Is the Andy Reid Era Over?

Many people believe that Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid should be run out of town after this disappointing season.  I on the other hand, do not believe it should happen.  The guy knows how to win.  This season, the players didn't perform on the field.  The coach can't make someone play better, that's all on the players.  The players need to hold themselves and each other accountable for their performance on the field.  Do you guys think Andy Reid should be fired?

Week 13 Picks

• Atlanta  vs. New Orleans 
• Chicago  vs. Seattle 
• Green Bay  vs. Minnesota 
• San Francisco vs. St. Louis 
• NY Jets  vs. Arizona 
• Carolina  vs. Kansas City 
• Detroit  vs. Indianapolis 
• Buffalo  vs. Jacksonville 
• New England  vs. Miami 
• Houston  vs. Tennessee 
• Denver  vs. Tampa Bay 
• Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh 
• Cleveland  vs. Oakland 
• Cincinnati  vs. San Diego 
• Dallas  vs. Philadelphia

Monday Night Football

• NY Giants  At Washington 

Eagles problems are internal

As you can see, the Eagles are still playing like their embarrassing selves against the Redskins.  I would like to point out that the firing of Juan Castillo was absolutely stupid.  Clearly he wasn't the problem, and the defense is now worse with Bowles at DC.  The offense is much of the same, horrible offensive line play with tons of holding penalties that ruin drives.  The team is playing with no heart in a sport where passion is necessary.

Week 11 Picks

11/15 8:25 ET At BUFFALO  Miami 

11/18 1:00 ET At WASHINGTON Philadelphia 
11/18 1:00 ET Green Bay At DETROIT 
11/18 1:00 ET At ATLANTA  Arizona 
11/18 1:00 ET Tampa Bay At CAROLINA 
11/18 1:00 ET At DALLAS  Cleveland 
11/18 1:00 ET At ST. LOUIS  NY Jets 
11/18 4:25 ET At NEW ENGLAND  Indianapolis 
11/18 1:00 ET At HOUSTON  Jacksonville 
11/18 1:00 ET Cincinnati  at KANSAS CITY 
11/18 4:05 ET New Orleans  at OAKLAND 
11/18 4:25 ET At DENVER  San Diego 
11/18 8:30 ET at PITTSBURGH  Baltimore 

   Monday Night Football 
    
11/19 8:40 ET SAN FRANCISCO  Chicago

Week 10 picks

Indianapolis  JACKSONVILLE  

Sunday, 11/11

EAGLES   Dallas
NEW ENGLAND Buffalo
N.Y. Giants CINCINNATI
TAMPA BAY San Diego
Denver  CAROLINA
Miami  Tennessee
BALTIMORE  Oakland
Atlanta   NEW ORLEANS
MINNESOTA  Detroit
SEATTLE  N.Y. Jets
SAN FRANCISCO  St. Louis
CHICAGO   Houston

Monday night, 11/12
PITTSBURGH  Kansas City

Week 9 Picks

Sunday 11/4

Denver  vs. CINCINNATI
GREEN BAY vs. Arizona
Miami  vs. INDIANAPOLIS
Baltimore   vs. CLEVELAND
HOUSTON  vs. Buffalo
WASHINGTON  vs. Carolina
Detroit vs. JACKSONVILLE
Chicago vs. TENNESSEE
SEATTLE  vs. Minnesota
OAKLAND  vs. Tampa Bay
N.Y. GIANTS  vs. Pittsburgh
ATLANTA  vs. Dallas

Monday night football

NEW ORLEANS  vs Eagles

Week 8 Picks

Thursday night football game: 
10/25 8:25 ET At Minnesota  Tampa Bay 

Sunday games:
10/28 1:00 ET New England At St. Louis 
10/28 1:00 ET At Tennessee  Indianapolis 
10/28 1:00 ET At Green Bay Jacksonville 
10/28 1:00 ET San Diego At Cleveland 
10/28 1:00 ET At Philadelphia  Atlanta 
10/28 1:00 ET At Detroit Seattle 
10/28 1:00 ET At NY Jets  Miami 
10/28 1:00 ET At Chicago Carolina 
10/28 1:00 ET At Pittsburgh  Washington 
10/28 4:05 ET At Kansas City Oakland 
10/28 4:25 ET At Dallas  NY Giants 
10/28 8:30 ET At Denver New Orleans 

Monday Night Football:    
10/29 8:40 ET San Francisco  At Arizona

Week 7 picks

Thursday night:
10/18 8:25 ET At San Francisco Seattle 

Sunday games
10/21 1:00 ET At Buffalo  Tennessee 
10/21 1:00 ET At Minnesota  Arizona 
10/21 1:00 ET At Indianapolis  Cleveland 
10/21 1:00 ET At Houston  Baltimore 
10/21 1:00 ET Green Bay  At St. Louis 
10/21 1:00 ET Dallas  At Carolina 
10/21 1:00 ET At NY Giants  Washington 
10/21 1:00 ET New Orleans  At Tampa Bay 
10/21 4:25 ET At New England  NY Jets 
10/21 4:25 ET At Oakland  Jacksonville 
10/21 8:30 ET Pittsburgh  At Cincinnati 

Monday Night Football: 
    
10/22 8:40 ET At Chicago  Detroit

Week 6 Picks

Sunday games:

10/14 1:00 ET Cincinnati  At Cleveland 
10/14 1:00 ET At NY Jets Indianapolis 
10/14 1:00 ET At Tampa Bay Kansas City 
10/14 1:00 ET At Atlanta Oakland 
10/14 1:00 ET At Baltimore  Dallas 
10/14 1:00 ET At Philadelphia Detroit 
10/14 1:00 ET At Miami St. Louis 
10/14 4:05 ET New England At Seattle 
10/14 4:05 ET At Arizona  Buffalo 
10/14 4:25 ET At Washington Minnesota 
10/14 4:25 ET At San Francisco NY Giants 
10/14 8:30 ET At Houston Green Bay 

Monday Night Football  
    
10/15 8:40 ET At San Diego Denver

Week 5 Picks (sorry they're late)

Winners are highlighted in green.

10/4 8:25 ET Arizona At St. Louis 

Sunday games:
10/7 1:00 ET Atlanta At Washington 
10/7 1:00 ET At Pittsburgh  Philadelphia 
10/7 1:00 ET Green Bay  At Indianapolis 
10/7 1:00 ET At NY Giants Cleveland 
10/7 4:25 ET At Minnesota Tennessee 
10/7 1:00 ET At Cincinnati  Miami 
10/7 1:00 ET Baltimore  At Kansas City 
10/7 4:05 ET At Carolina  Seattle 
10/7 4:05 ET Chicago At Jacksonville 
10/7 4:25 ET At New England  Denver 
10/7 4:25 ET At San Francisco  Buffalo 
10/7 8:30 ET At New Orleans  San Diego 

Monday Night Football: 
    
10/8 8:35 ET Houston  At NY Jets

TEBOW TIME?

When will the jets realize it's TEBOW TIME?!?!?!? Give him a chance REX

He's an incredible athlete, and he knows how to win and lead his teammates. 

Brian Dawkins number retired

Before the game tonight, Brian Dawkins No.20 jersey was retired in a pre-game ceremony.  People watching the game in person and from their televisions had the honor of seeing him introduced with the team, as he came out of the tunnel wearing his Eagles green, Lincoln Financial Field was roaring.  This is officially the last time we will see the legend come out of the tunnel as he put on a show for the fans doing his trademark crawl.  Dawkins will forever be an Eagle, his passion for the game was a perfect fit for the city of brotherly love.  His relentlessness on the field and the many memories he brought to the city will never be forgotten.  This man is the best Eagle to play the game in my lifetime.  Growing up and watching this man has been a pleasure.  He motivated me to play the game, and play the game hard, just like him.  The guy known as Weapon X will forever be an Eagle.

Sunday Night Preview

The Eagles look to bounce back tonight after a embarrassing loss to the Cardinals last week, but the Giants will be no easy task.  The Giants come in a little more banged up then the Eagles, Hakeem Nicks will not be playing, and Bradshaw will attempt to give it a go after sitting out last week with the neck injury.  Andy Reid's teams have always been resilient and I believe they will play a lot better than they did last week.  NFC East games are always exciting, look for this game to be a smash mouth game, with it coming down to the very end.  I have the Eagles winning 35-31

Regular Refs Return Tonight!

Well it only took the monday night meltdown on the hailmary pass from the Seahawks to get the NFL front office to realize that they need the real refs back out on the field.  Sparking conversations, Roger Goodell has now lifted the lockout and the refs will be officiating tonights game between the Ravens and Browns.  The new agreement will be voted on before sundays games and all games will have the real NFL refs back in action.  Finally some real football can be watched.  Finally we won't be seeing any of this:

Week 4 Picks

My Picks to WIN the games are highlighted in green.

Thursday  Ravens   Browns

Sunday games

Patriots    Bills
Lions   Vikings
Falcons  Panthers
49ers  Jets
Chargers    Chiefs
Texans  Titans
Seahawks    Rams
Cardinals  Dolphins
Broncos    Raiders
Bengals   Jaguars
Packers    Saints
Eagles    Giants

Monday night

Cowboys     Bears

Replacement Ref's really did it this time...

The replacement refs really did it this time, actually giving away a win to the Seahawks on this blown call.  First of all Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference when he shoved away a Packers defender and secondly, clearly a Packers player came away with the ball.  It's absurd to see what Roger Goodell is allowing to happen in this league week in and week out.  He can't allow the refs to keep dictating how these games go, that's not football and from a fan and aspiring football journalist, it's ruining the game.  This needs to stop and the NFL needs to make an agreement with the real refs soon or we're going to continue to see horrible calls in each game.

Week 3 picks

My picks to win the games are highlighted in green.

Thursday night game: 
9/20 8:20 ET NY Giants    -1 At Carolina 

Sunday games:

9/23 1:00 ET At Chicago    -7.5 St. Louis
9/23 1:00 ET At Dallas    -7 Tampa Bay
9/23 1:00 ET San Francisco    -7 At Minnesota 
9/23 1:00 ET Detroit    -3 At Tennessee
9/23 1:00 ET At Washington    -3.5 Cincinnati 
9/23 1:00 ET NY Jets    -3 At Miami 
9/23 1:00 ET At New Orleans    -9 Kansas City 
9/23 1:00 ET Buffalo    -3 At Cleveland 
9/23 1:00 ET At Indianapolis    -3 Jacksonville
9/23 4:05 ET Philadelphia    -4 At Arizona 
9/23 4:05 ET At San Diego    -3 Atlanta 
9/23 4:25 ET Houston    -1.5 At Denver 
9/23 4:25 ET Pittsburgh    -5 At Oakland 
9/23 8:25 ET At Baltimore    -3 New England 

Monday Night Football game:
      
9/24 8:35 ET Green Bay    -3.5 At Seattle 

Week 2 Predictions

Teams highlighted in the color green are my picks to win the games.

Thursday night game:
9/13 8:20 ET At Green Bay   Chicago 

Sunday games:
9/16 1:00 ET At NY Giants  Tampa Bay
9/16 1:00 ET At New England    Arizona 
9/16 1:00 ET Minnesota    At Indianapolis 
9/16 1:00 ET New Orleans At Carolina  
9/16 1:00 ET At Buffalo  Kansas City  
9/16 1:00 ET At Philadelphia   Baltimore
9/16 1:00 ET Oakland  At Miami 
9/16 1:00 ET At Cincinnati  Cleveland 
9/16 1:00 ET Houston   At Jacksonville 
9/16 4:05 ET Dallas At Seattle 
9/16 4:05 ET Washington At St. Louis
9/16 4:25 ET At Pittsburgh  NY Jets 
9/16 4:25 ET At San Diego Tennessee 
9/16 8:20 ET At San Francisco  Detroit 

 Monday Night Football 
      
9/17 8:35 ET At Atlanta  Denver

Eagles vs Ravens preview

We all saw how sloppy the Eagles offense was against the Browns, but let's not forget something, the Browns were ranked in the top ten in total defense last year.  Vick was running for his life most of the game with constant pressure in his face.  The offensive line needs to do a better job at protecting their franchise player.  This team is talented, there is no argument there, but the team will only go as far as Vick can take them, so why not protect him more?  Flacco looked brilliant on Monday Night Football against the Bengals going 21-29 for 299 yards and 2 TDs.   Eagles defense matches up well with the Ravens.  The Eagles secondary was playing at a high level in week one, with ten passes defended and four interceptions, so don't be worried about the Ravens throwing on the Eagles.  As for Ray Rice... well Trent Richardson was only able to notch 39 yards on 19 carries.  Remember, teams get better as the season goes on, i'm excited to see how this defense comes out in week 2.

NFC East Prediction

This division is the hardest to pick.  In my opinion all four teams will be competitive all season long.  The Redskins will end up finishing last, RGIII is a rookie and like every rookie he will have a learning curve.  The Giants are going to fall off this year, yes they won the superbowl last year, but statistically teams don't do as hot the following year which I think holds true this year.  As we saw in wednesday nights game, Eli and the Giants struggled at home against the Cowboys.  Victor Cruz dropped three passes which is a side of him we didn't see last year.  The Giants were only able to gain 269 total yards on offense compared to the Cowboys 433 total yards.  The Giants secondary couldn't cover anyone that night.  Cowboys number 3 receiver Kevin Ogletree had 2 touchdowns...Giants finish 3rd in this division, with the Cowboys finishing 2nd and possibly sneaking into the playoffs via wildcard.  The Philadelphia Eagles have the most potential in this division.  From the top to the bottom of the roster, this team is filled with talent, now all they have to do is go out and perform on the field.  It will come down to Mike Vick staying healthy, but this team is dangerous.  The defense parted ways with CB Asante Samuel in the off-season but now DRC and Nnamdi are now playing the outside CB positions that they are used too.  They also added former Pro-Bowl MLB DeMeco Ryans who should be a leader for this defense and could spark this team to become one of the best in the league.  Eagles finish 12-4 this season and win the NFC East.

Welcome! (repost)

Hi, My name is Sean Breen and I'm a student at West Chester University.  I am majoring in English writing and minoring in journalism.  In my future, my goal is to become a sports writer.  I grew up playing baseball and football and now find myself analyzing the games as I watch seeing things that the average watcher typically would not.  I wrote for the school paper last fall, covering four the of the West Chester University football games and had a blast doing so, interviewing players after each game.  My favorite sports teams are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles.  I love football and it's a passion of mine.  Expect to hear a lot about the NFL!

AFC West Prediction

This division will surprise some people.  There is a lot of potential from these teams.  But i'm not too high on the Chiefs, which I believe will finish dead last in the division.  The scary combination of Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis looks good on paper, but they're both coming off injuries and you don't really know if they can stay healthy a whole year.  The Raiders will most likely finish 3rd.  They have had the ability to shoot themselves in the foot over and over again with all the stupid penalties they get, and in my opinion you cant win any kind of sports championship without having discipline.  Although I believe the Chargers will have a better year than the last couple, I do not think they'll win the division.  We haven't seen the Rivers we're used to seeing in a couple years, but he's due for a big year.  Vincent Jackson is gone, but they still have Malcom Floyd, and Antonio Gates. They added Robert Meachem in the off season, so Rivers still has a lot of weapons on offense, but is it enough?  Not to win the division, their best shot will be to win the wild card, if that.  The Denver Broncos are a team I'm really high on this year, with the addition of Peyton Manning I believe the sky is the limit for them.  In Peyton's last preseason against the Niners, he went 10-12 for 122 yards, 2TDs and 0 INTs.  Peyton did look bad early on in preseason, but he's still shaking off the rust of sitting out for a year.  He's got weapons in Decker and Thomas, and even TE Tamme who he played together with in the Colts organization.  The defense is fierce, and this team is scary.  Considering the Broncos were my pick to represent the AFC in the Superbowl, look for them to win at least 10 games in the regular season.

AFC South Prediction

In my opinion, the AFC south is one of the weakest divisions in football.  The Houston Texans were able to win the division in 2011 even with Matt Schaub getting injured.  The Jaguars were flat out bad last year.  Their first round pick in 2011, Blaine Gabbert looked bad most of the year and you can't expect him to all of a sudden become a superstar in 2012.  Along with that Maurice Jones Drew has been a no show the entire preseason/training camp.  MJD wants elite RB money, and I don't blame him, the guy is a huge part to their team, not to mention the 1600+ rushing yards he had a year ago.  The Jags will most likely finish in the bottom of this division.  In my opinion, the Tennessee Titans are going to struggle after naming Jake Locker their starting QB.  Along with Blaine Gabbert, Locker was another QB to come out of the 2011 draft who just didn't perform out on the gridiron last year.  Locker's best weapon through the air, Kenny Britt, has struggled with legal issues and will most likely be suspended for a few games by Comis. Roger Goodell.  I believe the Titans will finish third in 2012.  My most surprising pick is the Colts to finish 2nd.  First overall pick in the 2012 draft QB Andrew Luck has looked superb this preseason.  He looks like a guy who's been in the league for some time now, with his poise and stature in the pocket.  Luck's got great weapons in WR Reggie Wayne and RB Donald Brown.  Look for the Colts to shock some people this year.  Once again the Texans will win this division.  This team is filled with talent, and their defense is fierce.  My only concerns are for QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson staying healthy but in the end, the Texans will win it in 2012.

AFC North prediction

Since 2002, the Steelers have won their divison 5 times, including 2 trips to the superbowl (only winning one) .  The Ravens have won the divison 3 times, and the Bengals twice.  As for the Browns... well they haven't been really good since the 80s, and drafting Trent Richardson who already had a minor knee surgery this month and 28 year old QB Brandon Weeden who didn't look so good against the Eagles in their last preseason game, i'd say the Browns won't be winning any time soon.  I'm not too high on the Steelers this year.  On the defensive side of the ball, some of their big name players like Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Brett Kiesel, Larry Foote are all over the ages of 30 and eventually their bodies are going to keep them from playing at the highest level possible.  Along with that LB James Harrison is on the PUP list (physically unable to perform list) and he's 34 years old as well.  Offensively they haven't looked good this preseason.  Can Isaac Redman be the guy to carry the ball? Is Big Ben really healthy? there are too many questions that will go unanswered until the season starts.  I believe the Bengals will finish 2nd in this division and maybe even win the wild card and make the playoffs.  The team signed Benjarvus Green-Ellis this offseason and has been running the ball like he has something to prove this preseason, which is a good sign for Andy Dalton and the passing game.  This is Dalton's 2nd year in the league, which makes everyone think, "sophomore slump"?  But I believe last year was no hokes, he is the real deal, and look for AJ Green and Gresham to help Dalton light up the scoreboard through the air.  And my winner of the 2012 AFC north division are the Baltimore Ravens.  Joe Flacco has looked superb this preseason, completeing 71.6% of his passes, and had an average QB rating of 101.1.  If Flacco plays that well in the regular season, the Ravens could easily win 13 games this year.  Ray Rice got paid this offseason.  Boldin is one of the best receivers going across the middle in the NFL.  And Torrey Smith showed last year that he has the ability to stretch the field.  I'm not worried about the defense, yes Ray Lewis is 37 years old, but he has showed no signs of slowing down and he's still an elite LB in the NFL.  This team has the ability to go all the way in one of the more competitive divisions in the entire NFL.  Watch out for the Ravens in 2012.

AFC East Prediction

This division has been an easy pick for the past 8-10 years but it is getting more competitive.  The Buffalo Bills were 5-2 last year through week 8 and looked great.  Injuries crippled their season and gave them no shot at playoffs.  The Dolphins are an interesting team.  Head Coach Joe Philbin has announced that Ryan Tannehill will be their starting quarterback at the start of the season.  The first round pick has looked good thus far in the preseason, he has a solid offensive line to give him time to get rid of the ball. This team has a lot of talent, but they're young, look out for the Dolphins in the next couple years.  Lastly the Jets haven't lived up to Rex Ryan's hype over the past 3 years.  Revis and Cromartie are getting up into their late 20s, Bart Scott is old for a LB in this new NFL and the question if Mark Sanchez can get the job done still remains.  In Sanchez's three years of starting for the Jets he's averaging almost 23 turnovers a year, last season, he threw 18 interceptions and had 4 fumbles lost.  Turning the ball over is not going to help your team win, and if Sanchez struggles than look for Tim Tebow to be thrown into the spotlight because we all know Tebow is foaming at the mouth to get out their and perform.  I do not think the Jets will win the division because of Sanchez, the quarterback is the most important piece to a team, and a team can only go as far as the quarterback allows them to go.  So the winners in the AFC East once again is the New England Patriots.

Response to ESPN's First Take @SkipBayliss

Today on ESPN's First Take Skip Bayliss expressed his disgust for Steelers safety Ryan Clark's comments about being friends with the Ravens Terrell Suggs.  Yes, they are on rival teams in the same division, but sorry to break it to you Skip, but you're wrong.  Football players have respect for one another, and just because they choose to be friends off the field doesn't make them "soft" as you called it.  Football players, especially in the NFL know when it's time to go to work.  The men that play this game, know when it's time to flip the switch.  When you put the pads on, and buckle that chin strap, and walk out on that football field, every football player knows...it's time to go to war.

Why Don't the Eagles run more double TE formations?

Last night the Birds played the Patriots in a preseason matchup where backup tight end Clay Harbor looked impressive.  Harbor was thrown to six times and was able to haul in all six passes for a total of 30 yards and 2 TDs.  Obviously Brent Celek is a proven tight end and should be starting, but in this case I feel as though the eagles have another starting tight end on their roster in Clay Harbor.  If the eagles ran more of their offensive plays out of double TE formations they could stretch the field with Maclin and Jackson allowing Celek and Harbor to get open against opposing LBs.  Why doesn't Andy Reid see this...

Before Drafting, Please Read!

My last little tip to help all you fantasy owners out there is a pretty simple concept.  When it comes to drafting WRs and RBs for my team I tend to pick players who are on above .500 teams.  I will explain.
WRs and RBs are typically score higher than other positions on your fantasy team(besides QB).  So for example, I like to stay away from certain teams who have a sub par QB when i'm looking for a WR, and the Arizona Cardinals are a perfect example, why draft Larry Fitzgerald when he's got Kevin Kolb and John Skelton throwing him the ball?  They both look absolutely terrible this preseason.  Yes, Larry Fitzgerald will still put up numbers, but they are not maximizing his potential down there in Arizona with two awful QBs who can't get him the ball as often as say a Tom Brady could.  Calvin Johnson and any Green Bay Packer receiver would be way better to have on your team.  My example for RBs is Chris Johnson.  The Titans haven't named a starter, and neither starter looks good this preseason.  This leads me to believe that this team is going to struggle to put the ball in the air this year and rely heavily on Chris Johnson's ability and I don't like that all.  Once a team becomes one dimensional it makes it easier on the defense to key on a guy like Chris Johnson and stop the run.  This is why a guy like RB McCoy for the Philadelphia Eagles is a more valuable pick in fantasy football.  The Eagles are able to keep defenses honest by stretching the field with their WRs giving more running room for a keen RB like McCoy.

Chad Johnson cut on camera...

This past tuesday HBO's second episode of Hardknocks with the Miami Dolphins aired at 10pm.  Prior to the episode the nation already knew of Chad Johnson's release from the team after being arrest for allegedly headbutting his newly wed wife of about five weeks.  After watching the episode I have completely lost all respect for the Miami Dolphin organization and most importantly Joe Philbin.  If some of you did not see the episode, Joe Philbin sat down with Chad Johnson and cut him from the team while camera's were rolling...giving HBO the opportunity to put that clip onto national television.  Now I understand why you would cut the guy from your team, but to do it on national television?  When a team goes to cut a player after an arrest or something of that caliber there should be a statement from the team to tell the media, it should never be on a television show for the world to see.  As a coach you make an example out of Chad for the team's sake, but that's it.  Looking at that episode, the Dolphins and Joe Philbin have made him look like a horrible person to the entire world.  You don't do that to a guy and it make's your organization look bad.  I feel as though Joe Philbin is trying to make a name for himself as a new head coach in the NFL, but who is this guy? He was the "offensive coordinator" for Green Bay... and I say it like that because we all know that Mike McCarthy calls the plays there.  Joe Philbin and the Dolphins were way out of line for allowing that to air.

Fantasy Football Drafting Tips

Your fantasy football draft is right around the corner.  Time to run to the store and buy your favorite magazine and start doing your homework ladies and gentlemen.  Here are some tips to winning a fantasy football league, before your draft even happens.

1. The first thing I would like all of you to do is find out what your league's scoring rules are.  These are important when it comes to having a draft strategy.  Either print these rules out or have them up on your computer screen.
2. Using your fantasy football magazine, start by player position and start to rate your players based on the scoring rules in your league.  (In some leagues touchdowns are more important, some give you points for yardage/receptions, it all varies)
3. Please resist the urge to just draft a player because you like him, if you want to lose, do it, but if you want to win, just follow steps 1 and 2.
4. I personally like to stay away from players who are on teams with losing records.  (Players aren't happy when they're losing and may under perform.  If a team has a horrible quarterback, he's not going to get their playmaker the ball on a regular basis.)
5. My last word of advice is to stay away from big name players who are coming off serious injuries.  Serious injuries to superstars can change a guy's career.  Spending an early draft pick on a guy like that is giant risk that someone like me who wants to win should not take.  I advise you fill your roster first, before you go picking a guy who was productive in the past but is coming off an injury.  It's a risk that could result in reward or failure, but if you do it in the later rounds, the risk of it hurting your fantasy team is far less.
6. Have fun and good luck to all! Stay tuned for possibly a few more sleepers/busts from me!

*Repost* Burress still an option for the Birds?

The birds offense has had continuous struggles in the redzone.  Primarily because they've been lacking that big, physical, go-up and get it type of receiver since Terrell Owens got sent packing.  Look for the Eagles to go after Plaxico Burress, whom has already said that he would be interested in coming to Philly.  In his first year back in the league Burress had a decent season with the Jets last year totaling 45 grabs and 8 touchdowns on a team that failed to make it to the playoffs.  Burress showed he can still play with the best of the best in the NFL, and could be the difference for the birds in the redzone.  He's still available in free-agency, and yesterday Riley Cooper broke his collarbone.  This move could become a reality in the near future.

Fantasy Football Bust #2

My second bust pick of the 2012 fantasy football season is.....RB Jamaal Charles.  He's coming off a torn ACL which is never a good injury for a RB to have.  The Chiefs also signed Peyton Hillis who could turn into  a TD machine, assuming he takes the role of short yardage/goaline.  If that is the case, and your fantasy football league rely's on TDs more than yardage, Hillis may be a good pick in the later rounds.  Although Charles has the capability to take it to the house on any given play, you don't know how this guy is going to look coming off the injury.  If people in your draft are smart they'll stay away from Charles early on.  But if your league gives you points off of yardage and Charles is sitting there in the 3rd or 4th round, i'd snatch him up.  In my opinion, just don't go wasting a 1st or 2nd rounder.

Fantasy Football Sleeper #2

He's not really a sleeper because he's already a great player, but I believe this season could be huge for Ravens RB Ray Rice.  The Ravens offense rely's on this little guy to carry the load for them, and that's what he does.  Since the 2009 season Rice is averaging a total of 356 touches, between rushing and receiving. The Ravens know this guy is their play maker, and will continue to get the ball in their superstar's hands.  Along with that, Rice got the contract he wanted this off-season, signing to a 4 year deal to stay in his beloved city of Baltimore.  Rice is already a productive player, everyone knows that, but now that he got paid, look for this kid to be motivated this season, and do big things.  Keep him at the top of your board come draft day.

Fantasy Football...Sleeper #1

My first sleeper pick of 2012 is.... Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler.  Cutler only played in 10 games last year, but his numbers were solid.  He's due for a big year.  The Bears signed WR Brandon Marshall this off-season which makes Jay Cutler even more valuable to your fantasy football team.  Marshall has had 1,000 yard+ receiving in each of the past 5 seasons.  Also Marshall was with the Broncos in 07 and 08 when Cutler had 2 of his better years statistically speaking.  Recently the Bears have just resigned Matt Forte to a contract which will keep him a Bear for the next four years which makes this offense even more explosive.  I'm not saying Cutler is a first or second round draft choice, he's probably more of a fifth or sixth round guy.  If you want to go the Cutler route for your fantasy team, I recommend taking RBs and WRs with your first 4 or 5 picks, then snatching up Cutler in the later rounds.

Fantasy Football Bust #1

My first bust pick for the 2012 season is..... RB Adrian Peterson.

Peterson is coming off a knee injury which is never a good sign for a RB.  Along with that he is involved in legal problems that have yet to be resolved, pending a court date August 6th.  In my opinion, fantasy owners should stay away from Peterson at least through the first couple rounds of their drafts.  Picking a guy coming off a knee injury is always risky in the fantasy football world and now with the added legal problems, Peterson just doesn't look like a good pick.  Coach Leslie Frazier already told the media that Peterson's contribution to the team on the field will be taken slowly.  Try to stay away from this guy... maybe take him with a 3rd or 4th rounder if you are willing to take the risk.

2013 Superbowl Picks

NFC:  Last year NFC teams were not as exciting to watch than some of the AFC teams.  The NFC looked as if it had itself a down year.  One team in particular that does not fall into this category and is my pick to go to the superbowl and represent the NFC is the San Fransisco 49ers.  The most surprising part about this team was how great the defense was.  Last year's rookie Aldon Smith was able to contribute and lead the team with 14 sacks in the regular season. (Aldon Smith was recently involved in some kind of stabbing, let's hope for the best, because this kid is fun to watch). QB Alex Smith finally looks comfortable at the quarterback position, completing 61.3% of his passes and only throwing 5 interceptions during the regular season.  In the postseason we saw that Alex Smith's only reliable weapon in the air was Vernon Davis, who had almost 300 yards total receiving, while no other receiver even broke 100 yards.  The team added free agent wide receivers Mario Manningham and Randy Moss this offseason, which is why I made this team my pick to represent the NFC in the superbowl.  Look for this team to shock the world this coming season.

AFC: For my AFC pick, I'm going with the Denver Broncos.  This team acquired Peyton Manning in the offseason, which in my mind, automatically makes them superbowl contenders.  Along with that, last year's rookie Von Miller who had 11.5 sacks might be an up and coming superstar in the league. (Gamechanging player).  The only thing i'm worried about with this team is the offense, yes, they have Peyton Manning, but they really do not have any other *superstar* type players on offense.  Regardless the Broncos will be a force to reckon with this season.

Superbowl Winners: San Fran 49ers








Aldon Smith sacking Eli Manning ======>

Could Charlie Manuel's Job Be in Jeopardy?

Its June 24th 2012, and the Philadelphia Phillies sit dead last in the NL east, 9.5 games behind the division leading Nationals.  Even without Utley and Howard, two of the main ingrediants from the 2008 World Series  Team, the ball club still has a lineup and pitching staff that should be getting the job done, but frankly are not doing so.  Could Charlie Manuel be on the hot seat this summer if the ball club doesn't turn around?  Keep an eye on the Phillies this summer.

Eagles President Joe Banner Let Go

Big news for Philadelphia Eagles fans, Joe Banner is no longer president of the team.  He was let go by Jeffrey Lurie.  Chief operating officer Don Smolenski will take over as president.  What's everyones opinion on this move?

Brent Celek

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek has grown over the years into the complete package.  This guy is a team player and does whatever is asked of him.  He is a big part of LeSean McCoy's success in the running game because of his ability to block.  Brent is also an offensive weapon.  He's snagged over 40 balls each of the last 3 seasons, averaging about 764 yards a year, not bad for a tight end in an offense that has so many weapons.

Carlos Ruiz proving himself in 2012

Carlos Ruiz most commonly known as "Chooch" by Philadelphia Phillie fans, has been electrifying so far this season.  Chooch has always been a solid defensive catcher for the Phils over the past few years, but this year we see a different Chooch, one who's looking to prove himself on offense.  He's batting .355 with 7 HRs and 29 RBI.  The Phillies sit dead last in the NL East.  Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are still out.  Chooch is the Phils only bright spot so far this year.  He's on pace to hit over 25 HRs and have over 100 RBI, let's just hope he continues playing this way the rest of the season.  Chooch is the best catcher in baseball right now and should represent the Philadelphia Phillies organization come July in the All-Star game.

No excuses for the Eagles this year

The Eagles have added pieces to the puzzle this offseason, adding DeMeco Ryans, and drafting Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks.  This team is built with tremendous speed and talent, and after last year's disgraceful year, this is the year that will make or break this team.  Mike Vick needs to play like the Vick we all saw in 2010 when he took Kolb's job.  The defense should be electrifying with the amount of speed/ability just within the front seven, not to mention the two all-pro cornerbacks.  The defense will definately be better than it was last year, no doubt about it.  The only question that poses itself to me, is can this team stay healthy all year?  Vick being the type of quarterback he is, is going to take hits, we all know that, and as fans gasp for air everytime we see him take one.  LT Jason Peters tore his achillies not once but twice this offseason which pretty much seals the deal on him missing the entire year.  Peters is a dominate force at LT being selected to the Pro Bowl from 2007 through 2011 that will be missed this year.  Which leads me to my final concern, which is LeSean McCoy, Yes, McCoy is a concern to me, not as a player, but because how much the Eagles use him.  Think back to the Brian Westbrook days, he was great for a bunch of years, until he started becoming injury prone, which was because the team burnt him out, they used him too much.  Ronnie Brown was clearly not the answer last year, and Dion Lewis looked horrendous on kick returns (can't see him doing much better at RB). All in all the Eagles are built to WIN, and this year they should WIN.  Look for the birds to have a much better record this year and look to make a splash in the playoffs.

Roger Goodell is ruining football

Most players can understand what Roger Goodell is trying to do by making all these rules to protect players, and as a fan and former player of the sport I also understand what he is trying to do.  BUT, as of recently when he suspended Saints LB Johnathan Vilma, I can no longer support such a man.  Vilma is now suspended for a entire season, but has appealed.  Along with Vilma, three other players have also been suspended but not an entire year like Vilma received.  This suspension was given by Goodell because of the players "involvement" in the bounty scandle.  This is absurd.  No players in the game of football ever try to intentionally hurt another play, there may be a player that a coach says make sure you hit him as hard as you can, but there is never any intention to go out and hurt another player.  The coaches that were telling the players to do these things were already taken care of and given suspensions, now that Goodell is going after players is an absolute disgrace.  This guy needs to go.

Former Bird retires and current player traded

According to ESPN sources, Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel was traded today to the Atlanta Falcons, details on what the Eagles will receive have yet to be released.

On another note, Former Philadelphia Eagles Safety Brian Dawkins announced his retirement monday after 16 seasons in the NFL.  As a football fan, and as a fan of the Eagles, Brian Dawkins will be remembered as a legend in Philadelphia.  Dawkins was a role model for how young athletes should play the game, passionate, emotional, and relentless.  Every play was 100mph until the whistle, he played for a cause, he played for his teammates, his coaches,  his city, and his family.  Every team needs a "Brian Dawkins".

What will the Eagles do in the draft?

Well folks, the draft is almost here and many questions remain up in the air with what the Eagles will do with their first round pick.  Jason Peters will be out for the year so maybe they go O-line... and we all know Andy Reid loves drafting linemen.. but the Eagles signed Demetress Bell to replace him so I do not see them going with an O-linemen.  More realistically I see the Eagles drafting defense.  One of the things they struggled desperately with last year in the first part of the season was stopping the run, they gave up 112.3 yards per game on the ground and in my eyes that's too much.  It is imperative not to let the opposing team's offense control the clock by gaining yards on the ground, it gases the defense and essentially could lose you games.  One thing the birds did not struggle with last year was getting to the quarterback, Babin and Cole dominated in those categories.  The Eagles did acquire DeMeco Ryans from the Texans in March and should be a solid MLB for the years to come.  In my opinion the birds need to draft a defensive tackle who can take up a lot of space in the middle, a run stopper. Cullen Jenkins is an undersized DT and should not be on the field on first and second down.  The birds have a solid secondary and a young linebacking core that got experience under their belt last year, look for more production out of the OLBs and the birds to draft a big man in the middle of the defensive line.

A Football Player

A football season usually runs from September to around December, only four months out of the year.  What are the players doing the other eight months?  Training harder than any other athletes in the world.  Every aspect of the game of football makes it an explosive sport.  Players need to prepare themselves for what is to come.  At any competitive level of football, athletes go through vigorous training for eight months getting bigger, faster, and stronger.  This sport is not for everyone, the sacrifice these athletes make for their team is phenomenal.  Below is a video of a college team, doing what most teams now do from the high school level up to and including the pros.

Phillies open the season with a solid win

Today's season opener was a pitching duel in Pittsburgh but the Phillies came away with the win 1-0. In the top of the 7th inning the Phils scored the only run of the day with a sac fly from Carlos Ruiz, who was also 3 for 3 on the day.  Halladay pitched a solid 8 innings giving up 0 runs, and Papelbon the new closer finished the game and got the save.  Even with Utley and Howard out of the lineup the Phils have shown that they can still win.  Another bright note for the Phils was John Mayberry who will be starting in left field this season, Mayberry went 2 for 4 on the day, look for him to be a difference maker this year.

NFL reveals new NIKE jerseys

I was very dissapointed to see that most of the jersey's still look the same, even after switching to Nike.  The only team that really changed their jersey were the Seattle Seahawks.  Like many other fans, I hoped for a new exciting uniforms to come from Nike.  Below is a link to view pictures of the new jersey's that were revealed in New York City today.

http://www.nfl.com/photos/09000d5d8280d850#id:09000d5d8280d96b

Baseball season!

The Phillies will kick off their season this thursday against the Pirates at 1:35pm, tune in for what will be another great season of Philadelphia baseball!

Asante on his way out of Philly

Just like I said in the past, the Eagles have been looking to trade Asante.  With so much depth at the cornerback position there is no point in keeping the aging athlete.  Asante is 31 years old, which in Andy Reid's mind, makes him old.  Andy is going to ship him out of Philly just like he did with Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent in the past.  This move also saves the birds over 9 million next season, which financially makes the move the right one.