Tim Tebow Heckled By Own Fans, Looks Bad At Camp

Tim Tebow can't escape being criticized, even by his own team's fans watching training camp. If you have ever watched the NFL Draft, I guess hearing a few boos from New York Jets fans shouldn't be surprising.

Tebow is the most polarizing player in the NFL and everyone has an opinion if he can be effective as the starting quarterback for the Jets. He had a bad practice today and he didn't change anyone's mind positively. He paraded around without his shirt at the end of practice, hopefully to distract everyone from his play...it didn't work.

He wasn't the only quarterback to look bad. Mark Sanchez had his own blunders in the poor weather. Interceptions and fumbles could be the overall theme in the Jets training camp this year.

Tim Tebow's honeymoon period with the New York media appears to be over. Is the Jets' blind optimism about their quarterbacks warranted?

Tebow took 12 snaps with the second team today. He went 3 for 8 and took a 'sack' after running around the field trying to avoid defenders. The hecklers started to let him have it during that play. His own fans were yelling, "Throw the ball" and "This is why you're number two!" There is a group of Jets' fans who believe Sanchez is their future and have disliked Tebow from Day 1. Sanchez did lead them to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances, but smart fans could say that he benefited from a staunch defense.

Tebow and Sanchez are in a quarterback competition manufactured by the media. You haven't heard anything from head coach Rex Ryan about a competition. Conjecture can make a mess of an already bad situation.

Tony Sparano is the Jets new offensive coordinator. He is best known for implementing the Wildcat offense when he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Jets linebacker Bart Scott believes the Jets will have an advantage with Tebow in a similar package. It is a risky gamble, since teams figured out the Wildcat by the next season after it began.

The Jets have the most pressure of any team in the NFL...and they didn't even make the playoffs a year ago. The Giants won the Super Bowl last season and coach Ryan could be on the hot seat if the team starts the season poorly. They will find it difficult to share a stadium with the world champions.

If the quarterbacks' poor play becomes the norm, expect Tebow AND Sanchez to use the 'shirtless' distraction on a daily basis.

2012 MLB: What We've Learned So Far...

If Matt Kemp was the MVP of April, the May award would go to either Giancarlo Stanton, Melky Cabrera, or Carlos Gonzalez. Their bats started to heat up as the degrees raised on the thermometer.

If I had to chose between Stanton, Cabrera, and Gonzalez, I would have to go with Stanton. He hit a grand slam that hit the scoreboard. It made a large portion of the scoreboard go black. If the Miami Marlins want to keep a left-field scoreboard, they may want to move it deeper into the park.

May is a month when teams start getting an idea if their roster needs tweaked. Players start getting called up from the minors and veterans begin to get "designated for assignment."

Here are some things that we learned in May...

- Jamie Moyer is a bad ass. Yes, a middle school pitcher could beat him on the radar gun, but you have to respect what he has done. The Colorado Rockies released him last week, but he set the age records for wins and oldest person to get an RBI. I hope a team gives him an opportunity to pitch at age 50 next season.

- No one can hit Ernesto Frieri. The Los Angeles Angels reliever did not allow a hit during the entire month of May. He has registered 30 strikeouts in 14 innings and saved his first game. He currently shares the role of closer with Scott Downs. I have a feeling that Frieri will have that job by himself if he keeps this up.

- Aroldis Chapman? (see: Ernesto Frieri)

- Matt Kemp's hamstring pisses him off. He spent nearly the entire month of May on the disabled list. He came back, but re-injured his hamstring and will be out the entire month of June. Kemp was so mad that he had a mini-tirade in the dugout.

 - Bryan LaHair falls back down to Earth. He was the only Chicago Cubs offense in April. He looked to have a stranglehold on the first-base job and block Anthony Rizzo from being called up. He is now stuck in a platoon with Jeff Baker and sits when the Cubs face a left-handed starting pitcher.

- Alfonso Soriano found the Fountain of Youth. He reduced his bat weight by an ounce and a quarter and his power has returned. He hit eight home runs in the last 30 days. The Cubs are hoping that he can keep this up so they can finally trade him.

- Justin Smoak can be called "The Smoak Monster" once again. He started the season off horribly, but he had seven home runs and a .280 average in the month of May. He now has a .241 average, which is much better than hitting around the Mendoza line.

- Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are really, really good. No one thought they would hit this well so early in their careers. Harper is a ball of energy and is a threat with his bat and his cannon of an arm. Trout looks like he could turn into a 30/30 guy. He will definitely have over 30 stolen bases this season, since he has nine in only 127 at-bats.

- Mark Trumbo ate Albert Pujols. Going into the season, analysts had written off Trumbo. They thought that he could end up in a platoon with an outfielder and spell Pujols at first-base. Trumbo currently has a line of 10/27/.331 and Pujols has a line of 8/23/.238. Pujols hit all of those homers in May, so he is headed in the right direction.

- Jared Weaver and Roy Halladay are human. Both pitchers started off the year very hot. Weaver pitched a no-hitter earlier this season and Halladay had a few games in which he has no-hitter stuff. They both landed on the disabled-list at the end of May. Weaver will only miss a couple starts, but Halladay's season is at risk. He is having a second opinion on his shoulder and could need surgery.

- The Pittsburgh Pirates have a talented pitcher? James McDonald came out of nowhere and has been phenomenal. In May, he had 39 K's in 35 innings with an ERA of 1.54 and a WHIP under 1.00. His BABIP doesn't do him any favors by showing that he has had a bit of luck. His K/BB is currently at 63/19, a rate that he needs to keep up if he wants to continue his early success.

- The AL East is too close too call. In the month of May, every team in the division were either 15-13, 15-14, or 14-14. You can't get any closer than that.

- Will Middlebrooks made Kevin Youkilis expendable. Middlebrooks is a younger version of Youk, but with more power. The Boston Red Sox will get a nice return for the "Greek God of Walks".

- The Chicago White Sox are showing that they could be a playoff team. They went 18-11 with a +34 run differential in the month of May. Davan Viciedo, Alejandro De Aza, Alex Rios, Gordon Beckham, and Paul Konerko all lead a stat category for their position in May. The 2012 roster is almost a mirror image of last year's team. They are responding to a new message and probably grew tired of Ozzie Guillen's method. Robin Ventura is getting the most out of the team.

- The NL East is as close as the race in the AL East. The Washington Nationals are currently leading, but only 3.5 games separate them from last place. I can see this race still being a three or four team race at the trading deadline.

- The St. Louis Cardinals are confusing. They have a +52 run differential but are only one game over .500. The Cincinnati Reds are looking like the team to beat, but don't count out the Pirates. This is definitely a three team race.

-  The NL West will be won by either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the San Francisco Giants. The Arizona Diamondbacks aren't getting as many balls fall as they did last year. The pitching staffs for the Dodgers and Giants look dominant. The NL Cy Young winner could be won by a pitcher in this division. Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong, and Madison Bumgarner and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw in the discussion.

The following pictures are a monthly treat for my female readers. I'm not a huge fan of this section of the post, but it has been a hit. Female sports fans have been very kind to this site, so here's a little eye candy for the ladies...I hope you enjoy shirtless photos of Hunter Pence, C.J. Wilson, Ryan Braun, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Lance Berkman. (yeah, sorry about the Berkman photo)

Sorry about that guys! I promised a female reader that I would do this once every month during the baseball season. Shirtless photos are my limit...no one could handle seeing a nude photo of Berkman.

Miami Dolphins to Appear in HBO's "Hard Knocks"

I know what you're thinking, the title of this post should be, "Miami Dolphins to Appear on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' Because Every Other NFL Team Turned HBO Down." Yeah, that sounds about right.

When you look at the Miami Dolphins roster, you see Reggie Bush and a lot of guys with unknown personalities. Who knows, these guys could be funny and show a lot of heart. The saddest part is they got rid of the most watchable and unpredictable player in the NFL, Brandon Marshall. C'mon, that guy would have given me so much comedy material!

Here are some of the possible story lines we will see on this season's "Hard Knocks".

- The Dolphins will allow Chris Bosh, Lebron James, and Dwyane Wade to suit up for a few practices. I can see Brian Windhorst covering that for ESPN's laughable 'Heat Index."

- Reggie Bush is no longer dating Kim Kardashian, that is old news. He is currently dating her stunt-double, Melissa Molinaro. HBO will make sure to have the cameras on her quite a bit. Look below and pick which one is Kardashian and which one is Molinaro.

- David Garrard can tell the story about how 10 of the worst teams wanted to sign him last season, but he waited until the last minute to have surgery.

- Everyone FINALLY gets to know the answer to " Is Joe Philbin related to Regis?"

- We get to know Vernon Davis' unstable brother, Vontae.

- Karlos Dansby will do an impression of Kurt Warner at least five times during "Hard Knocks".

- Anthony Fasano will finally admit that Brady Quinn is currently sleeping on his couch.

- A poutine eating contest will be officiated by former Canadian Football League player Cameron Wake.

- Jake Long will lead us to the place where Mike Hart's career is buried. (Hint: It is in Ann Arbor)

- Richard Marshall tells his teammates that he's Brandon, since Brandon told half of his teammates that he was either Richard or Mandingo for most of the season.

- Legedu Naanee hosts a team Spelling Bee.

- Mike Pouncey, Will Barker, and Nate Garner will go shirtless until everyone pays them $1,000. If that goes well, they will go nude until a rookie pokes their eyes out. That is what the veterans call the classic "Darwinian Cut."

- The shell of Steve Slaton pretends that he can still play football.

- Finally, the team has a scavenger hunt with Reggie Bush's Heisman trophy as the only item listed. (The scavenger hunt was sponsored by all of the past Heisman winners)

How Will The Jets Use Tim Tebow?

The biggest mystery of the upcoming season is how the New York Jets will use Tim Tebow. The team has been silent about their plans for the former Heisman trophy winner. A lot of information is being leaked out, but it is usually about Tebow and Mark Sanchez having dinner together. We all know that he is non-controversial and will not complain about being a backup to Sanchez. He is a great competitor and would love to start, but he will not admit that to the media.

New offensive coordinator, Tony Sparano, brought back the Wildcat formation when he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Does Sparano have another innovative package to unleash in 2012?
Tim Tebow has not put on a helmet in four months, yet you hear his name everyday on ESPN. I'm sure that head coach Rex Ryan, quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh, and Sparano are getting tired of answering the same questions. It would be stupid of them to tell the media about the role that Tebow will play this season. Cavanaugh told the New York Daily News that Tebow is improving everyday. He is focused on having consistent footwork and improving his rhythm in the pocket.

In 2008, Sparano didn't even hint about his Wildcat package until it was put into action against the New England Patriots. The Dolphins used the wildcat package six times and scored five touchdowns in that formation. They went on to beat New England 38-13 and won the AFC East division by going 11-5. The formation was duplicated across the league and defenses soon figured out a way to stop its effectiveness and it died out. Sparano will need to design a package that he can morph and mold, so defenses can't catch up to it so quickly.

Last season, the Jets admitted that were missing the x-factor that Brad Smith brought to their team. He signed with the Buffalo Bills before last season. They ran an option called the "tigercat", in which he mostly ran out of the backfield. Smith rarely passed the ball out of the package, which makes having Tebow a better fit for a similar package. Safeties started to play inside the box against Smith's package, but Tebow is a better passer. The defense will not be able to predict as much, since Tebow will pass at a higher percentage and keep the defense guessing.

I have kept an eye on the Jets' draft picks and free agent signings. All signs point towards the Jets using Tebow in an exaggerated option package. The biggest sign was drafting running back Terrance Ganaway in the sixth-round. His familiarity with an option-style offense he played at Baylor makes him a perfect running back to lineup in the backfield.

In Denver, Tebow was most effective in the red zone. If he was inside the ten line, he was automatic and scored touchdowns. Last year, the duo of Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson lacked the size to move piles. John Conner, aka The Terminator, is a fantastic blocking back, but he was even rendered useless in the red zone.

What would a "Tebow package" look like? The Jets have said that fans should expect Tebow to be in about 20 plays per game. Sparano has made this priority number one, so expect some elaborate plays from the Jets. Tebow could line up at either quarterback, fullback or tight end, expect the unexpected. He could benefit from playing in a triple option with Greene and Ganaway, which would take a lot of practice and precision from the offensive line to pull that off. He could even line up at a running back in a pro set. If that happens, he could flank out on a screen and be thrown a backwards pass. His down-the-field accuracy is sketchy at best, but he could get lucky and catch the secondary asleep.

We can only guess on how Tebow will be used on the Jets. He is an average quarterback, but if an offense is built around him, he could be great. The skills that he has as a quarterback are the skills that Sanchez lacks. Tebow is a strong leader and has intangibles that can turn a broken play into a first down. I'm not saying that that Jets don't follow Sanchez, but Tebow has the kind of charm and passion for the game that very few players can match. They are both handling this situation pretty well so far, so they must have something under their sleeves.

A lot has to happen in order for the Jets to pull off this Tebow experiment. I am excited to watch the Jets this season and I have never said that in my life.

Lastly, I leave you with a little eye candy for the ladies...shirtless pictures of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. I have posted half-naked photos of Kate Upton, Brooklyn Decker, and Christina Hendricks, so I kind of owe them. (I apologize to the older demography for not posting any shirtless photos of Joe Namath)

How 'Mad Men' Made Me Hate January Jones

I have been wanting to write this post for a long time. I thought about it a few weeks ago, but I needed a kick in the pants to write this article. I needed to contribute to a site that I'm writing for, ProjectShanks.com, and thought that this would be the perfect way to start. A person's first post on a new website should have pretty girls in it, right?

I feel like I'm getting ready to break up with a girlfriend who banged all of my friends, recorded it, and made me watch it. How do you get everything off of your chest at once? By the way, I think I dated a girl that would do that. She was pretty evil, but we'll save that for another fun post.

This post is about the AMC show, 'Mad Men.' Is it bad that I let a television show annoy me this much?

I had never watched a single episode of the show until this winter. A lot of my friends were really into the show and I avoided listening to them talking about it. A handful of my friends even dressed up in fancy clothes to watch each episode that a local theater. I swear that my friends aren't as douchey as I make them out to be.

 My interest began to grow when I watched Jon Hamm host 'Saturday Night Live' and appear in 'Bridesmaids.' He seemed like a funny guy and I caved in and asked a friend to borrow his 'Mad Men' DVDs. This was a big move for me, because I rarely give into 'hype.'

 I have only caved once and it was because of a girl. I refused to watch the 'Lord Of The Rings' movies, but the girl that I was dating was a big fan. She wanted me to watch them and I tried. My old roommate owned the entire trilogy and I took them into my room, opened a beer, and put in the first movie. After 15 minutes, I needed a new beer (I should add that it was about noon). I went downstairs, grabbed a beer, and was about to go back to Middle Earth, but I had an amazing idea. I grabbed all of the blankets that I owned and I talked my roommate into making our living room into a huge blanket fort. Four hours and many beers later, I remembered that I never went into my room to finish it. I ended up drinking beers with the neighbors in our new blanket fort.

 I watched the first season of 'Mad Men' and I was numb. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. I let it slide, since the first season of a show isn't usually its best. The second and third seasons were finished over the next few weeks. A feeling of anger and regret started to sink in, but I was still trying to hold onto hope. It was taking me longer and longer to finish each season. The fourth season was done after a month and I was left with a month until the premiere of season five.

 I added up the amount of time that I wasted on watching all four of the seasons of 'Mad Men.' Each episode is roughly 45 minutes long with each season having thirteen episodes. I will never get those 39 hours back.

Season five started in March and I was still stuck on stage 2 (Anger) of the Kübler-Ross model, commonly referred to as the "Five Stages Of Grief." I wasted all of that time, so I might as well waste a few more hours and keep watching. It's not too late, watching January Jones will make it all worth it. Maybe the lovely actress will show some side-boob (it's on AMC, that is the best you are going to get on regular cable). The first two episodes aired with no signs of Betty Draper, aka Miss Jones, and in the third episode, she's wearing a fat suit (#facepalm).

 I am officially declaring that as of today, I will no longer watch 'Mad Men.' I have finally made up my mind. Even if Betty's body bounces back from her thyroid problem, it won't change my decision. I'll just keep looking at the January Jones photo that I posted at the bottom of this post.

 Here are five reasons why I have grown to hate 'Mad Men':

1. Every character hates their life. Most of them have great careers and make a very comfortable living, but they are never satisfied. You could say that they all sabotage their lives, which is an accurate statement. This could be the reason that they are always drinking.
2. The show attempts to frame the late-50's and 60's as the coolest era. Everyone smokes and drinks during the day, men always wear suits, and 80% of the women are beautiful. All of these things are exaggerated and fans of the show always list the show's authenticity as a reason they watch it. If I drank as much as the guys at Sterling Cooper Draper Price, I'd be passed out by lunch. I want to add that most of the show's fans were not born to live in that era. The show barely touches on the rampant racism and the constant threat of a nuclear attack by the Russians.
3. 'Mad Men' is the New England Patriots of television. In the eyes of critics and fans, the show can do no wrong. Matthew Weiner is Bill Belichick, a man who drafts no-name players and ESPN does nothing but praise him. In hindsight, the last quality player who Belichick drafted was Jerod Mayo...in 2008. 'The Sopranos' and 'The Wire' are off the air and critics needed a new show to praise. The last two seasons of 'Mad Men' were worse than the first three.
4. The show's storylines move at a snail's pace. Critics panned 'Boardwalk Empire' for its slow pace, yet they never mention this show's speed. The normal arc of a television show season is that they have a few storylines that end at the end of each episode or in a period of episodes. They also have a few that drag throughout the season, yet a lot happens in these storylines, because they are complex. The season-long themes in each season of 'Mad Men' are not complex and could be told in half of the time. They often step away from the main storyline for entire episodes and still inch towards its ending.
5. They made me hate January Jones and Christina Hendricks. Seriously, how did Matthew Weiner do this to me? Betty Draper and Joan Harris (Hendricks) are two of the easiest to hate characters. Betty has some weird sexual tension with a young boy and Joan hates anyone who is happy. Even the characters that they want you to like, Don Draper and Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss), are often sad sacks that go through episodes moping around. In closing, a lot of shirtless and/or partial nude men have been seen lately...this is only strengthening my argument against Mr. Weiner. 

I am better off freeing up the hour each week that I waste on 'Mad Men.' I can finally start watching either 'Justified' or 'Friday Night Lights.' I've heard amazing things about both of the shows and I can't wait to start them.

After reading this post, I hope at least one person makes a blanket fort.



For other posts about pop culture, check out ProjectShanks.com. A friend of mine recently started the site with some great guys. I'm contributing some posts over there and expect great stuff very soon.

2012 NFL Draft - 1st Round Mock Draft

The 2012 NFL Draft is one the deepest drafts in recent memory. Most of the guys who will be drafted are proven commodities. You won't have a lot of guys who rose into the first-round based just on their NFL Combine performance. It is quite reassuring for a team to draft a player based on their actual on-field production than to cross their fingers and take a risk on a guy who can bench more and/or looks better shirtless.

I do my impersonation of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay with my own Mock Draft.

Warning: Alabama and LSU will be represented well in this year's 1st round of the NFL Draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts - QB Andrew Luck (Stanford)
This is a pretty easy pick, you might as well write him in.


2. Washington Redskins - QB Robert Griffin III (Baylor)
Washington didn't trade up to draft anyone other than Griffin III.


3. Minnesota Vikings - OT Matt Kalil (USC)
Minnesota recently said that this pick was on the market. Don't take any of Jim Irsay's tweets seriously...ever. If they trade this pick or not, Kalil will go at #3.


4. Cleveland Browns - WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State)
Unless the Browns can trade down to pick a QB, Blackmon is too good to pass up.


5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Morris Claiborne (LSU)
Who cares about Wonderlic scores! I love Claiborne and he'll be a good one.


6. St. Louis Rams - WR Michael Floyd (Notre Dame)
The Rams still need to bolster their receving corps and Floyd would help. He's a bit of a reach at #6, but he fills a team need.


7. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
This will give the Jaguars another pass rusher and will help Jeremy Mincey on the other end.


8. Miami Dolphins - QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M)
If no one trades up to get Tannehill earlier, he'll be picked by the Dolphins. They need a QB of the future and he's worth the risk.


9. Carolina Panthers - DT Dontari Poe (Memphis)
Poe is the 'Mr. Upside' of the 2012 NFL Draft. Scouts see something special in him and he has all the tools to be a good defensive tackle.


10. Buffalo Bills - G David DeCastro (Stanford)
He's the best guard in the draft and will help get some holes for Fred Jackson to run through.


11. Kansas City Chiefs - LB Luke Kuechly (Boston College)
He's been compared to Keith Brooking...Kansas City needs a Keith Brooking-type linebacker.


12. Seattle Seahawks - DE Quinton Coples (North Carolina)
Seattle's defensive front was really bad in 2011, Coples will fill their need.


13. Arizona Cardinals - OT Riley Reiff (Iowa)
Reiff may not be available at #13, since teams like to trade up to get left tackles. If he's there at #13, Arizona would gladly pick him.


14. Dallas Cowboys - S Mark Barron (Alabama)
Dallas has needed a strong safety since Darren Woodson retired. He would be an upgrade over Abram Elam.


15. Philadelphia Eagles - DT Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State)
Andy Reid loves him some defensive tackles. They also need help at cornerback, but this will add depth.


16. New York Jets - RB Trent Richarson (Alabama)
I think I'm the only person who think that Richardson will fall in this draft. The NFL is a different league than it was a decade ago. If someone doesn't trade up to draft Richardson, the Jets will get a steal. He would be a nice complement to Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.


17. Cincinnati Bengals - DT Michael Brockers (LSU)
Cincinnati has bolstered its defense with physical guys. Brockers would be a nice fit in that defense and it would be the best pick for the Bengals.


18. San Diego Chargers - CB Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama)
The Chargers have yet to replace Antonio Cromartie and Kirkpatrick is their guy.


19. Chicago Bears - OT Jonathan Martin (Stanford)
Jay Cutler has found that it is hard to throw the ball while on your back. The Bears have whiffed on a few other offensive tackles recently, but Martin will help him stay on his feet.


20. Tennessee Titans - CB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina)
A ballhawk cornerback with 4.40 speed? The Titans will jump on him if he's there at #20.


21. Cincinnati Bengals - G Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
He was a beast at the NFL Combine and replaces Bobbie Williams, who left via free agency.


22. Cleveland Browns - OT Mike Adams (Ohio State)
Mike Holmgren likes a talented offensive line. Adams might be a reach at #22, but there isn't a quarterback worth the reach. They could pick Brandon Weeden, Kirk Cousins, or Brock Osweiler later in the draft.


23. Detroit Lions - CB Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)
The Lions have spent the last two drafts building their defensive line. It is time for them to spend some picks on their secondary.


24. Pittsburgh Steelers - ILB Dont'a Hightower (Alabama)
He's the perfect pick for the Steelers. His name sounds like he should have played for the team in the 1970s.


25. Denver Broncos - DT Jerel Worthy (Michigan State)
Denver needs help against the run and Worthy would be the best defensive tackle on the board.


26. Houston Texans - WR Kendall Wright (Baylor)
If the Texans pick Wright at #26, it would free up Jacoby Jones to focus on just being a receiver. Wright will help in the receiving corps, but he's a threat as a kickoff & punt returner.


27. New England Patriots - OLB Courtney Upshaw (Alabama)
This draft is becoming very Crimson Tide heavy. He's undersized and doesn't have a true position at either defensive end or outside linebackers. Even though many mock drafts have him going much higher, he's a project.


28. Green Bay Packers - DE Chandler Jones (Syracuse)
The younger brother of UFC champion, Jon "Bones" Jones, would look good in a Green Bay jersey.


29. Baltimore Ravens - C Peter Konz (Wisonsin)
Konz would be the "Center in waiting" and would take over when Matt Birk retires.


30. San Francisco 49ers - WR Stephen Hill (Georgia Tech)
Alex Smith needs more targets and I wouldn't be surprised if Coby Fleener is picked here instead of Hill. Jim Harbuagh coached him at Stanford and having another big target would benefit Smith. I think they go with Hill because I don't know how Vernon Davis would react to having another tight-end as competition.


31. New England Patriots - S Harrison Smith (Notre Dame)
Even though New England needs to improve their front seven, their secondary was the worst group to have every made it to the Super Bowl. 


32. New York Giants - TE Coby Fleener (Stanford)
Kevin Boss is a good tight-end, but Fleener could be the next Rob Gronkowski. He's a big target for Eli Manning and he'll get open in their offense.


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Would Peyton Help Groom Tim Tebow?

As Peyton Manning is in Denver talking with the Broncos, we all wonder how this will affect Tim Tebow. It isn't a guarantee that Manning will sign with them, since he will most likely visit a few more teams. Would Manning be afraid of the backlash that comes with blocking Tim Tebow from starting? Would he accept the role of mentor? What can Tebow learn from one of the games best quarterbacks? A lot of questions are still in the air, but one thing is known, they are both fierce competitors.

Manning has never been on a team with another quarterback that could start in the NFL. I think he has helped groom some of his back-ups in Indianapolis, but it wasn't his job. When the Colts were winning 12 games a year, Jim Sorgi or Curtis Painer would play a lot in the last few games of the year. Manning would have a headset on and he would be calling plays. He was able to do that because he had no threat at losing his job. I'm guessing that he enjoyed watching someone that he helped mold and call plays for him. Saying all of that, the situation in Denver would be quite different.


Drafting Tim Tebow in the first-round and having the ground-swell of support from Denver's fans, has been a problem for the Broncos front-office. John Elway has since taken over the operations and he wasn't in charge when Tebow was drafted. Football bloggers and mainstream journalists were waiting to see if Elway would him a shot. After a watching the first few games last year, Elway thought that they had nothing to lose and unleashed Tebow. Was Elway hoping that he would fall on his face? Elway's in a position that he has to leave Tebow alone or the fanbase will turn on him. The only way out of this would be if he signed Peyton Manning.

Denver's defense was very solid last year and rookie Von Miller was exceptional. In a weak AFC West, the Broncos are built to win now. They have the cap space to sign Manning and maybe a few of his old teammates (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and/or Dallas Clark). The fanbase would realize that Manning would be the best choice to lead this team...right now.

What can Tebow learn from being Manning's back-up? First, he would probably be in less pictorials with his shirt off. I've seen Tim Tebow shirtless more times than I have seen myself nude. After that is addressed, he can learn to become a better passer. Manning helped build an offense around his strengths. Tom Moore was a huge help in doing that, but he started to learn defenses and call audibles at the line. This what Tebow needs to learn the most from Manning. If he can recognize defenses, he can go in the huddle and call one passing play and one QB option play. He can see what the defense gives him and then signal to his teammates which play he's calling. If he perfected that, Tebow would be more of a threat than Michael Vick...assuming that Tebow learns how to throw more accurately.

Will Manning groom Tim Tebow if he signs with Denver? I'm assuming that it would be a condition in his contract. What if Manning finishes his career there, in three or four years, and hands the keys to Tebow and he stinks? It wouldn't completely tarnish his reputation, but it wouldn't look good. Brett Favre never had that problem with Aaron Rodgers, even though he had nothing to do with Rodgers' success.

The apprenticeship that Tebow would receive from Manning would be priceless. They are both fierce competitors, Tebow just needs someone to mold him. He will not be fixed over night, so Manning would be the perfect stopgap.





Seriously bro, put on a shirt!

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It's Been Awhile - Part 5

Hey guys, have you noticed that I've started writing again? I started this blog 4 years ago this month and I have taken five extended breaks from writing. Every time I take a hiatus, I feel the need to tell people why I decided to take a break. Here it goes...

I've always been "too honest" on this site and I can tell you guys that my passion for writing...it faded. I had a day job, a girlfriend, a busy social life, yet I kept writing here and for a few other sites. Over the last year and a half, I've had a few losses in my life and it increased my "fuck it" impulse. It's not that I didn't want to write, I couldn't. The picture above is a photo of me that a friend shot in Vegas. It exemplifies how I felt about writing. I would sit at my laptop and my mind would be blank.


It's not like I completely quit writing, I tried. I have been working on a short story for a few years now. I would have days where I would write, but they were few and far between. I've had a few freelance gigs and helped start a local nightlife site, but I didn't get any joy from it. I know that this needed to change and I tried everything to try to re-boot my system, I even became a vegetarian for two months. I didn't want my passion to die, so I kept trying new things and it slowly came back.

I can say that, as of today, my passion bucket is once again full. My mind is full of ideas and I'm ready to start making the magic happen again. I have agreed to write for a few other sites, as well as rejuvenating my own. I started this blog because of the NCAA Tournament and the phenomenon that happens every year. One unathletic whiteboy becomes the nation's underdog...America's White Boy. I started it with the idea of being the underdog. This site went from an idea to getting over 50k uniques a month. I hope to start that process again today.

Now that I've said all of that, this is the portion of this post where I list all of the things that I've learned since I've been gone.

- I've realized that the Cubs will never win the World Series

- Soccer moms listen to Bon Iver while they do "hot yoga"

- I've spent a lot of time drinking craft beer...a lot of time.

- I really love "Jungleland" by Bruce Springsteen, here's a live version from 1975.

- My attempt at being a hardcore soccer fan, it never really happened. I don't wake up early enough on the weekends.

- I finally watched "The Silence Of The Lambs", so I now get a lot of old jokes & parodies of Buffalo Bill.

- I hate accounting. I really hate accounting.

- I've watched a lot of TV. I really like "Community", "Parks & Recreation", "Always Sunny In Philadelphia", "New Girl", & "The Big Bang Theory"

- You should "Like" me on Facebook.

- I hope to join together with some friends and start a podcast soon.

- Ryan Braun probably got away with taking steroids.

- 2011 was a pretty shitty year.

- I watch a lot of Josh Krajcik videos on YouTube.

- Grantland.com should be so much better than it is. I love long-form sports journalism & Chuck Klosterman. The site shouldn't be named after Grantland Rice, it should be named after Will Leitch.

- I'm still addicted to Twitter @ Sweetbob.

- I think I personally know at least 100 "social media experts", yet many lack any real-life social skills.

- I'm signed up for Google+, but I rarely use it. The only people who add me are from Sri Lanka or a country in the Orient.

- This past football season, I got over 100,000 uniques from Google from people searching for the terms "Tim Tebow Virgin" & "Tim Tebow Naked/Nude". I used to just get a lot of hits from the term "shirtless" followed by popular baseball players' names.

- I hate that a lot of sites are starting to use the "Bleacher Report" model of using "Top 10" lists or using slideshows to increase traffic.

- I'm no longer jaded by the music industry. I've realized that "the machine" is dying and independent artists are gaining more control of their lives.

- I really want to watch Wrestlemania this year.

- If you love drinking beer, you should be on Untappd.

- I think A&W Root Beer is the best root beer. I will fight anyone to the death if they tell me otherwise.

- I have been writing jokes for a stand-up routine. I have a lot of material...I just need to try it out on people.

- Twitter has ruined my grammar. I kind of have a hardcore "passive voice" problem. (English nerds will get that joke)

- Christina Aguilera is slowly turning into Snooki.

- I read something by Mark Twain, every day.

- If you play Christmas songs on a jukebox in February, everyone at that bar will hate you.

- I'm a huge fan of mash-ups, but I have a hatred for dub-step.

- My next phone will be an iPhone, I've grown tired of my Android...also, I would like to have Instagram.

- I like The Format more than the band, Fun.

- I've watched 95% of the Indiana Pacers games this year, watch out for them in the playoffs.

- Anthony Davis's unibrow will get drafted #2, after Anthony Davis himself.

- Last week, I successfully groomed Nugget, my shih tzu.

- I have the best friends that a guy could have. I haven't been around them that much in the last year, but I hope that will change soon. I think about you guys everyday.

Finally, I've always ended these posts with a picture of a hot girl. I did it just to make my girlfriend mad, since I'm single, I don't feel the need to do it. Instead, here are some photos that crack me up and/or I want to put on the back of my business card.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!






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2011 MLB Betting Predictions - April 9th

I usually wait for the first week of the MLB season to play out before I start my MLB betting line posts. I did rather well over the last few years when I have done these and I hope I can help lead some people in the right direction. My picks are against the spread and I also do over/under lines. Will the Red Sox make it two in-a-row against the Yankees? Can the Indians keep up their offense? Here are the MLB betting lines & predictions for April 9th, 2011.

Philadelphia Phillies +1 1/2 (Roy Oswalt) vs. Atlanta Braves -1 1/2 (Brandon Beachy) - Over/Under 7 1/2
Phillies - Over

After the way that the Braves rocked Cliff Lee yesterday, the Braves will be bet heavy today. The Phillies are a veteran team and will have revenge on their mind.
You have to have a short memory in the MLB and they will get to Beachy early in this contest. The O/U is set at 7 1/2 and if this game goes the way I think, it will go over. The smart bet would be a parlay on the Phillies moneyline & the over.


New York Yankees +1 1/2 (Ivan Nova) vs. Boston Red Sox -1 1/2 (Clay Buchholz) - O/U 10
Red Sox - Under

The Red Sox started off bad this year, but they came out yesterday and took care of Phil Hughes early. Ivan Nova has better stuff than Hughes has right now, but you don't want the Red Sox to gain any confidence. Buchholz should handle the Yankees hitters and stretch the winning steak to two.


Kansas City Royals +1 1/2 (Bruce Chen) vs. Detroit Tigers -1 1/2 (Phil Coke) - O/U 9 1/2
Tigers - Over

Can you look at these starting pitchers and honestly think that they won't score a combined 10 runs? I'm scared at what Miguel Cabrera will do to Bruce Chen. The Tigers will win outright, cover, and this game will go over.

Tampa Bay Rays +1 1/2 (Wade Davis) vs. Chicago White Sox -1 1/2 (Philip Humber) - O/U 9
White Sox - Over

Wade Davis was rocky in his first start and the White Sox offense have looked very good. The Rays notched their first win last night, thanks to a Matt Thornton blow-save. The White Sox will bounce back and take care of business.

Chicago Cubs +1 1/2 (Matt Garza) vs. Milwaukee Brewers -1 1/2 (Chris Narveson) - O/U 8 1/2
Cubs - Under

Matt Garza's Cubs debut had flashes of greatness. He stuck out double-digit Pirates, but still had a few dumb mistakes. Chris Narveson also had a good debut, but the Cubs bats have looked in mid-season form, if only their bullpen was in the same shape.

Washington Nationals +1 1/2 (Tom Gorzelanny) vs. New York Mets -1 1/2 (Chris Capuano) - O/U 8 1/2
Mets - Under

If this game was being played in any other park with these two pitchers, the line would be 10, but Citi Field is huge. Gorzelanny vs. Capuano might get ugly, but as long as they keep the ball down, it'll go under. I might want to stay away from this bet, these teams are so inconsistent.

Oakland Athletics -1 1/2 (Gio Gonzalez) vs. Minnesota Twins +1 1/2 (Nick Blackburn) - O/U 8
A's - Under

Gio Gonzalez was the buzzworthy pitcher in fantasy baseball this year and he will have a solid year. The Twins are just trying to get healthy, so Oakland has a slight edge in this game.

Cincinnati Reds -1 1/2 (Bronson Arroyo) vs. Arizona Diamondback +1 1/2 (Daniel Hudson) - O/U 8 1/2
Diamondbacks - Over

I learned a rule in Vegas last year...never bet on Bronson Arroyo! It doesn't help that he is still dealing with mono, that's a huge red flag. I really like Daniel Hudson in this contest.

Los Angeles Dodgers -1 1/2 (Hiroki Kuroda) vs. San Diego Padres +1 1/2 (Dustin Moseley) - O/U 7
Dodgers - Under

Kuroda has had solid numbers of the last calendar year, but he doesn't get much respect. It will help him that the game is at Petco Park, the Padres will have a hard time going yard against him.

Toronto Blue Jays -1 1/2 (Brett Cecil) vs. Los Angeles Angles +1 1/2 (Scott Kazmir) - O/U 9
Blue Jays - Over

Name the last time that Scott Kazmir looked like a pitcher that should be on a contender? I'll wait...

Cleveland Indians +1 1/2 (Justin Masterson) vs. Seattle Mariners +1 1/2 (Doug Fisher) - O/U 7 1/2
Indians - Over

Masterson looked great his first time out this year and they rocked the Mariners yesterday. Seattle looks bad and Cleveland wants to pound their former skipper (Eric Wedge).

St. Louis Cardinals +1 1/2 (Jaime Garcia) vs. San Francisco Giants -1 1/2 (Matt Cain) - O/U 6 1/2
Cardinals - Under

This game should be very low-scoring, since both Garcia & Cain looked very good in their debuts. The Cardinals will miss Matt Holliday, but the Giants bullpen, mostly Brian Wilson, hasn't been dominating.

2011 Fantasy Baseball: Catchers

The catcher position looks fairly top-heavy this year in fantasy baseball. You have a young group on their way up and a few prominent catchers that look to be transitioning into a designated-hitter role. I ranked the top 20 catchers and added some sleepers and busts to help you in your draft.

My rankings are based on a standard 5x5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me bobbymcrib@gmail.com.

1. Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins - This was the easiest pick. He is the overall best player at this position and can't argue against it. He will be taken in the first-round of your draft.

2. Brian McCann - Atlanta Braves - Some people are a bit cold on McCann this year, but I have owned him the last three years in my NL-only league and he hasn't hurt me. There are some durability issues, but I think he has a great year.

3. Buster Posey - San Francisco Giants - He showed what he can do in the playoffs last year and his stock is high. You might have to take him rather early to own him, but if you're in a keeper league, he could be worth holding onto.

4. Carlos Santana - Cleveland Indians - His season was cut short due to a nasty injury at homeplate last year. He was the best prospect in the Indians farm system and excelled during his short time in the Majors. He will have a solid year and worth an every day start in your league.

5. Geovany Soto - Chicago Cubs - He has been up and down since he was promoted to the Majors. He bounced back and had a good year last season and I feel like he will improve on those numbers in 2011.

6. Victor Martinez - Detroit Tigers - ESPN has him at #2 in his rankings, but I fear that the move from Fenway Park to Comerica Park will hurt his numbers. He isn't surrounded with the same kind of talent as Boston. I would worry about taken him as the #2 catcher off the board, but feel like he is still a smart option at catcher.

7. Matt Wieters - Baltimore Orioles - Is this the year that Wieters finally puts it all together in the Majors? He was the best prospect in the minors a few seasons ago, but it hasn't translated to dominance yet. The Orioles line-up is much better and he has more protection around him. I think this is the year he becomes an All-Star candidate.

8. Miguel Montero - Arizona Diamondbacks - He missed a few months last season with a knee injury, but came back strong to finish the year. You could draft him later than some of the catchers below him in my rankings. He will give you solid power and .270-.280 batting average.

9. Mike Napoli - Texas Rangers - He won't be an everyday catcher for the Rangers, but he will find his way into the lineup. He will be moved around and play catcher, first-base, outfield, and maybe DH. It's scary to think about what kind of numbers he could have hitting in the small park in Arlington. He could have a career year without even getting 400 at-bats.

10. J.P. Arencibia - Toronto Blue Jays - He isn't a household name yet, but he put up great power numbers in the minors. The Blue Jays seem sold on him and I think he could be a steal of the draft if you get him late.

11. Kurt Suzuki - Oakland A's - He had a great first-half of the 2010 season, but dealt with an injury the second half and only his .223. He is a safety pick if you reach and go after a risky catcher. He will give you double-digit power and his batting average won't kill you.

12. Jorge Posada - New York Yankees - Is this the last year for Posada to be fantasy relevant? He can still rake at the plate, so he will get most of his time as the DH. He will still log some time behind the plate, but his defensive liability will keep that from happening much. He is s risky pick, but could be a nice value pick of other players in your league is scared off by his age.

13. Chris Iannetta - Colorado Rockies - Iannetta is a streaky player and difficult to rank. He even landed in the minors for a bit to work on his mechanics. The guy has power, but only hit .197 last season. He has the starting job in Colorado, but I wouldn't say that he has a complete stranglehold on the position. This is a risky pick, but I think he will hit 20+ homers this season.

14. Carlos Ruiz - Philadelphia Phillies - He is a very under-rated catcher that doesn't get much love from fantasy baseball players. He is kind of a one-trick pony with his batting average. The rest of his stats won't help you much, but won't hurt you either. If you draft a power hitter that struggles with batting average (Ryan Howard, Carlos Pena), you may want to pick up Ruiz to help balance out your batting average damage.

15. Nick Hundley - San Diego Padres - In only 273 plate appearances last season, he hit 8 homers and batted .249. He had a K/BB ratio of 66/25, which means that he has a decent eye at the plate. In a full season, expect 18 homers, 80 RBIs, and a better batting average than .249.

16. John Buck - Florida Marlins - Don't expect the same production out of Buck this season as last year in Toronto. He was swinging for the fences every time he was up at the plate in 2010. I'm hoping that the Marlins hitting coach will adjust a few things and make him become more of a complete hitter. He struck out 111 times in 409 plate appearances, but still amazingly hit .281. He's a risky pick, but could be a decent back-up catcher on your team.

17. Rod Barajas - Los Angeles Dodgers - He should benefit for playing a full season with one team. He joined the Dodgers mid-season from the Mets. He will give you some power, but average stats in the other categories. He won't hurt you in any of the other categories.

18. A.J. Pierzynski - Chicago White Sox - He isn't a guy that you should circle before a draft. He is a catcher that you will end up with at the end of your draft if you still need a backup catcher. He will hit 8 or 9 homers, hit .270, and drive in 50 RBIs. You know what you're getting with Pierzynski, you won't get any more or any less.

19. Miguel Olivo - Seattle Mariners - His home/away splits last season with Colorado has a gap as big as Bartolo Colon. It's a big red flag coming into the 2011 season, since Safeco Field isn't Coors Field. This is a risky pick, but he'll add a handful of steals to your team, if you choose to play him on those days.

20. Russell Martin - New York Yankees - I have owned Russell Martin in a keeper league the last three seasons. He never hurt me until last season. His numbers have declined every year that I have owned him, but I think he is worth a late-round pick. There isn't much pressure on him to produce in the Yankees line-up. He will even get you some steals, which isn't a category that you expect to help you in.




Busts
Jason Varitek - Boston Red Sox - He's a flashy name that people know and you could even bait another owner to draft him early if you wanted. He isn't going to play much of the season. He still has some pop, but I don't see him getting as many at-bats as he has in the past.

Chris Snyder - Pittsburgh Pirates - He is another player that has helped teams in the past. He moves to the Pirates and will add power to your team, but his batting average will kill you. Not worth the risk by drafting Snyder.

Yadier Molina - St. Louis Cardinals - He's another known player and is a better player in real-life than he is in fantasy. He will help your average, but there isn't any other category that you will benefit from starting Molina.

Sleepers
Jesus Montero - New York Yankees - He is worth taking a flyer at the end of the draft and holding on to him. He could pay off or turn into a trade chip. The Yankees current backstops are Jorge Posada & Russell Martin, both are injury risks and the Yankees love Montero. He is their catcher of the future and possibly a keeper for you in your league.

Brayan Pena - Kansas City Royals - You won't find many people that will draft Pena this year. He will be the starting catcher this season over Jason Kendall, but he will share time. He was serviceable in his short time up with the club last year and could turn into a solid backup.

Ryan Hanigan - Cincinnati Reds - It's not 100% that the Reds will give Ramon Hernandez the starting job out of spring training. Hanigan showed the same offensive skills that Hernandez has put up so far with the team. If you were thinking about draft Henandez as your backup catcher, I would hold off and wait for this position battle to show a winner.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Boston Red Sox - Salty will get his shot this season with the Red Sox. He only had 24 at-bats last season with the team, but he will be in a time-share with Varitek. He's only 25, but this is his third team and he is running out of chances. His back is against the wall and I like guys with something to prove. I think he runs with this opportunity and earns his spot on the team.

Tim Tebow Is A Virgin

If anyone is shocked that Tebow is a virgin, I have some land to sell you. He is a devout Christian and off the field, he has the manners of a nobleman. During the SEC Media Day, a random reporter shouted out the question, "Are you a virgin?" and Tebow responded with "Yes, I am." He chuckled initially, but are you surprised? He wants to be a preacher and has the charm to be a politician. He was on the Dan Patrick Show earlier today and he said "Sir" after every answer. He goes on mission trip to help circumcise 3rd-world children, he's like Mother Teresa with shoulder pads.

I am not a fan of Tebow on the field, but off the field, it's hard not to respect the guy. He is a cocky, abrasive guy when you put a helmet on him, but he's just a competitive person. He will probably go onto win the Heisman this year and be drafted somewhere in the middle to late first round. A team will have to take a chance on him. He would be good for PR and a nice morality figure to have in the locker room. The Cincinnati Bengals would love to draft him, only if they would have a pick in the late first round, that's unlikely.

There has been countless numbers of pictures of Tebow with hot co-eds flating around the internet since his freshman year. A lot of them were probably girls that wanted to have their picture taken with him, others he probably dated. He isn't exactly at the University of Wyoming (sorry had to chose a school in cool weather). The University of Florida has a lot of A+ talent roaming around the quads on campus. Tebow would certainly have his pick of the litter, but that's not his style. 9 out of 10 players in his position would probably already have an illegitimate child and a few other ladies to "get with" on the side.

I applaud Tebow for his honesty, but you know that he is going to get torched on the road in the SEC this season. I can already see the signs at LSU and South Carolina. They will have to confiscate signs out of the crowd and I doubt CBS would want to televise signs of that nature.

Oh well, At least you've made one man happy. A.C. Green is no longer the butt of virgin jokes across America.


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2009 Un-All-Star Team

Last year, I did my 2008 Un-All-Star Team post in early May. A lot of my team ended up turning things around and a few of them actually ended up with career numbers. I wanted to do this year's post a little deeper into the season. They are currently about 70 games in right now and some great players are looking like they need some extended spring training to regain their usually consistent form. About this time of year you can throw out the term "slow-starter" and begin using "bad year."

Some of these players do have some power numbers, but I'm looking at average mostly. If you are still floating around the Mendoza Line and it's almost July, you are having troubles. A few of these players have been trying to play through injuries (Alfonso Soriano), but his season isn't living up to expectations.

Here is my list of the 2009 Un-All-Star Team sorted by position. The number next to the position players is their batting average as of today and the number next to the pitchers are their ERA.

Catchers
Kelly Shoppach .194
Dioner Navarro .218
Geovany Soto .222

First Base
Conor Jackson .182
Carlos Guillen .200
Chris Davis .200
Jason Giambi .212
Lance Berkman .241

Second Base
Alexi Casilla .180
Dan Uggla .216
Howie Kendrick .231
Kelly Johnson .227

Third Base
Garrett Atkins .205
Alex Rodriguez .212

Shortstop
Mike Aviles .183
Khalil Greene .213
Jimmy Rollins .223
Orlando Cabrera .235

Outfield
Ken Griffey Jr. .220
Grady Sizemore .223
Alfonso Soriano .229
B.J. Upton .229
Ryan Ludwick .234
Pat Burrell .236

Starting Pitchers
Chien-Ming Wang 12.30
Oliver Perez 9.97
Scott Kazmir 7.69
Fausto Carmona 7.42
Ricky Nolasco 7.15
Andy Sonnanstine 6.60
John Lackey 6.10
Francisco Lirano 5.91

Bullpen
Brad Lidge 7.27
Troy Percival 6.35
B.J. Ryan 5.71
Manny Corpas 5.40
J.J. Putz 5.22

If anyone has any recommendations for the 2009 Un-All-Star Team let me know.

I'm sorry if you found this post in hopes of trying to find shirtless photos of Grady Sizemore of any other of our players. It's kind of a running joke on this blog, since it seems like I get a lot of hit from google from people trying to find shirtless photos from players from Grady Sizemore and Ryan Braun to the confusing duo of C.C. Sabathia and Prince Fielder.

Designated Hitter
David Ortiz .207

God, Help Me!

After a rough day of college football and non-competitive college basketball games, I am stuck with the Browns/Bengals game on my television. These teams are two of the worst teams to watch since 50% of each of their teams are on injured reserve. Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson (Ocho Cinco), Kellen Winslow, and about thirty other players are not going to play in this game. This leaves me with watching a Ken Dorsey vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick match-up.

I want to have fun while watching this game, so these are the things that are going to keep me interested.

- Drink every time Braylon Edwards drops a ball.

- Over/Under 2 minutes into the game that they start talking about next season for both of these teams.

- Over/Under 4 times, that the announcers talk about Ken Dorsey's college career.

- Count the amount of people with bags over their heads vs. the idiots without any shirts on

- The Bengals should have less points than people in the team with felony charges

- Realize that Romeo Crennel outweighs most of his offensive linemen

- Laugh repeatedly when the announcers describe the history of this rivalry and try to make it sound watchable.

I'm not sure if I will be able to make it through this game, this might be my last post. If I don't make it, I hereby bequeath this blog to my roommate.

It's Been Awhile Pt. 3

I've been on and off of here for the last two months and I am going to be more active since college basketball will be in full force very soon. A lot more stuff to annoy and praise with the upcoming NBA, College Football BCS debacle, NFL season wind-down, and NHL. I can't wait until Mel Kiper and Todd McShay invade ESPN every five minutes, they need their own show.

I know what you're thinking, the last two times that I had a post called "It's Been Awhile" you used it as an excuse to post a picture of a girl that you have a celebri-crush on...I will explain.

- "Tim Lincecum shirtless" google term has been directing tons of traffic to my blog, so I figured that I needed to actually have a picture of Tim Lincecum, well, shirtless. People must have a need for shirtless photos of Ryan Braun, Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, Brady Quinn, Grady Sizemore, Gabe Kapler, and even C.C. Sabathia to get directed to my blog with the term "shirtless" after their name. I need to boost traffic and with football and basketball season going, here are players that I'm sure will make my blog better. Reggie Bush, Allen Iverson, Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Chris Paul, Lebron James, Jay Cutler (really?), Tom Brady, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo, Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Brett Favre, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Ladianian Tomlinson, Michael Beasley, Matt Ryan, and for good measure, Grady Jackson.

- My fantasy football teams are all over .500 and I am leading 2 of the 4 leagues I am in.

- Spicy Chicken Nuggets at Wendy's are not as good as the regular chicken nuggets.

- Sonic Drive-Thru is my new vice. I love that I can get jalapenos on basically anything I want.

- The Mobsters game on Myspace is very addictive.

- Sam Bradford will be a better NFL quarterback than Colt McCoy and Graham Harrell.

- Logan's Roadhouse is currently paying my bills.

- Greg Oden plays like Dikembe Mutombo without the finger wave.

- The Indiana Pacers might actually be a .500 team. Danny Granger looks like the real deal.

- Brett Favre has probably cost the Jets at least two wins, they would be 9-1 if Chad Pennington was the QB.

- Girls are getting very risky with their facebook photos.

- I think 90% of my friends dressed up as sluts at Halloween and brag about it.

- Texas Tech's offense looks like every other Texas Tech offense the past ten years. I'm sure Kliff Klingsbury is pissed that the Red Raiders never had a defense when he played.

- Accountemps piss me off.

- The new Emery EP is very good.

- Showtime have two great series on their channel. "Dexter" and "Californication" are must-see television shows.

- Real Chance At Love is better than Rock of Love Charm School, but that is just one man's opinion.

- Fantasy Focus Football podcast isn't as good as the baseball podcast, but still amazing.

- Oklahoma Sooners basketball team will be very, very good this season.

- You will see a lot of Stephen Curry this season, I'm pretty sure every non-conference game of Davidson is televised nationally.

- Andre Dawson deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

- Chauncey Billups will flourish on the Denver Nuggets and Allen Iverson will have trouble in Detroit.

- Fantasy Hockey is very hard to play, especially when you barely watch the sport.

- On the other hand, Fantasy Basketball is extremely easy when you have Chris Paul and Danny Granger on your team.

- I still like to stare at Katy Perry.

- I don't understand the buzz about "Twilight," I think "Role Models" would be a better movie to watch.


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Breaking News - Vince Young Likes Fried Chicken

I woke up to a lot of banter on morning sports talk shows about the state of mind of Vince Young. Chris Mortensen may have said the most absurd, semi-racist thing I've heard before 9am. He was describing the situation where the police was searching for Vince Young and worried about his state of mind. They found him at his buddy's house watching Monday Night Football. Mortensen said, "He was just at his buddy's house eating fried chicken and watching football." I think a better use of words could have been used when describing what Young was doing at a friend's house. I mean you either refrain from using "fried chicken" in reference to a African-American male or you go all out and make it like he was re-enacting a scene from the movie "Friday" or "Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In Your Hood."

Vince Young seems like a pretty weak person. The kind of person that has went through life where he's been showered with praise. I know he may have had a harsh childhood financially, but you know he had the football field to rip the local guys up when he was feeling a little down. He hasn't had the chance to do anything in the NFL yet, the only reason they were in the playoffs last year was due to Indianapolis playing Jim Sorgi and resting Peyton Manning in the final game of the year.

Yong has a few weeks to heal up physically and get his mind around the situation. I think he may need a mentor to help him through everything or he'll end up like Michael Vick. I'm not saying that he is going to be the Don King of professional dog-fighting, but he will end up being a bust and never maturing into the kind of NFL player he should become. The Titans did sign Chris Simms, he also went to University of Texas, I don't think they have much in common, but maybe he can help Young out. The best situation would have been the Titans drafting Limas Sweed, Young target at UT in last year's draft, but that didn't happen.

Kerry Collins isn't going to steal anyone's job away. Collins has had some success in the NFL, he lead a star-less NY Giants offense to the Super Bowl nearly a decade ago. If the Titans signed Daunte Culpepper or drafted another young quarterback last season, Young would have been all but out of Tennessee, but it's still his job to lose.I would have checked the clubs out first before I called the cops.

Out On A Limb - 2008 NFL Predictions

Seems like all football analysts want to do is say some random thing that they think may happen this season and if they come true, they are awesome, if they don't, they never mention them again. It sounds like a fun game, so I want to play. These are some predictions that seems out-of-the-box, but of course I will stay with tradition and brag if any of these become remotely true.

- I want to start off with the man in the picture, Brady Quinn. He will become the starter for Cleveland by week 8. Derek Anderson is a one-year wonder, much like Scott Mitchell was for Detroit in the mid-90s.

- Vince Young will end the season with more touchdowns than interceptions

- Larry Johnson will rush for 1600 yards and 17 touchdowns

- The Jets will win the AFC East

- Chad Johnson will lead the AFC in receiving yards

- Tom Brady will throw less than 30 TDs this season

- Kurt Warner will throw more than 30 TDs this season

- The Houston Texans will make the playoffs

- Matt Ryan will win Offensive Rookie Of The Year

- Adrian Peterson will only play in 10 games this season

- Shawne Merriman will get at least 8 sacks and play in at least 13 games.

- Drew Brees will lead the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC South

- J.T. O'Sullivan will throw for more than 28 TDs

- The St. Louis Rams will be better than 8-8

- The Kansas Chiefs will have the worse record in the NFL

- Marvin Harrison will retire after this season

- Daunte Culpepper will have signed with a team by week 6

- Nate Burleson will lead the Seahawks in receiving and TDs

- Rex Grossman will start at least 5 games this season

- Jerod Mayo will win Defensive Rookie Of The Year

- Marshawn Lynch will have a better fantasy season than Ladainian Tomlinson