Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 694 of 1503)

      Sam Bradford to return this week?

      September 30, 2009 /

      The Oklahoman reports that Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford split snaps with the first team in practice this week with redshirt freshman Landry Jones and might be ready to play Saturday against Miami.

      Stoops still isn’t ready to announce whether Bradford will play Saturday at Miami, but said Bradford hasn’t had any setbacks in his recovery and wasn’t particularly sore Tuesday morning after throwing during Monday’s practice.

      “That’s positive in that everything to this point that he has done he has handled in a positive way and he has made daily progress,” Stoops said. “That part is encouraging. But it’s just too early to determine his status for Saturday. I’m not able to give the answer yet, until we see what Sam’s capable of throughout the week. Is he able to make all the throws? Is he able to do it without too much soreness? How does he react the next day?

      If Bradford plays on Saturday, it would signal a remarkable turnaround from where he was at a few weeks ago. Some were suggesting that his season was over and now he has a chance to play this week.

      Hopefully Oklahoma isn’t rushing Bradford back onto the field too soon. I doubt Stoops would put the success of the team over the health of his player (or at least, I hope he wouldn’t), but if Bradford continues to progress throughout the week then there might be no reason for him to sit out.

      Even though VA Tech shredded them on the ground last week, Miami has an aggressive front seven – one that could cause problems for Bradford if he’s rusty upon his return. It’ll be interesting to see how he progresses throughout the week and whether or not he’ll play against the Canes on Saturday.

      College Football

      Jose Reyes may need hamstring surgery

      September 30, 2009 /

      The New York Daily News is reporting that Mets shortstop Jose Reyes may need to have surgery to repair his injured right hamstring.

      Jose Reyes looks like he may be headed for surgery on his ailing right hamstring tendon. He felt discomfort Tuesday while trying to run and is due to be examined this afternoon.

      It goes without saying that the 2009 MLB season has been an utter disaster for Reyes and the Mets. The 26-year old shortstop played in only 36 games this season, finishing with a .279 batting average in 147 at bats.

      The problem with hamstring surgery for athletes is that they may never return to their full pre-injury flexibility and explosiveness. So even if Reyes does have successful surgery in terms of the hamstring tear healing, it doesn’t mean that he’ll be the same player he was before the injury.

      This will be an interesting situation to follow this winter.

      MLB

      The Wildcat: Just a new/old formation

      September 30, 2009 /

      The Washington Post asked me to participate in their NFL blog “The League” for the 2009 season. Below is a recent post I wrote for the site about whether or not the Wildcat is here to stay.

      In a day and age of video games and fantasy football, it’s no wonder that a single formation can start a new craze.

      The Wildcat is just a variation on the single-wing formation, yet based on the buzz it has received since last season, one would think that it’s the eighth wonder of the world. (The formation is actually one of the things featured in the new version of Madden.)

      The idea behind the Wildcat is to play 11 on 11 football instead of 10 on 11, which occurs when the quarterback hands the ball off to his running back and then stands idle behind the play. It’s just one small advantage for the offense, which is why it has been effective at every level.

      But this idea that the Wildcat is going to revolutionize the way NFL coordinators implement their offensive game plans is absurd. Most teams (including the Dolphins) use the formation in less than nine percent of their snaps on game day, which is a telltale sign that teams aren’t going to suddenly ditch the use of a drop back passer to line their running back up at quarterback on the majority of their plays.

      Those that say the Wildcat is a gimmick or that it doesn’t have a place in the NFL haven’t been paying attention. It forces defenses to spend time throughout the week in practice specifically game planning against it and also adds the element of surprise on game day.

      That said, football isn’t about one player, one coach or one formation. The Wildcat can be an effective tool, but there’s a reason why teams only use it sparingly: It’s just one formation in a NFL playbook.

      To read the entire article, click here.

      NFL

      Will the Redskins ever win under Snyder?

      September 30, 2009 /

      When it comes to examining the Washington Redskins, let’s take our foot off Jim Zorn’s neck for a second, shall we?

      Since Daniel Snyder purchased the Redskins in May of 1999, they’ve had a winning record only three times in those 10 years (1999, 2005, 2007). In each of those winning seasons, they went to the playoffs but advanced no further than the first round. (And in 2007, they didn’t even make it past the first round.)

      During Snyder’s reign as owner in Washington, the Redskins have been aggressive in free agency, inking notable names Bruce Smith, Jeff George, Deion Sanders, Jeremiah Trotter, Jessie Armstead, Randy Thomas, Lavernous Coles, John Hall, Phillip Daniels, Marvin Washington, Shawn Springs, Antwaan Randle El, Adam Archuleta, Andre Carter, London Fletcher, Fred Smoot, Jason Fabini, Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall.

      But where has it gotten them?

      This past offseason, Snyder made Haynesworth the richest defensive player in NFL history and so far, the Skins have an ugly win against the Rams and a loss to the previously 0-19 Lions to show for it. Granted, it’s still early and Washington can turn things around, but a team doesn’t lose to the Lions without having massive internal bleeding.

      Continue reading »

      NFL

      Indians to fire manager Eric Wedge

      September 30, 2009 /

      According to a report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Indians will fire manager Eric Wedge at the end of the season.

      Eric WedgeWedge and his coaches will finish the final six games of the season, including today’s doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, the final home games of the season. The Indians play a four-game series in Boston this weekend.

      Wedge is in his seventh year as manager. The Indians are 64-92 and in fourth place in the AL Central. They have lost 20 of their last 25 games.

      Wedge ranks fifth among Tribe managers with 560 victories.

      Although it wasn’t his fault that his players were made of chandelier glass and could never stay healthy, it’s kind of hard to argue the firing of Wedge.

      The Tribe were set up to win long-term after they were one win away from making a World Series appearance in 2007, but the last two years the club fell apart under Wedge. It’s amazing to think that Cleveland has to rebuild again after spending 2002 to 2006 building what seemed to be a roster that could compete for the long haul.

      MLB

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