The Chicago Cubs are 18-32 and have already had a double-digit losing streak this season. They knew going into this season that big changes could be made to their team.
Bob Nightengale of the USA Today reported that every player on the Cubs current roster, except Jeff Samardzija, is available for trade.
The biggest surprise in Nightengale's story is that 22-year old All-Star, Starlin Castro, is among the Cubs players that the organization would consider trading. He is among the team leaders in nearly every offensive category.
Is publicly announcing that the entire roster is available for trade a smart move? What is the Cubs asking price for Castro?
Theo Epstein signed on as the President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs and hired Jed Hoyer as the General Manager. Epstein came from the Boston Red Sox and Hoyer was previously the San Diego Padres GM. To make a long story short, they didn't draft or sign any of these players, so they are not married to them.
"We're starting to get some early calls now," Epstein told Nightengale. "There might be fewer sellers than usual and a lot more buyers. This has the chance to help us. We need core players."
The Cubs will move Starlin Castro for 'two impact prospects' and Bryan LaHair, Matt Garza, and Ryan Dempster are the others that will be highly sought after. Alfonso Soriano was also mentioned, which isn't a new development, the Cubs has been trying to trade him for three seasons. They would eat most of his contract just to make space in the outfield ($18 million per season through 2014). Soriano is on a hot streak since reducing his bat weight by over an ounce. It could be the perfect time to talk a team into taking him off their hands
Let's go back to Epstein's remark that the Cubs "need core players." Castro has proven that he can produce at the major-league level (over 200 hits in 2011). He has struggled defensively this year and analysts are questioning if he would be more suitable at a third-base. Unless the Cubs think that minor-league shortstop Junior Lake is a better long-term answer at the position, I would rather have Castro than two wild-cards at this point.
If the Cubs make a few moves and clear spots on the 25-man roster, they will bring up some talented minor leaguers. First Baseman Anthony Rizzo is tearing up Triple-A and will be the first player they call up. If Rizzo is their #1 prospect, outfielder Brett Jackson is #1a. Jackson has been touted as the center fielder of the future. RHP Trey McNutt and 3B Josh Vitters could also be considered for a call-up.
Epstein can't trade the entire roster. They are an 18-32 team, he couldn't even give away most of them. Publicly announcing that the team is up for trade could lead to disgruntled players and low morale. He could have had personal discussions with other teams' front office staff. He did it as a message for fans that he will not stand pat and will do everything he can to improve the Cubs. I can understand that, but it just seems pretty early to be making bold statements.
I'm a Cubs fan and I have been very patient with the organization. I am ready for a change, but I hope they don't trade young established talent for even younger unknown commodities. You can make a bad situation even worse if those prospects don't pan out and the player you traded away is voted into the All-Star game every year.
NFL: Early 2012 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Team-By-Team)
If you are a serious fantasy football player, it is time to start researching for sleepers. There is still a lot of off-season left, but the draft is over and most of the impact free agents have already signed. I pick one sleeper on every NFL team and give team-by-team analysis at this point in the off-season.
Some of the choices are no-brainers, but a few of the teams only have very deep sleepers. I didn't focus much on quarterbacks, since nearly every team has already named a starter for next season. A lot of incoming rookies and slot receivers made the list.
The sleepers I list below consists of running backs, wide receivers and tight ends who could impact their teams and your fantasy league this season. Let me know if you have your own fantasy football sleeper that didn't make the list. I will make sure to give you credit when I update this list during training camp.
Arizona Cardinals - RB Ryan Williams - Williams is coming off major knee surgery and will miss at least two games to start the season. I don't trust Beanie Wells as a starting running back and the Cardinals backup options are a mixed bunch. LaRod Stephens-Howling, Javarris James, Alphonso Smith, and Jared Crank are the guys who will battle for position on the depth chart. Williams is a guy you need to circle and keep an eye on his progress.
Atlanta Falcons - RB Jason Snelling - How can I have a fantasy football sleeper post without including the perennial sleeper favorite Jason Snelling? Michael Turner turns 30 this season and has carried the ball over 300 times in three of the last four seasons. He is at risk of regressing this season, but that same warning was also given before the 2011. Keep this in mind, the Falcons cut Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli. Bradie Ewing, a rookie, will be blocking for Turner this season. Jacquizz Rodgers is a back that shouldn't steal any carries from either Turner or Snelling, since he brings something different to the position.
Baltimore Ravens - WR Jacoby Jones - The Ravens have a slew of young wide receivers. Torrey Smith, Tommy Streeter, Demetrius Williams, and Tandon Doss will fight for playing time, but Jones has the most experience out of that group. Jones will be used as a return specialist, but he will also get opportunities at wide receiver. Flacco can't rely on an entire receiving corps of guys who are adjusting to the NFL. Keep an eye on this situation as training camp progresses.
Buffalo Bills - WR Naaman Roosevelt - Buffalo's wide receiver corps is an improved group. Stevie Johnson and David Nelson are the leaders, but after them it is unknown who the #3 or #4 receivers will be when the season begins. Naaman Roosevelt, Brad Smith, and Ruvell Martin will battle for those two spots. Roosevelt is a local fan favorite since he was born in Buffalo and went to college there. Ryan Fitzpatrick has the green light to air it out and he will spread the ball around.
Carolina Panthers - WR David Gettis - Gettis is a very interesting sleeper this year. He suffered an ACL tear last season and never had the opportunity to experience the regular season with Cam Newton. He had 500+ yards in 2010 with a hodgepodge of quarterbacks throwing to him (Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen & Tony Pike). Steve Smith had a Pro Bowl year in 2011 and Brandon LaFell had a promising season with 613 receiving yards. Gettis should win the #3 WR spot over Armanti Edwards and Joe Adams. Adams is someone to keep your eye on. He is an impressive talent and could impress Carolina's coaching staff in training camp.
Chicago Bears - TE Evan Rodriguez - Mike Tice is the new offensive coordinator in Chicago and he will not ignore the tight end position like former offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Kellen Davis will be the starter, but expect plenty two-TE sets. Cutler checked down to tight ends in Denver and Chicago's tight ends will be more productive in 2012.
Cincinnati Bengals - WR Jordan Shipley - Cincinnati drafted receivers A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, and Marvin Jones in the last two drafts. All three are tall and are a better fit on the outside. Shipley is the perfect slot receiver and he will be healthy this season. I look for Andy Dalton to build on his excellent rookie campaign.
Cleveland Browns - WR Travis Benjamin - Brandon Weeden has a bigger arm than Colt McCoy, so expect the wide receivers to have increased stats. Greg Little, Josh Cribbs, and Mohammed Massaquoi will all have the opportunity for breakout years. Benjamin could sneak into the game when the Browns go four-wide. Rookie quarterbacks get to know rookie wide receivers really well. They work with them in rookie mini-camp and they could develop chemistry.
Dallas Cowboys - TE James Hanna - Jason Witten has played ten seasons and is 30 years old. The Cowboys run plenty of 2-TE sets and Hanna is the next best tight end on the roster. He was impressive at Oklahoma in college and is in line to be Witten's successor. He is a big target for Tony Romo and has nice hands.
Denver Broncos - WR Brandon Stokley - Peyton Manning and Brandon Stokley are old friends and worked out together this off-season. They were also teammates together in Indianapolis. Stokley had 1,000+ yards and 10 TDs with Manning in 2004. They have amazing chemistry together and will be a huge asset in the slot. Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas will have success in 2012, but they are known commodities and both will be drafted.
Detroit Lions - RB Mikel Leshoure - Mikel Leshoure missed his entire rookie year to a serious injury and Jahvid Best has trouble staying on the field for Detroit. Leshoure is an intriguing sleeper since he could be a forgotten player during your league's draft. He could serve a two-game suspension for a marijuana arrest this off-season. Best will have the starting job going into the season, but Leshoure is the backup who has the best shot at starting for their team at some point in the season.
Green Bay Packers - RB Marc Tyler - James Starks has the starting job going into the season, but he has never had the job by himself. He split the carries with Ryan Grant last year, who is no longer on the team. John Kuhn will continue to vulture touchdowns in Green Bay. The backup running back job is up in the air. Marc Tyler has the best shot at winning the job over Brandon Saine. Tyler had a solid career at USC, a college known for grooming elite NFL running backs.
Houston Texans - WR Keshawn Martin - Jacoby Jones is no longer on the Texans and Martin will be taking over as their return specialist. He will not be in that role exclusively. He should play in the slot position or take over the 3rd wide receiver position if DeVier Posey has a rough training camp.
Indianapolis Colts - RB Delone Carter - The starting running back job is up for grabs in Indianapolis. Joseph Addai is gone and they will need either Donald Brown, Vick Ballard or Delone Carter to shine in training camp. Brown is the front-runner for the job. If he gets it, Carter should get plenty of goal-line carries. He is currently the front-runner to be the third-down back. I almost picked Ballard for the sleeper, since he has the same build as Carter.
Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Cecil Shorts - The Jaguars are looking to open the playbook for Blaine Gabbert in 2012. Mike Thomas led the receivers in receptions last season and the addition of Justin Blackmon is huge for Gabbert's development. The #3 and #4 spots are open to win during training camp. Shorts, Laurent Robinson, Brian Robiskie, and Chastin West will be battling for those two spots. Shorts only had two receptions last season, but he as a lot of speed. Gabbert is still a work in progress and any wide receiver other than Thomas or Blackmon will be a risky gamble.
Kansas City Chiefs - WR Devon Wylie - Wylie is another rookie that could make an impact this season. He is a smaller receiver and will be used in the slot. Scott Pioli knows all about how much Wes Walker improved the Patriots and they hope Wylie can deliver a spark.
Miami Dolphins - WR B.J. Cunningham -It isn't known if Ryan Tannehill will start the season as the starting quarterback or have either Matt Moore or David Garrard keep the position warm. When you glance at the wide receivers on the Dolphins roster, you have to google most of them. Davone Bess and Brian Hartline are the only receivers left who contributed in 2011. They added Legedu Naanee in the off-season and he will be a factor in the passing attack. B.J. Cunningham had a productive career at Michigan State and has an NFL body. He has great hands and has the size to jump for balls if Tannehill has trouble with his accuracy early in his career.
Minnesota Vikings - WR Greg Childs - Christian Ponder needs big targets and Michael Jenkins and Childs are the perfect receivers to line up on the edges. Percy Harvin can go back to the slot position. Childs was impressive at Arkansas, but fell in the draft due to a late-season injury. It is unknown if he will be 100% by the first game of the season, but that news should be released soon.
New England Patriots - RB Joseph Addai - Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead have a stranglehold on the running back position for New England. I am listing Joseph Addai as a deep sleeper because Bill Belichick seems to squeeze every last drop of talent out of thought-to-be washed up running backs. Woodhead and Addai could be a scary pass catching duo out of the backfield. The Patriots will be very creative in their formations with both of them having great hands.
New Orleans Saints - WR Nick Toon - How many Saints receivers have you owned over the last three seasons? Drew Brees likes to spread it around with Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, and Marques Colston expected to catch the majority of his passes. Robert Meachem is no longer on the team and Toon is built like Colston. It is possible that they will use him in a similar capacity.
New York Giants - TE Martellus Bennett - The Cowboys drafted Bennett to be Jason Witten's successor, but he never had the opportunity to be a productive player. The Giants already have Kevin Boss and just drafted Adrien Robinson. Bennett will get plenty of looks in the trendy two-TE set.
New York Jets - RB Terrance Ganaway - The Jets drafted Ganaway to help inject new blood into the backfield. Shonn Greene had a 1,000 yard season last year, but struggled at times. LaDainian Tomlinson is no longer on the team and Joe McKnight will get some carries. Ganaway has a shot at earning the backup job over McKnight. He has the talent but will need to adjust to the NFL. His carries should increase as the season goes along...sorry, I forgot to mention Tim Tebow. We have no idea how the Jets will use him. He could be a player that will have passing, receiving, and rushing stats by the end of the year.
Oakland Raiders - RB Taiwan Jones - Darren McFadden is coming back from a serious injury. He already has a history of various injuries that forced him to miss games. Oakland signed Mike Goodson from Carolina, but Taiwan Jones is an intriguing player. He was limited in 2011 because Michael Bush was in the way. Bush is now in Chicago and the backup job is open in Oakland.
Philadelphia Eagles - RB Dion Lewis - LeSean McCoy just signed a lucrative deal to stay in Philadelphia long-term. A lot of backs regress the season after they earn a big deal. I'm not saying that McCoy will sleep on his pile of money and be lazy, but it is just a weird coincidence in the NFL. Ronnie Brown is no longer his backup and Lewis is the next in line. I don't see Bruce Brown as a threat to overtake Lewis, but I'd be curious if he earns a roster spot.
Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Jerricho Cotchery - Mike Wallace is marred in a contract dispute which may not be resolved before training camp. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will step up and fill the need, but Cotchery lends veteran leadership to the position. He could take over Hines Ward's role. He will not be a superstar, but a possession receiver that could steal a few touchdowns inside the red zone. Another possible sleeper is rookie running back Chris Rainey. Isaac Redman will be Rashard Mendenhall's handcuff, but keep an eye on Rainey.
San Diego Chargers - WR Eddie Royal - The Chargers lost Vincent Jackson and Legedu Naanee this off-season but added Robert Meachem, Roscoe Parrish, and Eddie Royal. Philip Rivers still has Malcolm Floyd as his #1 receiver with Meachem the likely #2. Royal is the ideal slot receiver and has the speed to add yards after the catch. Rivers will throw for 4,500 yards again, but it is unknown how those yards will be divided. The first few games will foreshadow the rest of the season.
San Francisco 49ers - WR Chris Owusu - Alex Smith had a hard time connecting with his receivers in 2011. He used Vernon Davis and Frank Gore as his crutches and Michael Crabtree would often disappear in games. San Francisco signed Mario Manningham and Randy Moss in the off-season, but adding Owusu was a smart move. He played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and should pick up the offensive system fast. I'm not saying that he will have more receiving yards than the aforementioned receivers, but he could surprise a lot of fantasy football owners. I would declare him as a very deep sleeper.
Seattle Seahawks - RB Robert Turbin - For the people who draft Marshawn Lynch, Turbin will be his handcuff. He had a solid career at Utah State and should have an impact with the Seahawks. He's a workout warrior and a very intriguing running back to keep an eye on this season.
St. Louis Rams - RB Isaiah Pead - Steven Jackson will be 29 years old at the start of the season. He has been very durable throughout his career. He currently has a streak of seven straight 1,000 seasons. Jackson has a lot of miles on his body and he could start to break down over the next few years. Pead could receive some carries to spell him during long drives. He is a handcuff that you should make sure to own if you draft Jackson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Tiquan Underwood - Josh Freeman will have plenty of targets to throw to in 2012. Vincent Jackson, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Sammie Stroughter, and Dallas Clark will all be awaiting his passes. It is hard to pick a sleeper from this team since Doug Martin isn't really a sleeper. He should get a lot of playing time by splitting carries with LaGarrette Blount. If I had to pick one, it would be Tiquan Underwood. He played for new head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers. The receiving corps is very full and he may not even make the squad. He is just a guy to be aware of in very, very deep leagues.
Tennessee Titans - WR Lavelle Hawkins - Jake Locker is in the same boat as Christian Ponder and Blaine Gabbert this season. They had an abrupt preseason last year and they will have an entire off-season program this year. It is still unknown if Matt Hasselbeck will start the season at quarterback, but I will assume that Locker starts the season. Kenny Britt missed most of the last season due to injury. Nate Washington, Damian Williams, and Hawkins picked up the slack and had better than expected numbers. Britt will take away from a lot of the other WRs' targets this year. Hawkins is a small receiver and could get a decent amount of balls in the short passing game.
Washington Redskins - WR Anthony Armstrong - The Redskins added Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon to the team this off-season. Those signings received a lot of media attention. The Redskins are making sure that Robert Griffin III has enough weapons to succeed in the NFL. The public forgot that Washington still has Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong. As a Colts fan, I can tell you that Garcon drops a lot of balls. Garcon, Moss, and Armstrong all have the same stature, but Moss isn't suited to play the slot. If Garcon starts to make mistakes, Armstrong's role will increase. One last thing...I want to add Kirk Cousins as a possible deep sleeper. He is the exact opposite of Griffin III. Cousins is a stationary quarterback and Griffin III may expose himself to some vicious hits by running with the ball. I am not saying that you should take a late-round flyer on Cousins, but just be aware of their distinct differences.
Some of the choices are no-brainers, but a few of the teams only have very deep sleepers. I didn't focus much on quarterbacks, since nearly every team has already named a starter for next season. A lot of incoming rookies and slot receivers made the list.
The sleepers I list below consists of running backs, wide receivers and tight ends who could impact their teams and your fantasy league this season. Let me know if you have your own fantasy football sleeper that didn't make the list. I will make sure to give you credit when I update this list during training camp.
Arizona Cardinals - RB Ryan Williams - Williams is coming off major knee surgery and will miss at least two games to start the season. I don't trust Beanie Wells as a starting running back and the Cardinals backup options are a mixed bunch. LaRod Stephens-Howling, Javarris James, Alphonso Smith, and Jared Crank are the guys who will battle for position on the depth chart. Williams is a guy you need to circle and keep an eye on his progress.
Atlanta Falcons - RB Jason Snelling - How can I have a fantasy football sleeper post without including the perennial sleeper favorite Jason Snelling? Michael Turner turns 30 this season and has carried the ball over 300 times in three of the last four seasons. He is at risk of regressing this season, but that same warning was also given before the 2011. Keep this in mind, the Falcons cut Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli. Bradie Ewing, a rookie, will be blocking for Turner this season. Jacquizz Rodgers is a back that shouldn't steal any carries from either Turner or Snelling, since he brings something different to the position.
Baltimore Ravens - WR Jacoby Jones - The Ravens have a slew of young wide receivers. Torrey Smith, Tommy Streeter, Demetrius Williams, and Tandon Doss will fight for playing time, but Jones has the most experience out of that group. Jones will be used as a return specialist, but he will also get opportunities at wide receiver. Flacco can't rely on an entire receiving corps of guys who are adjusting to the NFL. Keep an eye on this situation as training camp progresses.
Buffalo Bills - WR Naaman Roosevelt - Buffalo's wide receiver corps is an improved group. Stevie Johnson and David Nelson are the leaders, but after them it is unknown who the #3 or #4 receivers will be when the season begins. Naaman Roosevelt, Brad Smith, and Ruvell Martin will battle for those two spots. Roosevelt is a local fan favorite since he was born in Buffalo and went to college there. Ryan Fitzpatrick has the green light to air it out and he will spread the ball around.
Carolina Panthers - WR David Gettis - Gettis is a very interesting sleeper this year. He suffered an ACL tear last season and never had the opportunity to experience the regular season with Cam Newton. He had 500+ yards in 2010 with a hodgepodge of quarterbacks throwing to him (Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen & Tony Pike). Steve Smith had a Pro Bowl year in 2011 and Brandon LaFell had a promising season with 613 receiving yards. Gettis should win the #3 WR spot over Armanti Edwards and Joe Adams. Adams is someone to keep your eye on. He is an impressive talent and could impress Carolina's coaching staff in training camp.
Chicago Bears - TE Evan Rodriguez - Mike Tice is the new offensive coordinator in Chicago and he will not ignore the tight end position like former offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Kellen Davis will be the starter, but expect plenty two-TE sets. Cutler checked down to tight ends in Denver and Chicago's tight ends will be more productive in 2012.
Cincinnati Bengals - WR Jordan Shipley - Cincinnati drafted receivers A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, and Marvin Jones in the last two drafts. All three are tall and are a better fit on the outside. Shipley is the perfect slot receiver and he will be healthy this season. I look for Andy Dalton to build on his excellent rookie campaign.
Cleveland Browns - WR Travis Benjamin - Brandon Weeden has a bigger arm than Colt McCoy, so expect the wide receivers to have increased stats. Greg Little, Josh Cribbs, and Mohammed Massaquoi will all have the opportunity for breakout years. Benjamin could sneak into the game when the Browns go four-wide. Rookie quarterbacks get to know rookie wide receivers really well. They work with them in rookie mini-camp and they could develop chemistry.
Dallas Cowboys - TE James Hanna - Jason Witten has played ten seasons and is 30 years old. The Cowboys run plenty of 2-TE sets and Hanna is the next best tight end on the roster. He was impressive at Oklahoma in college and is in line to be Witten's successor. He is a big target for Tony Romo and has nice hands.
Denver Broncos - WR Brandon Stokley - Peyton Manning and Brandon Stokley are old friends and worked out together this off-season. They were also teammates together in Indianapolis. Stokley had 1,000+ yards and 10 TDs with Manning in 2004. They have amazing chemistry together and will be a huge asset in the slot. Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas will have success in 2012, but they are known commodities and both will be drafted.
Detroit Lions - RB Mikel Leshoure - Mikel Leshoure missed his entire rookie year to a serious injury and Jahvid Best has trouble staying on the field for Detroit. Leshoure is an intriguing sleeper since he could be a forgotten player during your league's draft. He could serve a two-game suspension for a marijuana arrest this off-season. Best will have the starting job going into the season, but Leshoure is the backup who has the best shot at starting for their team at some point in the season.
Green Bay Packers - RB Marc Tyler - James Starks has the starting job going into the season, but he has never had the job by himself. He split the carries with Ryan Grant last year, who is no longer on the team. John Kuhn will continue to vulture touchdowns in Green Bay. The backup running back job is up in the air. Marc Tyler has the best shot at winning the job over Brandon Saine. Tyler had a solid career at USC, a college known for grooming elite NFL running backs.
Houston Texans - WR Keshawn Martin - Jacoby Jones is no longer on the Texans and Martin will be taking over as their return specialist. He will not be in that role exclusively. He should play in the slot position or take over the 3rd wide receiver position if DeVier Posey has a rough training camp.
Indianapolis Colts - RB Delone Carter - The starting running back job is up for grabs in Indianapolis. Joseph Addai is gone and they will need either Donald Brown, Vick Ballard or Delone Carter to shine in training camp. Brown is the front-runner for the job. If he gets it, Carter should get plenty of goal-line carries. He is currently the front-runner to be the third-down back. I almost picked Ballard for the sleeper, since he has the same build as Carter.
Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Cecil Shorts - The Jaguars are looking to open the playbook for Blaine Gabbert in 2012. Mike Thomas led the receivers in receptions last season and the addition of Justin Blackmon is huge for Gabbert's development. The #3 and #4 spots are open to win during training camp. Shorts, Laurent Robinson, Brian Robiskie, and Chastin West will be battling for those two spots. Shorts only had two receptions last season, but he as a lot of speed. Gabbert is still a work in progress and any wide receiver other than Thomas or Blackmon will be a risky gamble.
Kansas City Chiefs - WR Devon Wylie - Wylie is another rookie that could make an impact this season. He is a smaller receiver and will be used in the slot. Scott Pioli knows all about how much Wes Walker improved the Patriots and they hope Wylie can deliver a spark.
Miami Dolphins - WR B.J. Cunningham -It isn't known if Ryan Tannehill will start the season as the starting quarterback or have either Matt Moore or David Garrard keep the position warm. When you glance at the wide receivers on the Dolphins roster, you have to google most of them. Davone Bess and Brian Hartline are the only receivers left who contributed in 2011. They added Legedu Naanee in the off-season and he will be a factor in the passing attack. B.J. Cunningham had a productive career at Michigan State and has an NFL body. He has great hands and has the size to jump for balls if Tannehill has trouble with his accuracy early in his career.
Minnesota Vikings - WR Greg Childs - Christian Ponder needs big targets and Michael Jenkins and Childs are the perfect receivers to line up on the edges. Percy Harvin can go back to the slot position. Childs was impressive at Arkansas, but fell in the draft due to a late-season injury. It is unknown if he will be 100% by the first game of the season, but that news should be released soon.
New England Patriots - RB Joseph Addai - Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead have a stranglehold on the running back position for New England. I am listing Joseph Addai as a deep sleeper because Bill Belichick seems to squeeze every last drop of talent out of thought-to-be washed up running backs. Woodhead and Addai could be a scary pass catching duo out of the backfield. The Patriots will be very creative in their formations with both of them having great hands.
New Orleans Saints - WR Nick Toon - How many Saints receivers have you owned over the last three seasons? Drew Brees likes to spread it around with Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, and Marques Colston expected to catch the majority of his passes. Robert Meachem is no longer on the team and Toon is built like Colston. It is possible that they will use him in a similar capacity.
New York Giants - TE Martellus Bennett - The Cowboys drafted Bennett to be Jason Witten's successor, but he never had the opportunity to be a productive player. The Giants already have Kevin Boss and just drafted Adrien Robinson. Bennett will get plenty of looks in the trendy two-TE set.
New York Jets - RB Terrance Ganaway - The Jets drafted Ganaway to help inject new blood into the backfield. Shonn Greene had a 1,000 yard season last year, but struggled at times. LaDainian Tomlinson is no longer on the team and Joe McKnight will get some carries. Ganaway has a shot at earning the backup job over McKnight. He has the talent but will need to adjust to the NFL. His carries should increase as the season goes along...sorry, I forgot to mention Tim Tebow. We have no idea how the Jets will use him. He could be a player that will have passing, receiving, and rushing stats by the end of the year.
Oakland Raiders - RB Taiwan Jones - Darren McFadden is coming back from a serious injury. He already has a history of various injuries that forced him to miss games. Oakland signed Mike Goodson from Carolina, but Taiwan Jones is an intriguing player. He was limited in 2011 because Michael Bush was in the way. Bush is now in Chicago and the backup job is open in Oakland.
Philadelphia Eagles - RB Dion Lewis - LeSean McCoy just signed a lucrative deal to stay in Philadelphia long-term. A lot of backs regress the season after they earn a big deal. I'm not saying that McCoy will sleep on his pile of money and be lazy, but it is just a weird coincidence in the NFL. Ronnie Brown is no longer his backup and Lewis is the next in line. I don't see Bruce Brown as a threat to overtake Lewis, but I'd be curious if he earns a roster spot.
Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Jerricho Cotchery - Mike Wallace is marred in a contract dispute which may not be resolved before training camp. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will step up and fill the need, but Cotchery lends veteran leadership to the position. He could take over Hines Ward's role. He will not be a superstar, but a possession receiver that could steal a few touchdowns inside the red zone. Another possible sleeper is rookie running back Chris Rainey. Isaac Redman will be Rashard Mendenhall's handcuff, but keep an eye on Rainey.
San Diego Chargers - WR Eddie Royal - The Chargers lost Vincent Jackson and Legedu Naanee this off-season but added Robert Meachem, Roscoe Parrish, and Eddie Royal. Philip Rivers still has Malcolm Floyd as his #1 receiver with Meachem the likely #2. Royal is the ideal slot receiver and has the speed to add yards after the catch. Rivers will throw for 4,500 yards again, but it is unknown how those yards will be divided. The first few games will foreshadow the rest of the season.
San Francisco 49ers - WR Chris Owusu - Alex Smith had a hard time connecting with his receivers in 2011. He used Vernon Davis and Frank Gore as his crutches and Michael Crabtree would often disappear in games. San Francisco signed Mario Manningham and Randy Moss in the off-season, but adding Owusu was a smart move. He played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and should pick up the offensive system fast. I'm not saying that he will have more receiving yards than the aforementioned receivers, but he could surprise a lot of fantasy football owners. I would declare him as a very deep sleeper.
Seattle Seahawks - RB Robert Turbin - For the people who draft Marshawn Lynch, Turbin will be his handcuff. He had a solid career at Utah State and should have an impact with the Seahawks. He's a workout warrior and a very intriguing running back to keep an eye on this season.
St. Louis Rams - RB Isaiah Pead - Steven Jackson will be 29 years old at the start of the season. He has been very durable throughout his career. He currently has a streak of seven straight 1,000 seasons. Jackson has a lot of miles on his body and he could start to break down over the next few years. Pead could receive some carries to spell him during long drives. He is a handcuff that you should make sure to own if you draft Jackson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Tiquan Underwood - Josh Freeman will have plenty of targets to throw to in 2012. Vincent Jackson, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Sammie Stroughter, and Dallas Clark will all be awaiting his passes. It is hard to pick a sleeper from this team since Doug Martin isn't really a sleeper. He should get a lot of playing time by splitting carries with LaGarrette Blount. If I had to pick one, it would be Tiquan Underwood. He played for new head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers. The receiving corps is very full and he may not even make the squad. He is just a guy to be aware of in very, very deep leagues.
Tennessee Titans - WR Lavelle Hawkins - Jake Locker is in the same boat as Christian Ponder and Blaine Gabbert this season. They had an abrupt preseason last year and they will have an entire off-season program this year. It is still unknown if Matt Hasselbeck will start the season at quarterback, but I will assume that Locker starts the season. Kenny Britt missed most of the last season due to injury. Nate Washington, Damian Williams, and Hawkins picked up the slack and had better than expected numbers. Britt will take away from a lot of the other WRs' targets this year. Hawkins is a small receiver and could get a decent amount of balls in the short passing game.
Washington Redskins - WR Anthony Armstrong - The Redskins added Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon to the team this off-season. Those signings received a lot of media attention. The Redskins are making sure that Robert Griffin III has enough weapons to succeed in the NFL. The public forgot that Washington still has Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong. As a Colts fan, I can tell you that Garcon drops a lot of balls. Garcon, Moss, and Armstrong all have the same stature, but Moss isn't suited to play the slot. If Garcon starts to make mistakes, Armstrong's role will increase. One last thing...I want to add Kirk Cousins as a possible deep sleeper. He is the exact opposite of Griffin III. Cousins is a stationary quarterback and Griffin III may expose himself to some vicious hits by running with the ball. I am not saying that you should take a late-round flyer on Cousins, but just be aware of their distinct differences.
Top 10 Weirdest Frogs On Earth
There's no way i could arrive on this stage, by that i mean posting this topic the Top 10 Weirdest Frogs On Earth, if it wasn't for the other animal-related post from earlier, and by that i mean these top 13 most exotic arctic animals on earth, or top 10 smartest animals on earth, or top 10 smallest animals on earth, or top rare animals caught on tape and the latest entry before this frog one is most amazing mushrooms on earth.
So let's just take off and start the list immediately ^_^
Generally speaking, higher altitude means larger animals. But the world's smallest known frog species lives high in the Andes Mountains of southern Peru, between 9,925 and 10,466 feet.
Malagasy Rainbow Frog
The Malagasy rainbow frog lives in the rocky dry forests of Madagascar's Isalo Massif, where it breeds in shallow temporary pools found in canyons. This species is well adapted to climbing in its rocky surroundings, and can even scale vertical surfaces! When threatened, this frog will inflate itself as a defence mechanism against predators.
Transparent Frog
Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum, also called as glass or crystal frog because you can see through its transparent flesh (right down to its guts). This guy's not new, but he's definitely endangered, so the finding is heartening for environmentalists.
Atelopus Frog
The atelopus frog is known by many names such as the clown frog or the Costa Rican Variable Harlequin Toad. Whatever you call the frog, it is a neo-tropical toad that was once quite wide spread living throughout Costa Rica and Panama. The species is listed as critically endangered and is thought to be living primarily in Panama today. Photo: Paul Ouboter / Conservation International.
World's Largest Frog
The goliath frog or Conraua goliath is the largest extant anuran on Earth. It can grow up to 13 inches (33 cm) in length from snout to vent, and weighs up to 8 lb (3 kg). This animal has a relatively small habitat range, mainly in West Africa (near Gabon). The goliath frog can live up to 15 years.
Goliath frogs eat scorpions, insects and smaller frogs. These frogs have acute hearing but no vocal sac. (Link)
As suggested by the name, the Red Mantella has an orange/red dorsal surface. These frogs are small, reaching a size of 2.5 centimetres (1 in) in length. It is is a small, terrestrial frog native to Madagascar.
Poison Dart Frog
Poison dart frog, like this sapphire-blue species, is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to Central and South America. Unlike most frogs, species are active during the day, and often exhibit brightly-colored bodies. Although all dendrobatids are at least somewhat toxic in the wild, levels of toxicity vary considerably from one species to the next, and from one population to another. Many species are critically endangered. These amphibians are often called "dart frogs" due to indigenous Amerindians' use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of blowdarts.
The ornate horned frog can grow up to six inches long and inhabits Uruguay, Brazil, and northern Argentina. While it may look like a lifeless pincushion, it's quick to lunge when lizards, small rodents, birds, or other frogs blunder by.
Chile Darwin's Frog
The Chile Darwin's frog was fairly regularly seen until around 1978, since when it seems to have disappeared, and the species may now be extinct. This species, which lives in the leaf litter on the forest floor, has an unusual method of parental care; the male takes the fertilised eggs from the nest into his vocal sac where they hatch into tadpoles after approximately eight days. When he starts to feel the newly hatched tadpoles wriggling, the male carries them to a stream where he expels the young. Here they complete metamorphosis.
Vietnamese Mossy Frog
Theloderma corticale, or the Vietnamese mossy frog, is a species of frog in the Rhacophoridae family. It is found in Vietnam and possibly China. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, intermittent freshwater marches, and rocky areas.
The common name of the mossy frog arises from the fact that its skin is a mottled green and black that resembles moss growing on rock, and forms an effective form of camouflage.
So? Have you probably stumbled upon similar topic as this Weirdest Frogs On Earth? Do let me know please so that i could add them to my blog, thanks and enjoy ^_^
So let's just take off and start the list immediately ^_^
World's Smallest Frog
World's Smallest Frog |
Malagasy Rainbow Frog
Malagasy Rainbow Frog |
Transparent Frog
Transparent Frog |
Atelopus Frog
Atelopus Frog |
World's Largest Frog
The goliath frog or Conraua goliath is the largest extant anuran on Earth. It can grow up to 13 inches (33 cm) in length from snout to vent, and weighs up to 8 lb (3 kg). This animal has a relatively small habitat range, mainly in West Africa (near Gabon). The goliath frog can live up to 15 years.
World's Largest Frog |
Red Mantella Frog
Red Mantella Frog |
Poison Dart Frog
Poison Dart Frog |
Ornate Horned Frog
Ornate Horned Frog |
Chile Darwin's Frog
The Chile Darwin's frog was fairly regularly seen until around 1978, since when it seems to have disappeared, and the species may now be extinct. This species, which lives in the leaf litter on the forest floor, has an unusual method of parental care; the male takes the fertilised eggs from the nest into his vocal sac where they hatch into tadpoles after approximately eight days. When he starts to feel the newly hatched tadpoles wriggling, the male carries them to a stream where he expels the young. Here they complete metamorphosis.
Vietnamese Mossy Frog
Vietnamese Mossy Frog |
Vietnamese Mossy Frog |
So? Have you probably stumbled upon similar topic as this Weirdest Frogs On Earth? Do let me know please so that i could add them to my blog, thanks and enjoy ^_^
Labels:
frogs,
Top Animals,
top ten,
unusual things
2012 NBA Draft - Lottery Mock Draft
The New Orleans Hornets won the most important NBA Lottery since Lebron James was available. Anthony Davis was going #1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft no matter which team won the lottery. He will direct the Honets in the right direction. They had the fourth best odds of winning the first pick.
I feel sorry for the Charlotte Bobcats, who had the best odds of wining the #1 pick. They had the worst winning percentage in NBA history and missed out on the biggest prize. They will still get a good player, but all their fans wanted Davis.
The order of the NBA Lottery is officially set in stone and the teams are looking towards to the future. Who will your team pick and how will that player improve their team? I breakdown the NBA Lottery and present you with my first 2012 NBA Lottery Mock Draft.
1. New Orleans Hornets - PF/C Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
This is the easiest pick to forecast in my mock draft. New Orleans won the Anthony Davis lottery. They will enjoy this more than a Mega Millions purse. The Hornets are a team that lack identity. They had to part ways with Chris Paul and David West because of salary cap issues and the team being owned by the NBA. Tom Benson stepped in and will be the future owner. Davis is the new face of the franchise and a new beginning for fans. He is the best low-post defender to come out of the draft in many years. He needs to add a lot of weight. A 220 lb. 6'10 power forward/center isn't going to be able to do everything that he wants.
2. Charlotte Bobcats - SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
I feel sorry for Charlotte fans. They have struggled over the last few years and their team lacks a star. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the Bobcats star of the future. As soon as he puts on a Charlotte uniform, he will be the team's best player. He is a nice complement to Kemba Walker and Bimack Biyombo. He can defend well and out-hustle everyone on the court. He is a proven winner and will continue to improve.
3. Washington Wizards - PF Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
Washington fell a bit short and missed out on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG would have been a good fit on their team, but Thomas Robinson is more of a finished product. He can help the Wizards instantly and will be an impact player and starter in his first game. He will help in every facet of the game. John Wall will love having an inside scorer to feed all game.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - SG Bradley Beal (Florida) (or Drummond if Beal is gone)
Cleveland was leapfrogged and fell to #4, but will still get their guy. Bradley Beal is the first tweener in the draft and fills a need for the Cavs. He is a prototypical shooting guard and has some ball handling skills if they wanted to pair him up with the second unit as point guard. He is only a year removed from high school, so he will need some molding to become a franchise player.
5. Sacramento Kings - C Andre Drummond (UConn)
The Kings have Demarcus Cousins, why would they need Drummond? Drummond is a true center and Cousins has the skills to better fit at power forward. He's a freak athlete with a 7-foot-5 inche wingspan. He is a shot blocker and can pass out of the post. If he hits his ceiling, he could be the steal of this NBAdraft.
6. Portland Trailblazers - SF Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)
Why didn't Harrison Barnes dominate in college? This is the question that every NBA team will ask themselves while evaluating him. He has a nice outside jumper and a high basketball IQ. He doesn't have the athletic ability that jumps off of the paper like most #6 picks and higher have. Portland can really improve their team in this draft with two lottery selections. They can afford to gamble a little by picking Barnes at #6.
7. Golden State Warriors - PF Perry Jones III (Baylor)
Perry Jones III is listed as a power forward, but he plays more like a guard. I would compare him to Lamar Odom, since he still has rebounding ability. He is very streaky and should have dominated in college. He is a guy that scouts have mixed feelings about. He disappears in games, but with the right coaching, he can get rid of those issues.
8. Toronto Raptors - SG Dion Waiters (Syracuse)
If a player is getting comparisons to Dwyane Wade and Tyreke Evans, he definitely has a shot at being a star in the NBA. He is an explosive scorer who is a bit undersized for his position (i.e. Wade & Evans). The Raptors are in need of a player like Waiters. They struggled to put points up on the scoreboard. He needs to improve his jumper...a recurring theme in this draft.
9. Detroit Pistons - C Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
When he chose to play at North Carolina, Tyler Zeller was a lock to leave school after his freshman year. He had all of the accolades and talent, but he lost most of his freshman year to injury. He waited his turn and developed into a better player by staying in school. The Pistons need another big to put besideGreg Monroe. They have different styles and it would be a nice marriage in the paint.
10. New Orleans Hornets - PG Damian Lillard (Weber State)
A lottery pick from Weber State?! Don't let the small school throw you, Lillard has NBA talent. He can shoot from long-range and limits turnovers on the offensive end. The only knock on him would be that he is a tweener. The emergence of Russell Westbrook has definitely helped his stock. Every team is looking for his clone.
11. Portland Trailblazers - SG Jeremy Lamb (UConn)
You first heard of Lamb last season when his UConn Huskies won the NCAA Tournament. He could have went out last year and been a higher pick in a much weaker draft. He is a talented two-guard that impresses with his defensive ability. He has a long wingspan and reminds me of a Tayshaun Prince coming out of college. Portland will always miss Brandon Roy, Lamb can help them move on.
12. Miluwakee Bucks - PF Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
He's one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders in this draft. He is too small to play center (6'9) and plays low to the ground. He has a low center of gravity and can defend players taller than him. He struggled against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. If he had a solid game, you would be picked higher in the draft. His talent ceiling is Charles Barkley to Anthony Mason and his basement is Sean May.
13. Phoenix Suns - SG Austin Rivers (Duke)
If high school players were still allowed to be eligible for the NBA Draft, Austin Rivers would have been the #1 overall pick last year. He will help the Suns get back to their old offensive ways. He is great at going to the hoop, but is very streaky. His free-throw shooting percentage is not where you would like it to be for his position. Rivers has all of the tools to be an star in the NBA, but he's very young and will need some molding.
14. Houston Rockets - PF Terrence Jones (Kentucky)
Next 10 Best Players Available:
PG Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
PF John Henson (North Carolina)
SF Terrence Ross (Washington)
SF Quincy Miller (Baylor)
SF Moe Harkless (St. John's)
PG Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
C Meyers Leonard (Illinois)
SG/SF C Evan Fournier (International)
PF Royce White (Iowa State)
C Fab Melo (Syracuse)
I feel sorry for the Charlotte Bobcats, who had the best odds of wining the #1 pick. They had the worst winning percentage in NBA history and missed out on the biggest prize. They will still get a good player, but all their fans wanted Davis.
The order of the NBA Lottery is officially set in stone and the teams are looking towards to the future. Who will your team pick and how will that player improve their team? I breakdown the NBA Lottery and present you with my first 2012 NBA Lottery Mock Draft.
1. New Orleans Hornets - PF/C Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
This is the easiest pick to forecast in my mock draft. New Orleans won the Anthony Davis lottery. They will enjoy this more than a Mega Millions purse. The Hornets are a team that lack identity. They had to part ways with Chris Paul and David West because of salary cap issues and the team being owned by the NBA. Tom Benson stepped in and will be the future owner. Davis is the new face of the franchise and a new beginning for fans. He is the best low-post defender to come out of the draft in many years. He needs to add a lot of weight. A 220 lb. 6'10 power forward/center isn't going to be able to do everything that he wants.
2. Charlotte Bobcats - SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
I feel sorry for Charlotte fans. They have struggled over the last few years and their team lacks a star. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the Bobcats star of the future. As soon as he puts on a Charlotte uniform, he will be the team's best player. He is a nice complement to Kemba Walker and Bimack Biyombo. He can defend well and out-hustle everyone on the court. He is a proven winner and will continue to improve.
3. Washington Wizards - PF Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
Washington fell a bit short and missed out on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG would have been a good fit on their team, but Thomas Robinson is more of a finished product. He can help the Wizards instantly and will be an impact player and starter in his first game. He will help in every facet of the game. John Wall will love having an inside scorer to feed all game.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - SG Bradley Beal (Florida) (or Drummond if Beal is gone)
Cleveland was leapfrogged and fell to #4, but will still get their guy. Bradley Beal is the first tweener in the draft and fills a need for the Cavs. He is a prototypical shooting guard and has some ball handling skills if they wanted to pair him up with the second unit as point guard. He is only a year removed from high school, so he will need some molding to become a franchise player.
5. Sacramento Kings - C Andre Drummond (UConn)
The Kings have Demarcus Cousins, why would they need Drummond? Drummond is a true center and Cousins has the skills to better fit at power forward. He's a freak athlete with a 7-foot-5 inche wingspan. He is a shot blocker and can pass out of the post. If he hits his ceiling, he could be the steal of this NBAdraft.
6. Portland Trailblazers - SF Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)
Why didn't Harrison Barnes dominate in college? This is the question that every NBA team will ask themselves while evaluating him. He has a nice outside jumper and a high basketball IQ. He doesn't have the athletic ability that jumps off of the paper like most #6 picks and higher have. Portland can really improve their team in this draft with two lottery selections. They can afford to gamble a little by picking Barnes at #6.
7. Golden State Warriors - PF Perry Jones III (Baylor)
Perry Jones III is listed as a power forward, but he plays more like a guard. I would compare him to Lamar Odom, since he still has rebounding ability. He is very streaky and should have dominated in college. He is a guy that scouts have mixed feelings about. He disappears in games, but with the right coaching, he can get rid of those issues.
8. Toronto Raptors - SG Dion Waiters (Syracuse)
If a player is getting comparisons to Dwyane Wade and Tyreke Evans, he definitely has a shot at being a star in the NBA. He is an explosive scorer who is a bit undersized for his position (i.e. Wade & Evans). The Raptors are in need of a player like Waiters. They struggled to put points up on the scoreboard. He needs to improve his jumper...a recurring theme in this draft.
9. Detroit Pistons - C Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
When he chose to play at North Carolina, Tyler Zeller was a lock to leave school after his freshman year. He had all of the accolades and talent, but he lost most of his freshman year to injury. He waited his turn and developed into a better player by staying in school. The Pistons need another big to put besideGreg Monroe. They have different styles and it would be a nice marriage in the paint.
10. New Orleans Hornets - PG Damian Lillard (Weber State)
A lottery pick from Weber State?! Don't let the small school throw you, Lillard has NBA talent. He can shoot from long-range and limits turnovers on the offensive end. The only knock on him would be that he is a tweener. The emergence of Russell Westbrook has definitely helped his stock. Every team is looking for his clone.
11. Portland Trailblazers - SG Jeremy Lamb (UConn)
You first heard of Lamb last season when his UConn Huskies won the NCAA Tournament. He could have went out last year and been a higher pick in a much weaker draft. He is a talented two-guard that impresses with his defensive ability. He has a long wingspan and reminds me of a Tayshaun Prince coming out of college. Portland will always miss Brandon Roy, Lamb can help them move on.
12. Miluwakee Bucks - PF Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
He's one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders in this draft. He is too small to play center (6'9) and plays low to the ground. He has a low center of gravity and can defend players taller than him. He struggled against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. If he had a solid game, you would be picked higher in the draft. His talent ceiling is Charles Barkley to Anthony Mason and his basement is Sean May.
13. Phoenix Suns - SG Austin Rivers (Duke)
If high school players were still allowed to be eligible for the NBA Draft, Austin Rivers would have been the #1 overall pick last year. He will help the Suns get back to their old offensive ways. He is great at going to the hoop, but is very streaky. His free-throw shooting percentage is not where you would like it to be for his position. Rivers has all of the tools to be an star in the NBA, but he's very young and will need some molding.
14. Houston Rockets - PF Terrence Jones (Kentucky)
He is one of the most versatile players. He can help you in many ways around the court. He can rebound, block shots, and even has 3-point range. He is a player who has a position and could draw out defenses from the paint. He is another player that can disappear and have scouts scratching their heads. He would have been a top-3 pick in last year's NBA Draft.
Next 10 Best Players Available:
PG Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
PF John Henson (North Carolina)
SF Terrence Ross (Washington)
SF Quincy Miller (Baylor)
SF Moe Harkless (St. John's)
PG Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
C Meyers Leonard (Illinois)
SG/SF C Evan Fournier (International)
PF Royce White (Iowa State)
C Fab Melo (Syracuse)
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)
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)
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, has a new article on hitting streaks, with a focus on the recent offensive outburst by Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. The article quotes a variety of sources, including yours truly.
Will Steelers' Mike Wallace Sit Out The Entire Season?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made Mike Wallace wait on getting a new long-term deal, so now Wallace is making the Steelers wait. He didn't show up to OTAs this week and doesn't plan to show up until he gets a long-term deal.
Wallace, over the course of the last two seasons, has been one of the NFL's best wide receivers. He would have more of a leadership role this season now that Hines Ward is retired. The team hired Todd Haley to be the team's new offensive coordinator and will need to implement a new offense. Wallace is missing a lot of key time.
Could he hold out and force the Steelers to trade him? He is holding all of the cards, but does Pittsburgh have enough cap space to give into his demands?
Before I get into the fiscal details of what Mike Wallace would get if he signs his one-year tender and what he wants long term, let me tell you his agent's name. Wallace is represented by Bus Cook, who most famously dragged out every Brett Favre negotiation. The Steelers are playing with fire when they negotiate with one of Cook's players.
Wallace is a restricted free-agent. If another team wants to sign him, he is free to do so, but that team would give up a first-round draft pick. His one-year tender is $2.74 million and he has yet to sign it. He wants a long-term deal in the neighborhood of Larry Fitzgerald's mega-deal he signed last year. That deal was for $120 million dollars over eight years...Pittsburgh lacks that kind of cap space. They can't offer anywhere near those numbers. Wallace could sign the one-year tender, play out the year and become an unrestricted free-agent after this season. He would be risking a lot to do that, since injuries happen so frequently in today's NFL.
Wallace must sign at some point this season, since he must accrue service time in order to reach unrestricted free-agent status. This is similar to the situation that Vincent Jackson was in with the San Diego Chargers in 2010.
A lot of football experts thought that the Steelers would trade Wallace before the NFL Draft. Pittsburgh didn't get the kind of deal that they expected and held onto him. Both sides say they want to work on a long-term deal, but it is turning into a waiting game. The Steelers can't fiscally give him the deal that he wants and not many other teams could swing the cap space either.
The Steelers offense in 2012 is rumored to look a lot different. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians had a pass-happy system, but ownership wants to get back to running the ball. Haley is known for his passing attack while he was on the coaching staff of the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He was the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs the previous three seasons and was fired after the final game in 2011. Ben Roethlisberger has already commented that the offense is 90% different.
The Steelers could still suit up a nice receiving corps without Wallace. Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, and recently-signed Jerricho Cotchery at wide receiver with Heath Miller and Leonard Pope as your tight-end tandem. The running back group will be getting a lot of carries. Rashard Mendenhall is coming off an injury and will need some carries from Isaac Redman and high-draft pick Chris Rainey. Jonathan Dwyer and John Clay are in camp and are battling for a roster spot.
It is only a matter of time before Mike Wallace and the Steelers come to an agreement. One of the sides will lose in the deal. The Steelers have dealt with disgruntled wide receivers in the past, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes. Wallace doesn't have the on and off-the-field issues as Holmes or Burress, but know when to cut their losses. They can't afford to tie up a large portion of their salary cap on a wide receiver in a "run first" offense.
Wallace, over the course of the last two seasons, has been one of the NFL's best wide receivers. He would have more of a leadership role this season now that Hines Ward is retired. The team hired Todd Haley to be the team's new offensive coordinator and will need to implement a new offense. Wallace is missing a lot of key time.
Could he hold out and force the Steelers to trade him? He is holding all of the cards, but does Pittsburgh have enough cap space to give into his demands?
Before I get into the fiscal details of what Mike Wallace would get if he signs his one-year tender and what he wants long term, let me tell you his agent's name. Wallace is represented by Bus Cook, who most famously dragged out every Brett Favre negotiation. The Steelers are playing with fire when they negotiate with one of Cook's players.
Wallace is a restricted free-agent. If another team wants to sign him, he is free to do so, but that team would give up a first-round draft pick. His one-year tender is $2.74 million and he has yet to sign it. He wants a long-term deal in the neighborhood of Larry Fitzgerald's mega-deal he signed last year. That deal was for $120 million dollars over eight years...Pittsburgh lacks that kind of cap space. They can't offer anywhere near those numbers. Wallace could sign the one-year tender, play out the year and become an unrestricted free-agent after this season. He would be risking a lot to do that, since injuries happen so frequently in today's NFL.
Wallace must sign at some point this season, since he must accrue service time in order to reach unrestricted free-agent status. This is similar to the situation that Vincent Jackson was in with the San Diego Chargers in 2010.
A lot of football experts thought that the Steelers would trade Wallace before the NFL Draft. Pittsburgh didn't get the kind of deal that they expected and held onto him. Both sides say they want to work on a long-term deal, but it is turning into a waiting game. The Steelers can't fiscally give him the deal that he wants and not many other teams could swing the cap space either.
The Steelers offense in 2012 is rumored to look a lot different. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians had a pass-happy system, but ownership wants to get back to running the ball. Haley is known for his passing attack while he was on the coaching staff of the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He was the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs the previous three seasons and was fired after the final game in 2011. Ben Roethlisberger has already commented that the offense is 90% different.
The Steelers could still suit up a nice receiving corps without Wallace. Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, and recently-signed Jerricho Cotchery at wide receiver with Heath Miller and Leonard Pope as your tight-end tandem. The running back group will be getting a lot of carries. Rashard Mendenhall is coming off an injury and will need some carries from Isaac Redman and high-draft pick Chris Rainey. Jonathan Dwyer and John Clay are in camp and are battling for a roster spot.
It is only a matter of time before Mike Wallace and the Steelers come to an agreement. One of the sides will lose in the deal. The Steelers have dealt with disgruntled wide receivers in the past, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes. Wallace doesn't have the on and off-the-field issues as Holmes or Burress, but know when to cut their losses. They can't afford to tie up a large portion of their salary cap on a wide receiver in a "run first" offense.
New Jersey to Allow Sports Gambling This Fall, Who's Next?
New Jersey governor Chris Christie made a bold move by announcing that his state will allow sports gambling this fall. He will disobey a federal law that only allows sports gambling in a few predetermined states. Those states had to opt-in back in 1991.
A federal law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act limits sports betting to four states that approved it by a 1991 deadline: Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. At the time, New Jersey was given the chance to become the fifth but failed to act during a prescribed window.
With New Jersey's bold move, which states could benefit from sports gambling and follow their lead?
I do believe that this is my first political article on this blog, but it pertains to sports gambling, so I had to chime in. America's White Boy is a big advocate of sports gambling and I run many posts about the subject. A large portion of our revenue comes from sports gambling ventures or sports handicapping businesses. My articles are "for entertainment purposes," but I would love to not include that phrase in the near future.
Atlantic City, New Jersey is the second most traveled to city where gambling is one of the main attractions. Over the last twenty years, the city has taken a big hit and their twelve casinos and four horse racing tracks are losing money. A lot of the former gamblers are now traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada, a state where sports gambling has been legal since 1992. New Jersey would earn billions in revenue from sports gambling and would revitalize Atlantic City.
Governor Christie is a Republican vice-presidential candidate in this year's election. He could have even been a presidential candidate if he chose to throw his hat in the ring. He is known to be bold and to take center stage. He announced that he doesn't care what the feds have to say about disobeying the law, because this would greatly benefit the state. He mentioned that 50% of the revenue would go towards fighting gambling addiction.
Many European countries allow gambling on sports and regulate it. An addiction to gambling is a grim predicament, but should it be the government’s business if someone wants to place a bet on a football game in New Jersey or anywhere else? It's a moral question that will be on the forefront of this issue.
The federal government has yet to comment on New Jersey's proclamation.
New Jersey could find themselves in hot water with the NFL. The new Meadowlands is due to host a Super Bowl in a few years and the NFL has been strongly against sports betting. They could force the hand of the governor by threatening to pull out. The NY/NJ area would lose close to a billion dollars in revenue from hosting a Super Bowl. The NFL has yet to comment on Christie's proposed sports gambling initiative. It would be a tough choice for him. A decision that would cost the state from hosting a Super Bowl would be very unpopular with the voters.
If everything in New Jersey works out, which states could also benefit from legalizing sports gambling? Any state that has a few casinos in their state. The tax revenue created by this could turn around many states' bottom lines. California, Michigan, Missouri, Connecticut, New York, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and New Orleans all have casinos and would be other states that would best benefit from following in New Jersey's footsteps.
This move would hurt Las Vegas, a city that has been hit with an economic issues of its own over the last five years. A lot of patrons come from the east coast and could direction their trip to Atlantic City.
I'm all for sports gambling and it would benefit the U.S. economy. This could be the surge of revenue that rivals the end of Prohibition. After this issue passes and states see all of the new income, the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana could be one step closer.
Snoop Dogg would be ecstatic!
A federal law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act limits sports betting to four states that approved it by a 1991 deadline: Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. At the time, New Jersey was given the chance to become the fifth but failed to act during a prescribed window.
With New Jersey's bold move, which states could benefit from sports gambling and follow their lead?
I do believe that this is my first political article on this blog, but it pertains to sports gambling, so I had to chime in. America's White Boy is a big advocate of sports gambling and I run many posts about the subject. A large portion of our revenue comes from sports gambling ventures or sports handicapping businesses. My articles are "for entertainment purposes," but I would love to not include that phrase in the near future.
Atlantic City, New Jersey is the second most traveled to city where gambling is one of the main attractions. Over the last twenty years, the city has taken a big hit and their twelve casinos and four horse racing tracks are losing money. A lot of the former gamblers are now traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada, a state where sports gambling has been legal since 1992. New Jersey would earn billions in revenue from sports gambling and would revitalize Atlantic City.
Governor Christie is a Republican vice-presidential candidate in this year's election. He could have even been a presidential candidate if he chose to throw his hat in the ring. He is known to be bold and to take center stage. He announced that he doesn't care what the feds have to say about disobeying the law, because this would greatly benefit the state. He mentioned that 50% of the revenue would go towards fighting gambling addiction.
Many European countries allow gambling on sports and regulate it. An addiction to gambling is a grim predicament, but should it be the government’s business if someone wants to place a bet on a football game in New Jersey or anywhere else? It's a moral question that will be on the forefront of this issue.
The federal government has yet to comment on New Jersey's proclamation.
New Jersey could find themselves in hot water with the NFL. The new Meadowlands is due to host a Super Bowl in a few years and the NFL has been strongly against sports betting. They could force the hand of the governor by threatening to pull out. The NY/NJ area would lose close to a billion dollars in revenue from hosting a Super Bowl. The NFL has yet to comment on Christie's proposed sports gambling initiative. It would be a tough choice for him. A decision that would cost the state from hosting a Super Bowl would be very unpopular with the voters.
If everything in New Jersey works out, which states could also benefit from legalizing sports gambling? Any state that has a few casinos in their state. The tax revenue created by this could turn around many states' bottom lines. California, Michigan, Missouri, Connecticut, New York, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and New Orleans all have casinos and would be other states that would best benefit from following in New Jersey's footsteps.
This move would hurt Las Vegas, a city that has been hit with an economic issues of its own over the last five years. A lot of patrons come from the east coast and could direction their trip to Atlantic City.
I'm all for sports gambling and it would benefit the U.S. economy. This could be the surge of revenue that rivals the end of Prohibition. After this issue passes and states see all of the new income, the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana could be one step closer.
Snoop Dogg would be ecstatic!
Will Chris Bosh Play in the Eastern Conference Finals?
The Miami Heat have missed the presence of Chris Bosh since he was injured in early in the series with the Indiana Pacers. After the injury, Miami said that Bosh would be 'out indefinitely. They defeated Indiana in six games, but 90% of their plays were isolation plays with either Lebron James or Dwyane Wade taking it to the rim. Bosh gives the Heat a third option and frees up James and Wade out of double teams.
They are still unsure when he would be back. A timetable is hard to set for a lower abdominal/high groin injury. A player could come back in as early as two weeks or need to sit out a maximum six to eight weeks.
When will Bosh be back for the Heat? Will it be in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics or could he be out for the remainder of the 2012 NBA Playoffs?
ESPN reported that Bosh participated in an on-court workout at American Airlines Arena on Sunday. Assistant coach Keith Askins ran Bosh's workout over the seeing eye of team president Pat Riley. He worked on his lateral movement, shot some free-throws, and did some catch and shoot footwork. It was reported to be an extremely light workout, but it is a sign that he could be back sometime in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra commented to the media that he is preparing the team to play without Bosh. He is taking each game one at a time and if Bosh is ready to play, he will adjust his game plan.
Miami needs Bosh to play as soon as possible. They don't want to rush him and gamble a setback, but they were only 1-3 against Boston this year. Boston likes to play small, but would benefit by playing bigger against a Bosh-less Heat. Kevin Garnett has been playing center and are a much better team since making that change. They will be without Avery Bradley for the rest of the post-season because of a small tear in his shoulder. He is one of the best defender on the team and Ray Allen will have to step up on defense.
My prediction is that Miami will play the first few games without Bosh. If they win two out of the first three games, the Heat will wait after Game 4 to make a decision to bring him back for Game 5. If Miami is 3-1 after that game, Bosh will sit...if Boston ties up the series, he'll be back for the next game. I think Game 5 is the earliest that you will see him back on the court.
The Heat would need Bosh in the NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are big and play great interior defense. They will not be able to beat either of those teams with him.
They are still unsure when he would be back. A timetable is hard to set for a lower abdominal/high groin injury. A player could come back in as early as two weeks or need to sit out a maximum six to eight weeks.
When will Bosh be back for the Heat? Will it be in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics or could he be out for the remainder of the 2012 NBA Playoffs?
ESPN reported that Bosh participated in an on-court workout at American Airlines Arena on Sunday. Assistant coach Keith Askins ran Bosh's workout over the seeing eye of team president Pat Riley. He worked on his lateral movement, shot some free-throws, and did some catch and shoot footwork. It was reported to be an extremely light workout, but it is a sign that he could be back sometime in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra commented to the media that he is preparing the team to play without Bosh. He is taking each game one at a time and if Bosh is ready to play, he will adjust his game plan.
Miami needs Bosh to play as soon as possible. They don't want to rush him and gamble a setback, but they were only 1-3 against Boston this year. Boston likes to play small, but would benefit by playing bigger against a Bosh-less Heat. Kevin Garnett has been playing center and are a much better team since making that change. They will be without Avery Bradley for the rest of the post-season because of a small tear in his shoulder. He is one of the best defender on the team and Ray Allen will have to step up on defense.
My prediction is that Miami will play the first few games without Bosh. If they win two out of the first three games, the Heat will wait after Game 4 to make a decision to bring him back for Game 5. If Miami is 3-1 after that game, Bosh will sit...if Boston ties up the series, he'll be back for the next game. I think Game 5 is the earliest that you will see him back on the court.
The Heat would need Bosh in the NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are big and play great interior defense. They will not be able to beat either of those teams with him.
Top 10 Most Amazing Mushrooms On Earth
How about another wonder of the nature world, i hope you haven't seen this top 10 Most Amazing Mushrooms on earth, so that you could really enjoy this post, i surely know that you have read top 13 most exotic arctic animals on earth, or top 11 delicious insects that we can eat, or top 10 smartest animals on earth, or top 10 smallest animals on earth, or top rare animals caught on tape in the previous posts of this blog.
Without adding anything else, we'll start off with this:
The blue colouring of the fruit body is due to three azulene pigments. Entoloma hochstetteri is not edible, but whether or not it is poisonous is unknown.
This species was one of six native fungi featured in a set of fungal stamps issued in New Zealand in 2002. It is also seen on the reverse side of the $50 bank note, issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 1990.
Fly Agaric's are one of the most recognizable and widely encountered in popular culture. They have been featured in children's books, films, garden ornaments, greeting cards, and computer games. This toadstool is associated with the famous book turned movie, Alice in Wonderland; the mushroom in Super Mario Bros., and more. It is also known as the mushroom of flies from due to Albertus Magnus' work in De vegetabilibus where he stated, “It is called the mushroom of flies, because crushed in milk it kills flies”.
Although popular in some districts of the eastern Pyrenees, it is prohibited from sale to the public in Spain. It may be sold fresh in Finland, but it must be accompanied by warnings and instructions on correct preparation. It is eaten in omelettes, soups, or sautéed in Finnish cuisine. Although it is still commonly parboiled before preparation, recent evidence suggests that even this procedure may not make the fungus entirely safe, thus raising concerns of risk even when prepared properly.
The Bleeding Tooth also makes appearances in Europe and has recently been discovered in both Iran and Korea. Upon a first glimpse of the bleeding tooth fungus, one may dismiss the ruby-red liquid as the blood of some poor forest creature splattered across the white mushroom cap. When inspected more closely, it becomes obvious that the fungus is oozing liquid through its own small pores.
But it is never shaped like an inverted pear, since it lacks the sterile base portion common to many other puffballs.
Trametes versicolor, often called the "turkey tail," has the dubious distinction of being the only member of the forest fungal fowl community not named for the full bird, but a feathery fraction.
However, the chicken of the woods and the hen of the woods look nothing at all like chickens or hens, while the turkey tail does look (vaguely) like a turkey's tail. Who started this clucking menagerie of mushroom monikers, anyway?
In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall on dead hardwoods, particularly American Beech.
The bases of tree trunks, fallen branches, leaf litter and moist soil provide perfect breeding grounds for the mushrooms. Found mostly on Mesameyama island in Ugui, Japan and Ribeira Valley Tourist State Park, Brazil, the appearance of these garish looking fungi is due to bioluminescence, one of the weird but wonderful reactions that happen naturally in many plants and animals.
How is that to compete with other top posts from before, hopefully this top 10 Most Amazing Mushrooms on earth could become one of the most entertaining post ^_^
Without adding anything else, we'll start off with this:
Sky Blue mushroom
(Entoloma hochstetteri)
Entoloma hochstetteri is a species of mushroom found in New Zealand and India. The small mushroom is a distinctive all-blue colour, while the gills have a slight reddish tint from the spores. The blue colouring of the fruit body is due to three azulene pigments. Entoloma hochstetteri is not edible, but whether or not it is poisonous is unknown.
This species was one of six native fungi featured in a set of fungal stamps issued in New Zealand in 2002. It is also seen on the reverse side of the $50 bank note, issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 1990.
Fly Amanita (Amanita muscaria)
World's most famous mushroom
Also known as the fly Agaric or the fly Amanita, the Amanita muscaria is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungi, which is one of many in the genus Amanita. There are several subspecies, and each of them has a different cap color. These include the yellow-range flavivolata guessowii, formosa, the pink persicina, and the brown regalis (although it is now considered a separate species).Fly Agaric's are one of the most recognizable and widely encountered in popular culture. They have been featured in children's books, films, garden ornaments, greeting cards, and computer games. This toadstool is associated with the famous book turned movie, Alice in Wonderland; the mushroom in Super Mario Bros., and more. It is also known as the mushroom of flies from due to Albertus Magnus' work in De vegetabilibus where he stated, “It is called the mushroom of flies, because crushed in milk it kills flies”.
The Brain Mushroom
(Gyromitra esculenta)
Gyromitra esculenta, one of several species of fungi known as false morels, is an ascomycete fungus from the genus Gyromitra, widely distributed across Europe and North America. It normally sprouts in sandy soils under coniferous trees in spring and early summer. The fruiting body, or mushroom, is an irregular brain-shaped cap dark brown in colour which can reach 10 cm high and 15 cm wide, perched on a stout white stipe up to 6 cm (2.4 in) high. Although potentially fatal if eaten raw, Gyromitra esculenta is a popular delicacy in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and the upper Great Lakes region of North America. Although popular in some districts of the eastern Pyrenees, it is prohibited from sale to the public in Spain. It may be sold fresh in Finland, but it must be accompanied by warnings and instructions on correct preparation. It is eaten in omelettes, soups, or sautéed in Finnish cuisine. Although it is still commonly parboiled before preparation, recent evidence suggests that even this procedure may not make the fungus entirely safe, thus raising concerns of risk even when prepared properly.
The Bleeding Tooth fungus
(Hydnellum pecki)
Allow me to introduce to you one of the more unusual members of Kingdom Fungi, the Bleeding Tooth Fungus, or Hydnellum peckii which goes by various names often referring to juice or blood. This fungus can be found in North America where it is more common in the Pacific Northwest and resides mostly in coniferous forests. The Bleeding Tooth also makes appearances in Europe and has recently been discovered in both Iran and Korea. Upon a first glimpse of the bleeding tooth fungus, one may dismiss the ruby-red liquid as the blood of some poor forest creature splattered across the white mushroom cap. When inspected more closely, it becomes obvious that the fungus is oozing liquid through its own small pores.
The Giant puffball
(Calvatia Gigantea)
The giant puffball, Calvatia gigantea, is easily recognized by its size and shape. Typical specimens are about the size of a soccer ball, and more or less round. However, it can be much larger (a 5-foot, 50-pound specimen is on record!), and its shape can be more "blob-ish" than round, especially when it attains enormous sizes. But it is never shaped like an inverted pear, since it lacks the sterile base portion common to many other puffballs.
The Devil's Cigar (Chorioactis)
World's rarest fungi
A star-shaped mushroom, called the Devil's Cigar (Chorioactis geaster) is one of the world's rarest fungi. It's also known as the Texas star. These fungi had been detected only in central Texas, two remote locations in Japan, and most recently in the mountains of Nara. The Devil's Cigar is a dark brown cigar-shaped capsule that transforms into a tan-coloured star when it splits open to release its spores. It is also one of only a few known fungi that produce a distinct whistle sound when releasing its spores.Turkey Tail
(Trametes versicolor)
Trametes versicolor, often called the "turkey tail," has the dubious distinction of being the only member of the forest fungal fowl community not named for the full bird, but a feathery fraction.
However, the chicken of the woods and the hen of the woods look nothing at all like chickens or hens, while the turkey tail does look (vaguely) like a turkey's tail. Who started this clucking menagerie of mushroom monikers, anyway?
Bearded Tooth mushroom
(Hericium erinaceus)
This mushroom that looks like noodles or pom-pom are known to a variety of name like Lion's Mane Mushroom, Bearded Tooth Mushroom, Hedgehog Mushroom, Bearded Hedgehog Mushroom, or Bearded Tooth Fungus. It is an edible mushroom in the tooth fungus group. In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall on dead hardwoods, particularly American Beech.
Dog Stinkhorn
(Mutinus caninus)
Mutinus caninus, commonly known as the Dog Stinkhorn, is a small thin, phallus-shaped woodland fungus, with a dark tip. It is often found growing in small groups on wood debris, or in leaf litter, during summer and autumn in Europe and eastern North America. It is not generally considered edible, although there are reports of the immature 'eggs' being consumed.Bioluminescent fungi
(Mycena chlorophos)
No, you're not hallucinating; you really are seeing bright green mushrooms, but if you are partial to the odd magic mushie, these images won't faze you in the slightest. These neon green mushrooms, or Mycena chlorophos, to use the technical term, emerge during the rainy season in Japanese and Brazilian forests, scattering the floor with glowing spores. The bases of tree trunks, fallen branches, leaf litter and moist soil provide perfect breeding grounds for the mushrooms. Found mostly on Mesameyama island in Ugui, Japan and Ribeira Valley Tourist State Park, Brazil, the appearance of these garish looking fungi is due to bioluminescence, one of the weird but wonderful reactions that happen naturally in many plants and animals.
How is that to compete with other top posts from before, hopefully this top 10 Most Amazing Mushrooms on earth could become one of the most entertaining post ^_^
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Let me present to you this rather long list, it's 25 most popular cartoon characters , you'll recognize every each one of them for s...
-
The Draft is the unofficial start to the off-season for the NBA. After the dust settles and the draft day trades get finalized, you start to...
-
For now let's get it on to this top 9 most beautiful and sexiest women yoga coaches and poses from anywhere around the globe. It's...
-
Let's admit it people loves Japanese porn, so let's check out the top 15 sexiest Japanese Pornstars . Adult film industry is flouris...
-
With yesterday's loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates clinched their 19th straight season with a losing (i...
-
Still i'd like to present to you the top 5 most popular sesame street characters , even though most people probably already know about t...
-
Here comes what you all have been waiting for. The Top 10 Sexiest korean woman alive 2011 . For those of you who are not familiar, the Korea...
-
Today we take a look once again at the best of animals, it is the Top 10 most popular best pets in the world , we were once very thankful be...
-
So now let's take a look at the top 10 of the world's largest aircraft / airplane . The first commercial flight witnessed amazing gi...
-
Here is the next episode of sexy women for you, this time it's the sexiest african women alive 2011 . They are very beautiful and sexy t...