Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 18 of 1503)

      2012 Preakness Stakes Predictions

      May 19, 2012 /

      After predicting two of the three Kentucky Derby contenders to finish in the money, it’s virtually a guarantee that none of these horses will win anything of substance in this evening’s Preakness Stakes. Book it.

      WIN: Bodemeister (3/2)
      This is an impressive horse. He finished second behind I’ll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby but he’s never finished lower than second in any of his five career races. He ran out of steam at Churchill Downs two weeks ago but he also had the lead for half the race. I love the trainer-jockey combination of Bob Baffert and Mike Smith, and while taking the chalk isn’t very adventurous I can’t envision a scenario where Bodemeister doesn’t finish in the money. He’s the best of a very weak Preakness field.

      PLACE: Creative Cause (13/2)
      I admit Creative Cause wasn’t on my radar two weeks ago when predicting the Kentucky Derby. But after going back and taking a look at his race history, he could wind up winning tonight if everything breaks right. Eight of his nine career outings were graded races and his fifth place finish at the Derby was his worst showing to date. Previous to that, he never finished lower than third and was victorious at the Grade II San Felipe Stakes, the Grade I Norfolk Stakes and the Grade II Best Pal Stakes. While he isn’t technically a long shot at 13/2, this is my pick to surprise tonight.

      SHOW: I’ll Have Another (3/1)
      I’ll Have Another has won his last three races – including the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago – and he still can’t get any love. For whatever reason, people aren’t overly impressed by this horse, despite the fact that he hasn’t lost since his sixth place finish at the Grade I Three Chimney’s Hopeful Stakes on September 5 of last year. Seeing as how I have him finishing in the money but not winning the Preakness Stakes, you’d have to count me among those that aren’t enamored with this contender. I think he’ll place somewhere in the top 3 but Bodemeister is still a better looking horse.

      What’s with the stalling? Saints need to pay Drew Brees.

      May 17, 2012 /

      No other quarterback besides Drew Brees has made it past the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs in the entire 40-plus year history of the New Orleans Saints. He continues to produce outrageous passing numbers, he means more to his team than any other player on New Orleans’ roster, and he wins.

      So why the Saints continue to anger him by not giving him a long-term contract is a question worth $20 million on its own. If Peyton Manning, who didn’t take a snap last year, is worth $19,200,00 in 2012 then why are the Saints balking at paying Brees $20-plus million per season?

      Sean Payton and Jonathan Vilma are suspended for an entire year. Gregg Williams is gone, Joe Vitt must serve a six-game suspension before taking over as interim head coach for 2012, and three other players have been suspended for their role in the bounty program. Brees is the only true leader that the Saints have on their roster but he refuses to show up to camp until he receives a long-term deal. Why owner Tom Benson refuses to hand Brees a blank check and says, “Write down any number you want – just get out on that practice field and lead this team like you’ve done the past seven years,” is beyond me.

      Some insist that Brees is being selfish because he won’t just play under his one-year tender. But if you nearly had your entire career ruined because of an injury to your throwing shoulder, would you play on a one-year deal? The Saints are lucky they even wound up with Brees in the first place. He was set to sign with the Dolphins before Miami’s doctors told the team to pass because they thought he would never throw again. He landed in New Orleans only to team up with Payton and turn the Saints into one of the most imposing offenses in the last five years.

      It’s not like Brees’ production has dipped either. He set career highs in competitions, competition percentage, yards, touchdowns and yards per game last season. So while he may be getting up there in age (he’s 33), he shows zero signs of slowing down.

      Unless they have a shutdown defense teams can’t win in the NFL without a quarterback. And the Saints don’t have a shutdown defense.

      What they do have is a quarterback who posts Hall of Fame-type numbers but he’s extremely frustrated (his words – not mine) by the way his contract negotiations of gone with the team. Considering what he means to the Saints, the city of New Orleans and his teammates, it’s befuddling why Brees doesn’t have a contract yet. And while the Saints still have until July 16 to work out a long-term deal with their record-setting signal caller, why wait?

      External Sports, NFL

      Drew Brees extremely frustrated by lack of contract negotiations with Saints

      May 16, 2012 /

      It’s May 16 and Drew Brees has yet to receive a long-term contract from the New Orleans Saints. As you would imagine, this has left the veteran quarterback extremely frustrated about his situation.

      From ProFootballTalk.com:

      “This is a big time for our team, especially when you look at what’s happened in this offseason, missing our head coach, Sean Payton,” Brees said. “There should be a sense of urgency and yet it seems like there’s not.”

      “We’ve reached out on a number of occasions and at times I’ve been frustrated by the lack of response,” Brees said.

      “It’s been extremely frustrating for me,” Brees said. “The negotiation shouldn’t have been this difficult.”

      It’s understandable that Brees is frustrated but when you’re talking about a contract of this magnitude, it takes time for the situation to get settled. It’s not like Mickey Loomis woke up one day and forgot what Brees means to this team. And in the wake of the bounty scandal, the Saints are well aware that at some point they’re going to need to provide their fan base with positive news.

      It would make everyone in New Orleans feel better if Brees were signed to a long-term contract but it’s only May. There’s a good four months before the regular season starts and a month and a half before players report to training camp. It’s a safe bet that Brees will be donning a Fleur-de-lis on each side of his head next season.

      The only thing that would make this story remotely interesting is if the Saints came out and stated that they want Brees to play on his one year tender. If that happens, then the crap will hit the preverbal fan because Brees is unlikely to play on a one-year deal. Not after he’s set the league on fire the past three seasons.

      External Sports, NFL

      Jaguars already committed to Blaine Gabbert in 2012

      May 14, 2012 /

      Creating competition is apparently overrated in Mike Mularkey’s book.

      When speaking to NFL.com’s Albert Breer on Monday, the new Jaguars head coach said that his quarterback position is not open for competition.

      “No, it’s not (a competition),” Mulakery said. “Blaine’s our starting quarterback…I’m a big body-language reader, and on the practice field, the cafeteria, in meetings, he has a confidence about him. We feel good about him.”

      It’s understandable that Mularkey wants to instill confidence in Gabbert right from the start. If it walks, talks, and acts like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Thus, if Gabbert is entrusted to be the starter from Day 1, then the hope is that he’ll embrace the leadership role and enter training camp brimming with confidence.

      That said, considering how poorly Gabbert played last season as a rookie, it’s interesting that Mularkey has committed to him so quickly. Chad Henne isn’t a great starting option, but one would have thought Mularkey would have at least left the position open to competition. Most coaches want to create competition at every position so that players don’t become complacent – not award starting jobs in May.

      Then again, Mularkey was one of the coaches in Atlanta who did a great job easing Matt Ryan into the NFL. His offense is quarterback-friendly because it relies on power running and a passing game that works the short-to-intermediate zones. Thus, Gabbert, who doesn’t have to worry about the lockout ruining his preparation time this offseason, shouldn’t have an issue grasping his role in Mularkey’s offense.

      It’ll be interesting to see how the former Missouri star fares in Mularkey’s offense and to watch him try to bounce back from a brutal rookie campaign.

      External Sports, NFL

      Russell Wilson will have chance to start for Seahawks

      May 13, 2012 /

      Pete Carroll saw enough out of Russell Wilson this weekend to confirm that the rookie will have an opportunity to compete for the Seahawks’ starting quarterback job this year.

      “He showed us enough,” Carroll told the Seattle Times. “He’s in the competition.”

      When asked whether Seattle expected Wilson to compete as a rookie when the team drafted him in the third round last month, Carroll said that he “hoped that, and we confirmed it in these three days.”

      The biggest knock on Wilson coming out of Wisconsin was his lack of height. He measured 5-foot-10 5/8 at the Senior Bowl weigh-ins back in late January, making him a quarterback in a baseball player’s body. But he’s incredibly smart, he’s an outstanding athlete and he has solid pocket presence. There’s no reason to think that he can’t win a starting job, even after the Hawks gave free agent Matt Flynn a three-year, $19.5 million contract back in March.

      That said, it would be an upset if Flynn didn’t earn the starting job in preseason. Russell could give him a run for his money and keep him on a short leash once the regular season starts, but it stands to reason that Flynn will be Seattle’s starter in Week 1.

      External Sports, NFL

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