Monthly Archives: September 2006

2006 Fantasy Football Review – Week 2

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How’d Ol’ Lucky do? 143 fantasy points… if you had these guys, the other drafters in your league suck, and you not only won this weeks game, but you’ll probably go undefeated!

QB: Peyton Manning against the Houston: “3 TD’s is almost a given.” As it turns out I was right. What I didn’t expect was 400 passing yards from Mr. Lazer Arm. His 400 and 3 TD’s were good for 28 points in my league.

RB: Shaun Alexander against the Cardinals: Shaun didn’t look like his dominant MVP self, but he did rush for 89 yards and a TD, good for 14 points.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson against the Titans: LT was out by the 4th quarter but that didn’t stop him from posting 122 total yards and 2 scores against the Titans. That performance rung up 24 fantasy points for me.

WR: Darrell Jackson against the Cardinals: 127 yards and a touchdown were good enough to be the 4th highest point scorer in my league, 18 big ones.

WR: Torry Holt against the 49ers: Torry only had 30 yards on his 5 catches, but one of them was for a score, giving me 9 points from the guy on an off day. Not bad.

TE: Antonio Gates against the Raiders: gates hasn’t proven to be a super fantasy stud yet, but his 55 yards gave me 5 points from the TE spot, not too shabby.

K: Jeff Wilkins against the Niners: Jeff didn’t rack up 21 fantasy points this week, but two 40-yarders and an extra point hooked me up with 9 fantasy points.

D: Baltimore Ravens against the Raiders: What do you know, the Ravens were the highest scoring defense in my league by 14 points over #2 Chicago. Their 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 6 sacks, 162 yards given up, and 6 points against hooked my up with 36 big ones, the highest scoring fantasy option in Week 2.

LUCKY’S Week 2 SLEEPERS

Phillip Rivers: This young kid is going to be a good one. He completed 25 of 35 for 235 yards and a score in a laugher against the Titans.

Tatum Bell: Mike Bell played as well, so Tatum only got 16 carries. He averaged 4.3 per carry and rushed for 69 yards, but no touchdowns so the fantasy points were limited.

Dominic Rhodes: Dominic might have a tough time holding the starting spot with the way Joseph Addai played this week in Houston. Rhodes wasn’t a complete waste though, he had 50 total yards and a touchdown.

Braylon Edwards: Braylon came out and showed some of his grand talent by taking 4 passes for over 100 yards. He’ll be something special some day.

Troy Williamson: Troy had a nice day against the Panthers, 102 receiving yards. He’s going to be a full-blown must start sooner rather than later. ??

Ben Watson: Only 39 yards for Benny… I’m expecting a lot more from this guy.

Jaguars DST: Can you say interceptions, sacks, and a big fat shutout of the Super Bowl Champs? Yeah, I’d say they were a nice pick here.

LUCKY’S Week 2 WUSSIES

Aaron Brooks: Negative points fantasy wise, injury, never to start again?

Edgerrin James: Though Edge produced 9 fantasy points, he still hasn’t ran like the Cards hoped he would. Most of his yards came late in the game when the Cardinals needed to be passing the ball. Maybe Dennis Green had Edge on his fantasy squad and he needed some points?

Randy Moss: 2 catches 32 yards…. Yeehaw!

LaMont Jordan: See above. LaMont didn’t have a fantasy impact. 19 carries for 35 yards, that’s 1.8 yards per rush, and 3 whole points.

2006 Fantasy Football Week 3 theRUNDOWN

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This Week’s Top Team: This is the best team I could put together for Week 3. We’ll see if I can top my season high of 143 points!

QB: Donovan McNabb against the San Francisco: Besides the obvious reality that the Eagles pass all the time and the 49ers are sub par in the secondary, I also have to take a look at Donovan’s performance against the 49ers last season. Hot Damn! He’s a must start!

RB: Steven Jackson against the Cardinals: Though Orlando Pace is likely to miss this weeks contest; I still like what Steven Jackson can do against Arizona with 25 carries. Ste-Jack won’t be touchdownless much longer.

RB: Warrick Dunn against the Saints: New Orleans isn’t a dominating defensive front, despite their solid numbers in the first two games. Watch as Warrick takes the pigskin for a ride, a long ride, a 160+ yard total ride. A touchdown from the normally score deprived Dunn isn’t out of the question against NO.

WR: Darrell Jackson against the New York Giants: The way McNabb threw all over the Giants secondary last week makes me think D-Jack will roll to a grand total against the Giants this week. Matt Hasselbeck is as accurate as they come, and with New York having to worry about new addition Deion Branch, Jackson should reap the benefits.

WR: Donte Stallworth against the 49ers: See Donovan pass, see Donte catch, see touchdowns scored, see Eagle blowout over the Niners. See Donte have over 100 yards and a score. See like 20-20 vision to you? Sure does here.

TE: L.J. Smith against the Niners: L.J. is supposed to play, and he is a main target for McNabb. Once again, the Eagles play the Niners. L.J. should have a nice day in SF.

K: Jeff Wilkins against the Cardinals: Lots of chances to score lots of points, and kick many a field goal against the Cardinals. That’s what Jeff’s agenda looks like for this Sunday’s game.

D: Baltimore Ravens against the Browns: Why not stick with what got me here? The Ravens are filthy, and the Browns are the bottom of the barrel type. I love Charlie Brown as much as the next guy, but he should have trouble against the league’s top defensive unit.

LUCKY’S Week 3 SLEEPERS

Jon Kitna: Green Bay can make any quarterback’s fantasy totals look like Peyton Manning’s. To test that hypothesis out, start Jon Kitna against the Packers on Sunday.

Laurence Maroney: It’s questionable if Corey Dillon will play Sunday, which never means good things for Corey. Even if Dillon does see time, Maroney will get plenty of chances to show why many think he’s the most talented back chosen from the ’06 Draft.

Correll Buckhalter: The Eagles play the Niners, and they should be dominating late. With Westbrook sore and fragile at the very least, Buckhalter will get chances to score points in San Francisco. Goal line and late game carries could make him a brilliant stop gap start for you LaDainian Tomlinson owners out there.

Matt Jones: With all they hype going Reggie Williams’ way, Matt Jones has had some beautiful catches. In 3rd down situations, Byron sends passes Jones’ way, and Matt always makes the most of the situation. This week should prove Matt’s worth, as he’ll definitely get some end-zone looks in what should be a reasonably high scoring affair in Indianapolis.

Lee Evans: Lee has once again gotten off to a slow start. Double teams are making it tough for Evans, but don’t be surprised if he gets loose this weekend against the Jets. New York isn’t very good, and Ty Law no longer roams New York’s secondary. Evans’ speed could kill the Jets in Week 3.

LUCKY’S Week 3 WUSSIES

Eli Manning: Eli will have troubles against the Seahawks. Julian Peterson is causing trauma in opposing backfields, while the Hawks secondary gets scarier by the week. The quick and smart linebackers in Seattle should pick off a couple Eli darts.

Reuben Droughns: Droughs gets a tough draw this week, as his Brownies get the privilage of playing the Ravens. Ha. And Droughns thinks he’s struggled thus far.

Mushin Muhammad: Unfortunately for Bears fans, Chicago doesn’t get to play teams like the Packers and Lions every single week. Yeah, they play those teams for 25% of the schedule, but this week they’ll actually play a real life football team. Don’t expect Rexxy to toss the ball around freely like he has in the first 2 contests. Muhammad and the rest of the Bears pass catchers will struggle.

Plaxico Burress: As Eli goes, so does the Plax. Kelly Herndon matches up well with Burress, and that’s that. Expect Michael Boulware and Ken Hamlin to unload on Burress if he tries to test the middle of the field. Those guys aren’t comedians.

Week 3 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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The BYU Cougars took the Eagles into overtime, but Boston College came up big for me by scoring a touchdown in the tiebreaker and denying the Cougars on 4 downs. I have to admit this was a crazy one, but a win is a win.

Troy played tight with the Jackets, and a 4th quarter touchdown eliminated the 17 point spread, giving me my 1st loss on the week. GT won the game, but as you well know, winning isn’t everything. Not with spreads anyway.

Not only did Miami of Ohio struggle with the Golden Flashes, but they just flat out lost. It’s tough when you’re going for an 11 point win and your team crumbles. Now that’s the beauty of college football. However, 1-2 isn’t so lovely.

I must have been drunk when I took the Hurricanes. This isn’t THE U like it usually is, this is the “We get our asses pasted by Louisville without their best player” Hurricane team. I should have known better. Getting stuck in the past gets you to 1-3… Well, that’s where it got me.

Oklahoma got beat by Oregon by a point. As you well know, this is one of those cases where winning isn’t everything. I won taking Oklahoma, while they actually lost. Crazy. What’s really amazing is, they lost despite 150 4th quarter yards by Adrian Peterson.

Boise State and Wyoming pushed. That’s all the details you get on that one.

Washington upset the Fresno State Bulldogs in a game that absolutely made me feel like I haven’t a clue. We’ll see if I can pull my ass out of the gutter next week, but this loss felt like burning. 2-4… Icky.

Arizona State stomped Colorado. Duh. They didn’t look super impressive, but they didn’t have to. They took down the Buffaloes 20-3. They took me to 3-4.

Notre Dame sucked Chef’s “Chocolate Salty Balls” and I paid the price. I can’t figure out the Irish. Barely beat Georgia Tech, killed Penn State, and got absolutely mauled by the Wolverines. So, I won’t be taking any more Irish games. See what they did? See? Forget them!

My 4th win came by way of a Clemson win over the Seminoles of Florida State. So let me get this right… Florida State and Miami both loss on Saturday? Oh yeah…. It fells so good, like that one time in the Home-Ec room with that one girl after school. She made delicious apple pie. It felt so good in my belly.

The Auburn Tigers barely covered the 3 point spread over LSU, but barely shmarely, that’s what I always say. This was a big hitting, smack you in the mouth, my defense is better than your offense, one touchdown wins, type of game. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Even more so after it brought me to .500. 5-5.

Nebraska covered the spread by a single point, so I’ll just write this one off as luck. They were never in it, and it didn’t seem like they had a chance after half time. But, the Husker defense fought tough, and limited the Trojans just enough for my 6th win.

To complete the .500 week in gambling, Florida beat the Tennessee Vols in Tennessee, but not by the 3 points I needed to finish week at 7-5. Florida should move up to #2 or #3 in Monday’s polls. I need to start moving up as well. But after such a slow start, it was nice to ride my way back into a tie for the week. Week is on the way!

I Know What the Truth Is…

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“I Know What the Truth Is…”

You’ve got to feel for Reggie Bush. He’s the most popular rookie in the NFL since I can remember first seeing a football. He’s making the Texans look like a gaggle of idiots for passing him up with the 1st pick in the NFL Draft, and every football fan in the world loves to watch him run. And then there’s that other thing. Bush’s family has been reported in receiving $100,000 in benefits while Reggie played at USC. Besides the fact that Reggie denies it all, and his assurance that he “Knows what the truth is,” USC might have to forfeit all or portions of the 30 million bucks it earned during their National Championship runs, and Reggie could lose his Heisman Trophy. On the other hand, he won’t have to give back his record signing bonus, his yearly salary, or his millions in endorsements. Like I said, you’ve go to feel for the guy. By the way, I trust that Reggie didn’t get any cash like I trust Barry Bonds’ use of Red Bull as a pick me up to hit 73 HRs.

Last night in baseball, Greg Maddux took a no-hitter into the 7th inning, but allowed a hit after one out. That brought up an unknown fact to me. Neither Roger Clemens. nor Greg Maddux have ever thrown a no-no. Two pitchers known for their decade of dominance, and not one no=no. If that doesn’t put how special that feat is into perspective, I don’t know what does.
Sticking with baseball, it will really surprise me if the White Sox make the playoffs. Yeah, I know everyone else in the universe is just sitting and waiting for the Sox to take back the AL Central, but lets say it how it is. The Twins and Tigers are just better than the World Champs. The pitching in Chicago just isn’t what it used to be.
The Twins, A’s, Yankees, and Tigers should make for one hell of an AL Playoff Tournament.
As for the NL, you guess is as good as mine, but since I write this article, and you read it, this is what I think is going to happen. The Marlins will probably find their way into the wild card, while the Mets, Dodgers, and Cardinals will finish off the playoff invites. If this does happen, I don’t know who would be the favorite. The Young Marlins definitely take the title for the hottest, but if Pedro comes back to the Mets starting rotation, I’ll pick them to make the World Series.

Week 3 in College Football should be amazing on Saturday. Tennessee and Florida, Notre Dame and Michigan, LSU and Auburn, Nebraska and USC, Oklahoma and Oregon, and Louisville vs. Miami among others. Its always hard to say, but at the end of the year, you’ll be able to look back at Week 3 to see when and where BCS Bowl teams began their respective runs.
Of all the games this weekend, I love the LSU @ Auburn game most of all. LSU’s defense could be the best group in the Nation. Auburns offensive line, and running back, Kenny Irons, could very well be the best rushing group in all the land. What a great showdown in Auburn. Naturally, I’ll be taking the home team in this battle.

This weekend I’m quite excited about a few key NFL Match-ups that should give a little insight into how the rest of the season should play out.
Whichever team wins between the Broncos and the Chiefs should get on track and have a nice season. If the Chiefs get close without Trent Green, they might be able to salvage their season if Green comes back soon. However, if the Broncos lose to Kansas City, with Damon Huard at quarterback, I’m all but writing them off.
The Steelers and the Jaguars rectangle off on Monday. The thing is, I expect the Jags to take this Monday Night showdown. That being said, Big Ben is expected to start in this one. He should be relatively rusty, and although the Jags lost Hayward for the season, they still have a stout defense that should cause trouble for the Steel show. The thing that interests me is, if Ben struggles, will their be big enough idiots out there to actually suggest Bill Cowher give the signal caller duties back to Charlie Batch? My guess, Joe Theismann will make my hopes come true.
I also can’t wait to see how the NFC East rumbles go down. The Eagles host the Giants while the Cowboys and Redskins go at it in Big D. While everyone’s favorites were the Cowboys and Giants, it would fit right in with my plan if both teams failed to record their first W in Week 2 while my NFC East Favorite (Eagles) won their second straight.
Another battle that interests me is the new look Cardinals versus Deion Branch and the Seahawks. I expect the Hawks to put the Cards in their place, but you never can tell. Offensively, the weapons in Arizona could bring this NFC West game down to the wire.

For now, I’ll leave you with a nice little tidbit from my favorite sports announcer. When you’re trying to find the easiest way to do something, just remember, “The road to Easy Street goes through the Sewer.” So, obviously, head right for the piss tunnel.
T-R-OUT!

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 2

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I’m not happy to the point of drunken parties, strippers, and huffing easy cheese, but it’s nice to be a Week 1 winner. 9-6-1 isn’t the best record in the game, it won’t get me to the playoffs, but it will make me some cash. With my extra cake, I bought Yani’s Greatest Hits, sat down at my Mac and took a little extra time to study this weeks’ games. After much thinking, a headache, and a smashed CD, I’m done. If this week turns out a big winner, I’m headed back to the classical section for some Yo-Yo Ma. This is how the story goes…Buffalo Bills (+8) at Miami Dolphins 1:00 p.m. – Last season… (Famous last words) The Bills took down the Dolphins 20-14, and then lost 23-24 at Miami. In those two games, the Bills played very well. This season, Buffalo is much improved, while the Dolphins struggled in Week 1’s opener against Pittsburgh. I’m not saying the Dolphins will fall to 0-2, I’m just not willing to say the Bills will lose by more than a touchdown.

Carolina Panthers (-2) at Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m. -?The Panthers struggled in their opener, but with Steve Smith back in the fray, and the fact that many are writing off the Panthers after just a week, should mean the Panthers get a much needed win in Minnesota this week. The Vikings are coming off a win, but they aren’t on the same level as Carolina. A close victory here should catapult the Panther hopes.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (-10) 1:00 p.m. -?The Browns looked bad against one of the leagues’ worst defenses. The Bengals defense was stout against Larry Johnson and the Chiefs. Things don’t always equal out, but those two factors should make for a Bengal domination game. Carson Palmer will open up this week, and that shouldn’t help the Browns’ cause. After many people worrying the Bengals would tumble out of the gates, 2-0 looks like a sure thing.

Detroit Lions (+9.5) at Chicago Bears 1:00 p.m. -?Those pesky Lions almost sank the Seahawks ship last week in Detroit, but points were tough to come by, and they lost by a field goal. This week, another loss via field goal is on the horizon. The Lions’ defense is too tough to yield many scores to the Bears, while the Bears defense is good enough to keep the Lions point total low as well. A lion win isn’t out of the question, but a Bears killing is, so take the points and roar with the Lions. Last year, Ten of the Bears 16 regular season games were decided by 10 points or less.

Houston Texans (+14) at Indianapolis Colts 1:00 p.m. – Though this is tough for me, I’m taking Houston. The Texans played a plethora of close games last season, and this season shouldn’t be any different. Their defense is improving, and their offense will click more and more as the season goes on. The Texans aren’t a popular choice here, but 14 points is too many. Ten of the Texans 2005 games were decided by 14 points or less, and both games against the Colts were closer than the final score indicated. Without a running back like Edge to control the clock, I think the Colts will play more close games this season.

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (+2.5) 1:00 p.m. – Once again, the Packers aren’t the sexy choice in this one, but I have a feeling they might just pull it out. New Orleans is anything but strong on either side of the ball, and the Packer D is much better than people think. At home in what all but promises to be his last season opener, Brett will likely show the world why he’s going to the Hall of Fame. The Saints won’t pressure Brett like Chicago did, so he’ll have time to use that cannon of his. Don’t bet the barn, but I predict a Packer win.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5)1:00 p.m. -?The Giants played tough against the Colts, but they couldn’t pull it out. That’s too bad, because a loss to the powerful Eagles in Philly would take the Giants to 0-2. The Eagles should play better defense with more on the line this week, while Eli Manning will be pressured by Philly’s D. The Eagles are the class of the NFC East. They’ll back that up in Week 2.

Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens (-7) 1:00 p.m. -?The Ravens are giving more and more points as the day moves forward. There’s still a couple big sites selling Baltimore at (-7) but time is running out, so make your move fast. Even at (-10 or -11) I think the Ravens are the best bet here. Unless the Raiders are going up against the Stanford Cardinal I wouldn’t take them (+7) ever again. Poor play calling, dropped balls, and inferior talent should be three main factors in another blowout of the Raiders.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) at Atlanta Falcons 1:00 p.m. – The Buc starts here. After getting blasted by the Ravens, the Bucs will put up a better fight against Mike Vick and the Falcons. Nearly half of Atlanta’s games last season were decided by 7 points or less. Tampa took down Atlanta twice last season, both times by a field goal. Cadillac Williams will find more room to run in Atlanta, while the Falcon running game will slow down against Gruden’s Buccaneer front. Take the Bucs and all those points.

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (-6.5) 4:05 p.m. -?The Hawks didn’t show much last week in Detroit, but they did get the victory. This week, the Hawks should get back on track against a Cardinal sieved. Frank Gore ran all over Arizona, and Alex Smith threw for 288 yards. What will the Hawks do? Well, last season in two games against Dennis Green’s Cards, Seattle scored 70 points while only allowing 31. Arizona may be improved, but sliding by the Niners doesn’t impress me. A little boost from the addition of Deion Branch should start the engines in Seattle.

St. Louis Rams (-3) at San Francisco 49ers 4:05 p.m. -?The Rams are better than the 49ers. St. Louis’ win over the Broncos wasn’t a fluke. Their new smash mouth running game, and their sack happy defense should run Alex Smith for a loop. Frank Gore should stay on track for San-Fran, but Marc Bulger will find room in the Niner secondary, and St. Louey should easily elude the 49ers on way to their 2nd win of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs (+11) at Denver Broncos 4:15 p.m. – What did the Broncos do to become an 11 point favorite? Nothing, that’s what. Sure, the Chiefs lost their starting QB, and Damon Huard isn’t necessarily a top tier back up. On the other hand, if the Rams showed us anything about the Broncos, it’s that you can smash mouth a running game right into their teeth and put up enough points to win. I’d say Larry Johnson is a bit of a smash mouth guy. Don’t be surprised if the Broncos start the season 0-2 for the first time in more than 5 years.

New England Patriots (+5.5) at N.Y. Jets 4:15 p.m. -?The Jets beat the Titans, but then again, the Titans are bad. New England isn’t bad, and though they aren’t the powerhouse they once were, they’ll easily dismantle a Jets team that has no running game to speak of. New England, I’m sorry to say, should be 2-0 after the first two weeks of the NFL season. Chad Pennington won’t be throwing for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns this week.

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (-10.5) 4:15 p.m. -The Chargers should open up the passing game this week in San Diego. Last week Chad Pennington of all people, threw for 300 yards and a couple scores as the Jets got a victory. The Jets… San Diego’s defense destroyed the Raiders, which isn’t saying much, but it’s not a stretch to think they’ll have zip-ties on the New York attack. 10.5 is a ton of points, but I can’t take the Titans. In fact, if Tennessee scores more than a touchdown and a field goal in San Diego I’ll fly to Tennessee next week and give Coach Fischer a hand shake.

Washington Redskins (+6) at Dallas Cowboys 8:15 p.m. -?The Redskins lost to a Minnesota team that’s better than people think, and the Cowboys were beaten pretty handily by a Jaguar team that is always underrated. This week should be a hell of a game in Dallas. After signing TO in the off-season, you can bet your balls that there was no way Dallas thought they’d have two losses as soon as Week 2. But look out Jerry Jones, the time is a comin’. Ten of Dallas’ 2005 games were decided by less than 7 points, and they were 0-2 against Washington, including a 35-7 loss when their playoff lives were on the line. Down with Dallas! Yeehaw! It’ll be sad if Drew gets pulled in this game, it’ll be hard to make fun of him if he’s on the bench… Wait, no it won’t.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (+1) 8:30 p.m. – Hello world! The Jaguars are a very good team. The Steelers might be without Big Ben again, and even if he’s back, are the Steelers really good enough to be favored in Jacksonville. If you’re struggling with that one, the answer is no freaking way, Mr. Lester. Byron Leftwich showed the NFL that without Jimmy Smith doesn’t mean without receiving weapons. Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, and Earnest Wilford are three good options small little corners will struggle with throughout the season. Fred Taylor is running with vision and speed, and the Jags might be the team to beat this season. I’ll take the Jags as an underdog at home against any team in the league.

San Antonio Holmes? Are you kidding me Joe?

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Apparently Big Benâ€TMs tummy tuck is getting better and his chances to play this Monday night are improving by the day. To stick with Steeler news, it was brought to my attention that Joe Theismann decided he was going to rename Santonio Holmes, the WR from the Steelers, to San Antonio Holmes… What a dick-weed.
I was watching the last game of Week 1, Chargers and Raiders, and I have to say I donâ€TMt blame any of the Raiders for their less than stellar performance. Aaron Brooks got sacked 7 times, and Iâ€TMd say maybe 2 were his fault. I donâ€TMt know who the offensive coordinator in Oakland is, nor do I care, but that guy is an idiot. My lady knows you donâ€TMt call plays with 7 step drops when your offensive linemen canâ€TMt block the opposing pass rushers for more than 2 seconds. Short drops, quick slants, screens, quick flys; those are things you call in the situation where an NFL team is playing a college O-line, which is basically the case in Oakland. Planning a date with Merriman and Brooks 7 steps off the line isn’t a way to score points.
Why in the hell did Steve Foley get shot 3 times? How is that justified? I hear, when hunting, sometimes you have to shoot a bear 3 or 4 times to really put him down. But tell me why a trained police officer canâ€TMt just aim for a nice debilitating spot and send Mr. Foley down with one blow? I canâ€TMt imagine the police down in San Diego are going to end up looking good in this one.
Some players who really impressed me this week; Frank Gore, Chad Pennington, LaDainian Tomlinson, Steve Smith, and the receiving trio in Jacksonville.
Frank the Tank is exactly that, a tank. His two scoring plunges were dynamic, even at their relatively short distance. On his 2 yard TD run, he must have broken 3 or 4 tackles. If he can stay healthy, heâ€TMll be a Top 5 back this season. LT has the quickest cuts and most explosion of any RB in football. He gets through the hole in a blur. I donâ€TMt think thereâ€TMs an offensive player that is more impressive to watch than LT. However, on the Charger defense, Shawne Merriman might be the most impressive player in the league.
Steve Smith impressed me with his absence. In his off week, Smith showed why heâ€TMs so important. As soon as Steve comes back, expect to see the Super Bowl bound Panthers that everyone was talking about before they got hammered by Atlanta. The Young Jacksonville trio will be just fine without Jimmy Smith this season. At any given time, they can put 3 guys in the 6-4 to 6-5 range with athletic explosion on the field. That means, one guy will have 1 on 1 coverage, and Byron can just toss it up expecting a nice gain.
Chad looks like the accurate precision passer of old. He did play Tennessee, but at least it looks like heâ€TMll give the Jets a chance to win a handful of games this season. The same canâ€TMt be said of Brett Favre, Aaron Brooks, Kerry Collins, and Drew Bledsoe.
Speaking of Drew “The Fat 7th Grader” Bledsoe, boy did he look like a pile of dump. Its unlikely that weâ€TMll see Tony Romo this week, but if Drew struggles again, have we seen the last of the frumpy gun slinger? I sure hope not… Who would I hate? I guess I could just move to Bill Parcells.
I leave you with my favorite quote of the week. When asked about Kellen Winslow’s claim that Brown’s corner, Leigh Bodden, would shut him down on Sunday, Mr. Chad Johnson said, “It’s humanly impossible to stop No. 85.” YEP! Until another day, goodbye for now!

Free 2006 NCAA Football Picks Week 3

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After Week 2 blew me out of the water, I’m stuck floating on a small raft at 10-11 on the season. This week I plan on sending up a flare, and see if I can’t get rescued by at least 8 wins in Week 3. My tactics are really quite simple this week; I plan and picking the winner against the spread. I know, I know, I try to do that every week, but I figured if I could break it down a little bit, my picks might figure it out. Take a gander at my quest to return a winner. 13 games for your ogling pleasure.

BYU Cougars @ Boston College Eagles (-6): In this same match up last season in Utah, BC broke down Cougar offense and allowed just a field goal. This season could show much of the same. The normally high powered BYU attack appears to get shut down by disciplined and athletic defenses. BC has one of those, despite their early season trouble. The Eagles should easily up end the Eagles by a score or two.

Troy Trojans @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (-17): “Getting too much love for their close loss to FSU, the Trojans are,” says Master Yoda. Georgia Tech’s solid play against the Fighting Irish wasn’t a fluke, they should easily push past the Trojans’ defense, and all but eliminate Troy’s offensive assault. Calvin Johnson is the most dominant receiver in college football. He’ll show Trojan defenders what its like to play against NFL talent. GT should win easily at home.

Miami of Ohio Redhawks (-10.5) @ Kent State Golden Flashes: Miami has a nice little program up their in Ohio. Losses to Northwestern and Purdue shouldn’t weigh on the Redhawks’ shoulders. Two tough opponents to start the season can only help the Redhawks dominate a far inferior Golden Flashes team. Senior Ryne Robinson will have a huge game taking the flashes to the house a couple of times. Miami (Ohio) will dominate in a landslide.

Miami Hurricanes (+4.5) @ Louisville Cardinals: Michael Bush’s departure hasn’t hurt the Cardinals yet, but yet is now, not Saturday. I expect after Saturday the Cards will be missing the most powerful back in all of college football. Miami hasn’t played well this year, and they might not be the Miami of old, but as an underdog against the Cardinals, I have to take The U! Here’s to hoping they lose, while betting them to win. Cheers!

Oklahoma Sooners (+5) @ Oregon Ducks: The Sooners should take down the Ducks. Oregon plays in the Pac-10, which doesn’t bode well for their level of play. The Sooners haven’t impressed me much this season, but great players step up for big games, and Adrian Peterson is a great player. Oklahoma has to step up in this one. With 5 points to play with, the Sooners are the safest bet in this one.

Boise State Broncos (-7) @ Wyoming Cowboys: Wyoming isn’t a good team, and the Broncos are as good this year as they were expected to be last year. A 42-14 win over Oregon State isn’t the most impressive thing a team could do, but it sure shows the Broncos are ready to slap the Cowboys around. Sophomore rusher Ian Johnson 329 yards and 7 touchdowns in the first two weeks.

Fresno State Bulldogs (-3.5) @ Washington Huskies: This isn’t a tough game to pick. The Huskies aren’t a good football team, while the Bulldogs are. So, I’ll take the Bulldogs. I’d take Fresno -10, hell, I’d take them by 2 touchdowns. Washington will win a few this year, but not this one.

Arizona State (-9.5) @ Colorado: Last years’ starting quarterback, Sam Keller, recently transferred, so there is no question the job belongs to Super Sophomore, Rudy Carpenter. The chants of “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy” won’t come from the Colorado fans, but if you listen close you’ll be able to hear it all the way from Arizona. Its my personal experience that, when a kid finally gets to play without looking over his back, he plays better than ever. I expect this game to be a blowout in the 42-14 mold.

Game(S) of the Week
– So many good games means more games of the week.

Michigan Wolverines @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-5.5): After giving up on the Irish after a tough game on the road against Georgia Tech, I’m hopping back on the ND bus. Michigan has a nice team, but the Irish are too tough at home, and too talented on offense for the Wolverines. I put the Wolverines in the same category as Penn State. You all saw that game last week right? Chad Henne hasn’t impressed me for quite some time, but if he can play up to his promise, he’ll give the Wolverines a chance. Still, 6 points should be easy for the Irish to cover.

LSU Fighting Tigers @ Auburn Tigers (-3): It’s hard to believe a team with Fighting Tigers representing them wouldn’t be as good as a team with just regular, plain old, normal Tigers as their mascot. But this time, that is the case. Auburn has a better running game, and a better defense. Solid play in every aspect of the game will give Auburn a slight edge, and playing at home should help them win by 10.

Clemson Tigers (+5) @ Florida State Seminoles: I’ve got to go with the younger Bowden in this one. Clemson let me down in Week 2, with a loss to the BC Eagles. But this week, the younger Bowden will outsmart his Pops, and Clemson will take home the title. FSU’s win over Miami impressed a few people, but their near loss to the Troy Trojans pulled the bandwagon over and gave its driver a fat citation. Which Seminole team will show on Saturday? It doesn’t matter, Clemson will take it regardless.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (+19) @ USC Trojans: I don’t know if the Trojans are good enough defensively to dominate any decent team in college football. A 19 point spread makes me think domination, and I don’t think the Cornhuskers are a pushover. This isn’t your daddy’s Nebraska squad, they won’t run the option at you all day long, however they will throw the ball around and try to make big plays defensively. I like the Huskers to disrupt the USC O-line, causing some breakdowns in protection in what should be a close contest.

Florida Gators (-3) @ Tennessee Volunteers: I loved the Vols for their Week 1 trouncing of the Cal Bears, but this week should be too much for Tennessee to handle. The Gators are athletic, speedy, and strong defensively. Their offense is beginning to run with flawless precision, and honestly, the Vols just can’t compete with that. Tennessee’s luck will let them down in Week 3.

Free Football Picks – Week 1 Review – 2006

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After a trying start to the NFL season, 0-4 in my first four, I made a 9-2-1 run to finish my opening week in a 9-6-1 fashion. Take a glance at my nfl week 1 Review to see where I tumbled and how I stormed back to take the title. I underlined my winners and italicized my losers.

Miami (+4) at Pittsburgh: Nothing like Charlie Batch picking up the slack and slapping me in the face with my first loss in as many chances. After this opener, I was very worried about my weekend to come!

Atlanta at Carolina (-4.5): As it seems, the Panthers don’t know how to play without Steve Smith on the field. It also seems that the Atlanta Falcons have a better defense that I originally thought, but will their offense score enough to get them into the playoffs? That is yet to be determined.

New Orleans at Cleveland (-2.5): The Saints put 11 people in the box and dared Cleveland to try and run on them. The Browns did try, but as the Saints expected, Browns’ running back, Reuben Droughns didn’t succeed. A close game in the end, the Saints pulled it off, bringing me to 0-3.

Seattle (-3.5) at Detroit: This game broke my balls. Seattle looked like they were playing to prove the sports-books correct. Damn them all to hell. I don’t expect the Hawks to play this poorly again all year long. As for the Lions, I think they’ll push the Bears and Vikings in the NFC North. My 4th loss in a row sent a sharp pain into my coccyx!

Philadelphia (-3.5) at Houston: “I think the Eagles will compete for the NFC crown,” sounded better and better as the NFL week moved forward. The Boys lost to the Jaguars, the Redskins were had by the Vikings, and the Giants lost at home to Indy. On the other hand, Philly has 1 victory and already has a game on their division. McNabb looked accurate and confident. Watch out for the Eagles. My first win!

Cincinnati (+4.5) at Kansas City: The Bengals proved me right as they showed to be better at every turn. I’m worried about the Chiefs, especially with their leader, Trent Green, on the mend. The Bengals looked great, and they should compete for the AFC’s bid in the Super Bowl.

Buffalo (+9.5) at New England: “Tom Brady and crew should pull this game out, but don’t expect a final spread of more than a touchdown – an upset here wouldn’t surprise me.” The Bills looked like they were going to pull it out, until their defensive leader, Takeo Spikes, went down. I won any way, but after every handicapper and their mother took the Pats, it would have been sweet to see the Buff run the full upset. My 3rd win felt good!

Denver (-3) at St. Louis: “I really wanted to take the Rams in this one, but the numbers say Denver gets the nod.” – Damn numbers! Following numbers is ridiculous. Instinct Lucky! Instinct. Ignore inner dialogue. Turnovers, a coach that resembles Splinter, and a smash mouth running game from the Rams killed the Broncos. Down to 3-5.

Baltimore (+3.5) at Tampa Bay: This game really surprised me. Not because of how good the Ravens looked, I kind of expected Baltimore to be a playoff contender this season, but because of how bad the Bucs played. Chris Simms was bad, and their running game stunk it up. Win #4 was easy breezy lemon squeezy!

Jets (+3) at Tennessee: Tennessee is going to struggle week in and week out, but the Jets could do better than I first predicted. Chad Pennington looks to have his accuracy back, and Laveraneus Coles will take advantage. If the Jets can get more production from their RB spot, they could finish with 6-8 wins. The Jets pulled me to .500 on the week.

San Francisco at Arizona (-7) PUSH: The freakin’ 49ers decided to go for a field goal with 38 seconds left, and that pushed me over the cliff. A tie here was tough, but what can you do?

Chicago (-3) at Green Bay: “It’s insane to think the Packers even stand a chance in this game.” Apparently, they didn’t. Dominated in every aspect of a game, the Packers looked like the worst team in football, until the Raiders played Monday Night of course.

Dallas at Jacksonville (-2): The Jags took down the Mighty Cowboys, and suddenly the “Hot Pick” to take the NFC has a “Quarterback Controversy.” How sweet it is to hate the Cowboys! Those tough Jags took me to 7-5-1.

Indianapolis (-3) at N.Y. Giants: This game was much closer than I thought it’d be. Peyton played alright, just good enough to cover the spread and send his younger brother to 0-1 on the season. Both of these teams should make a playoff run. My 8th win came from Week 1’s best game.

Minnesota at Washington (-4): I don’t know which evil devil on my shoulder I was listening to on this one. I know I don’t think the Skins are as good as everyone pretends, and the Vikings will push the Bears in the North. Those two things should have sent me the Vikings direction, but as it is, I was 8-6-1 going into the week’s final contest.

San Diego (-2.5) at Oakland: “Closing week 1 with a burst, SD should roll the Raiders.” Weird, would you say the Chargers rolled or the Raiders turned into shit and then hit the fan? Either option works for me, as I turned a tough start around to finish 9-6-1 in Week 1. I like my chances for improving this ship next week!

2006 Fantasy Football Review – Week 1

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Week 1 had a couple surprises for Ol’ Lucky Lester. I thought for sure, Larry Johnson and Randy Moss were set for big weeks, and although Larry didn’t put up a goose egg, (140+ combined yards) Randy couldn’t get much going in Oakland. As for my best starting team I could muster, here’s how they turned out….

Carson Palmer put skid marks in his panties with a 123 yard 1 fumble performance for 3 Fantasy Points… Icky!

Larry had 140+ yards, for 14 fantasy points, and although it wasn’t as much as I had hoped, I’ll take it.

LaDainian came out of the gates on fire, slowed down for a bit, but ended the game with 131 rushing yards, 18 receiving yards, and 1 TD for 20 fantasy points. Just over his average

Anquan Boldin had 4 catches for 62 yards and a TD…. 12 fantasy points in my league.

Randy Moss had 40 yards, which out numbered any player on his team with 4 fantasy points.

Antonio Gates had 20+ yards and a touchdown for 8 fantasy points.

Jeff Wilkins was a baller, kicking 6 field goals on way to becoming this years’ top fantasy kicker in the league. Can you say 21 fantasy points in my league? Championship!

The Bears scored 26 points in my fantasy league, second only to the Chargers and the Ravens.

Total Score: 108 – Next week better be better be better be….!

As for my sleepers…

Frank Gore straight blew up the show, 87 rushing yards, 83 receiving yards, and 2 rushing scores. He’s the freaking man. He had 26 fantasy points.

Matt Jones had a nice game for the Jaguars.

The Eagles had a nice game, 5 sacks and gave up only 10 points to Houston.

Ben Watson had 50 yards, but dropped a couple passes that could have made him a very nice option. Still 50 yards for a TE wasn’t bad.

Rivers, Droughns, and Burleson were poor options. What can ya do?

My wussies came through in fine fashion…

Actually Julius Jones had a nice fantasy game and Hines Ward had 50 yards and a touchdown for 11 points, so he didn’t do too bad either.

As for Brett…. YIKES! And Joey Galloway didn’t record a catch in the entire game against Baltimore, so thank me for telling you not to start him!

Check out next weeks fantasy studs and sleepers later in the WEEK!

2006 Fantasy Football Week 2 theRUNDOWN

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This Week’s Top Team: This is the best team I could put together for Week 2

QB: Peyton Manning against the Houston: Until houston can prove they can stop any passing attack in the NFL I’m going to take the quarterback opposing them every single week I do this thing. Mark a little “Especially” next to this week, because that man is Peyton manning. 3 TD’s is almost a given.

RB: Shaun Alexander against the Cardinals: The Cards couldn’t stop Louie in his highchair. For those of you who don’t watch The Family Guy, Arizona couldn’t stop San Francisco. Frank Gore’s a good back, but Alexander is a league MVP, and he should make up for his poor effort against the Lions in Week 1.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson against the Titans: Sure the Titans limited the Jets running game, but there isn’t a guy on the Jets with LT’s explosion. After Marty ran the ball twice as much as he threw it last week against Oakland, I suspect LT will cut, slash, and bull his way to a 150+ yard 2 TD day against Tennessee.

WR: Darrell Jackson against the Cardinals: Matt Hasselbeck was 25-30 passing last weekend against the Lions. The Cardinals gave up 288 yards and a touchdown to Alex freaking Smith and his hopeless Niners in Week 1. I’m not a LEGO genius or anything, but I can hook the green block to the red block any day of the week. D-Jack should blow up the spot against ‘Zona. ??

WR: Torry Holt against the 49ers: Torry continues to show his superb route running and elite hands. The Rams don’t throw like they used to, but Torry is always open. Expect Larry Fitzgerald against the Niners type numbers, but add a touchdown or two.

TE: Antonio Gates against the Raiders (and anyone for that matter): Rivers showed he’s an accurate ball thrower last week in Oakland, and the Titans gave up 300 yards to Chad Pennington. Don’t expect Phillip to run those type of numbers across the board, but the numbers he does put up should find the statline of Mr. Gates.

K: Jeff Wilkins against the Niners: Last week I told you Wilkins will be this years’ Neil Rackers… How am I looking thus far? I might as well ride this horse into the ground, especially against a 49ers team that likes to give up yards and points.

D: Baltimore Ravens against the Raiders: This is the biggest gimmie all weak long. The Ravens will absolutely chew up and swallow whomever the unlucky soul is Oakland starts at quarterback. To be a Raven against that offensive line is a wonderful thing. ?
LUCKY’S Week 2 SLEEPERS
Phillip Rivers: For the second week in a row, I’m taking my young whipper snapper from San Diego. After seeing last weeks game in Oakland, you can bet the Titans will put all their marbles in stopping the run. If anything, Rivers showed he can complete passes (8-11). If the Titans showed something it was that they could give up 300 yards to any team with 11 players on offense. Puttin’ 2 and 2 together again, call me crazy.

Tatum Bell: Rudi Johnson had a couple scores against the Chieftains last week in Kansas City. This week in Denver, look for Tatum Bell to take full advantage of his opportunity to get most of the carries with Mike Bell’s paw wounded a bit. 100 yards and a touchdown or two seems about right.

Dominic Rhodes: My boy Dominic plays the Houston, trying real hard to stop Peyton Manning, Texans on Sunday. If there will ever be a time for Dominic Rhodes to step up and put up some nice stats it will be this week in Houston. I like his chances to gain 100 yards and log a touchdown carry.

Braylon Edwards: This kid has all the tools, and talent in the world. With Cincinnati almost surely taking it to the Brownies, Charlie Brown will have to throw the rock. His favorite target is the young kid from Michigan. If you’ve got him, play him, see what he can do.

Troy Williamson: Many will steer clear from starting Troy against the Panthers strong defense, but don’t be so quick to sit the young buck. Williamson dropped a couple (three) balls last week in the Vikings win over the Redskins, but he was open early and often. Troy has speed to dominate just about any corner on the field, and if the Vikings want a chance to win, they’ll have to get Troy behind the defense.

Ben Watson: Benny Watson only had 50 yards last week, but he’s the best receiving option the Pats have. He’ll get more chances to prove his worth this week in New York.

Jaguars DST: If Ben does play, the Jags will get to play against a guy coming off a motorcycle injury and a tummy tuck. If he doesn’t play they get Charlie Batch, a guy who already, in his first game of the season, recorded his quota of yards and touchdown passes for the next three years. I like the Jags in this one. Don’t sit them just because they’ve got the Super Bowl Champs.
LUCKY’S Week 2 WUSSIES
Aaron Brooks: If you’re starting Aaron this weekend, you’re either A- Crazy, B- Desperate, or C- Aaron’s Mommy. Don’t be one of those things, leave Brooks on your bench, pick up, hell, I don’t know, anyone, Damon Huard even.

Edgerrin James: Although his fantasy production was decent 75 yards and a touchdown, how he got it was just downright nauseating. 26 carries and a 2.8 yards per carry average. I know the Niners are a fierce defense but… Wait, the Niners are more My Little Pony than they are fierce. The Hawks on the other hand are down right dirty against the run. Expect nothing from Edge and you won’t be had come Sunday.

Randy Moss: There used to be a wide receiver named Randy Moss who was a must start every single week, even if he was facing Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, and Deion Sanders on triple teams all Sunday long. Those days are dead as long as the Raiders continue to throb like a hammered thumb. It’s sickening to see talent like Moss relegated to non starter on fantasy teams, but that’s exactly how it should be in Week 2.

LaMont Jordan: See above. He’s a talented young back who can catch passes and score with the best of them. Too bad the Raiders won’t sniff the end zone and Oakland’s coaches are so bad, they didn’t even get LJ2 the ball even one time in last weeks Charger killing in Oakland.