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      Bill Simmons tries to improve fantasy football

      August 6, 2010 /
      NEW YORK - APRIL 24: Writer Bill Simmons speaks at the panel and screening of 'Beyond Playing The Field' during the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival at the School of Visual Arts Theater on April 24, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Loud/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

      Simmons thinks he can fix all things sports, and is lobbying President Obama for the position of Sports Minister. This week, he’s intent on fixing fantasy football, which in my estimation, doesn’t need a whole lot of fixing. Anyway, his six suggestions are:

      1. Everyone agrees on a Universal Fantasy System
      Not a bad idea, but it’s impossible to get everyone that plays a sport/game with no oversight to agree on a set of rules. Simmons thinks he should be the guy who decides the rules. Okay…can I be the guy who decides what everyone drinks at a bar?

      2. Everyone switches to an auction format
      I love fantasy auctions and so would you if you got off your butt and tried one someday. They are more fun and more fair than the snake draft, but the snake draft is far simpler. As FF continues to go more mainstream, simple is going to win out. It’s sad, but true.

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      External Sports, Fantasy Football, Humor, NFL

      Rex Ryan sees Super Bowl for Jets in his “crystal ball”

      August 6, 2010 /
      New York Jets new head coach Rex Ryan waits to speak to the media at a press conference in Florham Park, New Jersey on January 21, 2009. (UPI Photo/John Angelillo) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

      Rex Ryan is really hyping this Jets-Super Bowl talk this offseason.

      From ESPN.com:

      Asked Friday why he signed Adam Schefter’s training camp bus, “Soon to be champs,” the Jets coach said why not? That’s his belief and he doesn’t mind repeating himself.

      “The first step is, if you don’t believe it yourself your team darn sure won’t,” Ryan said. “Again I’m not apologizing I just know what’s going to happen. My crystal ball I’m seeing a Super Bowl trophy in there. I could be wrong but that’s what I see.”

      “That’s what I’m saying. That’s our mentality, that’s our goal and I’ve got confidence to put it up there. I believe we’ll do it so why wouldn’t we say it, why wouldn’t we go for it?”

      I like Rex Ryan, although I can also see how he rubs some people the wrong way. He’s brash and confident and many people don’t like that, but one thing you have to give him credit for is that he doesn’t back down from saying what he believes.

      That said, he better hope that his best defender gets into camp and that his second year quarterback progresses or else the Jets will be watching the Super Bowl at home again this year. That’s not meant to be a knock on them or Ryan, but the reality is that this team needs Darrelle Revis and won’t take the next step until Mark Sanchez can win a game or two on his own.

      Remember, Ryan isn’t talking putting together a winning season or winning another playoff game or two. He’s talking about the Super Bowl and the Jets won’t get there without Revis and unless they can take the training wheels off Sanchez’s game.

      External Sports, NFL

      Somebody please tear down Tropicana Field already

      August 6, 2010 /
      Fans watch the Tampa Bay Rays play the Philadelphia Phillies at Tropicana Field during game one of the World Series in St. Petersburg, Florida on October 22, 2008. (UPI Photo/David Mills) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

      I don’t care if it turns it into a parking lot, an ice cream stand, or a tampon factory, but can someone please put Tropicana Field out of its misery?

      Yesterday, during the top of 9th of Tampa and Minnesota’s tied 6-6 game, the Twins’ Jason Kubel hit a towering popup that would have likely been caught if the Rays played in a normal stadium. Instead, the ball hit the catwalk some 190 feet above the infield and dropped for a single.

      The final result: Twins 8, Rays 6.

      Before some know-it-all points this out, yes, I’m well aware that one moment in any sporting event determines the outcome of a game. Tampa could have been leading 6-3, 6-0 or 16-0 and Kubel’s popup would have relegated to a highlight for future blooper reels.

      But it wasn’t 6-3, 6-0 or 16-0 – it was 6-6 and the Rays could have gotten out of the inning had the ball not hit the catwalk. Not to be overly dramatic here, but the catwalk could have cost the Rays a win in the middle of a pennant race.

      No offense to the fine folks that poured time, money and effort into building Tropicana Field, but it is by far the worst ballpark in America. Some seats are obstructed by foul balls, the lightening is too dim and did I mention it’s a freaking dome? A dome in Tampa, Florida? I know it rains a lot out there, but the showers don’t last very long – at least not long enough for some genius to say, “Hey, here’s an idea – let’s build a dome!”

      Tear the thing down.

      (Watch the video of the play here.)

      External Sports, MLB

      Isiah Thomas rejoins the Knicks…

      August 6, 2010 /
      NEW YORK - MAY 5: Isiah Thomas, President of the New York Knicks, speaks at MTV Networks UpFront at The Theater at Madison Square Garden May 5, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by David S. Holloway/Getty Images)

      …as a ‘consultant.’

      Um, ok.

      Per Marc Berman:

      Knicks are about to announce Isiah Thomas will be named a part-time consultant to club but keeps his job at FIU. Weird.

      This isn’t all that surprising after the Knicks enlisted Thomas in a last-ditch pitch to LeBron a few weeks ago. I don’t know why you would trot out (arguably, thanks to Kevin McHale) the worst GM of the aughts to try to convince one of the league’s best players that your team is headed in the right direction. If anything, wouldn’t you want to convince him that he has nothing to do with the day-to-day operations of the franchise?

      For all of his faults, Thomas did draft pretty well while GM of the Knicks.

      Here’s a look:

      2004: Trevor Ariza (#43 overall)
      2005: Channing Frye (#8), David Lee (#30)
      2006: Renaldo Balkman (#20), Mardy Collins (#29)
      2007: Wilson Chandler (#23)

      That’s not a bad run considering he only had one pick in the #8. It’s not easy to find rotation players in the late first round (or second round) and he was 3-for-5 in that area, picking an All-Star (Lee) and two starter-quality swingmen (Ariza and Chandler).

      I could see a team putting him in charge of scouting or the draft, but I’d keep him out of all trade discussions.

      As for the fact that he’s going to keep his coaching job at FIU — WTF? Coaching a Division I basketball team is a full time job, and he’s going to be working part time for the Knicks?

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

      2010 NFL Question Marks: Seattle Seahawks

      August 6, 2010 /
      Russell Okung, tackle from Oklahoma State, stands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after Okung was picked by the Seattle Seahawks as the number 6 overall choice during the 2010 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York on April 22, 2010. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg Photo via Newscom

      Merry training camp season, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the Seahawks and whether or not their restricted offensive line will hold them back this season.

      It’s difficult to size up the Seahawks at this point in the season because nobody (not even their fans) quite knows what to expect out of this team in 2010. It appears as though fans are generally excited about the Pete Carroll hiring (how could they not after getting a taste of Jim Mora last year?), but they must be skeptical, too. Does Matt Hasselbeck have one more good season left in him? Can Leon Washington and Justin Forsett handle the rushing responsibilities? Does the defense have enough quality depth? Is Lawyer Milloy really the starting strong safety?

      Nobody can say with any certainty that this will be a bad team this year, but it’s unlikely that anyone is ready to anoint them NFC West champions either. It’s just a hard team to figure out right now.

      I had a difficult time deciding whether or not to go with the Seahawks’ offensive line or defensive line for this series. I view both as question marks, but in the end, the defensive line should get by as long as Brandon Mebane doesn’t take a step back and the unit gets solid contributions from new addition Chris Clemons and tackle-turned-end Red Bryant, who replaces the ultra-disappointing Lawrence Jackson.

      But the offensive line may be a different story.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

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