Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 359 of 1503)

      Five breakout wide receiver candidates for the 2010 NFL season

      August 9, 2010 /
      KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 14: Dwayne Bowe #82 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates a touchdown for a 14-0 lead over the San Diego Chargers during the second quarter on December 14, 2008 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs lost 22-21. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

      I hate writing intros and I don’t think many people read them anyway. There’s a good chance you’re not even reading this write now, so let’s just get on with it.

      (Side Note: This list isn’t directed at fantasy football readers. If owners want to apply this information for fantasy purposes, please, be my guest. But I encourage you to check out my TSR partner John Paulsen’s work if you’re looking specifically for fantasy-related content. Just do so after you read this piece………..you’re not even reading this, are you?)

      1. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
      I’m going to start off with a somewhat obvious candidate in Bowe based on offseason reports (he’s also already shown that he can be productive). But make a mental note (seriously, write it down) that I’ve been high on the former LSU product ever since his performance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl against Note Dame (even though he was arguably outperformed by Early Doucet). After spending a grueling offseason participating in Larry Fitzgerald’s football camp, Bowe is reportedly down to 210 pounds after showing up to camp last year at 240. After spending most of preseason in Todd Haley’s doghouse last year, Bowe is now running with the Chiefs’ first-team offense this summer. At 6’2 and 210 pounds, the problem with Bowe has never been about size or physical tools. His issues have always lied within his work ethic, or lack thereof. But if he’s focused, he could have a tremendous year in Haley’s offense and could go from a promising player to a Pro Bowler in one season.

      2. Johnny Knox, Bears
      As John wrote in his breakdown of sleeper fantasy receivers last week, it’s hard to pick out just one Bear receiver that could break out this season. That’s because in Mike Martz’s offense, they all could break out. But I’m going with Knox over returner-turned-receiver Devin Hester, whom some believe will be Chicago’s biggest breakout player. Knox has reportedly been targeted more than any receiver in Bears’ camp so far this offseason and he’s the perfect fit for Martz’s up-temp offense. That’s because he not only has elite speed, but he’s also a sound route-runner and he’s already drawing comparisons to Torry Holt in terms of how his game translates in Martz’s offense. Assuming Jay Cutler targets him in the regular season as much as he has so far in training camp, a 1,000-yard season is well within Knox’s reach.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Recognizing a legitimate accomplishment: Jeter passes Ruth on hits list

      August 9, 2010 /

      With his 2,874th hit in the Yankees’ 7-2 win over the Red Sox on Sunday, Derek Jeter surpassed Babe Ruth on baseball’s all-time hits list.

      And he didn’t even need performance-enhancing drugs to do it either.

      Even though Jeter’s accomplishment won’t garner more attention than Alex Rodriguez’s 600th career home run blast, it should. That’s because as far as we know, Jeter didn’t have to cheat in order to reach his milestone. Not like A-Rod, who sheepishly admitted that he needed help to accomplish what he did.

      I never understood why some outside of New York choose to hate Jeter. It’s fine if you want to root against the Yankees, but Jeter embodies everything good about the game of baseball. He always hustles, he has always been fundamentally sound and he’s never disrespected the game. Performance-enhancing drugs? Not Jeter.

      At 36, he certainly isn’t the player he once was – not even after posting a career high in batting average last year at .334. He doesn’t exhibit the same range defensively as he once did and his speed looks a tad diminished. But in a day and age where so many young players do something stupid on the base paths or don’t understand what team baseball is all about, it’s hard not to love a guy like Jeter – someone who actually understands that getting on base is often more important than hitting the long ball. And how many times has No. 2 come up in a clutch situation and deliver? Far too many times to count.

      Some have begun to talk about whether or not Jeter has meant more to the Yankees than Ruth did, but why go there? Let’s just take the time to celebrate his accomplishment – a legitimate accomplishment.

      External Sports, MLB

      This year proving that Tiger is human after all

      August 9, 2010 /
      Tiger Woods reacts after missing his putt on the 12th hole during the final round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, August 8, 2010. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT GOLF)

      “It’s been a long year … It’s been a long year.”

      That was Tiger Woods on Sunday after he finished 18-over par at the Bridgestone Invitational, which was the worst score of his career in a PGA Tour event. In his last 17 rounds, he’s only been able to break 70 twice and has finished at 74 or worse five times, including three times this week.

      You think maybe he has something on his mind?

      It wasn’t that long ago that we looked at Tiger as this immovable force at the top of the golf world. He seemed almost untouchable both on and off the links and was a permanent fixture atop the leaderboards every time he played. He played threw injuries and even the death of his father and still found ways to win.

      But this year, his average finish in his last three outings has been 49th. That’s jaw-dropping considering this is the same 34-year-old man who is already third all-time in PGA Tour wins (71) and who has claimed 14 Major Championships throughout his dazzling career. Instead of finding ways to win, he’s just trying to find ways to make the cut.

      Should any of this be surprising though? Less than nine months ago he took his 2009 Cadillac Escalade and ran it into a tree outside of his Florida home. Soon thereafter, the highly embarrassing details of his marital affair were made public and now after going through sex therapy, a nasty divorce and the loss of several sponsorships, he’s trying to play golf again.

      Some people can’t even perform off the first tee box when they know onlookers are watching. So it’s hardly a shock to see Tiger crash and burn with everything he’s gone through over the past nine months. Of course, this was all his doing and he’s a living, walking example that karma does in fact exist. But again, it’s hardly a surprise to watch a human being go through a life-changing event like he did and not be able to perform on the job.

      The real question is whether or not he’ll ever be the same. One would think that he’ll eventually get back to being the Tiger of old, but there are no guarantees in life. Maybe this is the norm for him now.

      External Sports, Golf

      Bill Leavy admits he screwed the pooch in Seahawks-Steelers Super Bowl

      August 8, 2010 /
      DETROIT - FEBRUARY 05: Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck #8 of the Seattle Seahawks argues a call with referee Bill Leavy after throwing a pass out of bounds to receiver Darrell Jackson #82 in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL at Ford Field on February 5, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

      When talking to the Seattle media over the weekend, referee Bill Leavy did his best Jim Joyce impersonation by admitting his mistakes in the Steelers-Seahawks 2006 Super Bowl.

      From ESPN.com:

      Leavy told Seattle-area media Friday night that he “kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game.” He said he will “go to my grave wishing I’d been better.”

      Leavy’s comments apparently inspired Steelers’ offensive tackle Max Starks to be an ass:

      “He should go ahead and retire if he feels so bad about it,” Starks said Saturday, according to the McKeesport (Pa.) Daily News. “Just do us all a favor and not referee anymore.”

      At least one Seahawk appreciated Leavy’s omission:

      “I had a word with him and told him I really appreciated it,” said defensive tackle Craig Terrill, a backup on that Super Bowl team. “I certainly don’t have any hard feelings against him. There were plenty of things we did in that game that kept us from winning. He can’t take responsibility for the mistakes we made, but I appreciated it.”

      And at least one thought it was a tad too late:

      “To his credit he came out and did admit his faults, but it doesn’t make me feel any better,” Babineaux said, according to the Seattle Times. “You can’t turn back the hands of time.

      “I don’t even wear my NFC championship ring. I appreciate it and I think we had a memorable season for the franchise, but I don’t wear it because in my mind that season didn’t end the way it was supposed to.”

      Many people believe that Super Bowl was rigged – perhaps for Jerome Bettis, who retired following the victory in his home city of Detroit. But personally, I don’t buy into conspiracy theories and think it’s downright ridiculous for people to believe that it would be that easy to not only rig a Super Bowl, but to keep everyone involved quiet afterwards. Money would be the only way people would be motivated enough to rig something that big and I highly doubt someone would pay enough to pull off a heist like that. And for what? So that Jerome Bettis would win a Super Bowl in his home city? Come on – we’re talking about a major conspiracy here.

      I think Leavy and his crew just flat out blew the calls and it obviously helped the Steelers win. Would the Seahawks have won had the calls been officiated correctly? I don’t know – maybe, although you can’t say for sure either way.

      Whatever – it’s over. I tend to side with Babineaux in that Leavy should have said something right away, instead of waiting. It kind of takes the sincerity out of the omission if you wait four years to say it.

      External Sports, NFL

      Fleming: NFL training camps need go

      August 7, 2010 /
      ENGLEWOOD, CO - AUGUST 05: An array of equipment is at the ready during training camp at Dove Valley on August 5, 2010 in Englewood, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

      ESPN.com’s David Fleming wrote an interesting piece recently, outlining 12 reasons why NFL training camps should go.

      Here are a couple of his points:

      1. The Colts are the winningest team during the past decade, right? After all that preparation in camp, they’ve had one winning preseason in the past seven years.

      2. Inside their enormous, spotless weight room on the first floor of Reliant Stadium last summer the Houston Texans used a giant board to keep track of every single offseason workout by every single member of the team. By the time the season started the board was completely filled. That would be 100 percent participation. Remarkable. Here’s how that translated onto the field: The Texans started 2-3 and missed the playoffs for the eighth year in a row.

      3. I’m sorry to break this to you, but in pro sports, chemistry is a myth. If you could build chemistry through suffering then the Raiders would be the tightest group in the history of the NFL. Winning builds chemistry, not the other way around.

      4. At 40, Brett Favre skipped training camp altogether and he ended up having his best season ever, throwing for 4,202 yards and 33 TDs (against just seven picks) with a completion percentage of 68.4 and a passer rating of 107.2.

      You can read the rest of Fleming’s 12 reasons here.

      Fleming brings up several valid points, although I’ll point out that teams need training camp to install new schemes and get rookies up to speed as much as possible before the season starts. Many teams start slow over the first couple weeks of the season because players are still trying to get into the swing of things. So could you imagine how long it would take for players to be at full go without training camp? We wouldn’t see good football for eight weeks.

      That said, Fleming’s point about the amount of time players spend in training camp and how it translates to wins and losses is just. In the end, talent and execution will always win out – not how many practice sessions Player X got under his belt in August. It would be nice if teams and fans didn’t have to hold their breath hoping that no starter gets injured during camp, too.

      External Sports, NFL

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