Month: November 2007 (Page 4 of 29)

      Wilbon on Taylor

      November 28, 2007 /

      Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post and ESPN’s “PTI” wrote an interesting column in the wake of Sean Taylor’s death.

      I wasn’t surprised in the least when I heard the news Monday morning that Sean Taylor had been shot in his home by an intruder. Angry? Yes. Surprised? Not even a little. It was only in June 2006 that Taylor, originally charged with a felony, pleaded no contest to assault and battery charges after brandishing a gun during a battle over who took his all-terrain vehicles in Florida. After that, an angry crew pulled up on Taylor and his boys and pumped at least 15 bullets into his sport-utility vehicle. So why would anybody be surprised? Had it been Shawn Springs, I would have been stunned. But not Sean Taylor.

      Coincidence? We have no idea, not yet anyway. Could have been a random act, a break-in, something that happens every day in America, something that could happen to any one of us no matter how safe we think our neighborhood is. Could have been just that. But would it surprise me if it was more than that, if there was a distinct reason Taylor was sleeping with a machete under his bed? A machete. Even though his attorney and friend Richard Sharpstein says his instincts tell him “this was not a murder or a hit,” would it stun me if Taylor was specifically targeted? Not one bit.

      …But what they do share is dying too soon, unnecessarily so, while young and athletic, seemingly on top of the world. Though we’re likely to struggle in great frustration to understand the circumstances of how Taylor left so soon, how dare we not put forth an honest if sometimes uncomfortable effort to examine his life in some greater context than football.

      Wilbon makes a great point in his final paragraph that some want to gloss over more underlining issues when an athlete dies. We should remember that Taylor was becoming a great player and a man who was starting to turn his lifestyle around for the better. But the fact of the matter is that he didn’t change quickly enough. A young man lost his life and therefore, it’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy that someone lost a son, father, brother and a friend. The bigger tragedy, however, is if another athlete with a similar background doesn’t view Taylor’s death (random or not) as a cautionary tale.

      NFL

      Yankees in talks with Twins’ about Santana

      November 27, 2007 /

      The Yankees are currently in talks with the Twins’ about ace Johan Santana. According to Newsday, those talks began before Thanksgiving.

      Upgrading the starting rotation, Steinbrenner said, is not an absolute must. But Santana, 28, is perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, and in a different class from any other pitcher potentially available. He is 93-44 in his career with a 3.22 ERA and two Cy Young Awards to his name.

      …a few players believed to interest the Twins are righthanders Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, second baseman Robinson Cano, centerfielder Melky Cabrera and perhaps minor-league outfielders Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata. But the Yankees have worked hard to upgrade their farm system and want to hold on to as much of that young talent as possible.

      Santana is a special case, though. One source said yesterday that none of the above players would be off-limits in the right deal for Santana. Another source indicated that the Yankees plan to cling hardest to Chamberlain and Cano but that the others might be negotiable. The Twins need a centerfielder, as Torii Hunter signed with the Angels via free agency last week.

      If updating the starting rotation isn’t an absolute must, why sell the farm system for a starter than? Regardless, before all the love/hate Yankee comments start rolling in, we should wait to see if the trade plays out. If the Twins can fleece NY for three or four major-league ready players, then even Yankee-haters should laugh at Hank Steinbrenner selling the future for the present. However, if the Twins give him up for a bunch of minor-league prospects then it’s their fault for not getting max value for one of their best players.

      Update: The Red Sox are apparently after Santana as well. Why am I not surprised?

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Waiver Wire Watch: Week 13

      November 27, 2007 /

      Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I’ll use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of at least 40% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to talk about a player or two that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters.

      This week, I’m going to start ranking the players in order of what I believe their overall value to be over the rest of the season. Remember, there are Thursday games this week, so get your roster in early.

      QUARTERBACKS

      Matt Schaub (52.0) still lingers on almost half of ESPN’s waiver wires. He has tough matchups in three of the next four games, but has a tasty week 15 matchup against the Broncos, so he’d be a good pickup for those with David Garrard or Vince Young starting at QB. Both players have tough matchups that week…Kurt Warner (45.1) threw for 484 yards and two scores against the 49ers and has two good matchups over the next three games. He is very injury-prone, so be sure to have another good option at QB on your roster…Jason Campbell (47.3) has a nice matchup in week 16 (@ MIN), so if you’re starting Jon Kitna, Matt Schaub, David Garrard or Marc Bulger, Campbell would be a fine fill in that week. His schedule isn’t that bad over the short term, either…David Garrard (36.1) is back to his quiet, effective ways, but he has three tough matchups (@ IND, @ PIT, vs. OAK) over the next four weeks…Daunte Culpepper (14.6) is a sleeper pickup for the stretch run. He has solid matchups in three of his final four games…Kellen Clemens (10.2) had a bad week against a suspect Dallas secondary, but he has a couple of nice matchups (@ MIA, vs. CLE) over the next two weeks…Brodie Croyle (5.5) is an option for those desperate for help at QB. He has nice matchups in weeks 14 and 16 against Denver and Detroit, respectively…Tarvaris Jackson (4.2) is another sleeper for the stretch run. He has Detroit and San Francisco over the next two weeks, which could mean decent numbers from the young QB… Trent Edwards (2.8) is the starter again in Buffalo, and with games against the Redskins, Dolphins, Browns and Giants, he’s a sneaky good pickup in deeper leagues…Kyle Boller (4.2) has to play the Patriots and Colts, but both games are at home and after that he has the Dolphins and Seahawks on the road. He’s not a great option, but he’s a starting QB, and he’s played OK the last two weeks…Trent Dilfer (0.9) proved he had a little something in the tank with 256 yards and two TD against the Cardinals. He has two very nice matchups over the next three gams, making him a decent option for desperate owners in deep leagues…Keep an eye on Marc Bulger this week. If he can’t recover from the concussion he suffered on Sunday, then Gus Frerotte (0.9) would be a decent option this week…A.J. Feeley (0.8) played well against the Pats and would be an OK start if Donovan McNabb misses more time.

      RUNNING BACKS

      Kolby Smith (23.5) was my Sleeper of the Week last week and he didn’t disappoint, posting 150 rushing yards and two scores. With Larry Johnson’s uncertain future, Smith holds a ton of value right now…Adrian Peterson (15.9) will start in place of the injured Cedric Benson, who is out for the year. He doesn’t have a great upcoming schedule, but he should be an adequate RB2 for those in need of help at the position…Andre Hall (8.8) blew up against the Bears, posting 167 total yards and a score. As long as Selvin Young and Travis Henry are out, it’s Hall’s job to lose. Cecil Sapp (0.5) is his backup…Maurice Morris (56.6) had a quiet game on Sunday, but will continue to fill in for Shaun Alexander as long as he’s out…Reuben Droughns (50.5) got the starting nod with Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward sidelined and posted 46 rushing yards and a score against a pretty good Vikings rush defense…Patrick Cobbs (0.6) would likely start if Jesse Chatman and Ricky Williams (23.4) both miss Sunday’s game…It looks like Ahman Green may return this week, but if he misses, Ron Dayne (37.0) will continue to get the bulk of the Texans’ workload…Anthony Thomas (25.9) played pretty well in place of the injured Marshawn Lynch, but the A-Train strained his calf, which means that either Fred Jackson (0.0) or Dwayne Wright (1.4) could get the starting nod. Jackson got a lot more work than Wright did on Sunday, so he may have moved past Wright on the depth chart.

      WIDE RECEIVERS

      Chris Henry (37.4) had a quiet game against the Titans and faces a tough Pittsburgh defense this week. Still, he’s a viable WR3 in most leagues, especially considering his late-season schedule (vs. STL, @ SF, vs. CLE)…Shaun McDonald (53.7) had a quiet game this week, but he’s been money this season, especially in PPR leagues. He has a nice upcoming schedule, which makes him a good WR3 in most leagues…Roddy White (53.1) blew up (again), catching six passes for 104 yards and a score. His numbers have been up and down this season due to the erratic play of his QBs…Kevin Walter (23.3) caught six passes for 65 yards and a score against the Browns. His upcoming schedule isn’t favorable, but he would benefit if defenses focus on stopping Andre Johnson…Justin Gage (3.0) seems to be emerging as Vince Young’s favorite target in the passing game. He has 17 catches for 254 yards and a TD over the last three weeks…It’s tough to argue with Arnaz Battle’s (8.8) performance over the past few weeks. In PPR leagues, he has gone for double-digits in the last three games…Sidney Rice (2.2) has had an up and down rookie season, but he has Detroit and San Francisco over the next two weeks, so he’s a sneaky good pickup for those in need of help at WR…Darrell Jackson (52.6) posted a season-high five catches on Sunday, and with Carolina, Minnesota and Cincinnati over the next three weeks, he might be in line for a late-season resurgence…Anthony Gonzalez (9.6) finally had a breakout game, catching six passes for 105 yards. He should be the WR2 in Indy as long as Marvin Harrison is out…Reggie Williams (29.5) has caught a TD in three of the last four games. He only has four catches over the last three games, but he makes them count…Jerry Porter (49.5) has been decent over the past few weeks, breaking into the double-digits in PPR leagues in three of the last four weeks.

      TIGHT ENDS

      Owen Daniels (56.0) has caught 12 passes for 156 yards and a score over the last two games and has established himself as a solid starting fantasy TE…Tony Scheffler (16.4) caught five passes for 82 yards and a score against the Bears, and has now caught 18 passes in the last four games…After three consecutive good performances, Donald Lee (59.9) had a very quiet game against the Lions. Expect him to return to form against the Cowboys…L.J. Smith (53.4) has caught 11 passes over the last three games, making him a borderline starter in deeper leagues…Kellen Clemens seems to like Chris Baker (7.2), who has caught 11 passes for 112 yards and a score over the last three games.

      Check back tomorrow for my Sleeper of the Week and Thinking Defensively, where I suggest a few defenses to pick up for week 13.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Redskins’ Taylor dies from gunshot wound

      November 27, 2007 /

      Washington Redskins’ safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday morning, one day after being shot in the leg during an apparent robbery attempt in his Miami home. He was only 24.

      Taylor had been transported to the hospital after being shot in the lower body early Monday morning by an as-yet unknown intruder at his home in nearby Palmetto Bay. He underwent approximately seven hours of surgery Monday but lost extensive amounts of blood because the bullet pierced the femoral artery in his leg, according to his former attorney and family friend Richard Sharpstein, who received a phone call about 5:30 a.m. ET from Taylor’s father about the death.

      “(He) said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me,” Sharpstein said. “It’s a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans.”

      Like many, I thought the worst was over for Taylor late Monday evening when reports surfaced that he had awaken from a coma and was responsive. What a sad and tragic story. I can remember vividly the day he was drafted and thinking, “Man, this guy is going to be one of the best safeties in the league.” My heart goes out to his family and friends.

      NFL

      Tainted Win

      November 27, 2007 /

      I don’t want to take anything away from North Carolina State, but their win against Villanova in the Old Spice Classic was a result of a horrible call by an official. One thing that I feel needs to be changed about the officiating in the college game is that officials need to be held responsible. After every game players and coaches are expected to address the media and explain why they did what they did.

      It is about time that officials are held to the same scrutiny. When you are making close to $2000 a game for blowing your whistle there needs to be some accountability. Having watched officials through the years get off scott free for a blown call, I think it is about high time that it changes. Speaking of blown calls I still want the official who made the call against Seton Hall in the championship game that allowed Michigan to win a national championship to step up and explain that one.

      Sorry for the rant…

      College Basketball

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