Jenkins vs. Scandrick 2

 For most football fans, the battle between Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins for the Dallas Cowboys’ starting right cornerback spot is quite insignificant.  They are both second year players attempting to replace a second tier veteran in Anthony Henry.  They are two of the fastest players on the team and they have shown flashes of their potential over the duration of last season, this off-season, training camp, and pre-season.  To the casual fan, the only difference between Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick is their draft position (Jenkins a 1st rounder, Scandrick a 5th Rounder) and their height.  Actually Jenkins and Scandrick are about the same height but Jenkins has freakishly long arms so I give him the advantage by default…work with me people.  But for me, Mike Jenkins’ comes up short (no pun intended) in this competition for a starting position on the most high profile team in the National Football League. 

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Pre-season predictions are probably one of my favorite things about the NFL off-season.  I love this time so much because it absolutely validates my opinions of specific football analyst as well as football analysis as a whole.  I mean seriously, has anyone listened to Mark Schlereth talk football.  I’ll credit him on being a handsome and well spoken former football player, but he is no analyst.  Same goes for “Dat Dude” Marcellus Wiley.  I know he went to an Ivy League school, but I’m starting to seriously question this guy’s football intelligence.  But I am digressing.  Pre-season predictions are great because nearly everyone is wrong at the end of the season (not just Mark and Marc…that would be a great show huh?).  There might be one or two people that actually predict the outcome of the Super Bowl, but to try and anticipate what will happen at the top end of the National Football League is nearly impossible.  Notice I say “top end” because there are some teams that are guaranteed to be at the bottom of the food chain: Lions, Raiders, Rams, Bills, Chiefs, Broncos, Buccaneers, etc.  But, predicting who will make the playoffs and who will ultimately win the Super Bowl is about as close to a crapshoot as you can get in professional sports.  This is why I like that the Dallas Cowboys are ranked no higher than 15th on any major power rankings. 

Continue reading "The Toughest Season"

The Cav Report: Dark Days in ‘Hooville

Per request of one of my fellow UVa graduates, future business partner, and one of my best friends, Mr. Heron Mehrehtab, I am providing some analysis on the 2009 Virginia Cavaliers football team.  Being a former Cavaliers football player, most would assume that I have an insider’s knowledge of the Cav’s current situation and they would be partly right in that assumption.  I have played with many of UVa’s current players and I have played under the tutelage of many of the coaches.  But this team is much different from the one that went on to win the 2006 Music City Bowl.  This team doesn’t feature the likes of D’Brickishaw Ferguson, Tom Santi, Jon Stupar, Tony Franklin, Marcus Hamilton, Chris Long, Clint Sintim, Ahmad Brooks, Kai Parham, Jason Snelling, Wali Lundy, Cedrick Pearman, Brad Butler, etc. (all recent NFL players for those of you keeping track).  However, this team does have some exciting young talent and a coaching staff who tries and often succeeds at preparing their young team for every possible situation.  As a player I know that Coach Al Groh stressed the importance of situational football.  The question that has to be on Coach Groh’s mind right now is, “How the hell did we get ourselves into this situation?”

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-Bruce Bowen has retired from the NBA for anyone who actually cares.  I care because I know that many of the NBA's top players can now rest easy knowing that Bruce Bowen isn't behind them trying kick them, punch them, tear their achilese, tear their ACL, poke them in the eye, or stab them in their sleep.  I think that Bruce Bowen was a good player but he did not have to play the way he did in the latter part of his career.  He sullied his reputation amongst the NBA fraternity.  He could have been a all-world defender without being the worlds dirtiest player. 

-Last week Brandon Marshall was close to being traded to the Jets for David Harris.  Today he is close to signing a new deal with the Broncos.  Who the hell is running this team, Al Davis?  Seriously though, the Broncos know that they don't have a shot for at least 4 years without Brandon Marshall.  He will be the center piece of the their team for years to come.  But one has to wonder what Mark Sanchez could have done with a weapon like Marshall on his side.  

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A lot of thoughts went through my head as Lawrence Tynes lined up for the game-winning 37 yard field-goal last night.  I though about how the Cowboys had turned the ball over four times to the Giants zero, yet they still led with 4 seconds on the clock.  I thought about the sheer buffoonery, gluttony, and excess that is Cowboys Stadium.  I thought about that 1.5 million pound screen being suspended over the football field and how it should be the scariest thing ever considering the tragedy that occurred earlier in the summer at a  Cowboys facility.  But none of these was the dominant thought in my mind as certain defeat loomed over America’s team. With 4 seconds left and the Giants on the verge of ruining the opening of the greatest venue in sports history I realized why I felt uneasy the entire game.  I realized then, why I had a sneaky suspicion that fate was not on the Cowboys’ side.  The ‘Boys were doomed from the coin toss.  George W. Bush was given the esteemed honor of tossing the first coin in Cowboy’s Stadium regular season history.  Jerry Jones let George W. Bush christen what was supposed to be one of the greatest triumphs in Dallas history.  I’m not a superstitious man, but every thing George Bush touches turns into a grammatically incorrect mess.  But it is neither analytical or politically correct (no pun intended) to blame George Bush for a Cowboys loss.  That would be like blaming Bill Parcells North Korea’s development of

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I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a guru or anything, but I am getting pretty good at this fantasy football stuff.  I’ve been playing for about the last 6 years and I’ve at least made it to the playoffs in every league I’ve been in.  I’ve also won 4 championships.  This year I have 4 fantasy teams.  I have two in the free NFL.com fantasy and 2 in the Free ESPN league.  One of the leagues, “The Thunderk*%&s,”  is a little closer to my heart because I’m friends with most of the other owners and there are several bottles of liquor at stake.  So far I have been pretty successful in all my leagues and I’m hoping a perfect season in one of the leagues will truly validate my football I.Q. (or at least my almost self-destructive competitiveness).  Although I must reemphasize that I am not a fantasy football god or anything, I will be passing on some of my keys to fantasy football success throughout the season.  Although for many leagues it is too late to thinking about draft strategy, I have to start at the beginning. 

Continue reading "Fantasy Dynasty"

For the past few years, anyone and everyone who I have discussed UVa football with has asked me how I felt about Al Groh. “Do you think he’s a better NFL or college coach?”  “Is he too tough on his players?”  “Is he tough enough on his players?”  “Did he deserve that contract?”  And the beat goes on and on.  For the most part I have been a Groh defender.  Even though he didn’t have the warmest personality, I respected and admired his knowledge of the game and I still do.  However, after hearing of the embarrassing loss to William & Mary, watching the game against TCU live and in person, and then witnessing UVa’s collapse this past weekend against Southern Miss, I do believe there will be a change at the top of Cavaliers Football at the end of this season, if not before the end of the season.

Continue reading "Must Groh Go?"

Good morning fantasy friends!

Today is Saturday September 26, 2009 so you have a little more than 24 hours to get your fantasy act together or you may end up with that crucial week 3 L.  

It has been a very interesting week in fantasy land for me.  Lots of wheeling and dealing, some unfortunate attempts at cheating and a hazy injury to Marion the Barbarian.  Let’s begin with this “cheating” situation:

So, I am in a random NFL.com fantasy football league. We’ll call it the “Bush League” which is a very appropriate title for so many reasons.  One great fantasy insight that I’ve picked up this year is setting up my fantasy alerts.  (In most leagues you can set up regular e-mail alerts that notify you of a player’s status, league transactions, starting line-ups, trades, etc).  These alerts are very useful because it allows me to check on important league activity without having to log into the site every five minutes.  My fantasy alerts proved to be very useful this week. 

Continue reading "Welcome to Fantasy Land!"

-Tennessee Volunteers hoops coach Bruce Pearl apologized for making a insensitive joke at a fundraiser:

"I've got a tough job. I've got to put these guys from different worlds together, right?" Pearl said. "I've got guys from Chicago, Detroit ... I'm talking about the 'hood! And I've got guys from Grainger County, where they wear the hood.''

Although Pearl’s remarks were a bit insensitive they were not off target.  He is bringing inner city youth into a world where they might not be welcomed with open arms if they couldn’t ball.  Although his comments were a little distasteful, he should still be commended for the job he is doing at Tennessee.  He is an exciting coach who has brought men's basketball into the spotlight despite playing second fiddle to Pat Summit’s Lady Vols.  I’d play for this guy anyday

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Tuesday evening hangover…

Here are some of my astute observations from the Cowboys’ Monday night victory against the Panthers:

     1. The Cowboys played a very gritty game.

They actually “out-toughed” the Panthers, which hasn’t happened since week 3 of last season against Green Bay.  Despite giving up a few plays in the passing game, the defense shut down a vaunted Carolina rushing attack and managed to keep DeAngelo Williams out of the endzone.  The offense managed to pound the rock at Carolina’s undersized front seven and take advantage of their depth at the running back position (Felix Jones and Tashard choice managed over 80 yards rushing a piece).  More importantly, Tony Romo showed toughness and focus, and did not make the critical mistake that could have swung this game in Carolina’s favor.

Continue reading "Tuesday Evening Hangover: Dallas Cowboys reveiw and other NFL news"