The People's Pitstop spent Kyle Busch weekend scoring only 257 points at the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team now has a season total of 6,425, ranking us 49,698th overall on Yahoo Sports and dropping us five spots, to 69th, in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.
Tony Stewart: Started 4th, finished 27th (6 laps behind the leaders), 1 lap led and 49 fantasy points. That includes 1 point for qualifying and 10 points for leading that single lap. Good thing he got the lead before Tony Raines found him.
Jamie McMurray: Started 7th, finished 3rd, 11 laps led and 96 fantasy points. Imagine what would have happened if he weren't snakebitten on pit row.
Kasey Kahne: Started 11th, finished 5th and 82 fantasy points. As this race chart shows, Kahne was at his strongest at the end of the race. Maybe he would have led if this race had 600 laps.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 10th, finished 31st (12 laps behind the leaders) and 30 fantasy points. The title of this video says it all: Double Trouble.
The drivers are taking this week off, so it's time to turn our lonely eyes to fantasy football. The three polls are still open and will stay open until Wednesday night. Remember that you, the Internet, have already decided that Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew should top our draft board, while Drew Brees should be our top quarterback and Andre Johnson should be our top receiver.
Also, there's still time for you to join the People's League and compete against the People's Pigskin this season. Sign up today.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Bristol
While you get ready to split your time between watching tonight's NASCAR Sprint Cup race and warming up to play quarterback for the suddenly needy Giants, it's time to offer predictions for which drivers will finish in the top 10 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last week's forecasts should have hit the snooze button -- they went a pitiful 3-7, lowering the season record to an equally pitiful 104-116.
1. Kevin Harvick. The points leader can now cruise to the Chase. Of course, if he knew how to cruise, he wouldn't be the points leader now.
2. Jimmie Johnson. The four-time defending Sprint Cup champion needs to stop cruising. Of course, it helps that he has the pole for tonight's race.
3. Tony Stewart. You want a hot driver? How about one who has finished in the top 10 in five straight races and nine of the last 10?
4 and 5. Kurt and Kyle Busch. One driver has five Sprint Cup wins under his belt here. The other one has won two races here this week.
6. Clint Bowyer. He's holding the final Chase spot, but he'll need to stay on his toes...
7. Mark Martin. ...because this driver isn't going to let that spot go without a fight.
8. Juan Pablo Montoya. With his 7th-place finish at Michigan last week, Montoya now has 10 finishes in the top 10 this season. You know who else has that many? Denny Hamlin. (I'm just saying.)
9. Carl Edwards. He's won here before. He's starting in the front row tonight, and, perhaps most importantly, he's starting with six rows of cars between him and Brad Keselowski, who just can't seem to avoid trouble lately.
10. David Reutimann. Yes, he still counts as a medium to long shot, even though he's won a race this year and is starting 5th tonight. That's because he's starting one of the toughest races on the NASCAR schedule while recovering from the type of food poisoning that would make you and I want to crawl into bed, assume the fetal position and pray for a quick demise.
Enjoy the race, and if you're a fantasy football fan, or you'd like to become one, make sure you sign up to run a team against the People's Pigskin in the People's League. We'll be back with results and new polls.
1. Kevin Harvick. The points leader can now cruise to the Chase. Of course, if he knew how to cruise, he wouldn't be the points leader now.
2. Jimmie Johnson. The four-time defending Sprint Cup champion needs to stop cruising. Of course, it helps that he has the pole for tonight's race.
3. Tony Stewart. You want a hot driver? How about one who has finished in the top 10 in five straight races and nine of the last 10?
4 and 5. Kurt and Kyle Busch. One driver has five Sprint Cup wins under his belt here. The other one has won two races here this week.
6. Clint Bowyer. He's holding the final Chase spot, but he'll need to stay on his toes...
7. Mark Martin. ...because this driver isn't going to let that spot go without a fight.
8. Juan Pablo Montoya. With his 7th-place finish at Michigan last week, Montoya now has 10 finishes in the top 10 this season. You know who else has that many? Denny Hamlin. (I'm just saying.)
9. Carl Edwards. He's won here before. He's starting in the front row tonight, and, perhaps most importantly, he's starting with six rows of cars between him and Brad Keselowski, who just can't seem to avoid trouble lately.
10. David Reutimann. Yes, he still counts as a medium to long shot, even though he's won a race this year and is starting 5th tonight. That's because he's starting one of the toughest races on the NASCAR schedule while recovering from the type of food poisoning that would make you and I want to crawl into bed, assume the fetal position and pray for a quick demise.
Enjoy the race, and if you're a fantasy football fan, or you'd like to become one, make sure you sign up to run a team against the People's Pigskin in the People's League. We'll be back with results and new polls.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Umm...Oops
Put simply, the people who bring you this Web site fell asleep before setting the lineup for this week. No excuses. We screwed up. It will never happen again.
Yahoo will not allow us to change our drivers at this point for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It will only allow us to send starters to the bench and vice versa. So the People's Pitstop has the same driver pool we had last week: Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Burton, Paul Menard and A.J. Allmendinger. The best qualifiers will start. (Kevin Harvick, who's now ineligible to start, will stay on the bench.)
Meanwhile, on the fantasy football side, you, the Internet, decided that Maurice Jones-Drew should be No. 3 on our draft board (after Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson), and that Andre Johnson should be the top wide receiver on our board.
We have three new polls up now. One asks which football player should be No. 4 overall on the board. The others ask which quarterback we should rank second after Drew Brees and which receiver we should rank second after Andre Johnson. The results from our previous polls appear below. We'll update this after the qualifying session.
Oh, and there are still spots available in the People's League for those who want to match wits with the Internet's favorite fantasy football team.
UPDATED 8:00 A.M. The results are in. Tony Stewart not only beat out Jeff Gordon, but he also earned us a bonus point for qualifying 4th. Jamie McMurray (7th) and Kasey Kahne (11th) get the B List starting spots. A.J. Allmendinger qualified 10th, just two spots ahead of Paul Menard, who will live to start for us another day.
We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3630901] [polldaddy poll=3630910] [polldaddy poll=3630921] [polldaddy poll=3630934] [polldaddy poll=3630941]
Yahoo will not allow us to change our drivers at this point for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It will only allow us to send starters to the bench and vice versa. So the People's Pitstop has the same driver pool we had last week: Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Burton, Paul Menard and A.J. Allmendinger. The best qualifiers will start. (Kevin Harvick, who's now ineligible to start, will stay on the bench.)
Meanwhile, on the fantasy football side, you, the Internet, decided that Maurice Jones-Drew should be No. 3 on our draft board (after Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson), and that Andre Johnson should be the top wide receiver on our board.
We have three new polls up now. One asks which football player should be No. 4 overall on the board. The others ask which quarterback we should rank second after Drew Brees and which receiver we should rank second after Andre Johnson. The results from our previous polls appear below. We'll update this after the qualifying session.
Oh, and there are still spots available in the People's League for those who want to match wits with the Internet's favorite fantasy football team.
UPDATED 8:00 A.M. The results are in. Tony Stewart not only beat out Jeff Gordon, but he also earned us a bonus point for qualifying 4th. Jamie McMurray (7th) and Kasey Kahne (11th) get the B List starting spots. A.J. Allmendinger qualified 10th, just two spots ahead of Paul Menard, who will live to start for us another day.
We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3630901] [polldaddy poll=3630910] [polldaddy poll=3630921] [polldaddy poll=3630934] [polldaddy poll=3630941]
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The People's Facts - Irwin Tools Night Race
There is still time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for NASCAR's Saturday night Sprint Cup race. To help you select the drivers who will start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team, it's time to offer some information about this week's track.
Track basics: Bristol Motor Speedway is still the half-mile "bull ring," though these bulls usually stay in the ring and out of the stands. And it's still the place where you need to pay attention every millisecond, even if all you're doing is practicing. You can click here to download Yahoo's handy guide.
Last time we were here: Way back in March, when NASCAR was here for the "spring" race, Jimmie Johnson got his first-ever win on this track. The People's Pitstop left him on the bench in favor of Mark Martin. As a result, your favorite fantasy racing team racked up only 223 points, one of the lowest totals of the season.
Recent winners: For the August race, the list goes like this -- Kyle Busch (2009), Carl Edwards (2008), Edwards again (2007).
Who wins here a lot: When it comes time to discuss Jeff Gordon's Hall of Fame credentials, someone should bring up his knack for showing up in this category week after week. He and Kurt Busch are tied for the lead among active drivers with five victories apiece here.
A dish best served with sheet metal? Since the Chase lineup seems to be all but finalized, the only things left for drivers to settle over the next few weeks are scores. Bristol races often turn into high-speed games of bumper cars, so this would be the perfect place for a driver to try to right a perceived wrong by another driver. Edwards and Brad Keselowski are always a good bet to fight. Kurt Busch and Johnson may still need to resolve their Pocono dispute, and Joey Logano's dispute with Ryan Newman is so fresh it still has that "new fight" smell. There are plenty of storylines to consider. Vote wisely.
But also vote quickly, because the lineup polls and the fantasy football polls will close tonight, to be replaced with fresh football polls. Speaking of football, there's still time to join the People's League if you feel like competing against the People's Pigskin this fall.
We'll be back with poll results.
Track basics: Bristol Motor Speedway is still the half-mile "bull ring," though these bulls usually stay in the ring and out of the stands. And it's still the place where you need to pay attention every millisecond, even if all you're doing is practicing. You can click here to download Yahoo's handy guide.
Last time we were here: Way back in March, when NASCAR was here for the "spring" race, Jimmie Johnson got his first-ever win on this track. The People's Pitstop left him on the bench in favor of Mark Martin. As a result, your favorite fantasy racing team racked up only 223 points, one of the lowest totals of the season.
Recent winners: For the August race, the list goes like this -- Kyle Busch (2009), Carl Edwards (2008), Edwards again (2007).
Who wins here a lot: When it comes time to discuss Jeff Gordon's Hall of Fame credentials, someone should bring up his knack for showing up in this category week after week. He and Kurt Busch are tied for the lead among active drivers with five victories apiece here.
A dish best served with sheet metal? Since the Chase lineup seems to be all but finalized, the only things left for drivers to settle over the next few weeks are scores. Bristol races often turn into high-speed games of bumper cars, so this would be the perfect place for a driver to try to right a perceived wrong by another driver. Edwards and Brad Keselowski are always a good bet to fight. Kurt Busch and Johnson may still need to resolve their Pocono dispute, and Joey Logano's dispute with Ryan Newman is so fresh it still has that "new fight" smell. There are plenty of storylines to consider. Vote wisely.
But also vote quickly, because the lineup polls and the fantasy football polls will close tonight, to be replaced with fresh football polls. Speaking of football, there's still time to join the People's League if you feel like competing against the People's Pigskin this fall.
We'll be back with poll results.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The People's Pigskin, Season Two
The fantasy football democracy experiment is back!
Yes, the People's Pigskin will try to improve on last season's fifth-place performance by renewing its effort to rule the gridiron with the help of you, the Internet. This year, we have formed a public league, the People's League, for the People's Pigskin and nine other teams. Here are the details.
Rules: We will use the standard ESPN rules, which you can peruse here.
Draft: A live draft is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, at 9 p.m. Eastern. Yes, you may have to turn your heads away from Jerry Lewis for a little while, but he'll still be there when we're finished.
Democracy: The People's Pigskin will determine its lineup and make other decisions on the basis of regular polls like the ones to the right of this post. (While you're here, feel free to vote on them.) Other teams will make decisions for themselves about their lineups, and they are free to use any method they see fit.
If you'd like to compete against the People's Pigskin and have your matchup featured in the weekly fearless predictions, join the People's League now. We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
Yes, the People's Pigskin will try to improve on last season's fifth-place performance by renewing its effort to rule the gridiron with the help of you, the Internet. This year, we have formed a public league, the People's League, for the People's Pigskin and nine other teams. Here are the details.
Rules: We will use the standard ESPN rules, which you can peruse here.
Draft: A live draft is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, at 9 p.m. Eastern. Yes, you may have to turn your heads away from Jerry Lewis for a little while, but he'll still be there when we're finished.
Democracy: The People's Pigskin will determine its lineup and make other decisions on the basis of regular polls like the ones to the right of this post. (While you're here, feel free to vote on them.) Other teams will make decisions for themselves about their lineups, and they are free to use any method they see fit.
If you'd like to compete against the People's Pigskin and have your matchup featured in the weekly fearless predictions, join the People's League now. We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Summing Up Michigan
It was both the best of weeks and the worst of weeks for the People's Pitstop.
The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team compiled 287 points at Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. The season total is now 6,168. We're 46, 780th overall on Yahoo Sports, and we rose 6 spots, to 62nd, in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.
Tony Stewart: Started 4th, finished 6th, 36 laps led and 91 fantasy points. That includes a 1-point qualifying bonus and a 10-point lap-leader bonus. And this clearly unbiased source tells us that "a win is just around the corner" for Stewart.
Kevin Harvick: Started 8th, finished 1st, 60 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Harvick finished his eligibility for the People's Pitstop in the best way possible. In his nine starts for us, he gave us 7 finishes in the top 10. Though we missed two of his wins, he gave us an average finish of 8.7 and an average score of 81.1. If we exclude the spring Martinsville race (where he finished 35th), he gave us an average finish of 5.5 and an average score of 87.2.
Kasey Kahne: Started 1st, finished 14th and 74 fantasy points. That's right -- the driver who started on the pole (and got the 10 point bonus for doing so) couldn't hold the lead for a single lap.
Paul Menard: Started 10th, finished 35th (3 laps behind the leaders) and 22 fantasy points. It's a good thing he signed that Richard Childress contract before starting this race.
This week NASCAR takes its show to prime time for a Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The new lineup polls are open and will close Thursday night in time for Friday's qualifying session.
We also have a fresh set of fantasy football polls. The results of our two most recent ones appear below. You, the Internet, decided that Chris Johnson should be No. 2 on our draft board (after Adrian Peterson), and you said decided that the first quarterback we should target is Drew Brees. This time around, we ask you to pick the No. 3 player for our draft board, as well as the top wide receiver. Please vote now.
[polldaddy poll=3615257] [polldaddy poll=3596858]
The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team compiled 287 points at Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. The season total is now 6,168. We're 46, 780th overall on Yahoo Sports, and we rose 6 spots, to 62nd, in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.
Tony Stewart: Started 4th, finished 6th, 36 laps led and 91 fantasy points. That includes a 1-point qualifying bonus and a 10-point lap-leader bonus. And this clearly unbiased source tells us that "a win is just around the corner" for Stewart.
Kevin Harvick: Started 8th, finished 1st, 60 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Harvick finished his eligibility for the People's Pitstop in the best way possible. In his nine starts for us, he gave us 7 finishes in the top 10. Though we missed two of his wins, he gave us an average finish of 8.7 and an average score of 81.1. If we exclude the spring Martinsville race (where he finished 35th), he gave us an average finish of 5.5 and an average score of 87.2.
Kasey Kahne: Started 1st, finished 14th and 74 fantasy points. That's right -- the driver who started on the pole (and got the 10 point bonus for doing so) couldn't hold the lead for a single lap.
Paul Menard: Started 10th, finished 35th (3 laps behind the leaders) and 22 fantasy points. It's a good thing he signed that Richard Childress contract before starting this race.
This week NASCAR takes its show to prime time for a Saturday night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The new lineup polls are open and will close Thursday night in time for Friday's qualifying session.
We also have a fresh set of fantasy football polls. The results of our two most recent ones appear below. You, the Internet, decided that Chris Johnson should be No. 2 on our draft board (after Adrian Peterson), and you said decided that the first quarterback we should target is Drew Brees. This time around, we ask you to pick the No. 3 player for our draft board, as well as the top wide receiver. Please vote now.
[polldaddy poll=3615257] [polldaddy poll=3596858]
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Fearless Predictions - Michigan
This breakfast edition of the People's Pigskin features our predictions for the drivers who will finish in the top 10 at today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Last week's forecasts went a respectable 6-4, raising the season record to an almost respectable 101-109.
1. Kasey Kahne. He's on the pole for this race, and he's finally settled the whole "where will you drive next year while you wait for your Hendrick deal to take effect" question.
2. Mark Martin. Being the defending champion of this race and holding the last Chase spot has to count for something.
3. Kevin Harvick. So does being the current points leader.
4. Jeff Gordon. So does having 10 finishes in the top five (more than anyone else).
5. Clint Bowyer. The driver battling Martin for that final Chase spot will start third today.
6. Jimmie Johnson. Front row. Five 2010 wins. Four titles. Nuff said.
7. Tony Stewart. He's finished in the top 10 in each of the last four races (and eight of the last nine).
8. Carl Edwards. Meanwhile, Edwards has finished in the top 10 in the last five races, and his average finish on this track is 6.6.
9. Brad Keselowski. He's certainly comfortable at Michigan; he won the August Nationwide race for the second straight year. Yes, he's starting right behind Edwards, but surely they can get along for one day. Right?
10. Paul Menard. This week's medium to long shot celebrates Menard's deal to join Richard Childress Racing next year. He does have three top 10 finishes under his belt this season, so Childress certainly isn't making this move just because the driver comes with his own sponsor.
Be sure to vote on our fantasy football polls. They'll close tonight. We'll be back with race results and fresh polls.
1. Kasey Kahne. He's on the pole for this race, and he's finally settled the whole "where will you drive next year while you wait for your Hendrick deal to take effect" question.
2. Mark Martin. Being the defending champion of this race and holding the last Chase spot has to count for something.
3. Kevin Harvick. So does being the current points leader.
4. Jeff Gordon. So does having 10 finishes in the top five (more than anyone else).
5. Clint Bowyer. The driver battling Martin for that final Chase spot will start third today.
6. Jimmie Johnson. Front row. Five 2010 wins. Four titles. Nuff said.
7. Tony Stewart. He's finished in the top 10 in each of the last four races (and eight of the last nine).
8. Carl Edwards. Meanwhile, Edwards has finished in the top 10 in the last five races, and his average finish on this track is 6.6.
9. Brad Keselowski. He's certainly comfortable at Michigan; he won the August Nationwide race for the second straight year. Yes, he's starting right behind Edwards, but surely they can get along for one day. Right?
10. Paul Menard. This week's medium to long shot celebrates Menard's deal to join Richard Childress Racing next year. He does have three top 10 finishes under his belt this season, so Childress certainly isn't making this move just because the driver comes with his own sponsor.
Be sure to vote on our fantasy football polls. They'll close tonight. We'll be back with race results and fresh polls.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Yes, Virginia, You Should Watch Preseason
Most fans of the National Football League, even the ones who watched "Big Fan" and thought "What a lightweight," find preseason football about as stimulating as listening to this guy. However, in between your perusal of things such as Christopher Harris' list of "must-draft players," Brad Evans' ADP Progress Report and Bill Simmons' analysis of the 10 types of holdouts, all fantasy football players should find some room in their busy August schedules to catch a few preseason games.
I'm not saying you should shell out the legalized-extortion money that teams charge fans to come to their stadiums and see future high school coaches play for an entire half. I'm also not saying you need to stay tuned for every last two-minute drill. But I am saying that preseason games can offer some clues about how certain players will be used in the regular season (and whether said players are worthy of our draft/auction consideration). A few examples:
Who will carry the rock? (And I don't mean Rex Ryan's gut): Giants vs. Jets, Monday, Aug. 16, ESPN. Ryan has already signaled that he will break with NFL tradition by playing his starters beyond the first quarter. But he has not shown his hand when it comes to his starting running back. LaDainian Tomlinson is the newcomer and a former fantasy MVP, but he's taken more abuse than the Bluesmobile. Shonn Greene has been called the Jets "bell cow," but how many mistakes would it take for him to find the bench?
Playing a game of catch: Cowboys at Texans, Saturday, Aug. 28, CBS. Miles Austin saved many a fantasy player's bacon with his breakout 2009 season. But Roy Williams seems to be eager to dispel the notion that the Cowboys paid a king's ransom for a court jester. And then there's Dez Bryant, who's out of his cast and may be ready to play when this game comes around. And we haven't even discussed the potential of a Kim Kardashian factor yet.
Some people call me ... Tim: Steelers at Broncos, Sunday, Aug. 29, Fox. The Broncos could have simply traded for Brady Quinn and had him match up with Kyle Orton in an old-fashioned quarterback competition. Instead, they traded up to get Tim Tebow and throw a monkey wrench at every fantasy football player. Tebow is a truly long shot for the starting job, at least in his rookie season. But what happens if the Broncos decide to use him in some option packages? Will they have to make Quinn or Orton the emergency third quarterback? Will we be able to draft Tebow as a tight end? Will we be able to take him seriously after this?
(Those of you who have NFL Network will get a head start on the rest of us. They'll be broadcasting Denver's game against the Bengals on Sunday.)
All of the above: Eagles at Bengals, Friday, August 20, Fox. Then there are games like this one that offer multiple questions. How will Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick split their quarterback snaps? Can Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens co-exist once they realize that only one of them will be the Bengals' No. 1 receiver? Who's going to fill Michael Westbrook's shoes as both a running back and a target of fantasy players' ire?
You can wait like everyone else to read the game stories, or you can watch and try to answer these questions for yourself.
We'll be back with our NASCAR predictions.
I'm not saying you should shell out the legalized-extortion money that teams charge fans to come to their stadiums and see future high school coaches play for an entire half. I'm also not saying you need to stay tuned for every last two-minute drill. But I am saying that preseason games can offer some clues about how certain players will be used in the regular season (and whether said players are worthy of our draft/auction consideration). A few examples:
Who will carry the rock? (And I don't mean Rex Ryan's gut): Giants vs. Jets, Monday, Aug. 16, ESPN. Ryan has already signaled that he will break with NFL tradition by playing his starters beyond the first quarter. But he has not shown his hand when it comes to his starting running back. LaDainian Tomlinson is the newcomer and a former fantasy MVP, but he's taken more abuse than the Bluesmobile. Shonn Greene has been called the Jets "bell cow," but how many mistakes would it take for him to find the bench?
Playing a game of catch: Cowboys at Texans, Saturday, Aug. 28, CBS. Miles Austin saved many a fantasy player's bacon with his breakout 2009 season. But Roy Williams seems to be eager to dispel the notion that the Cowboys paid a king's ransom for a court jester. And then there's Dez Bryant, who's out of his cast and may be ready to play when this game comes around. And we haven't even discussed the potential of a Kim Kardashian factor yet.
Some people call me ... Tim: Steelers at Broncos, Sunday, Aug. 29, Fox. The Broncos could have simply traded for Brady Quinn and had him match up with Kyle Orton in an old-fashioned quarterback competition. Instead, they traded up to get Tim Tebow and throw a monkey wrench at every fantasy football player. Tebow is a truly long shot for the starting job, at least in his rookie season. But what happens if the Broncos decide to use him in some option packages? Will they have to make Quinn or Orton the emergency third quarterback? Will we be able to draft Tebow as a tight end? Will we be able to take him seriously after this?
(Those of you who have NFL Network will get a head start on the rest of us. They'll be broadcasting Denver's game against the Bengals on Sunday.)
All of the above: Eagles at Bengals, Friday, August 20, Fox. Then there are games like this one that offer multiple questions. How will Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick split their quarterback snaps? Can Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens co-exist once they realize that only one of them will be the Bengals' No. 1 receiver? Who's going to fill Michael Westbrook's shoes as both a running back and a target of fantasy players' ire?
You can wait like everyone else to read the game stories, or you can watch and try to answer these questions for yourself.
We'll be back with our NASCAR predictions.
Friday, August 13, 2010
The People's Choice - Michigan
Another week of voting has concluded, and you, the Internet, have made your choices for the drivers who will represent the People's Pitstop in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Michigan. Here are the poll results.
A List. Ties are pretty common here at this Web site, but having two drivers take all the votes in a poll is not. This week, the voters split their votes evenly between Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. The qualifying session will serve as the tiebreaker.
B List. Once again, we will have three drivers competing for two starting spots. Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne will compete for those spots. (If Harvick gets one, he will represent the People's Pitstop for the final time this season.) The worst qualifier among the three will sit on the bench with Jeff Burton.
C List. It's nothing but ties this week for the World Wide Web's favorite fantasy NASCAR team. This poll came down to either A.J. Allmendinger or Paul Menard. Once again, the top qualifier gets the starting spot.
The poll results can be found below. For you fantasy football fans, the quarterback poll is still open, and we have a new poll. Last week, you, the Internet, decided that Adrian Peterson should top our draft board. Now we are asking you who should sit at No. 2. Please vote now. We'll update this post when qualifying is over.
UPDATE 6:30 P.M. Oh, what a qualifying session it was. Tony Stewart finished 4th, earning him a starting spot over Jeff Gordon and earning us a bonus point. Kasey Kahne got us 10 more bonus points for winning his second pole of the season, and Kevin Harvick (8th) edged out Jamie McMurray (19th) for the other B List spot. By the way, Happy Harvick better make this start count; it will be his last of the season for the People's Pitstop.
Even the C Listers ran well today. Paul Menard qualified 10th and earns the starting spot over A.J. Allmendinger.
We'll be back with more football thoughts.
[polldaddy poll=3596835] [polldaddy poll=3596845] [polldaddy poll=3596851]
A List. Ties are pretty common here at this Web site, but having two drivers take all the votes in a poll is not. This week, the voters split their votes evenly between Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. The qualifying session will serve as the tiebreaker.
B List. Once again, we will have three drivers competing for two starting spots. Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne will compete for those spots. (If Harvick gets one, he will represent the People's Pitstop for the final time this season.) The worst qualifier among the three will sit on the bench with Jeff Burton.
C List. It's nothing but ties this week for the World Wide Web's favorite fantasy NASCAR team. This poll came down to either A.J. Allmendinger or Paul Menard. Once again, the top qualifier gets the starting spot.
The poll results can be found below. For you fantasy football fans, the quarterback poll is still open, and we have a new poll. Last week, you, the Internet, decided that Adrian Peterson should top our draft board. Now we are asking you who should sit at No. 2. Please vote now. We'll update this post when qualifying is over.
UPDATE 6:30 P.M. Oh, what a qualifying session it was. Tony Stewart finished 4th, earning him a starting spot over Jeff Gordon and earning us a bonus point. Kasey Kahne got us 10 more bonus points for winning his second pole of the season, and Kevin Harvick (8th) edged out Jamie McMurray (19th) for the other B List spot. By the way, Happy Harvick better make this start count; it will be his last of the season for the People's Pitstop.
Even the C Listers ran well today. Paul Menard qualified 10th and earns the starting spot over A.J. Allmendinger.
We'll be back with more football thoughts.
[polldaddy poll=3596835] [polldaddy poll=3596845] [polldaddy poll=3596851]
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Coming Soon (or Not) to a Camp Near You
There are some things that always happen at this time of year. Someone will try to get America to care about golf's fourth major, and NFL players are going through training camp.
Most of them, that is.
While you're getting ready for your draft (regardless of how it is set up), some teams are dealing with players who, for one reason or another, have decided to stretch out their summer vacation. Here are a few examples, and whether fantasy players need to be worried about them.
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets. If you caught the first episode of this year's "Hard Knocks," you saw a lot of people, but Revis was not one of them. He wants to get Nnamdi Asomugha money. And Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, has raised the possibility that Revis will miss the season as a result of this holdout. Should fantasy players be concerned? Yes. Revis is one of the primary reasons the Jets defense will be one of the first off your draft board.
Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers. He's one of several Chargers involved in contract disputes. One of the others, Shawne Merriman, is reportedly ready to sign his deal, but Jackson has been away from the team long enough that he's "not a part of the plan" anymore. If you're a fantasy player, you probably cooled off on Jackson a long time ago. The reason: He faced a three-game DUI suspension the moment he signs, anyway.
Logan Mankins, New England Patriots. Yes, we're going to discuss a guard's holdout. He's trying to get something the Patriots are loath to give out: a lucrative deal. You probably aren't going to draft him (unless you're using the services of our friends at Trench Fantasy), but you probably have an eye on the man he guards. Should fantasy players be concerned? Not yet. Keep an eye on Dan Connolly during the preseason games. He wouldn't be the first Patriot to come out of nowhere and become an All-Pro player.
A certain quarterback, Minnesota Vikings. He's not the first veteran to decide he doesn't like training camp. He's just inspiring more stories than most. Unless he files retirement papers with the National Football League office (something he didn't do after either of his previous two stops), you should expect to see him show up as late as he can get away with.
Incidentally, would we all feel differently about him if all these stories about his situation used the word "holdout"? He is under contract, after all.
Anyway, the lineup polls for the People's Pitstop will close later tonight. Please vote now. We'll be back with the results.
Most of them, that is.
While you're getting ready for your draft (regardless of how it is set up), some teams are dealing with players who, for one reason or another, have decided to stretch out their summer vacation. Here are a few examples, and whether fantasy players need to be worried about them.
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets. If you caught the first episode of this year's "Hard Knocks," you saw a lot of people, but Revis was not one of them. He wants to get Nnamdi Asomugha money. And Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, has raised the possibility that Revis will miss the season as a result of this holdout. Should fantasy players be concerned? Yes. Revis is one of the primary reasons the Jets defense will be one of the first off your draft board.
Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers. He's one of several Chargers involved in contract disputes. One of the others, Shawne Merriman, is reportedly ready to sign his deal, but Jackson has been away from the team long enough that he's "not a part of the plan" anymore. If you're a fantasy player, you probably cooled off on Jackson a long time ago. The reason: He faced a three-game DUI suspension the moment he signs, anyway.
Logan Mankins, New England Patriots. Yes, we're going to discuss a guard's holdout. He's trying to get something the Patriots are loath to give out: a lucrative deal. You probably aren't going to draft him (unless you're using the services of our friends at Trench Fantasy), but you probably have an eye on the man he guards. Should fantasy players be concerned? Not yet. Keep an eye on Dan Connolly during the preseason games. He wouldn't be the first Patriot to come out of nowhere and become an All-Pro player.
A certain quarterback, Minnesota Vikings. He's not the first veteran to decide he doesn't like training camp. He's just inspiring more stories than most. Unless he files retirement papers with the National Football League office (something he didn't do after either of his previous two stops), you should expect to see him show up as late as he can get away with.
Incidentally, would we all feel differently about him if all these stories about his situation used the word "holdout"? He is under contract, after all.
Anyway, the lineup polls for the People's Pitstop will close later tonight. Please vote now. We'll be back with the results.
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