At this time of year, the People's Pigskin is not the only football team seeking your help in choosing its lineup. (Hint: the polls are on the right.) The National Football League is soliciting fans' help in picking the players who will be invited to play in the Pro Bowl. The official ballot is here. The winners will be invited to play in Dolphin Stadium (not Landshark Stadium; the NFL has its own beer sponsor) the week before the Super Bowl.
Of course, the fans won't have the final word on the lineups. At least officially, the fans, players and coaches get an equal say in who goes to the Pro Bowl. But that doesn't mean fans can't put a little thought into their votes.
One of the consistent knocks against pro football's all-star game is that reputations count more than results -- a player who gets more TV interviews and films more commercials (or one who simply has been going to the Pro Bowl since the "Seinfeld" finale) will be chosen over a player who actually made the mistake of having a better season. But you, the Internet, have the power to overcome that, and you don't have to watch 40 hours of game film to do it.
Here's where fantasy football comes in. There are few better ways to compare one player to another heads-up without the bias of team logos or Nielsen ratings. This year, instead of simply voting for your favorite team's players or the first players that pop into your head, I would encourage you to vote for the players who are putting up the best fantasy numbers this year. If you do that, here's how your Pro Bowl ballot might look.
OFFENSE
Quarterback (3 from each conference). If you use ESPN fantasy points as your guide, your NFC passers would be Aaron Rodgers (185), Drew Brees (159) and Brett Favre (147, just 1 point above Tony Romo). Your AFC picks would be Peyton Manning (178), Tom Brady (176) and Matt Schaub (155).
Running back (3). Again, using ESPN points, your NFC backs would be Adrian Peterson (163), Michael Turner (138) and DeAngelo Williams (137). Your AFC picks: Chris Johnson (181), Maurice Jones-Drew (169) and Ray Rice (142).
Wide receiver (4). From the NFC: Larry Fitzgerald (115), Miles Austin (104), DeSean Jackson (103) and Roddy White (99). From the AFC: Reggie Wayne (130), Randy Moss (128), Vincent Jackson (112) and Andre Johnson (102).
Tight end (2). From the NFC: Vernon Davis (89) and Brent Celek (78). Yes, that means saying no to a certain PETA fan. From the AFC: Dallas Clark (90) and Antonio Gates (74 -- he's behind Owen Daniels but isn't on injured reserve).
Fullback (1). Here you can vote for the fullback with the most fantasy points or the fullback who helped his fellow running back get to the top of the fantasy heap. In that case, you would pick Minnesota's Naufahu Tahi for the NFC and Tennessee's Ahmard Hall for the AFC. (And if you haven't heard of either one until now, you're welcome.)
Offensive line (2 centers, 3 tackles, 3 guards). Here's where things get tricky. Most fantasy formats don't have scores for individual linemen. Your options: vote for the lines that got their running backs to the top, vote for the lines that got their quarterbacks to the top, or register for a site like Trench Fantasy that actually tracks blocking stats. For example, in the first half of the season, Trench Fantasy's top-scoring lines were the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts.
DEFENSE
If you play in a league that treats defense/special teams as a single entity (as most leagues do), you can simply vote for the players on the top-scoring defense/special teams. In ESPN's case, that would be the Saints, Eagles and Vikings on the NFC side and the Ravens, Broncos and Bengals on the AFC side. However, you can make more precise votes if you have access to IDP (individual defensive player) stats. These numbers come courtesy of FFToday.
Defensive end (3). NFC: Jared Allen (98), Andre Carter (80) and Julius Peppers (76.5). AFC: Robert Mathis (76), Aaron Schobel (65) and Dwight Freeney (59).
Defensive tackle (3). NFC: Kevin Williams (55.5), Jonathan Babineaux (48) and Albert Haynesworth (42). AFC: Marcus Stroud (52), Tommy Kelly (40) and Shaun Rogers (32.5).
Outside linebacker (3). NFC: Lance Briggs (74.5), Chad Greenway (74) and Mike Peterson (74). AFC: James Harrison (97.5), Brian Cushing (94) and Elvis Dumervil (85.5).
Inside linebacker (2). NFC: Patrick Willis (111.5) and Curtis Lofton (86.5). AFC: David Harris (85.5) and D.J. Williams (85.5).
Cornerback (3). NFC: Charles Woodson (92.5), Tracy Porter (75.5) and Terence Newman (74.5). AFC: Leon Hall (80.5), Johnathan Joseph (72) and Chris Johnson (68).
Strong safety (1). NFC: Roman Harper (73.5). AFC: Tyvon Branch (71.5).
Free safety (1). NFC: Darren Sharper (97). AFC: Antoine Bethea (92).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker (1). Going back to ESPN stats, you get David Akers (90) for the NFC and Stephen Gostkowski (84) for the AFC.
Kick returner (1). If you can find a fantasy league that credits receivers with return points, you get votes for Percy Harvin (only 889 yards, but 2 touchdowns to put him past Danny Amendola) for the NFC and Joshua Cribbs (1,236 yards, 2 touchdowns) for the AFC.
Punter (1). Here you can simply go with the NFL leaders: Andy Lee (2,665 yards) for the NFC and Shane Lechler (2,938 yards) for the AFC.
Special team player (1). OK, there are some areas where fantasy football can't help you. Pick your personal favorite.
You'll notice that this list is missing some famous names -- players who have spent so much time in Honolulu that they should probably be registered to vote there. But when you make your Pro Bowl picks according to fantasy stats, you realize something: Reputation is not a fantasy stat.
We'll be back tomorrow with the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Pick the People's Lineup - Week 11
The People's Pigskin doesn't have any players in Thursday night's game between the Miami Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers. However, this team does need to get on a winning streak in a hurry, so we'll need your help.
This week's opponent is the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here is how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. The one and only Kurt Warner is starting. He's now in the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks, and he gets the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Last week's starters are, at least for now, this week's starters. Matt Forte gets the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Chris "Beanie" Wells gets the Rams. If you wish to bench one of these players, we can start Jamal Lewis, who gets to play the Detroit Lions at least once more before he hangs up his cleats.
Flex. For now we have Greg Jennings in this spot. If he plays, he gets the San Francisco 49ers this week. The Green Bay Packers have said he'll miss practice time with his knee injury, but so far there's no indication that he'll miss playing time. If you think Jennings should sit, Lewis can come off our bench.
Wide receiver. Yes, it's the old Bengals duo of Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Ochocinco gets to face the Oakland Raiders this week, and he might be doing this now that both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are in his rear-view mirror. Houshmandzadeh gets the Minnesota Vikings. If you wish to bench one of these players, Nate Washington (whose Tennessee Titans play Monday night) is ready to play.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk). But we have to discuss one more position.
Defense/special teams. We've started the Philadelphia Eagles every week except their bye week. They are in the starting lineup now, and they get the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Facing the Bears with Jay Cutler at the helm can be feast or famine for a fantasy football player, and the Eagles haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in games shown on NBC.
This week, and for the rest of the season, the defense/special teams will appear in our lineup poll. If you want to sit the Eagles, we can call on the 49ers, who face the Packers.
The poll is up. Please vote. This fantasy football team is counting on you.
By the way, you may remember that the folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to play their Name Your Sleepers game. The result: the People's Pigskin defeated the Shack. Thanks to the Shack for inviting me to play, and yes, I'll remember next time to follow the rules, or they'll do this to me.
We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts about everyone's favorite game of all-stars.
This week's opponent is the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here is how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. The one and only Kurt Warner is starting. He's now in the top 10 among fantasy quarterbacks, and he gets the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Last week's starters are, at least for now, this week's starters. Matt Forte gets the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Chris "Beanie" Wells gets the Rams. If you wish to bench one of these players, we can start Jamal Lewis, who gets to play the Detroit Lions at least once more before he hangs up his cleats.
Flex. For now we have Greg Jennings in this spot. If he plays, he gets the San Francisco 49ers this week. The Green Bay Packers have said he'll miss practice time with his knee injury, but so far there's no indication that he'll miss playing time. If you think Jennings should sit, Lewis can come off our bench.
Wide receiver. Yes, it's the old Bengals duo of Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Ochocinco gets to face the Oakland Raiders this week, and he might be doing this now that both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are in his rear-view mirror. Houshmandzadeh gets the Minnesota Vikings. If you wish to bench one of these players, Nate Washington (whose Tennessee Titans play Monday night) is ready to play.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk). But we have to discuss one more position.
Defense/special teams. We've started the Philadelphia Eagles every week except their bye week. They are in the starting lineup now, and they get the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Facing the Bears with Jay Cutler at the helm can be feast or famine for a fantasy football player, and the Eagles haven't exactly covered themselves in glory in games shown on NBC.
This week, and for the rest of the season, the defense/special teams will appear in our lineup poll. If you want to sit the Eagles, we can call on the 49ers, who face the Packers.
The poll is up. Please vote. This fantasy football team is counting on you.
By the way, you may remember that the folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to play their Name Your Sleepers game. The result: the People's Pigskin defeated the Shack. Thanks to the Shack for inviting me to play, and yes, I'll remember next time to follow the rules, or they'll do this to me.
We'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts about everyone's favorite game of all-stars.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Behind the People's Loss
The People's Pigskin needed the Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams to come up small against the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. They didn't, and as a result, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team lost by a score of 104-84 to Big Lough O, lowering the season record to 4-6. Here's the breakdown.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 29 of 38 passing, 340 yards, 2 touchdowns and 21 fantasy points. Warner remains the straw that stirs the Arizona Cardinals. But as we'll see in a moment, he's getting some help.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 20 rushes for 41 yards, 8 receptions for 120 yards and 16 fantasy points. Lost in the tumult over Jay Cutler's performance was the fact that Forte put up solid numbers and did not turn the ball over.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 16 rushes for 85 yards, 2 receptions for 32 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 23 fantasy points. A tremendous call by you, the Internet, to put Wells in our starting lineup. He started the year as a backup, but now he's earning at least equal time in the backfield with Tim Hightower. And you have to love it when the guy you just put into the lineup is being called a "big weapon."
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 9 receptions, 165 yards and 16 fantasy points. T.J. continues to be a frequent target for the Seattle Seahawks, and his targets may rise even higher if Julius Jones misses significant time with his lung injury. (And to tell you the truth, "lung injury" is painful even to type.)
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 45 yards and 4 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers say Jennings suffered a knee contusion in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. He may miss practice time, but he's expected to be ready to play against the San Francisco 49ers.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 29 yards and 2 fantasy points. Chad goes from facing the Pittsburgh Steelers to facing the Oakland Raiders. We'll have to hope his numbers benefit from the switch.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 42 yards and 4 fantasy points. The New Orleans Saints flirted with disaster against the St. Louis Rams, and Shockey paid the price. Drew Brees threw two interceptions, and Shockey was the target both times.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 missed field goal, 1 extra point and 0 fantasy points. The Dallas Cowboys were shut down most of the day (scoring only a garbage time touchdown), so Folk got few opportunities.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 sacks, 31 points allowed and minus-2 fantasy points. The team that entered week 10 ranked second in fantasy points got pummeled by the San Diego Chargers. One factor was Philadelphia's inability to run, and that concern could be a permanent one if Brian Westbrook can't bounce back from his concussions.
Bench. Nate Washington scored 9 fantasy points. Jamal Lewis (who was benched in favor of Wells) scored 3. The San Francisco 49ers defense/special teams, who I thought would draw at least one trade offer during bye weeks, scored 17.
We'll be back tomorrow with our game plan for week 11.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 29 of 38 passing, 340 yards, 2 touchdowns and 21 fantasy points. Warner remains the straw that stirs the Arizona Cardinals. But as we'll see in a moment, he's getting some help.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 20 rushes for 41 yards, 8 receptions for 120 yards and 16 fantasy points. Lost in the tumult over Jay Cutler's performance was the fact that Forte put up solid numbers and did not turn the ball over.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 16 rushes for 85 yards, 2 receptions for 32 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 23 fantasy points. A tremendous call by you, the Internet, to put Wells in our starting lineup. He started the year as a backup, but now he's earning at least equal time in the backfield with Tim Hightower. And you have to love it when the guy you just put into the lineup is being called a "big weapon."
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 9 receptions, 165 yards and 16 fantasy points. T.J. continues to be a frequent target for the Seattle Seahawks, and his targets may rise even higher if Julius Jones misses significant time with his lung injury. (And to tell you the truth, "lung injury" is painful even to type.)
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 45 yards and 4 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers say Jennings suffered a knee contusion in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. He may miss practice time, but he's expected to be ready to play against the San Francisco 49ers.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 29 yards and 2 fantasy points. Chad goes from facing the Pittsburgh Steelers to facing the Oakland Raiders. We'll have to hope his numbers benefit from the switch.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 42 yards and 4 fantasy points. The New Orleans Saints flirted with disaster against the St. Louis Rams, and Shockey paid the price. Drew Brees threw two interceptions, and Shockey was the target both times.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 missed field goal, 1 extra point and 0 fantasy points. The Dallas Cowboys were shut down most of the day (scoring only a garbage time touchdown), so Folk got few opportunities.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 sacks, 31 points allowed and minus-2 fantasy points. The team that entered week 10 ranked second in fantasy points got pummeled by the San Diego Chargers. One factor was Philadelphia's inability to run, and that concern could be a permanent one if Brian Westbrook can't bounce back from his concussions.
Bench. Nate Washington scored 9 fantasy points. Jamal Lewis (who was benched in favor of Wells) scored 3. The San Francisco 49ers defense/special teams, who I thought would draw at least one trade offer during bye weeks, scored 17.
We'll be back tomorrow with our game plan for week 11.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday Update and Reading
It's Monday, and the People's Pigskin is alive and well. We currently lead Big Lough O by a score of 84-80. That means that if the Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams can be held to under 4 fantasy points tonight, the Pigskin will record a victory. How hard could that be? After all, it's not as if the Cleveland Browns have a head coach who has ticked off enough players to draw the union's attention, right?
While we wait to learn about our fantasy football team's fate, here are some links for your surfing pleasure.
Better take a knee for this one. There are countless ways to lose a fantasy football game. It's painful, for example, when your running back is tackled on the 1-yard line and his backup scores the touchdown. It has to be even worse when your running back takes a knee at the 1-yard line on purpose, as Maurice Jones-Drew did Sunday, following the orders of his head coach.
The Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to deny the New York Jets a chance to get the ball back (sound familiar?), so they told Jones-Drew to take a knee if he was in a position to get into the end zone. He apologized later to those who had him on his fantasy team. One of those teams: the Big Lough Os. I'm just saying...
Well, that was quick. As I'm typing this list up, ESPN is reporting that the Cincinnati Bengals will sign Larry Johnson to a contract. The Bengals were pushed into the LJ market by Cedric Benson's hip injury Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
What kind of first impression will Johnson make in Cincinnati? Hopefully, it will be better than the last impression he made in Kansas City. (Not that the bar is set particularly high.)
On a more positive note. If you used your first-round fantasy pick to draft LaDainian Tomlinson, you're probably starting him no matter what. Still, wouldn't you have liked to know before the game that LDT would have extra motivation after learning that he was going to be a father? It reminds me of when Brett Favre had a monster game a day after his father died. Emotion has a well-deserved reputation for fueling big performances like Favre's and LDT's.
If you're running an NFL pregame show, would it kill you to squeeze a few more notes like this into your broadcast in between the analysts' efforts to talk over one another and laugh hilariously at the drop of a hat? I'm sure fantasy players would really appreciate actually learning something from your shows every once in a while.
This Bud's for you. Imagine if you're the owner of a National Football League team. Imagine that your team just recorded its third straight victory -- and did so in front of its home crowd, the folks who buy your tickets and merchandise and allow you to live the lifestyle you are currently living. Now imagine that you live in a world where cameras are everywhere, and that every single fan in that stadium, friend or foe, could have a camera-equipped phone in his/her pocket.
Knowing all that, how would you celebrate after your team's hard-earned victory? If you're Bud Adams, the owner of the Houston Oil...er, sorry, the Tennessee Titans, you do this. (Warning: This link shows an unsafe-for-work video.)
Bill Belichick is being called stupid in many circles for what he did Sunday evening, but at least his decision had a chance of working out in his favor. I can't say the same for Adams.
We'll be back tomorrow with an update on our matchup with the Lough Os. Until then, enjoy the Monday night game. (And get comfortable with Jon Gruden's voice. You'll be hearing it for a while.)
While we wait to learn about our fantasy football team's fate, here are some links for your surfing pleasure.
Better take a knee for this one. There are countless ways to lose a fantasy football game. It's painful, for example, when your running back is tackled on the 1-yard line and his backup scores the touchdown. It has to be even worse when your running back takes a knee at the 1-yard line on purpose, as Maurice Jones-Drew did Sunday, following the orders of his head coach.
The Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to deny the New York Jets a chance to get the ball back (sound familiar?), so they told Jones-Drew to take a knee if he was in a position to get into the end zone. He apologized later to those who had him on his fantasy team. One of those teams: the Big Lough Os. I'm just saying...
Well, that was quick. As I'm typing this list up, ESPN is reporting that the Cincinnati Bengals will sign Larry Johnson to a contract. The Bengals were pushed into the LJ market by Cedric Benson's hip injury Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
What kind of first impression will Johnson make in Cincinnati? Hopefully, it will be better than the last impression he made in Kansas City. (Not that the bar is set particularly high.)
On a more positive note. If you used your first-round fantasy pick to draft LaDainian Tomlinson, you're probably starting him no matter what. Still, wouldn't you have liked to know before the game that LDT would have extra motivation after learning that he was going to be a father? It reminds me of when Brett Favre had a monster game a day after his father died. Emotion has a well-deserved reputation for fueling big performances like Favre's and LDT's.
If you're running an NFL pregame show, would it kill you to squeeze a few more notes like this into your broadcast in between the analysts' efforts to talk over one another and laugh hilariously at the drop of a hat? I'm sure fantasy players would really appreciate actually learning something from your shows every once in a while.
This Bud's for you. Imagine if you're the owner of a National Football League team. Imagine that your team just recorded its third straight victory -- and did so in front of its home crowd, the folks who buy your tickets and merchandise and allow you to live the lifestyle you are currently living. Now imagine that you live in a world where cameras are everywhere, and that every single fan in that stadium, friend or foe, could have a camera-equipped phone in his/her pocket.
Knowing all that, how would you celebrate after your team's hard-earned victory? If you're Bud Adams, the owner of the Houston Oil...er, sorry, the Tennessee Titans, you do this. (Warning: This link shows an unsafe-for-work video.)
Bill Belichick is being called stupid in many circles for what he did Sunday evening, but at least his decision had a chance of working out in his favor. I can't say the same for Adams.
We'll be back tomorrow with an update on our matchup with the Lough Os. Until then, enjoy the Monday night game. (And get comfortable with Jon Gruden's voice. You'll be hearing it for a while.)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The People's Choice - Week 10
You, the Internet, have spoken, and you have said a change needs to be made.
Apparently, enough of you were concerned about Jamal Lewis' injury to vote that Chris "Beanie" Wells should take his place. Wells is now in the starting lineup for our fantasy football matchup against Big Lough O. You can follow that matchup here.
You were also all over the map on our fantasy league prize poll. You can see the results for both polls at the bottom of this post.
Last night, the good folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to participate in their Name Your Sleepers Matchup. Basically, the Fantasy Sports Shack and a guest picked some under-the-radar fantasy players. You can see our choices here. By the way, I think I messed up. They define sleepers as someone owned in less than half of fantasy leagues, and I think on some of the choices I was looking at how many leagues were starting that player. If the Shack is reading this, all I can say is I guess I picked the wrong week to stop doing this.
A new poll is up, and this one will stay up until Thanksgiving. We'd appreciate your vote. Enjoy the games, everyone.
[polldaddy poll=2237347] [polldaddy poll=2228017]
Apparently, enough of you were concerned about Jamal Lewis' injury to vote that Chris "Beanie" Wells should take his place. Wells is now in the starting lineup for our fantasy football matchup against Big Lough O. You can follow that matchup here.
You were also all over the map on our fantasy league prize poll. You can see the results for both polls at the bottom of this post.
Last night, the good folks at Fantasy Sports Shack invited me to participate in their Name Your Sleepers Matchup. Basically, the Fantasy Sports Shack and a guest picked some under-the-radar fantasy players. You can see our choices here. By the way, I think I messed up. They define sleepers as someone owned in less than half of fantasy leagues, and I think on some of the choices I was looking at how many leagues were starting that player. If the Shack is reading this, all I can say is I guess I picked the wrong week to stop doing this.
A new poll is up, and this one will stay up until Thanksgiving. We'd appreciate your vote. Enjoy the games, everyone.
[polldaddy poll=2237347] [polldaddy poll=2228017]
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Weekend Batch of Links
Remember that our polls on our fantasy football team's lineup and your fantasy league's prizes will close tonight. While you think about how you will vote, here are some stories to explore.
Don't cram ads down fans' throats. That's our job. The first time I saw Brent Celek strike the "got a little captain in ya" pose, I remember thinking it was the lamest touchdown celebration since this one. In fact, I agreed with Tony Kornheiser when he said the pose "looks like a guy is about to pee on a fire hydrant."
But now we've learned that it wasn't just Brent trying to impress the ladies. He was part of a marketing campaign for Captain Morgan rum. The makers of the rum said they would donate money to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund for every time an NFL player struck the pose on television.
The National Football League quickly put the kibosh on that plan, saying "A company can’t pay a player to somehow promote its product on the field." This means we'll have to settle for the National Football League telling us which beer to drink and which shampoo to use if you have more hair than Bigfoot. And Brent will have to settle for being a start-him-every-week tight end for fantasy players.
Smile, fantasy players. You've got the power. If you've played fantasy sports for any length of time, you've answered questions ranging from "What is that?" to "Do you simply not have a life?" But you can take comfort in this Bloomberg article in which fantasy football gets credit (some of it, at least) for increasing the reach of NFL Network. Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports, said the network's RedZone Channel, which cuts immediately to games where a team is in the red zone, is a popular feature with fantasy players.
Urban Legend, the Gridiron Version. Earlier in the week we discussed the dangers of believing what you read in preseason publications. Now the folks at NFL Soup point out another danger: believing what you see at the start of the season. The blog's point (and a very valid one) is that some early defensive "trends" don't hold water as the season progresses. "The Houston run defense got better. It got much better." That's true. Of course, it's also true that the Browns defense...well, it's not good.
Let's hear it for the big uglies. If you're the type of person who says quarterbacks get too much credit for what happens on the football field, here's a Web site for you to check out: TrenchFantasy.com. This site offers a different type of fantasy football. Instead of drafting running backs, receivers, etc., you draft a team consisting of an offensive line, a defensive line, a secondary, a punting unit, a defensive special team, a field goal unit, and a kickoff squad. One example of the scoring: an offensive line gets 2 points for a first down, with a 5-point bonus if the first down was made on fourth down.
I can't believe I benched Scalia this week. And for a truly different fantasy experience, you can check out a fantasy Supreme Court site, FantasySCOTUS. This site lets you predict the outcome of each case considered by the high court, what the split will be (8-1, 7-2, etc.), and whether each justice will side with the majority or the minority. Credit to fellow WordPress blogger La Flog for the assist on this one.
We'll be back tomorrow with the results of our polls. In the meantime, enjoy the college games.
Don't cram ads down fans' throats. That's our job. The first time I saw Brent Celek strike the "got a little captain in ya" pose, I remember thinking it was the lamest touchdown celebration since this one. In fact, I agreed with Tony Kornheiser when he said the pose "looks like a guy is about to pee on a fire hydrant."
But now we've learned that it wasn't just Brent trying to impress the ladies. He was part of a marketing campaign for Captain Morgan rum. The makers of the rum said they would donate money to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund for every time an NFL player struck the pose on television.
The National Football League quickly put the kibosh on that plan, saying "A company can’t pay a player to somehow promote its product on the field." This means we'll have to settle for the National Football League telling us which beer to drink and which shampoo to use if you have more hair than Bigfoot. And Brent will have to settle for being a start-him-every-week tight end for fantasy players.
Smile, fantasy players. You've got the power. If you've played fantasy sports for any length of time, you've answered questions ranging from "What is that?" to "Do you simply not have a life?" But you can take comfort in this Bloomberg article in which fantasy football gets credit (some of it, at least) for increasing the reach of NFL Network. Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports, said the network's RedZone Channel, which cuts immediately to games where a team is in the red zone, is a popular feature with fantasy players.
Urban Legend, the Gridiron Version. Earlier in the week we discussed the dangers of believing what you read in preseason publications. Now the folks at NFL Soup point out another danger: believing what you see at the start of the season. The blog's point (and a very valid one) is that some early defensive "trends" don't hold water as the season progresses. "The Houston run defense got better. It got much better." That's true. Of course, it's also true that the Browns defense...well, it's not good.
Let's hear it for the big uglies. If you're the type of person who says quarterbacks get too much credit for what happens on the football field, here's a Web site for you to check out: TrenchFantasy.com. This site offers a different type of fantasy football. Instead of drafting running backs, receivers, etc., you draft a team consisting of an offensive line, a defensive line, a secondary, a punting unit, a defensive special team, a field goal unit, and a kickoff squad. One example of the scoring: an offensive line gets 2 points for a first down, with a 5-point bonus if the first down was made on fourth down.
I can't believe I benched Scalia this week. And for a truly different fantasy experience, you can check out a fantasy Supreme Court site, FantasySCOTUS. This site lets you predict the outcome of each case considered by the high court, what the split will be (8-1, 7-2, etc.), and whether each justice will side with the majority or the minority. Credit to fellow WordPress blogger La Flog for the assist on this one.
We'll be back tomorrow with the results of our polls. In the meantime, enjoy the college games.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Fearless Predictions - Week 10
It's time once again for the often ridiculed, rarely imitated Landshark Maniacs predictions. Last week's version went an impressive 4-1, missing only the game involving the People's Pigskin. (What's that saying about an infinite number of monkeys?) The season record is now 22-23, and it's time for the forecasts, along with our fantasy football team, to break the .500 barrier.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Big Lough O. The headlines from Thursday night focused on Jay Cutler, but Matt Forte quietly had a solid night, producing 16 fantasy points for you, the Internet. That strong start will fuel a victory for the Pigskin.
Northeast Dragons vs. D.C. Destroyers. The Destroyers are also off to a solid start, getting 7 fantasy points from Greg Olsen. This one will be very close, but the Minnesota Vikings defense will make the difference and secure a win for the Dragons.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Tinks Revenge. Thursday night was disappointing for both of these teams. Vernon Davis, who had the bright idea of running his mouth before the game, produced only 1 fantasy point for the Revenge. Cutler had an even worse night, giving the crew only 2 points. It will be easier for the Revenge to get over Davis' shortfall, so the call here is for a Revenge win.
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Southern Rebels. The Rebels got a windfall from Frank Gore, who scored the only touchdown in Thursday's night game and produced 18 fantasy points. That lead will prove insurmountable, and the Rebels will get another win.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The Surfriders are starting three Vikings against the Detroit Lions, who are currently 31st in scoring defense. This strategy is the ticket to a victory for the Surfriders.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more recommended reading. In the meantime, be sure to vote in the polls on the right side of the page.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Big Lough O. The headlines from Thursday night focused on Jay Cutler, but Matt Forte quietly had a solid night, producing 16 fantasy points for you, the Internet. That strong start will fuel a victory for the Pigskin.
Northeast Dragons vs. D.C. Destroyers. The Destroyers are also off to a solid start, getting 7 fantasy points from Greg Olsen. This one will be very close, but the Minnesota Vikings defense will make the difference and secure a win for the Dragons.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Tinks Revenge. Thursday night was disappointing for both of these teams. Vernon Davis, who had the bright idea of running his mouth before the game, produced only 1 fantasy point for the Revenge. Cutler had an even worse night, giving the crew only 2 points. It will be easier for the Revenge to get over Davis' shortfall, so the call here is for a Revenge win.
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Southern Rebels. The Rebels got a windfall from Frank Gore, who scored the only touchdown in Thursday's night game and produced 18 fantasy points. That lead will prove insurmountable, and the Rebels will get another win.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The Surfriders are starting three Vikings against the Detroit Lions, who are currently 31st in scoring defense. This strategy is the ticket to a victory for the Surfriders.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more recommended reading. In the meantime, be sure to vote in the polls on the right side of the page.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
They Predicted WHAT?
Thanks to those of you who voted in our Matt Forte poll. You voted to leave him in the lineup, so he'll start for the People's Pigskin when his Chicago Bears take on the San Francisco 49ers tonight.
If you've read this far, then there's a good chance you invested some money this past summer in a fantasy football magazine or two (or five). All of them are filled with statistics and predictions about how everyone will fare in the upcoming NFL season. Well, the season is halfway over for most of the teams in the National Football League. (And for the Houston Texans and the New York Giants, it's more than halfway over.) Now is as good a time as any to see how those predictions are turning out.
In the first half of the 2009 season, the top-scoring quarterback in fantasy football, at least according to ESPN rules, is (drum roll, please): Aaron Rodgers, with 167 points. By the way, he's also the top-scoring player in fantasy football. In its fantasy preview, Sports Illustrated ranked him 2nd among quarterbacks. ESPN ranked him 5th.
The top-scoring running back is Maurice Jones-Drew. Sports Illustrated ranked him 3rd among running backs. So did ESPN.
So far, not bad, right? The top-scoring wide receiver is Vincent Jackson. Sports Illustrated ranked him 26th among wideouts and said "He's definitely worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick." ESPN ranked him 18th, despite calling him "the primary option in San Diego."
The top-scoring tight end is Vernon Davis. Sports Illustrated ranked him 14th among tight ends and called him "a gamble." That's kind compared with ESPN, which ranked him 22nd and said "We have a creeping sense that the main problem with Davis is the space between his ears."
The top-scoring kicker is Lawrence Tynes, who was ranked 5th by Sports Illustrated and 15th by ESPN. (Yes, he has the advantage of an extra game, so if you want to disqualify him, the No. 2 kicker is David Akers, who was ranked 3rd in both publications.)
The top-scoring defense/special teams is the New Orleans Saints. Sports Illustrated ranked them 22nd. ESPN ranked them 27th and said the Saints free agent acquisitions on defense "smacked of desperation." Oops.
Who did the magazines think would be No. 1? At quarterback, both picked Drew Brees (currently 5th). At running back, both picked Adrian Peterson (currently 3rd). At wide receiver, both picked Larry Fitzgerald (currently 3rd). At tight end, Sports Illustrated picked Tony Gonzalez (currently 6th), while ESPN picked Jason Witten (currently 15th). At kicker, Sports Illustrated picked Jason Elam (currently 24th), while ESPN picked Stephen Gostkowski (currently tied for 3rd). At defense, both picked the Pittsburgh Steelers (currently 6th).
None of this is meant to disparage the fine work of ESPN, Sports Illustrated, or anyone else. It's merely a reminder that these magazines should not be treated like Scripture.
Enjoy tonight's game. We'll be back tomorrow with our weekly Landshark Maniacs predictions. Here are the results of the Forte poll.
[polldaddy poll=2231829]
If you've read this far, then there's a good chance you invested some money this past summer in a fantasy football magazine or two (or five). All of them are filled with statistics and predictions about how everyone will fare in the upcoming NFL season. Well, the season is halfway over for most of the teams in the National Football League. (And for the Houston Texans and the New York Giants, it's more than halfway over.) Now is as good a time as any to see how those predictions are turning out.
In the first half of the 2009 season, the top-scoring quarterback in fantasy football, at least according to ESPN rules, is (drum roll, please): Aaron Rodgers, with 167 points. By the way, he's also the top-scoring player in fantasy football. In its fantasy preview, Sports Illustrated ranked him 2nd among quarterbacks. ESPN ranked him 5th.
The top-scoring running back is Maurice Jones-Drew. Sports Illustrated ranked him 3rd among running backs. So did ESPN.
So far, not bad, right? The top-scoring wide receiver is Vincent Jackson. Sports Illustrated ranked him 26th among wideouts and said "He's definitely worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick." ESPN ranked him 18th, despite calling him "the primary option in San Diego."
The top-scoring tight end is Vernon Davis. Sports Illustrated ranked him 14th among tight ends and called him "a gamble." That's kind compared with ESPN, which ranked him 22nd and said "We have a creeping sense that the main problem with Davis is the space between his ears."
The top-scoring kicker is Lawrence Tynes, who was ranked 5th by Sports Illustrated and 15th by ESPN. (Yes, he has the advantage of an extra game, so if you want to disqualify him, the No. 2 kicker is David Akers, who was ranked 3rd in both publications.)
The top-scoring defense/special teams is the New Orleans Saints. Sports Illustrated ranked them 22nd. ESPN ranked them 27th and said the Saints free agent acquisitions on defense "smacked of desperation." Oops.
Who did the magazines think would be No. 1? At quarterback, both picked Drew Brees (currently 5th). At running back, both picked Adrian Peterson (currently 3rd). At wide receiver, both picked Larry Fitzgerald (currently 3rd). At tight end, Sports Illustrated picked Tony Gonzalez (currently 6th), while ESPN picked Jason Witten (currently 15th). At kicker, Sports Illustrated picked Jason Elam (currently 24th), while ESPN picked Stephen Gostkowski (currently tied for 3rd). At defense, both picked the Pittsburgh Steelers (currently 6th).
None of this is meant to disparage the fine work of ESPN, Sports Illustrated, or anyone else. It's merely a reminder that these magazines should not be treated like Scripture.
Enjoy tonight's game. We'll be back tomorrow with our weekly Landshark Maniacs predictions. Here are the results of the Forte poll.
[polldaddy poll=2231829]
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A Midweek Link Batch
The NFL gets a head start on week 10 tomorrow, when the San Francisco 49ers will face the Chicago Bears. While you get your lineups ready (and decide what to do with ours), here is some recommended reading.
Further review? I've got your further review. If you feel your fantasy football team was robbed when Ryan Moats fumbled the ball last week against the Indianapolis Colts, think how Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak must feel. Kubiak said he has filed a report with the NFL about how the replay of that fumble was handled:
"The bottom line, they're saying that the ball was not touched by anybody who was out of bounds. Or if it was, it was only touched by Ryan (Moats), who was on top of another player. We thought looking at it that 41 (DB Antoine Bethea) is touching the ball and he's out of bounds."
How far will that report get Kubiak? I'm hoping he's not holding his breath (or anyone else's).
Well, they're both filled with large male human beings. That's a similarity. It can't be easy to be Eric Mangini right now. He has a quarterback with worse stats than JaMarcus Russell, his hand-picked GM is out, and he may be next to get the heave-ho if his owner brings in the football czar he wants.
But Mangini is mounting a defense. (Off the field, at least.) He claims that there are "remarkable similarities" between how his Browns are now and how the New England Patriots were when Bill Belichick arrived. "It was top-heavy financially, there were tough decisions that had to be made, and we didn't have much success that first year."
The Patriots went 5-11 in Belichick's first year there and 11-5 in his second. If Mangini thinks he can pull off something similar in his second year -- heck, if he thinks he can match that 5-11 record this year -- he might be sharing an office with these guys.
It's not just for slackers anymore. The Boston Globe has a nice story about a nursing home that started a fantasy football league for its residents. About a dozen people who are old enough to have watched Sammy Baugh are now monitoring Sammy Morris' stats. If anyone from that league is reading this, kudos to you (and don't be afraid to help our team out by voting in the polls).
If this isn't enough for you... The NFL Network, apparently afraid that some football fans may not feel invested in Thursday's tussle, is offering a Fan Challenge. It's basically a mini-fantasy football league in which you pick from the players involved in the NFL Network's eight Thursday and Saturday night games. No, this guy isn't available. But then again, neither is this guy.
We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
Further review? I've got your further review. If you feel your fantasy football team was robbed when Ryan Moats fumbled the ball last week against the Indianapolis Colts, think how Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak must feel. Kubiak said he has filed a report with the NFL about how the replay of that fumble was handled:
"The bottom line, they're saying that the ball was not touched by anybody who was out of bounds. Or if it was, it was only touched by Ryan (Moats), who was on top of another player. We thought looking at it that 41 (DB Antoine Bethea) is touching the ball and he's out of bounds."
How far will that report get Kubiak? I'm hoping he's not holding his breath (or anyone else's).
Well, they're both filled with large male human beings. That's a similarity. It can't be easy to be Eric Mangini right now. He has a quarterback with worse stats than JaMarcus Russell, his hand-picked GM is out, and he may be next to get the heave-ho if his owner brings in the football czar he wants.
But Mangini is mounting a defense. (Off the field, at least.) He claims that there are "remarkable similarities" between how his Browns are now and how the New England Patriots were when Bill Belichick arrived. "It was top-heavy financially, there were tough decisions that had to be made, and we didn't have much success that first year."
The Patriots went 5-11 in Belichick's first year there and 11-5 in his second. If Mangini thinks he can pull off something similar in his second year -- heck, if he thinks he can match that 5-11 record this year -- he might be sharing an office with these guys.
It's not just for slackers anymore. The Boston Globe has a nice story about a nursing home that started a fantasy football league for its residents. About a dozen people who are old enough to have watched Sammy Baugh are now monitoring Sammy Morris' stats. If anyone from that league is reading this, kudos to you (and don't be afraid to help our team out by voting in the polls).
If this isn't enough for you... The NFL Network, apparently afraid that some football fans may not feel invested in Thursday's tussle, is offering a Fan Challenge. It's basically a mini-fantasy football league in which you pick from the players involved in the NFL Network's eight Thursday and Saturday night games. No, this guy isn't available. But then again, neither is this guy.
We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 10
The final score of last week's matchup with the Northeast Dragons was 122-83. Our fantasy football team's record is now 4-5. Next up is a date with Big Lough O. And here is how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. Kurt Warner, having rebounded from a 5-interception performance with a 5-touchdown one, gets the Seattle Seahawks this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, Matt Cassel awaits on the bench.
Running back. We've already discussed Matt Forte, who gets his own poll because the Chicago Bears play on Thursday. Steve Slaton has a bye (and this, thank the deity of your choice, is the last week of bye weeks), so the other starting spot is currently being held by Jamal Lewis, who faces the Baltimore Ravens this week and may get Brady Quinn in his backfield. The Ravens aren't quite as scary for opposing running backs as they used to be. Just ask Cedric Benson. But if you don't want Lewis or Forte in our lineup, we can call on Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Flex. Once again, T.J. Houshmandzadeh occupies the flex spot. His Seahawks take on the Cardinals. If you want to send him to the bench, we can call up Mr. Wells to take this spot.
Wide receiver. Two more familiar faces occupies these slots: Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the Dallas Cowboys, and Chad Ochocinco, who gets the Pittsburgh Steelers and hopefully won't offer any gratuities to the officials this week. If you want to bench one of these receivers, we can insert Nate Washington into the lineup.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey), kicker (Nick Folk), or defense/special teams (Philadelphia Eagles).
The new poll is up. Please vote. We'll be back tomorrow with some recommended reading.
Quarterback. Kurt Warner, having rebounded from a 5-interception performance with a 5-touchdown one, gets the Seattle Seahawks this week. If that matchup isn't to your liking, Matt Cassel awaits on the bench.
Running back. We've already discussed Matt Forte, who gets his own poll because the Chicago Bears play on Thursday. Steve Slaton has a bye (and this, thank the deity of your choice, is the last week of bye weeks), so the other starting spot is currently being held by Jamal Lewis, who faces the Baltimore Ravens this week and may get Brady Quinn in his backfield. The Ravens aren't quite as scary for opposing running backs as they used to be. Just ask Cedric Benson. But if you don't want Lewis or Forte in our lineup, we can call on Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Flex. Once again, T.J. Houshmandzadeh occupies the flex spot. His Seahawks take on the Cardinals. If you want to send him to the bench, we can call up Mr. Wells to take this spot.
Wide receiver. Two more familiar faces occupies these slots: Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the Dallas Cowboys, and Chad Ochocinco, who gets the Pittsburgh Steelers and hopefully won't offer any gratuities to the officials this week. If you want to bench one of these receivers, we can insert Nate Washington into the lineup.
No changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey), kicker (Nick Folk), or defense/special teams (Philadelphia Eagles).
The new poll is up. Please vote. We'll be back tomorrow with some recommended reading.
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