5 WHO ARE FALLING FAST!

As off-season camps start wrapping up and the pre-season just around the corner, fantasy drafts everywhere are getting ready to take place. I am here to offer 5 players who’s stock is falling in fantasy drafts. These are in no particular order, and I’m not saying not to draft these players, I’m saying be careful where you draft them.

1. Kenny Britt WR (Titans): Britt was in my 5 fantasy players on the rise just over a month ago, as his promise was evident late last season. Word from Titans camp that he has been dealing with numerous small injuries and is having a pretty bad camp, however lands him on this list today. I’d stay away from Britt until at least the 7th or 8th round.

2. Rashard Mendenhall RB (Steelers): T Willie Colon is out for the season with a torn achilles and that spells trouble for an already uncertain offensive line. The Steelers hope that rookie C/G Maurkice Pouncey can become the player they need him to be – and fast! With the O-Line’s best player out of the fold and an uncertainty in the passing game while Ben Roethlisberger is out, that means less and smaller holes for Mendenhall. The Steelers RB is going in rounds 2-3 in most mock drafts and I’m telling you that is much too high. Take a pass on him unless you get him at a great bargain.

3. LeSean McCoy RB (Eagles): Brian Westbrook he is not and he didn’t show much last year to suggest that he can handle the starter role. Perhaps more importantly is the Eagles’ penchant for using too many RB’s, especially near the goal line. This offseason, the Eagles signed RB Mike Bell who played with the Saints last year and vultured many a TD from Pierre Thomas.

He figures to do the same this season as reports are saying that Bell has the #2 RB spot locked up. He’ll steal touches and TD’s from McCoy, especially at the goal line, and the Eagles also employed FB Leonard Weaver last season at RB many times who also took some TD’s. With such a committee in the Eagles’ offensive system, McCoy will be lucky to have 800 yds and 6 TD’s. Respectable, but not what you’d want from a #1 or #2 RB in a 10 team league.

4. Kevin Walter WR (Texans): Not that he was going to be a top 100 guy anyway after doing nothing last year, but Walter is also being pressed hard for his #2 WR spot on the team thanks to Jacoby Jones showing flashes of being a very good receiver last season. Walter had a very good season in 2008, but those days are gone.

5. Kyle Orton QB (Broncos): WR Brandon Marshall is gone, leaving Orton with Eddie Royal, Jabbar Gaffney, or Demaryius Thomas as the #1 WR, and Brandon Stokely and Brandon Lloyd on the bench. Orton was a repectable QB last season for the Broncos, but the seemingly schizophrenic coach Josh McDaniels is coy when asked about his QB situation after drafting Tim Tebow in the 1st round and trading for Brady Quinn. McDaniels won’t even say who the starter will be when the season opens, and with this type of situation, even if Orton starts the first few weeks, if he performs in a manner that is less than stellar, McDaniels may yank him for one of his shiny new football throwing toys.

2010 NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL MOCK DRAFT UPDATED!

HERE IS ANOTHER UPDATE TO MY 2010 NFL MOCK DRAFT! CHECK IT OUT!

2010 NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL MOCK DRAFT VERSION 1.2

I have made some more updates to the 2010 mock fantasy draft!  This time there were a few considerable changes made based on numerous factors, uncluding a slight formula change. I believe this version is the most accurate to date. As always, comments are welcome. Enjoy!

Cleveland can’t take the ‘Heat’; fans overreact

LeBron James announced on Thursday night on a live ESPN special that he has decided to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami to play basketball for the next several seasons. 

Then, all hell was unleashed in Cleveland, Ohio.

As soon as the announcement was made, the collective breath of  Cleveland fans was knocked out of them, they feel, as if their “King” walked up to each one of them and sucker-punched them one by one.

Fans were burning and tearing up jerseys and T-shirts of James in the streets, and lashing out on the evening news.  Facebook lit up with a littany of Cavs fans that are outraged and hurt by James’ “Decision”  not to return to the Cavs next season.  That worse than the decision to leave was how he went about it. 

He went on national television and announced his decision, slapping Cleveland fans in the face and disgracing the city, they proclaim.

Really, Cleveland?  Looks like you are just as classless as he is.

While I agree that when I heard about this TV show to announce his plans, I was disgusted in the way that not even Michael Jordan, the greatest of all time would have done such a thing, and in the way that it took an extremely large ego to go this way about it, and it was classless and unprofessional not to inform the Cavs of the decision before telling the world, I can’t understand why Cleveland – including the Owner Dan Gilbert (who wrote a strongly worded letter to Cavs fans on the team’s website tearing James apart)  - are taking this personally.

It’s simple.  The man was a free agent.  He did not belong to the Cavs and he certainly didn’t belong to the city or it’s fans.  He belongs to himself.  He chose a better opportunity elsewhere, and guess what C-Town fans: that’s okay.  You are overreacting.

Want proof?  On the local Cleveland news, they are comparing his decision to sign with another team, even as a free agent, with Art Modell’s decision to move the Cleveland Browns organization to Baltimore. 

Again I ask: Really, Cleveland?  It’s the same thing to announce on TV that you’ve decided to sign with a team other than the one you’ve played for previously, as it is to move an entire storied franchise out of a city it’s been in since it’s inception?

I think not.  Clearly Cleveland disagrees with me.

LeBron meets with 6 teams in biggest free agent year in NBA history.

The whole NBA is holding their collective breath until they find out one thing:  What is he going to do? 

He is not Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire (who is nearing a $100 millon deal with the Knicks), Dwayne Wade, or Dirk Nowitski.  He is Lebron James and right or wrong, he is the most imporatnt man in basketball.  Not for his playing ability or marketing power, though those things are certainly why everyone wants him.  But it’s for his decision.

James is a free agent and has been since 12:01 am July 1st.  He is the straw that stirs the drink in what is being recognized as the biggest free agent year ever in the NBA.  With so many of it’s top stars opting for free agency, some teams gave up on last season in order to clear cap space to sign one – or in some cases more than one – of these young players.

Yesterday, the son of Akron, Ohio sat down with the likes of Nets owners Mikhail Prokhorov and rapper Jay-Z, Nets coach Avery Johnson, and GM Rod Thorn.  He also entertained the New York Knicks who had a truckload of stuff to bring with them – literally.

Today, sporting a white t-shirt and baggy sweat pants (the perfect choice of clothing for an important business meeting with professional excecutives offering millions and millions of dollars) he entertained the Miami Heat with Heat exec. and former coach Pat Riley, Heat owner Micky Arison, coach Erik Spoelstra and former Heat center Alonzo Mourning (all wearing business suits – way to be overdressed) in toe. 

After a courtesy meet and greet with the L.A. Clipppers, James will call it a day.  In tomorrow’s Main Event, LeBron will be entertaining the Chicago Bulls, as well as his old team, the Cleveland Cavaliers - the 2 teams considered the favorites to land him. 

He hopes to make a decision by July 5th.  What James decides may shape the NBA for the next decade.

Favre has surgery and plays with kids. His annual signal that he’ll be back.

As if we didn’t know this already, Brett Favre is coming back. No, he hasn’t announced it yet. But he has announced it if you speak Favre-glish.  It’s the language that only Favre knows how to speak since – after all- it is his language.  And he doesn’t need to say a word. 

If you do listen to what he speaks, you’d believe that this is a man in limbo pondering his future.  All he will say is that he is considering it and talking it over with his family.  That’s Favre-glish for “I’m pretending to be undecided until maybe the last 2 weeks of training camp, maybe later to avoid going through ‘two a days’.”

Favre has given his sign for the year (as if we needed one) that he will indeed be back for a 20th NFL season.  He first had surgery on his left ankle to clean up some scar tissue and bone spurs.  Now, he’s back to practicing football with high school kids at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Favre will continue to ‘decide’ for at least the next 2 weeks.  After that, he will officially announce to all people who do not understand Favre-glish that he will be returning.

Brad Childress and the Minnesota Vikings, myself, and every other NFL writer out there have known this for months.

ESPN: Jackson suspended for 3 games

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Chargers WR Vincent Jackson will be suspended for 3 games in 2010 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Jackson pleaded guilty in February to driving while intoxicated. This is Jackson’s second conviction for the same charge.

No word on whether or not he will appeal.

Panthers WR Steve Smith breaks arm; will miss start of training camp

By Bob Metz

WR Steve Smith, Carolina branch (Panthers) has a broken arm he suffered in a flag football game according to Mike Cranston, AP sports writer.

Smith had surgery Sunday night on the same arm he broke against the New York Giants last season, though not in the same place. The team does not have a timetable for his return.

However, all may not be lost, fantasy owners because though Smith will miss the start of training camp for certain, the reports at this early stage sound optimistic about Smith possibly being able to play by week 1 of the regular season.

Either way, I wouldn’t count on Smith being a top notch WR this season.

Bowl Games or Playoffs? How about both?

By Bob Metz

One of the most discussed issues surrounding college football is the issue of how to crown a National Champion. 

 The BCS – the current system – was established in 1998 and was created in efforts to better crown a champion each year, while putting what proponents consider more emphasis on the regular season.  In recent years, however there has been an increasing amount of pressure put on the NCAA by fans and sportscasters as well as politicians to implement a playoff system. 

 College football is the only ball sport to not utilize a playoff system in order to crown a champion, and some say it has to change.  Even college basketball has the March Madness tourney to crown a champion.

 There are many factors to consider however when making such a decision.  Is there really anything wrong with the current system? How would a playoff system be implemented?  What impact would it have on the NCAA football’s biggest stage?  Would it be fair that if a team has one off week, they’d be eliminated?  Would the regular season have to be extended? What impact would this have on academics? What about the money generated from the BCS sponsors (a la Tostitos)?

 Those are just a few factors.  No matter which side you are on, I ask you to consider what I am about to suggest.  I believe that a BCS playoff system would open up college football and attract many more fans.  I will help you explore by answering the above questions.

• Is there really anything wrong with the current system?

In a word – Yes.  The BCS is two thirds decided by humans. The Associated Press poll and the coaches’ poll.  The other third is computer rankings.  Call me silly, but this does not sound like a fair way to crown a champion and furthermore it’s much too involved.

Anytime you involve people’s opinions to decide which teams should play, it leaves the door open to human agendas.  Like it or not, it’s just in our nature as humans to hold grudges, favor certain things, and let personal gain affect professional decisions.  Before we go further, know that I am not saying this is happening.  I am simply stating our natural instincts as people.  There is a lot of money at stake in sports, even college sports and money makes people do things they wouldn’t normally do.  Why leave it to chance?  In a playoff system, this human element would be eliminated for the most part.  As for the other third, numbers on a computer should only be used as tie breakers.

• How would a playoff system be implemented?   

Easily.  Implementing a playoff system that does not rock the boat is both efficient and fair.  But there isn’t a need to rip apart the bowl games, either.  I believe that the best way is to keep the bowl games and make them individual playoff games. They can even keep their bowl names to preserve some of the tradition for those to which that is important.  Bowl games would simply be used as playoff games.

• What impact would it have on NCAA football’s biggest stage?   

It would be HUGE!  Take March Madness as the best example.  March Madness is far and away more popular than the BCS.  Why?  Two reasons.

1. People who don’t even watch college basketball fill out brackets and many of them watch the games to see how their teams fare.

 
2. Because it’s exciting!  Lose and go home.  It’s the same reason the NFL playoffs are so popular as well as (to a slightly lesser extent) the NBA playoffs and the MLB playoffs.  It’s an element that can only exist in a playoff system.  If NCAAF used the bowl games as a playoff system, more fans would watch in droves because of the newness of a playoff system (this could be massively advertised) and because there would be no question as to who should have been given the chance to compete.  No more debating on which same-ranked team should be in the big game.  No more harping on why the bigger schools are favored over a Boise State for instance.  Also, the smaller schools would have a legitimate shot at shocking the world, much like you see in March Madness.  Butler came to within a single shot of winning the whole thing against powerhouse Duke.  George Mason a few years ago thrilled many when they made it to the Final 4.  Imagine this happening in football.  A playoff would add a lot of excitement and bring in a larger audience, as even those who do not understand or agree with the BCS would want to watch. More fans plus more advertisers equals more money.

• Would it be fair that if a team has one off week, they’d be eliminated unfairly?   

This is the most ridiculous question I’ve heard on the subject.  In every other sport, there have been teams who fared the best in the regular season have fallen short of the championship game.  The Indianapolis Colts come to mind.  That’s the great thing about elimination.  Raise your game in the playoffs or go home!

• Would the season have to be extended?  No.  If several teams have the same record, tie breaking procedures would be enacted.  This is where the computer statistics would come into play.  Should there be an ultimate tie, a play-in game would then be in order.  Winner gets the spot. 

• What about the money generated from the BCS sponsors (a la Tostitos)?

 They’ll reap the benefits of a larger audience and still be sponsors of the bowl playoff games.  Who gets to be the sponsor of the National Championship game?  The highest bidder!  That’s business at its finest.  The deeper the playoff round, the more a sponsor must pay.  It’s fairer than the BCS is on the teams.

 In Conclusion:

 Everyone benefits from a playoff system except for those who are so entrenched in the history of it all, but if they love the game already, they won’t stop watching just because the system is fairer.  There is no perfect system; NCAAF is the only holdout to a proven, successful formula. Take the BS out of the BCS and you are left with a Championship!

ATTENTION TITANS: PAY CHRIS JOHNSON NOW!

By Bob Metz

Sometimes we all wonder what people are thinking. Here are some examples: Why did George W. Bush attach Iraq after we were attacked by terrorists from Afghanistan? Why do most people only care about a charity after it affects them personally, when the problem for others has been there all along? Why is abortion legal, but assisted suicide illegal?

Thankfully, what I am talking about today isn’t that heavy a subject. I’m wondering why owner Bud Adams and the Titans’ suits aren’t re-doing Chris Johnson’s contract. What are they thinking? While the Titans aren’t known for paying players more than they’re worth (see: Albert Haynesworth, Steve McNair, and Kyle Vanden bosch) they cannot actually think that a talent like Chris Johnson, in only his third season as a pro would be a bad investment. Sure, running backs wear down and some might have one injury and never play the same again, but Johnson became the 6th player in NFL history to get over 2,000 yds in a season last year.

Now he’s not in camp because he’s scheduled to make a base salary of only $550,000 this season, per his rookie contract. I know some are thinking ‘I’d sure like to have his problem’. Yes, I get it. I feel the same way. I’d love to make that kind of money. But this is the NFL today, and in the NFL that is a very low salary for someone of Johnson’s accomplishments especially given his speed, age, and talent. Not since Barry Sanders have we seen someone with so much talent and potetial.

Let’s look at Johnson’s peers. Reggie Bush, a role player who doesn’t even start will make a reported $13.5 million in base salary this season. Larry Johnson signed a deal with the Redskins that will give the 30 year old RB who isn’t expected to start a base of $3.9 million. Looking at these numbers, it really makes us scratch our collective heads. Why would the Titans want to mess up a good thing when they’ve got it?

VY was finally clicking last year, the Titans finished strong, Johnson was a record breaker and a money maker for the Titans, and there is optimism for the upcoming season. TITANS: PAY THE MAN NOW! If something doesn’t happen soon to get Johnson into camp and get the Titans ready for the season, this could be another very disappointing seson for the Tennessee Titans.