Heres a look from start to finish at how I put together my team that will win the league. I started out at one of the most challenging draft positions, 10th overall, so I had to bring me A game, plan ahead, and stick to my game plan to come out with a respectable team. I did that.
So, by some stroke of luck, I was presented with the opportunity to grab LaDainian Tomlinson with my first selection. He is one year removed from being the top rated running back in the league. He was injured last year, prompting a low rating. I believe that he has one good year left. We'll see.
Having the eleventh pick I was able to take the second best receiver in the game, Andre Johnson. By doing this, I set myself up to be consistent with both positions.
Having to wait for the rest of the guys to pick twice, I was worried that when it came back to my turn there would be nothing left. Fortunately for me, I was able to end up with the exact two guys I wanted in the third and fourth round. Kevin Smith, running back from the Lions, should build on a strong rookie season, and with a more consistent line and passing game, could develop into a star. Marques Colston could be an absolute steal in the fourth round; he is Drew Brees' favorite target and should get 10 to 15 targets a game. Lot to like there.
At this point, I was just trying to fill some bench spots and get some value. Derrick Ward was available in the 5th round, so I decided that I couldn't pass on a feature back this late into the draft. In the next round, I took Knowshon Moreno, the best rookie option this season. If he establishes himself as the starter, there is potential that he is this years' Matt Forte talk, about 6th round gold.
By the time I got to round 7, I decided that I should go ahead and grab my quarterback before someone else did. I grabbed McNabb because he should have some explosive weapons at receiver and the backfield is nice. Could be a big year for Donovan. After McNabb, I took Kevin Walter, who by all accounts should be the Anquan Boldin of Houston, a great secondary option to an explosive primary target. Should be a big year for Mr. Walter.
At that point, i was still looking for value, and when you find a feature back in the 9th round, you've got to take a chance on him, so I grabbed Cedric Benson. He played well at the end of last year and should get better ypc this year with fewer guys in the box with the return of Carson Palmer. I grabbed my Tight End, Greg Olsen, at that point, proving that you can wait and still get good tight end. With Cutler not having any good targets, Olsen should get lots of targets.
In the 11th round, I went ahead and took my sleeper. Its good to wait on taking your guys under the radar, but you need to make sure you get him. I love Josh Morgan this year. Nobody had him on their radar, but I felt like if I waited someone else would've lucked into him. He is supposedly the best receiver in the bay area, thats including Crabtree and Hayward-Bey. Felix Jones was available after that, and with a stroke of luck, or bad luck as the case may be, he could vault into a starting role in Dallas. Marion Barber is a fragile beast, and one bad cut or rough tackle, and I may have found myself a steal.
At this point, I deemed it time to take my backup QB. I looked for a guy with high upside or value. Matt Hasselback is coming off an injury plagued season, if he can return to his old value, he is incredible value here. With my last bench spot, I went upside with Rashard Mendenhall. He may have a big impact or he may not, but with Willie Parker's fragility, he could be a nice addition to my team.
After that I went with my defense and kicker. I picked the panthers for no particular reason. I picked Robbie Gould because though I think the Bear's offense will be better, I can see them stalling in the red zone, making him a nice option.
So thats how I put together my team that will win my league. I went with youth, upside, and value to snake some guys that could potentially win the league for me. My starting lineup is good enough to win games, and if my sleepers come through, it could be dangerous.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Fantasy Football Draft Manifesto
When it comes to having a successful fantasy team the draft is the where it all begins. You can win or lose a league based on how you draft. That’s not to say that you can’t win a league if you don’t draft well or are a lock to win with a good draft; but by doing certain things on draft day you can establish yourself as the favorite going into the season.
First things first, we need to go over how the first round should be played out. Let’s be honest, there is a giant gap between the first four picks and everyone else. Regardless of how the order goes the first four people off the board in every league should be Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Matt Forte. Everyone has love for a different one of this group, but if you can get any of the four outside of the top four, go for it. Now if you are stationed later in the first round, things are a little less cut and dry. At five, I would go with one of two players; Chris Johnson of the Titans or LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers. The safer play is Johnson who will get more carries each progressive week as LenDale White gets fatter each progressive week. At past those six guys there are a lot of ways you can go. As far as I’m concerned the best remaining back would be Steven Jackson, although he comes with significant injury risk. After that I would suggest taking the top rated wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. Now comes a plethora of somewhat impact running backs that could help your team, but are a ways behind the first group in value. DeAngelo Williams, Frank Gore, Brandon Jacobs, and Steve Slaton are good choices, or you could also go with Andre Johnson or Drew Brees.
Your first round selection dictates your second round selection. If you went running back, you may want to go receiver in the second round, but if you went receiver in the first round, you more than likely will want to grab a top back while you still can, unless you can grab Calvin Johnson or Randy Moss in the second.
The timing of drafting your quarterback, tight end, kicker, and defense is what really can set you up for success. As far as your quarterback goes, you definitely can wait this year. Outside of Brady and Brees, there are no real game breakers that are worth taking high. Everyone ranked from 3 to 15 are virtually going to give you the same stats. You might as well fill holes elsewhere while everyone else gobbles up the mediocre mid round quarterbacks. Around round seven you can start to look for a quarterback. Names that I would keep in mind are Donavon McNabb, Matt Schaub, Carson Palmer, Jay Cutler, or Kyle Orton. Don’t panic if there is a run of quarterback in say the third or fourth round, once everyone takes their quarterback, they will not look for another one until the later rounds. After the top 8 or so are off the board, the rest will slide until you’re ready to take yours. Tight ends are another very interesting question when it comes to timing. In round five or six, you can get a top four tight end. You could snag Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, or Dallas Clark and you would be justified in doing so. However after those four, tight ends are a dime a dozen. You could easily wait until 10 and take an undervalued Kellen Winslow or 14 and take Vinsathe Shiancoe, the most underrated tight end in the league. As far kickers and defenses go, the thing to do is to wait. There is no point in using a high pick on either because there is little difference in value from the top rated defense to the fifteenth ranked defense is very little. Same goes for kickers, so wait and take a kicker with your second to last pick and a defense with your last.
One more way you can take advantage of your less intelligent league mates is through knowing their game. Chances are, if you’re playing on ESPN, the rest of the people in your league will come to the draft with cheat sheets and ranking pulled off of espn.com, and consequently, most play straight off those sheets. You can use this to your advantage. Knowing when guys are going to go is a huge advantage, therefore if you like a guy, you know when you’re going to need to draft him, and if you like a guy better than he is ranked, you know you can wait on him and fill another hole in the mean time.
Now drafting two backs from the same team can prove to be very advantageous, especially ones from teams the rush the football well. These would include Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall from Pittsburgh, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart for Carolina, and Chris Johnson and LenDale White from Tennessee. Often they will be good enough to play together and if by chance there is an injury to one, you now have a feature back with the other.
Another strategy that I use all the time is looking for high impact rookies. Rookies can be well worth taking late over a stagnant veteran. There are a couple of things to look for in a rookie. First of all is opportunity. If there is an established veteran ahead of him, chances are you’re not going to want him, but if there is a chance for playing time, it’s often worth the risk as rookies are usually the first to get an opportunity. Also it’s good to look at the offensive style of the team they play for. If the team throws the balls 50 times a game, chances are their rookie running back is not going to have great value and same with rookie receivers on a conservative running team. Two names that I’ve been enamored with are Knowshon Moreno of Denver and Hakeem Nicks of the Giants. Both come into good teams with balanced offense. Both seem to have a clear chance to perform and both have a lot of potential.
Finally, it is never a bad idea to take guys from good teams. I’m not saying fill your team with guys from the same team, but it’s not a bad idea to have five or six key offensive pieces from the same team, so long as they can move it. The Patriots have had a great offense in the past few years and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a lineup filled with Pats. The same goes for the Bears. Adding Jay Cutler to an already potent rushing attack makes a potential powerhouse offense. If you start with Matt Forte, it might not be a bad idea to surround him with Jay Cutler, Devin Hester, Mushin Muhammad, and Greg Olsen. You might take a hit the week the bears are on bye, but other than that, it could be scary.
My final tip for you is to invest wisely in your backup quarterback. Remember, as long as your starter is respectable, your backup is only going to be playing when your starter is on bye or injured. There is no need for a steady but unspectacular veteran. It’s safe, but not necessarily smart. I like to take impact potential young guys or veterans who are stepping into great situations. Overall, just look for breakout potential, that way if they are busts, you’re only out a couple points one week, but if they hit big, you never know they might have trade value or might be able to replace your starter. Guys in this mold that I like are rookies Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford, emerging young veterans Taveris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, Matt Schaub, or Eli Manning. Finally, if you are still not convinced he is done; Brett Favre will probably be available late.
Lastly, I don’t care how good you think he can fit in the wildcat with the Patriots; don’t even think about drafting Michael Vick.
Guys that I like better than they’re ranked
Donovan McNabb
Matt Schaub
Jay Cutler
Carson Palmer
Matt Hasselbeck
Kyle Orton
Maurice Jones-Drew
Kevin Smith
Ronnie Brown
Derrick Ward
Jamal Lewis
LeSean McCoy
Jerious Norwood
Tashard Choice
Dwayne Bowe
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
Desean Jackson
Kevin Walter
Anthony Gonzalez
Lance Moore
Donnie Avery
Devin Hester
Domenik Hixon
Greg Olsen
Kellen Winslow
Visathe Shiancoe
Guys that I don’t like as well as they’re ranked
Phillip Rivers
Matt Ryan
David Garrard
Michael Turner
DeAngelo Williams
Thomas Jones
Reggie Bush
Fred Taylor
Steve Smith
Roy E. Williams
Braylon Edwards
Santana Moss
Santonio Holmes
Michael Crabtree
Tony Gonzalez
Chris Cooley
First things first, we need to go over how the first round should be played out. Let’s be honest, there is a giant gap between the first four picks and everyone else. Regardless of how the order goes the first four people off the board in every league should be Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Matt Forte. Everyone has love for a different one of this group, but if you can get any of the four outside of the top four, go for it. Now if you are stationed later in the first round, things are a little less cut and dry. At five, I would go with one of two players; Chris Johnson of the Titans or LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers. The safer play is Johnson who will get more carries each progressive week as LenDale White gets fatter each progressive week. At past those six guys there are a lot of ways you can go. As far as I’m concerned the best remaining back would be Steven Jackson, although he comes with significant injury risk. After that I would suggest taking the top rated wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. Now comes a plethora of somewhat impact running backs that could help your team, but are a ways behind the first group in value. DeAngelo Williams, Frank Gore, Brandon Jacobs, and Steve Slaton are good choices, or you could also go with Andre Johnson or Drew Brees.
Your first round selection dictates your second round selection. If you went running back, you may want to go receiver in the second round, but if you went receiver in the first round, you more than likely will want to grab a top back while you still can, unless you can grab Calvin Johnson or Randy Moss in the second.
The timing of drafting your quarterback, tight end, kicker, and defense is what really can set you up for success. As far as your quarterback goes, you definitely can wait this year. Outside of Brady and Brees, there are no real game breakers that are worth taking high. Everyone ranked from 3 to 15 are virtually going to give you the same stats. You might as well fill holes elsewhere while everyone else gobbles up the mediocre mid round quarterbacks. Around round seven you can start to look for a quarterback. Names that I would keep in mind are Donavon McNabb, Matt Schaub, Carson Palmer, Jay Cutler, or Kyle Orton. Don’t panic if there is a run of quarterback in say the third or fourth round, once everyone takes their quarterback, they will not look for another one until the later rounds. After the top 8 or so are off the board, the rest will slide until you’re ready to take yours. Tight ends are another very interesting question when it comes to timing. In round five or six, you can get a top four tight end. You could snag Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, or Dallas Clark and you would be justified in doing so. However after those four, tight ends are a dime a dozen. You could easily wait until 10 and take an undervalued Kellen Winslow or 14 and take Vinsathe Shiancoe, the most underrated tight end in the league. As far kickers and defenses go, the thing to do is to wait. There is no point in using a high pick on either because there is little difference in value from the top rated defense to the fifteenth ranked defense is very little. Same goes for kickers, so wait and take a kicker with your second to last pick and a defense with your last.
One more way you can take advantage of your less intelligent league mates is through knowing their game. Chances are, if you’re playing on ESPN, the rest of the people in your league will come to the draft with cheat sheets and ranking pulled off of espn.com, and consequently, most play straight off those sheets. You can use this to your advantage. Knowing when guys are going to go is a huge advantage, therefore if you like a guy, you know when you’re going to need to draft him, and if you like a guy better than he is ranked, you know you can wait on him and fill another hole in the mean time.
Now drafting two backs from the same team can prove to be very advantageous, especially ones from teams the rush the football well. These would include Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall from Pittsburgh, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart for Carolina, and Chris Johnson and LenDale White from Tennessee. Often they will be good enough to play together and if by chance there is an injury to one, you now have a feature back with the other.
Another strategy that I use all the time is looking for high impact rookies. Rookies can be well worth taking late over a stagnant veteran. There are a couple of things to look for in a rookie. First of all is opportunity. If there is an established veteran ahead of him, chances are you’re not going to want him, but if there is a chance for playing time, it’s often worth the risk as rookies are usually the first to get an opportunity. Also it’s good to look at the offensive style of the team they play for. If the team throws the balls 50 times a game, chances are their rookie running back is not going to have great value and same with rookie receivers on a conservative running team. Two names that I’ve been enamored with are Knowshon Moreno of Denver and Hakeem Nicks of the Giants. Both come into good teams with balanced offense. Both seem to have a clear chance to perform and both have a lot of potential.
Finally, it is never a bad idea to take guys from good teams. I’m not saying fill your team with guys from the same team, but it’s not a bad idea to have five or six key offensive pieces from the same team, so long as they can move it. The Patriots have had a great offense in the past few years and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a lineup filled with Pats. The same goes for the Bears. Adding Jay Cutler to an already potent rushing attack makes a potential powerhouse offense. If you start with Matt Forte, it might not be a bad idea to surround him with Jay Cutler, Devin Hester, Mushin Muhammad, and Greg Olsen. You might take a hit the week the bears are on bye, but other than that, it could be scary.
My final tip for you is to invest wisely in your backup quarterback. Remember, as long as your starter is respectable, your backup is only going to be playing when your starter is on bye or injured. There is no need for a steady but unspectacular veteran. It’s safe, but not necessarily smart. I like to take impact potential young guys or veterans who are stepping into great situations. Overall, just look for breakout potential, that way if they are busts, you’re only out a couple points one week, but if they hit big, you never know they might have trade value or might be able to replace your starter. Guys in this mold that I like are rookies Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford, emerging young veterans Taveris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, Matt Schaub, or Eli Manning. Finally, if you are still not convinced he is done; Brett Favre will probably be available late.
Lastly, I don’t care how good you think he can fit in the wildcat with the Patriots; don’t even think about drafting Michael Vick.
Guys that I like better than they’re ranked
Donovan McNabb
Matt Schaub
Jay Cutler
Carson Palmer
Matt Hasselbeck
Kyle Orton
Maurice Jones-Drew
Kevin Smith
Ronnie Brown
Derrick Ward
Jamal Lewis
LeSean McCoy
Jerious Norwood
Tashard Choice
Dwayne Bowe
Marques Colston
Lee Evans
Desean Jackson
Kevin Walter
Anthony Gonzalez
Lance Moore
Donnie Avery
Devin Hester
Domenik Hixon
Greg Olsen
Kellen Winslow
Visathe Shiancoe
Guys that I don’t like as well as they’re ranked
Phillip Rivers
Matt Ryan
David Garrard
Michael Turner
DeAngelo Williams
Thomas Jones
Reggie Bush
Fred Taylor
Steve Smith
Roy E. Williams
Braylon Edwards
Santana Moss
Santonio Holmes
Michael Crabtree
Tony Gonzalez
Chris Cooley
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Mock 4.0 (Final)
Well, its finally time to pick em. A lot of reading and preparing have gone into this, so i am proud to present my final mock draft. With that being said, there are a few things I would like to say before this draft goes down. First of all, people are way to low on Ricky Rubio. It seems like every sportscaster you hear is calling him all hype. The kid has "it." His floor vision, passing, and ability to run a team are off the chart; and these are skills that you cant teach. Second, I think people are way too high on Stephen Curry. To me he is nothing more than a undersized JJ Redick. We've already been through this. Underathletic guards who aren't especially proficient at handling the rock just dont have big impacts at the highest level. Im sorry, but I dont see him as much more than a seventh or eighth man. Jeff Teague, wherever he is selected will be a steal. He can flat out put it in the hoop. Midway through the season he was a top 5 pick, the only thing that has changed since then has been time. He is the real deal. Lastly, as long as the pistons take Austin Daye, Earl Clark, BJ Mullens, or a point guard, I will be fine. ok so heres the last mock:
posted 6:57
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Tyreke Evans PG
5. Min- James Harden SG Arizona State
6. Min- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
7. GS- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
8. NY- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
12. Char- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Earl Clark SF Louisville
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Sam Young F Pittsburgh
19. Atl- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Eric Maynor PG VCU
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. NY- Dejuan Summers F Georgetown
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
posted 6:57
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Tyreke Evans PG
5. Min- James Harden SG Arizona State
6. Min- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
7. GS- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
8. NY- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
12. Char- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Earl Clark SF Louisville
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Sam Young F Pittsburgh
19. Atl- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Eric Maynor PG VCU
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. NY- Dejuan Summers F Georgetown
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
Mock 3.1
Posted at 3:08 PM adjusted for recent changes
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
5. Min- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
6. Min- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
7. GS- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
8. NY- James Harden SG Arizona State
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Eric Maynor PG VCU
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. NY- Dejuan Summers F Georgetown
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
5. Min- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
6. Min- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
7. GS- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
8. NY- James Harden SG Arizona State
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Eric Maynor PG VCU
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. NY- Dejuan Summers F Georgetown
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
Mock 3.0
Posted at 11:10 AM
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
5. Min- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
6. Min- James Harden SG Arizona State
7. GS- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
8. NY- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Eric Maynor PG VCU
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. LAL- Patty Mills G St. Mary’s
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
Guys who I wouldnt mind seeing the Pistons take:
Ricky Rubio- I honestly would not mind if Joey D traded anyone on our roster to get Rubio. Well maybe not Stuckey, but after that, nobody. Rubio's flash, exuberance, and showmanship are something that we have not had in the d in a long time. The kid has unbelievable intangibles, he just gets it. He supposedly has the ability to think and see the floor multiple plays ahead. He has outstanding basketball IQ, and with all the shooters and athletes the Pistons have, I really think he could flourish. Wouldnt need him to be a scorer, just facilitate Stuckey, Rip, Tay and whoever else is left after the trade. All of this on top of the fact that having him on the roster would make a great draw when trying to attract the big name free agents that they will try to get next summer. I know its risky, but as the poet one wrote "scared money dont make none."
Also...
Austin Daye- Has the tools to be a superstar, still a few years away. Ironicly enough, so are the Pistons
Earl Clark- second coming of Lamar Odom. This one may try harder though
BJ Mullens- Pistons are going nowhere fast, why not take a chance on the former #1 recruit in the nation.
Ty Lawson- Would let Stuckey move back to the 2 guard. Road runner point guard could have a similar effect as Rubio.
Jeff Teague- Can flat out put the ball in the hoop. Never can have enough scorers
Jodie Meeks (2nd)
Toney Douglas (2nd)
Marcus Thornton (2nd)
Nando De Colo (2nd)
Guys I would not like to see the Pistons draft.....
Dejuan Blair- destined to be a Kendrick Perkins like overweight bust.
Omri Casspi- Dont need another guy to wait on while he chills in Europe.
Tyler Hansbrough- For obvious reasons.
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
5. Min- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
6. Min- James Harden SG Arizona State
7. GS- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
8. NY- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
9. Tor- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
10. Mil- DeMar Derozan SG USC
11. NJ- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- JRue Holiday G UCLA
14. Phx- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Ty Lawson PG UNC
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
20. Ut- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Por- Omri Casspi F Isreal
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Dal- Eric Maynor PG VCU
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- DeMarre Carroll F Missouri
28. Min- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
29. LAL- Patty Mills G St. Mary’s
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
Guys who I wouldnt mind seeing the Pistons take:
Ricky Rubio- I honestly would not mind if Joey D traded anyone on our roster to get Rubio. Well maybe not Stuckey, but after that, nobody. Rubio's flash, exuberance, and showmanship are something that we have not had in the d in a long time. The kid has unbelievable intangibles, he just gets it. He supposedly has the ability to think and see the floor multiple plays ahead. He has outstanding basketball IQ, and with all the shooters and athletes the Pistons have, I really think he could flourish. Wouldnt need him to be a scorer, just facilitate Stuckey, Rip, Tay and whoever else is left after the trade. All of this on top of the fact that having him on the roster would make a great draw when trying to attract the big name free agents that they will try to get next summer. I know its risky, but as the poet one wrote "scared money dont make none."
Also...
Austin Daye- Has the tools to be a superstar, still a few years away. Ironicly enough, so are the Pistons
Earl Clark- second coming of Lamar Odom. This one may try harder though
BJ Mullens- Pistons are going nowhere fast, why not take a chance on the former #1 recruit in the nation.
Ty Lawson- Would let Stuckey move back to the 2 guard. Road runner point guard could have a similar effect as Rubio.
Jeff Teague- Can flat out put the ball in the hoop. Never can have enough scorers
Jodie Meeks (2nd)
Toney Douglas (2nd)
Marcus Thornton (2nd)
Nando De Colo (2nd)
Guys I would not like to see the Pistons draft.....
Dejuan Blair- destined to be a Kendrick Perkins like overweight bust.
Omri Casspi- Dont need another guy to wait on while he chills in Europe.
Tyler Hansbrough- For obvious reasons.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Mock Draft 2.0
1. LAC- Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
5. Was- James Harden SG Arizona State
6. Min- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
7. GS- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
8. NY- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
9. Tor- JRue Holiday G UCLA
10. Mil- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
11. NJ- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
14. Phx- DeMar Derozan SG USC
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Eric Maynor PG VCU
20. Ut- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Dal- Marcus Thornton PG LSU
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Port- Omri Casspi F Isreal
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
28. Min- Victor Claver F Spain
29. LAL- Patty Mills G St. Mary’s
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
2. Mem- Hasheem Thabeet C UConn
3. OKC- Ricky Rubio PG Spain
4. Sac- Tyreke Evans PG Memphis
5. Was- James Harden SG Arizona State
6. Min- Stephen Curry PG Davidson
7. GS- Johnny Flynn PG Syracuse
8. NY- Jordan Hill PF Arizona
9. Tor- JRue Holiday G UCLA
10. Mil- Jeff Teague PG Wake Forest
11. NJ- Tyler Hansbrough PF UNC
12. Char- Terrence Williams SG Louisville
13. Ind- Brandon Jennings PG Italy
14. Phx- DeMar Derozan SG USC
15. Det- BJ Mullens Ohio State
16. Chi- DeJuan Blair PF Pittsburgh
17. Phi- Gerald Henderson SG Duke
18. Min- Earl Clark SF Louisville
19. Atl- Eric Maynor PG VCU
20. Ut- James Johnson SF Wake Forest
21. NO- Sam Young SF Pittsburgh
22. Dal- Marcus Thornton PG LSU
23. Sac- Austin Daye F Gonzaga
24. Port- Omri Casspi F Isreal
25. OKC- Chase Budinger G Arizona
26. Chi- Toney Douglass G Florida State
27. Mem- Jonas Jerebko G Sweden
28. Min- Victor Claver F Spain
29. LAL- Patty Mills G St. Mary’s
30. Cle- Taj Gibson F USC
Thursday, June 4, 2009
MLB After Two Months
Well... the first two months of the Major League Baseball regular season are in the books. There have been some surprises and some disappointments. So here are my takes on the first couple months.
Teams For Real
1. Detroit Tigers- Haha you knew it was coming. Cant say enough about Justin Verlander, he has been out of this world. The rotation ERA leads the AL and the bullpen, though weak, has held its own. The offense still is not nearly where it can be, and with Marcus Thames coming back, who knows, maybe theres the spark. I like this team to push their lead and end up winning the AL Central pretty easily.
2. New York Yankees- pitching is everything in baseball. I love their rotation and the bullpen is finding ways. With ARod and Tex driving the ball, the offense is clicking, and as always the Melk Man delivers.
3.LA Dodgers- They're keeping their heads above water without Manny, and the offense is gaining confidence by the day. Watch out when big man gets back. The rotation is filthy, and Clayton Kershaw is my quiet name to watch in the Cy Young race. Shh.
Pretenders
1. Toronto Blue Jays- pitching is everything in baseball. I believe that I mentioned that, but its worth being said again. Obviously Roy Halleday is the big boss, but are Scott Richmond and Purcey going to bring home the division? hah. Offense is nice tho. Not great, but nice.
2. Texas Rangers- If everyone stays healthy and they add an arm, I can see them making a push in the wretched AL West, but there is not enough punch in that offense to compensate for a staff like that. Like Millwood and Francisco, loathe everyone else.
3. Milwaukee Brewers- I just cant see all these pieces continuing to perform. Braun and Fielder are great, but losing Weeks is rough. Cameron and Counsell are not going to keep them in this tight race.
Teams That Are Down, but Will Make A Surge
1. Tampa Bay Rays- To this point in the season, they couldn't have caught any more bad breaks. They lose their middle infield, Kazmir is roughed up and Sonny has been garbage, yet somehow, they're only five back. Theres too much talent there not to finish right along the big boys again. I see them coming in third in the AL East, but finishing just out of the money.
2. Atlanta Braves- There a little ways back in the east, but there rotation is solid. Getting Nate McLouth is a nice step and as they bring up some of their talented kids, I see this team catching fire and making a wild card run. Chipper gives them that veteran presence thats been there before. I'm calling it right now, if the Braves acquire one more bat, they win the wild card.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks- What the heck happened here? This team was my preseason pick to win the division and a playoff series. They are 13.5 games out currently. Obviously that is a huge deficit to come back from, and as good as the Dodgers are, I doubt they'll give that up, but the DBacks will turn it into a race. I just know it. Getting Brandon Webb back will spark this team as they can turn to two aces on back to back days and know what they're getting. Scherzer has been a nice surprise and the bullpen has nowhere to go but up. If a couple of their bats turn it around, this could be a dangerous team.
Teams For Real
1. Detroit Tigers- Haha you knew it was coming. Cant say enough about Justin Verlander, he has been out of this world. The rotation ERA leads the AL and the bullpen, though weak, has held its own. The offense still is not nearly where it can be, and with Marcus Thames coming back, who knows, maybe theres the spark. I like this team to push their lead and end up winning the AL Central pretty easily.
2. New York Yankees- pitching is everything in baseball. I love their rotation and the bullpen is finding ways. With ARod and Tex driving the ball, the offense is clicking, and as always the Melk Man delivers.
3.LA Dodgers- They're keeping their heads above water without Manny, and the offense is gaining confidence by the day. Watch out when big man gets back. The rotation is filthy, and Clayton Kershaw is my quiet name to watch in the Cy Young race. Shh.
Pretenders
1. Toronto Blue Jays- pitching is everything in baseball. I believe that I mentioned that, but its worth being said again. Obviously Roy Halleday is the big boss, but are Scott Richmond and Purcey going to bring home the division? hah. Offense is nice tho. Not great, but nice.
2. Texas Rangers- If everyone stays healthy and they add an arm, I can see them making a push in the wretched AL West, but there is not enough punch in that offense to compensate for a staff like that. Like Millwood and Francisco, loathe everyone else.
3. Milwaukee Brewers- I just cant see all these pieces continuing to perform. Braun and Fielder are great, but losing Weeks is rough. Cameron and Counsell are not going to keep them in this tight race.
Teams That Are Down, but Will Make A Surge
1. Tampa Bay Rays- To this point in the season, they couldn't have caught any more bad breaks. They lose their middle infield, Kazmir is roughed up and Sonny has been garbage, yet somehow, they're only five back. Theres too much talent there not to finish right along the big boys again. I see them coming in third in the AL East, but finishing just out of the money.
2. Atlanta Braves- There a little ways back in the east, but there rotation is solid. Getting Nate McLouth is a nice step and as they bring up some of their talented kids, I see this team catching fire and making a wild card run. Chipper gives them that veteran presence thats been there before. I'm calling it right now, if the Braves acquire one more bat, they win the wild card.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks- What the heck happened here? This team was my preseason pick to win the division and a playoff series. They are 13.5 games out currently. Obviously that is a huge deficit to come back from, and as good as the Dodgers are, I doubt they'll give that up, but the DBacks will turn it into a race. I just know it. Getting Brandon Webb back will spark this team as they can turn to two aces on back to back days and know what they're getting. Scherzer has been a nice surprise and the bullpen has nowhere to go but up. If a couple of their bats turn it around, this could be a dangerous team.
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