Jason Kidd, Elvis Dumervil and Athletes Getting Arrested

Posted on July 16, 2012 by wcornblatt

When I woke up Sunday, there really wasn’t much news in the sports world. There was a lot of Jeremy Lin speculation and a couple of passing stories. The truly ugly part of Sunday’s news lineup is that I considered a boring day in sports and two all-stars were arrested. Elmis Dumervil, pro-bowl Defensive End for the Broncos, was arrested on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge and Jason Kidd, a 10-time all-star and NBA champion, was arrested for DWI.

All too often in sports, these sort of events go unnoticed. It seems as if crime and sports go hand in hand. On any given day you can find an arrest of another player or coach who foolishly thought they were above the law. It’s a sense of entitlement that makes fans that would give up drinking for a lifetime to play professional sports angry and disgusted. Jason Kidd signed a three-year, $9.5 million deal with the Knicks Thursday. Part of his responsibility was to mentor Jeremy Lin, by Sunday he was arrested. The worst part is he’ll pay a fine, maybe a stern scolding from management and move on like it never happened. Just another drunk athlete behind the wheel, a millionaire basketball player putting everybody on the road at risk.

It’s a frustrating battle for fans looking to find relatability and normalcy in athletes. We want to connect and we often do, but it’s the actions of those like Kidd and Dumervil that alienate us. Dumervil really had to get into an argument with another car on the road? He really wants to live a thug life so bad that he just had a gun on him? Really? His $61.5 million contract through 2015 wasn’t enough? Setting a payday record for his pass-rushing position just wasn’t enough of a motivation to lead a respectable life?

Jason Kidd couldn’t have gotten a driver? He got in the accident a mile and a half from his house. He couldn’t have planned before the night to get as plastered as he wanted to, but have a cab come? I’m a broke 21-year-old and I figure out ways to get sober rides home. So when athletes tell us they made a mistake, and that we all make mistakes, it’s just not true. Dumervil and Kidd won’t pay like your average citizen would, and until we as an audience react differently to incidents like this, it’ll continue happening.

Drew Brees and His Contract

Posted on July 13, 2012 by wcornblatt

Rarely does a player personify his team’s city so completely as Drew Brees does. He’s intertwined with New Orleans till he retires. Ironic for a guy who played a lot of his career in San Diego, but maybe that’s what makes him so definably New Orleans.

Drew Brees is resilient, talented and unafraid to say how he feels. Even if he frustrates you at times, he’s so damn affable that it’s hard to stay angry with him. Behind closed doors, he helps those in need, so the news that Drew Brees signed a 5-year, $100 million deal with Saints should come as no surprise.

Even with Brees claiming he’d skip training camp if he didn’t get his contract, you knew he’d be back. For the city that’s been through so many ups and downs, he’s a comforting consistent, and consistent is what the Saints need right now. After the bounty scandal, theiir one time sympathetic image is wiped clean. Now, it’s all about what they’ve done recently. Without Sean Payton as their coach this season, Brees is the true leader. He always had that coach vibe to him that some quarterbacks just attain. So even though saying $100 million out loud seems outrageous, he deserves every penny. He truly is the only chance the Saints have at repairing their image, and for New Orleans, Brees is the perfect guy to do it. He didn’t roll over and tediously apologize for bounty gate, instead he defended his teammates and coach. Even though there isn’t much to defend, Brees established that he wasn’t just the nice guy, he had an edge New Orleans prides itself on. So congratulations to Drew Brees, the good guys won this one.

2012 Fantasy Football: Top 10 Bounce Back Candidates

Posted on July 6, 2012 by FantasySmackTalk.com

Chris Johnson Ten | RB

Last season was a nightmare for Chris Johnson as his contract dispute hampered him for much of the beginning of the season and as the season progressed became less of a focal point of the offense. CJ2K did not show the burst and 4.3 speed that has made him a dynamic and elusive back that is capable of hitting the homerun on any play. With the succession to the QB throne soon to be Jake Locker’s, it’s fully expected that a strong running game and balanced attack will be present to aid the young QB this season at some point. CJ is primed for a bounce back season as he takes aim to prove last season was an aberration and bring the Titans back into viable contention in the AFC South.

Michael Vick Phi | QB

Michael Vick is the most dynamic and versatile player in fantasy football. His mobility in the pocket makes him a potential highlight reel to put up RB type numbers but also a huge fantasy risk. Andy Reid has a team in the Eagles that are capable of making a legitimate playoff run. Vick’s health is a certain priority so expect Vick to think pass first to keep his body healthy for the long season ahead. With the continued emergence of LeSean McCoy as an elite RB and with DeSean Jackson back in the fold Vick has many weapons to spread the ball around in an Eagles offense that seems likely to breakout in a big way this season.

Miles Austin Dal | WR

The Cowboys soft spoken and often overlooked wide out had a very mediocre and injury plagued campaign last year. Along with Jason Witten he is one of Tony Romo’s favorite targets and often is able to beat CBs deep at least twice a game for big time plays. With added pressure of another missed opportunity at the post-season in Big D it seems like if the Cowboys plan to open up the offense under Coach Garrett. Expect Miles Austin will receive less double coverage with the emergence of Dez Bryant opposite him as well.

DeSean Jackson Phi | WR

Getting paid never felt so good for this tumultuous Eagles wide receiver. In a heated and largely publicized contract dispute for much of last season, DeSean drew criticism for being disinterested and lost in an Eagles offense that failed to live up to high expectations. Jackson has been a workout warrior since re-signing with Philly and building back chemistry with Michael Vick. As Philly’s most dangerous offensive weapon at the WR position, there is no doubt that DeSean will be more productive this season. It is possible that he may lose red zone looks to LeSean McCoy, but fully expect a bounce back effort nonetheless as he looks to revitalize the Eagles offense and hook up with Vick often as they prepare to reach lofty preseason goals.

Randy Moss SF | WR

What a difference a year makes. Last season Randy Moss was enjoying an early retirement from football after burning out towards the end of the trading carousel in 2010 that found him an invisible part of the Patriots, Vikings and Titans offense. To think that Randy Moss would be interested in anything other than a run at a championship is foolishness. Teamed up with Alex Smith, who showed dramatic improvement last season, and alongside a premier Tight End in Vernon Davis, matched with a staunch run-attack in a weak division, Moss will have plenty of opportunities for fantasy success. The key will be to keep Moss healthy and for Smith to keep attacking downfield. The offense tends to be more ball controlled but with a burner like Moss it is tough to not see him take flight in San Fran this season.

LeGarrett Blount TB | RB

This workhorse was not as big a disappointment as some might have expected given his team was a complete disaster on the field in 2011. Blount returns from a season in which he completely disappeared in some weeks when Tampa Bay fell behind early and had to play catch up. The real bounce back potential lies in his ability to hang on to the football as at times he has had a history of fumbling. If he is able to remedy that then he should be set up for more goal line carries. Having a playmaker like Vincent Jackson should take more defenses off the line of scrimmage and open up more holes for him. This season appears to be promising if Tampa Bay can improve its offense efficiency and Josh Freeman takes strides in returning to his 2010 form.

Jamaal Charles KC | RB

Charles is an absolute game breaker. That is exactly what Jamaal Charles adds to the Kansas City Chiefs, his ability to break a game open with his electrifying speed and vision. Charles suffered an injury last season, much to the chagrin of fantasy owners. Fully expect that he will come back stronger from that injury. As the main tailback in a ball controlled offense with rather weak competition within the division, he should be primed to return to the production he is capable of in 2012.

Brandon Lloyd NE | WR

Brandon Lloyd was an absolute fantasy stud with Denver Broncos when Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels worked with him. Now reunited with the New England Patriots, expect that return to relevance with Tom Brady at the helm in New England as the #2 primary target to Wes Welker in an explosive offense. Brandon Lloyd was somewhat hampered by a beat up Rams team and injured QB Sam Bradford last season. Lloyd is capable of putting up huge numbers on any night and with Tom Brady as QB it only takes a tiny bit of separation for Lloyd to get the necessary targets and have a bounce back type season.

Brandon Marshall Chi | WR

Sometimes a change of surroundings is all it takes. Brandon Marshall will be re-united with Jay Cutler from his days in Denver as Chicago takes aim at the NFC North. The division is rather weak defensively and with Cutler’s gun-slinging mentality and Marshall’s speed and height should set up nicely for a break season for him in the windy city. Marshall is a fantasy owner’s dream in the red zone and when motivated can be very productive in the passing game. Expect results similar to those as he had in Denver with considerable more targets and TDs in 2012.

Chad Ochocinco Mia | WR

Rounding out the list is a wide receiver that is better known for his celebrations and boisterous attitude than his performance of late. Chad Ochocinco has dropped the act and appears from early indications in training camp to be back to his form of a few years ago with the Bengals. Miami does not have an established quarterback but Chad can be a reliable safety valve and target for an unproven QB and is destined to improve on his abysmal campaign in New England season. Motivation to return to elite status among WRs is one of the reasons Chad Ochocinco should be considered on the list of 2012 bounce back candidates this season.

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2012 Fantasy Football: NFL Deep Sleepers

Posted on July 4, 2012 by FantasySmackTalk.com

It’s hard to win a fantasy league without making a few great late picks during the draft. Every year there are several players that get picked near the end of the draft and end up having huge fantasy value. Our experts give you a list of deep sleepers that you you may want to take a gamble on in the late rounds of your 2012 fantasy football draft.

Tim Tebow NYJ | QB

Tebow is the ultimate gamble this year, but I think it could pay off. Each website that runs fantasy football is a little different when it comes to position eligibility, but the potential for Tebow to get running back eligibility is very real for 2012. If that is the case and he ends up taking over the starting quarterback job at some point he could be a fantasy stud. There are a lot of question marks here, but he is going to go so late in most drafts I still consider him a low risk high reward player.

Austin Collie IND | WR

Collie didn’t have that great of a year last year, but with the arrival of Andrew Luck things are certainly looking up for the Colts offense. With Dallas Clark and Garcon both off the team, there should be more targets for Collie. The Colts will more than likely try to keep a lot of the routes fairly short for their rookie quarterback, and this should work perfectly for Collie who is more of a possession type receiver. I think he could be a great guy to target in PPR leagues, and I think he could even have value in standard leagues as well.

Alshon Jeffery CHI | WR

The Bears have had a lot of problems trying to find wide receivers that they can count on, that’s why they went out and got Brandon Marshall and drafted Jeffery in the second round. Jeffery might not start the year as the #2 guy for the Bears, but they drafted him for a reason and he will spend plenty of time on the field. We expect Marshall to get a lot of attention from the opposing defenses, so this should open things up for the rest of the Bears receivers.

Jermaine Gresham CIN | TE

The Bengals former first round pick is entering his third year in the league, and we are expecting big things. The Bengals offense was pretty solid last year, and as this young group gains experience they should only continue to get better. Gresham has breakout year written all over him, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ends up being a top 5 tight end this year.

Jared Cook TEN | TE

Cook is a talented tight end, and if he can carry how he finished last year into 2012 he could be in line for a monster season. The tight end position is fairly deep this year, but if you miss out on the top guys I like the idea of waiting and trying to get Cook in the later rounds. The Titans have a lot of weapons on offense that are going to require the attention of opposing defenses, and that should make it pretty easy for Cook to get open.

Greg Little CLE | WR

All things considered for Little last year, he had an amazing rookie year. He played on one of the worst offenses in the league, and he was still able to grab 61 balls for over 700 yards. We expect the Browns to struggle again on the offensive side of the ball in 2012, but Little could be one of their bright spots. Little is a very talented young receiver that is worth a look in the later rounds, and we see no reason why he can’t improve on his numbers from a year ago.

Brandon LaFell CAR | WR

The Panthers have been searching for a solid number two receiver for years, and I think they have finally found him. LaFell is entering his 3rd year in the league, and we see no reason why his numbers will not continue to be on the rise. Even if Steve Smith stays healthy for the entire year I think LaFell could have a lot of big games, and potentially even flirt with over 1,000 receiving yards.

Titus Young DET | WR

The Lions offense was able to stay healthy for the most part last year, and they impressed a lot of people with how many points they were able to put on the board. Young is going to be a big part of that offense this year, and with Megatron getting so much attention Young should have no problem getting open. Burleson is still with the Lions, but we think Young should have no problem surpassing him this year as the second best receiver on that team.

Shane Vereen NE | RB

A lot of people forget that Vereen was drafted in front of Ridley in last years draft, and in our opinion has a bigger upside. It’s really hard to trust any of the New England running backs, but Vereen is going to go so late in drafts it makes him a low risk gamble. With Green-Ellis out of town this is going to open the door for guys like Vereen to get more carries, but only time will tell how the carries will be disrupted in New England.

Isaiah Pead STL | RB

Pead put up huge numbers in his last year with Cincinnati, and with an aging overworked Steven Jackson in front of him he could get a chance to show us what he can do. The Rams drafted Pead to eventually take over for Jackson, so they have faith in this young man to be able to handle the load. Even though he needs an injury from Jackson to have a lot of value, I still think he is well worth a roll of the dice as a late round gamble.

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2012 Fantasy Football Draft: Top 10 Fantasy Quarterbacks (QB)

Posted on June 27, 2012 by FantasySmackTalk.com

After finishing last season with 45 passing TDs and only six interceptions, it should not be a surprise to see Aaron Rodgers as our top-ranked fantasy quarterback heading into the 2012 season. Rounding out our top three are a couple more familiar names with Tom Brady and Drew Brees. There is a slight drop after those three, but all players on this list are solid QB1 options.

1. Aaron Rodgers GB | QB

Rodgers continues to impress every year, and we still have him as our clear cut number one quarterback. His TD to INT ratio was off the charts, and one thing that people tend to forget is how much he helps your fantasy team with his legs. He was 4th among quarterbacks in rushing yards, and he had 3 rushing TDs. Rodgers is one of those quarterbacks that just makes the game look easy, and we expect another monster year from him again in 2012.

2. Tom Brady NE | QB

In previous years Brady has proven that he can be an amazing quarterback with limited weapons around him, now he has numerous weapons which makes him even scarier. He still has the two amazing TEs and Welker, and the Pats added Brandon Lloyd into the mix who could be in line for a decent season. The Patriots during the Brady era have never had a hard time putting points on the board, and I don’t expect it to be a problem for them this year either.

3. Drew Brees NO | QB

Brees has an historic year in 2011 throwing for almost 5,500 yards, but his contract issues and losing his head coach was just enough for use to move him to our 3rd quarterback this year. The Brees/Graham chemistry was amazing last year, and at times these two looked absolutely unstoppable. Pay close attention to the contract talks this preseason, but as long as he gets signed he should have no issues being a top fantasy quarterback.

4. Cam Newton CAR | QB

All I have to say about the rookie year that Newton had is “WOW”. Not only did he have one of the best rookie seasons of all time, he also rewrote the book on how we think of rookie quarterbacks in fantasy. Newton impressed with his arm, but the real story was what he did with his legs. He rushed for over 700 yards and found the endzone 14 times as a runner. I expect him to throw a decent amount of INTs and show his inexperience, but because of what he can do with his legs he has to be in our top 5.

5. Matthew Stafford DET | QB

We all knew that Stafford had an upside and could be in line for a big 2011, but I don’t think many people would have guessed he would throw for over 5,000 yards. The Lions offense was great last year, and with LeShoure coming back and Titus Young getting better and better they should be in line for another big year. Stafford has had injury concerns in the past, but after playing all 16 games last year he has put some of those concerns to rest.

6. Michael Vick PHI | QB

Vick missed 3 games last year and barely cracked the top 20 in passing yards among quarterbacks, but the rushing yards were still there. He was third in rushing behind Newton and Tebow with 589 rushing yards, averaging 45 yards per game. If Vick can stay healthy he still has the potential to be an elite fantasy quarterback, and I think he is well worth a gamble this year. However, if you do draft Vick I would make sure to get a solid plan B incase he goes down with an injury.

7. Eli Manning NYG | QB

It took a major neck injury to Peyton and nearly a 5,000 yard passing season, but Eli has finally surpassed his brother in our rankings. Eli had an amazing year last year (mainly at the expense of the Giants rushing game), but I expect the Giants to throw a lot this year as well. Cruz has proven to be a top target for Eli, and if Nicks can stay healthy look for the Giants to have close to another 5,000 passing yards again in 2012.

8. Philip Rivers SD | QB

Even though Rivers had a solid season last year, we were still expecting more. He only had 27 TDs and he threw 20 INTs, which were both worse than 2010. The Chargers offense took a bit hit losing Jackson, and when you look at who Rivers has at WR it could certainly be better. Even with all that being said Rivers is still an amazing quarterback, and even with mediocre receivers I think he could easily throw over 4,500 yards.

9. Tony Romo DAL | QB

Romo was able to play all 16 games last year, and he had another solid year. He is never going to be a top 3 fantasy quarterback, but Romo has proven that if he can stay healthy he can put up solid numbers. The Cowboys have one of the most talented receiver corps in the league, so as long as everyone can stay healthy there should be plenty of touchdowns to go around.

10. Peyton Manning DEN | QB

Drafting Peyton this year is scary and it could end up backfiring, but we are still talking about Peyton Manning. He is in a new home with the Broncos and they are going to ask him to do what he did for the Colts, which is turn a very mediocre offense into something special. Since Peyton does come with big risks I highly suggest drafting another solid quarterback just in case, but I think he still has what it takes to be an elite fantasy quarterback.

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