The People's Pitstop scored 222 points in the severely delayed Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It wasn't an impressive outing, but our season total of 6,754 allows us to hang on to the top spot in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. We lead Dale Jr Amp National Guard 88 by 96 points.
Here are the scoring details from a soggy and historic race.
Kyle Busch: Started 3rd, finished 23rd, 19 laps led and 59 fantasy points. Busch found the front early but found nothing but trouble later in the race, including a pass-through penalty that essentially took him out of the running -- and out of first place in the driver standings.
Clint Bowyer: Started 2nd, finished 36th, 8 laps led and 35 fantasy points. Bowyer also got to the lead early in the race, but he couldn't stay away from the wall (or Juan Pablo Montoya).
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 11th, finished 10th and 72 fantasy points. You know you've had better fantasy NASCAR days when your top scorer is someone who makes people say, "Oh, yeah, he finished in the top 10, and he still has a shot at the Chase."
Paul Menard: Started 22nd, finished 18th and 56 fantasy points. That was Menard's ninth and final start for the People's Pitstop this season, and his time with us ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper. In his nine starts, he racked up 630 points, or an average of 70 a race. His best performance for us was in Michigan in June, when he finished 4th and scored 94 points. His worst was in New Hampshire, when he finished 24th and scored 44. And yes, we missed out on his first Sprint Cup win. But we'll hear from him next season, when he makes Yahoo's B List (at least).
We at the People's Pitstop have already turned our attention to the upcoming week, including the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway. Again, the polls are open, so get started on your voting. Thanks.
Showing posts with label Atlanta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atlanta. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Fearless Predictions - Atlanta
Today's post could be called a hybrid, since it covered both fantasy football and NASCAR.
Let's take care of the football news first. You, the Internet, were kind enough to vote in our polls about the People's Pigskin and which players it should target first in Monday night's People's League draft. You decided that we should target Larry Fitzgerald as our primary wide receiver (OK, as long as we don't have to pay him) and Jason Witten as our tight end. Those are the players we will try to pick up for those positions.
Now, we turn our attention to NASCAR. The Sprint Cup drivers will spend their Sunday night taking on Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the people who bring you the People's Pitstop will spend it hoping the drivers we pick for the top 10 don't make us look like clowns. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 29-59. All in all, it's still been a better season than Jerry Lewis is having.
One from the front: It probably wouldn't shock you to learn that Jeff Gordon has won four Sprint Cup races at Atlanta. It also probably won't shock you to learn that he's finished in the top 10 in four of the last five races. Given all this, it probably shouldn't shock you that Gordon starts tonight in 5th place.
One from the back: The pickings in the back 10 are particularly meager for this race. If hard pressed, we'll go with Dave Blaney, who starts 35th tonight and sits highest among the bottom 10 drivers in point standings (30th).
Two from the middle: Brad Keselowski did not qualify well enough (14th) to earn a starting spot this week, but a busted oil pan has been his team's only misstep since the Road America test. Keselowski has finished in the top 10 in the last five races, including two that he won outright.
Right in front of him tonight, in the 13th starting spot, we find Denny Hamlin. He currently holds the final wild card spot, but he probably would prefer one of the top 10 automatic qualifying spots. And he got a top 10 finish last week at Bristol.
Enjoy the race (and the telethon), everybody. We'll be back with results and new polls.
Let's take care of the football news first. You, the Internet, were kind enough to vote in our polls about the People's Pigskin and which players it should target first in Monday night's People's League draft. You decided that we should target Larry Fitzgerald as our primary wide receiver (OK, as long as we don't have to pay him) and Jason Witten as our tight end. Those are the players we will try to pick up for those positions.
Now, we turn our attention to NASCAR. The Sprint Cup drivers will spend their Sunday night taking on Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the people who bring you the People's Pitstop will spend it hoping the drivers we pick for the top 10 don't make us look like clowns. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 29-59. All in all, it's still been a better season than Jerry Lewis is having.
One from the front: It probably wouldn't shock you to learn that Jeff Gordon has won four Sprint Cup races at Atlanta. It also probably won't shock you to learn that he's finished in the top 10 in four of the last five races. Given all this, it probably shouldn't shock you that Gordon starts tonight in 5th place.
One from the back: The pickings in the back 10 are particularly meager for this race. If hard pressed, we'll go with Dave Blaney, who starts 35th tonight and sits highest among the bottom 10 drivers in point standings (30th).
Two from the middle: Brad Keselowski did not qualify well enough (14th) to earn a starting spot this week, but a busted oil pan has been his team's only misstep since the Road America test. Keselowski has finished in the top 10 in the last five races, including two that he won outright.
Right in front of him tonight, in the 13th starting spot, we find Denny Hamlin. He currently holds the final wild card spot, but he probably would prefer one of the top 10 automatic qualifying spots. And he got a top 10 finish last week at Bristol.
Enjoy the race (and the telethon), everybody. We'll be back with results and new polls.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The People's Choice - Atlanta
Mother Nature can mess with your football game, but she can't stop you, the Internet, from showing your love for the People's Pitstop. You voted for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who should represent us this Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Your votes, along with Saturday afternoon's qualifying session, have produced these results.
A List: It shouldn't be surprising that the winners of this poll are also the top two drivers in points: Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. By qualifying 3rd (or 14 spots in front of Johnson), Busch earned himself a starting spot and the Pitstop 3 bonus points.
B List: This poll came down to the proverbial wire. Brad Keselowski won -- something he's been doing quite frequently of late -- followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and, in driver-points tiebreaker, Clint Bowyer. Bowyer qualified 2nd (earning us 5 bonus points), while Allmendinger qualified 11th. They will start, while Keselowski (14th) and Earnhardt (29th) will sit.
C List: The usual suspects rose to the top of this poll -- Paul Menard and Regan Smith. Menard qualified 22nd, while Smith qualified 26th. This means that Menard will make his ninth and final start of the season for the People's Pitstop. Let's hope he makes the most of it.
And if you want to make the most of your experience here at this site, don't forget to vote for the wide receiver and tight end you think the People's Pigskin should target in Monday night's fantasy football draft.
We'll be back with some predictions for Sunday's race and the results of the football polls.
A List: It shouldn't be surprising that the winners of this poll are also the top two drivers in points: Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. By qualifying 3rd (or 14 spots in front of Johnson), Busch earned himself a starting spot and the Pitstop 3 bonus points.
B List: This poll came down to the proverbial wire. Brad Keselowski won -- something he's been doing quite frequently of late -- followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and, in driver-points tiebreaker, Clint Bowyer. Bowyer qualified 2nd (earning us 5 bonus points), while Allmendinger qualified 11th. They will start, while Keselowski (14th) and Earnhardt (29th) will sit.
C List: The usual suspects rose to the top of this poll -- Paul Menard and Regan Smith. Menard qualified 22nd, while Smith qualified 26th. This means that Menard will make his ninth and final start of the season for the People's Pitstop. Let's hope he makes the most of it.
And if you want to make the most of your experience here at this site, don't forget to vote for the wide receiver and tight end you think the People's Pigskin should target in Monday night's fantasy football draft.
We'll be back with some predictions for Sunday's race and the results of the football polls.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Staying on Top in Tennessee
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.
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.
Monday, September 6, 2010
While We Were Drafting
NASCAR was holding a great race and hoping that its fans stick around when the NFL's regular season kicks off this week.
The People's Pitstop managed to rack up 295 points during Sunday night's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The season total rose to 6,720, good enough for 38,286th overall on Yahoo Sports and lifting us 19 spots, to 48th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team did it.
Tony Stewart: Started 5th, finished 1st, 176 laps led and 110 fantasy points, including 20 for leading the most laps. He should have this much trouble with restarts every week.
Kasey Kahne: Started 10th, finished 32nd (15 laps behind the leaders), 16 laps led and 38 fantasy points, including the 10-point bonus for leading a lap. A late get-together with Kurt Busch caused a flat tire that pretty much ended Kahne's chances.
Ryan Newman: Started 2nd, finished 8th, 9 laps led and 91 fantasy points, including the 10-points lap-leading bonus. His score would have been higher if Kahne, who blamed Newman for his get-together with Busch and tried to settle the score. It's never good for your fantasy team to have a driver involved in a dispute like this; it's even worse when your team is on both sides of one.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 16th, finished 18th and 56 fantasy points. You know you had a quiet race when your most exciting citation in the NASCAR lap-by-lap report shows you breaking into the top 10 -- on lap 26.
Ten drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase; the others have one race to do so. NASCAR takes its act to Richmond on Saturday night. The polls are up and will close Thursday evening. Most of the football polls (located right below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. The one involving the Minnesota Vikings defense will close Thursday morning. Please vote now.
The People's Pitstop managed to rack up 295 points during Sunday night's Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The season total rose to 6,720, good enough for 38,286th overall on Yahoo Sports and lifting us 19 spots, to 48th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league.
Here's how the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team did it.
Tony Stewart: Started 5th, finished 1st, 176 laps led and 110 fantasy points, including 20 for leading the most laps. He should have this much trouble with restarts every week.
Kasey Kahne: Started 10th, finished 32nd (15 laps behind the leaders), 16 laps led and 38 fantasy points, including the 10-point bonus for leading a lap. A late get-together with Kurt Busch caused a flat tire that pretty much ended Kahne's chances.
Ryan Newman: Started 2nd, finished 8th, 9 laps led and 91 fantasy points, including the 10-points lap-leading bonus. His score would have been higher if Kahne, who blamed Newman for his get-together with Busch and tried to settle the score. It's never good for your fantasy team to have a driver involved in a dispute like this; it's even worse when your team is on both sides of one.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 16th, finished 18th and 56 fantasy points. You know you had a quiet race when your most exciting citation in the NASCAR lap-by-lap report shows you breaking into the top 10 -- on lap 26.
Ten drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase; the others have one race to do so. NASCAR takes its act to Richmond on Saturday night. The polls are up and will close Thursday evening. Most of the football polls (located right below the NASCAR ones) will close Sunday morning. The one involving the Minnesota Vikings defense will close Thursday morning. Please vote now.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Atlanta
As the People's League prepares for Sunday night's draft and hundreds of entertainers prepare for Jerry Lewis' shindig, it's time to offer the weekly predictions for which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10 race in the Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Our most recent predictions went a respectable 5-5, leaving us with an almost respectable season record of 109-121.
1. Kevin Harvick. All he has to do over the next two weeks is make sure he doesn't get hurt on the way to the Chase.
2. Jeff Gordon. Ditto.
3. Kyle Busch. You want a hot hand? Mr. Pink Car and a Pink Suit thoroughly dominated Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
4. Denny Hamlin. He has the pole, and the way things stand now, he'd start the Chase with the lead.
5. Clint Bowyer. Given the right set of circumstances, he could actually sew up the 12th and final Chase spot...
6. Jamie McMurray. ...or he could open the door for McMurray, who won his first Nationwide race in six years on Saturday.
7. Kasey Kahne. He won here last year, and stranger things have happened.
8. Tony Stewart. He found trouble in Bristol, but he still have five top 10 finishes in his last six races, and he starts fifth tonight.
9. Ryan Newman. There's no denying that Newman knows how to go fast in Atlanta. He's starting second tonight, and he has seven poles on this track.
10. David Ragan. This week's medium-to-long shot (with emphasis on long) is a driver who's starting 9th on his sponsor's home track. If only he were racing the truck...
We'll be back with results from the fantasy football polls, which will close in a few hours. Please vote now.
1. Kevin Harvick. All he has to do over the next two weeks is make sure he doesn't get hurt on the way to the Chase.
2. Jeff Gordon. Ditto.
3. Kyle Busch. You want a hot hand? Mr. Pink Car and a Pink Suit thoroughly dominated Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
4. Denny Hamlin. He has the pole, and the way things stand now, he'd start the Chase with the lead.
5. Clint Bowyer. Given the right set of circumstances, he could actually sew up the 12th and final Chase spot...
6. Jamie McMurray. ...or he could open the door for McMurray, who won his first Nationwide race in six years on Saturday.
7. Kasey Kahne. He won here last year, and stranger things have happened.
8. Tony Stewart. He found trouble in Bristol, but he still have five top 10 finishes in his last six races, and he starts fifth tonight.
9. Ryan Newman. There's no denying that Newman knows how to go fast in Atlanta. He's starting second tonight, and he has seven poles on this track.
10. David Ragan. This week's medium-to-long shot (with emphasis on long) is a driver who's starting 9th on his sponsor's home track. If only he were racing the truck...
We'll be back with results from the fantasy football polls, which will close in a few hours. Please vote now.
Friday, September 3, 2010
The People's Choice - Atlanta
Another week has come and gone, and you, the Internet, have spoken. You have determined which drivers will suit up for the People's Pitstop for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Here are the results.
A List. Another week, another tie at the top of this polls. This week's combatants are Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. We will use the qualifying session as the tiebreaker.
B List. For this poll, we have a clear-cut first place winner (Kasey Kahne) and a clear-cut second place winner (Ryan Newman). They will start this week, while Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer will watch from the bench.
C List. Here, we have yet another tie, this time between A.J. Allmendinger and Scott Speed. Whoever qualifies better will start; the other one will sit.
We'll update this post after the qualifying session. The poll results appear below. By the way, we still need two fantasy football players to take the last spots in the People's League. Any takers?
EDITED 7 P.M. The results are in. Tony Stewart, who qualified fifth, gets a starting nod over Jeff Gordon, who qualified 18th. A.J. Allmendinger, who qualified 16th, edged out Scott Speed, who qualified 20th. Kahne, who was already guaranteed a starting spot, qualified 10th. But the star of the session was Ryan Newman, who qualified 2nd behind Denny Hamlin and earned the People's Pitstop a 5-point bonus.
In the meantime, the People's League now needs just ONE ... MORE ... PLAYER. Want to take the last spot and make our league official? Sign up right now by clicking here.
[polldaddy poll=3690895] [polldaddy poll=3690897] [polldaddy poll=3690909]
A List. Another week, another tie at the top of this polls. This week's combatants are Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. We will use the qualifying session as the tiebreaker.
B List. For this poll, we have a clear-cut first place winner (Kasey Kahne) and a clear-cut second place winner (Ryan Newman). They will start this week, while Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer will watch from the bench.
C List. Here, we have yet another tie, this time between A.J. Allmendinger and Scott Speed. Whoever qualifies better will start; the other one will sit.
We'll update this post after the qualifying session. The poll results appear below. By the way, we still need two fantasy football players to take the last spots in the People's League. Any takers?
EDITED 7 P.M. The results are in. Tony Stewart, who qualified fifth, gets a starting nod over Jeff Gordon, who qualified 18th. A.J. Allmendinger, who qualified 16th, edged out Scott Speed, who qualified 20th. Kahne, who was already guaranteed a starting spot, qualified 10th. But the star of the session was Ryan Newman, who qualified 2nd behind Denny Hamlin and earned the People's Pitstop a 5-point bonus.
In the meantime, the People's League now needs just ONE ... MORE ... PLAYER. Want to take the last spot and make our league official? Sign up right now by clicking here.
[polldaddy poll=3690895] [polldaddy poll=3690897] [polldaddy poll=3690909]
NFL Polls and Notes
Those of you interested in helping the People's Pitstop set its lineup for Sunday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway still have a few hours to vote on those polls. And those fantasy football fans who are interested in helping the People's Pigskin set the top of its draft board have some new polls available under the NASCAR ones.
So far, you, the Internet, have decided that and Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Frank Gore should be the top five players on our draft board. You also decided that Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers should be our top quarterbacks, that Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Marshall should be our top wide receivers, that Dallas Clark should be our top tight end and that the New York Jets should be our top defense/special teams.
You'll have until Sunday evening to vote on the newest football polls. They will close shortly before the People's League draft, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. By the way, we still need three players to sign up for this league. Any takers? Click here.
In the meantime, here are a few stories fantasy football players should be following as the regular season (mercifully) approaches.
Pittsburgh pitfalls: The good news is that Ben Roethlisberger didn't do anything egregious over the last few months, so he will miss only the first four games of the season. The bad news is that Byron Leftwich may not be so lucky.
Leftwich, the quarterback still best known for getting a lift from his linemen, was expected to fill in for Roethlisberger during his suspension. But that was before Leftwich sprained his knee Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. That means either Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch will get the starting spot. For fantasy football fans, it means you might want to downgrade Pittsburgh's receivers (and running backs, since defenses will be less nervous about stuffing the box) until Batch/Dixon proves that they can get the job done.
Denouement in the desert: We knew the Arizona Cardinals would have a hard time filling the dancing shoes of Kurt Warner. What we did not know was that Matt Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner who has watched Warner for the last few years and presumably has absorbed Ken Whisenhunt's system, would fail to hold off Cleveland Browns castoff Derek Anderson. By the time you read this post, Leinart could be traded to another team or on the street.
If you have Larry Fitzgerald on your team, it's OK to be nervous. If you have Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower, it's OK to salivate over the handoffs they might be getting next week.
Game 4's not for them: The National Football League is considering switching from a four-game preseason to a two-game one. Those who are probably in favor of that right about now include LenDale White (out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon),Montario Hardesty (out with a torn ACL) and Albert Haynesworth (who played the whole game and probably wishes he were injured Thursday night).
In happier news: Patrick Crayton has a new home, while Vincent Jackson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may soon get theirs. Stay tuned.
We'll be back later with results from the NASCAR polls.
So far, you, the Internet, have decided that and Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Frank Gore should be the top five players on our draft board. You also decided that Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers should be our top quarterbacks, that Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Marshall should be our top wide receivers, that Dallas Clark should be our top tight end and that the New York Jets should be our top defense/special teams.
You'll have until Sunday evening to vote on the newest football polls. They will close shortly before the People's League draft, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. By the way, we still need three players to sign up for this league. Any takers? Click here.
In the meantime, here are a few stories fantasy football players should be following as the regular season (mercifully) approaches.
Pittsburgh pitfalls: The good news is that Ben Roethlisberger didn't do anything egregious over the last few months, so he will miss only the first four games of the season. The bad news is that Byron Leftwich may not be so lucky.
Leftwich, the quarterback still best known for getting a lift from his linemen, was expected to fill in for Roethlisberger during his suspension. But that was before Leftwich sprained his knee Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. That means either Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch will get the starting spot. For fantasy football fans, it means you might want to downgrade Pittsburgh's receivers (and running backs, since defenses will be less nervous about stuffing the box) until Batch/Dixon proves that they can get the job done.
Denouement in the desert: We knew the Arizona Cardinals would have a hard time filling the dancing shoes of Kurt Warner. What we did not know was that Matt Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner who has watched Warner for the last few years and presumably has absorbed Ken Whisenhunt's system, would fail to hold off Cleveland Browns castoff Derek Anderson. By the time you read this post, Leinart could be traded to another team or on the street.
If you have Larry Fitzgerald on your team, it's OK to be nervous. If you have Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower, it's OK to salivate over the handoffs they might be getting next week.
Game 4's not for them: The National Football League is considering switching from a four-game preseason to a two-game one. Those who are probably in favor of that right about now include LenDale White (out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon),Montario Hardesty (out with a torn ACL) and Albert Haynesworth (who played the whole game and probably wishes he were injured Thursday night).
In happier news: Patrick Crayton has a new home, while Vincent Jackson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may soon get theirs. Stay tuned.
We'll be back later with results from the NASCAR polls.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The People's Facts - Emory Healthcare 500
This week, fantasy NASCAR fans have until Friday evening to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup. To help you get ready for the pre-Labor-Day Sprint Cup race, we are proud to offer some information about this week's race site.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a mile-and-a-half oval in suburban Hampton, Georgia. Actually, according to NASCAR, the track is 1.54 miles long. That means a 325-lap race will cover a distance of 500.5 miles, but "Emory Healthcare 500.5" isn't quite as catchy.
Last time we were here: Way back in March, the People's Pigskin racked up 302 fantasy points with the help of Matt Kenseth, who finished second to Kurt Busch by about half a second.
Recent winners: Kasey Kahne (2009 fall), Carl Edwards (2008 fall), Jimmie Johnson (2007 fall).
Who wins here a lot: NASCAR has been coming to Atlanta for a long time. That might be why Bobby Labonte leads active drivers with six victories here. He's followed by fellow greybeard Bill Elliott (five) and starting-to-enter-greybeard-territory Jeff Gordon (four).
Saying good-bye (sort of): It seems as if everyone wants to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup these days. Unfortunately, in order to invite someone new to the party, NASCAR must either stretch a schedule that already includes 36 points races (and won't end until just before Thanksgiving) or take a race away from someone.
Next year, Atlanta will host only one Sprint Cup race; its second race is being given to Kentucky Speedway. Both tracks are owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. Smith fended off personal pleas from Georgia's governor to let Atlanta keep both its races. This goes to show that being the governor of a state doesn't carry quite the cachet it once did.
As usual, the good folks at Yahoo Sports have prepared a primer for fantasy racing fans wondering who to start for this week's race. You can download their guide by clicking here.
We'll be back with some more fantasy football polls. In the meantime, feel free to join the People's League and/or get your friends to join.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a mile-and-a-half oval in suburban Hampton, Georgia. Actually, according to NASCAR, the track is 1.54 miles long. That means a 325-lap race will cover a distance of 500.5 miles, but "Emory Healthcare 500.5" isn't quite as catchy.
Last time we were here: Way back in March, the People's Pigskin racked up 302 fantasy points with the help of Matt Kenseth, who finished second to Kurt Busch by about half a second.
Recent winners: Kasey Kahne (2009 fall), Carl Edwards (2008 fall), Jimmie Johnson (2007 fall).
Who wins here a lot: NASCAR has been coming to Atlanta for a long time. That might be why Bobby Labonte leads active drivers with six victories here. He's followed by fellow greybeard Bill Elliott (five) and starting-to-enter-greybeard-territory Jeff Gordon (four).
Saying good-bye (sort of): It seems as if everyone wants to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup these days. Unfortunately, in order to invite someone new to the party, NASCAR must either stretch a schedule that already includes 36 points races (and won't end until just before Thanksgiving) or take a race away from someone.
Next year, Atlanta will host only one Sprint Cup race; its second race is being given to Kentucky Speedway. Both tracks are owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. Smith fended off personal pleas from Georgia's governor to let Atlanta keep both its races. This goes to show that being the governor of a state doesn't carry quite the cachet it once did.
As usual, the good folks at Yahoo Sports have prepared a primer for fantasy racing fans wondering who to start for this week's race. You can download their guide by clicking here.
We'll be back with some more fantasy football polls. In the meantime, feel free to join the People's League and/or get your friends to join.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Meanwhile, back in NASCAR ...
While the Cincinnati Bengals were getting fricasseed for paying Antonio Bryant $8 million to take his gimpy knee and go home, the folks who run NASCAR were giving their Sprint Cup drivers the week off. (True, some of them went north of the border to lose to Boris Said at a road course, but that doesn't count, right?)
Also, you, the Internet, were helping the People's Pigskin determine its draft board for a draft that's scheduled for a week from now. We now know who will be fifth overall (Frank Gore), who will be the third QB (Aaron Rodgers), who will be the third WR (Brandon Marshall) and who will be our top tight end (Dallas Clark) and our top defense/special teams (the New York Jets). Thank for voting.
The newest polls ask who should start for the People's Pitstop for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta. Please vote now. And please sign up to run a team in the People's League. You wouldn't want the Internet's favorite fantasy football team to have nowhere to play, would you?
The results of our most recent football polls can be seen below.
[polldaddy poll=3674874] [polldaddy poll=3674884] [polldaddy poll=3674892] [polldaddy poll=3674903] [polldaddy poll=3674905]
Also, you, the Internet, were helping the People's Pigskin determine its draft board for a draft that's scheduled for a week from now. We now know who will be fifth overall (Frank Gore), who will be the third QB (Aaron Rodgers), who will be the third WR (Brandon Marshall) and who will be our top tight end (Dallas Clark) and our top defense/special teams (the New York Jets). Thank for voting.
The newest polls ask who should start for the People's Pitstop for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta. Please vote now. And please sign up to run a team in the People's League. You wouldn't want the Internet's favorite fantasy football team to have nowhere to play, would you?
The results of our most recent football polls can be seen below.
[polldaddy poll=3674874] [polldaddy poll=3674884] [polldaddy poll=3674892] [polldaddy poll=3674903] [polldaddy poll=3674905]
Monday, March 8, 2010
Some Thoughts on Sunday
First things first. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team racked up 302 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Atlanta. That's good enough to continue the People's Pitstop's rise up the charts. We're now tied for 81,663rd overall and tied for 92nd in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here's your weekly breakdown.
Jimmie Johnson. Started 16th, finished 12th, 68 fantasy points. He didn't finish in the top 10, but he didn't get a bad batch of tires, either.
Kevin Harvick. Started 35th, finished 9th, 74 fantasy points. That's four straight finishes in the top 10 for the happy one.
Matt Kenseth. Started 14th, finished 2nd, 88 fantasy points. And for Kenseth, that's four finished in the top 10 and three in the top five.
Scott Speed. Started 32rd, finished 10th, 72 fantasy points. Yes, Scott Speed finished in the top 10. No, it's not necessarily the end of the world as we know it.
The only bad news for our team: For the first week of the NASCAR season, none of our drivers led a lap.
Speaking of the NASCAR season, it's taking this week off (we'll explore that topic later this week), but it's also leaving racing fans a juicy controversy. What do you do when a ticked-off Carl Edwards decides to get revenge on Brad Keselowski by flipping him and his car into the air? Some think NASCAR should do nothing, since it asked for this when it said it would let drivers settle disputes among themselves. Others say fans' lives may be on the line.
Our latest poll won't ask you what type of punishment NASCAR will (or should) dish out to the drivers in question. Your task is much simpler. Tell us whose fault it was.
We'll be back later with more on racing's off week and football's busy week. In the meantime, here are the results from the TV poll.
[polldaddy poll=2760569]
Jimmie Johnson. Started 16th, finished 12th, 68 fantasy points. He didn't finish in the top 10, but he didn't get a bad batch of tires, either.
Kevin Harvick. Started 35th, finished 9th, 74 fantasy points. That's four straight finishes in the top 10 for the happy one.
Matt Kenseth. Started 14th, finished 2nd, 88 fantasy points. And for Kenseth, that's four finished in the top 10 and three in the top five.
Scott Speed. Started 32rd, finished 10th, 72 fantasy points. Yes, Scott Speed finished in the top 10. No, it's not necessarily the end of the world as we know it.
The only bad news for our team: For the first week of the NASCAR season, none of our drivers led a lap.
Speaking of the NASCAR season, it's taking this week off (we'll explore that topic later this week), but it's also leaving racing fans a juicy controversy. What do you do when a ticked-off Carl Edwards decides to get revenge on Brad Keselowski by flipping him and his car into the air? Some think NASCAR should do nothing, since it asked for this when it said it would let drivers settle disputes among themselves. Others say fans' lives may be on the line.
Our latest poll won't ask you what type of punishment NASCAR will (or should) dish out to the drivers in question. Your task is much simpler. Tell us whose fault it was.
We'll be back later with more on racing's off week and football's busy week. In the meantime, here are the results from the TV poll.
[polldaddy poll=2760569]
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Atlanta
It's Race Day, and thanks to you, the Internet, the People's Pitstop lineup is all set for today's Kobalt Tools 500. The only thing left to do is offer some forecasts about which Sprint Cup drivers will finish in the top 10 today. Circumstances prevented us from offering predictions for last week's race in Las Vegas, but the Fontana predictions went 7-3, improving the season record to 8-12.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he's starting from the middle of the pack, but he's won the last two races. Oh, and did I mention that he's won the last FOUR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS? (Oh, I did? Good.)
2. Mark Martin. Johnson's teammate will start fourth in today's NASCAR race, and he's one of three drivers (along with the aforementioned Johnson) with a pair of top five finishes this season.
3. Kevin Harvick. Oh, by the way, you know that stat about three drivers with a pair of top five finishes? Not-So-Happy Harvick is the third.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Atlanta is a fast track, and winning the pole here should mean something, right?
5. Greg Biffle. OK, show of hands, please. How many of you fantasy racing fans thought Biffle would be one of four drivers (along with Harvick) to finish in the top 10 in each of the first three races? Liars.
6. Matt Kenseth. His status as one of the other four drivers in that category is a little more believable.
7. Clint Bowyer. But if you try to claim that you thought both Biffle and Bowyer would start the season with three top 10 finishes, I'm going to accuse you of running for public office.
8. Kurt Busch. After all, he did win this race last year.
9. Kyle Busch. He's on the front row, and we don't want Kyle accusing this fine fantasy sports site of favoring one brother over the other.
10. Denny Hamlin. Every list of predictions needs a wild card. Hamlin doesn't have a top 10 finish yet this season. Does that mean he's "due"? Let's find out.
We'll be back tomorrow with a new poll. Until then, enjoy the race, and if you have some time to spare, be sure to join us at the From the Marbles chat on Yahoo Sports by clicking here.
1. Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he's starting from the middle of the pack, but he's won the last two races. Oh, and did I mention that he's won the last FOUR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS? (Oh, I did? Good.)
2. Mark Martin. Johnson's teammate will start fourth in today's NASCAR race, and he's one of three drivers (along with the aforementioned Johnson) with a pair of top five finishes this season.
3. Kevin Harvick. Oh, by the way, you know that stat about three drivers with a pair of top five finishes? Not-So-Happy Harvick is the third.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Atlanta is a fast track, and winning the pole here should mean something, right?
5. Greg Biffle. OK, show of hands, please. How many of you fantasy racing fans thought Biffle would be one of four drivers (along with Harvick) to finish in the top 10 in each of the first three races? Liars.
6. Matt Kenseth. His status as one of the other four drivers in that category is a little more believable.
7. Clint Bowyer. But if you try to claim that you thought both Biffle and Bowyer would start the season with three top 10 finishes, I'm going to accuse you of running for public office.
8. Kurt Busch. After all, he did win this race last year.
9. Kyle Busch. He's on the front row, and we don't want Kyle accusing this fine fantasy sports site of favoring one brother over the other.
10. Denny Hamlin. Every list of predictions needs a wild card. Hamlin doesn't have a top 10 finish yet this season. Does that mean he's "due"? Let's find out.
We'll be back tomorrow with a new poll. Until then, enjoy the race, and if you have some time to spare, be sure to join us at the From the Marbles chat on Yahoo Sports by clicking here.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The People's Facts - Kobalt Tools 500
There's still time for you to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's Sprint Cup race. To help you make your decisions about which drivers to take (one more time, it's 2 from the A List, 4 from the B List, 2 from the C List), it's time to offer you some information about NASCAR's return to the Deep South.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has no trouble generating high speeds. The qualifying record is held by Geoff Bodine at 197 miles per hour. (Don't try this at home; there's a reason your speedometer probably doesn't go that high.)
Recent winners: Kurt Busch (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Jimmie Johnson (2007)
Who wins a lot here: Bobby Labonte leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins on this track. Bill Elliott has five victories, while Jeff Gordon has four.
Good seats available. No, really. You would think that a track located in the middle of what folks would consider "NASCAR country" hosting a race that isn't competing with football or baseball (other than spring training) and doesn't have to worry about the NCAA basketball tournament yet would have no trouble selling out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Atlanta currently hosts two Sprint Cup races a season, but it might lose one soon. What could be keeping racing fans away from the track on this particular date? Only one thing I can think of.
For a more detailed preview from Yahoo, download this PDF. The polls will close Thursday night.
Track basics: Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has no trouble generating high speeds. The qualifying record is held by Geoff Bodine at 197 miles per hour. (Don't try this at home; there's a reason your speedometer probably doesn't go that high.)
Recent winners: Kurt Busch (2009), Kyle Busch (2008), Jimmie Johnson (2007)
Who wins a lot here: Bobby Labonte leads active NASCAR drivers with six wins on this track. Bill Elliott has five victories, while Jeff Gordon has four.
Good seats available. No, really. You would think that a track located in the middle of what folks would consider "NASCAR country" hosting a race that isn't competing with football or baseball (other than spring training) and doesn't have to worry about the NCAA basketball tournament yet would have no trouble selling out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Atlanta currently hosts two Sprint Cup races a season, but it might lose one soon. What could be keeping racing fans away from the track on this particular date? Only one thing I can think of.
For a more detailed preview from Yahoo, download this PDF. The polls will close Thursday night.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Vegas Payoff (and Atlanta Polls)
Now, that's more like it, NASCAR fans.
You, the Internet, picked some winners this week for the People's Pitstop lineup for the Las Vegas race. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored 342 points on Sunday. That leaves us with a season total of 795, good enough to be tied for 110,321st overall and tied for 127th in the Fans of From the Marbles league. We leaped 72 spots in this week's standings. Here's how we did it.
Jimmy Johnson: Started 20th, finished first, 18 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Yes, Virginia, the People's Pitstop finally had a winner in its starting lineup, even if Fox Sports didn't see it coming.
Kevin Harvick: Started 34th, finished second, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Maybe Harvick should discuss horseshoes more often. He got 10 bonus points for leading a lap, and he currently sits on top of the Sprint Cup points list.
Clint Bowyer. Started 13th, finished eighth, 3 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Another top 10 driver, and another 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Scott Speed. Started 23rd, finished 22nd (1 lap behind the leaders), 4 laps led and 58 fantasy points. Speed was the only People's Pitstop driver to finish outside the top 10, but by staying away from pit row during a caution, he got 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Now that Vegas is in everyone's rear view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to Sunday's race in Atlanta. You know the drill by now. The new polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night, so we can submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. Also, since the weather wreaked havoc with a lot of folks last week (including the folks who bring you this fine fantasy Web site), the TV poll will stay up for the time being, too. Feel free to vote now.
You, the Internet, picked some winners this week for the People's Pitstop lineup for the Las Vegas race. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored 342 points on Sunday. That leaves us with a season total of 795, good enough to be tied for 110,321st overall and tied for 127th in the Fans of From the Marbles league. We leaped 72 spots in this week's standings. Here's how we did it.
Jimmy Johnson: Started 20th, finished first, 18 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Yes, Virginia, the People's Pitstop finally had a winner in its starting lineup, even if Fox Sports didn't see it coming.
Kevin Harvick: Started 34th, finished second, 2 laps led and 98 fantasy points. Maybe Harvick should discuss horseshoes more often. He got 10 bonus points for leading a lap, and he currently sits on top of the Sprint Cup points list.
Clint Bowyer. Started 13th, finished eighth, 3 laps led and 86 fantasy points. Another top 10 driver, and another 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Scott Speed. Started 23rd, finished 22nd (1 lap behind the leaders), 4 laps led and 58 fantasy points. Speed was the only People's Pitstop driver to finish outside the top 10, but by staying away from pit row during a caution, he got 10 bonus points for leading a lap.
Now that Vegas is in everyone's rear view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to Sunday's race in Atlanta. You know the drill by now. The new polls are up and will stay up until Thursday night, so we can submit a lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. Also, since the weather wreaked havoc with a lot of folks last week (including the folks who bring you this fine fantasy Web site), the TV poll will stay up for the time being, too. Feel free to vote now.
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