Friday, November 14, 2008

Fantasy Pick up of The Week

Justin Gage WR Tennessee Titans (image from nfl.com)
Gage got his second TD of the year last week against a stingy Bears defense, and it should continue this week against Jacksonville. Justin McCareins is questionable with a concusion and should open up more passes to Gage. The underperforming Jaguars had an average defense ranking 16th in total yards allowed and 17th in passing yards allowed.

Week 10: Rex Grossman 20-37 173 yards 1 TD passing, 1 TD rushing, 1 Int
Week 9: Jamaal Charlses 18 rushes 106 yards 1 fumble
Week 8: Arnaz Battle 3 receptions 26 yards
Week 7: Kevin Walter 3 receptions 27 yards; 1 rush 7 yards
Week 6: Bye Week
Week 5: Jonathan Stewart 19 rushes 72 yards 1 fumble
Week 4: Ray Rice 1 rush 0 yards

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Childhood Friend


When I moved into my new subdivision way back in 1995, my family's house was the fourth one built, so the availability of friends my age was slim. The first friend I made was a hockey player named Zach who moved from Michigan to Naperville, Il.


My main sport growing up was basketball, so to suggest that Zach and I would have any type of relationship involving sports was seemingly thin. Not to say that we didn't have anything in common, but our relationship did not revolve around sports.


However, often times we couldn't decide on something that satisfied both of our interests, so we alternated with our favorite sports.


Although we never played ice hockey, we did play roller hockey. I actually bought roller blades and appropriate hockey equipment just to play. Although I tried, I was never actually any good at hockey. It was always hard for me to multi-task, I was never coordinated enough to handle the puck while skating, or shot the puck while skating.


I had fun, and Zach remembers it very similarly. He pointed out how I was always over competitive in everything that we did. Hockey for him was his chance to beat me and make sure that I knew I lost.


Self admittedly, I am a trash talker, so he really handed it to me in hockey. We even both recalled not talking for an extended period of time (extended means about four days).


However in basketball, it was a complete role reversal. I handed it to him and made sure to let him know. Unlike myself, Zach was a little less willing to play basketball. Not because I would always win, rather because it wasn't physical enough. He always made fun of the sport, claiming it was too soft, and that fouls were called when somebody got poked. Although not completely true, he had a point, especially compared to hockey. We still dispute the physically of basketball and why little touch fouls are actually fouls.


In any case, what resulted was a compromise of both of our sports, and the creation of ZBA. It's official name is Zach Basketball Association. Pretty much, it's fight club with an objective to score. However the scoring soon turned into, "Whose Line is it Anyways," where the scoring didn't actually matter.


We soon found ourselves playing ZBA constantly and as a result found many more aches on both of our bodies.


ZBA only last one summer, but the memories have lasted more then 12 years, as well as the scars.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Live Blog 49ers vs. Cardinals

I really wanted to do an NBA game, and I thought there was one on tonight but I was wrong. Alas, I'll do the rest of the MNF game

8:48 Warner just completed a 3rd and 13. How is he still in the league

8:49 There talking about Warner potentially quitting after he laid out Boldin. Yeah right, he got into the league when he was 50, I doubt he would have laid it up at this point.

8:53 Singletary just talked about teams not surviving with marginal athletes...uh look at your team big guy. Oh yeah, Cardinals just scored. 49ers 14 - Cardinals 13.

8:56 I just put a pizza in. Haha, that was for you Dave.

8:57 Wow, Sean Hill, on a designed QB run gets a first down on 3rd and 11. At first I thought it was a stupid play but I guess it works out.

8:58 49ers just had a delay of game. Why don't they talk about the discipline Singletary brings to the table now?

9:01 Is SF's Roger Cromartie related to the Cromartie on the Chargers? I hope so.

9:02 Like I said I missed the start of the game and I just saw the touchdown highlights, I'm very impressed with the 104 yard return TD to start the game.

9:04 Who is Sean Hill

9:07 What's with the red line of scrimmage line? Didn't it always used to be blue? I mean I understand the Cardinals are home so they might use red, but you never see the Bears use orange?

9:08 That was actually a really good throw. Again, how can they talk about Singletary before as a great leader and role model then he hugs and embraces Vernon Davis after his 15 yard penalty? It doesn't make sense. They say he runs a tight ship and then this happens. I bet the 49ers score.

9:11 Well I was wrong, at least they got a completion to up their stats.

9:16 I'm pretty sure you can't kick the ball after it gets blocked. But apparently you can in the CFL as Boomer just showed us.

9:18 I don't know if the Shaq commercial is new, but that's the first time I've seen it. He's playing scrabble and everything involves Shaq in the words, very funny.

9:26 Thanks Tony for telling us what the column in Arizona should be about, since the entire listening audience is sports writers.

9:28 I looked away...how did the Cardinals get down the field so fast?

9:33 Nice fourth down play for a touchdown. I thought run, and so did the 49ers. 21-20 San Fran.

9:36 If I can brag a little bit, I put Warner as my No. 3 on my MVP list, and now everybody is talking about the possibilities.

9:38 49ers just did a WR Screen. I've never been a fan of screen plays, I think primarily because they don't work in EA.

9:40 Vernon Davis was close on another potential TD, maybe he should have dived. That's probably why he only has 1 TD on the year.

9:41 Apparently Tony thinks everybody makes fun of Mike Martz, I don't.

9:43 Field goal. 49ers up 24-20. I agree with Singletary, Martz wanted to go for it on 4th and 1. Smart move head coach and grab the points.

9:48 Another first down with Boldin. Boldin and Fitzgerald are the best tandem in the NFL.

9:50 Great grab by Tim Hightower for the first down after Warner laid another guy out(i.e. Boldin earlier in the season.) maybe you should retire for this one too.

9:51 That was a legit helmet to helmet call. In the past the NFL has called too many close Helmet to Helmet calls when they weren't actually helmet hits.

9:52 Offsetting penalties...probably my least favorite part of the game. How can you rationalize an illegal man down field for a defensive pass interference. Not saying that was the call but still.

9:54 I think the NFL seriously needs to re-evaluate the stupid petty penalties they call and bring back the physicality of the game. It's turning soft.

9:55 I agree with the fans' boos, at least try and get in field goal range. But for some reason the ESPN crew is mocking the Cardinals.

9:57 Haha, Kevin Love commercial where he goes into the luggage compartment on the bus cause he's a rookie.

9:58 Pick 6 by Rolle. But even more impressive is his back flip

9:59 Whoa! played called back for an offsides, that's too bad, that was pretty cool. I always think it's funny when guys celebrate then a play gets called back.

10:01 I would have preferred to see the 49ers score after getting the ball back. Instead, they turn it over and its not called back. The Cardinals will score soon.

10:04 Encroachment 49ers. I always love how the O-line and D-line point at each other when there is either an offsides or false start

10:05 And again they point. False start this time. 2nd and goal on the 9.

10:06 I'm getting bored with this game, penalties will do that to you when it's a game you really don't care about in the first place.

10:07 Well the penalty gets taken away after discussion, but didn't you already discuss it. Like I said, I'm getting bored with this game and it just keeps going.

10:08 Jaws, your stupid. I'm probably going to mute it soon cause I don't want to hear you argue any more and think it's good commentary.

10:11 Pretty cool stat of the Raiders and 49ers on how bad they've been recently.

10:12 Oh yeah, the Cardinals settled for a field goal. 24-23 49ers.

10:14 Good throw by Hill to old man Issac Bruce for the first down.

10:18 After the timeout Frank Gore messes up the play with a drop. Now it's time to punt, and far...52 yards.

10:20 I agree with Tony. Arizona needs to win this game in order to be taken seriously.

10:22 Great toss and great catch. 1st down Cardinals. I'm a believer in the second half that Kurt Warner could actually win the MVP.

10:23 Holy Crap, Warner gets 300 yard games 45% of the time. The highest ever. I am very impressed.

10:28 Hey Stuart Scott. Does everybody know how his eye got messed up. Apparently he was shooting a commercial for ESPN with Vinny Testaverde and a ball was thrown at him and it went threw his hands and got him square in the eye.

10:29 Another pick 6 called back for an offsides. Really Arizona?

10:30 Did Sean Hill actually think Issac Bruce could actually catch up to a deep ball. He's too old to be moving that fast.

10:32 Another pick and to my surprise... It wasn't called back. Although there was a flag it was actually offensive interference. Arizona ball on the 5.

10:33 Surprise surprise, a TD pass to Boldin. We all knew it was either going to him or Fitzgerald.

10:35 I hope after the commercial the Arizona cheerleaders come up.

10:36 No avail, no cheerleaders. But some more pointing at the line of scrimmage with a false start.

10:37 Missed 2 pt conversion. Cardinals 29 - 49ers 24

10:39 Neil Rackers on the tackle. I'm happy for him, I'm sure he feels like more a part of the team now.

10:41 Really a challenge? Will this game just end and Mike Singletary stop pretending he's coaching.

10:43 Wow, late hit. You are stupid. You just stopped them. During this game I've really begun to dislike Singletary as a coach. I think it's because of his praise from the announcers that set me off. Also the lucky penalties that have saved his team from getting destroyed. I.e the two pick 6's and that last late hit penalty keeping him in the game. Does he even call any plays?

10:45 See another penalty. Go Singletary.

10:46 I'm getting really frustrated. Lets get this going.

10:48 Another flag, for some reason this doesn't surprise me. 18 penalties so far in the game and counting.

10:49 More finger pointing and another flag. False Start, 2nd and 25.

10:50 Zeigler first NFL catch, congrats.

10:51 You're not Brett Favre Sean Hill, No shuffle passes. Good game you just lost. You got 250 plus games to play before you can claim that honor.

10:54 Another timeout. I feel like I'm participating in some illegal form of torture with how long this game is dragging on. And to think I haven't even watched the entire game. I can't imagine having watched the whole game. I probably would have been started to complain an hour earlier.

10:55 Hey Stuart Scott.

10:56 Interesting. The 49ers still have a chance after the three and out. I still don't see it happen especially with Sean Hill as your QB.

10:57 There's Singletary, trying to be a part of the action and see what's goin on.

10:58 Bad punt, but you're still going to lose 49ers.

10:59 Good football play by Hill getting out of bounds, first down 49ers. And another catch by Hill.

11:00 Is this actually happening. 49ers on the 15, how is Hill all of a sudden turning it on.

11:00 Ok, I might have to eat my own words 49ers only one yard away from claiming the game. Three straight passes to No. 89.

11:02 Whoa, Gore trips up on what looks to be a clear TD. But it shows that he was tackled and it was challenged. We'll see what happens. I'm in the same situation as Tony, he called it over too but now there only 1 yard away.

11:06 Why didn't they spike it? They had 4 seconds to spike. I don't understand, anyways, the rookie coach loses again. Cardinals 29 - 49ers 24.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Fantasy Pick up of the Week

Rex Grossman QB Chicago Bears(image from imagecache2.com).

I know this will probably be overlooked and disregarded, but look for Rex Grossman to have a career game on Sunday. Grossman, whose playing for his NFL career against the Titans, needs a big game if he wants to be back in the league next year. Fortunately, or unfortunately, his only chance is against the best team in the league. However, I think he'll perform up to the task. He had his second half against the Lions as his opportunity to get the cob webs off his game.



Week 9: Jamaal Charlses 18 rushes 106 yards 1 fumble
Week 8: Arnaz Battle 3 receptions 26 yards
Week 7: Kevin Walter 3 receptions 27 yards; 1 rush 7 yards
Week 6: Bye Week
Week 5: Jonathan Stewart 19 rushes 72 yards 1 fumble
Week 4: Ray Rice 1 rush 0 yards