Bleacher Report - Articles by gregory caldarella

Will Marion Barber and Michael Turner Respond to Becoming Featured Backs?

gregory caldarella — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:28:46 -0400

The Running Back By Committee (RBBC) has really frustrated fantasy owners, and you can imagine how it can have the same frustrating effect on the actual players. Marion Barber and Michael Turner know what it's like to be a part of a shared backfield.

Barber was not too highly touted when he was drafted by the Boys a few years back. He was used to a split backfield from his college days when he teamed up with, now Patriots Running Back, Laurence Maroney. Despite the low hype, Barber immediately showed that he would be a force and made his case for more carries.

Pretty soon the fans in Dallas were calling for Barber to get more carries and maybe even to take over the starter's role which was occupied by Julius Jones. Barber was really becoming a fan favorite with his hard nose style of running and his goaline success.

Barber really received the lion's share of the carries last season and truly evolved from the 3rd down and shortage yardage back he was originally used as. This off season Julius Jones went to the Seattle Seahawks and really opened up the door for Barber.

But the Cowboys still felt the need to use their first round pick on RB Felix Jones. Jones will not threaten Barber much, but he will steal some carries. Barber seems like he is in line for a big year in Big D, but let's see if his small frame can hold up over the course of a full year with the his punishing downhill running.

Turner was in a bit of a different situation during his time in San Diego. He wasn't really getting much work due to being behind a player named LT on the depth chart. Turner really only saw time during mop up time and if LT suffered an injury (which very rarely happened).

But when Turner did play, he produced. He had an impressive 5.5 yards per carry as a backup, and many saw the former college standout (Michael "The Burner" Turner) as a solid featured back one day.

The Falcons jumped all over Turner when he hit the market and promised him a big time role in their offense. However, he has a lot less to work with in terms of talent than Barber does in Dallas. Turner has a nice combination of speed and power and also should enjoy a relatively successful first year as a primary back.

Two totally different situations, but two similar players that finally have their chance to show what they can do with a full season's work load. Turner is part of a rebuilding team and they hope he can bring credibility to a meek offense. While Barber is considered a main piece to the championship puzzle in which the Cowboys hope to complete soon.

These two players are heavily invested in and will end up being forces in the league for years to come. But can these players meet some expectations without even being a primary back in the NFL yet? I say without a doubt they will.

What Does Brett Favre's Addition Mean for the Jets' Offensive Fantasy Impact?

gregory caldarella — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:31:55 -0400

The addition of Brett Favre to the New York Jets has been well publicized and covered by the media way too much.

But I look into this situation with a fantasy outlook rather than an eternal infatuation with Favre like the media has. Favre immediately makes the Jets a better offense and a better team. Let's see how his new offensive weapons will fare this time around:

Thomas Jones was a guy I already pegged as having a bounce back year after suffering a sub par season by his standards in the punchless Jets offense. Jones will benefit greatly from the attention defenses will be directing towards the passing game now and should enjoy plenty more lanes and running space.

Jones has always been a shifty runner and he can also make plays through the air. Brett Favre really knows how to utilize a runner like Jones as I compare him to an Ahman Green type player.

Laverneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery have to be the happiest of all the offensive players. They now finally have a QB that can put the ball wherever he wants on the field and fit balls into tight spots. These talented wide-outs would probably have had even better years if they had a QB with an above average arm.

Let's face it Jets fans, Kellen Clemens vs. Chad Pennington is not the most desirable QB battle. In fact, probably only Kyle Orton vs. Rex Grossman and the Miami debacle are worse. Favre has made WR's careers throughout his time; just wait to see what he can do for Coles and Cotchery.

I can see Cotchery becoming his new favorite target. Cotchery has all the tools to become a very good wide-out and Favre will almost assuredly bring the best out in him. Cocthery can almost project to have a Greg Jennings like season with even more receptions.

On the other hand, Coles will probably become his most trusted receiver, a la Donald Driver. Like Driver, Coles is a very crafty veteran who knows how to get open and has sure hands.

All three of these offensive players will have a resurgence thanks to Favre's arrival. I would have liked to draft these players as mid round value picks that flew under the radar, but now I might have more trouble scooping them up.

Any top WR that has Favre throwing him the ball is sure to have a solid year so take note of this and watch Favre work his magic yet again...

Josh Smith Signed to an Offer Sheet by the Memphis Grizzlies

gregory caldarella — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:24:49 -0400

It has been reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have signed Atlanta Hawks combo forward Josh Smith to an offer sheet. The deal is reported to be worth $58 million, but the number of years is not yet known.

The Hawks have repeatedly said that they would match any offers for Smith, but now we shall see if that statement holds true. Who knows what the Hawks are thinking any more in terms of signing their players? This franchise would be out its mind to let such a talent walk away.

The Grizz would make a huge addition to their team if their offer is in fact not matched by Atlanta. Just envision a very young and talented squad that includes Josh Smith at PF, Rudy Gay at SF, O.J. Mayo at SG, and Mike Conley at PG. That would be very exciting for Memphis fans, and they might actually see Memphis make a run at the playoffs in the Western Conference.

It would be difficult to cope with losing Josh Childress and Josh Smith in one off season if you are a Hawks fan. If this happens, then maybe the franchise is just sending a message—"No Joshs allowed."

Re-signing Smith has to be their top priority—but at this point nothing, the Hawks do will surprise me.

Are the New York Giants Really Having an Open Running-Back Competition?

gregory caldarella — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:28:19 -0400

Brandon Jacobs had the starting running-back job on lock down last season. He was only able to stay healthy for the first half of the first game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys.

His inability to stay healthy last year lead to the Giants' uncovering some hidden gems within their running-back unit. After Jacobs went down in Dallas, backup Derrick Ward entered the game. Ward would prove to be an above-average fill-in and played very well in Jacob's absence.

He played so well that many figured a time-share could come to fruition once Jacobs returned. That did indeed happen, for a couple of weeks, and they formed a nice backfield tandem at the time. They looked like a nice two-headed monster going forward, until Jacobs hurt his hamstring against the Lions.

Ward took over as the starter again, and he had his best game of the year in Chicago, until he suffered a broken leg late in that game. Reuben Droughns assumed the starting job; he was brought in as a veteran backup prior to the season. He merely kept the spot warm for Jacobs until he returned yet again.

Jacobs was having one of his best outings in Buffalo, when he sat out the final quarter on that game after sustaining a minor injury. That injury opened the gates for rookie Ahmad Bradshaw, who burst onto the scene, as he showed big-play potential.

Bradshaw's talents were immediately implemented into the game for the remainder of the year.

Bradshaw and Jacobs came together in the playoffs as a nice combo of power and speed. Bradshaw proved to be the change-of-pace back the Giants were lacking. Ward was a pleasant surprise, but he was not as much a change of pace in relation to Jacob's style of running. Bradshaw had some flair to him, as he would bounce off tackles and make quick jukes.

The playoffs saw more of an even distribution of carries between the two running backs and that lead to the speculation that it would be a time-share for this coming season, but I see otherwise.

Jacobs is the unquestioned starter in my book and for good reason. He has really done nothing to lose his starter's share of the carries. He missed six games, and yet he still finished with over 1,000 yards on the ground. He proved to be very effective when he was constantly fed the rock. The more rushes he had, the more he would wear down a defense.

Jacobs is most effective when he racks up the carries in a game. The defense does not want to be tackling (or be tackled by) a 265-pound quick linebacker all game. As long as Jacobs stays on the field, health-wise, then I feel like he will still get approximately 60-75 percent of the workload.

The Giants might install the dreaded running-back-by-committee idea, but I hope they don't. It is nice to rotate your players and keep them fresh, but it is also nice to have your runner get into a groove rather than not knowing if he will be on the field for a given drive.

Bradshaw and Ward are very nice complements, but I think that's all they should be at this point. Bradshaw showed that he should be considered the third-down back and Ward can give a breather to either player throughout the game.

Jacobs had the best day of all the runners in the first preseason game. He juked CB Brian Kelly to the floor as he ripped off a 20-yard gain on his first carry. Jacobs is still light on his feet, and when he was tackled on the play, he lowered his shoulder to bring the pain.

He was also lifted after the first quarter, and that equates to starter status. Ward and Bradshaw struggled in the game, but I'm not worried about them. All I know is that people shouldn't get carried away with the Bradshaw craze in New York, but should remember that Jacobs is still the man for Big Blue...a rather large man for that matter.

What's That Sound? A Sigh of Relief From Aaron Rodgers

gregory caldarella — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:34:02 -0400

I think I speak for Aaron Rodgers when I say thank God the Brett Favre saga is over. If we as fans were all so annoyed with the ridiculous 24/7 coverage just imagine how Aaron Rodgers felt.

He would claim that he wouldn't let it bother him or that he wouldn't pay attention to all of it, but how could you not? It is only natural to be a little bit pissed off with this whole situation and how it was handled.

Rodgers is a soft spoken kid from the west coast and he can now officially say that he will Green Bay's starting QB heading into this year. Ever since he was drafted by the Packers a few years back he was being groomed as Favre's replacement.

He was only considered a replacement, not an heir to the throne, as nobody would be worthy to get the same fanfare and support that Favre received from the Green Bay faithful. He is following a football legend and this whole retirement fiasco has added to the pressure for Rodgers.

With Favre going to the Jets (for a conditional draft pick), Rodgers will have some pressure on him to perform well. Favre isn't a memory, he is still a player, but for a different team. He will be compared to Favre's statistics with New York and you better believe he will face criticism if he can't guide this team to a winning season.

The Packers had a chance to take Favre back. They knew what they were getting with Favre, a crafty veteran who has complete knowledge of their system and just came off an impressive season. The team passed on his services in favor of the young Rodgers, but fans might not be so forgiving when they see Favre in a different green jersey. Whatever Rodgers does will be very unfairly compared to Brett.

The team has gone out on a limb to say that Rodgers is ready to lead this team to a successful season. All the pieces are still in place from last year's team that was one overtime score away from the Super Bowl. The one main change is that of the signal caller. Any short comings of this Packer team will probably be blamed on the quarterback.

This team had a real chance to win with Favre calling the shots, but the front office didn't want to make Rodgers feel anymore unwanted than he might have already felt. If they were to take Favre back as their starter, that would have probably lasted another year after this one and then Rodgers would be gone in free agency and the Packers would have wasted their first round pick of that year.

Would it have been so bad to take back the legend? Even if they were worried about Rodgers leaving down the line if Favre returned, they did draft Brian Brohm out of Louisville and he could be a potential quarterback of the future.

The Packers better believe that the ghost of Brett Favre will still be around Lambeu Field this season. Just because he was traded doesn't mean the fans will forget what he could be doing for their team, and if this team falters there will be a disgruntled fan base, especially if Favre works his magic again this year for Gang Green.

Aaron Rodgers may breathe easy now, but he still isn't out of the water yet. And whether he likes it or not, he will forever be cast in the shadow of Brett Favre.

Open Mic: UConn All-Time Lineup of Current NBA Players

gregory caldarella — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:49:18 -0400

UConn has been one of the most successful college basketball programs in recent memory. They have produced the most NBA talent in the league to date out of any school.

Their coaching staff really gets their players NBA-ready, and that certainly is a nice sell in the recruiting process. Do you want to develop your game and become a pro? OK, then UConn is one of the best schools for you to attend.

Here's my UConn team that consists of players still playing in the NBA now.

C: Emeka Okafor

He was a defensive guru during his time in CT. He altered a ton of shots for the opposing team and could take over a game on the defensive end alone. He came into UCONN as a project and left a polished potential pro.

Okafor has yet to meet his full potential in the league, but I have confidence that he will only continue to get better. Did I also mention that he is one smart dude? He finished school at an accelerated pace, all the while notching a near-perfect GPA.

PF: Charlie Villanueva

He was a very highly-regarded talent when he chose to attend UConn. He almost entered the NBA draft straight out of high school but found he wasn't quite ready yet. He has all the tools to be a successful NBA player and has shown that if given the minutes he can excel, especially on the offensive end.

Villanueva is a combo forward that can play either SF or PF. He has quick moves and a nice stroke on his jumper, but the knock on him is that he was a lazy player. He left after only two years and was drafted in the first round.

SF: Rudy Gay

Jim Calhoun has called Rudy Gay the most talented player he had ever coached. UConn very rarely gets high school McDonald's All-Americans, but Gay was a recent exception. He brought his high-flying antics to Storrs and was part of a powerhouse team in his last season for the Huskies.

That team went on to get upset by Cinderella team George Mason in the NCAA tournament, and Rudy left campus following that season. He has blossomed in the NBA so far as he enjoyed a nice breakout campaign last year. He can do a bit of everything, including the highlight reel dunk.

It was just a shame he didn't stay at UConn long enough to reach his full potential.

SG: Ray Allen

Allen is simply one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history. He has a smooth stroke and has a truly perfect jump shot form. He recently was part of the Celtics' championship team and proved a key part to the team's success.

Allen was one of the first big superstars to come out of UConn and has not forgotten where he came from. He is on campus in the offseason working out with the team and giving advice to younger players.

He started the tradition of UConn scoring guards—many have followed in his footsteps since.

PG: Ben Gordon

Gordon is not a PG at the pro level but ran the point for the Huskies. He was not the typical pass-first PG but instead was a scoring guard playing the position.

He was an electric scorer, and when he got hot there was no stopping him. He was streaky for most of his time at school, but he was a big part of the last UConn national championship team, where he formed a nice inside-outside duo with Emeka Okafor.

Gordon was known to hit clutch shots late in games, and he carried that tough mentality over to the NBA where he has hit some late-game daggers.

Honorable Mention

Caron Butler

Butler entered UCONN as a troubled youth, having already served jail time. Coach Calhoun took a risk on this kid, and the move paid off for both of them. Butler turned around his life and turned into a very solid player on both ends of the floor.

Butler has really found his niche on the Wizards and had an All-Star caliber year last season. He also departed early but has UConn to thank for giving him a chance at redemption.

He would be in the starting lineup had I not gone to school for the Rudy years. It's a tough decision either way you look at it.

Richard Hamilton

Rip was a gritty college player, and it was tough envisioning him becoming an effective starter in the NBA due to his size. He proved me and a lot of other people wrong as he has become one of the most underrated players in the game.

He is a very hard worker and is considered a lockdown defender with a smooth jumper. He was a member of UConn's first NC and he only got better every year from then on.

2008 Fantasy Football: Draft Day Bargains

gregory caldarella — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:25:24 -0400

Fantasy Football drafting depends greatly on your mid to late round selections. Your first couple of picks tend not to make or break your season, but it's your ability to draft players in the later rounds where you are truly making a pick and not just going by the book.

In the early rounds you are often faced with a decision between a few players, but once the draft progresses your options become endless to whom you could take. I love to target players who had an off year the season before and bank on a bounce back year as long as I believe the player is capable. I also like to target guys who I can envision having a break out year where they finally take that next step to stardom.

Here are some of the guys I would love to scoop up in the middle rounds that can out-produce where they are selected in the draft:

David Garrard: This guy has gained a lot of confidence over the last two years and now he has the confidence of his own team and coaching staff. He is one of the smartest QBs in the league in terms of playing within his own abilities. He is so conscience of ball security on offense that he almost under-achieves.

Garrard won't hurt your team with stupid turnovers and that is very underrated. He manages the game to perfection, and this year the coaching staff wants to open up the passing game more. Garrard does have the rocket arm to increase his passing outputs and this is his first true season where he enters training camp as the undisputed starter.

Look for Garrard to make a nice leap in passing numbers. He's worth taking a little earlier because as I previously stated, he rarely turns the ball over, and even if he doesn't make leaps and bounds you are still getting a very solid QB.

Lee Evans: Evans frustrated fantasy owners everywhere last year. For a player that's so talented, he certainly went through some rough patches.

He went from 82 grabs, 1290 yards, and eight TDs, to 55 catches, 849 yards, and five TDs. That is quite a significant drop off for a guy that many predicted would get even better last year.

The QB situation in Buffalo was shaky all season, and I'm ready to give Lee Evans a free pass on his bust-like performance. Trent Edwards should be much more improved moving into his second year and the addition of rookie wide-out James Hardy should prevent Evans from seeing double team after double team.

Lee Evans is just too talented to have another subpar season in Buffalo, and I fully expect him to regain his fantasy value. He might not revert to 2006 form but he will exceed his production from last year guaranteed.

Thomas Jones: How you only score two TDs in a full season in the Jets run first offense is utterly ridiculous for a veteran runner like Jones. He was viewed as a solid number two RB going into last season, but he frustrated owners to the point of no return.

The good thing is that the Jets did not add much to their RB corps and Jones should again be the featured RB. He will rack up over 300 carries again, but this time he will rush for a respectable amount and give you a total yardage of anywhere between 1300-1500 yards.

The TDs will come as he will still get the goal-line carries. Leon Washington is nothing more than a change of pace back and he shouldn't cut into Jones' workload too much. It would do wonders for Jones' value if Favre were to become a member of the Jets.

Steve Smith: We all know about Smith getting into yet another training camp fight in which he bloodied up CB Ken Lucas, and that he is suspended for the first two games of the year. But this all comes as great news to fantasy owners.

Steve Smith will now slip even further on draft boards and for what? Missing two games? Two games early in the season isn't taking much of a hit, and Steve Smith is still a great WR. He had the worst year of his Panthers career and he is not on the downfall just yet.

Smith has more help in terms of other WRs to help alleviate defensive pressure on him. DJ Hackett and Mushin Muhammad will help Smith see less double teams and give him more room to operate.

It's also nice to note that Smith's buddy Jake Delhomme will be back, and you better believe that he hasn't forgotten who his favorite target is. Smith will be a true bargain come draft day; just don't let his fighting mentality scare you off. As the Joker would say, "You got fight in you...I like that."

Matt Forte: The rookie runner has been handed the starting job by Coach Lovie Smith. It isn't often the Bears turn to a rookie runner, but Cedric Benson's antics left them with no other options.

However, Forte is not a fall back option. Many speculated that he would possibly beat out Benson in camp. The coaches love how he hits the hole hard and his receiving skills to go along with solid pass blocking. The Bears are really banking on Forte and he has been taking all of the first team reps in training camp so far.

Don't be scared off by the signing of Kevin Jones, who will be lucky if he even makes it through a full year without injury. The team is clearly willing to let Forte develop for a full year, and envision him turning in a season comparable to that of Marshawn Lynch's rookie season, but with more catches.

Ben Utecht: The backup Indy TE has finally moved on and has landed in Cincy. The Bengals have hardly ever utilized the TE in the passing game, but maybe that was due to the lack of talent there in recent years.

Utecht isn't the most gifted pass receiving TE, but he knows how to get open. He also has sure hands and probably will be called upon to step up for the lost production left by Chris Henry.

With defenses keying even more on Chad and Housh, Utecht should be able to find some openings in the defense. Carson Palmer finally has a decent option at the TE position and look for him to to advantage of it.

He will be around very late, and if your plan is to not waste an early round pick on a TE, Utecht is your man.

Willie Parker: The days of FWP scoring 16 TDs is over, but so many people are jumping off the FWP train after one TD starved year. His total yards didn't dip too much from the year before but the main issue was him crossing that goaline.

Parker still has blazing speed and doesn't have a whole lot of mileage piled up. The addition of Rashard Mendenhall will impact Parker's value, but people are jumping to conclusions about how many carries Willie will actually lose to the rook.

Coach Mike Tomlin was recently quoted in Steelers training camp by saying that Willie Parker will not necessarily be lifted for goal line carries. Goal line work would bring a big boost to Parker's value, and if this statement is true Parker will become a legitimate RB option once again.

I'm not saying FWP is back, but he is getting bashed way too much. Parker is still very talented and now the Steelers won't be as concerned about his durability with Mendenhall, a nice back up option.

2008 NFC East Preview

gregory caldarella — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:06:49 -0400

There are several burning questions concerning, arguably, the most competitive division in football over the past few seasons. The NFC East is known for its great rivalries and smash-mouth style of games when any of these teams square off.

You have the defending Super Bowl champs in the Giants, and you wonder just how well they will respond to such a playoff run. Will Eli build off his excellent postseason performance and have a solid season? Can the Giants' defense perform at the same high level, despite some departures?

Aside from the Giants, all eyes are on Dallas again. Dallas made some interesting pick-ups this offseason by acquiring the troubled Pacman Jones and injury-prone veteran MLB, Zach Thomas.

Dallas fans are growing impatient with the team's lack of postseason success, and Wade Phillips can feel the heat from the front office as well.

The Eagles had a poor season, by their standards and are really hungry to return to grace in the City of Brotherly Love. Can a healthy McNabb orchestrate another playoff-bound season or is his time in Philly coming to a close?

The Redskins have officially moved on from the Joe Gibbs era and look forward to getting started with a clean slate. Can new HC Jim Zorn revive an offense that has been lackluster the last couple of years? Will Jason Taylor bring a spark to an aging defense?

Here's how they will finish when all is said and done.

1) Dallas Cowboys

Dallas looked like the team to beat in the NFC for the majority of the 2007 season. They didn't even get a chance to get the ball rolling in the playoffs, as the Giants came into town and pulled off the upset.

Jerry Jones was livid that they were bounced by their division rival, as they had handled the Giants both times during the regular season. He promised changes would come.

He controversially brought in Adam "Pacman" Jones in an attempt to give a boost to a secondary that was exposed at times. We all know Jerry Jones doesn't really care about the person he signs, just about the player.

Tony Romo really took big strides under the wing of OC Jason Garrett, and he looks to build off his sensational year. T.O. is still not slowing down, despite getting up there in age, and Jason Witten is one of the best TEs in the league.

Marion Barber is the primary back finally, and he will be joined by first-round pick, Felix Jones.

The defense was inconsistent last year, but overall they are above average. DeMarcus Ware keeps improving every year, and Greg Ellis won't stop sacking QBs. Roy Williams is becoming a liability in the pass game, and some even speculated he would be moved to LB or possibly even a cap casualty.

Big D will have another solid regular season, but what remains to be seen is if they can get it done in the postseason. There is a lot of pressure on this team to make some postseason noise, and Wade Phillips' job is most certainly on the line with Jason Garrett waiting in the wings.

I see them finishing above the division, but they will not live up to expectations again in the playoffs; Romo hasn't proved he can get a big W when it counts.

2) New York Giants

The Giants are once again getting no love. In the aftermath of their Super Bowl victory, the Giants have heard nothing but doubters for this coming season. There are more people talking about how they will fall than those that say they will be a force to be reckoned with, but the Giants wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Many are overreacting to the offseason losses that the Giants had. Michael Strahan is irreplaceable on and off the field, but the other players that left on the defense were not part of the team's core.

Gibril Wilson was a solid player, but he was also very inconsistent in his tenure with the G-Men. He excelled when he was brought on the blitz and was a decent run stopper, but was viewed as a product of the system. Jerry Reese would have liked to keep him, but not for the ridiculous price the Raiders gave him.

Kawika Mitchell really came on strong in the latter part of the year, but he too was not a major piece in the puzzle for the defense. Reggie Torbor was a career backup for the team until an injury to Mathias Kiwanuka opened up playing time.

These guys will not be as missed, as many would like to believe.

The emergence of Aaron Ross and Corey Webster gives the Giants a solid up-and-coming secondary, and first-round draft pick Kenny Phillips is expected to make an impact right away.

Justin Tuck is a prime candidate for a monster season now playing in a full-time role. Osi and Pierce will do their thing, and they also need to assume the new leadership position now that Strahan is gone.

We all know what Eli did in the playoffs, but it's time for him to bring that type of play to the regular season on a consistent basis. I have full confidence that he will only progress from here on out, and he will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

Plax can rack up studly numbers if he maintains his health over this full year.

The Giants are not a flash-in-the-pan and they will return to the playoffs, as they keep their confidence and swagger from the latest playoff berth. Don't forget that the Giants are still the true "Road Warriors".

3) Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' fans love-hate relationship with QB Donovan McNabb will continue this year, as it will be more of a loving relationship this time around. McNabb is almost two-years removed from ACL surgery, and that is typically the time when the player truly recovers from such an injury.

McNabb wasn't his same time-buying self in the pocket last year. You could notice that he didn't look confident in the pocket, and he got sacked a lot, at least by his standards. As the season went on, he began getting back to his old bag of tricks, as he looked a lot more mobile and more accurate with his throws.

McNabb is not done, by any means, and he can still run this Eagles offense to perfection. Brian Westbrook is the most underrated back in all of football, and he is trying to play his way to a new payday with the team.

The do-everything tailback is a terror to opposing defenses. Michael Strahan quotes in his book by saying he hated playing Westbrook the most because he was so good. Westbrook is the key to this team; as long as he stays healthy, the Eagles will always be in contention.

The defense may be the one thing holding this team back. Jim Johnson's crew is getting a little older and may have lost a step in their attacking style of play. But this is a smart DC and a smart unit; they are a max-effort team and can really bring the pressure when needed.

I like the Eagles' chances to return to the playoffs this year, as I see the NFC East sending three teams back to the playoffs like two seasons ago. The Eagles will have a nice bounce-back year, and McNabb will do it again without a quality No. 1 receiver.

4) Washington Redskins

The Redskins are a very unpredictable team. It seems like whenever they are picked to do well, they do poorly and vice versa. This team still has plenty of holes, but a lot of people like the Redskins as a team that will make a playoff push.

I don't see it. I just see too many question marks to go along with learning a new system under new HC Jim Zorn.

The 'Skins have a solid group of veterans, which is always a fine starting point for a team. The addition of Jason Taylor brings in a great pass rusher to team with Andrea Carter, who finally lived up to expectations last year by recording 10.5 sacks.

There is also MLB London Fletcher, who is the vocal leader of the team and still has a nose for the ball.

The defensive struggles lie within the secondary. Shawn Springs is getting old and has definitely lost a step, and Fred Smoot is serviceable. Sean Taylor cannot be replaced, but the emergence of Laron Landry will be a major factor for the defense.

Jason Campbell was a nice break-out candidate heading into last year, but he fell well short of expectations. He never seemed to get comfortable in Joe Gibbs' offensive set. Jim Zorn is hopeful that his West Coast offense will bring back the success Campbell had in such a scheme at Auburn.

Campbell is the wild card for this team. If he makes major strides, then the Redskins could be in for a very good year, but I am still hesitant to believe he will get to where he needs to be just yet.

He has a solid running attack of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, which he can lean on, but he needs to be a more accurate passer to keep defenses honest.

I see the Redskins as a year or two away from returning to the playoffs, but I have doubted them before, only to be proved wrong. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

All four of these NFC East teams are a tough matchup for any team. I look forward to watching another season of great intradivision battles.

Mark it down: The NFC East is the best division in football and the most exciting to watch. Who's ready for some real football?

2008 NFL Season: Top 15 Fantasy QBs

gregory caldarella — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:02:46 -0400

1) Tom Brady

Not much needs to be said aside from the fact that Brady broke the single-season record for TD passes. The Pats' offense revolves around Brady, and that will continue to be the case this year, despite people predicting the Pats will implement a more balanced offensive attack after last year's pass party.

With Moss as a deep field threat and Welker operating out of the slot, Brady will enjoy another ridiculous season, probably just not of the record breaking variety.

2) Peyton Manning

Manning is the definition of consistency. You know exactly what you are getting from Peyton: 30 TDs and 4,000-plus passing yards. He also doesn't get hurt; he's the modern day iron man. He runs the Colts' offense and he knows what to call in any kind of situation.

Joseph Addai still keeps defenses honest and his offensive line protects him pretty damn well. Not much else needs to be said as Brady and Peyton are the consensus No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks.

3) Carson Palmer

Palmer had somewhat of a down year last year but even his sub-par year would be a career year for most others. Palmer is just too talented to not bounce back.

His INT numbers were way too high last year, as he tallied 20 picks. That is an unusually high number for the former No. 1 pick. He still has Chad and Housh at his disposal, and you don't get much better WR help than that.

With the Bengals' defense still miserable, the offense will have to play catch up in plenty of games, which will lead to Palmer airing it out more often than not.

4) Drew Brees

Another player who experienced an increase in INT numbers last season. Brees got off to a horrific start (1 TD, 9 INT through the first four weeks) but started to catch fire down the stretch. Without that stumble out of the gate Brees would have had a fine season.

The Saints have added Shockey to his arsenal and now he has more than just Colston as a viable receiving threat. The Saints look to return to the playoffs and Brees will get them there, and could lead your fantasy team there as well.

Brees will have a very rock solid season for sure.

5) Tony Romo

Romo really had a monster year last season in Big D as the Dallas offense was one of the most explosive in the league. Romo was quite the maestro in conducting the Dallas aerial attack and he should have similar success this year.

I still don't view him as a truly elite quarterback yet. He falters big time on the big stage, but lucky for you he won't be playing any playoff games while on your team.

6) Ben Roethlisberger

Most would not have guessed that Big Ben would hurl 32 TD passes, especially since he was coming off a disappointing season where he threw more picks (23) than TDs (18).

The Steelers finally got away from their smash-mouth style of play and let Big Ben air it out. New Coach Mike Tomlin clearly has more faith in Ben's decision making than Cowher ever did and you should have faith that he will continue to produce such gaudy numbers.

The emergence of Santonio Holmes gave him another threat opposite solid vet Hines Ward. Rookie wideout Limas Sweed should also prove to benefit Big Ben this year, giving him even more weapons to work with.

7) Donovan McNabb

D-Nabb had a solid season this past year but still did not return to the old Donovan form. He is now two years removed from knee surgery and should see an increase in production this year.

He is by no means washed up and is still capable of big numbers through the air. He is smart with the ball as he only served up seven INTs last year, so you don't have to worry about taking a huge hit with bad decision making.

The Eagles are primed for a bounce-back year and the same holds true for their QB. But can somebody please give McNabb a solid No. 1? (T.O. doesn't count). Westbrook should not be consistently leading the team in receptions from the RB position.

8) David Garrard

Speaking of good decision makers, Garrard is the best of the bunch. He really manages the game well and understands the importance of protecting the ball.

He won't blow you away with his stats most games but he's as steady as they come. He has the chance to improve on his passing outputs, as he has proven to have a rocket arm. The Jags say they want to open up the passing game more this year and that can only mean bigger days for Garrard.

9) Derek Anderson

Talk about bursting onto the scene. Anderson always showed an adequate skill set for a QB, but no one would have ever predicted such a successful year.

The Browns are probably kicking themselves for drafting Brady Quinn and you will be kicking yourself if you draft Anderson too highly this draft. I like his game and see him as a Marc Bulger type player but don't overvalue him.

If he is still on the board after these other QBs are gone, then by all means take him, but let's see him do it another year first before we get all crazy about this guy.

However, I am not saying he can't enjoy the same kind of season as last year's because the Browns offense is very talented and Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow are beasts.

10) Eli Manning

Manning is probably the most debated player in fantasy drafts this year. Fresh in the mind of many viewers is his great performance during the playoffs. He evolved right in front of the whole sports world's eyes on the biggest of stages but that shouldn't overshadow the fact that he had yet another mediocre regular season.

Eli just can't stay consistent during the year, but you've got to figure that his confidence is sky-high after the Super Bowl and hope his erratic past is behind him.

I see him truly maturing this year and taking that next big step forward. He has all the offensive tools in place and plays behind a very underrated O-Line. Eli is for real and you better believe it.

11) Matt Hasselbeck

When Shaun Alexander went down, Hasselbeck put the Seahawks offense on his back. He carried the team to the playoffs with no real running attack. He looked as good as he's ever been in his career, but this year he won't be duplicating his nice stats.

It won't because of him, but rather because of the lack of receiving options. He lost DJ Hackett, who signed with Carolina, and Deion Branch has been a big bust since being acquired a few years ago.

Bobby Engram is his best option out of the slot and he is getting very old and Nate Burleson has served primarily as a return man the last couple of years. A lack of firepower will be the downfall for Hasselbeck, but he still could prevail if he is as good as I think he is.

Buyers just better beware of the thin WR core he has to work with.

12) Marc Bulger

2007 was a year to forget for Bulger and the Rams. He had an injury-plagued season and probably rushed his return to the lineup. His O-Line was one of the worst in recent memory and no Steven Jackson certainly didn't help things.

With a healthier Jackson and O-Line, Bulger will have a year in which he returns to fantasy football prominence. He is still a solid passer on an above-average offense and he should be a nice buy-low option this coming draft. If you are lucky enough to have him fall to you late then you will probably enjoy one of the better bargains this year's draft has to offer.

13) Jay Cutler

Unlike others, I'm quite not sold on Cutler being a superstar just yet, but I do feel that he will progress from last year. If he can knock off the mental blunders and replace some of them with smart decisions he will have a far better year.

The Broncos looked to the air more last year and Brandon Marshall's rise played a huge role in Cutler's success. Marshall is only suspended for the first two games of the regular season, so don't worry over that too much. The Marshall-Cutler connection should be back and better than ever this coming season.

14) Matt Schaub

Schaub was a true breakout candidate last year but was robbed of a chance to prove his talents thanks to the injury bug.

He and Andre Johnson showed a great rapport early on and both went down with injuries after the first few weeks. Schaub still has a good arm and Johnson is emerging as one of the more dominating targets in the league. As long as he stays healthy Schaub will have his breakout season in '08.

15) Jason Campbell

Campbell was another breakout candidate going into the '07 season, but he flopped right on his face until an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

The departure of Joe Gibbs might benefit the young QB the most. The Redskins' offense was conservative at best and Jim Zorn brings in a West Coast style of offense, one similar to the system in which Campbell thrived in at Auburn.

The Skins added two young WRs this draft but it remains to be seen if Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas will be effective as rookies. This seems to be a make or break year for Campbell and the front office will be watching closely as they evaluate whether or not he is the QB of the future.

NY Giants' Kenny Phillips Playing with a Chip on His Shoulder

gregory caldarella — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:49:49 -0400

Kenny Phillips was drafted by the Giants with the last pick in the first round of this past year's draft. Many would consider a first round selection of any kind to be an accomplishment, but that's not the case with Phillips.

He was the last pick in that round and he translates that to mean that every other team passed on him. The Giants had him ranked as the 15th best player on the board in the draft regardless of position and team needs. They were ecstatic when the safety fell all the way down to their pick. They had eyed the hard hitter from the start of the combine but never truly envisioned him being available when they picked.

"It definitely drives me. Every team passed on me. That's something I'll never forget and that's going to drive me for this whole season. If nothing else, that'll do it alone," said Phillips according to Newsday.

He has seemed very hungry to get his rookie year under way as he has been bringing the pain in training camp so far. He has laid some vicious hits on teammates during training camp and has opened eyes with his aggressive, high-flying style.

He has hit players so hard during drills that Coach Coughlin himself has had to take him aside and remind him that he is still playing against his teammates at the moment. But when asked about the hard hits Coughlin responded by saying, "That's why he's here."

Phillips has been a quick learner of the Giants defense so far just as he was in Miami's system when he started immediately as a freshman. It is yet to be seen how much playing time he will get in his first full season but he seems like he will get his fair share of snaps. The Giants drafted a playmaker and they know how talented Phillips is and what he can bring to the defense.

Phillips has been getting work in on the first team defense. He has received nothing but rave reviews from the coaching staff and teammates. Newsday quotes Corner Back Aaron Ross saying, "In five years, there might be some people regretting it" (referring to the draft and Phillips' unexplainable fall to the Giants).

I will have to agree with Ross and think that he will become one of the premiere safeties in the league one day. Five years might be an overstatement too. Look for Phillips to make an immediate impact for the Giants this year as he fills a glaring need for a playmaker from the safety position with the departure of Gibril Wilson. Gibril leaving for Oakland might have been a blessing in disguise for Big Blue.

Fantasy Football Busts for 2008

gregory caldarella — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:54:51 -0400

Edgerrin James: Leaving the potent offensive attack in Indy was a big mistake for James' career. He had great overall success for the Colts but has yet to come even close to matching his old numbers since signing with the Cardinals two seasons ago. He had 13 total TDs in his last season for the Colts and has a combined 13 TDs over the last two years in the desert.

His rushing yards have declined and he is no longer a true threat in the passing game like he once was. He has seemed to lose some speed and has fallen out of grace with the coaching staff in short yardage situations. Edge is only getting older and his O-Line is nothing like what he had with Indy. Look for this season to be one of decline for Mr. James.

Fred Taylor: Fred Taylor has bee an interesting fantasy player over the last couple of seasons. He has a backfield mate that is younger and fresher than him but Fred has yet to hand over the job fully to Maurice Jones-Drew. He still produces in the yards category but he rarely scores TDs and has virtually no receiving skills.

He was a player that used to be labeled as injury prone and for good reason. It has been a miracle that he has held up over the last two seasons but I see his mileage starting to pile up and Jones-Drew getting more touches. It would only top it off if he were to go down with an injury this year, which would be unbelievable news for Jones-Drew owners. Injury or not, Taylor's career is on the downswing starting this year.

Javon Walker: The Raiders overpaid for him and you should learn from their mistake. Do not draft Walker highly, if at all. He has not been the same since his knee injuries, and his recent rumblings of retirement bring up even more red flags. Not to mention he has an unproven first year QB in JaMarcus Russell throwing him the pigskin. If you want to indulge yourself in a Raiders WR this draft, I strongly urge you to go with Ronald Curry instead of Javon. He has gotten into off-field trouble this off-season and you should be worried about him missing 23 games in the last three seasons (he's as injury prone as they come).

Dallas Clark: He saw a rise in production last year and totaled career highs in receptions and nearly doubled his TD mark. Sure, I can see him continuing his rise but I see his career year as a result of lack of other options. Peyton's main man, Marvin Harrison, virtually missed the whole season. Rookie WR Anthony Gonzalez proved to be ineffective for most of the year as he had a steep learning curve in his first full season. For an offense that doesn't really utilize the TE position to great lengths, this could be a down year for Dallas Clark.

Bernard Berrian: One of the big acquisitions by the Vikings in the off-season, but too bad they don't have a way to get this speedster the ball. Going from Rex Grossman to Tavaris Jackson seems more like a sick joke than reality for Berrian. The Vikes are a run-heavy team and they haven't had a legit fantasy WR since a player named Randy Moss left town. Unless Jackson somehow figures out how to become a QB from last season to this season, Berrian will see a dip in his numbers. At least Grossman was good for some deep balls here and there.

Derrick Mason: Mason was one of the biggest surprises in Fantasy last year. He was among the league leaders in receptions with 103 and seemed to reconnect with old pal Steve McNair. Mason will not have a repeat performance and it will be because of his age (34) and an unsettled QB battle. None of the QBs in Baltimore are believed to be a fantasy factor this year and if rookie Joe Flacco or Troy Smith get the nod then it could be more of a transitional year for an offense that has always lacked firepower. It also helped that receiving TE Todd Heap was a non-factor all year with injuries.

What's the Deal with Mariano Rivera's Non-Save Struggles?

gregory caldarella — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:09:43 -0400

Friday's night game versus the Halos gave us another example of how Mariano Rivera seems like a different pitcher when brought into a non-save situation. The great closer is enjoying one of the best years of his sure to-be hall of fame career, but he has been worse than ever when he enters the game for any reason other than a save opportunity.

It was a tied game in the ninth and Girardi called upon his closer to hold the game at a tie. He entered the game and proceeded to walk the lead off man. The walk was just his fifth walk issued all year. A single then led to runners at first and third and Tori Hunter soon after singled in the go ahead run.

No one really has the answer to such a thing. Rivera has been perfect in nailing down all 26 save attempts this year but has been far from perfect in other situations. Rivera sat in front of his locker after that game a loss for words only to mutter the word, "unacceptable."

"I wish I could explain it," Rivera said. "I wish somebody could explain it to me."

When asked to comment on his odd struggles, manager Joe Girardi replied, "Can't. Can't, it's something that some closers go through. Mo's done it for so long. It's just kind of an unusual year. He's been unbelievable in save situations for us."

But Girardi also gave his closer a vote of confidence by saying, "I'm going to continue to go to him because that's his job. Mo's the greatest closer of all time."

Here's a look at the numbers this year for Mo:

16 non-save situations: 21 innings, 18 hits, seven runs, 3.00 ERA.

26 save situations: 27.1 innings, 12 hits, one run, 0.33 ERA.

It just seems to be one of those things that doesn't have an explanation but it is becoming an eerie trend in tied games at Yankee Stadium in the ninth inning.

UConn Basketball Summer Updates

gregory caldarella — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:20:18 -0400

Jim Calhoun held his summer elite camp this weekend, and plenty of program news and notes stemmed from such a weekend.

Many wanted to know what the deal was with senior PG A.J. Price, as he is in the midst of his rehab from an ACL injury suffered in the first round of the NCAA Tourney. People who attended the camp were very surprised with how he was moving. He was flying around in agility drills and didn't seem to lose the stroke on his jumper.

Price had surgery performed about four months ago. The time frame for a full recovery is six months, and his doctors view him as being well ahead of schedule. It seems as though Jim Calhoun will have his star PG back at full speed for the start of October practices.

In other news, Stanley Robinson was in attendance for the camp over the weekend. Robinson will not be a part of the team for the first semester, citing academic and personal reasons.

Stanley was speculated to transfer and perhaps return closer to home in Alabama, but he has put those rumors to rest. He plans on getting things straightened out and has begun working around campus in an attempt to pay for his tuition for the second semester.

Stanley would be able to walk on to the team as long as he pays his student bills. He would be able to apply for financial aid.

"I'll be here," Robinson said according to Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant. "I'm not going home any time soon. I've got to stay focused, work. I'm going to take an online class. Everybody thinks I'm going to be out a year, but I'm going to be back in December. I just call it a blessing. Coach Calhoun has given me another opportunity to play. I just don't want to jinx it.

"I slipped on my grades, not going to this class or that. I can't blame anybody. There are rumors around. Back at home, it's coming out in newspapers that I'm going to Alabama or UAB. I just called and I was like, 'Don't put any more rumors in the paper. I'm still part of the UConn family.'

"I don't want to transfer. I've found my home, made my home and I'm going to keep my home. There were different options and all that, but why go back home when I know I have a great chance to make a better man of myself right here?"

Coach Calhoun has vocally defended Robinson and still believes that he will make something of this situation when all is said and done. "He wants to go to school here," Calhoun said. "He wants to prove to people he can do the right thing, and we're going to give him ample opportunity."

Calhoun has gotten plenty of calls from other schools inquiring about the talented Robinson, but Stanley has told the coaching staff to turn down such requests. Calhoun calls Stanley a great kid, and they are both doing everything in their power to get his life on track and get him to where he needs to be so he can once again be an important contributor to the team.

Coach Calhoun uses his camp to help aid in the process of recruiting. He invites players that he and his coaching staff have a strong interest in. One of his main targets is top recruit and high school senior SG Dominic Cheek, who attends St. Anthony's in New Jersey.

The coaching staff aren't the only members from UConn trying to court Cheek. Incoming freshman Kemba Walker has been giving him an earful. Walker and Cheek played together this summer on the U-18 US National Team. Mike Anthony provides so more interview responses:

"I love playing with Kemba," Cheek said. "The first time I played with him, he got me the ball. He's a team player. On the way to Argentina, he was telling me I have to come here. He was just saying: 'Me and you, two and done.'"

"UConn has a great coach, they get players to the league and they're known for making a great run in the NCAA Tournament," Cheek said. "When I make my list, UConn is definitely going to be one of the top schools.

"I talked to the coaching staff and to Coach Calhoun. He told me I was his number-one shooting guard recruit, he wants me really bad and that I could come here and make an impact. He tried to compare me to Ray Allen. All I have to do is keep working hard. It's going to my head a little bit but I'm me. I'll make a name for myself."

Cheek had impressed many as he out-dueled Memphis-bound SG Tyreke Evans in a nationally televised game. Evans was the star to watch in the game, but Cheek seemingly stole the show as he displayed his long range jumper and his high flying act. Cheek would be the top notch SG that UConn has been looking for.

Another top recruit in attendance was 6'10" Center Daniel Orton. UConn has been heavily recruiting this big from Oklahoma City as they are hopeful he will be the next great UConn big man.

"I'm looking for minutes as a freshman, mainly," he said of choosing schools. "I've talked to a lot of the UConn coaches. They told me they are really interested in my game, they really like what I do and how I perform really well. The development of the big men—I really like that. I take bits and pieces from Charlie Villanueva, Emeka Okafor, Hilton Armstrong, a bunch of them."

When asked about his future, Orton responded by saying, "Right now I'm looking to stay one year. Two years isn't bad, but I'm looking for a college where I can see myself for four years. You never what can happen."

Fantasy Football: Top 15 WRs

gregory caldarella — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:05:08 -0400

1) Randy Moss: It is official, he is back at the number one spot of wide outs and it only took him a record breaking season to do so. It's impossible to see any other WR getting selected before Moss at this point. With Tom Brady hurling up bombs to Randy, he is a can't miss producer.

I see the Pats scaling back the air attack a little bit as they try to establish a more consistent run game but that will not affect Moss one bit. He's a lock for 15+ TDs.

2) Reggie Wayne: Last year's injury to Marvin Harrison gave Wayne the chance to show just how good he really is. He finally stepped out of the big shadow of his mentor and the torch has officially been passed.

Wayne is a reception machine and even with Harrison's return, I still see Reggie nearing the same numbers as last year with maybe even more TDs. If he could dominate with no other WR compliment, then imagine what he could do when he's not getting double covered.

3) Terrell Owens: I might hate him and his antics but that doesn't mean he isn't a monster. T.O. has become the focal point of the Cowboys high powered attack and went all season without a sideline outburst (but not without a teary press conference outburst!).

He is turning 35 this year but that is a moot point especially when he is in such great shape at this point in his career. He will end up with the same consistent T.O. numbers when all is said and done.

4) Braylon Edwards: He really broke out onto the scene last year after a bit of a slow start to his career. He lived up to his potential and proved that he is probably the best young WR in the league. Derek Anderson really established a connection with Edwards, especially in the red zone, where he hauled in 16 TDs.

He is a huge target with unbelievable playmaking ability so expect him to build off last year's stats. It also helps that he plays in a dynamic offense and the addition of Donte Stallworth can only relieve some pressure for him.

5) Andre Johnson: Andre Johnson was on his way to a career year when a sprained MCL sidelined him for seven weeks. He is Matt Schaub's main target and probably only legit target. He is a dangerous deep threat and can also go strong over the middle. He is one scary assignment for opposing CBs.

Don't let last year's injury scare you into thinking he is injury prone. This was pretty much the only time in his career that he missed a significant amount of playing time. He would have been way higher on this list had a played a full season last year and you should take note of that in your drafts. He will be a steal in most drafts.

6) Larry Fitzgerald: He really had an outstanding season last year with 100 receptions and 10 TDs. He is hitting his stride and he won't command double teams as long as Anquan Boldin is still around.

The only thing to worry about is that he experienced most of his success last season with Kurt Warner slinging the ball his way. It might be a more inconsistent year with Matt Leinart hitting some bumps in the road, so buyers beware...sort of.

7) T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Housh was a reception machine last year as he totaled 112 grabs. For most of the year he seemed as though he was Carson Palmer's favorite target and especially when it came to red zone targets. He is more along the lines of a possession receiver so the yards may not rack up but the receptions and TDs will almost certainly be there.

8) Marques Colston: Many feared he would suffer the dreaded sophomore slump but Colston rolled to another terrific fantasy year. Drew Brees had no other viable option and Colston still produced despite facing constant double teams.

Very impressive for such a late round project out of Hofstra. The addition of Jeremy Shockey should also divert some of the attention away from Colston opening up even more room to work with.

9) Chad Johnson: Many are down on Chad after his offseason antics but don't think for a second that Chad will not have his numbers. He talks a big game but he backs it up. He's still one of the most dangerous deep threats in the game and is just a fun personality to have on your team.

He will slip to the third round or later in most drafts but don't pass on him, you will be kicking yourself when he's talking smack during the season and your team is on the other end of it.

10) Steve Smith: Here's a guy who can't wait to have buddy Jake Delhomme back. Without his QB, Steve Smith struggled mightily to put up his normal numbers. He barely surpassed the 1,000 yard mark and that is not good considering Mr. Smith was one of the best WRs for the past few years.

His lack of production last year might be a blessing in disguise for your team as he will definitely be one of the better bargains in the draft. A more improved WR core that consists of Mushin's return and D.J. Hackett will also assist in Smith's revival.

11) Plaxico Burress: Plax is probably the most important member of the Giants offense. He is their big play maker and definitely their only home run threat. In big games Burress really rose to the occasion and showed a strong rapport with Eli Manning. Manning's improvement this year will only help boost Plax's numbers.

A healthy Plax will also show just how good he really is. He played all last year with a bad ankle injury but he forged through it; now that's a tough fantasy player. I see Burress putting up sick numbers as he hopes to get a new deal with the Giants and prove he is one of the best at his position, so view him as a very talented man playing with a lot of incentive.

12) Torry Holt: Another player who will be happy to see his QB return healthy this year. Say what you want but Marc Bulger was not himself last year and the swiss cheese of an O-Line with no Steven Jackson does not help the cause.

Holt is still the best route runner and has the best hands in the league. He may be getting older but he can still play with the best of them. The Rams may not be the "Greatest Show on Turf" anymore but they can still move the chains when everything is clicking.

13) Brandon Marshall: The only legit WR threat on the Broncos and it showed as he caught 102 passes last year. He forms a nice young tandem between himself and young gun Jay Cutler.

The only thing holding him back is his off the field problems. He could possibly be facing a suspension from the league and it would be a big blow to your team if he is indeed suspended for an extended period. It is definitely a situation to monitor and hopefully a decision will come before your draft.

14) Wes Welker: When Tom Brady is airing it out to Moss, he's dumping it off to Wes. Welker is as shifty as they come and is a great value pick for points per receptions leagues. It will be hard for him to regain his 2007 numbers but he will still enjoy a very solid season in the Patriots pass happy attack.

15) Anquan Boldin: Boldin is an absolute stud when healthy, and healthy he was not last year. He finished with his worst reception and yardage totals since 2004 as he was hampered by a toe injury for most of the year. He has to be considered a high end WR second option and probably can be bought a lot lower than he should be thanks to last year's off stats.

Fantasy Football: Top-15 Running Backs

gregory caldarella — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:19:22 -0400

1) LaDainian Tomlinson: LT is still the best fantasy workhorse in the game. He saw his season stats dip a bit last year, but how could he possibly replicate his record-breaking 2006 season?

He really stumbled out of the gate, but hit his stride late and finished with typical LT numbers. How he recovers from the knee injury he suffered in the playoffs will remain to be seen in the pre-season (that's if he even plays this time around).

2) Brian Westbrook: I know that everybody and their grandmother has AP ranked a close second to LT, but not here. Westbrook is one of the most underrated players in the NFL and in fantasy leagues.

If your league is a points per reception league, Westbrook is as valuable as they come. He hauled in a receiver's amount of receptions with 90 catches out of the backfield last year. That is just flat out disgusting.

3) Adrian Peterson: AP drops to No. 3 despite his ridiculous rookie performance. He has that rare combination of speed and power and it doesn't even seem as though he slows down to shift gears.

He is a scary force and will produce big numbers but I'm not quite sure he will be able to greatly improve upon his first year campaign. He might be overhyped, but barring any injuries you have yourself a stud.

4) Steven Jackson: This RB truly let down fantasy owners last year. He was coming off an unreal breakout year where he rushed for 1500-plus yards and caught 90 passes. He did not fall off due to lack of production, but instead was hindered by nagging injuries all year.

Nobody is happier to have a healthy Jackson back than Marc Bulger and the Rams' offense will certainly revolve around their young RB once again. Look for S-Jax to bounce back; if you can snag him in the mid-to-late first round, you have yourself a steal.

5) Frank Gore: Here's another highly-rated RB heading into 2007 that saw a dip in his stats. Gore broke out onto the scene a year earlier with a scary all around game. He was nicked up a bit last year, and it also didn't help that Trent Dilfer was running his offense most of the year.

The Niners added more offensive firepower this offseason and also brought offensive guru Mike Martz aboard to jump-start a punchless offense. The addition of Martz can only mean good things are to come from Gore, who should return to form in 2008.

6) Joseph Addai: Addai has been nothing but solid since he came into the league a couple years ago. He plays in a very solid offense that evenly distributes the ball. With Peyton Manning and the air attack of Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison relieving pressure up front, Addai has plenty of room to work with. He also had the most carries in the red zone last year.

Addai is as close as you come to an every-down back who also holds his own through the air.

7) Marshawn Lynch: Lynch had a very respectable rookie season for the Bills. He was the lone bright spot for an offense that struggled to find an adequate quarterback. The Bills play in inclement weather for most of the season and have notoriously leaned heavily on the ground game.

Lynch is clearly the focal point of the offense; look for him to build upon his rookie numbers, especially in the passing game.

8) Marion Barber: This might be a little too high for him, considering he has never been a featured back for a full season, but the potential is definitely there. He is a workhorse type back and gives maximum effort everytime out. The fact that he gets all of Dallas' goalline carries gives him an added boost.

I also see the addition of Felix Jones as not being as detrimental to Barber's production as many have speculated. Barber is a well- rounded back as he has excellent receiving skills and is a solid pass blocker, so I don't see him losing third down duties. This could be a risky pick for you but, regardless of what numbers he posts, at least you know the TD totals will be there at the end.

9) Clinton Portis: Portis is as consistent as they come. He is in an offense that is very run-oriented, although that may change a little with Joe Gibbs' departure. He is not the only effective ball carrier on the team as Ladell Betts cuts into his workload.

Portis had a nice overall season last year, as he stayed healthy and hauled in a nice amount of passes. He is a safe bet for 300-plus carries and all the goalline duties. If you are looking for consistency, Portis is your man.

10) Ryan Grant: Ryan Grant was the biggest breakout fantasy player last year for sure. He burst onto the scene after being acquired from the Giants for a late-round pick early in the season. As a Giant fan I always liked Grant when I watched him in the preseason for the last couple of years and wondered why he never got a chance for more carries. He got his chance last year and made the most of it.

He emerged as a very solid option in a mediocre backfield for the Pack. While many think Grant will fall off this year and not be able to regain the success he enjoyed last year, I see him as sustaining that level of play. Don't reach too early for Grant, but he is certainly a high-end option at the No. 2 running back position.

11) Willis McGahee: Here's a guy who seemed to be rejuvenated once he made it out of the miserable Buffalo offense. He ran with more determination and had one of his most productive seasons yet. The lack of a solid QB option has forced the Ravens to run more often than letting it fly.

Baltimore's O-line took a hit when Jonathan Ogden announced his retirement, but McGahee shouldn't be affected too much by this news. He is a true primary back and might be the last solid primary back on the board at this point. It was also good to see him actually make an impact in the receiving game as he equaled his career numbers with 43 receptions in 2007.

12) Maurice Jones-Drew: MoJo was very hyped heading into last year. He sparkled as a rookie and was a do-it-all type back. He suffered what could be considered a sophmore slump, but I feel it was more in part due to the fact that Fred Taylor had a great season. His role didn't change, as he retained the same amount of carries and receptions, but his production lagged.

He really sputtered in the early-going but was able to get back into the swing of things as the season progressed. He is a frustrating player to have on your team, as he is the typical all-or-nothing producer. However, if Fred Taylor ever were to get hurt, Jones-Drew would immediately become a fantasy stud.

13) Jamal Lewis: I was not very high on this guy going into last year's draft, but he proved me and many others wrong. He revived his career in Cleveland and their offensive attack emerged as one of the best up-and-coming acts in the NFL. He was re-signed for two years and the back-ups were not upgraded, so that is a vote of confidence for how much the Browns will be feeding him the ball.

He looked a lot quicker on his feet, as he looked like the Jamal Lewis of old. With that being said, he could also revert to his late Ravens career form but I wouldn't count on it just yet, at least not this season.

14) Brandon Jacobs: Everyone believes the Giants backfield will be ruled by committee, but that will not happen. Ahmad Bradshaw is a very good change of pace back, but that's as far as he goes right now. Jacobs is the most talented runner on the team and for the Giants to get the most out of his talents they need to feed him the ball about 20 times a game so he can wear down the defense.

It also helps to know that Jacobs will be getting the call in all short-yardage situations. Jacobs might slip in drafts with people high on Bradshaw, but when Jacobs was healthy he produced. Now it's just a matter of staying healthy.

15) Ronnie Brown: He would have been higher on this list he hadn't suffered a torn ACL in 2007. Brown was enjoying what would have been a career year and was the top-ranked fantasy back when he went down with the injury. He is recovering well from surgery and should be back at full-strength in 2008.

Many are scared off by the return of everybody's favorite pothead Ricky Williams, but don't buy into the idea that Ricky will make as big of an impact as many indicate. Ricky has always found a way to mess things up, but in this case Brown is the better back and the back of the future. Even if a time share were applied, Brown will be more valuable becauses off his versatility.

Mathias Kiwanuka Felt Jeremy Shockey's Pain Too

gregory caldarella — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:06:07 -0400

With all the attention being directed at Shockey and his absence from the Giants' magical postseason run, many forget that others were in the same boat as the volatile TE.

Mathias Kiwanuka suffered a season ending injury when he broke his leg and was forced to watch the playoff run from a distance just like Shockey. Same injury, same feeling of alienation, but certainly a different result for this year.

Kiwanuka was in his first season as linebacker. He went through some growing pains in the early going at his new position. He was visibly out of place on some plays.

Kiwanuka was finally starting to hit his stride when fellow defensive mate Osi Umenyiora rolled over his leg in a heap and that game versus the Lions was the last time he would step foot on the field for the rest of the year.

Kiwanuka is a very talented pass rusher and combined with Strahan, Osi, and Justin Tuck, he helped form one of the most formidable pass rushes in the league.

Mathias slid back onto the defensive line on passing downs and proved to be a versatile weapon on the defensive side of the ball, but all his hard work and preparation came to a screeching halt on one play.

He says he can relate to how Shockey felt, but obviously has taken a different route for this upcoming season with his attitude. He can't wait to get back on the field and contribute to team again.

He doesn't have the bitter taste in his mouth about not being able to play side by side with his teammates during the heat of battle. He now says how much he appreciates the little things in the game thanks to his injury.

"You can start getting down on yourself and thinking, 'Oh, another practice, another this, another that,'" he said of the daily grind in the NFL. "But when it's taken away from you, when you can't go out there and practice and do it, you realize how much you love it and how much you'd give anything just to get another rep, another scout team rep."

He refuses to let what happened to him last year get him down. He can only control his future from here on out and dwelling on the past is just useless at this point.

It is also interesting to note that Derrick Ward also saw his season cut short thanks to a broken leg and he too is more focused than ever about getting back into the swing of things.

It is pretty coincidental that all three Giants players lost in season suffered broken legs and it is also not surprising to see which ones have responded maturely to such a difficult situation heading into this new season.

Jeremy Shockey's Gone from the New York Giants, but Who Will Step-Up?

gregory caldarella — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:27:23 -0400

Let me just start by saying that Jeremy Shockey was one of my favorite players on the Giants.

Ever since he burst onto the scene in his rookie year, with his great energy and smack talk, he had me hooked. He would plow over defenders: I remember in the infamous playoff game against the Niners when he had a clear path to the end zone, but veered off so he could run over Julian Peterson, who claimed he would shut down Shockey that game.

He brought great passion to the Giants' locker room and was always able to get the crowd into the game. However, he could never learn when to shut his mouth.

Shockey has always been a big baby' and I had foreseen his time with the Giants coming to an end once the offense started clicking in the playoffs.

You could get the feel that Shockey had distanced himself from the team and probably sulked at the fact that he wasn't a part of the magical run, instead of being happy for his teammates.

When it comes down to it, Shockey is in it all for himself.

He got it in his head that he felt unwanted and threw a tantrum to get what he wanted. He supposedly had a couple of screaming matches with GM Jerry Reese, which was probably all part of his plan to get traded.

Shockey obviously wanted to be reunited with former Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton, who now coaches the Saints. Jeremy saw his best production under the game plans issued by Payton back in his rookie year.

The Saints got a great player and at great value' as long as he maintains his cool. (Basically' as long as Drew Brees feeds him the ball.) I know that at times Shockey was forgotten about on offense in New York, but I wonder how much of this situation was really due to Shockey's selfishness or due to things behind the scenes with management.

With that being said, I wish Shockey the best of luck and hope he finds what he is looking for with his new team, but who will step up to fill the void that he has left in New York?

While everyone was saying Kevin Boss did a great job filling in the tight-end position down the stretch, I noticed that another player on the Giants' offense was starting to emerge as a potent threat. He wasn't a tight end. He was third receiver Steve Smith.

It has been awhile since the G-Men have truly utilized their third receiver, but Smith started coming into his own and making clutch plays, especially in the playoffs.

Smith is the heir apparent to Amani Toomer as the solid, possession wideout, but for now, he has found his niche in the slot. He developed a great rapport with Eli Manning, and that connection figures to only get stronger going into this year.

Smith still hasn't won the third spot outright, but he should have the inside track over oft-injured Sinorice Moss and rookie Mario Manningham. The balls that used to go to Shockey now figure to give the receiving corps more opportunities to make big plays.

Kevin Boss is still a project, despite his mini-run of late-season success. He will be an adequate receiving tight end for years to come, but he is still learning the tricks of the trade and it would have been nice for him to have one more year under Shockey's tutelage.

The coaches would like to see his blocking skills improved and that's where Shockey will be missed. Shockey was a very underrated blocker and was an every-down player.

Now, while everyone is assuming Boss is a lock for the starting gig, there is another guy whose name should be mentioned in the mix: Darcy Johnson.

Johnson was a late-round project selected by the Giants a couple of years back. He was supposed to be the Giants' next tight end after Shockey. He had an outstanding training camp last year, until he suffered a knee injury. He has worked hard and has recovered fully, and the coaches have already said he looks like one of the best players on the field at times.

Boss won't have the job handed to him, but he should still have an edge at this point. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out, but in the end, the Giants know there is life on their offense without Shockey.

Just ask Tampa Bay, Dallas, Green Bay, and New England about that.

Who Will Be the Best Fantasy Rookie?

gregory caldarella — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:52:51 -0400

It's always tough to gauge incoming rookies especially in terms of your fantasy draft. This year you will not see any QBs having any kind of impact for any team ,and it is also hard to imagine any WR standing out (there definitely is not a Calvin Johnson type in this past year's draft).

While WRs seem to have the easiest transition and most productive rookie seasons, look for the best fantasy rookie to be among the RBs.

Darren McFadden by rank leads this group of rookie runners, but will he be the most productive this season? He is certainly the most talented, but is he any every down back? Or will he suffer from the same growing pains that Reggie Bush is still figuring out—how to make the smooth transition from college to the pros.

With that being said I feel as though many people will hype up McFadden as they envision him as being comparable to last year's rookie sensation, Adrian Peterson. I highly doubt McFadden will near the stats AP enjoyed in his first full season, but you will see Run DMC selected way earlier than he probably should be (and thus the first rookie RB taken in most drafts).

Plus, the Raiders seem set on handing over most of the RB duties to Justin Fargas, who impressed the coaches last year when he emerged as the every day RB over Lamont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes. So, McFadden will have to show why he deserves to steal carries from the already established Fargas.

While I still know McFadden is more than capable of having an electrifying impact his first year, I see others having more initial success than him.

I view Jonathan Stewart as a late round steal. He was in fact a late round steal in the actual NFL draft, and can also slip to your fantasy team in the ladder rounds of your own draft. He is a very physical runner who dominated defenses, especially his last season in college playing for the Ducks of Oregon. He had a toe injury that led to his falling draft status but the Panthers are optimistic all things will be a go for their rookie RB once the season rolls around.

With the departure of DeShaun Foster, the only competition for Stewart will be DeAngelo Williams. Williams has struggled in his own right in his attempt to gain starter's status. He has been dubbed a change of pace back, and hasn't really progressed as much as Carolina had hoped he would. If Stewart can beat out Williams for the bulk of the carries, he will be a legit number two RB in all formats, especially since he will get most of the calls around the goal line.

Other Rookie runners that you may want to take a flier on include Matt Forte of the Bears and Kevin Smith of the Lions.

The Bears are fresh off their divorce with troubled RB Cedric Benson and always have been a team that stresses the run. They recently signed Kevin Jones, but his health status is still up in the air, and the Chicago coaching staff has already been impressed with Forte's overall game.

Kevin Smith also finds himself in a favorable situation. Smith was an absolute workhorse in college for UCF and he could be the back of the future for the Lions. His only competition right now is Tatum Bell.

If Tatum Bell is your only main threat at playing time then Kevin Smith is sitting pretty. Bell has failed to finish a full season as a starter for the Broncos and Lions in consecutive seasons, so don't count on him holding off Smith for long, if at all.

Rashard Mendenhall is also a nice handcuff for Willie Parker owners, as he will likely get the bulk of goal line carries. If Willie Parker gets injured like last year, Mendenhall will turn into a stud.

LT vs. AP is the wrong debate

gregory caldarella — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:43:14 -0400

While everyone is enamored with the debate of who is better between LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, there is one running back who has consistently been overlooked. Brian Westbrook is simply better than last year's stud rookie AP and may be even better than the great LT moving forward.

Let's face it, everybody falls in love with the rookie today. No matter what sport it is people want to be the first to say I told you this guy was going to be great. People love the idea of following a player from his draft days all the way through their careers and saying that they believed from day one; almost as if to say they played a role in their success. Sure rookies are exciting and what AP did last year was flat out amazing but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Here is a back who has all the talent in the world but he hasn't done it for an extended period of time. His stud performances of 200+ yards have clouded the fact that he was very inconsistent last year. Just look at how he performed in the last 4 games of the year with his team in the midst of the playoff race. He ran for 3, 78, 27, and 36 yards over those games and that is unacceptable from a stud back. He is still very young and learning and yes he will be a top back for many years but I feel like this is a craze that everybody is caught up in because of all the hype surrounding this kid.

LT is simply the best and I do not think Westbrook compares to him at this point in their respective careers. But should there be some worry as to how slowly LT started last season. Defenses finally seemed able to slow him down unlike in the past and his QB Philip Rivers really looked awful all year. Opposite from AP, LT really finished strong in response to his slow start. He tallied 177, 146, 116, and 107 yards rushing in weeks 13-16. Now that's a stud fantasy back who will undoubtedly show up week in and week out. But then there's the injury he suffered in the playoffs vs. the Colts. Will this affect him especially in the early going? It probably won't mean too much but it does sound eerily similar to the situation where Shaun Alexander was knocked out of a playoff game before last year's downfall.

My point is that Westbrook just doesn't have bad weeks. He has finally established himself as a very productive runner despite naysayers claiming he wouldn't be able to handle a top back's workload. And even if he has an off game on the ground you can rest assure that he will have plenty yards through the air. The Eagles whole offense revolves around him and whenever McNabb is in trouble he finds number 36 and dumps the ball off to him and it is very rare that he doesn't make at least one defender miss. If you play in a points per reception league, Westbrook is as good as they come. He racked in 90 receptions last year and that total was better than Terrell Owens, Steve Smith and Braylon Edwards (now that's saying something). I am a die hard Giants fan and I can openly admit that Westbrook is a stud and if I had the 2nd pick in a fantasy draft, I know who I am taking and it is the guy who is as consistent as they come...

UConn Dodged a Big Blow By Losing Out on Brandon Jennings

gregory caldarella — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:40:27 -0400

For those who do not recall, Brandon Jennings was a player that many thought was undoubtedly destined to play for UConn. After all, he was best friends with former UConn star point guard Marcus Williams, and his coach was Williams' father.

In the early stages of recruiting, Jennings would be seen walking around California wearing UConn gear and had heavy interest in attending UConn that coming year. But something happened along the way...

Jennings suddenly decided to become a USC Trojan. The Trojans came out of nowhere to swoop in and nab themselves the most talented PG in this coming year's class. But Jennings later de-committed from USC and then announced that he would attend either Arizona or UConn.

At this point I felt as though it was a lock that he would be a Husky this time around. I was disappointed yet again as he chose the Wildcats over the Huskies.

As he lost out on Jennings for the second time, Coach Jim Calhoun turned his recruiting efforts to finding a new PG for his upcoming class. Many stellar guards had already given verbal commitments to other schools at this point, and it seemed the chances of finding an adequate floor general were bleak.

A few weeks after the Jennings battle had blown over, I heard news that UConn had received a verbal commitment from NYC PG Kemba Walker. I did not know much about this player, and neither did many of these recruiting websites. He was not even ranked on many recruiting lists.

I figured this was just a move to secure a decent player to add some depth to the backcourt, but I did not realize how what started off as a disappointment was really a blessing in disguise.

After Walker committed, his stock began to rapidly rise—so much so that he was now widely considered the second-best PG in the class behind Jennings. Things were now starting to look up, and I began to realize this might have been a better signing for the Huskies.

Jennings was so good that many believed he would be a one and done type of player, while Walker was tabbed as a four-year player.

This situation got even better when Jennings announced he would play ball overseas rather than attend Arizona as he previously stated. He has recently signed with Pallacanestro Virtus Roma of the Italian pro league in an attempt to get money and hopefully improve his stock for the NBA Draft (whenever he decides to enter).

Now Kemba Walker is currently playing on the USA under-18 national team and has received much praise for his leadership ability from Davidson head coach Bob McKillop. It should be an exciting year next year for the Huskies with a potential attack of Walker running the point and A.J. Price spotting up for more open looks.

UConn certainly lucked out with their misfortune in missing out on Jennings.

NFL Stars Face the Tough Decision of Retirement

gregory caldarella — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:09:29 -0400

Retirement has become a very interesting and tough decision for many aging athletes.

Look no further than football to uncover many different cases of retirement. There are many different factors that have played into the retirement question, and often we don't get the full story.

Being a big Giants fan, retirement has hit home the last couple of seasons for the G-Men. It was well-publicized two seasons ago that Tiki Barber was strongly leaning towards walking away from the game at season's end.

But there were those that simply could not believe that he would fade off into the sunset while he was still obviously in his prime. Tiki cited health concerns as a reason for his early departure but then later proceeded to rip his former team, thus leading to much speculation of the true reason for his retirement.

Barber often sounded off on Coach Tom Coughlin and even hinted that if Coughlin were not the Giants' head coach he probably would have still been playing.

If that weren't enough, he went on to say Eli Manning was not a leader and laughed at his attempts to step up and be vocal in the locker room.

Tiki Barber also is in love with himself and his image. Don't get me wrong though; I loved Tiki as a player, but he has a weird way of dealing with things.

He knew he could pursue a much less physically demanding profession in the broadcast booth and took the easy route.

Guys all over the U.S. would kill for such talent and here is a guy in his playing career prime so ready to give it all up. Sure, we cannot relate to the physical pounding these players take in a given year but he is not the first running back of his stature to play the game.

I also stated that he began to lose his love for the game and if that is true then so be it. But, I think he was feeding the media exactly what they wanted to hear.

Watching him carry the Giants, almost single handedly, into the playoffs in the last week of his last season proved to me that he hadn't lost the love for the game.

In my mind, he was just selling out as a football player.

Michael Strahan decided it was also time for him to hang up the cleats, but this happened under very different circumstances.

Strahan was strongly considering retirement before last season, as he was coming off of a painful foot injury and began questioning how much more he had left in the tank.

It seemed like forever before he made his final decision of returning for at least one more year, but I was very happy he did.

Strahan was the heart and soul of the Giants defense for as long as I can remember. He played his heart out all year and showed just what type of player he still was.

He was lucky enough to make the right decision in returning, as he was finally part of a Super Bowl Championship team. Think about how he would have felt sitting at home on the sofa while the Giants did the impossible.

He might have even found himself rooting against his former mates for selfish reasons. But who is to say what you would be feeling if you were in such a situation? I guess you could ask Tiki Barber, couldn't you?

Strahan did ultimately walk away after being on top; presumably a much better feeling than just walking away. The thing with retirment now is that the option of working as an analyst after your career is beginning to become a viable one.

Tiki and Strahan are both working for broadcast companies, and it seems like it has becoming an increasing trend for retired players to go that route after their playing days are over. Just look at how many ex-players you find putting their two cents in on ESPN.

I don't care what these guys have to say about the game. I want to see them still playing, because almost all of them still can. Now that's my little selfish view on the matter, but I know some guys who make the decision to retire at the wrong time.

Some attempt to come back, while others fight the urge and stick with their initial plan. Brett Favre should never have retired, and we would never have to hear about this nonsense 24/7 on ESPN.

It's tough to put your finger on why some feel it is time and sure there are reasons that we would never understand as fans. But wouldn't you like to know the real reason as to why some players make the controversial decision.

Why did Barry Sanders leave behind everything without a clear-cut reason? Why would Tiki almost follow the same blueprint that Barry left behind?

Why wouldn't Strahan return to defend the title? Why would Favre retire after being so close to the Super Bowl yet again?

These are questions that us fans will never get the true answer to and that is why retirement is a tough pill to swallow as a fan...

Are the New York Yankees Back in the Race?

gregory caldarella — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:40:31 -0400

The New York Yankees have been following an awful trend for the last couple of years. They seem to love to dig themselves a first-half hole; whether it's due to injuries, awful pitching, or a full-on offensive slump.

This team was considered done and aging last season at this exact point in the year, and it looked as though this year was a carbon copy of last year. Once again, all the analysts declared this the season that the mighty Yankees fall short of the postseason for the first time in 13 seasons.

I had to say, this year more than last year, I found myself resigned to the fact that all the naysayers may be right.

They began closing the gap on the division when they racked up sweeps in back-to-back series of interleague play versus the Astros on the road and the Padres at home.

But on the road trip in Houston, they were dealt a huge blow when ace starter Chien-Ming Wang suffered a lisfranc sprain to his foot while rounding third base. He will likely be out until late August at best, hopefully early September.

The Yankees' staff was already nothing to write home about, and now it looked as though a major move to add depth to the rotation was imminent. But the Yankees had decided to stay with their current philosophy of stockpiling young talent in the minors and not make any brash moves that have haunted them in the past.

Joba Chamberlain was finally getting into a groove as a starter, and he is being heavily counted on to provide a spark behind veterans Andy Pettite and Mike Mussina. The pitching staff turned out not to be the problem during a 10-game stretch following the two consecutive series sweeps, in which they dropped six out of 10 to the likes of the Pirates, Mets, and Reds.

Just when you thought they were turning the corner, they dig themselves a nice hole yet again.

This time they were floundering, with the Red Sox coming to town after they had been swept by the surprising first-place Rays. With both teams looking to bounce back, I figured this is where the Yanks make a stand against their bitter rivals and turn their season around...wrong. The opening game of the series was a complete disaster as the bats looked anemic versus lefty Jon Lester.

They lost that game with zero effort from anybody, especially on offense. The next game, they seemed fired up early on after getting ripped into by manager Joe Girardi behind closed doors the night before. They had scored three runs in the first off of Beckett, and then proceeded to not sniff a run until the last inning of the game, when it was all pretty much over.

I had attended the next game of the series, and this game turned out to be bigger than I thought it would be at the time.

It was more of a pitchers duel and Mike Mussina once again looked terrific for six innings and the bullpen continued their dominance, bridging to Mariano. It was only a 2-0 game when Mo came in, but he quickly made that game of the interesting nature.

He had surrendered one run and the loading the bases with nobody out, and now all the Boston fans began to cheer and felt as though they had gotten to Mo yet again.

Only Mariano would be able to get out of such a jam, and he did as he struck out Coco Crisp, popped out Varitek, and struck out Lugo to end the game. This game seemed to translate well to the next game, where Joba pitched extremely well, despite a few bad walks. His performance was better than his actual line of three runs in six innings.

The Yanks fought from behind in that game and ended up winning that game late, splitting the series, which was a must at this point.

The sky-high Rays now came into town for a two-game set and this was a series the Yankees had to have. Andy Pettitte proved to be the stopper he always has been, when he went eight scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory to out duel the All-Star Scott Kazmir.

The next game, I figured, would have to be a high-scoring affair, thanks to the matchup of Edwin Jackson and Sidney Ponson, but this did indeed turn out to be a low-scoring game.

Ponson actually cruised after getting shalacked by his former team, the Rangers, in his previous outing. The game went into extra innings and with Jeter on first and one out, the struggling Bobby Abreu delivered with a deep double to right center for his first walk-off hit in pinstripes.

With this recent surge, New York now finds themselves in striking distance of the division and the wild card.

Matsui should be coming off the disabled list any day now, and a healthy Johnny Damon is expected after the All-Star break. This team is far from finished, and they are not aging. If they are so aging, then how do you explain the revivals of Mike Mussina, Johnny Damon, and "The 'Stache Man" Jason Giambi.

It should be interesting to see how it all plays out down the stretch once again in the Bronx, but it seems as though this team wouldn't have it any other way than to come from behind and prove that they are still the Yankees.

New York Knicks: Point Guard Rumors

gregory caldarella — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:09:27 -0400

In the days leading up to this year's NBA Draft, the rumor surrounding the New York Knicks was that they were looking for a point guard of the future.

With Stephon Marbury clearly past his prime, Mike D'Antoni has supposedly been in search of a player to run the engine of his offense. His uptempo offensive style definitely needs an adequate starter at the point guard position. That could be the difference between the Knicks becoming contenders or staying in the cellar yet again.

Many were surprised—including myself—when Jerryd Bayless and D.J. Augustin were passed up by the Knicks in favor of combo forward Danilo Gallinari, but maybe Donnie Walsh has something up his sleeve after all. With the addition of Gallinari, it seems as though the once-coveted David Lee might become an expendable piece in trade talks.

Numerous rumors emerged shortly after the draft, mainly focusing on addressing the need for a point guard. Raymond Felton's name was thrown around, especially after the Bobcats decided to go with D.J. Augustin in the draft. That might have signified that Felton has become available—and he would undoubtedly be a nice, young floor leader for the Knicks.

Felton has been misused in Charlotte, as the coaching staff would play him off the ball for long stretches during the season. He is a pass-first type player with outstanding quickness and can thrive if put into the right system and situation.

A more interesting option is Monta Ellis, who was brought up recently in a possible sign and trade. Ellis is a sleek combo guard who also loves the transition game and has already stated he is a fan of D'Antoni's style of play.

If Walsh would be able to bring in such a young talent at this point in his rising career, that would be an absolute steal for the Knicks. A back court of Ellis and Crawford would be a good tandem to build upon.

Being that the Knicks did not address the point guard situation via the draft, it seems as though a deal is imminent that would bring a new floor leader to a team in desperate search for one. Let's face it, Marbury is a dead man walking in New York. He just can't be counted on to perform at a high level anymore.

It will be interesting to see what moves are made from here on out by Donnie Walsh. As a fan, I am excited and hopeful that he will make a move towards taking positive steps forward for a franchise that hasn't seen many in years.

Danilo Gallinari: A Good Pick for the Knicks?

gregory caldarella — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:02:20 -0400

It was Draft Day 2008 last night, and there was a lot of hype surrounding this draft with all of the young talent available. I was excited as a Knick fan, even though excitement as a Knick fan seems like a thing of the distant past.

The Knicks have floundered for the past five years and really became a circus act during the Isiah Thomas reign, but the Donnie Walsh era is now underway and many were hoping he would be able to right the ship.

The draft was Walsh's first test, and he had a bevy of options going into last night. Many speculated that the Knicks would target an uptempo point guard or scoring guard to compliment Mike D'Antoni's run and gun style.

As I sat by my TV with the Knicks' pick nearing, all I could think of was all the disappointing draft picks I could remember: The Frederic Weises and the Maciej Lampes and the Renaldo Balkmans of the world.

I refused to believe they would make such a blunder yet again, but I seem to have had false hope. They proceeded to draft Danilo Gallinari from Italy, a small forward with a long range jumper and decent ballhandling skills for such height.

My only quarrel with such a pick is that they left such proven talent out there on the draft board. They truly do need another guard, and with Eric Gordon, D.J. Augustin, and Jerryd Bayless still out there, I thought there was no way I would see them passing up on one of these explosive guards.

I was stunned at the time but realized it is indeed the Knicks we are talking about. As I listened to the Garden faithful boo in displeasure, I also realized I wasn't alone in my despondence.

I really am against the recent craze of drafting overseas players so highly in the draft. There are more busts coming from overseas than those that truly work out, and I do believe that this is a proven fact.

It is so difficult to evaluate how such players' talents will translate over to the American style of play. The Ginobilis, Nowitzkis and Gasols are few and far between in recent memory.

Taking such a raw talent at the young age of 19 is a very large gamble, especially for a franchise whose fans want to see their team making improvements as soon as possible, rather than waiting three years or so for the development of such a young and mysterious prospect.

My vantage point on the dilemma of picking between a college star and an overseas star is simple...always go with the proven talent within the context that your sport is played.

The European style of play is very different from how it is played in the States, and any time a college player has proven himself a force at the upper collegiate level, he should be viewed as a more NBA-ready prospect.

Any of the guards I mentioned who the Knicks passed on were certainly more ready to help a floundering franchise, and any of those picks would have been received with a lot more warmth and excitement from Knicks fans.

While I will still be rooting and also hoping that Gallinari does pan out, I still feel I am hoping against hope. The Knicks have reached for players before, such as Renaldo Balkman just a couple years ago, with one of the best point guards in the nation on the board in Marcus Williams.

The other famous blunder was passing on hometown fan favorite and St. John's player Ron Artest for Frederic Weis. Weis never played for the Knicks and is most notably remembered for being absolutely posterized by Vince Carter in the Olympics.

The front office of the Knicks should have taken this opportunity to draft the safe player, rather than taking another risk much to the dismay of its impatient fan base.

This could have been the first step to restoring the Knicks as a legitimate franchise, but unfortunately I am not convinced this was the right choice.

UConn Huskies' 2008-2009 Basketball Preview

gregory caldarella — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:02:26 -0400

The Huskies had what can be described as a roller coaster year this past season. Coming off a year in which the men's team failed to reach a postseason berth of any kind, they had a lot of proving to do with expectations still high.

The past year's shortcomings were mostly chalked up to inexperience, but this year that would not be a sufficient excuse.

A.J. Price finally lived up to his potential and showed the UCONN faithful just how good he could be, as he emerged as the emotional and floor leader on the maturing team.

He stepped up big during a midseason 10-game win streak, in which guards Doug Wiggins and Jerome Dyson sat out with suspensions for off-the-court violations. A.J. elevated his game to new levels and led the team to a No. 4 seed in the tournament.

While this was a feel-good story, it did not end well for Price, as he suffered a partially torn ACL in the opening half of the tournament vs. San Diego. The rest of his teammates looked lost without their floor general and were unable to regroup in time to win the game.

A first-round exit did not sit well with the fans and the coaches. Many changes were promised by a disgruntled Coach Calhoun.

Sure enough, there came the announcements of transfers by Doug Wiggins and Curtis Kelly, once prized recruits.

Hasheem Thabeet, the 7-foot shot blocker, was also predicted to enter this year's NBA draft, as things once again looked hazy in UCONN country.

However, things changed as Thabeet announced he would return for his junior year in hopes of winning a national championship.

This year's recruiting class is also ranked among the nation's best. It includes standout NYC PG Kemba Walker and versatile PF Ater Majok. This team has been playing together for going on three seasons now, and chemistry was noticeably better last season.

With some key departures from other powerhouse teams in the Big East, UCONN is primed for a Big East Title run. A.J. Price has been right on schedule in his recovery program and can hopefully return to form.

The Huskies have plenty of guard depth and has added front line depth through recruiting. This should be an exciting year in Storrs, Conn.

However, there have been recent rumblings that junior SF Stanley Robinson might be academically ineligible for next season. That would be a bit of blow, considering his athleticism and highlight-reel dunks, but Calhoun hopes Robinson can right the ship.

Also, prized recruit Nate Miles has recently been cleared academically by the NCAA, as Calhoun hopes to add him to an already impressive recruiting class.

There should be a nice mix of new faces and experience for this year's Huskies. If they can recapture the intensity they played with during last year's midseason run, they will certainly be considered one of the top teams in the nation.