Yes, the People's Pitstop, like the rest of NASCAR, is returning to the self-proclaimed Birthplace of Speed for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race. You still have time to vote in our lineup polls, which will close Thursday night. In the meantime, it's time to offer some information about this week's site.
Track basics: It's still Daytona International Speedway. It's still a restrictor plate race. It's still a track that breeds the Big One on a regular basis. If you really need the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team to introduce this track to you, you've been listening to the vuvuzelas too long. But if you do need help, you can download a guide from Yahoo Sports by clicking here.
Recent winners: For the July race, the most recent winners are Tony Stewart (2009), Kyle Busch (2008) and Jamie McMurray (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Gordon still leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins at Daytona. Tied for second with three victories apiece: Stewart and ... you're not gonna believe this ... Michael Waltrip. Yes, that Michael Waltrip.
Are a lot of folks bringing Union Jacks to this event? To help keep everyone as safe and as comfortable as possible, the Daytona International Speedway's Web site offers fans a list of things they may and may not bring to this weekend's races. Since Sunday is Independence Day, the following passage seems particularly relevant.
"Flags are acceptable for admissions, provided they are not attached to poles and that they do not obstruct other fans viewing of racing activities. No flag poles of any type will be allowed."
"Small nationality flags attached to a pencil sized diameter wooden stick, will be allowed."
I know these folks are trying to prevent people from slipping through loopholes, but you'd think they can just say, "Bring the Stars and Stripes. Leave the poles at home."
We'll be back with more thoughts and observations. In the meantime, please vote.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Weather's Hot, But ...
... the People's Pitstop is not.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team managed to score only 266 points Sunday at the Sprint Cup race in New Hampshire. That leaves us with a season total of 4,559, putting us in 52,148th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us 2 spots to 77th place in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how so many cast to many votes to get so few points.
Denny Hamlin: Started 20th, finished 14th and 64 fantasy points. The first five-time winner of the Sprint Cup season (but no longer the only one) picked this week to perform like a middle-of-the-pack runner.
Jeff Burton: Started 17th, finished 12th, 89 laps led and 78 fantasy points. Burton was the only People's Pitstop driver to get the 10 bonus points for leading a lap. Unfortunately, he was also the only one to apologize to Kyle Busch after the race.
Clint Bowyer: Started 9th, finished 7th and 78 fantasy points. The good news for Bowyer is that he remains high enough in driver points to still call himself a contender for the Chase.
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 8th, finished 23rd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 46 fantasy points. Our C List driver puts up another C List performance.
Now it's time for NASCAR to return to where the season started: Daytona Beach. The new lineup polls are up. As usual, they will close Thursday night, because the qualifying session is Friday. Please vote now. The Danica Patrick poll results appear below.
[polldaddy poll=3390763]
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team managed to score only 266 points Sunday at the Sprint Cup race in New Hampshire. That leaves us with a season total of 4,559, putting us in 52,148th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us 2 spots to 77th place in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how so many cast to many votes to get so few points.
Denny Hamlin: Started 20th, finished 14th and 64 fantasy points. The first five-time winner of the Sprint Cup season (but no longer the only one) picked this week to perform like a middle-of-the-pack runner.
Jeff Burton: Started 17th, finished 12th, 89 laps led and 78 fantasy points. Burton was the only People's Pitstop driver to get the 10 bonus points for leading a lap. Unfortunately, he was also the only one to apologize to Kyle Busch after the race.
Clint Bowyer: Started 9th, finished 7th and 78 fantasy points. The good news for Bowyer is that he remains high enough in driver points to still call himself a contender for the Chase.
Sam Hornish Jr.: Started 8th, finished 23rd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 46 fantasy points. Our C List driver puts up another C List performance.
Now it's time for NASCAR to return to where the season started: Daytona Beach. The new lineup polls are up. As usual, they will close Thursday night, because the qualifying session is Friday. Please vote now. The Danica Patrick poll results appear below.
[polldaddy poll=3390763]
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Fearless Predictions - New Hampshire
And now, the moment some of you have been waiting for -- the predictions for the top 10 finishers at Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The forecasts bounced back last week by going 7-3, leaving us with a season record of 73-77. Let's see if we can reach .500 before the 4th of July.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Last week's win at Sonoma was his fourth of the season. Everyone should have a down season like this.
2. Joey Logano. Last year the youngster won his first race of his Sprint Cup career on this track. This year he's got six top 10 finished in points races.
3. Kyle Busch. It's safe to say he's comfortable on this track. On Saturday, he won the Nationwide Series race and set the series record for most career laps led.
4. Kasey Kahne. He took the pole last week, and he's on the front row again this week. If he can keep the car on the track, he can finish in the top 10.
5. Denny Hamlin. Yes, he's starting in the middle of the pack, but maybe making the People's Pitstop lineup for the first time this season will give him the boost he needs to get up front.
6. Greg Biffle. It took him only 16 points races to rack up 10 finishes in the top 10...
7. Kevin Harvick. ...tying him for the lead with this driver.
8. Kurt Busch. But he's right behind them with nine, and he's starting third today.
9. Jeff Burton. Longtime readers of the People's Pigskin will recall that he leads active NASCAR drivers with four victories on this track. There's no reason he can't make it five.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya. Yes, we're using a repeat pick for our medium to long shot. Why not? He finished in the top 10 on the road course in Sonoma (expected), and he's on the pole this week (not so expected).
We'll be back with race results and fresh lineup polls. In the meantime, don't forget to vote on our pole for Miss Patrick.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Last week's win at Sonoma was his fourth of the season. Everyone should have a down season like this.
2. Joey Logano. Last year the youngster won his first race of his Sprint Cup career on this track. This year he's got six top 10 finished in points races.
3. Kyle Busch. It's safe to say he's comfortable on this track. On Saturday, he won the Nationwide Series race and set the series record for most career laps led.
4. Kasey Kahne. He took the pole last week, and he's on the front row again this week. If he can keep the car on the track, he can finish in the top 10.
5. Denny Hamlin. Yes, he's starting in the middle of the pack, but maybe making the People's Pitstop lineup for the first time this season will give him the boost he needs to get up front.
6. Greg Biffle. It took him only 16 points races to rack up 10 finishes in the top 10...
7. Kevin Harvick. ...tying him for the lead with this driver.
8. Kurt Busch. But he's right behind them with nine, and he's starting third today.
9. Jeff Burton. Longtime readers of the People's Pigskin will recall that he leads active NASCAR drivers with four victories on this track. There's no reason he can't make it five.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya. Yes, we're using a repeat pick for our medium to long shot. Why not? He finished in the top 10 on the road course in Sonoma (expected), and he's on the pole this week (not so expected).
We'll be back with race results and fresh lineup polls. In the meantime, don't forget to vote on our pole for Miss Patrick.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Football Preview Review - Fox Sports
Over the next few weeks, the people who bring you the People's Pigskin will try to get you prepared for fantasy football season (that's football, not futbol) by taking a peek at one of the most critical items in your preparation efforts: the fantasy football preview magazines. Today we continue our series with an offering from the people who brought you this.
Fox Sports Fantasy 2010 Fantasy Football
Vital stats: $4.95 price, 98 pages, 302 offensive player reviews (no individual defensive players) and no tearout sheets.
Top 10 picks: Fox decided to base its predictions on a 12-team league conducting a 16-team draft. However, for those of you playing in a 10-team league, Fox recommends drafting Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne.
Intriguing nugget: The minions of News Corp. should get credit for breaking down the typical weekly schedule of those concerned about a player's injury. Crunch time starts on Thursday, according to this magazine. ("Two practices [missed] in a row? Time to worry.") However, Friday is the time to pull the trigger on any roster changes, since, "if a player doesn't practice Friday, he often doesn't play Sunday. With some teams," practicing the Friday before a game is "almost a requirement."
Head scratcher: Since these things are usually collaborative efforts, it is quite common for a fantasy preview to obey a rule in one section and disregard it in another. However, one would expect a magazine to be consistent enough in its advice it offers that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing on a single page.
The first page of Fox's "Draft Day Cheat Sheet" has a list of do's and don'ts for drafting. One of the do's: "Draft a top RB in the first round." However, the first page also has a list of "recommended position selections (rounds 1-6) based on team order and round." Again, the advice assumes that you have a 12-team league and a 16-round draft. How many of the 12 teams does this list say should draft a running back first? Seven.
Another of the do's: "Pick a quarterback in the second round." How many teams does this list say should draft a quarterback in that round? Three. (To be fair, that list also said one team should take a quarterback in the first round.)
Kicker rule obeyed? Nope. In a mock draft of 12 "experts," four participants picked a kicker in the 15th round. And this preview doesn't believe in the "don't draft a kicker until the final round" rule anyway. Its advice on the position: "Hardly any of them are worth a pick earlier than the 15th round."
Survey says: One bonus feature of this magazine is a survey of Fox Sports and Scout.com contributors on a variety of critical questions. We learn such valuable things as who has the hottest cheerleaders (the Dallas Cowboys) and who is the league's most hated team (the Cowboys again; maybe everyone's jealous of the cheerleaders).
One more thing: Instead of spending the time, energy and ink breaking down every possible offensive contributor for every National Football League team, the folks at Fox Sports assembled team previews from local Web sites such as PatriotsInsider.com and BucsBlitz.com.
All the local experts offered answers to questions like who will be this year's "fantasy stud" and which game has earned the label "must win." Thirty-one of the 32 experts also offered a pick for "Best Sports Bar." The one who didn't: the Cleveland Browns expert. Maybe it's because the Warsaw closed down.
We'll be back with our fearless predictions.
Fox Sports Fantasy 2010 Fantasy Football
Vital stats: $4.95 price, 98 pages, 302 offensive player reviews (no individual defensive players) and no tearout sheets.
Top 10 picks: Fox decided to base its predictions on a 12-team league conducting a 16-team draft. However, for those of you playing in a 10-team league, Fox recommends drafting Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne.
Intriguing nugget: The minions of News Corp. should get credit for breaking down the typical weekly schedule of those concerned about a player's injury. Crunch time starts on Thursday, according to this magazine. ("Two practices [missed] in a row? Time to worry.") However, Friday is the time to pull the trigger on any roster changes, since, "if a player doesn't practice Friday, he often doesn't play Sunday. With some teams," practicing the Friday before a game is "almost a requirement."
Head scratcher: Since these things are usually collaborative efforts, it is quite common for a fantasy preview to obey a rule in one section and disregard it in another. However, one would expect a magazine to be consistent enough in its advice it offers that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing on a single page.
The first page of Fox's "Draft Day Cheat Sheet" has a list of do's and don'ts for drafting. One of the do's: "Draft a top RB in the first round." However, the first page also has a list of "recommended position selections (rounds 1-6) based on team order and round." Again, the advice assumes that you have a 12-team league and a 16-round draft. How many of the 12 teams does this list say should draft a running back first? Seven.
Another of the do's: "Pick a quarterback in the second round." How many teams does this list say should draft a quarterback in that round? Three. (To be fair, that list also said one team should take a quarterback in the first round.)
Kicker rule obeyed? Nope. In a mock draft of 12 "experts," four participants picked a kicker in the 15th round. And this preview doesn't believe in the "don't draft a kicker until the final round" rule anyway. Its advice on the position: "Hardly any of them are worth a pick earlier than the 15th round."
Survey says: One bonus feature of this magazine is a survey of Fox Sports and Scout.com contributors on a variety of critical questions. We learn such valuable things as who has the hottest cheerleaders (the Dallas Cowboys) and who is the league's most hated team (the Cowboys again; maybe everyone's jealous of the cheerleaders).
One more thing: Instead of spending the time, energy and ink breaking down every possible offensive contributor for every National Football League team, the folks at Fox Sports assembled team previews from local Web sites such as PatriotsInsider.com and BucsBlitz.com.
All the local experts offered answers to questions like who will be this year's "fantasy stud" and which game has earned the label "must win." Thirty-one of the 32 experts also offered a pick for "Best Sports Bar." The one who didn't: the Cleveland Browns expert. Maybe it's because the Warsaw closed down.
We'll be back with our fearless predictions.
Friday, June 25, 2010
The People's Choice - New Hampshire
If it's Friday, that must mean two things: Dave Blaney will struggle to qualify a car that will be parked before the race's first commercial break, and you, the Internet, have chosen the lineup for the People's Pitstop for Sunday's Sprint Cup race.
Here are the drivers in the mix for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.
A List. He only had to win five of the season's first 16 races to do it, but Denny Hamlin has earned your confidence. He won this poll in a rout and will get his first starting spot of the fantasy racing season over Jeff Gordon.
B List. To paraphrase the Sundays, here's where the certainty ends. We had a logjam in this poll. Using points as the tiebreaker, we have four drivers competing for two starting spots: Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. This will come down to the qualifying session. The drivers who qualify the best will start.
C List. Another tie here. This time it comes down to Paul Menard and Sam Hornish Jr. Again, we'll use the qualifying session as the tiebreaker, and the People's Pitstop could end up with more juniors than this year's NBA Draft.
We'll update this post after the qualifying session. In the meantime, the new poll about you know who is up and open for voting.
10:25 p.m. UPDATE. The qualifying results are in. In addition to Hamlin, your starters are Clint Bowyer (who starts 9th), Jeff Burton (17th) and Sam Hornish Jr. (8th). And for those of you who don't think "football" involves diving like Greg Louganis, we'll be back with another fantasy football preview.
Here are the drivers in the mix for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.
A List. He only had to win five of the season's first 16 races to do it, but Denny Hamlin has earned your confidence. He won this poll in a rout and will get his first starting spot of the fantasy racing season over Jeff Gordon.
B List. To paraphrase the Sundays, here's where the certainty ends. We had a logjam in this poll. Using points as the tiebreaker, we have four drivers competing for two starting spots: Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. This will come down to the qualifying session. The drivers who qualify the best will start.
C List. Another tie here. This time it comes down to Paul Menard and Sam Hornish Jr. Again, we'll use the qualifying session as the tiebreaker, and the People's Pitstop could end up with more juniors than this year's NBA Draft.
We'll update this post after the qualifying session. In the meantime, the new poll about you know who is up and open for voting.
10:25 p.m. UPDATE. The qualifying results are in. In addition to Hamlin, your starters are Clint Bowyer (who starts 9th), Jeff Burton (17th) and Sam Hornish Jr. (8th). And for those of you who don't think "football" involves diving like Greg Louganis, we'll be back with another fantasy football preview.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The People's Facts - Lenox Industrial Tools 301
Sorry this post didn't get posted sooner. I was waiting for the U.S. to score.
Anyway, you still have time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for this week's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Please note that Boris Said is not eligible for your votes this week. (Neither is Danica.) The polls will close Thursday night to allow us to set up a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session.
In the meantime, here are a few things you need to know about where they're racing this week.
Track basics: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon is just over a mile in length. (The "301" refers to laps, not miles or darts.) It's also one of the flattest tracks in NASCAR; the sharpest banking is 7 degrees. By comparison, next week's track banks as much as 31 degrees.
Recent winners: Joey Logano (2009), Kurt Busch (2008), Denny Hamlin (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Burton leads active NASCAR drivers with four wins on this track. Just behind him with three apiece: Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon. Yes, that Jeff Gordon.
Why you should vote carefully: A lot can happen between the time you post some fantasy NASCAR polls and the time they actually run the race in question. First, Robby Gordon announced that he would not be driving this week, and that his car, which does not have a sponsor, would start and park at New Hampshire. Then, Bobby Labonte, another driver whose car was in search of a sponsor, announced that he would be leaving TRG Motorsports and would drive Robby's No. 7 car this week.
(Next thing you know, an ESPN analyst will admit to smoking marijuana...)
As always, you can click here to download a handy-dandy guide from the folks at Yahoo Sports. We'll be back.
Anyway, you still have time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for this week's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Please note that Boris Said is not eligible for your votes this week. (Neither is Danica.) The polls will close Thursday night to allow us to set up a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session.
In the meantime, here are a few things you need to know about where they're racing this week.
Track basics: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon is just over a mile in length. (The "301" refers to laps, not miles or darts.) It's also one of the flattest tracks in NASCAR; the sharpest banking is 7 degrees. By comparison, next week's track banks as much as 31 degrees.
Recent winners: Joey Logano (2009), Kurt Busch (2008), Denny Hamlin (2007).
Who wins here a lot: Jeff Burton leads active NASCAR drivers with four wins on this track. Just behind him with three apiece: Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon. Yes, that Jeff Gordon.
Why you should vote carefully: A lot can happen between the time you post some fantasy NASCAR polls and the time they actually run the race in question. First, Robby Gordon announced that he would not be driving this week, and that his car, which does not have a sponsor, would start and park at New Hampshire. Then, Bobby Labonte, another driver whose car was in search of a sponsor, announced that he would be leaving TRG Motorsports and would drive Robby's No. 7 car this week.
(Next thing you know, an ESPN analyst will admit to smoking marijuana...)
As always, you can click here to download a handy-dandy guide from the folks at Yahoo Sports. We'll be back.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sonoma Breakdown (Plus Some Polls)
It was a good day for the People's Pitstop, but it could have been soooooooo much better.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 320 points at Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Sonoma. That leaves us with a season total of 4,293, good enough for 52,534th place overall in Yahoo Sports (does anyone make foam fingers for that number?) and moving us up 14 spots to 72nd place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here's how we got here:
Tony Stewart. Started 7th, finished 9th, 2 laps led and 84 fantasy points. That score includes 10 bonus points for leading a lap. It does not include bonus points for ticking people off.
Marcos Ambrose. Started 6th, finished 6th, 35 laps led and 90 fantasy points. Again, there's 10 bonus points for leading a lap. And again, we could have had the race winner in our lineup. If only Mr. Ambrose could remember not to shut off the engine before climbing a freakin hill.
Ryan Newman. Started 13th, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. Somebody has to be in the middle of the pack.
Boris Said. Started 17th, finished 8th, 8 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Again, we get 10 bonus points because Boris led a lap. Unfortunately, Boris will not be building on that momentum. He'll be putting it into a Tupperware bowl and storing it in the freezer until the race at Watkins Glen.
But this week NASCAR isn't going to Watkins Glen. It's going to the northernmost course on the NASCAR schedule: New Hampshire. That means we need a new lineup. The polls are now open. Hopefully, you know the drill by now. Please vote. The results of the road course poll appear below.
[polldaddy poll=3363882]
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 320 points at Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Sonoma. That leaves us with a season total of 4,293, good enough for 52,534th place overall in Yahoo Sports (does anyone make foam fingers for that number?) and moving us up 14 spots to 72nd place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here's how we got here:
Tony Stewart. Started 7th, finished 9th, 2 laps led and 84 fantasy points. That score includes 10 bonus points for leading a lap. It does not include bonus points for ticking people off.
Marcos Ambrose. Started 6th, finished 6th, 35 laps led and 90 fantasy points. Again, there's 10 bonus points for leading a lap. And again, we could have had the race winner in our lineup. If only Mr. Ambrose could remember not to shut off the engine before climbing a freakin hill.
Ryan Newman. Started 13th, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. Somebody has to be in the middle of the pack.
Boris Said. Started 17th, finished 8th, 8 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Again, we get 10 bonus points because Boris led a lap. Unfortunately, Boris will not be building on that momentum. He'll be putting it into a Tupperware bowl and storing it in the freezer until the race at Watkins Glen.
But this week NASCAR isn't going to Watkins Glen. It's going to the northernmost course on the NASCAR schedule: New Hampshire. That means we need a new lineup. The polls are now open. Hopefully, you know the drill by now. Please vote. The results of the road course poll appear below.
[polldaddy poll=3363882]
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Sonoma
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, NASCAR and otherwise.
In addition to the ties and after-shave and man caves your kids have already given you today, we have an additional gift for you: a set of predictions for which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will finish in the top 10 at today's Sprint Cup race at Sonoma. Last week's predictions went 5-5, leaving us with a season record of 66-74.
1. Denny Hamlin. At this point, he could probably show up driving this and finish in the top 10.
2. Kasey Kahne. He's on the pole, he's the defending champ, and he may still be trying to figure out where he'll drive next year.
3. Kevin Harvick. Just in case you forgot something...
4. Jimmie Johnson. He's sharing the front row at a track where drivers like to tell you that track position is important.
5 and 6. Kurt and Kyle Busch. Just so their dad doesn't have to pick a favorite driver on his special day.
7. Tony Stewart. He's a two-time winner here, and he needs to make a move if he wants to be involved in the Chase.
8. Marcos Ambrose. This Road Warrior starts in the top 10 this week.
9. Jeff Gordon. So does this five-time Sonoma winner, who's a popular pick to win this week.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya. Today's medium to long shot is a driver whose only NASCAR victory so far is on this track. The former Indianapolis 500 winner is in danger of becoming an afterthought, and he knows it.
We'll be back with results and polls for next week's race.
In addition to the ties and after-shave and man caves your kids have already given you today, we have an additional gift for you: a set of predictions for which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will finish in the top 10 at today's Sprint Cup race at Sonoma. Last week's predictions went 5-5, leaving us with a season record of 66-74.
1. Denny Hamlin. At this point, he could probably show up driving this and finish in the top 10.
2. Kasey Kahne. He's on the pole, he's the defending champ, and he may still be trying to figure out where he'll drive next year.
3. Kevin Harvick. Just in case you forgot something...
4. Jimmie Johnson. He's sharing the front row at a track where drivers like to tell you that track position is important.
5 and 6. Kurt and Kyle Busch. Just so their dad doesn't have to pick a favorite driver on his special day.
7. Tony Stewart. He's a two-time winner here, and he needs to make a move if he wants to be involved in the Chase.
8. Marcos Ambrose. This Road Warrior starts in the top 10 this week.
9. Jeff Gordon. So does this five-time Sonoma winner, who's a popular pick to win this week.
10. Juan Pablo Montoya. Today's medium to long shot is a driver whose only NASCAR victory so far is on this track. The former Indianapolis 500 winner is in danger of becoming an afterthought, and he knows it.
We'll be back with results and polls for next week's race.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Football Preview Review - ESPN
Over the next few weeks, the people who bring you the People's Pigskin will try to get you prepared for fantasy football season by taking a peek at one of the most critical items in your preparation efforts: the fantasy football preview magazines. Today we kick things off with an offering from the "Worldwide Leader."
ESPN Fantasy Football 2010
Vital stats: $7.99 price, 148 pages, 424 offensive and 150 defensive player reviews and one tear-out cheat sheet. (No preview for Domenik Hixon, though. They dodged that bullet.)
Top 10 picks: If you're in a 10-team league, ESPN says the first players that should come off your board are Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Michael Turner, Drew Brees and Randy Moss.
Intriguing nugget: You might have guessed this from the way that top 10 list looks, but the folks in Bristol urge us fantasy players to "bury the Two Stud Running Backs Theory -- the outdated strategy of drafting RBs with your first two picks no matter what." That's because the advent of the two-back system means "fantasy options at that position have grown more plentiful while the scoring output of the middle-tier performers has declined."
Head scratcher: The Connecticut cabal also wants you to exercise caution when drafting a rookie running back. At least, that's what the point seems to be here: "If you're measuring sexy, then rookie running backs rank up there with Jessica Biel and Sofia Vergara. That said, I wouldn't touch Biel or Vergara (or Ryan Mathews) until at least the fifth."
Um...so if you're in a league in which Jessica Biel and Sofia Vergara are legitimate options for your lineup, wouldn't they be gone by, say, the middle of the first round? You're expecting to draft four sexy people before you get around to picking Biel and Vergara? Or are you taking them in the fifth round because you think they could fill in for you at quarterback on your bye week? Um...let's just move on.
Kicker rule obeyed? Every single fantasy football preview issue -- including ESPN's, in two different places -- tells us that kickers should never be drafted until the very last round. And every preview gets its resident "experts" together for a mock draft. Yet in ESPN's 10-team mock draft, the kicker rule is violated by two different "experts." Why? Maybe, like the Situation, the rules don't apply to them.
One more thing: Having over 500 individual players reviewed in your preview magazine seems impressive, until you realize that the stats (like some bras) are padded with items like this in-depth look at Johnnie Lee Higgins of the Oakland Raiders: "Higgins could make waves returning kicks, but with too many wideouts ahead of him, it's a long and winding road to significant offensive touches."
We'll be back with the weekly NASCAR predictions.
ESPN Fantasy Football 2010
Vital stats: $7.99 price, 148 pages, 424 offensive and 150 defensive player reviews and one tear-out cheat sheet. (No preview for Domenik Hixon, though. They dodged that bullet.)
Top 10 picks: If you're in a 10-team league, ESPN says the first players that should come off your board are Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Michael Turner, Drew Brees and Randy Moss.
Intriguing nugget: You might have guessed this from the way that top 10 list looks, but the folks in Bristol urge us fantasy players to "bury the Two Stud Running Backs Theory -- the outdated strategy of drafting RBs with your first two picks no matter what." That's because the advent of the two-back system means "fantasy options at that position have grown more plentiful while the scoring output of the middle-tier performers has declined."
Head scratcher: The Connecticut cabal also wants you to exercise caution when drafting a rookie running back. At least, that's what the point seems to be here: "If you're measuring sexy, then rookie running backs rank up there with Jessica Biel and Sofia Vergara. That said, I wouldn't touch Biel or Vergara (or Ryan Mathews) until at least the fifth."
Um...so if you're in a league in which Jessica Biel and Sofia Vergara are legitimate options for your lineup, wouldn't they be gone by, say, the middle of the first round? You're expecting to draft four sexy people before you get around to picking Biel and Vergara? Or are you taking them in the fifth round because you think they could fill in for you at quarterback on your bye week? Um...let's just move on.
Kicker rule obeyed? Every single fantasy football preview issue -- including ESPN's, in two different places -- tells us that kickers should never be drafted until the very last round. And every preview gets its resident "experts" together for a mock draft. Yet in ESPN's 10-team mock draft, the kicker rule is violated by two different "experts." Why? Maybe, like the Situation, the rules don't apply to them.
One more thing: Having over 500 individual players reviewed in your preview magazine seems impressive, until you realize that the stats (like some bras) are padded with items like this in-depth look at Johnnie Lee Higgins of the Oakland Raiders: "Higgins could make waves returning kicks, but with too many wideouts ahead of him, it's a long and winding road to significant offensive touches."
We'll be back with the weekly NASCAR predictions.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The People's Choice - Sonoma
You, the Internet, have spoken. You have chosen the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Sonoma. And this week's lineup looks radically different from the one that started for us last week at Michigan. Here are your choices.
A List. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team is proud to welcome Tony Stewart (and his talented pit crew) back to the starting lineup. This will be Stewart's second start for us. Denny Hamlin will get the bench spot by virture of the points tiebreaker.
B List. Here's a switch. Marcos Ambrose, the Australian driver with extensive experience in non-NASCAR circuits, gets one of the starting spots this week. In the other starting spot, we have a tie between Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer. Whoever qualifies better will get the start. The other one will sit on the bench with Matt Kenseth.
C List. Rejoice, Said-heads. Your prayers have been answered. Boris Said, one of the so-called road specialists, has achieved what is certainly one of his lifelong goals by earning a spot in our starting lineup over A.J. Allmendinger.
We will update the lineup when the qualifying session is done. In the meantime, we have a new poll on whether you like road courses. Please vote now.
UPDATED SATURDAY: The qualifying session is finished, and Ryan Newman, who qualified 13th, gets the nod over Clint Bowyer, who qualified 22nd. As for our other starters, Marcos Ambrose qualified 6th, Tony Stewart qualified 7th, and Boris Said qualified 17th, the best spot among the drivers who did not have a guaranteed spots in Sunday's race.
We'll be back with a fantasy football post.
A List. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team is proud to welcome Tony Stewart (and his talented pit crew) back to the starting lineup. This will be Stewart's second start for us. Denny Hamlin will get the bench spot by virture of the points tiebreaker.
B List. Here's a switch. Marcos Ambrose, the Australian driver with extensive experience in non-NASCAR circuits, gets one of the starting spots this week. In the other starting spot, we have a tie between Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer. Whoever qualifies better will get the start. The other one will sit on the bench with Matt Kenseth.
C List. Rejoice, Said-heads. Your prayers have been answered. Boris Said, one of the so-called road specialists, has achieved what is certainly one of his lifelong goals by earning a spot in our starting lineup over A.J. Allmendinger.
We will update the lineup when the qualifying session is done. In the meantime, we have a new poll on whether you like road courses. Please vote now.
UPDATED SATURDAY: The qualifying session is finished, and Ryan Newman, who qualified 13th, gets the nod over Clint Bowyer, who qualified 22nd. As for our other starters, Marcos Ambrose qualified 6th, Tony Stewart qualified 7th, and Boris Said qualified 17th, the best spot among the drivers who did not have a guaranteed spots in Sunday's race.
We'll be back with a fantasy football post.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The People's Facts - Toyota/SaveMart 350
You, the Internet, have until Thursday night to vote in the polls on which drivers should start for the People's Pitstop in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. To help you make your decision (and here's a hint -- Casey Mears would not be a strong candidate), we have some information about this season's first road trip, so to speak.
Track basics: Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, is the first of two road courses on the Sprint Cup schedule. This course is nearly 2 miles long and contains 10 turns, many of which violate the NASCAR cliche of "drive fast and turn left."
By the way, the "350" in this race's name refers to kilometers, not miles. For those of you who don't feel like converting, this race is 217 miles, or 113 laps.
Recent winners: Kasey Kahne (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Juan Pablo Montoya (2007).
Who wins here a lot? It probably won't surprise longtime NASCAR fans that Jeff Gordon leads active Sprint Cup drivers with five victories in California's wine country. (Yes, that's "wine," not "whine.") What might surprise you is that second place belongs to Tony Stewart, with two. No other active driver has more than one win here.
What's with the new faces? Every year, NASCAR teams get nervous that their drivers may not have what it takes to qualify on a course where they have to turn left and right. That's why, in addition to the "road course specialists" trying to make the field of their own accord, you'll see several hired guns getting into the cars of some established NASCAR teams. The goal: Keep the oval driver in the top 35 (with the guaranteed race spot it ensures). Yes, this means you'll see and hear a lot about Boris Said over the next few days. No, that doesn't mean he's any closer to getting a full-time NASCAR ride. Sorry, Said-heads.
If you're eager to learn more about the fantasy aspects of this track, you can click here to download Yahoo Sports' excellent preview. And don't forget to vote.
Track basics: Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, is the first of two road courses on the Sprint Cup schedule. This course is nearly 2 miles long and contains 10 turns, many of which violate the NASCAR cliche of "drive fast and turn left."
By the way, the "350" in this race's name refers to kilometers, not miles. For those of you who don't feel like converting, this race is 217 miles, or 113 laps.
Recent winners: Kasey Kahne (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Juan Pablo Montoya (2007).
Who wins here a lot? It probably won't surprise longtime NASCAR fans that Jeff Gordon leads active Sprint Cup drivers with five victories in California's wine country. (Yes, that's "wine," not "whine.") What might surprise you is that second place belongs to Tony Stewart, with two. No other active driver has more than one win here.
What's with the new faces? Every year, NASCAR teams get nervous that their drivers may not have what it takes to qualify on a course where they have to turn left and right. That's why, in addition to the "road course specialists" trying to make the field of their own accord, you'll see several hired guns getting into the cars of some established NASCAR teams. The goal: Keep the oval driver in the top 35 (with the guaranteed race spot it ensures). Yes, this means you'll see and hear a lot about Boris Said over the next few days. No, that doesn't mean he's any closer to getting a full-time NASCAR ride. Sorry, Said-heads.
If you're eager to learn more about the fantasy aspects of this track, you can click here to download Yahoo Sports' excellent preview. And don't forget to vote.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Why We All Love Sports
I just finished reading "Rules of the Game," a collection of sports-related essays from Harper's magazine. The essay topics run the gamut from Kaiser Wilhelm's sailing party to the Mitchell Report. I could give you any number of reasons for picking up this book (including the fact that Mark Twain -- yes, that Mark Twain -- wrote one of the essays), but this blog post is about one essay in particular.
The essay is called "Obsessed with Sport" and was written in July 1976 by Joseph Epstein, the former editor of The American Scholar, "the magazine of the Phi Beta Kappa Society." Yes, this may be the last time the words "Phi Beta Kappa" appear in this blog without being preceded by "He's not exactly a candidate for." But what Mr. Epstein has to say about sports is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it, because it says succinctly why so many people invest so much of themselves in sports of all sorts.
"On the court, down on the field, sport is fraud-free and fakeproof. With a full count, two men on, his team down by one run in the last of the eighth, a batter (as well as a pitcher) is beyond the aid of public relations. At match point in Forest Hills a player's press clippings are of no help. Last year's earnings will not sink a twelve-foot putt on the eighteenth at Augusta. Alan Page, galloping up along a quarterback's blind side, figures to be neglectful of that quarterback's image as a swinger. In all these situations, and hundreds of others, a man either comes through or he doesn't. He is alone out there, naked but for his ability, which counts for everything. Something there is that is elemental about this, and something greatly satisfying."
It isn't very hard for Mr. Epstein to make these same points about NASCAR (or soccer or just about anything else). When the race comes down to a green-white-checkered finish, it doesn't matter how many championships you've won, how many tracks you own or how many commercials feature your face. Either you get the job done or you don't.
It's that simple.
The essay is called "Obsessed with Sport" and was written in July 1976 by Joseph Epstein, the former editor of The American Scholar, "the magazine of the Phi Beta Kappa Society." Yes, this may be the last time the words "Phi Beta Kappa" appear in this blog without being preceded by "He's not exactly a candidate for." But what Mr. Epstein has to say about sports is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it, because it says succinctly why so many people invest so much of themselves in sports of all sorts.
"On the court, down on the field, sport is fraud-free and fakeproof. With a full count, two men on, his team down by one run in the last of the eighth, a batter (as well as a pitcher) is beyond the aid of public relations. At match point in Forest Hills a player's press clippings are of no help. Last year's earnings will not sink a twelve-foot putt on the eighteenth at Augusta. Alan Page, galloping up along a quarterback's blind side, figures to be neglectful of that quarterback's image as a swinger. In all these situations, and hundreds of others, a man either comes through or he doesn't. He is alone out there, naked but for his ability, which counts for everything. Something there is that is elemental about this, and something greatly satisfying."
It isn't very hard for Mr. Epstein to make these same points about NASCAR (or soccer or just about anything else). When the race comes down to a green-white-checkered finish, it doesn't matter how many championships you've won, how many tracks you own or how many commercials feature your face. Either you get the job done or you don't.
It's that simple.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wrapping Up Michigan
The People's Pitstop took a step backward Sunday, but it could have been worse. Just ask Robert Green.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 252 points during the Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. That leaves us with a season total of 3,973, good enough for 64,241st place overall in Yahoo Sports and 84th place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.
Kurt Busch. Started 1st, finished 3rd, 60 laps led and 106 fantasy points. That total includes 10 bonus points for starting on the pole and 10 more for leading a lap. Take a nice, close look at those bonus points. They are the only ones the People's Pitstop collected this weekend. Kurt and Denny Hamlin were the only drivers who spent any significant time in the lead.
Jeff Burton. Started 5th, finished 8th and 76 fantasy points. The only headlines he made Sunday were for failing to wrest 7th place from Dale Earnhardt Jr. (You know, the guy who wants you to watch the World Cup.)
Ryan Newman. Started 8th, finished 32nd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 28 fantasy points. Three-quarters through the race (look for lap 150 on this NASCAR.com report), Newman reported hitting some debris that did something to his car. Eight laps later, Hamlin lapped him. Coincidence?
Paul Menard. Started 22nd, finished 25th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 42 fantasy points. Look on the bright side: Menard did better in this race than he did in the Nationwide series race in Kentucky on Saturday.
But enough about Michigan. Now it's time to get back on the road -- the road course in Sonoma, that is. And it's time for a fresh set of lineup polls, which will stay up until Thursday night. Please vote now. Here are the results of the two other polls.
[polldaddy poll=3333673] [polldaddy poll=3333678]
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 252 points during the Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. That leaves us with a season total of 3,973, good enough for 64,241st place overall in Yahoo Sports and 84th place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.
Kurt Busch. Started 1st, finished 3rd, 60 laps led and 106 fantasy points. That total includes 10 bonus points for starting on the pole and 10 more for leading a lap. Take a nice, close look at those bonus points. They are the only ones the People's Pitstop collected this weekend. Kurt and Denny Hamlin were the only drivers who spent any significant time in the lead.
Jeff Burton. Started 5th, finished 8th and 76 fantasy points. The only headlines he made Sunday were for failing to wrest 7th place from Dale Earnhardt Jr. (You know, the guy who wants you to watch the World Cup.)
Ryan Newman. Started 8th, finished 32nd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 28 fantasy points. Three-quarters through the race (look for lap 150 on this NASCAR.com report), Newman reported hitting some debris that did something to his car. Eight laps later, Hamlin lapped him. Coincidence?
Paul Menard. Started 22nd, finished 25th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 42 fantasy points. Look on the bright side: Menard did better in this race than he did in the Nationwide series race in Kentucky on Saturday.
But enough about Michigan. Now it's time to get back on the road -- the road course in Sonoma, that is. And it's time for a fresh set of lineup polls, which will stay up until Thursday night. Please vote now. Here are the results of the two other polls.
[polldaddy poll=3333673] [polldaddy poll=3333678]
Fearless Predictions - Michigan
Before the checkered flag waves for today's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway (and that flag is scheduled to wave at 1 p.m. EDT, not noon, as TNT would have you believe), it's time to offer predictions for which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10. Last week's predictions went a respecatble 6-4, leaving us with a season record of 61-69. .500, here we come.
1. Kurt Busch. He's on the pole, and he's climbing up the charts like a Black Eyed Peas song.
2. Kevin Harvick. Last week's top 10 finish at Pocono left him on top of the points chart and gave him a season-high nine top 10 finishes.
3. Joey Logano. Expect the three-time Kentucky winner to stay parked on Harvick's bumper and let him know who wears the firesuit in his family.
4. Mark Martin. Longtime readers of the People's Pigskin will remember that Martin leads active drivers with five wins on this track. No reason for him not to rack up a sixth.
5. Jamie McMurray. Once again, he finds himself on the front row for a race.
6. Jeff Gordon. And once again, he finds himself as a popular pick to finally break into the win column.
7. Kyle Busch. Oh, yeah. There's also the driver who's second in points.
8. Jimmie Johnson. And speaking of "oh, yeahs," there's the defending Sprint Cup champion, who is fresh off his victory at Tony Stewart's Prelude to a Dream charity race.
9. Denny Hamlin. OK, you tell him he's supposed to be recuperating from his surgery right now.
10. Paul Menard. Why is he getting this week's medium-to-long-shot pick? Because the People's Pitstop should have more than one starting driver on this list.
We'll be back with results and more.
1. Kurt Busch. He's on the pole, and he's climbing up the charts like a Black Eyed Peas song.
2. Kevin Harvick. Last week's top 10 finish at Pocono left him on top of the points chart and gave him a season-high nine top 10 finishes.
3. Joey Logano. Expect the three-time Kentucky winner to stay parked on Harvick's bumper and let him know who wears the firesuit in his family.
4. Mark Martin. Longtime readers of the People's Pigskin will remember that Martin leads active drivers with five wins on this track. No reason for him not to rack up a sixth.
5. Jamie McMurray. Once again, he finds himself on the front row for a race.
6. Jeff Gordon. And once again, he finds himself as a popular pick to finally break into the win column.
7. Kyle Busch. Oh, yeah. There's also the driver who's second in points.
8. Jimmie Johnson. And speaking of "oh, yeahs," there's the defending Sprint Cup champion, who is fresh off his victory at Tony Stewart's Prelude to a Dream charity race.
9. Denny Hamlin. OK, you tell him he's supposed to be recuperating from his surgery right now.
10. Paul Menard. Why is he getting this week's medium-to-long-shot pick? Because the People's Pitstop should have more than one starting driver on this list.
We'll be back with results and more.
Friday, June 11, 2010
The People's Results - Michigan
Our thanks go out to everyone who voted on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. The voting was close across the board, but here are the results.
A List. There was an absolute logjam (kind of like the one at the end of last week's race) in this poll. This week, we've had to use both of our tiebreakers. First, by virtue of points, we're using the Busch brothers, Kyle and Kurt, in some order. Whoever gets the start will depend on whoever qualifies better.
B List. Here we have a three-way tie for first place. Congratulations to Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman. Two of them will start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team. The third will share the bench with Martin Truex Jr.
C List. There was a clear winner for the starting spot here: Paul Menard. The tiebreaker for the bench spot went to A.J. Allmendinger.
The lineup poll results appear below. Today we have two new polls. One is a response to a column by Jenna Fryer of Yahoo Sports about TV channels using NASCAR team owners in their broadcasts. The other is a response to this week's publications of the first fantasy football preview magazines of the season. We'll be back with qualifying results.
ADDED 10 p.m. EDT. The results are in, and once again the People's Pitstop has the pole! This time, it was Kurt Busch who did the honors, so he'll start in the A List slot. As far as the B List members are concerned, the two starting spots go to Jeff Burton (who qualified fifth) and Ryan Newman (who qualified eighth). Clint Bowyer, by virtue of qualifying 25th, earned a spot on the bench.
[polldaddy poll=3311765] [polldaddy poll=3311785] [polldaddy poll=3311798]
A List. There was an absolute logjam (kind of like the one at the end of last week's race) in this poll. This week, we've had to use both of our tiebreakers. First, by virtue of points, we're using the Busch brothers, Kyle and Kurt, in some order. Whoever gets the start will depend on whoever qualifies better.
B List. Here we have a three-way tie for first place. Congratulations to Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman. Two of them will start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team. The third will share the bench with Martin Truex Jr.
C List. There was a clear winner for the starting spot here: Paul Menard. The tiebreaker for the bench spot went to A.J. Allmendinger.
The lineup poll results appear below. Today we have two new polls. One is a response to a column by Jenna Fryer of Yahoo Sports about TV channels using NASCAR team owners in their broadcasts. The other is a response to this week's publications of the first fantasy football preview magazines of the season. We'll be back with qualifying results.
ADDED 10 p.m. EDT. The results are in, and once again the People's Pitstop has the pole! This time, it was Kurt Busch who did the honors, so he'll start in the A List slot. As far as the B List members are concerned, the two starting spots go to Jeff Burton (who qualified fifth) and Ryan Newman (who qualified eighth). Clint Bowyer, by virtue of qualifying 25th, earned a spot on the bench.
[polldaddy poll=3311765] [polldaddy poll=3311785] [polldaddy poll=3311798]
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The People's Facts - Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips 400
There's still time for you, the Internet, to make a difference in the People's Pitstop fantasy NASCAR team by voting on our lineup for Sunday's Sprint Cup race. To help you make your decisions, here are a few facts about this week's site.
Track basics. Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile oval that hosted its first NASCAR race in 1969. Maybe it's because of the two-mile length, but this track has a reputation for emphasizing fuel efficiency. Just ask Mark Martin. He won last year's June race on this track when his competitors ran out of gas.
Recent winners. Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2008), Carl Edwards (2007).
Who wins here a lot? Not the usual suspects here this week. Martin leads active NASCAR drivers with five victories on this track. The runner-up? Bobby Labonte, who has won here three times.
What do NASCAR and football have in common? They both seem to draw the biggest crowds in Michigan. The track brags that it seats 119,500 (no word about whether it does so comfortably) and hosts "the largest, single-day paid admission sporting event in the state." Second place must go to Michigan Stadium, which also boasts of its six-digit crowds.
As always, Yahoo Sports has prepared a packet for those needing even more information. You can download the PDF by clicking here. We'll be back with the poll results.
Track basics. Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile oval that hosted its first NASCAR race in 1969. Maybe it's because of the two-mile length, but this track has a reputation for emphasizing fuel efficiency. Just ask Mark Martin. He won last year's June race on this track when his competitors ran out of gas.
Recent winners. Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2008), Carl Edwards (2007).
Who wins here a lot? Not the usual suspects here this week. Martin leads active NASCAR drivers with five victories on this track. The runner-up? Bobby Labonte, who has won here three times.
What do NASCAR and football have in common? They both seem to draw the biggest crowds in Michigan. The track brags that it seats 119,500 (no word about whether it does so comfortably) and hosts "the largest, single-day paid admission sporting event in the state." Second place must go to Michigan Stadium, which also boasts of its six-digit crowds.
As always, Yahoo Sports has prepared a packet for those needing even more information. You can download the PDF by clicking here. We'll be back with the poll results.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
When Does Football Season Start Again?
If you're a fantasy football fan, the answer is "It's started already! Where have you BEEN?"
Last week the People's Pigskin received an invitation to join a league for the upcoming NFL season. And this week, your local stores have received its first shipment of (drumroll, please) fantasy football preview magazines.
The People's Pigskin will offer some in-depth reviews of the major magazines over the summer. But for now, it's time to ask one major question: Why print your fantasy preview less than a week after Memorial Day? Bear in mind that as I type this:
* Brian Westbrook is still looking for a National Football League team to call home for this season.
* So is Terrell Owens.
* Vincent Jackson has yet to sign his contract tender from the San Diego Chargers and is reportedly making veiled threats about skipping this season altogether.
* And if you have any insight as to what Brett Favre plans to do between now and Christmas, do everyone a favor and let the Minnesota Vikings know, because they don't seem to have the first clue.
Has any of this uncertainty convinced the fantasy "experts" that maybe they should wait to put out their magazines? Here's a snippet from ESPN's fantasy preview, one of the first ones out of the gate, about how their experts compiled their player rankings for the 2010 season:
"A mere two days after the NFL draft, our stable of fantasy experts sequestered themselves in a bright-but-windowless room in Bristol HQ, next door to the 'War Room,' where ESPN's pro analysts gather to watch the games on Sunday."
The NFL draft ended on April 24. That means the ESPN experts were compiling their rankings on April 26 -- a mere four months and two weeks before the start of the regular season.
I'm not saying you should take your brand-spanking-new fantasy previews and use them to mulch your garden. But I am saying that if you take them to your fantasy draft, you should take along a salt shaker, because you may need to take their advice with more than a grain of salt.
We'll be back with a peek at this week's NASCAR venue.
Last week the People's Pigskin received an invitation to join a league for the upcoming NFL season. And this week, your local stores have received its first shipment of (drumroll, please) fantasy football preview magazines.
The People's Pigskin will offer some in-depth reviews of the major magazines over the summer. But for now, it's time to ask one major question: Why print your fantasy preview less than a week after Memorial Day? Bear in mind that as I type this:
* Brian Westbrook is still looking for a National Football League team to call home for this season.
* So is Terrell Owens.
* Vincent Jackson has yet to sign his contract tender from the San Diego Chargers and is reportedly making veiled threats about skipping this season altogether.
* And if you have any insight as to what Brett Favre plans to do between now and Christmas, do everyone a favor and let the Minnesota Vikings know, because they don't seem to have the first clue.
Has any of this uncertainty convinced the fantasy "experts" that maybe they should wait to put out their magazines? Here's a snippet from ESPN's fantasy preview, one of the first ones out of the gate, about how their experts compiled their player rankings for the 2010 season:
"A mere two days after the NFL draft, our stable of fantasy experts sequestered themselves in a bright-but-windowless room in Bristol HQ, next door to the 'War Room,' where ESPN's pro analysts gather to watch the games on Sunday."
The NFL draft ended on April 24. That means the ESPN experts were compiling their rankings on April 26 -- a mere four months and two weeks before the start of the regular season.
I'm not saying you should take your brand-spanking-new fantasy previews and use them to mulch your garden. But I am saying that if you take them to your fantasy draft, you should take along a salt shaker, because you may need to take their advice with more than a grain of salt.
We'll be back with a peek at this week's NASCAR venue.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Pocono Results, Michigan Polls
All that was missing was a victory, and it looks like the People's Pitstop may have to tear up a knee to get one of those.
Anyway, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team managed to score 336 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. That raises our season total to 3,721, good enough for 60,099th overall on Yahoo Sports and 81st place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. If you consider just the "summer" portion of the fantasy NASCAR season (which began last week in Charlotte), the People's Pitstop finds itself in 12th place in the lead.
We'll try not to faint as we give you the detailed results.
Kyle Busch. Started 1st, finished 2nd, 32 laps led and 108 fantasy points. That total includes 10 bonus points for leading a lap and another 10 for starting at the pole position. Not bad for a guy whose fans want to see him in a pink suit.
Jeff Burton. Started 13th, finished 7th and 78 fantasy points. All that was missing from his afternoon was a chance to lead a lap.
Clint Bowyer. Started 2nd, finished 9th, 59 laps led and 89 fantasy points. His total includes 10 bonus points for leading at least a lap and five more for starting in 2nd place. He's a driver who could make some noise during the Sprint Cup Chase if he qualifies.
Paul Menard. Started 33rd, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. You know you had a strong fantasy racing day when the weakest link in your chain was a driver who finished in the top 20 and on the lead lap.
(And for you math majors, the team's total score also includes a point from Kurt Busch, who qualified 4th for this race but stayed on the bench.)
Anyway, it's time to turn our collective sights to Michigan and next Sunday's race. The lineup polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night. The results from the weekend poll about Fox's NASCAR coverage appear below. We'll be back shortly with an update on the other fantasy sport we follow here.
[polldaddy poll=3300454]
Anyway, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team managed to score 336 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. That raises our season total to 3,721, good enough for 60,099th overall on Yahoo Sports and 81st place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. If you consider just the "summer" portion of the fantasy NASCAR season (which began last week in Charlotte), the People's Pitstop finds itself in 12th place in the lead.
We'll try not to faint as we give you the detailed results.
Kyle Busch. Started 1st, finished 2nd, 32 laps led and 108 fantasy points. That total includes 10 bonus points for leading a lap and another 10 for starting at the pole position. Not bad for a guy whose fans want to see him in a pink suit.
Jeff Burton. Started 13th, finished 7th and 78 fantasy points. All that was missing from his afternoon was a chance to lead a lap.
Clint Bowyer. Started 2nd, finished 9th, 59 laps led and 89 fantasy points. His total includes 10 bonus points for leading at least a lap and five more for starting in 2nd place. He's a driver who could make some noise during the Sprint Cup Chase if he qualifies.
Paul Menard. Started 33rd, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. You know you had a strong fantasy racing day when the weakest link in your chain was a driver who finished in the top 20 and on the lead lap.
(And for you math majors, the team's total score also includes a point from Kurt Busch, who qualified 4th for this race but stayed on the bench.)
Anyway, it's time to turn our collective sights to Michigan and next Sunday's race. The lineup polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night. The results from the weekend poll about Fox's NASCAR coverage appear below. We'll be back shortly with an update on the other fantasy sport we follow here.
[polldaddy poll=3300454]
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Pocono
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for -- well, at least some of you. Here are the predictions for the top 10 finishers for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. Last week's predictions went 4-6, leaving us with a season record of 55-65.
1. Kyle Busch. Thanks to the votes of you, the Internet, the People's Pitstop has Kyle in the starting lineup, and Kyle has the pole for the second time this season, earning us 10 bonus points.
2. Kurt Busch. Even though he'll be on the bench, he still gets us a bonus point for starting fourth.
3. Denny Hamlin. He has a strong record on this track, and he has six finishes in the top 10 this season.
4. Clint Bowyer. Oh, by the way, the People's Pitstop also has Bowyer in the starting lineup. And he's on the front row with Kyle Busch, earning the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team five bonus points.
5. Greg Biffle. His eight top 10 finishes has him tied for the lead among Sprint Cup drivers.
6. Matt Kenseth. With his teammate.
7. Kevin Harvick. And with the current points leader.
8. Jeff Gordon. He may actually be Hendrick Motorsports' strongest candidate to win this year's Cup. He has a pair of 2nd-place finishes this season, and he has more wins on this track than any active NASCAR driver.
9. Mark Martin. Five finishes in the top five this season, tied with Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson for the most.
10. Tony Stewart. How does a two-time Cup winner the defending champion of this race get picked as the medium to long shot? By being 16th in points.
We'll be back after the race with results and new polls.
1. Kyle Busch. Thanks to the votes of you, the Internet, the People's Pitstop has Kyle in the starting lineup, and Kyle has the pole for the second time this season, earning us 10 bonus points.
2. Kurt Busch. Even though he'll be on the bench, he still gets us a bonus point for starting fourth.
3. Denny Hamlin. He has a strong record on this track, and he has six finishes in the top 10 this season.
4. Clint Bowyer. Oh, by the way, the People's Pitstop also has Bowyer in the starting lineup. And he's on the front row with Kyle Busch, earning the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team five bonus points.
5. Greg Biffle. His eight top 10 finishes has him tied for the lead among Sprint Cup drivers.
6. Matt Kenseth. With his teammate.
7. Kevin Harvick. And with the current points leader.
8. Jeff Gordon. He may actually be Hendrick Motorsports' strongest candidate to win this year's Cup. He has a pair of 2nd-place finishes this season, and he has more wins on this track than any active NASCAR driver.
9. Mark Martin. Five finishes in the top five this season, tied with Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson for the most.
10. Tony Stewart. How does a two-time Cup winner the defending champion of this race get picked as the medium to long shot? By being 16th in points.
We'll be back after the race with results and new polls.
Friday, June 4, 2010
The People's Results - Pocono
Thanks again to you, the Internet, the People's Pitstop is able to field a fantasy team for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. Here are the results of this week's polls.
A List. This week's starter is Kyle Busch, who has two wins under his belt so far this season. His brother Kurt will sit on the bench.
B List. We better hope that everything is truly OK between Kyle and Jeff Burton, because they're both starting for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team this week. It would stink if some bad words carried over to the track and caused two of our drivers to take each other out.
The other starting spot for B List drivers goes to Clint Bowyer. The bench spots go to Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr., who has yet to start a race for the People's Pitstop. (Read into that anything you want.)
C List. This week we welcome Paul Menard back from the bench and into the starting lineup. A.J. Allmendinger gets the bench spot.
A new poll is up and will stay up through the weekend. The lineup poll results appear below. We'll be back with fearless predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3282657] [polldaddy poll=3282662] [polldaddy poll=3282670]
A List. This week's starter is Kyle Busch, who has two wins under his belt so far this season. His brother Kurt will sit on the bench.
B List. We better hope that everything is truly OK between Kyle and Jeff Burton, because they're both starting for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team this week. It would stink if some bad words carried over to the track and caused two of our drivers to take each other out.
The other starting spot for B List drivers goes to Clint Bowyer. The bench spots go to Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr., who has yet to start a race for the People's Pitstop. (Read into that anything you want.)
C List. This week we welcome Paul Menard back from the bench and into the starting lineup. A.J. Allmendinger gets the bench spot.
A new poll is up and will stay up through the weekend. The lineup poll results appear below. We'll be back with fearless predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3282657] [polldaddy poll=3282662] [polldaddy poll=3282670]
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The People's Facts - Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500
There's still a few hours for you, the Internet, to help your favorite fantasy NASCAR team pick its lineup for this Sunday's race. For those of you still trying to make up your minds about which drivers to pick, here's some information about where they will be driving.
Track basics. Pocono Raceway holds many titles, including Closest Track to New York City (for whatever that's worth). It also would win any contest to determine the track with the weirdest format. Most non-road-course tracks aspire to be either a circle or an oval. The 2.5 mile Pocono track is what your geometry teacher would call a scalene triangle. Instead of two pairs of fairly symetrical turns, drivers must prepare for three distinct types of turns. Prepare for only two of them, and something like this can happen.
Recent winners. Tony Stewart (2009), Kasey Kahne (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot. Stop this blog if you've heard this one before: Gordon leads active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers with four victories on this track. Denny Hamlin and Bobby Labonte (remember him?) are tied with three wins apiece.
Now, a personal note. Pocono Raceway is one of only two tracks where the people who bring you the People's Pigskin have actually watched a NASCAR Sprint Cup race live, the other one being Las Vegas.
Two of the many things that struck me about the experience of a Pocono weekend: The ARCA race -- which, for reasons that may never be fully understood, was the only race paired with the Sprint Cup race that weekend -- could have put an insomniac to sleep, and the environment around the track that weekend was mind-blowing. For you football fans, it was like a three-day tailgate party with a couple of races thrown in.
Plus, it offered photo opportunities like the one below.
[caption id="attachment_585" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Picture those flags multiplied by about ten thousand."]
[/caption]
You probably know this by now, but Yahoo Sports offers a fuller fantasy preview of this race. (Click here to download the PDF.) And we're back to our usual poll schedule. The lineup polls will close Thursday night to allow us to submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back with the results and a fresh poll.
Track basics. Pocono Raceway holds many titles, including Closest Track to New York City (for whatever that's worth). It also would win any contest to determine the track with the weirdest format. Most non-road-course tracks aspire to be either a circle or an oval. The 2.5 mile Pocono track is what your geometry teacher would call a scalene triangle. Instead of two pairs of fairly symetrical turns, drivers must prepare for three distinct types of turns. Prepare for only two of them, and something like this can happen.
Recent winners. Tony Stewart (2009), Kasey Kahne (2008), Jeff Gordon (2007).
Who wins here a lot. Stop this blog if you've heard this one before: Gordon leads active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers with four victories on this track. Denny Hamlin and Bobby Labonte (remember him?) are tied with three wins apiece.
Now, a personal note. Pocono Raceway is one of only two tracks where the people who bring you the People's Pigskin have actually watched a NASCAR Sprint Cup race live, the other one being Las Vegas.
Two of the many things that struck me about the experience of a Pocono weekend: The ARCA race -- which, for reasons that may never be fully understood, was the only race paired with the Sprint Cup race that weekend -- could have put an insomniac to sleep, and the environment around the track that weekend was mind-blowing. For you football fans, it was like a three-day tailgate party with a couple of races thrown in.
Plus, it offered photo opportunities like the one below.
[caption id="attachment_585" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Picture those flags multiplied by about ten thousand."]
[/caption]You probably know this by now, but Yahoo Sports offers a fuller fantasy preview of this race. (Click here to download the PDF.) And we're back to our usual poll schedule. The lineup polls will close Thursday night to allow us to submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back with the results and a fresh poll.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
A Tool for Fantasy NASCAR fans
I've been remiss in not letting you, the Internet, know sooner about a tool I've discovered that can help fantasy fans pick their drivers.
Our friends at ifantasyrace pointed out that Yahoo Sports offers race result charts. Sometimes the charts look like a Darryl Strawberry EKG, but they are useful in showing where a particular driver was over the course of a particular race. Do you suspect Driver X won last week because of extraordinary good fortune? Here's where you can get evidence to back that up.
For example, here is Tony Stewart's chart for last year's June race at Pocono Raceway. Fluke win? Hardly.
Here are some pretty easy to follow instructions on how to use the charts. We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts on this week's race site.
Our friends at ifantasyrace pointed out that Yahoo Sports offers race result charts. Sometimes the charts look like a Darryl Strawberry EKG, but they are useful in showing where a particular driver was over the course of a particular race. Do you suspect Driver X won last week because of extraordinary good fortune? Here's where you can get evidence to back that up.
For example, here is Tony Stewart's chart for last year's June race at Pocono Raceway. Fluke win? Hardly.
Here are some pretty easy to follow instructions on how to use the charts. We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts on this week's race site.
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