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      2009 NFL Preview: #24 San Francisco 49ers

      September 2, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Dre’ Bly (CB); Demetric Evans (DE); Brandon Jones (WR).

      Offseason Losses: Jonas Jennings (OT); Bryant Johnson (WR); Tully Banta-Cain (LB); J.T. O’Sullivan (QB); Donald Strickland (CB).

      Player to Watch: Glen Coffee, RB.
      No, Coffee isn’t going to unseat Frank Gore as San Fran’s starting running back. But the third round pick out of Alabama has definitely earned some playing time after impressing coaches this preseason. Coffee has showed good burst, speed and blitz-pickup ability. The Niners are expecting to keep the ball mostly on the ground this season, so Coffee will get a fair amount of carries and could even emerge as a sleeper to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

      Team Strength: The 49ers boast a pair of solid running backs in Gore and Coffee. San Fran expects to use a 60-40 mix when it comes to running and passing, which means Gore and Coffee will get plenty of opportunities to make plays this season. Although Coffee has earned playing time with a terrific preseason, Gore will remain the backbone of the offense. He’ll get a sizeable workload in both the running and passing game and as long as the 49ers’ offensive line doesn’t hold him back, Gore is in store for a big season.

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      NFL

      2009 NFL Preview: #25 Denver Broncos

      September 2, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Kyle Orton (QB); Brian Dawkins (S); Andre’ Goodman (CB); Renaldo Hill (S); Jabar Gaffney (WR); LaMont Jordan (RB); Correll Buckhalter (RB); Andra Davis (LB); Chris Simms (QB); J.J. Arrington (RB); Brandon Llyod (WR); Ronald Fields (DT); Nick Greisen (LB).

      Offseason Losses: Jay Cutler (QB); Dre’ Bly (CB); Erik Pears (RB); Michael Pittman (RB); Nate Webster (LB); Jamie Winborn (LB); Ebenezer Ekuban (DE); Darrell Jackson (WR); Dewayne Robertson (DT); Patrick Ramsey (QB).

      Player to Watch: Knowshown Moreno, RB.
      Moreno will excel as a pass catcher in Josh McDaniels’ offense and should find plenty of running room behind the Broncos’ solid offensive line. He has outstanding vision and has picked up the art of pass-blocking. Although he’s been limited the past few weeks after suffering a MCL sprain in Denver’s preseason opener, Moreno is on track to play in Week 1. As long as he stays healthy, he could emerge as the Broncos’ every down back.

      Team Strength: Led by tackles Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris, the Broncos have one of the best offensive lines in football. As a rookie, Clady demonstrated outstanding run-blocking skills and strength at the point of attack. Harris isn’t as athletically gifted as Clady, but he surrendered just 2.5 sacks last year and has excellent technique. Center Casey Wiegmann and guards Ben Hamilton and Chris Kuper are solid pass-blockers, although they could struggle with run-blocking as the team transitions out of the old zone-blocking scheme.

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      NFL

      Rubio speaks out about decision to stay in Spain

      September 2, 2009 /

      By now, every NBA fan worth his salt knows that Ricky Rubio has decided to play in Spain for two more seasons before coming to the NBA. Recently, he spoke out about why he chose to stay put.

      “Going to Minnesota would have just complicated my life a lot. It was a risk and I didn’t see it so clearly,” Rubio said. “My priority was the NBA and it was impossible for the Minnesota Timberwolves to pay my buyout clause, so I wanted to stay home.”

      “When the season ended, I entered the draft with the intention of going to the NBA,” Rubio said Wednesday. “But some things happened that kept me from being ahead of the rest and I ended up No. 5, which I was happy with, but it didn’t allow me the chance to go to the NBA. I tried, but in the end it wasn’t to be.”

      “Going to Minnesota would have just complicated my life a lot.”

      If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard that…

      Some people are attacking Minnesota GM David Kahn and some are defending his decision to pick Ricky Rubio on draft day. The bottom line is that Rubio would be joining the NBA this season had he 1) gone early enough in the draft that he could afford to pay his own buyout or 2) had he been drafted into a better situation.

      Does anyone honestly think he’d be staying in Barcelona for two years if the Knicks had drafted him at #8? He wouldn’t have been able to pay his own buyout, but the marketing ramifications of playing in the Big Apple (in Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo system) would have been to great too ignore. His camp would have found a way to make it happen.

      No, Rubio is staying in Spain because he was drafted by the Timberwolves at #5. Had he gone to the Warriors at #7, the Kings at #4 or even the Thunder at #3, we might have found ourselves in a similar situation. This is neither a knock on Kahn for drafting Rubio nor a endorsement of that decision.

      That verdict won’t be in for some time.

      NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

      2009 NFL Preview: #26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

      September 2, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Kellen Winslow Jr. (TE); Angelo Crowell (LB); Derrick Ward (RB); Byron Leftwich (QB); Mike Nugent (K).

      Offseason Losses: Jovan Haye (DT); Derrick Brooks (LB); Jeff Garcia (QB); Phillip Buchanon (CB); Kevin Carter (DE); Joey Galloway (WR); Cato June (LB); Warrick Dunn (RB); Ike Hilliard (WR).

      Player to Watch: Kellen Winslow Jr., TE.
      The Bucs didn’t trade their second round pick in April’s draft to have Winslow block. As long as he stays healthy, the new coaching regime expects Winslow to play a big role in the Bucs’ passing game. Winslow will not only line up at tight end, but also in the slot in efforts to create mismatches on slower linebackers. Considering he’s Tampa’s second best receiving option after Antonio Bryant, Winslow should see plenty of targets this season from new quarterback Byron Leftwich.

      Team Strength: The Bucs have one of the most underrated offensive lines in the NFL. Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward should see plenty of running lanes thanks to Tampa’s zone-blocking scheme and a quintet of athletic linemen. Of the five starters, right guard Davin Joseph is the most talented and excels in pass protection. Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood doesn’t have the quickest feet, but he more than makes up for his shortcomings with a nasty demeanor that aids him in one-on-one matchups. Donald Penn (an agile, technically sound tackle) and Aarron Sears are on the left side, although former third round pick Jeremy Zuttah could unseat Sears for the starting left guard position at some point. Jeff Faine gives the group a smart, instinctive center.

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      NFL

      White Sox might shut down Peavy for 2009

      September 2, 2009 /

      The White Sox are considering shutting down Jake Peavy for the rest of the 2009 season at the risk of further injuring his elbow.

      From the Chicago Tribune:

      “Believe me, if we fall more and I don’t think deep inside my heart and my guts that we have a chance, I will tell [general manager Ken Williams and pitching coach Don Cooper] to just shut him down and wait for next year,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I am honest with myself. It’s funny, because you can tell the fans anything you want. But when you go to sleep and think about how good you are or how bad you are, you’re not lying.”

      Time could be against Peavy because the minor-league regular season ends Monday. Double-A Birmingham will advance to the playoffs, so that could be Peavy’s option if he recovers in time to pitch in a minor-league game.

      Even though it would be disheartening for fans to see the White Sox’s new toy shut down without making his Chicago debut in ’09, it would be the right move. The Chi Sox are currently 7 games back of the Tigers in the AL Central and it isn’t worth risking injury to Peavy when he’d only pitch in three or four games anyway.

      Shut it down.

      MLB

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