You, the Internet, were asked to help the People's Pigskin remain at the top of the charts, and you delivered like these guys.
The People's Pigskin scored 251 points at NASCAR's Saturday night Sprint Cup special at Bristol Motor Speedway. That gives us a season total of 6,532, which is good enough to increase our lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. Our lead over Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 has expanded to 108 points. And we'd like it to keep growing.
Here is the Bristol breakdown.
Carl Edwards: Started 2nd, finished 9th and 79 fantasy points. Edwards came close to finding the lead several times. But he, like two fellow drivers, found something just as good Saturday night: a clinched Chase berth.
Brad Keselowski: Started 8th, finished 1st, 89 laps led and 100 fantasy points. By winning for the third time this season (only Kyle Busch has more checkered flags), Keselowski might as well have wrapped up a spot in the Chase. Even if he doesn't somehow move from 11th place into the top 10 in the driver standings, he has certainly wrapped up a wild card spot.
Mark Martin: Started 5th, finished 38th and 16 fantasy points. The only thing Martin found Saturday night was trouble.
Regan Smith: Started 12th, finished 18th and 56 fantasy points. It's never good when the press release about your driver starts with the phrase "The performance was better than the result." In the wish-it-were-dead language of PR, that means "He had a bad night, but if we don't say good things about him, no one will."
Now, let's discuss the new set of polls. And there are plenty of them.
We'll start with the three on the bottom. They will help select the People's Pitstop lineup for the Labor Day weekend race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That race is Sunday night, and the qualifying session is on a Saturday. That means the polls will close Friday night. You know the drill.
The two polls on the top are for the Internet's favorite fantasy football team, the People's Pigskin. You have already told us to target Adrian Peterson at running back and (in a neck-related revote) Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Now we need you to tell us which wide receiver and tight end should be in our sights. Those polls will close on Saturday night. Please vote now.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Bristol
Tonight, instead of watching reporters throw themselves in the path of a hurricane to demonstrate why you should stay away from it, you can watch NASCAR drivers throw themselves into harm's way -- and one another -- for your entertainment. Seems like an easy choice.
The Sprint Cup drivers will take their talents to Bristol Motor Speedway, and we at the People's Pitstop will throw our talents into predicting some top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 27-57.
One from the front: The Jeff Gordon renaissance continues. Last week, he finished 6th at Michigan and moved up a spot in the driver standings, to 6th place. This week, he starts 4th at a track where he has won five times and finished 14 times in the top 10.
One from the back: Tony Stewart probably would like to borrow a little bit of Gordon's mojo right about now. He starts 42nd in this race, but he has won at Bristol before. Also, even though he might not deserve it, he currently holds the 10th and final automatic berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Two from the middle: Don't look now, but the real Five Timer is moving into the position of a contender. Jimmie Johnson walks into Bristol in 2nd place in the driver standings. He won here last year and starts 13th in this race. Triskaidekaphobes, calm down. He won't stay in that position for long.
The driver he trails, Kyle Busch, is the first one to clinch a spot in this year's Chase. He did that with his big weekend in Michigan (as longtime readers of this blog will recall). He may be starting 23rd this time, but he knows how to find the front of the pack, as he did Friday night, when he won his 50th Nationwide Series race.
Obligatory reminder: The fantasy football polls are still open and will remain open through Saturday night. You will help the People's Pigskin determine which running back and which quarterback to target in our upcoming People's League draft.
Enjoy the race, everybody. If you're in Irene's path, stay safe. If you're not, pray for those who are, including the reporters.
The Sprint Cup drivers will take their talents to Bristol Motor Speedway, and we at the People's Pitstop will throw our talents into predicting some top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 27-57.
One from the front: The Jeff Gordon renaissance continues. Last week, he finished 6th at Michigan and moved up a spot in the driver standings, to 6th place. This week, he starts 4th at a track where he has won five times and finished 14 times in the top 10.
One from the back: Tony Stewart probably would like to borrow a little bit of Gordon's mojo right about now. He starts 42nd in this race, but he has won at Bristol before. Also, even though he might not deserve it, he currently holds the 10th and final automatic berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Two from the middle: Don't look now, but the real Five Timer is moving into the position of a contender. Jimmie Johnson walks into Bristol in 2nd place in the driver standings. He won here last year and starts 13th in this race. Triskaidekaphobes, calm down. He won't stay in that position for long.
The driver he trails, Kyle Busch, is the first one to clinch a spot in this year's Chase. He did that with his big weekend in Michigan (as longtime readers of this blog will recall). He may be starting 23rd this time, but he knows how to find the front of the pack, as he did Friday night, when he won his 50th Nationwide Series race.
Obligatory reminder: The fantasy football polls are still open and will remain open through Saturday night. You will help the People's Pigskin determine which running back and which quarterback to target in our upcoming People's League draft.
Enjoy the race, everybody. If you're in Irene's path, stay safe. If you're not, pray for those who are, including the reporters.
Friday, August 26, 2011
The People's Choice - Bristol
A certain portion of our fans are battening down the hatches, while others are (trying to) get the heck out of Dodge as Irene makes its way up the Atlantic Coast. But skies are sunny at Thunder Valley, aka Bristol Motor Speedway, where NASCAR has set up shop for the second time this season. And you, the Internet, picked a heck of a roster for the People's Pitstop as it tries to stay atop the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. Here are the selections.
A List: Clearly, you paid attention to what happened the last time we were at this track. The winner of this poll was Kyle Busch, followed by a whisker by Carl Edwards. But when the qualifying session came, it wasn't that close. Edwards qualified 2nd (versus 23rd for Busch) and earned himself a starting spot, along with a 5-point bonus for the People's Pitstop.
B List: The voting was close in this poll. Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned the win, followed by Brad Keselowski, Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer. The qualifying session separated the contenders from the pretenders. Martin (5th) and Keselowski (8th) earned starts, while Bowyer (16th) and Earnhardt (22nd) will watch from the bench.
C List: Life is full of surprises, and this poll provided one of them. The winner here was Regan Smith, followed by Bobby Labonte. That was the order in qualifying, too. Smith (12th) will start. Labonte (30th) will sit.
We'll be back with the predictions with this race. In the meantime, remember that the fantasy football polls are still open. Get those votes in while you can.
A List: Clearly, you paid attention to what happened the last time we were at this track. The winner of this poll was Kyle Busch, followed by a whisker by Carl Edwards. But when the qualifying session came, it wasn't that close. Edwards qualified 2nd (versus 23rd for Busch) and earned himself a starting spot, along with a 5-point bonus for the People's Pitstop.
B List: The voting was close in this poll. Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned the win, followed by Brad Keselowski, Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer. The qualifying session separated the contenders from the pretenders. Martin (5th) and Keselowski (8th) earned starts, while Bowyer (16th) and Earnhardt (22nd) will watch from the bench.
C List: Life is full of surprises, and this poll provided one of them. The winner here was Regan Smith, followed by Bobby Labonte. That was the order in qualifying, too. Smith (12th) will start. Labonte (30th) will sit.
We'll be back with the predictions with this race. In the meantime, remember that the fantasy football polls are still open. Get those votes in while you can.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The Last Time We Were in Bristol
Now, here's a track we haven't seen in a while.
NASCAR makes two visits a year to Bristol Motor Speedway, which is sometimes called the Bull Ring because it's small enough (0.53 miles) to be completely surrounded by seats. Our last visit here was all the way back in March -- perhaps because racing here is so stressful that it takes the drivers five months to recover.
The People's Pitstop has fond memories of the March race at Bristol, the fourth race of the season. That's because Kyle Busch took the checkered flag to complete a weekend sweep on this track. His victory got us 100 points all by himself. In all, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 329 points. Suffice it to say that we would not mind a repeat performance this weekend.
And speaking of this weekend, it's coming quickly. This week's race is Saturday night, and the qualifying session is scheduled for Friday, so we have to get our lineup in Thursday night. You have a couple of hours left to vote in the lineup polls, and we'll take all the help we can get. We also have a couple of fantasy football draft questions up. Those will stay up through Saturday night.
Thanks for voting. We'll be back with the results. In the meantime, stay safe.
NASCAR makes two visits a year to Bristol Motor Speedway, which is sometimes called the Bull Ring because it's small enough (0.53 miles) to be completely surrounded by seats. Our last visit here was all the way back in March -- perhaps because racing here is so stressful that it takes the drivers five months to recover.
The People's Pitstop has fond memories of the March race at Bristol, the fourth race of the season. That's because Kyle Busch took the checkered flag to complete a weekend sweep on this track. His victory got us 100 points all by himself. In all, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 329 points. Suffice it to say that we would not mind a repeat performance this weekend.
And speaking of this weekend, it's coming quickly. This week's race is Saturday night, and the qualifying session is scheduled for Friday, so we have to get our lineup in Thursday night. You have a couple of hours left to vote in the lineup polls, and we'll take all the help we can get. We also have a couple of fantasy football draft questions up. Those will stay up through Saturday night.
Thanks for voting. We'll be back with the results. In the meantime, stay safe.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
OK, Maybe We Need to Try This Again
Do you know why serious fantasy football players have busier Labor Day weekends than Jerry Lewis used to have? It's because serious players hold their drafts as close as possible to Opening Day. They want to have all the preseason games (physical and mental) done and over with before they make their selections.
We're all used to players getting banged up during the preseason. But we may never have had a situation like the one we have this season.
When Peyton Manning announced that he was having a second surgery on his neck, most observers brushed it off. After all, he missed absolutely no regular season playing time as a result of his first surgery. But then a few things happened. First, Manning's backups, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky (remember him?) demonstrated once and for all why they were backups. Then, the Indianapolis Colts signed Kerry Collins. Those two events, when taken together, suggest that someone in Indianapolis suspects Manning may not be ready for the opening Sunday, after all, and they needed a better back up plan than "Start Painter and hope the opponents get lost on the way to the field."
For the NFL fan, of course, Manning's health issues are a lot more pleasant than the issues in the New York Giants defensive backfield, where players are dropping like flies. After all, we know those defensive backs are done for the season, and Manning could very well start all his team's games again. For the fantasy football fan, however, Manning's health issues are far worse. After all, you already know what happened to the Giants, and you can reassess their defense/special teams accordingly. In the worst-case scenario, Manning may not be scratched until right before kickoff.
That's why the People's Pigskin, for the first time in its brief history, is reopening a poll. We asked last week which quarterback we should target first, and you chose Manning by a healthy margin. Now that you know Kerry Collins is an option for Indianapolis, do you want to change your vote? Here's your chance.
The quarterback and running back polls will close Saturday night. The NASCAR polls beneath them about picking a lineup for the People's Pitstop will close Thursday night. Please get your votes in for all of them. Thanks.
We'll be back with a look at this week's race.
We're all used to players getting banged up during the preseason. But we may never have had a situation like the one we have this season.
When Peyton Manning announced that he was having a second surgery on his neck, most observers brushed it off. After all, he missed absolutely no regular season playing time as a result of his first surgery. But then a few things happened. First, Manning's backups, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky (remember him?) demonstrated once and for all why they were backups. Then, the Indianapolis Colts signed Kerry Collins. Those two events, when taken together, suggest that someone in Indianapolis suspects Manning may not be ready for the opening Sunday, after all, and they needed a better back up plan than "Start Painter and hope the opponents get lost on the way to the field."
For the NFL fan, of course, Manning's health issues are a lot more pleasant than the issues in the New York Giants defensive backfield, where players are dropping like flies. After all, we know those defensive backs are done for the season, and Manning could very well start all his team's games again. For the fantasy football fan, however, Manning's health issues are far worse. After all, you already know what happened to the Giants, and you can reassess their defense/special teams accordingly. In the worst-case scenario, Manning may not be scratched until right before kickoff.
That's why the People's Pigskin, for the first time in its brief history, is reopening a poll. We asked last week which quarterback we should target first, and you chose Manning by a healthy margin. Now that you know Kerry Collins is an option for Indianapolis, do you want to change your vote? Here's your chance.
The quarterback and running back polls will close Saturday night. The NASCAR polls beneath them about picking a lineup for the People's Pitstop will close Thursday night. Please get your votes in for all of them. Thanks.
We'll be back with a look at this week's race.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Back Where We Belong
Kyle Busch had a big weekend. So did the People's Pitstop.
With your insight and assistance, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 292 points during Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway, even though none of our drivers led a single lap. Our season total of 6,281 is good enough to put us back into first place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. But we lead Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 by only 16 points, so we'll need to keep on our toes.
Here's how we got to the top.
Tony Stewart: Started 18th, finished 9th and 74 fantasy points. Despite his strong finish, Stewart told an interviewer after the race that his team was "wasting" a Chase spot. Still, you get the feeling he isn't go to offer that spot to Clint Bowyer out of the goodness of his heart.
Brad Keselowski: Started 6th, finished 3rd and 86 fantasy points. This was Keselowski's fourth straight top 10 finish. Between Keselowski's broken ankle this season and Denny Hamlin's knee surgery last season, NASCAR drivers are going to start wondering if they need to hurt themselves every season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Started 8th, finished 14th and 64 fantasy points. In Earnhardt's young career -- remember, he's still only 36 years old -- he has gone through more than his share of crew chiefs. With the latest disagreement about that last pit stop before the green-white-checkered finish, could he be wearing out his welcome with another one?
David Ragan: Started 7th, finished 12th and 68 fantasy points. This was Ragan's ninth and final start for the People's Pitstop. This season, the soon-to-be-B-lister scored 626 points for us, or 69.6 points per start. His average finish was 14.6. His best performance for us is a tie between the Texas race (started on the pole and finished 7th) and the 600-mile race in Charlotte (finished 2nd); he scored 98 points in each race. His worst performance for us was at Watkins Glen this month, when he scored 36 and had a heck of a wreck. And I'll bet you, the Internet, can't wait for a chance to vote for him again.
You also can't wait for the Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Well, you don't have to wait to vote in the lineup polls, which are available right now and will close Thursday night.
For those of you who prefer fantasy football, you can vote in the running back poll that will help the People's Pigskin determine its draft strategy. That poll will stay open through Saturday night. Please vote now.
With your insight and assistance, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 292 points during Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway, even though none of our drivers led a single lap. Our season total of 6,281 is good enough to put us back into first place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. But we lead Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 by only 16 points, so we'll need to keep on our toes.
Here's how we got to the top.
Tony Stewart: Started 18th, finished 9th and 74 fantasy points. Despite his strong finish, Stewart told an interviewer after the race that his team was "wasting" a Chase spot. Still, you get the feeling he isn't go to offer that spot to Clint Bowyer out of the goodness of his heart.
Brad Keselowski: Started 6th, finished 3rd and 86 fantasy points. This was Keselowski's fourth straight top 10 finish. Between Keselowski's broken ankle this season and Denny Hamlin's knee surgery last season, NASCAR drivers are going to start wondering if they need to hurt themselves every season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Started 8th, finished 14th and 64 fantasy points. In Earnhardt's young career -- remember, he's still only 36 years old -- he has gone through more than his share of crew chiefs. With the latest disagreement about that last pit stop before the green-white-checkered finish, could he be wearing out his welcome with another one?
David Ragan: Started 7th, finished 12th and 68 fantasy points. This was Ragan's ninth and final start for the People's Pitstop. This season, the soon-to-be-B-lister scored 626 points for us, or 69.6 points per start. His average finish was 14.6. His best performance for us is a tie between the Texas race (started on the pole and finished 7th) and the 600-mile race in Charlotte (finished 2nd); he scored 98 points in each race. His worst performance for us was at Watkins Glen this month, when he scored 36 and had a heck of a wreck. And I'll bet you, the Internet, can't wait for a chance to vote for him again.
You also can't wait for the Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Well, you don't have to wait to vote in the lineup polls, which are available right now and will close Thursday night.
For those of you who prefer fantasy football, you can vote in the running back poll that will help the People's Pigskin determine its draft strategy. That poll will stay open through Saturday night. Please vote now.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Michigan
As we creep closer to another fantasy football season, we have results from our first football poll of the season. We asked you, the Internet, which quarterback the People's Pigskin should target first in our upcoming draft. You overwhelmingly chose Peyton Manning, so we'll have to hope his most recent neck surgery causes him to miss as many games as his previous neck surgery (none). We'll also have to hope he's available when our team drafts.
In the meantime, we have some races to consider. The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers take on Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, and it's time to offer some predictions for top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, lowering our season record to 25-55. That's a batting average of .312, which is good if you're Shane Victorino but not so good if you're a fantasy NASCAR site. Time to raise the average.
One from the front: Ryan Newman is ineligible for the People's Pitstop, having used up his nine starts, but he's still eligible for our predictions. This week, he's starting in third place, and he's seeking his third victory at Michigan.
One from the back: Clint Bowyer didn't do himself any favors by qualifying 35th, but he did us a huge favor by giving us someone to pick to come out of the back 10. He's one of several drivers on the bubble as the Chase for the Sprint Cup (NASCAR's version of the playoffs) approaches. He currently sits 11th in driver points, and since he has no wins so far this season, he's going to need to work his way into the top 10 to ensure a playoff berth.
Two from the middle: It's safe to say Kurt Busch didn't have a good time at last week at Watkins Glen, where he finished 38th and dropped two spots in driver points. Fortunately, he should have a better time at Michigan, where he's already won twice and finished eight times in the top 10. He starts 13th.
For those interested in more recent history, you can look to Paul Menard, who starts 11th this week and finished in fourth place at the last Michigan race in June.
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the results.
In the meantime, we have some races to consider. The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers take on Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, and it's time to offer some predictions for top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, lowering our season record to 25-55. That's a batting average of .312, which is good if you're Shane Victorino but not so good if you're a fantasy NASCAR site. Time to raise the average.
One from the front: Ryan Newman is ineligible for the People's Pitstop, having used up his nine starts, but he's still eligible for our predictions. This week, he's starting in third place, and he's seeking his third victory at Michigan.
One from the back: Clint Bowyer didn't do himself any favors by qualifying 35th, but he did us a huge favor by giving us someone to pick to come out of the back 10. He's one of several drivers on the bubble as the Chase for the Sprint Cup (NASCAR's version of the playoffs) approaches. He currently sits 11th in driver points, and since he has no wins so far this season, he's going to need to work his way into the top 10 to ensure a playoff berth.
Two from the middle: It's safe to say Kurt Busch didn't have a good time at last week at Watkins Glen, where he finished 38th and dropped two spots in driver points. Fortunately, he should have a better time at Michigan, where he's already won twice and finished eight times in the top 10. He starts 13th.
For those interested in more recent history, you can look to Paul Menard, who starts 11th this week and finished in fourth place at the last Michigan race in June.
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the results.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The People's Choice - Michigan
We have reached the end of another week (cause enough for anyone to celebrate), and you, the Internet, have spoken again. You were asked to help the People's Pitstop select a lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Here, as promised, are the results.
A List: Welcome to the party, Tony Stewart. This fantasy NASCAR season just hasn't been the same without your milk-stained mug. You finished second to Carl Edwards in this week's voting, but you edged him in qualifying by starting 18th (versus 22nd for Edwards).
B List: No need to ask where the Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans are. Enough of them read this blog to help him win this week's poll. The suddenly popular Brad Keselowski was the runner-up, followed by Joey Logano and A.J. Allmendinger. And that's how they finished in the qualifying session. Earnhardt (6th) and Keselowski (8th) earn starting spots over Logano (23rd) and Allmendinger (29th).
C List: We knew we were probably going to lose a C List racer (who's probably heading for next year's B List) this weekend. It should come as a shock to absolutely no one that David Ragan and Paul Menard tied for the top spot in this week's survey. It also shouldn't be shocking that one of them is starting in the top 10. That would be Ragan, who qualified 7th and will start for the final time this season for the People's Pitstop. Menard qualified 11th and will live to earn fantasy points another day.
Thanks again for voting, and don't forget about our fantasy quarterback poll, which is still open. We'll be back with some predictions for this week's race.
A List: Welcome to the party, Tony Stewart. This fantasy NASCAR season just hasn't been the same without your milk-stained mug. You finished second to Carl Edwards in this week's voting, but you edged him in qualifying by starting 18th (versus 22nd for Edwards).
B List: No need to ask where the Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans are. Enough of them read this blog to help him win this week's poll. The suddenly popular Brad Keselowski was the runner-up, followed by Joey Logano and A.J. Allmendinger. And that's how they finished in the qualifying session. Earnhardt (6th) and Keselowski (8th) earn starting spots over Logano (23rd) and Allmendinger (29th).
C List: We knew we were probably going to lose a C List racer (who's probably heading for next year's B List) this weekend. It should come as a shock to absolutely no one that David Ragan and Paul Menard tied for the top spot in this week's survey. It also shouldn't be shocking that one of them is starting in the top 10. That would be Ragan, who qualified 7th and will start for the final time this season for the People's Pitstop. Menard qualified 11th and will live to earn fantasy points another day.
Thanks again for voting, and don't forget about our fantasy quarterback poll, which is still open. We'll be back with some predictions for this week's race.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Last Time We Were in Michigan
If it seems as if the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers were just at Michigan International Speedway, it's because they were there two months ago. But that doesn't stop them from coming back for a double dose of the two-mile oval.
In case you were wondering, here's what happened on this track not so long ago. A late crash by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (with teammate Mark Martin, no less) brought out a late caution. Denny Hamlin won the race off pit road and held on to win his first race of the season, holding off the late-charging Matt Kenseth in the process.
As for the People's Pitstop, it managed to score only 258 points. That's because both Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished the race a lap down. The score was OK, but it was nothing to write home about.
Will we do better the second time around. That's up to you, the Internet. You have a couple of hours to get your votes in for our lineup. Those polls will close tonight, while the fantasy football quarterback poll will stay up through Saturday. Feel free to vote in all of them.
We'll be back with the lineup results.
In case you were wondering, here's what happened on this track not so long ago. A late crash by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (with teammate Mark Martin, no less) brought out a late caution. Denny Hamlin won the race off pit road and held on to win his first race of the season, holding off the late-charging Matt Kenseth in the process.
As for the People's Pitstop, it managed to score only 258 points. That's because both Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished the race a lap down. The score was OK, but it was nothing to write home about.
Will we do better the second time around. That's up to you, the Internet. You have a couple of hours to get your votes in for our lineup. Those polls will close tonight, while the fantasy football quarterback poll will stay up through Saturday. Feel free to vote in all of them.
We'll be back with the lineup results.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Kid, We're Gonna Need That Back
Roster changes are a fact of life. Just ask any Jets receiver. But the NFL goes on (despite itself), and it continues to make its presence known on television.
First of all, take a look at this commercial from last year. An expectant father, who's about to be way too busy to attend Seattle Seahawks games, is looking to sell his tickets, so he goes to an NFL.com site. Meanwhile, a man wants to take his young son to a Seattle Seahawks game, so he and his son go to the same site. The expectant father sells his tickets with what looks like a hint of regret. The other father buys the tickets, and his son runs around shouting for joy in his Matt Hasselbeck jersey (number 8 on the sleeves, "Hasselbeck" on the back).
Now, when you watch a preseason games this weekend, be on the lookout for this commercial, because it's running again. Sort of.
The expectant father still sells his tickets. The other father buys them, and the son still runs around shouting for joy. But this time, the son is simply wearing a number 8 Seahawks jersey.
Apparently, when Matt Hasselbeck went to the Tennessee Titans, he lost the rights to be in an NFL commercial. The jersey was probably digitally altered to take the "Hasselbeck" name off, but you have to wonder what would have happened if they told the kid to take the name off and use a generic Seahawks jersey instead.
Would he have reacted like this?
While you ponder that, remember to vote in our polls. The one on top will determine which quarterback the People's Pigskin will target first in its Labor Day fantasy draft. The other three will determine which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will represent the People's Pitstop this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. We'll be back with more on that track.
First of all, take a look at this commercial from last year. An expectant father, who's about to be way too busy to attend Seattle Seahawks games, is looking to sell his tickets, so he goes to an NFL.com site. Meanwhile, a man wants to take his young son to a Seattle Seahawks game, so he and his son go to the same site. The expectant father sells his tickets with what looks like a hint of regret. The other father buys the tickets, and his son runs around shouting for joy in his Matt Hasselbeck jersey (number 8 on the sleeves, "Hasselbeck" on the back).
Now, when you watch a preseason games this weekend, be on the lookout for this commercial, because it's running again. Sort of.
The expectant father still sells his tickets. The other father buys them, and the son still runs around shouting for joy. But this time, the son is simply wearing a number 8 Seahawks jersey.
Apparently, when Matt Hasselbeck went to the Tennessee Titans, he lost the rights to be in an NFL commercial. The jersey was probably digitally altered to take the "Hasselbeck" name off, but you have to wonder what would have happened if they told the kid to take the name off and use a generic Seahawks jersey instead.
Would he have reacted like this?
While you ponder that, remember to vote in our polls. The one on top will determine which quarterback the People's Pigskin will target first in its Labor Day fantasy draft. The other three will determine which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will represent the People's Pitstop this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. We'll be back with more on that track.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
We Have a League!
We at the People's Pigskin would like to thank those of you who volunteered to field a team in the People's League. You will help us continue our experiment in fantasy football democracy.
For those of you new to this experiment, here's how it works. We will run a fantasy football team called the People's Pigskin by asking you, the Internet, to make the decisions for us. You'll decide who starts, who sits, who gets traded, who gets drafted, and everything else. Last year, our team finished second in the People's League (losing in the championship round to someone who has signed up again this year). With your help, we can show the "experts" that we don't need their help to win in this game.
And the process starts this week as we prepare for our draft on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5). Our first fantasy football poll of the season is now up and ready for voting. This poll will determine which quarterback we target first in our draft. We'll have polls later for other positions, but quarterback is as good a place as any to start. This poll will close Saturday night, but you should feel free to vote now.
Speaking of polls, we're still taking votes for the lineup polls for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team is still sitting in second place. With your help, and if we avoid any driver fistfights, we can drive back into first place this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Thanks for voting.
For those of you new to this experiment, here's how it works. We will run a fantasy football team called the People's Pigskin by asking you, the Internet, to make the decisions for us. You'll decide who starts, who sits, who gets traded, who gets drafted, and everything else. Last year, our team finished second in the People's League (losing in the championship round to someone who has signed up again this year). With your help, we can show the "experts" that we don't need their help to win in this game.
And the process starts this week as we prepare for our draft on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5). Our first fantasy football poll of the season is now up and ready for voting. This poll will determine which quarterback we target first in our draft. We'll have polls later for other positions, but quarterback is as good a place as any to start. This poll will close Saturday night, but you should feel free to vote now.
Speaking of polls, we're still taking votes for the lineup polls for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team is still sitting in second place. With your help, and if we avoid any driver fistfights, we can drive back into first place this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Thanks for voting.
Monday, August 15, 2011
While (Most of) You Were Working
Mother Nature forced a lot of people to sneak peeks at the office wait until they got home to learn about this week's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen. Was it worth the wait? Kind of.
The People's Pitstop did manage to score 277 points during the final road race on the NASCAR calendar. Our season total of 5,989 leaves us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league on Yahoo Sports, but we trail Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 by only 44 points. First place is within sight. We can get there.
In the meantime, here's how we got here.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 4th, finished 10th, 1 lap led and 83 fantasy points. Johnson was in the lead as late as lap 65 of this race, according to USA Today's lap-by-lap report. Maybe he's just biding his time until the Chase, which, barring something truly catastrophic, he should make easily.
Ryan Newman: Started 6th, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. That was the ninth and final start of the season for Newman. For the season, he gave us 759 points, or an average of 84.3 per start. His average finish was 8th. His best performance for the People's Pitstop was his victory at New Hampshire, where he scored 120 points. His worst performance was at Sonoma, where he finished 25th and scored only 42 points. And here's a stat from the we-can't-make-this-stuff-up category: In each of his first four starts for us, Newman finished 5th.
Brad Keselowski: Started 12th, finished 2nd, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Keselowski nearly made it two wins in a row, but he got passed at what seemed like the last possible moment by Marcos Ambrose, who won his first Sprint Cup race. Toss him a Fosters.
David Ragan: Started 16th, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 36 fantasy points. Ragan's day ended just short of the finish, when he got together with David Reutimann.
Ragan and his fellow drivers (all except Ambrose) will try to rebound this weekend in a return trip to Michigan International Speedway. The new lineup polls are now open, but they will close Thursday evening, because qualifying is scheduled for Friday. Feel free to vote now.
We'll be back with an update -- and a poll -- on fantasy football.
The People's Pitstop did manage to score 277 points during the final road race on the NASCAR calendar. Our season total of 5,989 leaves us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league on Yahoo Sports, but we trail Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 by only 44 points. First place is within sight. We can get there.
In the meantime, here's how we got here.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 4th, finished 10th, 1 lap led and 83 fantasy points. Johnson was in the lead as late as lap 65 of this race, according to USA Today's lap-by-lap report. Maybe he's just biding his time until the Chase, which, barring something truly catastrophic, he should make easily.
Ryan Newman: Started 6th, finished 16th and 60 fantasy points. That was the ninth and final start of the season for Newman. For the season, he gave us 759 points, or an average of 84.3 per start. His average finish was 8th. His best performance for the People's Pitstop was his victory at New Hampshire, where he scored 120 points. His worst performance was at Sonoma, where he finished 25th and scored only 42 points. And here's a stat from the we-can't-make-this-stuff-up category: In each of his first four starts for us, Newman finished 5th.
Brad Keselowski: Started 12th, finished 2nd, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Keselowski nearly made it two wins in a row, but he got passed at what seemed like the last possible moment by Marcos Ambrose, who won his first Sprint Cup race. Toss him a Fosters.
David Ragan: Started 16th, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 36 fantasy points. Ragan's day ended just short of the finish, when he got together with David Reutimann.
Ragan and his fellow drivers (all except Ambrose) will try to rebound this weekend in a return trip to Michigan International Speedway. The new lineup polls are now open, but they will close Thursday evening, because qualifying is scheduled for Friday. Feel free to vote now.
We'll be back with an update -- and a poll -- on fantasy football.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Watkins Glen
It's raining today in the Northeast, but optimistic NASCAR fans will tell you the sun will shine just long enough on Watkins Glen to get Sunday's Sprint Cup race run. That means it is worth our while to predict some drivers who will finish in the top 10. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, raising our season record to 24-52.
The pessimist probably has stopped reading this post already. So we don't have to worry about the pessimists for the rest of this post. (Whew.)
One from the front: It's hard to ignore these facts. Juan Pablo Montoya has two Sprint Cup wins under his belt. Both of them have come on road courses. Montoya won the Watkins Glen race last year. He starts fifth today. This week, we'll ignore the fact that he is having a hard time making friends in NASCAR.
One from the back: How on earth did Denny Hamlin qualify 42nd for this race? Did he do it just to make our bottom 10 pick simple? If so, we'll take it. He has four top 10 finishes on this track, including a second place finish in 2007. And it was just last year when people were saying he had a chance to dethrone Jimmie Johnson.
Two from the middle: Every year, a few road course specialists (or ringers) show up at Sonoma and Watkins Glen to show the regular Sprint Cup drivers how to turn right. One of them is Boris Said, who is known as much for his hair and he is for his driving. He starts 15th tonight and is quite comfortable with hairpin turns.
Jeff Gordon isn't a specialist, but he would be able to make a great living at it. He has four wins on this track. He also has top 10 finishes three of the last five races this season. He starts 17th this week and is always a good bet to find the front.
Enjoy the race, everybody, and think sunshine. (They are in upstate New York, after all.) We'll be back with the results, whenever they're available.
The pessimist probably has stopped reading this post already. So we don't have to worry about the pessimists for the rest of this post. (Whew.)
One from the front: It's hard to ignore these facts. Juan Pablo Montoya has two Sprint Cup wins under his belt. Both of them have come on road courses. Montoya won the Watkins Glen race last year. He starts fifth today. This week, we'll ignore the fact that he is having a hard time making friends in NASCAR.
One from the back: How on earth did Denny Hamlin qualify 42nd for this race? Did he do it just to make our bottom 10 pick simple? If so, we'll take it. He has four top 10 finishes on this track, including a second place finish in 2007. And it was just last year when people were saying he had a chance to dethrone Jimmie Johnson.
Two from the middle: Every year, a few road course specialists (or ringers) show up at Sonoma and Watkins Glen to show the regular Sprint Cup drivers how to turn right. One of them is Boris Said, who is known as much for his hair and he is for his driving. He starts 15th tonight and is quite comfortable with hairpin turns.
Jeff Gordon isn't a specialist, but he would be able to make a great living at it. He has four wins on this track. He also has top 10 finishes three of the last five races this season. He starts 17th this week and is always a good bet to find the front.
Enjoy the race, everybody, and think sunshine. (They are in upstate New York, after all.) We'll be back with the results, whenever they're available.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The People's Choice - Watkins Glen
For a good portion of the football fans in the audience, football (pre)season has already begun. For the rest, the season will begin sometime between now and Monday. But while everyone waits their way through exhibition season and prays for the best possible outcome -- namely, that no one gets hurt playing a meaningless series of downs -- the NASCAR season rolls on.
This week, the Sprint Cup drivers make their first and only visit of the season to New York state, with a road race at Watkins Glen. You, the Internet, were asked to pick a lineup for the People's Pitstop, and you did. Your votes, along with Saturday morning's qualifying session, have produced these results.
A List: A surprising number of drivers got votes this week, but the top two were Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. When qualifying was said and done, Johnson was in 4th place, just three spots ahead of Stewart. Johnson gets a starting spot and a bonus point for the People's Pitstop. Let's just hope he can steer clear of Kurt Busch.
B List: Again, the votes were spread far and wide, but four of the usual suspects snagged the roster spots: Brad Keselowski (of "I can win on a busted ankle" fame), Ryan Newman, Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne. Marcos Ambrose, the road specialist who nearly got the pole, was on the losing end of a driver points tiebreaker. Newman (6th) and Keselowski (12th) got starting spots over Kahne (18th) and Martin (22nd). For Newman, it will be the final start for the People's Pitstop this season. Hope he makes it count.
C List: Stop me if you've heard this one before. The top two votegetters were (drumroll, please) David Ragan and Paul Menard. Ragan qualified 16th, while Menard qualified 32nd. This means that both of your favorite C List drivers will have the dreaded "LAST TIME" attached to their names in next week's polls.
By the way, if you haven't signed up for the People's League, spots are still available. This is your chance to match your fantasy football wits with the People's Pigskin and other talented players. (Don't worry, you don't have to base your team moves on polls. You can feel free to go with your gut.) You can join the fun by clicking here.
Enjoy the Saturday night football games. We'll be back with the predictions.
This week, the Sprint Cup drivers make their first and only visit of the season to New York state, with a road race at Watkins Glen. You, the Internet, were asked to pick a lineup for the People's Pitstop, and you did. Your votes, along with Saturday morning's qualifying session, have produced these results.
A List: A surprising number of drivers got votes this week, but the top two were Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. When qualifying was said and done, Johnson was in 4th place, just three spots ahead of Stewart. Johnson gets a starting spot and a bonus point for the People's Pitstop. Let's just hope he can steer clear of Kurt Busch.
B List: Again, the votes were spread far and wide, but four of the usual suspects snagged the roster spots: Brad Keselowski (of "I can win on a busted ankle" fame), Ryan Newman, Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne. Marcos Ambrose, the road specialist who nearly got the pole, was on the losing end of a driver points tiebreaker. Newman (6th) and Keselowski (12th) got starting spots over Kahne (18th) and Martin (22nd). For Newman, it will be the final start for the People's Pitstop this season. Hope he makes it count.
C List: Stop me if you've heard this one before. The top two votegetters were (drumroll, please) David Ragan and Paul Menard. Ragan qualified 16th, while Menard qualified 32nd. This means that both of your favorite C List drivers will have the dreaded "LAST TIME" attached to their names in next week's polls.
By the way, if you haven't signed up for the People's League, spots are still available. This is your chance to match your fantasy football wits with the People's Pigskin and other talented players. (Don't worry, you don't have to base your team moves on polls. You can feel free to go with your gut.) You can join the fun by clicking here.
Enjoy the Saturday night football games. We'll be back with the predictions.
Friday, August 12, 2011
The People's League Is Now Open!
We interrupt our fine fantasy NASCAR season to let you know that fantasy football season is right around the corner. And the People's Pigskin is ready!
Our little experiment in fantasy football is entering its third season, and we have you, the Internet, to thank for this. That's why we'd like you to participate in the People's League. We're accepting team owners now. The draft is scheduled for Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5). If you're interested, here's the link:
The People's League
Thank you. We now return you to your regularly scheduled fantasy NASCAR season, which takes its act to Watkins Glen in upstate New York this weekend. The People's Pitstop needs a lineup, so feel free to vote in the polls on the right side of this page. They'll close later this evening. Thanks.
We'll be back with the results.
Our little experiment in fantasy football is entering its third season, and we have you, the Internet, to thank for this. That's why we'd like you to participate in the People's League. We're accepting team owners now. The draft is scheduled for Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5). If you're interested, here's the link:
The People's League
Thank you. We now return you to your regularly scheduled fantasy NASCAR season, which takes its act to Watkins Glen in upstate New York this weekend. The People's Pitstop needs a lineup, so feel free to vote in the polls on the right side of this page. They'll close later this evening. Thanks.
We'll be back with the results.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Flying High in the Poconos
Some weeks, it all just comes together. The People's Pigskin had one of those weeks, and we have you, the Internet, to thank for it.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 302 points this weekend at Pocono Raceway. It was the second time in nine weeks we cleared the 300-point barrier. Our season total of 5,712 still leaves us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, but we have trailed our deficit against Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 to just 53 points.
Here are the juicy details.
Carl Edwards: Started 4th, finished 7th, 2 laps led and 89 fantasy points. Edwards stayed in the top 10 pretty much throughout the race. Guess that's what a new contract will do for you.
Brad Keselowski: Started 13th, finished 1st (as in ... winning!), 19 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Maybe Keselowski should bust up his ankle every week. With his second victory of the season, he went from hanging on the edge of the top 20 to all but wrapping up a wild card spot.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 41 fantasy points. Any glimmer of hope Kahne's team had left evaporated when he got together with a certain driver. Which one? Here's a hint: He has his own Facebook fan page (sort of).
Paul Menard: Started 7th, finished 10th and 72 fantasy points. Menard showed his Indianapolis victory was no fluke. Unfortunately, he's proven so reliable for you, the Internet, that he has only one start left for us this season. That's why he, like Ryan Newman, now sports the "LAST TIME" next to his name in this week's polls.
Speaking of which, the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are taking their act on the road again with a race at Watkins Glen. We have qualifying on Saturday, so these polls will stay up through Friday evening. Please feel free to vote now, and invite everyone you know to do the same. You can be the spark that lifts us back to the top.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 302 points this weekend at Pocono Raceway. It was the second time in nine weeks we cleared the 300-point barrier. Our season total of 5,712 still leaves us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, but we have trailed our deficit against Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 to just 53 points.
Here are the juicy details.
Carl Edwards: Started 4th, finished 7th, 2 laps led and 89 fantasy points. Edwards stayed in the top 10 pretty much throughout the race. Guess that's what a new contract will do for you.
Brad Keselowski: Started 13th, finished 1st (as in ... winning!), 19 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Maybe Keselowski should bust up his ankle every week. With his second victory of the season, he went from hanging on the edge of the top 20 to all but wrapping up a wild card spot.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 41 fantasy points. Any glimmer of hope Kahne's team had left evaporated when he got together with a certain driver. Which one? Here's a hint: He has his own Facebook fan page (sort of).
Paul Menard: Started 7th, finished 10th and 72 fantasy points. Menard showed his Indianapolis victory was no fluke. Unfortunately, he's proven so reliable for you, the Internet, that he has only one start left for us this season. That's why he, like Ryan Newman, now sports the "LAST TIME" next to his name in this week's polls.
Speaking of which, the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are taking their act on the road again with a race at Watkins Glen. We have qualifying on Saturday, so these polls will stay up through Friday evening. Please feel free to vote now, and invite everyone you know to do the same. You can be the spark that lifts us back to the top.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Indianapolis
Remember last Monday, when we said that the People's Pitstop's results at Indianapolis Motor Speedway were better than a brick to the head? Well, the predictions for top 10 finishers for that race felt exactly like a brick to the head. We went 0 for 4 last week, lowering our season record to 22-50. Therefore, all NASCAR fans are advised to take this week's forecasts for Pocono Raceway with at least a grain of salt.
One from the front: Our predictions need all the help they can get, so we're going all the way to the front with Joey Logano, whose list of "youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup driver ever to" achievements now includes being the youngest ever to win the Pocono pole. This is the type of track where you can start at the front and stay there, especially if Mother Nature decides to end things early.
One from the back: Again, the pickings are slim in the back 10. We'll go with Landon Cassill, who starts 36th and at least spent some time in the top five last week at Indianapolis. Let's just hope he can keep his car (and Kasey Kahne's) on the track this week.
Two from the middle: Ryan Newman starts 12th in this race and, despite his eighth-place spot in driver points, will need to keep running well to make the Chase. Fortunately, "running well" is something Newman does quite well at Pocono; he has eight top 10 finishes here, including a victory in 2003.
But if you don't want to go that far back in time for a good trend, you can simply look to Jimmie Johnson, who starts in 18th place this week. He had finished in the top 10 the last three times NASCAR has taken its act here. Oh, and for those of you who insist on taking a long-term view, he won both Pocono races back in 2004.
Enjoy the race, everybody. We'll be back with the results.
One from the front: Our predictions need all the help they can get, so we're going all the way to the front with Joey Logano, whose list of "youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup driver ever to" achievements now includes being the youngest ever to win the Pocono pole. This is the type of track where you can start at the front and stay there, especially if Mother Nature decides to end things early.
One from the back: Again, the pickings are slim in the back 10. We'll go with Landon Cassill, who starts 36th and at least spent some time in the top five last week at Indianapolis. Let's just hope he can keep his car (and Kasey Kahne's) on the track this week.
Two from the middle: Ryan Newman starts 12th in this race and, despite his eighth-place spot in driver points, will need to keep running well to make the Chase. Fortunately, "running well" is something Newman does quite well at Pocono; he has eight top 10 finishes here, including a victory in 2003.
But if you don't want to go that far back in time for a good trend, you can simply look to Jimmie Johnson, who starts in 18th place this week. He had finished in the top 10 the last three times NASCAR has taken its act here. Oh, and for those of you who insist on taking a long-term view, he won both Pocono races back in 2004.
Enjoy the race, everybody. We'll be back with the results.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The People's Choice - Pocono
Now that the Pro Football Hall of Fame has finished its induction ceremonies, we can turn our attention back to the People's Pitstop and its effort to retake the lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern fantasy NASCAR league. You, the Internet, voted on our lineup, and the drivers who got the most votes used the qualifying session to demonstrate whether they deserved to start for us this Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Here are the drivers who proved both popular and worthy.
A List: It should surprise absolutely no one that Jeff Gordon, who has more wins on this track than any other active Sprint Cup driver, won this poll. Carl Edwards tied for second but got the roster spot by virtue of the points tiebreaker. What was truly surprising was Gordon's performance during the qualifying session. He wound up in 31st place, while Edwards qualified fourth, earning a starting spot for himself and a bonus point for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.
B List: The top four vote-getters in this poll were Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and (in a points tiebreaker) Mark Martin. The qualifying session put Keselowski (13th) ahead of Earnhardt (19th) and Martin (25th). But Kahne was the star of our show. He qualified second, behind only record-setting polesitter Joey Logano, and got us 5 bonus points in the process.
C List: It feels as if this poll is going to come down to David Ragan and Paul Menard every week until one of these drivers runs out of starts. This week, Ragan won the poll, but Menard qualified better (7th vs. 15th), so he'll start for the eighth time for the People's Pitstop.
Thanks again to everyone who took the trouble to vote. We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
A List: It should surprise absolutely no one that Jeff Gordon, who has more wins on this track than any other active Sprint Cup driver, won this poll. Carl Edwards tied for second but got the roster spot by virtue of the points tiebreaker. What was truly surprising was Gordon's performance during the qualifying session. He wound up in 31st place, while Edwards qualified fourth, earning a starting spot for himself and a bonus point for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.
B List: The top four vote-getters in this poll were Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and (in a points tiebreaker) Mark Martin. The qualifying session put Keselowski (13th) ahead of Earnhardt (19th) and Martin (25th). But Kahne was the star of our show. He qualified second, behind only record-setting polesitter Joey Logano, and got us 5 bonus points in the process.
C List: It feels as if this poll is going to come down to David Ragan and Paul Menard every week until one of these drivers runs out of starts. This week, Ragan won the poll, but Menard qualified better (7th vs. 15th), so he'll start for the eighth time for the People's Pitstop.
Thanks again to everyone who took the trouble to vote. We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Last Time We Were in Pocono
For the second time this season, NASCAR takes its Sprint Cup drivers to the weird triangle that is Pocono Raceway. For those of you who picked that week to go on your summer vacation, here's a brief look at what happened.
The race was a monumental one for Jeff Gordon. His victory tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on NASCAR's all-time list. Kyle Busch probably remembers this race a little less fondly. He finished third, but his car failed inspection afterwards, costing him 6 driver points and a bunch of money.
It also wasn't such a hot day for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored only 228 points that race. That included a grand total of 18 from Carl Edwards, who spent most of his day in the TNT booth because of an early engine problem. Good thing he didn't sign that Roush Fenway extension that weekend. That would have been awkward.
Anyway, now that you know a little history, you can use it to our advantage by voting in the lineup polls, which will close this evening. We'll be back with the results.
The race was a monumental one for Jeff Gordon. His victory tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on NASCAR's all-time list. Kyle Busch probably remembers this race a little less fondly. He finished third, but his car failed inspection afterwards, costing him 6 driver points and a bunch of money.
It also wasn't such a hot day for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored only 228 points that race. That included a grand total of 18 from Carl Edwards, who spent most of his day in the TNT booth because of an early engine problem. Good thing he didn't sign that Roush Fenway extension that weekend. That would have been awkward.
Anyway, now that you know a little history, you can use it to our advantage by voting in the lineup polls, which will close this evening. We'll be back with the results.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Twenty Races Down...
...and six more to go until NASCAR has its version of the playoffs, which they call the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Now is as good a time as any to reassess where the drivers stand.
Take a look at the Sprint Cup standings for a moment. You'll notice that two drivers currently in the top 10 are still looking for their first win of the season: Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both have shown flashes this season, and if things stay the same over the next month and a half, they will make the playoffs without a single checkered flag. Of course, NASCAR would be OK with that, given their fan bases.
Now look at the next 10 spots in the standings. That's where NASCAR will get its two wild card participants in the Chase. The two drivers in this range with the most wins will get in. (Remember that concern we had about not having enough drivers with wins for those spots? Never mind.) Right now, those spots would go to Denny Hamlin, who slipped out of the top 10 despite our prediction that he wouldn't, and Paul Menard, who defied everyone's predictions and won last week at Indianapolis. Each one has a single win, so the wild card spots remain firmly up for grabs. Even Brad Keselowski (if he can stay in one piece) can get it with a second win.
But right now, Keselowski, David Ragan and Regan Smith (not to mention the Daytona 500 winner) are on the outside looking in, despite their win. Stewart and Earnhardt are on the inside looking out, for now, despite having no wins.
The "emphasis on winning" thing clearly remains a work in progress.
So is our team. We have to get back into first place, and we need your help. Vote in the lineup polls on the right side of this page. You have until Friday evening. Thanks.
Take a look at the Sprint Cup standings for a moment. You'll notice that two drivers currently in the top 10 are still looking for their first win of the season: Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both have shown flashes this season, and if things stay the same over the next month and a half, they will make the playoffs without a single checkered flag. Of course, NASCAR would be OK with that, given their fan bases.
Now look at the next 10 spots in the standings. That's where NASCAR will get its two wild card participants in the Chase. The two drivers in this range with the most wins will get in. (Remember that concern we had about not having enough drivers with wins for those spots? Never mind.) Right now, those spots would go to Denny Hamlin, who slipped out of the top 10 despite our prediction that he wouldn't, and Paul Menard, who defied everyone's predictions and won last week at Indianapolis. Each one has a single win, so the wild card spots remain firmly up for grabs. Even Brad Keselowski (if he can stay in one piece) can get it with a second win.
But right now, Keselowski, David Ragan and Regan Smith (not to mention the Daytona 500 winner) are on the outside looking in, despite their win. Stewart and Earnhardt are on the inside looking out, for now, despite having no wins.
The "emphasis on winning" thing clearly remains a work in progress.
So is our team. We have to get back into first place, and we need your help. Vote in the lineup polls on the right side of this page. You have until Friday evening. Thanks.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
And Now, a Moment of Sanity
The last few days have featured a lot of noise (here and elsewhere) about the mad dash to fill and/or remake rosters since the NFL owners and players decided they wanted to keep making money after all. And there will be plenty more noise over the next few weeks as free agents, backups, unhappy campers and innocent draft picks get shuffled like chips at the World Series of Poker.
Very little has been said so far about the implications for those of us playing fantasy football. For those of you with the fantasy bug, we at the People's Pigskin have some simple, easy-to-follow advice.
Take a deep breath.
Feel better? Good. Now calm down.
It's not that there won't be players who come out of nowhere to take the fantasy world by storm. (Kevin Kolb seems like an early candidate for breakout status.) It's just that a lot of the players finding or looking for new homes would be backups in most fantasy leagues.
For example, let's look at the quarterbacks. Looking at ESPN's list of top-scoring fantasy QBs from last season, the top performer who won't be in the same spot this year is Carson Palmer, who ranked only 13th with 212 points. If you claim that Palmer doesn't count until the Cincinnati Bengals come to their senses and trade him, the top performer who moved is Donovan McNabb, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. (Perhaps you heard about it.) And he ranked 21st with 165 points.
Let's move on to the running backs. Ahmad Bradshaw nearly tanked this column idea by leaving the Giants. Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, the top mover for this position is Ronnie Brown, who went to the Philadelphia Eagles. He scored a grand total of 112 fantasy points last season, tying him for 30th place among rushers with Brandon Jackson.
The biggest impact may come from wide receiver, and that's because several players who made contributions to fantasy teams last season are still looking for work as of this writing. The three top maybe-they'll-prove-to-be-movers:
(And before you ask, no, we're not going to discuss kickers here.)
Now that you're all calm again, we'll be back with a look at the NASCAR season.
Very little has been said so far about the implications for those of us playing fantasy football. For those of you with the fantasy bug, we at the People's Pigskin have some simple, easy-to-follow advice.
Take a deep breath.
Feel better? Good. Now calm down.
It's not that there won't be players who come out of nowhere to take the fantasy world by storm. (Kevin Kolb seems like an early candidate for breakout status.) It's just that a lot of the players finding or looking for new homes would be backups in most fantasy leagues.
For example, let's look at the quarterbacks. Looking at ESPN's list of top-scoring fantasy QBs from last season, the top performer who won't be in the same spot this year is Carson Palmer, who ranked only 13th with 212 points. If you claim that Palmer doesn't count until the Cincinnati Bengals come to their senses and trade him, the top performer who moved is Donovan McNabb, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. (Perhaps you heard about it.) And he ranked 21st with 165 points.
Let's move on to the running backs. Ahmad Bradshaw nearly tanked this column idea by leaving the Giants. Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, the top mover for this position is Ronnie Brown, who went to the Philadelphia Eagles. He scored a grand total of 112 fantasy points last season, tying him for 30th place among rushers with Brandon Jackson.
The biggest impact may come from wide receiver, and that's because several players who made contributions to fantasy teams last season are still looking for work as of this writing. The three top maybe-they'll-prove-to-be-movers:
- Terrell Owens (15th among WRs last season, 147 points).
- Braylon Edwards (22nd, 124).
- Derrick Mason (tied-24th, 117).
(And before you ask, no, we're not going to discuss kickers here.)
Now that you're all calm again, we'll be back with a look at the NASCAR season.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Better Than a Brick to the Head
Many people weren't happy that Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway turned into a contest of MPG instead of MPH, but the way we see it, things could have gone a lot worse.
The People's Pitstop did manage to score 256 points at this weekend's NASCAR race, including the 18 we pocketed for having the three top qualifiers. Our season total of 5,410 is good enough to keep us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, though Jeff Gordon Dupont 24's lead has grown to 105 points.
Here are all the gasoline-infused details.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 3rd, finished 19th, 1 lap led and 67 fantasy points. Johnson just hasn't been his usual self this season. Maybe part of him is still freaked out by a certain shower visitor. (Here's a hint: If you're going to talk to Mr. Johnson while he's in the shower, you'd better answer to the name "Mrs. Johnson.")
Joey Logano: Started 20th, finished 25th and 42 fantasy points. The only noise Logano made on Sunday was in his postrace comments (about halfway down this Toyota quote sheet), when he said, "Seems like anyone can win these things these says." Almost anyone, apparently.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 18th, 48 laps led and 81 fantasy points. Kahne pocketed 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. Kahne dominated the first quarter of the race, but a late spinout by Landon Cassill forced him on to the grass, which did enough damage to the front end to ruin his chances.
David Ragan: Started 1st, finished 23rd, 1 lap led and 66 fantasy points. Yes, we started the polesitter and benched the driver who won the whole thing. These things happen in fantasy sports.
But fantasy sports is a week-by-week thing. A win or loss one week doesn't necessarily guarantee results next week. And this week, NASCAR sends its Sprint Cup drivers back to the tricky triangle of Pocono Raceway. We have until Friday night to select the People's Pitstop lineup, and the polls are now open. Please feel free to vote now.
The People's Pitstop did manage to score 256 points at this weekend's NASCAR race, including the 18 we pocketed for having the three top qualifiers. Our season total of 5,410 is good enough to keep us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, though Jeff Gordon Dupont 24's lead has grown to 105 points.
Here are all the gasoline-infused details.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 3rd, finished 19th, 1 lap led and 67 fantasy points. Johnson just hasn't been his usual self this season. Maybe part of him is still freaked out by a certain shower visitor. (Here's a hint: If you're going to talk to Mr. Johnson while he's in the shower, you'd better answer to the name "Mrs. Johnson.")
Joey Logano: Started 20th, finished 25th and 42 fantasy points. The only noise Logano made on Sunday was in his postrace comments (about halfway down this Toyota quote sheet), when he said, "Seems like anyone can win these things these says." Almost anyone, apparently.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 18th, 48 laps led and 81 fantasy points. Kahne pocketed 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. Kahne dominated the first quarter of the race, but a late spinout by Landon Cassill forced him on to the grass, which did enough damage to the front end to ruin his chances.
David Ragan: Started 1st, finished 23rd, 1 lap led and 66 fantasy points. Yes, we started the polesitter and benched the driver who won the whole thing. These things happen in fantasy sports.
But fantasy sports is a week-by-week thing. A win or loss one week doesn't necessarily guarantee results next week. And this week, NASCAR sends its Sprint Cup drivers back to the tricky triangle of Pocono Raceway. We have until Friday night to select the People's Pitstop lineup, and the polls are now open. Please feel free to vote now.
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