H. Clay Earles, found a way to distinguish his race from all the others on the NASCAR circuit and support local businesses. He awarded the winner a grandfather clock from a nearby manufacturer. The tradition stuck, even though the manufacturer has changed.
For a more thorough preview of Sunday's race, click here to download a PDF from the fine folks at Yahoo Sports.
We'll be back tomorrow with the poll results.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The NFL's Not-So-Sudden Death Wish
We'll take a look at things like Martinsville and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s NSFW tirade tomorrow. But first, the National Football League borrowed a metaphor from another sport and threw everyone a curveball.
A day earlier than a vote was even expected on the matter, the NFL owners voted 28-4 to alter the overtime rules for playoff games. Rich McKay called the new rules "modified sudden death," but that's like saying "mostly dead," and I'm hoping that phrase is completely dead soon.
(Why are these new playoff rules relevant at a Web site that deals with fantasy football? Because the owners will vote in May on applying the same rules to the regular season.)
Lots of people have criticized the old way the NFL decided tied games. The main complaint was crystallized in January in the NFC championship game, when the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre never touched the ball in overtime. People were hoping that the new rules would fix that problem.
Wrong. There will be plenty of scenarios in which that can happen again. Here are some of them. (And since the Saints-Vikings game is so fresh in everyone's thoughts, we'll use it for our examples.)
Scenario 1: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. The Saints return man makes a single Vikings special teamer stumble, runs past him and takes the ball to the end zone. The Saints win the game, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Scenario 2: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. Sean Payton, playing by the new rules, decides that he doesn't want to settle for a 45-yard field goal, since he figures a defense that just gave up 30 or so yards isn't going to suddenly turn into the Steel Curtain now. The Saints finish their scoring drive with a touchdown, the game is over, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Scenario 3: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. However, this time, instead of driving forward, they stumble backward, so much so that the Vikings sack Drew Brees in the end zone, scoring a safety. The Vikings win the game, and Brett Favre never touches the ball. (In this case, he's probably cool with that.)
Scenario 4: The Vikings win the toss this time and elect to receive. Only Sean Payton elects to not give them the ball. The Saints execute an onside kick to perfection (where have we seen that before?), take the ball down the field, and kick a field goal.
So would the Vikings then get a chance to tie? No. Mark Maske of the Washington Post explains why:
"Also, the team kicking off could recover an onside kick in overtime and drive to a field goal, and the game would be over because its opponent had the opportunity to possess the ball. The NFL released a lengthy list of odd overtime scenarios, all boiling down to the fact the rule is based on the opportunity to possess the ball, as with the onside kick scenario."
In other words, the game is over when the Saints kick the field goal, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Think these scenarios are far-fetched? Once upon a time, you probably thought the idea of an onside kick in the Super Bowl -- let alone the Saints' presence in one -- was far-fetched, too.
Disagree with that assessment? Feel free to leave a comment and tell me why.
A day earlier than a vote was even expected on the matter, the NFL owners voted 28-4 to alter the overtime rules for playoff games. Rich McKay called the new rules "modified sudden death," but that's like saying "mostly dead," and I'm hoping that phrase is completely dead soon.
(Why are these new playoff rules relevant at a Web site that deals with fantasy football? Because the owners will vote in May on applying the same rules to the regular season.)
Lots of people have criticized the old way the NFL decided tied games. The main complaint was crystallized in January in the NFC championship game, when the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre never touched the ball in overtime. People were hoping that the new rules would fix that problem.
Wrong. There will be plenty of scenarios in which that can happen again. Here are some of them. (And since the Saints-Vikings game is so fresh in everyone's thoughts, we'll use it for our examples.)
Scenario 1: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. The Saints return man makes a single Vikings special teamer stumble, runs past him and takes the ball to the end zone. The Saints win the game, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Scenario 2: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. Sean Payton, playing by the new rules, decides that he doesn't want to settle for a 45-yard field goal, since he figures a defense that just gave up 30 or so yards isn't going to suddenly turn into the Steel Curtain now. The Saints finish their scoring drive with a touchdown, the game is over, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Scenario 3: The Saints win the toss and elect to receive. However, this time, instead of driving forward, they stumble backward, so much so that the Vikings sack Drew Brees in the end zone, scoring a safety. The Vikings win the game, and Brett Favre never touches the ball. (In this case, he's probably cool with that.)
Scenario 4: The Vikings win the toss this time and elect to receive. Only Sean Payton elects to not give them the ball. The Saints execute an onside kick to perfection (where have we seen that before?), take the ball down the field, and kick a field goal.
So would the Vikings then get a chance to tie? No. Mark Maske of the Washington Post explains why:
"Also, the team kicking off could recover an onside kick in overtime and drive to a field goal, and the game would be over because its opponent had the opportunity to possess the ball. The NFL released a lengthy list of odd overtime scenarios, all boiling down to the fact the rule is based on the opportunity to possess the ball, as with the onside kick scenario."
In other words, the game is over when the Saints kick the field goal, and Brett Favre never touches the ball.
Think these scenarios are far-fetched? Once upon a time, you probably thought the idea of an onside kick in the Super Bowl -- let alone the Saints' presence in one -- was far-fetched, too.
Disagree with that assessment? Feel free to leave a comment and tell me why.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Bristol Breakdown (and Martinsville Polls)
Bristol races are never easy to predict, but the People's Pitstop had a particularly rough week this week. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored only 223 points on Sunday. No starter led a lap, so we got no bonus points for doing so. The season point total is now 1,320, good enough to be tied for 105,293rd overall and 123rd in the Fans of From the Marbles fantasy racing league.
Here's the driver-by-driver breakdown:
Mark Martin. Started 13th, finished 35th (92 laps behind the leaders), 22 fantasy points. At one point the Venerable One was threatening to take the lead in Sunday's Sprint Cup race. And then this happened.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Started 18th, finished 7th, 78 fantasy points. The good news is that Earnhardt found his way into the top 10. The bad news is that he failed to lead a lap on a track where he has a strong track record.
Matt Kenseth. Started 7th, finished 5th, 82 fantasy points. He did continued his every-week-in-the-top-10 streak. That's good.
Scott Speed. Started 29th, finished 31st (20 points behind the leaders), 30 fantasy points. He never really was a threat to do anything Sunday. That's bad.
Now it's time for you, the Internet, to turn your attention to our next race, which will take place at another fan-favorite short track, Martinsville. The polls are open and will close Thursday night, so that we can get the lineup in for Friday's qualifying session. Please vote now.
Here's the driver-by-driver breakdown:
Mark Martin. Started 13th, finished 35th (92 laps behind the leaders), 22 fantasy points. At one point the Venerable One was threatening to take the lead in Sunday's Sprint Cup race. And then this happened.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Started 18th, finished 7th, 78 fantasy points. The good news is that Earnhardt found his way into the top 10. The bad news is that he failed to lead a lap on a track where he has a strong track record.
Matt Kenseth. Started 7th, finished 5th, 82 fantasy points. He did continued his every-week-in-the-top-10 streak. That's good.
Scott Speed. Started 29th, finished 31st (20 points behind the leaders), 30 fantasy points. He never really was a threat to do anything Sunday. That's bad.
Now it's time for you, the Internet, to turn your attention to our next race, which will take place at another fan-favorite short track, Martinsville. The polls are open and will close Thursday night, so that we can get the lineup in for Friday's qualifying session. Please vote now.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Bristol
Thanks again to those of you who voted on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's race at Bristol. Special thanks go to those of you who voted for Joey Logano, who earned his first career Sprint Cup pole (and gave the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team 10 bonus points), and for Jimmie Johnson, who qualified fourth (earning us 1 bonus point).
Now it's time to offer some predictions about who will finish in the top 10 at Bristol. The forecasts from two weeks ago went 4-6, leaving us with a season record of 12-18.
And before you ask, no, I'm not putting Carl Edwards or Brad Keselowski into these predictions until they can demonstrate that they can make it through a race without putting their bumpers into each other's fenders.
1. Joey Logano. I will, however, choose the kid who got the pole for this race and already has a pair of top 10 finishes this season.
2. Kurt Busch. I'll also go with one of the active drivers with five wins here. Oh, as well as the driver who won the Atlanta race two weeks ago.
3. Kyle Busch. His brother is pretty good, too. He's won two of the last spring races on this track.
4. Matt Kenseth. Four races this season, four finishes in the top 10. As the gambler in your family will tell you, you bet on streaks to continue, not to snap.
5. Greg Biffle. Kenseth is one of three drivers to have finished in the top 10 every race this season. Biffle is another.
6. Kevin Harvick. Yes, he's the third. How'd you guess?
7. Jeff Gordon. Perhaps I should have him at No. 5 on this list. After all, he qualified fifth for Sunday's race, and he has 5 Bristol wins under his belt.
8. Jimmie Johnson. He qualified fourth, and he has...well, you know.
9. Mark Martin. Two finishes in the top five so far. And if you want someone who knows when to gamble and when to wait for a better opportunity, you go with Mr. Been There, Done That.
10. Marcos Ambrose. It's time to offer a long shot. Though in this case, the shot is closer to medium length. Ambrose finished in the top 10 in both races last season, and he qualified ninth for Sunday's race.
We'll be back later. In the meantime, be sure to vote in the underachiever poll.
Now it's time to offer some predictions about who will finish in the top 10 at Bristol. The forecasts from two weeks ago went 4-6, leaving us with a season record of 12-18.
And before you ask, no, I'm not putting Carl Edwards or Brad Keselowski into these predictions until they can demonstrate that they can make it through a race without putting their bumpers into each other's fenders.
1. Joey Logano. I will, however, choose the kid who got the pole for this race and already has a pair of top 10 finishes this season.
2. Kurt Busch. I'll also go with one of the active drivers with five wins here. Oh, as well as the driver who won the Atlanta race two weeks ago.
3. Kyle Busch. His brother is pretty good, too. He's won two of the last spring races on this track.
4. Matt Kenseth. Four races this season, four finishes in the top 10. As the gambler in your family will tell you, you bet on streaks to continue, not to snap.
5. Greg Biffle. Kenseth is one of three drivers to have finished in the top 10 every race this season. Biffle is another.
6. Kevin Harvick. Yes, he's the third. How'd you guess?
7. Jeff Gordon. Perhaps I should have him at No. 5 on this list. After all, he qualified fifth for Sunday's race, and he has 5 Bristol wins under his belt.
8. Jimmie Johnson. He qualified fourth, and he has...well, you know.
9. Mark Martin. Two finishes in the top five so far. And if you want someone who knows when to gamble and when to wait for a better opportunity, you go with Mr. Been There, Done That.
10. Marcos Ambrose. It's time to offer a long shot. Though in this case, the shot is closer to medium length. Ambrose finished in the top 10 in both races last season, and he qualified ninth for Sunday's race.
We'll be back later. In the meantime, be sure to vote in the underachiever poll.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The People's Choice - Bristol
Once again, you, the Internet, rose to the challenge and picked the lineup for the People's Pitstop in the Fans of From the Marbles fantasy racing league. This week's race is at Bristol, and the races for the spots in our lineup were as tight as the racing at this legendary track. Here are the results.
A List. There was one clear winner for the starting spot: Mark Martin. There was a tie for the backup spot, and the winner, as determined by NASCAR driver points, is Jimmie Johnson.
B List. Two drivers rose to the top of this poll and won starting spots for their work: Matt Kenseth and a fan favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr. There was a crowd vying for the backup spots, so we go to points to break up that logjam and award spots to Joey Logano and Jeff Burton.
C List. Once again, we have four drivers vying for two spots. Hopefully, you've figured out by now how this will be resolved. The starting spot goes to Scott Speed, while the backup spot goes to A.J. Allmendinger.
Thanks again for voting in our polls. You can see the results below. And we have a new poll up now. This one asks about those drivers whose seasons haven't gotten off to the strongest of starts. Please keep voting.
[polldaddy poll=2906078] [polldaddy poll=2906082] [polldaddy poll=2906096]
A List. There was one clear winner for the starting spot: Mark Martin. There was a tie for the backup spot, and the winner, as determined by NASCAR driver points, is Jimmie Johnson.
B List. Two drivers rose to the top of this poll and won starting spots for their work: Matt Kenseth and a fan favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr. There was a crowd vying for the backup spots, so we go to points to break up that logjam and award spots to Joey Logano and Jeff Burton.
C List. Once again, we have four drivers vying for two spots. Hopefully, you've figured out by now how this will be resolved. The starting spot goes to Scott Speed, while the backup spot goes to A.J. Allmendinger.
Thanks again for voting in our polls. You can see the results below. And we have a new poll up now. This one asks about those drivers whose seasons haven't gotten off to the strongest of starts. Please keep voting.
[polldaddy poll=2906078] [polldaddy poll=2906082] [polldaddy poll=2906096]
Quarterbacks, Quarterbacks Everywhere ...
There's still time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol. While you ponder your votes and your brackets, it's time to ponder something football-related at the People's Pigskin.
First, some basic math. There are 32 teams in the National Football League. Let's take as a given that the typical NFL team has three quarterbacks on its roster: a starter, a backup and an emergency third quarterback. I think the teams that collect quarterbacks the way some people collect stamps (yes, I'm looking at you, Jon Gruden) are balanced out by the teams that use a wide receiver who played quaterback in high school as their third quarterback. That means that, in any given season, there are 96 quarterback slots available in the NFL.
Now let's look at college football. According to the NCAA, 630 teams played college football in one division or another last year. If you add the 111 teams that play NAIA football, then you have 741 college teams in all, each of which has a starting quarterback. I have no idea exactly how many of these teams had a junior, senior or fifth-year senior starting at quarterback this past season, but let's just say, for the purpose of this exercise, that two-thirds of them did. That would mean there are 494 quarterbacks who would be eligible for selection in next month's NFL draft.
Think about that stat for a moment, fantasy football fans. Hundreds of quarterbacks are coming out of college every year, and you would think at least a few of them are coming out with the particular skills that make them NFL-ready. Yet so many of the stories you'll read over the next few months are about quarterbacks who are considered "projects" (even prospective top draft picks) or are being told they need to make "ridiculous" changes in the way they play if they want an NFL job.
Think about these things the next time someone working on the personnel department of an NFL team is called a "genius."
And despite the steady flow of candidates for the QB slots, people still end up recycling such stellar passers as Rex Grossman, and performances like JaMarcus Russell's are tolerated...oh, wait, Russell's tolerated because this guy likes him. Never mind.
Anyway, the polls close Thursday night so we can get a lineup submitted in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back Friday with a new poll.
First, some basic math. There are 32 teams in the National Football League. Let's take as a given that the typical NFL team has three quarterbacks on its roster: a starter, a backup and an emergency third quarterback. I think the teams that collect quarterbacks the way some people collect stamps (yes, I'm looking at you, Jon Gruden) are balanced out by the teams that use a wide receiver who played quaterback in high school as their third quarterback. That means that, in any given season, there are 96 quarterback slots available in the NFL.
Now let's look at college football. According to the NCAA, 630 teams played college football in one division or another last year. If you add the 111 teams that play NAIA football, then you have 741 college teams in all, each of which has a starting quarterback. I have no idea exactly how many of these teams had a junior, senior or fifth-year senior starting at quarterback this past season, but let's just say, for the purpose of this exercise, that two-thirds of them did. That would mean there are 494 quarterbacks who would be eligible for selection in next month's NFL draft.
Think about that stat for a moment, fantasy football fans. Hundreds of quarterbacks are coming out of college every year, and you would think at least a few of them are coming out with the particular skills that make them NFL-ready. Yet so many of the stories you'll read over the next few months are about quarterbacks who are considered "projects" (even prospective top draft picks) or are being told they need to make "ridiculous" changes in the way they play if they want an NFL job.
Think about these things the next time someone working on the personnel department of an NFL team is called a "genius."
And despite the steady flow of candidates for the QB slots, people still end up recycling such stellar passers as Rex Grossman, and performances like JaMarcus Russell's are tolerated...oh, wait, Russell's tolerated because this guy likes him. Never mind.
Anyway, the polls close Thursday night so we can get a lineup submitted in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back Friday with a new poll.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The People's Facts - Food City 500
Yes, NASCAR will be having a Sprint Cup race in the middle of the NCAA tournament's first weekend. The venue is one of the more hallowed ones in auto racing: Bristol. It's so hallowed that fans were already at the track last Sunday. It's so hallowed that folks like David Pearson come back in their golden years to race on this track again. It's so hallowed, in fact, that you'll be lucky to hear this race's official name (the Food City 500) a half-dozen times between now and the checkered flag. As you decide who should get into the People's Pitstop lineup for this race, here are some points to ponder.
Track basics: Bristol Motor Speedway in eastern Tennessee is officially 0.53 miles long. It just feels smaller than that. The front stretch and back stretch are each 650 feet long, so drivers will be using the brakes at least as much as they use the accelerator.
Recent winners: Kyle Busch (2009), Jeff Burton (2008), Kyle Busch again (2007)
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Gordon has five Sprint Cup wins on this track. He's tied for the lead among active drivers with the other Busch, Kurt. (You remember him? He was the guy who won that Atlanta race while everyone else was discussing the whole "Carl Edwards vs. Brad Keselowski" thing.)
So, why do they love this place so much? Well, even in the best of times, this track, with its tight turns and narrow lanes, is known to get drivers' blood boiling. And with the light punishment Edwards got for his actions in Atlanta, NASCAR has to be prepared for the possibility of something similar this week, particularly since Keselowski has had run-ins on this track before.
For a more extensive preview of this race, click here to download a PDF from Yahoo Sports. For a long-delayed look at the recent developments in football, read the post below.
Track basics: Bristol Motor Speedway in eastern Tennessee is officially 0.53 miles long. It just feels smaller than that. The front stretch and back stretch are each 650 feet long, so drivers will be using the brakes at least as much as they use the accelerator.
Recent winners: Kyle Busch (2009), Jeff Burton (2008), Kyle Busch again (2007)
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Gordon has five Sprint Cup wins on this track. He's tied for the lead among active drivers with the other Busch, Kurt. (You remember him? He was the guy who won that Atlanta race while everyone else was discussing the whole "Carl Edwards vs. Brad Keselowski" thing.)
So, why do they love this place so much? Well, even in the best of times, this track, with its tight turns and narrow lanes, is known to get drivers' blood boiling. And with the light punishment Edwards got for his actions in Atlanta, NASCAR has to be prepared for the possibility of something similar this week, particularly since Keselowski has had run-ins on this track before.
For a more extensive preview of this race, click here to download a PDF from Yahoo Sports. For a long-delayed look at the recent developments in football, read the post below.
A Football-Related Interlude
Yes, this blog still covers fantasy football, and yes, the National Football League is having a busy offseason. From the fantasy perspective, some of the recent football headlines don't really carry a lot of long-term weight ("Coin Flip Irks Jets Owner," for instance). Some of them, of course, may have profound consequences for your next fantasy draft, which is only ... wow, four and a half months away.
Here are a few of the developments that deserve your attention as fantasy fans.
The Big Brown Quarterback Purge. It's been quite a week for Mike Holmgren and Company. First the Cleveland Browns acquired Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks. Then the Browns showed Derek Anderson the door. Then the Browns picked up Jake Delhomme from the scrap heap (that is, if anyone still getting millions from the Carolina Panthers can be considered a "scrap heap" candidate). Then the Browns dealt Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos for, among other things, Peyton Hillis.
Who's the winner here? Right now it looks like Quinn, whose competition for starting status just went from Derek Anderson to Kyle Orton. It's certainly not the Browns, whose new starter has to prove that he still knows how to complete a pass to someone other than the other team's safety.
L-D-T-Is a JET! JET! JET! Just a couple of years ago, LaDainian Tomlinson was the clear-cut, no-brainer first choice in every fantasy draft in America. This spring he got a new title: salary-cap casualty. After a visit with the Minnesota Vikings went nowhere, Tomlinson found a new home with the New York Jets. The Jets can use whatever he has left in the tank, and Tomlinson has to be happy that his primary competition for playing time (for the moment) is Shonn Greene.
So, About That Tim Guy... If you buy the thesis that Tim Tebow was the greatest college football player of all time, then it had to hurt to hear that the former Florida Gators quarterback has throwing issues that could affect his professional future. However, if you thought that college football had produced better players (Herschel Walker, anyone?), then the news that Tebow may not be an instant Canton candidate was less earth-shattering. Either way, Tebow's supposed to unveil a new-and-improved motion at Florida's pro day Wednesday. It better be good; the NFL draft is only a month away.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more thoughts on racing.
Here are a few of the developments that deserve your attention as fantasy fans.
The Big Brown Quarterback Purge. It's been quite a week for Mike Holmgren and Company. First the Cleveland Browns acquired Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks. Then the Browns showed Derek Anderson the door. Then the Browns picked up Jake Delhomme from the scrap heap (that is, if anyone still getting millions from the Carolina Panthers can be considered a "scrap heap" candidate). Then the Browns dealt Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos for, among other things, Peyton Hillis.
Who's the winner here? Right now it looks like Quinn, whose competition for starting status just went from Derek Anderson to Kyle Orton. It's certainly not the Browns, whose new starter has to prove that he still knows how to complete a pass to someone other than the other team's safety.
L-D-T-Is a JET! JET! JET! Just a couple of years ago, LaDainian Tomlinson was the clear-cut, no-brainer first choice in every fantasy draft in America. This spring he got a new title: salary-cap casualty. After a visit with the Minnesota Vikings went nowhere, Tomlinson found a new home with the New York Jets. The Jets can use whatever he has left in the tank, and Tomlinson has to be happy that his primary competition for playing time (for the moment) is Shonn Greene.
So, About That Tim Guy... If you buy the thesis that Tim Tebow was the greatest college football player of all time, then it had to hurt to hear that the former Florida Gators quarterback has throwing issues that could affect his professional future. However, if you thought that college football had produced better players (Herschel Walker, anyone?), then the news that Tebow may not be an instant Canton candidate was less earth-shattering. Either way, Tebow's supposed to unveil a new-and-improved motion at Florida's pro day Wednesday. It better be good; the NFL draft is only a month away.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more thoughts on racing.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Now, Where Were We?
After NASCAR's random week off (and just in case you were wondering, a race is scheduled for Father's Day), it's off to Bristol, and it's time for you, the Internet, to pick the lineup for your favorite fantasy racing team.
The new polls are up and will close on Thursday night. The results of the Carl Edwards vs. Brad Keselowski poll are below. We'll be back tomorrow with some facts about the race.
[polldaddy poll=2814368]
The new polls are up and will close on Thursday night. The results of the Carl Edwards vs. Brad Keselowski poll are below. We'll be back tomorrow with some facts about the race.
[polldaddy poll=2814368]
Monday, March 8, 2010
Some Thoughts on Sunday
First things first. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team racked up 302 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Atlanta. That's good enough to continue the People's Pitstop's rise up the charts. We're now tied for 81,663rd overall and tied for 92nd in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here's your weekly breakdown.
Jimmie Johnson. Started 16th, finished 12th, 68 fantasy points. He didn't finish in the top 10, but he didn't get a bad batch of tires, either.
Kevin Harvick. Started 35th, finished 9th, 74 fantasy points. That's four straight finishes in the top 10 for the happy one.
Matt Kenseth. Started 14th, finished 2nd, 88 fantasy points. And for Kenseth, that's four finished in the top 10 and three in the top five.
Scott Speed. Started 32rd, finished 10th, 72 fantasy points. Yes, Scott Speed finished in the top 10. No, it's not necessarily the end of the world as we know it.
The only bad news for our team: For the first week of the NASCAR season, none of our drivers led a lap.
Speaking of the NASCAR season, it's taking this week off (we'll explore that topic later this week), but it's also leaving racing fans a juicy controversy. What do you do when a ticked-off Carl Edwards decides to get revenge on Brad Keselowski by flipping him and his car into the air? Some think NASCAR should do nothing, since it asked for this when it said it would let drivers settle disputes among themselves. Others say fans' lives may be on the line.
Our latest poll won't ask you what type of punishment NASCAR will (or should) dish out to the drivers in question. Your task is much simpler. Tell us whose fault it was.
We'll be back later with more on racing's off week and football's busy week. In the meantime, here are the results from the TV poll.
[polldaddy poll=2760569]
Jimmie Johnson. Started 16th, finished 12th, 68 fantasy points. He didn't finish in the top 10, but he didn't get a bad batch of tires, either.
Kevin Harvick. Started 35th, finished 9th, 74 fantasy points. That's four straight finishes in the top 10 for the happy one.
Matt Kenseth. Started 14th, finished 2nd, 88 fantasy points. And for Kenseth, that's four finished in the top 10 and three in the top five.
Scott Speed. Started 32rd, finished 10th, 72 fantasy points. Yes, Scott Speed finished in the top 10. No, it's not necessarily the end of the world as we know it.
The only bad news for our team: For the first week of the NASCAR season, none of our drivers led a lap.
Speaking of the NASCAR season, it's taking this week off (we'll explore that topic later this week), but it's also leaving racing fans a juicy controversy. What do you do when a ticked-off Carl Edwards decides to get revenge on Brad Keselowski by flipping him and his car into the air? Some think NASCAR should do nothing, since it asked for this when it said it would let drivers settle disputes among themselves. Others say fans' lives may be on the line.
Our latest poll won't ask you what type of punishment NASCAR will (or should) dish out to the drivers in question. Your task is much simpler. Tell us whose fault it was.
We'll be back later with more on racing's off week and football's busy week. In the meantime, here are the results from the TV poll.
[polldaddy poll=2760569]
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Atlanta
It's Race Day, and thanks to you, the Internet, the People's Pitstop lineup is all set for today's Kobalt Tools 500. The only thing left to do is offer some forecasts about which Sprint Cup drivers will finish in the top 10 today. Circumstances prevented us from offering predictions for last week's race in Las Vegas, but the Fontana predictions went 7-3, improving the season record to 8-12.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he's starting from the middle of the pack, but he's won the last two races. Oh, and did I mention that he's won the last FOUR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS? (Oh, I did? Good.)
2. Mark Martin. Johnson's teammate will start fourth in today's NASCAR race, and he's one of three drivers (along with the aforementioned Johnson) with a pair of top five finishes this season.
3. Kevin Harvick. Oh, by the way, you know that stat about three drivers with a pair of top five finishes? Not-So-Happy Harvick is the third.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Atlanta is a fast track, and winning the pole here should mean something, right?
5. Greg Biffle. OK, show of hands, please. How many of you fantasy racing fans thought Biffle would be one of four drivers (along with Harvick) to finish in the top 10 in each of the first three races? Liars.
6. Matt Kenseth. His status as one of the other four drivers in that category is a little more believable.
7. Clint Bowyer. But if you try to claim that you thought both Biffle and Bowyer would start the season with three top 10 finishes, I'm going to accuse you of running for public office.
8. Kurt Busch. After all, he did win this race last year.
9. Kyle Busch. He's on the front row, and we don't want Kyle accusing this fine fantasy sports site of favoring one brother over the other.
10. Denny Hamlin. Every list of predictions needs a wild card. Hamlin doesn't have a top 10 finish yet this season. Does that mean he's "due"? Let's find out.
We'll be back tomorrow with a new poll. Until then, enjoy the race, and if you have some time to spare, be sure to join us at the From the Marbles chat on Yahoo Sports by clicking here.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he's starting from the middle of the pack, but he's won the last two races. Oh, and did I mention that he's won the last FOUR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS? (Oh, I did? Good.)
2. Mark Martin. Johnson's teammate will start fourth in today's NASCAR race, and he's one of three drivers (along with the aforementioned Johnson) with a pair of top five finishes this season.
3. Kevin Harvick. Oh, by the way, you know that stat about three drivers with a pair of top five finishes? Not-So-Happy Harvick is the third.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Atlanta is a fast track, and winning the pole here should mean something, right?
5. Greg Biffle. OK, show of hands, please. How many of you fantasy racing fans thought Biffle would be one of four drivers (along with Harvick) to finish in the top 10 in each of the first three races? Liars.
6. Matt Kenseth. His status as one of the other four drivers in that category is a little more believable.
7. Clint Bowyer. But if you try to claim that you thought both Biffle and Bowyer would start the season with three top 10 finishes, I'm going to accuse you of running for public office.
8. Kurt Busch. After all, he did win this race last year.
9. Kyle Busch. He's on the front row, and we don't want Kyle accusing this fine fantasy sports site of favoring one brother over the other.
10. Denny Hamlin. Every list of predictions needs a wild card. Hamlin doesn't have a top 10 finish yet this season. Does that mean he's "due"? Let's find out.
We'll be back tomorrow with a new poll. Until then, enjoy the race, and if you have some time to spare, be sure to join us at the From the Marbles chat on Yahoo Sports by clicking here.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The People's Choice - Atlanta
Once again, you, the Internet, were given the task of filling out the lineup for the People's Pitstop fantasy racing team. And once again you delivered a lineup. Here's the breakdown of who will represent the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.
A List. The starting spot has a familiar ring to it: Jimmie Johnson gets the nod for the third week in a row. The backup spot goes to his car's co-owner, Jeff Gordon.
B List. We've got the driver who won last week's race in Las Vegas, so it makes sense that another starting spot goes to the runner-up in that race, Kevin Harvick. The other starting spot goes to Matt Kenseth. And we even have clear winners for the bench spots: Joey Logano and Jamie McMurray.
C List. The starting spot goes to the same driver who held the spot last week, Scott Speed. And as you can see from the poll results below, we have a logjam of candidates for the backup spot. Once again, we go to the NASCAR driver points to break the tie, and the winner is Paul Menard.
Now that the lineup is settled, everyone can get back to their favorite early March pastime: watching the NFL free agency market. The lineup poll results appear below. We'll keep the TV poll up until Sunday, so be sure to vote on that. We'll be back later with some predictions.
[polldaddy poll=2777345] [polldaddy poll=2777369] [polldaddy poll=2777391]
A List. The starting spot has a familiar ring to it: Jimmie Johnson gets the nod for the third week in a row. The backup spot goes to his car's co-owner, Jeff Gordon.
B List. We've got the driver who won last week's race in Las Vegas, so it makes sense that another starting spot goes to the runner-up in that race, Kevin Harvick. The other starting spot goes to Matt Kenseth. And we even have clear winners for the bench spots: Joey Logano and Jamie McMurray.
C List. The starting spot goes to the same driver who held the spot last week, Scott Speed. And as you can see from the poll results below, we have a logjam of candidates for the backup spot. Once again, we go to the NASCAR driver points to break the tie, and the winner is Paul Menard.
Now that the lineup is settled, everyone can get back to their favorite early March pastime: watching the NFL free agency market. The lineup poll results appear below. We'll keep the TV poll up until Sunday, so be sure to vote on that. We'll be back later with some predictions.
[polldaddy poll=2777345] [polldaddy poll=2777369] [polldaddy poll=2777391]
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The People's Facts - Kobalt Tools 500
There's still time for you to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's Sprint Cup race. To help you make your decisions about which drivers to take (one more time, it's 2 from the A List, 4 from the B List, 2 from the C List), it's time to offer you some information about NASCAR's return to the Deep South.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has no trouble generating high speeds. The qualifying record is held by Geoff Bodine at 197 miles per hour. (Don't try this at home; there's a reason your speedometer probably doesn't go that high.)
Recent winners: Kurt Busch (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Jimmie Johnson (2007)
Who wins a lot here: Bobby Labonte leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins on this track. Bill Elliott has five victories, while Jeff Gordon has four.
Good seats available. No, really. You would think that a track located in the middle of what folks would consider "NASCAR country" hosting a race that isn't competing with football or baseball (other than spring training) and doesn't have to worry about the NCAA basketball tournament yet would have no trouble selling out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Atlanta currently hosts two Sprint Cup races a season, but it might lose one soon. What could be keeping racing fans away from the track on this particular date? Only one thing I can think of.
For a more detailed preview from Yahoo, download this PDF. The polls will close Thursday night.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has no trouble generating high speeds. The qualifying record is held by Geoff Bodine at 197 miles per hour. (Don't try this at home; there's a reason your speedometer probably doesn't go that high.)
Recent winners: Kurt Busch (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Jimmie Johnson (2007)
Who wins a lot here: Bobby Labonte leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins on this track. Bill Elliott has five victories, while Jeff Gordon has four.
Good seats available. No, really. You would think that a track located in the middle of what folks would consider "NASCAR country" hosting a race that isn't competing with football or baseball (other than spring training) and doesn't have to worry about the NCAA basketball tournament yet would have no trouble selling out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Atlanta currently hosts two Sprint Cup races a season, but it might lose one soon. What could be keeping racing fans away from the track on this particular date? Only one thing I can think of.
For a more detailed preview from Yahoo, download this PDF. The polls will close Thursday night.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Vegas Payoff (and Atlanta Polls)
Now, that's more like it, NASCAR fans.
You, the Internet, picked some winners this week for the People's Pitstop lineup for the Las Vegas race. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored 342 points on Sunday. That leaves us with a season total of 795, good enough to be tied for 110,321st overall and tied for 127th in the Fans of From the Marbles league. We leaped 72 spots in this week's standings. Here's how we did it.
Jimmy Johnson: Started 20th, finished first, 18 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Yes, Virginia, the People's Pitstop finally had a winner in its starting lineup, even if Fox Sports didn't see it coming.
Kevin Harvick: Started 34th, finished second, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Maybe Harvick should discuss horseshoes more often. He got 10 bonus points for leading a lap, and he currently sits on top of the Sprint Cup points list.
Clint Bowyer. Started 13th, finished eighth, 3 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Another top 10 driver, and another 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Scott Speed. Started 23rd, finished 22nd (1 lap behind the leaders), 4 laps led and 58 fantasy points. Speed was the only People's Pitstop driver to finish outside the top 10, but by staying away from pit row during a caution, he got 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Now that Vegas is in everyone's rear view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to Sunday's race in Atlanta. You know the drill by now. The new polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night, so we can submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. Also, since the weather wreaked havoc with a lot of folks last week (including the folks who bring you this fine fantasy Web site), the TV poll will stay up for the time being, too. Feel free to vote now.
You, the Internet, picked some winners this week for the People's Pitstop lineup for the Las Vegas race. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored 342 points on Sunday. That leaves us with a season total of 795, good enough to be tied for 110,321st overall and tied for 127th in the Fans of From the Marbles league. We leaped 72 spots in this week's standings. Here's how we did it.
Jimmy Johnson: Started 20th, finished first, 18 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Yes, Virginia, the People's Pitstop finally had a winner in its starting lineup, even if Fox Sports didn't see it coming.
Kevin Harvick: Started 34th, finished second, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Maybe Harvick should discuss horseshoes more often. He got 10 bonus points for leading a lap, and he currently sits on top of the Sprint Cup points list.
Clint Bowyer. Started 13th, finished eighth, 3 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Another top 10 driver, and another 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Scott Speed. Started 23rd, finished 22nd (1 lap behind the leaders), 4 laps led and 58 fantasy points. Speed was the only People's Pitstop driver to finish outside the top 10, but by staying away from pit row during a caution, he got 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Now that Vegas is in everyone's rear view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to Sunday's race in Atlanta. You know the drill by now. The new polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night, so we can submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. Also, since the weather wreaked havoc with a lot of folks last week (including the folks who bring you this fine fantasy Web site), the TV poll will stay up for the time being, too. Feel free to vote now.
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