Those of you interested in the People's Pitstop have a couple of hours left to vote on which NASCAR drivers should start for us during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Motor Speedway. But now, it's time to discuss one of the many facets of fantasy football that can make you do this.
The best time to be a fantasy football player may be the last few days before the season kicks off. Your team is undefeated, all your players lead the league in points and the NFL is still unpredictable enough to make you think this will be the year. The year you win that coveted trophy, and the the year your team gets to play the big game in the House That Texas Taxpayers Built.
Then the games kick off, and sooner or later, you have to make a choice. Do you maintain faith in the lineup that caught your eye in August, or do you adjust to new realities?
First, let's address the easiest question. You cut your kicker at the first sign of trouble. You don't wait until his team brings in a 46-year-old to try out for the job.
Injuries are also easy -- sometimes. Actually, they range from "injured reserve" easy to "game-time decision" hard. Teams also can make your decision easy by benching your player or giving him his walking papers.
The hard part comes when the player performs poorly but doesn't get sent to the bench. Do you hope that this is the week a player like Brett Favre to play his way out of a slump? Do you assume Rashard Mendenhall will bounce back once his quarterback comes back from his suspension for being stupid? Do you ignore the high draft pick you spent on Larry Fitzgerald and turn to a waiver wire star like Lance Moore?
The truth is that there is no one answer to any of these questions. If there were, there would be far fewer people with opinions touting themselves as "experts," and fantasy football would be far less fun if it were predictable. All you can do is make the decision that you feel is best for you and your team. If your decision turns out to be wrong, at least you can say you followed your heart/gut/instincts. This may make you less likely to want to do this.
The only team that doesn't have this option: the People's Pigskin. We have to do what you, the Internet, tell us to do. So tell us what to do.
We'll be back with the results of the NASCAR polls.
Showing posts with label Oakland Raiders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oakland Raiders. Show all posts
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Recommended Thursday Night Reading
(First, a quick NASCAR note: Remember the other day, when I wrote that Clint Bowyer was a legitimate contender to dethrone Jimmie Johnson as the Sprint Cup champion, as long as he kept passing inspections? Um ... never mind.)
Here are a few links for you fantasy football fans to peruse while you wait for the weekend to arrive.
Yes, the first one is about kickers. Deal with it. I'm sure somebody out there lost a fantasy football game because of what happened to Graham Gano. He was the Washington Redskins kicker who kicked what should have been the game-winning field goal Sunday against Houston, only Gary Kubiak called timeout, forcing Gano to rekick (and miss).
More than a few people are thinking "There ought to be a rule against that sort of thing." But according to the Wall Street Journal, that might not be necessary. The Journal studied NFL kicks attempted since 2000 in overtime or the last two minutes of regulation, and it found kickers are more likely to make their kicks if the opposing coach uses the old "icing the kicker" trick.
Of course, that's cold comfort for those who lost the game thanks to Gano's miss and/or Neil Rackers' subsequent game-winning kick.
So let me get this straight ... The Oakland Raiders are smart for calling on Bruce Gradkowski to start in Week 3 over a healthy Jason Campbell, but the Philadelphia Eagles are crazy for calling on Michael Vick to start in Week 3 over a now-healthy Kevin Kolb? In the immortal words of Chevy Chase, can I get a ruling on this?
(Here's your ruling: Start Vick if you have him. Wait and see on Gradkowski.)
The dummy factor. As long as it involves NFL players, fantasy football will always have to deal with situations like Braylon Edwards' DWI arrest -- which, before we go on, was despicable, especially given the program that the team offers to its players precisely to prevent things like this from happening.
The courts will have their say on the matter in due time, and Roger Goodell may or may not wait until then to render his verdict. In the meantime, the New York Jets have a game to play Sunday night, and their plans for Edwards remain murky. The team has said he won't start but will play against the Dolphins. That could mean he'll miss the first series but will play the rest of the game. It could mean he could make a token appearance in the fourth quarter. It could mean anything in between.
For fantasy players, it means that, in addition to getting ready for the possibility of a suspension down the road, they have to consider Edwards less of an effective option than he would have been as a starter.
All because he didn't pick up his phone and say, "Can I get a lift?"
Please vote now on the NASCAR polls. They will close in a few hours, so we can set the People's Pitstop lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back with the results.
Here are a few links for you fantasy football fans to peruse while you wait for the weekend to arrive.
Yes, the first one is about kickers. Deal with it. I'm sure somebody out there lost a fantasy football game because of what happened to Graham Gano. He was the Washington Redskins kicker who kicked what should have been the game-winning field goal Sunday against Houston, only Gary Kubiak called timeout, forcing Gano to rekick (and miss).
More than a few people are thinking "There ought to be a rule against that sort of thing." But according to the Wall Street Journal, that might not be necessary. The Journal studied NFL kicks attempted since 2000 in overtime or the last two minutes of regulation, and it found kickers are more likely to make their kicks if the opposing coach uses the old "icing the kicker" trick.
Of course, that's cold comfort for those who lost the game thanks to Gano's miss and/or Neil Rackers' subsequent game-winning kick.
So let me get this straight ... The Oakland Raiders are smart for calling on Bruce Gradkowski to start in Week 3 over a healthy Jason Campbell, but the Philadelphia Eagles are crazy for calling on Michael Vick to start in Week 3 over a now-healthy Kevin Kolb? In the immortal words of Chevy Chase, can I get a ruling on this?
(Here's your ruling: Start Vick if you have him. Wait and see on Gradkowski.)
The dummy factor. As long as it involves NFL players, fantasy football will always have to deal with situations like Braylon Edwards' DWI arrest -- which, before we go on, was despicable, especially given the program that the team offers to its players precisely to prevent things like this from happening.
The courts will have their say on the matter in due time, and Roger Goodell may or may not wait until then to render his verdict. In the meantime, the New York Jets have a game to play Sunday night, and their plans for Edwards remain murky. The team has said he won't start but will play against the Dolphins. That could mean he'll miss the first series but will play the rest of the game. It could mean he could make a token appearance in the fourth quarter. It could mean anything in between.
For fantasy players, it means that, in addition to getting ready for the possibility of a suspension down the road, they have to consider Edwards less of an effective option than he would have been as a starter.
All because he didn't pick up his phone and say, "Can I get a lift?"
Please vote now on the NASCAR polls. They will close in a few hours, so we can set the People's Pitstop lineup in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back with the results.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The People's Victory!
It's now official: The People's Pigskin won its initial matchup against the former Beanie's Weenies by a score of 103-54. Here's how we did it.
Peyton Manning, QB: 40 for 57 passing for 433 yards, 3 touchdowns and 29 fantasy points. He and his Indianapolis Colts can't be happy about their performance against the Houston Texans, but even what Manning would consider an off day is a pretty good day for fantasy football.
Michael Turner, RB: 19 rushes for 42 yards, 1 reception for 7 yards and 4 fantasy points. Chalk one up for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. They stuffed the run and forced Matt Ryan to try to win the game with his arm. Turner will have better days.
Darren McFadden, RB: 18 rushes for 95 yards, 6 receptions for 55 yards, 1 touchdown and 20 fantasy points. That's more like it. It's too bad the Oakland Raiders faced a more talented team (and runner) on Sunday.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions for 45 yards and 4 points. Those numbers would be much stronger if it weren't for a certain ruling. Fantasy players will have to hope Calvin wraps his arms around the ball next time. Oh, and they better hope his new quarterback is as good as his old one.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 1 reception, 13 yards and 1 fantasy point. Fortunately, this week's contest was settled before Bowe had a chance to affect it.
Chad Ochocinco, Flex: 12 receptions, 159 yards, 1 touchdown and 21 fantasy points. Another excellent fantasy performance for someone whose team as a whole did not have a good day.
Antonio Gates, TE: 5 receptions, 76 yards, 1 touchdown and 13 fantasy points. Again, his points were gravy, but his numbers, even on a night when the San Diego Chargers weren't clicking, offer hope to fantasy players that maybe Vincent Jackson's absence won't kill him, after all.
Minnesota Vikings, D/ST: 1 sack, 14 points allowed and 2 fantasy points. It's old news by now, but the Vikings' outing against the New Orleans Saints could have been a whole lot worse.
Jeff Reed, K: 3 for 5 on field goals and 9 fantasy points. You can take the glass-half-full view that Reed put up the type of points you would want from your fantasy kicker, or you can take the glass-half-empty view that Reed missed two kicks, including one that would have prevented Rashard Mendenhall's overtime run from ever happening.
Anyway, next up for the Internet's favorite fantasy football team is a matchup against the Hudson Valley Hawks. The lineup polls are now open (under the NASCAR polls) and will close Sunday morning. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some information about this week's NASCAR track.
Peyton Manning, QB: 40 for 57 passing for 433 yards, 3 touchdowns and 29 fantasy points. He and his Indianapolis Colts can't be happy about their performance against the Houston Texans, but even what Manning would consider an off day is a pretty good day for fantasy football.
Michael Turner, RB: 19 rushes for 42 yards, 1 reception for 7 yards and 4 fantasy points. Chalk one up for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. They stuffed the run and forced Matt Ryan to try to win the game with his arm. Turner will have better days.
Darren McFadden, RB: 18 rushes for 95 yards, 6 receptions for 55 yards, 1 touchdown and 20 fantasy points. That's more like it. It's too bad the Oakland Raiders faced a more talented team (and runner) on Sunday.
Calvin Johnson, WR: 4 receptions for 45 yards and 4 points. Those numbers would be much stronger if it weren't for a certain ruling. Fantasy players will have to hope Calvin wraps his arms around the ball next time. Oh, and they better hope his new quarterback is as good as his old one.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: 1 reception, 13 yards and 1 fantasy point. Fortunately, this week's contest was settled before Bowe had a chance to affect it.
Chad Ochocinco, Flex: 12 receptions, 159 yards, 1 touchdown and 21 fantasy points. Another excellent fantasy performance for someone whose team as a whole did not have a good day.
Antonio Gates, TE: 5 receptions, 76 yards, 1 touchdown and 13 fantasy points. Again, his points were gravy, but his numbers, even on a night when the San Diego Chargers weren't clicking, offer hope to fantasy players that maybe Vincent Jackson's absence won't kill him, after all.
Minnesota Vikings, D/ST: 1 sack, 14 points allowed and 2 fantasy points. It's old news by now, but the Vikings' outing against the New Orleans Saints could have been a whole lot worse.
Jeff Reed, K: 3 for 5 on field goals and 9 fantasy points. You can take the glass-half-full view that Reed put up the type of points you would want from your fantasy kicker, or you can take the glass-half-empty view that Reed missed two kicks, including one that would have prevented Rashard Mendenhall's overtime run from ever happening.
Anyway, next up for the Internet's favorite fantasy football team is a matchup against the Hudson Valley Hawks. The lineup polls are now open (under the NASCAR polls) and will close Sunday morning. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some information about this week's NASCAR track.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The People's Choice - Darlington
Sorry this post is so late. I was mourning two things: the end of JaMarcus Russell's career with the Oakland Raiders and the end of Ryan Leaf's reign as the biggest draft bust in the National Football League's history. We'll miss you, Ryan.
Anyway, you, the Internet, have spoken, and since we now have the qualifying results, we can reveal the full lineup the People's Pitstop will field for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington.
A List. This poll produced the clearest winner of all: Jeff Gordon. And you, the Internet, may be on to something. Gordon qualified second for Saturday's race, earning the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team 5 bonus points right off the bat. Jimmie Johnson will sit on the bench.
B List. One clear winner emerged in this poll: Jeff Burton, who qualified 11th. After Burton, there was a big tie that was broken when Joey Logano qualified 13th. The bench spots go to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth.
C List. Again, we had a tie that was broken by Friday's qualifying session. Your winner (and starter) is A.J. Allmendinger, who qualified 12th. Scott Speed will get a spot on the bench.
The poll results appear below. The new poll is about Mr. Russell's future. Feel free to vote now, even if you're this guy. We'll be back with our predictions for the top 10 finishers.
[polldaddy poll=3148931] [polldaddy poll=3148946] [polldaddy poll=3148953]
Anyway, you, the Internet, have spoken, and since we now have the qualifying results, we can reveal the full lineup the People's Pitstop will field for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington.
A List. This poll produced the clearest winner of all: Jeff Gordon. And you, the Internet, may be on to something. Gordon qualified second for Saturday's race, earning the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team 5 bonus points right off the bat. Jimmie Johnson will sit on the bench.
B List. One clear winner emerged in this poll: Jeff Burton, who qualified 11th. After Burton, there was a big tie that was broken when Joey Logano qualified 13th. The bench spots go to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth.
C List. Again, we had a tie that was broken by Friday's qualifying session. Your winner (and starter) is A.J. Allmendinger, who qualified 12th. Scott Speed will get a spot on the bench.
The poll results appear below. The new poll is about Mr. Russell's future. Feel free to vote now, even if you're this guy. We'll be back with our predictions for the top 10 finishers.
[polldaddy poll=3148931] [polldaddy poll=3148946] [polldaddy poll=3148953]
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Quarterbacks, Quarterbacks Everywhere ...
There's still time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol. While you ponder your votes and your brackets, it's time to ponder something football-related at the People's Pigskin.
First, some basic math. There are 32 teams in the National Football League. Let's take as a given that the typical NFL team has three quarterbacks on its roster: a starter, a backup and an emergency third quarterback. I think the teams that collect quarterbacks the way some people collect stamps (yes, I'm looking at you, Jon Gruden) are balanced out by the teams that use a wide receiver who played quaterback in high school as their third quarterback. That means that, in any given season, there are 96 quarterback slots available in the NFL.
Now let's look at college football. According to the NCAA, 630 teams played college football in one division or another last year. If you add the 111 teams that play NAIA football, then you have 741 college teams in all, each of which has a starting quarterback. I have no idea exactly how many of these teams had a junior, senior or fifth-year senior starting at quarterback this past season, but let's just say, for the purpose of this exercise, that two-thirds of them did. That would mean there are 494 quarterbacks who would be eligible for selection in next month's NFL draft.
Think about that stat for a moment, fantasy football fans. Hundreds of quarterbacks are coming out of college every year, and you would think at least a few of them are coming out with the particular skills that make them NFL-ready. Yet so many of the stories you'll read over the next few months are about quarterbacks who are considered "projects" (even prospective top draft picks) or are being told they need to make "ridiculous" changes in the way they play if they want an NFL job.
Think about these things the next time someone working on the personnel department of an NFL team is called a "genius."
And despite the steady flow of candidates for the QB slots, people still end up recycling such stellar passers as Rex Grossman, and performances like JaMarcus Russell's are tolerated...oh, wait, Russell's tolerated because this guy likes him. Never mind.
Anyway, the polls close Thursday night so we can get a lineup submitted in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back Friday with a new poll.
First, some basic math. There are 32 teams in the National Football League. Let's take as a given that the typical NFL team has three quarterbacks on its roster: a starter, a backup and an emergency third quarterback. I think the teams that collect quarterbacks the way some people collect stamps (yes, I'm looking at you, Jon Gruden) are balanced out by the teams that use a wide receiver who played quaterback in high school as their third quarterback. That means that, in any given season, there are 96 quarterback slots available in the NFL.
Now let's look at college football. According to the NCAA, 630 teams played college football in one division or another last year. If you add the 111 teams that play NAIA football, then you have 741 college teams in all, each of which has a starting quarterback. I have no idea exactly how many of these teams had a junior, senior or fifth-year senior starting at quarterback this past season, but let's just say, for the purpose of this exercise, that two-thirds of them did. That would mean there are 494 quarterbacks who would be eligible for selection in next month's NFL draft.
Think about that stat for a moment, fantasy football fans. Hundreds of quarterbacks are coming out of college every year, and you would think at least a few of them are coming out with the particular skills that make them NFL-ready. Yet so many of the stories you'll read over the next few months are about quarterbacks who are considered "projects" (even prospective top draft picks) or are being told they need to make "ridiculous" changes in the way they play if they want an NFL job.
Think about these things the next time someone working on the personnel department of an NFL team is called a "genius."
And despite the steady flow of candidates for the QB slots, people still end up recycling such stellar passers as Rex Grossman, and performances like JaMarcus Russell's are tolerated...oh, wait, Russell's tolerated because this guy likes him. Never mind.
Anyway, the polls close Thursday night so we can get a lineup submitted in time for Friday's qualifying session. We'll be back Friday with a new poll.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Some Pre-Thanksgiving Reading
Here are some links to peruse while you consider what to do with our lineup for our upcoming matchup against the Hawaiian Surfriders.
Champ, why don't you stop talking for a while? In his always-essential "Monday Morning Quarterback," Peter King alerted football fans to a tweet he got Monday morning from our very own Chad Ochocinco:
"Good morning to all, top of the morning on this awesome football Sunday ALI-HOLMES=OCHO CINCO-NNAMDI'' I damn sure ain't HOLMES either.''
In case you missed yesterday's post, Chad got only 6 fantasy points Sunday and was kept out of the end zone by Nnamdi Asomugha and the rest of the Oakland Raiders.
Maybe Chad knew he was headed for a mediocre fantasy football performance. After all, Larry Holmes beat Muhammad Ali.
Cause for alarm. The New York Jets had to know they would need all the help they could get facing the New England Patriots in Foxboro. What they got instead was dragged out of their hotel rooms early Sunday morning when someone pulled a false fire alarm.
Once again, this is something that one of the pregame television shows could have flagged before fantasy players set their rosters. (And you can't argue that the networks didn't know about this. Players were sending out tweets starting practically the moment it happened.) Seriously, if you had known that the Jets were being pulled out of their beds that late, would you have started any of them?
The only Jet I would have started in those circumstances is Joe Namath, since he would have just been getting back to the hotel at that time, anyway.
Well, there's a switch. Unless you live in Buffalo or Jacksonville or had players from the Bills or Jaguars in your fantasy lineups, you probably did not see Eric Wood of the Buffalo Bills break his leg and end his season. That's because CBS decided that the injury was too gruesome to show in a replay. (If you want to see it for yourself, you can click here.)
It's interesting that CBS made that decision about that injury. Those of us old enough to remember Joe Theismann as something other than a TV personality remember how his playing career ended. When the Washington Redskins were playing the New York Giants on Monday night, Lawrence Taylor sacked Theismann and broke his leg in a way that probably still send chills down Joe's spine when he thinks about it. However, no one felt any qualms about replaying the hit immediately afterward or in the days, months and years that followed.
(You can see Taylor's hit, and a replay of it, by clicking here.)
We'll be back tomorrow with an early edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Champ, why don't you stop talking for a while? In his always-essential "Monday Morning Quarterback," Peter King alerted football fans to a tweet he got Monday morning from our very own Chad Ochocinco:
"Good morning to all, top of the morning on this awesome football Sunday ALI-HOLMES=OCHO CINCO-NNAMDI'' I damn sure ain't HOLMES either.''
In case you missed yesterday's post, Chad got only 6 fantasy points Sunday and was kept out of the end zone by Nnamdi Asomugha and the rest of the Oakland Raiders.
Maybe Chad knew he was headed for a mediocre fantasy football performance. After all, Larry Holmes beat Muhammad Ali.
Cause for alarm. The New York Jets had to know they would need all the help they could get facing the New England Patriots in Foxboro. What they got instead was dragged out of their hotel rooms early Sunday morning when someone pulled a false fire alarm.
Once again, this is something that one of the pregame television shows could have flagged before fantasy players set their rosters. (And you can't argue that the networks didn't know about this. Players were sending out tweets starting practically the moment it happened.) Seriously, if you had known that the Jets were being pulled out of their beds that late, would you have started any of them?
The only Jet I would have started in those circumstances is Joe Namath, since he would have just been getting back to the hotel at that time, anyway.
Well, there's a switch. Unless you live in Buffalo or Jacksonville or had players from the Bills or Jaguars in your fantasy lineups, you probably did not see Eric Wood of the Buffalo Bills break his leg and end his season. That's because CBS decided that the injury was too gruesome to show in a replay. (If you want to see it for yourself, you can click here.)
It's interesting that CBS made that decision about that injury. Those of us old enough to remember Joe Theismann as something other than a TV personality remember how his playing career ended. When the Washington Redskins were playing the New York Giants on Monday night, Lawrence Taylor sacked Theismann and broke his leg in a way that probably still send chills down Joe's spine when he thinks about it. However, no one felt any qualms about replaying the hit immediately afterward or in the days, months and years that followed.
(You can see Taylor's hit, and a replay of it, by clicking here.)
We'll be back tomorrow with an early edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The People's Choice - Week 7
Thanks to those of you who voted in this week's polls. You voted to leave the People's Pigskin lineup the way it is now. You can follow our fantasy football matchup against the Southern Rebels here.
You also voted to suspend Tom Cable for a season if the allegations against him are true. I know the Napa County district attorney decided not to file charges in the incident where Randy Hanson broke his jaw. So that means Cable is in the clear, right? Not necessarily.
A new poll is up. This one asks about your Sunday TV viewing habits. The results of the two most recent polls are below. We'll be back later with an update on this week's matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2149200] [polldaddy poll=2135646]
You also voted to suspend Tom Cable for a season if the allegations against him are true. I know the Napa County district attorney decided not to file charges in the incident where Randy Hanson broke his jaw. So that means Cable is in the clear, right? Not necessarily.
A new poll is up. This one asks about your Sunday TV viewing habits. The results of the two most recent polls are below. We'll be back later with an update on this week's matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2149200] [polldaddy poll=2135646]
Saturday, October 24, 2009
More Recommended Reading
The lineup and Tom Cable polls will close later tonight. In the meantime, here are some links for fellow fantasy football fans to enjoy.
Innovative, like New Coke? ESPN.com published an excerpt from Chuck Klosterman's new book "Eating the Dinosaur." The excerpt takes a look at the development of the "read option" play (a much better description than Wildcat, if you ask me) and argues that football isn't what you might think it is.
"It feels like a conservative game. It appeals to a conservative mind-set and a reactionary media and it promotes conservative values. But in tangible practicality, football is the most progressive game we have -- it constantly innovates, it immediately embraces every new technology, and almost all the important thinking about the game is liberal."
He also argues that the read option didn't exist 25 years ago, though I can think of at least one coach who would beg to differ. But never mind that. Chuck's piece (as usual) is worth your time.
Circling the wagons...to ensure the prey won't escape. I can't decide if this is a sign of the times or just the latest way for football fans to express their displeasure at their coach, but one of our fellow Wordpress users has a blog called Fire Dick Jauron! But these folks aren't just ranting. They're trying to do something more productive.
If you live in the Buffalo area, you might have noticed a billboard urging the venerable Ralph Wilson to give Jauron his walking papers. The folks at Fire Dick Jauron! are helping raise money for the billboard (and possibly for a second one). Most "fire the coach" sites never get past the name-calling stage. This one makes you hope Mr. Jauron leased his home instead of buying it.
What's a reading list without an Ochocinco item? Here's the latest on the People's Pigskin's most quotable player, Chad Ochocinco. It seems that he plans to form a social news network on Twitter. He's calling it OCNN (Ochocinco News Network). One thing's for sure: This network will get scoops on things like uniform violations.
It's like Cliff's Notes for football. If you watch Sunday's game between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders, you can expect to hear about the "Heidi Game" at least once. If you're not old enough to remember the incident, here's a video and a quick rundown.
On Nov. 17, 1968, the Raiders were trailing the Jets 32-29 when somebody decided the game was over. With 1:05 left on the clock, NBC affiliates in the eastern U.S. cut away from the game and started showing a made-for-TV remake of the movie "Heidi." In the meantime, the Raiders scored two touchdowns and won the game 43-32. NBC was flooded with angry calls, and football broadcasts have featured the phrase "will be seen in its entirety following today's game" ever since.
By the way, in researching this post, I learned that the "Heidi" in question was a made-for-TV version starring Jennifer Edwards, not the 1937 classic starring Shirley Temple. If the former ambassador is reading this, please accept my apologies for thinking you played a role in this controversy.
And apologies to the rest of you for not getting this post up sooner. There's still some time to vote in our polls. We'll be back Sunday morning with the results.
Innovative, like New Coke? ESPN.com published an excerpt from Chuck Klosterman's new book "Eating the Dinosaur." The excerpt takes a look at the development of the "read option" play (a much better description than Wildcat, if you ask me) and argues that football isn't what you might think it is.
"It feels like a conservative game. It appeals to a conservative mind-set and a reactionary media and it promotes conservative values. But in tangible practicality, football is the most progressive game we have -- it constantly innovates, it immediately embraces every new technology, and almost all the important thinking about the game is liberal."
He also argues that the read option didn't exist 25 years ago, though I can think of at least one coach who would beg to differ. But never mind that. Chuck's piece (as usual) is worth your time.
Circling the wagons...to ensure the prey won't escape. I can't decide if this is a sign of the times or just the latest way for football fans to express their displeasure at their coach, but one of our fellow Wordpress users has a blog called Fire Dick Jauron! But these folks aren't just ranting. They're trying to do something more productive.
If you live in the Buffalo area, you might have noticed a billboard urging the venerable Ralph Wilson to give Jauron his walking papers. The folks at Fire Dick Jauron! are helping raise money for the billboard (and possibly for a second one). Most "fire the coach" sites never get past the name-calling stage. This one makes you hope Mr. Jauron leased his home instead of buying it.
What's a reading list without an Ochocinco item? Here's the latest on the People's Pigskin's most quotable player, Chad Ochocinco. It seems that he plans to form a social news network on Twitter. He's calling it OCNN (Ochocinco News Network). One thing's for sure: This network will get scoops on things like uniform violations.
It's like Cliff's Notes for football. If you watch Sunday's game between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders, you can expect to hear about the "Heidi Game" at least once. If you're not old enough to remember the incident, here's a video and a quick rundown.
On Nov. 17, 1968, the Raiders were trailing the Jets 32-29 when somebody decided the game was over. With 1:05 left on the clock, NBC affiliates in the eastern U.S. cut away from the game and started showing a made-for-TV remake of the movie "Heidi." In the meantime, the Raiders scored two touchdowns and won the game 43-32. NBC was flooded with angry calls, and football broadcasts have featured the phrase "will be seen in its entirety following today's game" ever since.
By the way, in researching this post, I learned that the "Heidi" in question was a made-for-TV version starring Jennifer Edwards, not the 1937 classic starring Shirley Temple. If the former ambassador is reading this, please accept my apologies for thinking you played a role in this controversy.
And apologies to the rest of you for not getting this post up sooner. There's still some time to vote in our polls. We'll be back Sunday morning with the results.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The People's Choice: Week 6
Thanks to everyone who voted in our latest polls. You, the Internet, said that the People's Pigskin lineup should be left alone. So it was. This week's fantasy football matchup is a rematch against Tinks Revenge, who lost in week 3 to the Pigskin by a score of 54-45. You can follow this week's matchup here.
You, the Internet, also said you follow the football team located where you grew up. Personally, I'm relieved that no one said they chose their team because of the sexy uniforms.
Today, we have a poll suggested by a reader about the ongoing saga surrounding Tom Cable, Randy Hanson and the jaw that Cable may or may not have broken. And we have a layout change: From now on, the polls will appear on the right of the page (right under the people's football helmet) instead of within each post. That should make them easier to find.
At least, that's what I'm hoping.
Anyway, feel free to vote now, and enjoy the NFL action.
You, the Internet, also said you follow the football team located where you grew up. Personally, I'm relieved that no one said they chose their team because of the sexy uniforms.
Today, we have a poll suggested by a reader about the ongoing saga surrounding Tom Cable, Randy Hanson and the jaw that Cable may or may not have broken. And we have a layout change: From now on, the polls will appear on the right of the page (right under the people's football helmet) instead of within each post. That should make them easier to find.
At least, that's what I'm hoping.
Anyway, feel free to vote now, and enjoy the NFL action.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Quick Update and Must Read
Two items of business before the Sunday night game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans gets going tonight.
First, I feel a little like NBC right now. The network, looking at the Colts and Titans records thus far, must wish they had this week's selection back. And I wish we had a do-over on some slots tonight. The People's Pigskin currently holds a 71-70 lead over t-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs, but it may not last. The stumblrs have two Colts lining up tonight: Pierre Garcon and Adam Vinatieri. Our team has just one: Donald Brown. We need to hope Brown outperforms Garcon and Vinatieri combined. And betting against Adam in clutch moments is a bad idea.
Second, if you haven't read Michael Silver's interview with Randy Hanson, the Raiders assistant coach whose jaw may or may not have been broken by Tom Cable, you owe it to yourself to do so. Cable and the Raiders will have the National Football League's full resources available to them to get their side of the story out. Hanson, to put it bluntly, won't.
We'll be back tomorrow to wrap up this week and start working on next week.
First, I feel a little like NBC right now. The network, looking at the Colts and Titans records thus far, must wish they had this week's selection back. And I wish we had a do-over on some slots tonight. The People's Pigskin currently holds a 71-70 lead over t-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs, but it may not last. The stumblrs have two Colts lining up tonight: Pierre Garcon and Adam Vinatieri. Our team has just one: Donald Brown. We need to hope Brown outperforms Garcon and Vinatieri combined. And betting against Adam in clutch moments is a bad idea.
Second, if you haven't read Michael Silver's interview with Randy Hanson, the Raiders assistant coach whose jaw may or may not have been broken by Tom Cable, you owe it to yourself to do so. Cable and the Raiders will have the National Football League's full resources available to them to get their side of the story out. Hanson, to put it bluntly, won't.
We'll be back tomorrow to wrap up this week and start working on next week.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Saturday Morning Reading
Don't forget to vote on our lineup and the gambling question. While we wait for college football (aka the fantasy football scouting league) to get started, here are some links to visit.
Signs you have too much money. In fantasy football, "insurance" usually means drafting the backup for your stud running back in the event of injury. But these folks are taking it a step further -- they will sell you a policy that will pay you money if your team's star suffers a season-ending injury. (Be warned: This link offers no geckos, no cavemen, no former "24" actors, and no women named "Flo" who heart insurance.)
And this is different ... how? Right now, betting on NFL football games is legal in only two U.S. states: Nevada and Delaware. But when we were in Atlantic City last weekend, I noticed brochures for a Tropicana Football League. In a nutshell, you pick which teams will win each week, and if you pick correctly, you can win cash and "EZ Slot Dollars" (essentially, reward points that can be used at the Tropicana casino and hotel). Anyone who's read this far can figure out my stance on gambling, but I'm wondering why this is allowed in an Atlantic City casino but, say, going to the casino and betting $50 on the Packers is not.
Commitment to incompetence. The Oakland Raiders decided that the way to get Rich Gannon (now a CBS analyst) to stop pointing out his former team's flaws was to try to ban him from pregame production meetings. The Raiders relented (likely after hearing from someone in Roger Goodell's office) but maintain that the problem is not the message but the messenger. In case someone with the Raiders is reading this, let me say something: I think that your team botched the Lane Kiffin firing, that your first-round draft pick has been a bust so far, and that JaMarcus Russell (the quarterback you kept in the starting lineup while letting Jeff Garcia walk out the door) couldn't hit a cow in the rear end with a snow shovel right now. Are you going to try to ban me, too?
How lame is lame? Unlike the Raiders, I'm willing to listen to opinions that disagree with my own. For example, I'm willing to post a link to this blogger who asked which hobby is lamer: fantasy football or fan fiction (writing or posting stories exploring topics such as what would happen if Harry Potter married Hermione). His verdict: fantasy football is lame, but fan fiction is even lamer.
(I'm glad we won that matchup, at least.)
We'll be back later with the verdict on our lineup.
Signs you have too much money. In fantasy football, "insurance" usually means drafting the backup for your stud running back in the event of injury. But these folks are taking it a step further -- they will sell you a policy that will pay you money if your team's star suffers a season-ending injury. (Be warned: This link offers no geckos, no cavemen, no former "24" actors, and no women named "Flo" who heart insurance.)
And this is different ... how? Right now, betting on NFL football games is legal in only two U.S. states: Nevada and Delaware. But when we were in Atlantic City last weekend, I noticed brochures for a Tropicana Football League. In a nutshell, you pick which teams will win each week, and if you pick correctly, you can win cash and "EZ Slot Dollars" (essentially, reward points that can be used at the Tropicana casino and hotel). Anyone who's read this far can figure out my stance on gambling, but I'm wondering why this is allowed in an Atlantic City casino but, say, going to the casino and betting $50 on the Packers is not.
Commitment to incompetence. The Oakland Raiders decided that the way to get Rich Gannon (now a CBS analyst) to stop pointing out his former team's flaws was to try to ban him from pregame production meetings. The Raiders relented (likely after hearing from someone in Roger Goodell's office) but maintain that the problem is not the message but the messenger. In case someone with the Raiders is reading this, let me say something: I think that your team botched the Lane Kiffin firing, that your first-round draft pick has been a bust so far, and that JaMarcus Russell (the quarterback you kept in the starting lineup while letting Jeff Garcia walk out the door) couldn't hit a cow in the rear end with a snow shovel right now. Are you going to try to ban me, too?
How lame is lame? Unlike the Raiders, I'm willing to listen to opinions that disagree with my own. For example, I'm willing to post a link to this blogger who asked which hobby is lamer: fantasy football or fan fiction (writing or posting stories exploring topics such as what would happen if Harry Potter married Hermione). His verdict: fantasy football is lame, but fan fiction is even lamer.
(I'm glad we won that matchup, at least.)
We'll be back later with the verdict on our lineup.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The last cut is the deepest
Who would have thought that fantasy football players would need to be paying attention the day the National Football League reduces its rosters to 53 players. After all, that's the day the fifth- and sixth-string wide receivers hope not to hear the words, "Coach wants to see you. Bring your playbook." It's not supposed to be the day name-brand players are told to clean out their lockers.
Is it?
I know of at least one fantasy player who had Dominic Rhodes on the roster when the Buffalo Bills showed him the door. Rhodes was brought in during the off-season to shore up a running back platoon hampered by Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension. Rhodes was supposed to be the primary backup to Fred Jackson at the start of the season. Now, as of Sunday morning, the Bills have just two running backs with NFL experience available for the first three games, including the Monday night season opener against the New England Patriots.
Rhodes' cut was surprising, but surprisingly, it wasn't even the most surprising cut Saturday. (Yes, I just used some version of "surprising" three times in a sentence. It was that surprising.) That "honor" goes to the Oakland Raiders for telling Jeff Garcia that his services were no longer required. I haven't heard about it personally, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that fantasy players had found a spot for Garcia on their rosters. After all, he was brought in to compete with JaMarcus Russell (you know, the guy who can throw the ball 60+ yards on his knees) for the starting job. And keeping Garcia would have made it easier for the Raiders to pull Russell if he stinks out the joint.
But of course, these are the Raiders we're talking about.
Anyway, I'll be back Monday with thoughts about week 1 and the People's Pigskin lineup. In the meantime, you can vote in our snack poll here. And if you have any cut day horror stories, feel free to leave a comment. Enjoy your Sunday.
Is it?
I know of at least one fantasy player who had Dominic Rhodes on the roster when the Buffalo Bills showed him the door. Rhodes was brought in during the off-season to shore up a running back platoon hampered by Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension. Rhodes was supposed to be the primary backup to Fred Jackson at the start of the season. Now, as of Sunday morning, the Bills have just two running backs with NFL experience available for the first three games, including the Monday night season opener against the New England Patriots.
Rhodes' cut was surprising, but surprisingly, it wasn't even the most surprising cut Saturday. (Yes, I just used some version of "surprising" three times in a sentence. It was that surprising.) That "honor" goes to the Oakland Raiders for telling Jeff Garcia that his services were no longer required. I haven't heard about it personally, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that fantasy players had found a spot for Garcia on their rosters. After all, he was brought in to compete with JaMarcus Russell (you know, the guy who can throw the ball 60+ yards on his knees) for the starting job. And keeping Garcia would have made it easier for the Raiders to pull Russell if he stinks out the joint.
But of course, these are the Raiders we're talking about.
Anyway, I'll be back Monday with thoughts about week 1 and the People's Pigskin lineup. In the meantime, you can vote in our snack poll here. And if you have any cut day horror stories, feel free to leave a comment. Enjoy your Sunday.
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