As Expected, Packers-Vikings Tickets an Increasingly Hot Commodity

With Brett Favre shocking the world/no one, and returning to the NFL this week, football fans across the country were annoyed and dismayed, with a few steadfast Favre supporters still delighting in his every move and untruthful word.

Regardless of their thoughts on Favre and wishy-washy inability to retire, I think most football fans would be lying if they said they were not at least a little bit intrigued to see what happens when the Vikings play Favre’s old team this year.

Especially when the game is in Lambeau, it will create one of the most ironic, unexpected, and seemingly preposterous scenes in NFL history. It would be like Derek Jeter playing shortstop in Yankee Stadium…but for the Red Sox.

Who would have thought just a few short years ago that we’d someday be discussing the prospects of Brett Favre playing in Lambeau Field wearing Vikings purple?!

Sorry, I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but the whole thing still seems pretty crazy, and a little silly.

Anyway, I was curious this morning to see what Packers—Vikings tickets were going for. I have to think that their value in Minneapolis and Green Bay had to skyrocket the moment news broke of Favre’s impending return.

Let’s take a look, with ticket values all based on the current listings at StubHub. (And by the way, you can click on the links to go directly to StubHub if you wish.)

Packers-Vikings Tickets at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 1:00

• Cheapest Ticket: $291.67 (Lower Level, Corner 131, Row 27)
• Most Expensive Ticket: $5,000 (Suite 6040)
• Median Ticket: $501 (Lower Level End Zone 105, Roy 7)

By way of comparison, the average price for the cheapest ticket at the Packers other games is around $110-115. How about for the Vikings—Packers tickets at the Metrodome?

Vikings-Packers Tickets at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MI on Monday, October 5, 2009 at 8:30

• Cheapest Ticket: $139 (Upper Corner 224)
• Most Expensive Ticket: $2,790 (Lower Sideline 109)
• Median Ticket: $345 (Lower Corner, Upper End Zone, others)

The high price on this one is lower because it looks like there are no suites available. But again, the cheapest ticket is well about the average for the other Vikings home games this year (which is around $200).

So, there you have it, breaking news: tickets for the Packers—Vikings games this year are more expensive than regular tickets in which Brett Favre isn’t playing his former team in Revenge Bowl 1 and 2!

It just dawned on me that there really wasn’t much of a point to this article.

I guess I was expecting eye-popping ticket prices, so I’m a little underwhelmed. As the games approach, especially the one at Lambeau, I’d imagine that we’ll start seeing ticket prices at StubHub, eBay, and other such sites start to rise.

$290 bucks for one ticket is still pretty damn expensive though.

Anyway, a few more resources for you below if you want to do some comparison shopping. Otherwise, time to move onto something more interesting. Have a great morning everyone.

Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings Tickets

• All Minnesota Vikings Tickets from StubHub
• All Green Bay Packers Tickets from StubHub
• Packers-Vikings Tickets in Minnesota from TicketsNow
• Packers-Vikings Tickets in Green Bay from TicketsNow
• Vikings-Packers Tickets in Green Bay from RazorGator
• Vikings-Packers Tickets in Minnesota from RazorGator
• Find Packers-Vikings Tickets and other NFL tickets at TickCo

Update: Interesting post over at The Big Lead regarding a fan who purchased tickets from StubHub.  You may want to check it out if you’re thinking of purchasing from them.

* – Brett Favre photo credit: Unique News Network

Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Projecting This Year’s Later Round Sleepers

Before I left for vacation last week I attempted to identify three players that are consistently being picked in the top 10 of fantasy football drafts who could end up falling short of expectations. The idea, of course, is that each year there are highly ranked players who falter and end up not providing first round value. If we can somehow — based on historical trends and empirical evidence — figure out who these players will be before the draft, it is obviously a huge bonus. Having underperforming first round picks can kill owners, because while you cannot win fantasy championships with your first round pick, you can certainly put yourself on a destructive path towards losing if you grab a clunker that early.

The flip side, of course, is that there have to be players who are undervalued on draft day but who take a surprising a leap in production. Last year, for instance, I had the foresight (serendipity) to select Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton in the second half of the draft. Considering that I coupled them with solid first and second picks (Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald) is anyone surprised that I won that league?

Of course not.

But while it’s easy to pat ourselves on the back after the fact when we identify these fortuitous diamonds in the rough, it’s much more difficult to step out on a limb and try to identify them before the draft. Yet, that it exactly what I am going to try to do today.

The format will be a little different from the bust column, where I rigidly stuck with three guys in most pre-draft top 10 lists who I think will not provide first round value. Today, I am going to try and identify guys slotted for the middle to later rounds who I think will significantly overperform their current values. This does not necessarily mean I think these guys are all first round picks by any means, just that you would be wise to start thinking about them a round or two before you might otherwise consider them; that way, you can unearth the diamond in the rough that provides great value and helps you on your way to the playoffs.

Now, keep this in mind: guys who are rated lower in pre-draft rankings typically have questions surrounding them. Perhaps they are a rookie or young player with no track record. Maybe their role is not yet defined. Perhaps they are currently in a timeshare so their touches appear limited. I could go on and on. They key to remember is that these players, like all players, carry risk, so you don’t want to reach for a player in the 3rd round who is a consensus 9th round guy. But you may want to think about him in the 6th or 7th round if you are sufficiently convinced that the pre-draft risk assessment is incorrect and that the potential reward is worth it. Make sense?

Either way, let’s get going. Enough bloviating by me.

[Note: I’m using Yahoo!’s O-Rank pre-draft rankings. Obviously, there will be differences depending on which rankings you use, but typically players are slotted and value similarly across all pre-draft rankings with only subtle differences.]

First of all, I will direct you to the column I did yesterday morning detailing my first fantasy football draft of the season. I discussed some potential sleepers in that article, so I won’t rehash those guys there. Among the players discussed: Felix Jones, Vernon Davis, LeSean McCoy, Torry Holt, Anthony Gonzalez, Shaun Hill, Chris Henry, Steve Smith (NYG), the Jets defense, and even Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb for good measure. So you can start there.

QB Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills (O-Rank: 137, Position Rank: 20)

In case you didn’t hear, Terrell Owens is now a Buffalo Bill. And while T.O. is not the same explosive player that he once was, he still averaged 15.2 yards per catch and caught 10 touchdowns last year. Plus, as we all know, T.O. always seems to produce great seasons during his first full year with a team. Thus, his quarterbacks tend to have very good seasons in their first year with him.

The evidence:

• In T.O.’s first full season with Jeff Garcia (2000-2001), Garcia set career highs in QB rating (97.6) and passing yards (4,278), while throwing 31 TDs and only 10 INTs.
• In T.O.’s first full season with Donovan McNabb (2004-2005), McNabb set career highs in QB rating (104.7) and TDs (31), while throwing for 3,875 yards and only 8 picks.
• In T.O.’s first full season with Tony Romo (2007-08), Romo set career highs in in everything: 97.4 QB rating, 4,211 yards, 36 TDs. (To be fair, that season was the only time Romo’s brief career that he has started 16 games.)

Trent Edwards enters his third NFL season having shown a solid jump in efficiency from year one to year two (70.4 rating to 85.4). He is also the unquestioned starter and has had a great start to the preseason. While he is not getting the same Terrell Owens that Jeff Garcia or Donovan McNabb had, and probably not even the same T.O. that Tony Romo had, Edwards can still expect to see the addition of T.O. have a tremendously positive impact on opening up the field for the passing game. Plus, T.O. is usually on good behavior in the first season.

And here’s the thing: Edwards already had a solid trio of receivers without T.O. Lee Evans is a consistent contributor and a very good deep threat. Roscoe Parrish, though he lacks focus sometimes, is a game-breaker that the Bills appear more focused on getting the ball too this season. And last year’s first round pick James Hardy should be better in year two and has the potential to be an outstanding Plaxico-esque red zone target.

Add those guys on the outside to a solid stable of running backs (Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Dominic Rhodes) and the Bills have the skill players to be successful on offense. The main question mark about the Bills is on the offensive line, where they are basically starting from scratch with new starters at every position. If the Bills O-line wasn’t in such flux, I’d be even higher on Edwards.

Depending on the size of your league, Edwards could be a sneaky good value as a starting QB. He’s certainly a great value as a backup. Here are some players currently rated higher than Edwards that I see him outperforming from a fantasy standpoint this season: Matt Ryan, Matt Cassel, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Matt Hasselbeck, David Garrard, Kyle Orton, Jake Delhomme, and if Matt Schaub and Carson Palmer cannot stay healthy, he could be a better pick than those guys as well.

If your strategy is to wait on a QB, I think Edwards could provide solid value at the top of the third tier (after guys like Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Donovan McNabb). And though you may not win many preseason polls if you start Week 1 with Edwards as your starter, just remember that Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan weren’t rated that high last year either and ended up being starter-worthy as the season progressed.

Other QBs I like:

• Matt Schaub, if he stays healthy, has the potential to be a top-5 fantasy QB.
• Carson Palmer will be undervalued if he is healthy. If you feel good about his health prospects, remember that he was considered a first tier guy not long ago.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (O-Rank: 110, Position Rank: 39)

Ahmad Bradshaw is the kind of guy who could end up being a really nice flex player for a contending fantasy team. Why? Let’s count the reasons why his value is improved this year:

1. The Giants love to run and their philosophy is one that is committed to a consistent ground attack.
2. Plaxico Burress is gone and there are no proven #1 or even #2 WRs on the roster. Who is Eli Manning going to throw too? (I like Steve Smith, but only as a possession-type guy in a PPR league.)
3. Brandon Jacobs cannot stay healthy for a full season, meaning Bradshaw could very well see some time as the feature back; at a minimum, he will get more carries as the Giants try to keep Jacobs fresh.
4. Derrick Ward is gone, meaning Bradshaw no longer plays third fiddle behind Jacobs and Ward in the Earth, Wind & Fire trio.
5. Bradshaw, through 90 career carries, has a yard per carry average 6.1 and has scored twice. Yes, Jacobs will get the majority of the touches close to the goalline, but Bradshaw has the explosiveness to still score TDs because he can break long runs.

Now, there are reasons why Bradshaw is rated low and some of them are simple inverses of his positives; but it’s the NFL, so you never know how these things will play out over the course of a season. He’s a knucklehead and needs to prove he can stay out of trouble. Teams will undoubtedly be stacking the box against an offense without threats on the outside. He will not get any cheap, goalline TDs. He doesn’t have a history of catching many passes out of the backfield.

I don’t think you necessarily want to leave your draft with Bradshaw penciled in as a starter. At most, he should be a flex option for you as the season begins. But the potential is there for Bradshaw to be one of those guys who comes out of nowhere to be a top-15 back. Seriously. If Jacobs gets hurt, the Giants are not going to stop running the ball and Bradshaw will be the one getting the carries. Even if Jacobs doesn’t get hurt, Bradshaw will get a minimum of 10-12 touches per game and has Felix Jones-like game breaking ability to make those touches count.

Yahoo! currently has guys like Sammy Morris, Rashard Mendenhall, Cedric Benson, Julius Jones, and Willis McGahee above Bradshaw. I like Bradshaw more than those guys and others. 

Other RBs I like:

• Darren Sproles, especially if your league is PPR and/or counts return yards.
• Le’Ron McClain, because the coaching staff trusts him and he gets the goalline carries.
• Knowshon Moreno, because he is the most talented back Denver has and this team will have to run the ball with Kyle Orton at QB.
• Joseph Addai, if he can stay healthy, because he’s in a great offense and has a proven track record of success.
• Pierre Thomas, because the Saints have to be sick of seeing Reggie Bush get 3.5 yards per carry and know they need to run the ball consistently; Thomas has proven he can do that.

WR Ted Ginn, Miami Dolphins (O-Rank: 123, Position Rank: 43)

Dolphins fans (and I am one of them) laughed (or was it cried?) when Cam Cameron picked Ginn in the top-10 a few years back. The thinking was the Ginn would never amount to much more than a really talented return man. Everyone questioned his long-term viability as a WR threat.

But an interesting thing has happened along the way as Ginn enters his third season. He has steadily improved as a route-runner and pass catcher, and he appears poised to make good on the oft-heard promise of third-year wide receivers. From his rookie year to his sophomore season in South Florida, Ted Ginn jumped from 34 catches to 56, 420 yards to 790, and 12.4 yards per catch to 14.1. His TD, however, stayed steady at two.

I like Ginn this year because it will be his second season with Chad Pennington at QB. Remember, Pennington came to the Dolphins late in the game last year and was thrust into a role as the starter without much time to build a rapport with his young receiving corps. Now that they have had the whole offseason together, their efficiency (which was already solid) cannot do anything but improve.

And I know what you’re thinking: Pennington has a rag arm and won’t be able to take advantage of Ginn’s deep speed. True, you probably won’t see many deep TDs that remind you of Brady to Moss. However, Ginn’s strength is getting the ball in the open field, making people miss, and quickly accelerating to daylight. There is perhaps no QB in the NFL more adept at making quick, accurate, short- to medium-length throws than Chad Pennington.

I see no reason, other than injury, that Ginn can’t approach 80 catches and 1100 yards. He also should see the endzone a bit more this year, I would say 5-6 times. The emergence of Davone Bess and Anthony Fasano last year, combined with a tremendous running game, also gives Pennington more targets to throw too and ensures that defenses can’t focus solely on Ginn.  And if your league counts return yards, Ginn should provide an occasional bonus there, although I don’t know if he’ll be the full-time kick returner. As the Dolphins #1 receiving threat they know they have to keep Ginn fresh. 

Among the receivers currently rated higher than Ginn that I like him more than: Chris Chambers, Deion Branch, Domenik Hixon, Derrick Mason, Michael Crabtree, Laveraneus Coles, Jerricho Cotchery. Leave the draft with Ginn as your 4th receiving option and you very well could end up with a guy who ends up producing numbers of a consistent #2 WR or flex player.

Other WRs I like:

• Devin Hester, because he’ll certainly get touches and has Cutler throwing to him.
• Donald Driver, because he’s not what he used to be, but the Packers will have a very good offense and have a young QB coming into his own.
• Lance Moore, because Marques Colston never seems to stay healthy and we know the Saints will throw the ball…a lot.
• Donnie Avery, because the Rams will probably be down a lot and he’s the #1 option.
• Hines Ward, because consistency and dependability counts for something — actually a lot — in fantasy football.

TE Kevin Boss, New York Giants (Current O-Rank: 180, Position Rank: 18)

I’m not sure that Boss is necessarily more talented than the TEs rated above him, but the circumstances of his team make him a good value. As mentioned above, the Giants are without proven WRs, especially guys who have proven that they can get into the endzone. But the Giants are a good team with a good defense and their offense is going to get the ball in good field position often with opportunities to score.

Last year Kevin Boss emerged as a guy with ability to get into the endzone, scoring 6 times on only 33 receptions. He had some clunkers in there, but it was also his first year starting full-time. With a season and an offseason to build rapport with Eli Manning, Boss could find himself as the go-to guy in the red zone. And let’s be honest: if tight ends aren’t scoring touchdowns, they probably aren’t giving you a whole lot of value if they aren’t named Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, or Antonio Gates.

If you wait to take a tight end, you could do a lot worse than Boss. I like him better than Anthony Fasano, Brent Celek, Visanthe Shiancoe, Jeremy Shockey, John Carlson, Dustin Keller, and even the oft-injured and mouthy Kellen Winslow this season. Boss will sneak up on you with his TD production. And if he can get himself into the 50-60 catch range, I think 8-9 TDs is very possible because of how the Giants’ offense is constructed.

So there you have it. Hopefully this information helps you out as your drafts approach. Remember, everything in fantasy football drafts is about minimizing risk early and then getting value late. Get yourself proven players early who will (barring injury) anchor your team. That frees you to roll the dice a bit more late in the draft, where you can often find the diamonds in the rough the can propel you to a championship.

**********

Remember, to get any and all fantasy questions answered in a quick and timely fashion, jump on over to the MSF Fantasy Football Discussion Forum, where we are waiting to help you out with your draft preparation.

* – Trent Edwards and Terrell Owens photo credit: Deadspin

* – Ahmad Bradshaw photo credit: GMenHQ.com

* – Ted Ginn photo credit: Heathcote/Getty via New York Daily News

Chicago Bears 2009 Preseason: What to Watch For

Chicago Bears fans finally had their chance to see the ‘09 Bears in action Saturday, August 15, against the Buffalo Bills. It was the first preseason game for the Bears, and the first game with new QB Jay Cutler. While preseason games don’t mean that much, they do give the fans a chance to see how the team has changed, and hopefully, improved.

While most of the first string players do start, most of them don’t play for very long. Starters don’t begin having a lot of playing time until the third or fourth preseason games. That is not a reason to not watch the first two games, however.

Bears fans should tune in to see how the team has done over the offseason. Not only should you watch Cutler, but watch the offensive line and the passing defense, the two weakest parts of the Bears last season. Rod Marinelli was brought into the Bears’ coaching staff January 10, 2009, to help the defensive line go back to being a dominating force.

Don’t think Marinelli is a bad coach just because his team last year didn’t win a game, because that is far from the truth. Marinelli is a very smart and highly respected coach. I have no doubt he will help the defensive line become one of the best in the league. We have the players to do so, and now we have the great coaching those great players need.

Another thing to watch is the receivers, who are always a big question mark for the Bears. Chicago has been coined the place where receivers go to die, and really that is true most of the time.

But this year could be different.

They have the potential to have a very effective, young receiving corps this year. Devin Hester has shown a lot of improvement in becoming a great first-string receiver. Now that he is devoting all his time to becoming a better receiver, rather than a kick returner, he will improve faster and become better sooner.

Watch how Lovie Smith calls the defense. He will be taking the reins and calling the plays for the defense this season. Bob Babich will go back to focusing on the linebackers. I never liked Babich. The defense has been terrible since he came here. I didn’t like that they let go of Ron Rivera. I liked him as a defense coordinator, and thought that his play calling was way better than Babich’s.

Ron Turner has new a new offense at his hands, and it will be interesting to see what he will do with it. I usually question his play calling, especially on third downs. The Bears seem to play it safe on third down. They throw it in front of the first down line, and that really makes me mad. Now having a QB that can thrown down field, and a receiver that can be a threat down field, I expect to see more long passes. It should be an exciting offensive season from the Bears, and I can’t wait to see it.

So be sure to not miss the Bears remaining preseason games. Get out your Bears jersey, your black and navy blue paint, and bring all your friends. Chicago Bears football is back!!!!

Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Identifying This Year’s Potential 1st Round Busts

Note: Be sure to check out the new MSF Fantasy Sports Discussion Forum to receive quick answers to your questions and to discuss whatever fantasy sports topics are on your mind.

I will not be breaking any new ground when I say that there is often a great deal of fluctuation between a players’ pre-draft ranking and what his ultimate value for the season ends up being. Anyone who has played one season of fantasy football understands this.

Season-ending injuries, lingering injuries, complacency, a change in role, a change in coaching staff, the emergence of a younger player, the effects of Father Time…all of these reasons and more can end up turning a top draft pick into something far less than you were expecting.

Just glancing through the 2008 draft results from one of my leagues, take a look at some of the names drafted in the first four rounds who ended up producing far less than their draft position would have suggested: LT (#2 overall), Joseph Addai (#4), Tom Brady (#5), Marion Barber (#6), Braylon Edwards (#15), Carson Palmer (#17), Larry Johnson (#18), Derek Anderson (#20), Jamal Lewis (#29), Reggie Bush (#31), Laurence Maroney (#32), David Garrard (#34), Matt Hasselbeck (#35), Marques Colston (#36), Torry Holt (#38), Kellen Winslow (#40).

[Note: It was a draft with a lot of Browns fans, hence why Braylon, DA, and Kellen were all picked high; but remember, all three of those guys were pretty highly rated too, so those selections are not too far from what the norm was.]

That’s a lot of high draft picks that turned out to be duds. On the flip side, look at some of the mid- to later-round picks that turned out to be absolute studs: Michael Turner (#58), Roddy White (#98), Matt Forte (#100), Dwayne Bowe (#106), Chris Johnson (#129), DeAngelo Williams (#130), Steve Slaton (#169).

The key, of course, is to identify which highly players are going to perform below expectations and which low rated players are going to outperform expectations…before the draft.

This is not always easy, and certainly even the most well thought out methodology will have plenty of misses; you just want to try to have more hits than misses over the course of time.

So, based on Yahoo’s current O-Rankings, I will try to identify three highly rated players that you should be wary of using your valuable first-round pick on, as there are warning signs I see that could lead to you only getting second- or third-round production out of the selection.

Then, later today or this weekend, I will highlight three players currently below the Top 50 that could produce first- or second-round value.

 

Three Highly Rated Players to Be Wary Of Drafting in the First Round:

Before I get into analyzing specific players, let me just say right off the bat that I am wary of LT (preseason #7) and Brian Westbrook (#5). Both will be 30 by September, both saw their values decline rather sharply from their usual greatness last year, and Westbrook is already dealing with injuries in the preseason and has an impressive rookie (LeSean McCoy) nipping at his heels.

I’m not saying don’t draft them, but if you do not do so with at least a little bit of trepidation, you are either a first time fantasy football player or just a casual one.

Anyway, it’s cliched at this point to discuss the questions surrounding LT and Westbrook this year, so I’m going to try and identify some other highly rated players that the conventional wisdom is telling you to draft highly.

I would imagine that at least one of these guys will probably have another great season, but at a minimum I think there are legitimate questions about all three.

 

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons (Current O-Rank: #2)

He was an absolute monster last year in his first season as a featured back. And assuming he stays healthy all year, he will probably be very good again this year. I just do not think he will be nearly good enough to warrant the second pick.

The cliched reasoning for many who are anti-Turner near the top of the draft is that he went over 370 carries last year. While such a single season workload is always concerning, using 370 as some sort of magic number appears to be a bit overdone.

So I don’t think Turner will experience a dropoff simply because he passed some arbitrary amount of carries, especially since it was his first season as a full-time starter and theoretically he still has “fresh” legs.

Rather, I think the perfect confluence of events that led to his incredible season probably will not be in place this year:

• He was healthy all year last year, and two straight seasons of perfect health for a RB is rare.
• The Falcons played a last-place schedule in 2008, while the opponents (including all of the NFC East teams) are tougher this year.
• 17 TDs is a lot, and TDs are a number that can fluctuate from year to year even for the best running backs. Even a small but reasonable drop to 12 TDs, which would still be an excellent number, would decrease Turner’s value.
• Turner does not catch the ball out of the backfield (6 receptions in 2008), meaning he does not have non-rushing touches to add to his stats against teams that are stiff against the run, or if his TDs do in fact decrease.

Additionally, if you want to discuss the Peterson-Turner debate atop the draft, Turner is a little bit too much of a boom-or-bust type player for my tastes.  Look at his game log from 2008. He had six games where he rushed for 70 yards or less.  In those six games he totaled 2 touchdowns.  

That means there were six weeks out of the year where your top pick is not contributing significantly to your efforts to win. Sure, his other 10 games were stellar, but I like a little less variance from my top dog on a week-to-week basis.

Adrian Peterson, on the other hand, had only one game in which he ran for 75 yards or less and had 15 more receptions than Turner.  I expect their TDs (17-10 advantage for Turner in ‘08) to at least even out this season, negating the main advantage Turner had over Peterson last year.

I would probably still take Michael Turner in the late first round or early second round (not that he’d be there) if push came to shove, but I am just not sold on him as a legit competitor to Adrian Peterson for the top spot.

I also like my first pick to have more than one great season under their belt.  Minimizing risk while still getting a great player is important.

Hence, I would feel more comfortable taking guys such as Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, and Clinton Portis over Turner in 2009. I much prefer picking a little bit safer and going after consistent production in the early rounds and then trying to hit home runs later on. That’s how I ended up with Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald last year to anchor my team, with late round picks Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson, and Kurt Warner (2 QB league) putting me over the top for a title.

At the end of the day, you will most likely still get a very productive #1 back in Turner, just be wary of how high you select him and the more proven production you may be passing up.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (#3)

Marion Barber alert!  Marion Barber alert!

Remember last year how Marion Barber was going to set the world on fire once Julius Jones was jettisoned from town and Barber would get all of the carries?

Yeah, not so much.

After excelling as “the closer” in Dallas in 2006 and 2007 with a 4.8 yard average and 24 combined TDs, Barber regressed to a 3.7 yard average and only 7 TDs in 2008.

He also battled injuries as his carries rose to 15.9 per game, up from 10.6 per game over his first two seasons. Thus, Barber was a decent #2 back, but certainly not worth a 1st round pick.

This year, the fantasy world is again aflutter about a running back who has excelled in a part-time role now getting the chance to be “the man.” With Fred Taylor now in New England, MJD is the main man in the Jaguars’ backfield.

I think it is a mistake to expect that he will immediately become a guy who should be picked in the top 5 of the first round. Last year, his best season (almost 1,400 total yards and 14 TDs), MJD was the 17th best player in Yahoo!. 

Yet, MJD has never carried the ball more than the 197 times he did last year.  If his carries go up 4-5 game, as Barber’s did, Jones-Drew could experience a drop in production to similar to what Barber experienced last year.

I still think MJD is worthy of a second-round pick, but just make sure you remember the lesson of Marion Barber before jumping on Maurice Jones-Drew with your third or fourth pick.

 

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers (#6)

Williams was the Panthers’ first-round draft pick in 2006. Through his first two seasons in the league he scored only 5 TDs and barely eclipsed 1200 yards combined.

The blame for this is not entirely on Williams. He got only 144 carries in 2007 despite having a 5.0 yard per carry average.

For whatever reason, Carolina felt compelled to continue feeding DeShaun Foster and his 3.5 yard per carry average the ball. Still, great running backs are usually great from the get-go.  It is WRs who usually wait until their third years to break out.

Well, Williams broke out, and in a big way, in 2008.  He ran for 1515 yards and 18 TDs, and finished the year as the #1 rated player in Yahoo!.

 Eleven of those TDs came in Week 13 or later, meaning he probably won more than a few people a title last year.  My advice? Let those people take Williams in the first round, because I don’t think he will be worth it this year. 

First of all, replicating his 18 rushing touchdowns is going to be mighty difficult, especially with Jonathan Stewart there to continue pilfering carries. By themselves, I think either of these guys could have first-round potential.

In a time-share, however, and coming off of a ridiculous 28 combined rushing touchdowns, I think you’re crazy if you base this year’s value solely off of last year’s numbers.

Also, scheduling and happenstance contributed mightily to Williams’ value last year.  Look at some of the teams he racked up his huge numbers against after the Panthers’ Week 8 bye: Oakland, Detroit, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Denver, New Orleans.

Not exactly a murderer’s row of run defenses, plus he went against a Giants’ team in Week 16 that was scuffling a bit.

Again, as with Turner and MJD, Williams is not devoid of early round value by any means. I just think you should be careful if you draft him expecting anything more than 70-80% of his value from last year.

Never pay too high a premium for a career year after the career year.  I’m convinced we’ve seen Williams’ high water mark, and will draft accordingly.

So now that you have read my reasoning for why I would be extremely nervous drafting Michael Turner, Maurice Jones-Drew, and DeAngelo Williams in the first round, I want to remind you of the key foundational point that inspired this article: LaDainian Tomlinson, Joseph Addai, and Marion Barber were all slam-dunk first round picks going into last season, just as Turner, MJD, and Williams are this year.

Yet, none of the three (LT, Addai, Barber) contributed first round value last year, and owners who drafted them faced an uphill battle all season trying to compensate for the lack of production out of their first round pick.

It happens every year and it will happen this year: two or three guys that every magazine and fantasy prognosticator have in the top 10 will fail to produce top 10 stats.

So before you immediately criticize the selections above, make sure you have some alternatives ready.

The question is not if there will be first-round flameouts, it’s who they will be. Whether you agree or disagree with my choices, make sure you know whose first-round bandwagon you’re on and whose you’re off heading into your draft.

It’s not impossible, but it is decidedly harder to win over the long haul of the season when you don’t get 1st round value out of your 1st round pick.

Note: To discuss this topic and more, be sure to check out the new MSF Fantasy Sports Discussion Forum, where you can receive quick answers to your questions and discuss whatever fantasy sports topics are on your mind.

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* – Joseph Addai photo credit: Darron Cummings / Associated Press via NFL.com

* – Maurice Jones-Drew photo credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images North America via Zimbio

2009 Fantasy Football Sleeper Pick: Jerome Harrison of the Cleveland Browns

Last year, there were a few common collective refrains heard from Browns fans:

1. Dammit!
2. Catch the ball Braylon!
3. Son of a bitch!
4. Man I hate the Steelers.
5. Get the ball to Jerome Harrison!

I’m sure there were others, but those are the first five that pop into my head; and it is the last of those five that I am going to deal with this morning, because it could have a decidedly positive impact on your fantasy football teams this year.

Last season, the Browns were expected to have a dynamic offense after what seemed like a breakout 2007 season. Unfortunately, 2007 began to look more and more like an anomaly—the function of a weak schedule and low expectations—with each passing week.

Sure, injuries played some part it. Mostly though, the Browns simply shot themselves in the foot time after time with dropped passes, poor execution, unimaginative play calling, and an overall dearth of offensive leadership.

But there was one bright spot: Jerome Harrison, the diminutive running back who got very few carries, but always seemed to do something productive with the ball when he got it.

Jerome Harrison comes into the 2009 season as a three-year veteran, having been drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 draft out of Washington State. If you just glance at his career totals, you will likely be underwhelmed:

• 77 carries
• 448 yards
• 1 rushing TD
• 23 catches
• 182 receiving yards
• 1 receiving TD

A couple of years ago, that would have been a decent three-week stretch for LaDainian Tomlinson.

If you break the numbers down a little further, however, you begin to see that Harrison’s overall lack of production is not necessarily his fault. A player can only do so much with the chances he is given, and Harrison has only had 100 touches in his NFL career. With a 5.8 career yard per carry average (7.2 in 2008) and a 7.9 yard per reception average, Harrison has at least made the most of his chances.

And what makes Jerome Harrison a sleeper pick for 2009 is that, barring injury, his touches will undoubtedly increase.

Pat Kirwan’s Sirius NFL Radio show was at Browns training camp yesterday and I was able to catch a portion of it during my drive home. They interviewed Jamal Lewis and Eric Mangini, both of him talked about Harrison as a key part of the plans for 2009. Lewis went so far as to say what all Browns fans were saying last year: namely, that Harrison was underutilized by the previous coaching staff. Mangini spoke glowingly of Harrison’s work ethic, talent, and aptitude in picking up the new offense.

What remains to be seen is whether these positive training camp reports actually translate into additional touches for Harrison. Last year, we heard the Browns coaches speak on more than one occasion about getting Harrison more involved. Then Sunday would roll around and Harrison would carry the ball four times for 25 yards in the first half and never see it again. Honestly, it was mind-boggling.

There are a couple of reasons why I think Lewis and Mangini were doing more than just paying lip service to an increased role for Harrison:

Jamal Lewis isn’t getting any younger

Jamal Lewis will be 30 years old on opening day, and there are few cliches used more often in fantasy football and real football circles than the notion that running backs fall of a cliff once they reach the age of 30. Of course, the reason it is so often uttered is that the statistical evidence, for the most part, backs it up.

After a solid 2007 season in which he gained 1,304 yards on 298 carries, Lewis regressed last season to 1,002 yards. Part of the reason was that he did not get as many fourth quarter carries with the Browns often finding themselves behind in games. Another part of the reason for his decline was an almost full yard drop his average per carry.

If the Browns can throw the ball more effectively this year to open up the running lanes, and not be playing catch up in so many games, Lewis could bounce back to have a better season. However, with 2,399 career carries there is only so much tread left on the tires. If the Browns want their workhorse to be fresh late in the season and in the fourth quarter when they need to nurse a lead, they will have to manage his workload throughout the year and during games.

Enter Jerome Harrison.

I highly doubt that we will see a repeat of the almost 10:1 split in carries between Lewis and Harrison. More than likely, it will be somewhere in the 7:3 range, with rookie James Davis perhaps picking up a few here and there as well. Either way, the age of Jamal Lewis will compel the Browns coaching staff to throw a few carries elsewhere, and Harrison is the next in line to grab them.

Eric Mangini knows how to get the most out of quicker, undersized backs

Over Eric Mangini’s last two seasons in New York, his Jets teams featured a two-headed running back attack led by feature back Thomas Jones and his understudy/kick returner extraordinaire Leon Washington. In 2007, when he was 29, Thomas Jones carried the ball 310 times with Washington picking up 71 carries. In 2008, when he was 30, Thomas Jones’ workload was slightly reduced to 290 carries, with Washington grabbing 76 of his own. Where Leon Washington made an additional dent was in the passing game, catching 36 balls for 213 yards in 2007 and 47 balls for 355 yards in 2008.

What does this mean for Jerome Harrison?

Well let’s say that the Browns employ a similar split in touches between Lewis and Harrison as Mangini’s Jets teams did with Jones and Washington, using Harrison’s career averages per touch as our guide.

• 74 carries at 5.8 yards per carry = 429 yards
• 42 receptions at 7.9 yards per reception = 331.8

Considering that Harrison scored 1 TD in his 34 carries last year, along with 1 TD in 12 receptions, extrapolated out over the touches listed above we could optimistically pencil Harrison in for 5-6 TDs.

Now, is around 750 total yards and five to six TDs going to make Jerome Harrison as fantasy stud? Not at all. And with more touches, he likely won’t be able to maintain a 5.8 yard per carry average. However, I think there is a good chance that Jerome Harrison could see more than 74 carries this year, and that he could still be in the 4.8-5.2 yard per carry neighborhood. And obviously if Jamal Lewis goes down with any type of injury, Harrison’s workload will only increase.

And I definitely believe that he will eclipse ESPN.com’s projection of 459 total yards.

Jerome Harrison has always produced when given the opportunity

This fact often gets lost when people look at Jerome Harrison and just see a 5′9″, 218-pound back. In college, Harrison set the Washington State single-season rushing record with 1,900 yards. He also broke the Pac-10 record for consecutive 100-yards games with 16.

Yes, Harrison is slighter of frame than most backs, but did you know that he is actually the same height and almost 10 pounds heavier than Emmitt Smith was during his playing days? This is not to say that Harrison is anywhere in the class of Smith—obviously—but Harrison should not just be dismissed off-hand as a guy without the ability to carry the load for the Browns.

Smaller, quicker backs like Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson, and Darren Sproles have proven as recently as last year that even though NFL defensive players get bigger by the season, smaller running backs with quickness and productive pedigrees can find significant success in the right situation.

It is good to have two backs in today’s NFL, and I think the Browns can have one of the more underrated backfields in the NFL in Lewis and Harrison if the offense rebounds to become a respectable unit in 2009. But if Lewis ever were to go down, I would feel comfortable that Jerome Harrison could produce with 15 to 20 carries per game and that he could be a solid No. 2 RB or weekly flex starter.

As it says above, he’s always produced when given the opportunity.

With that said, I can’t help but think that when Mangini and new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll look at the tape of last year’s team they are going to realize that only one player on offense consistently made plays when he touched the ball. That player was Jerome Harrison, and it sure would have been nice if the previous regime had realized it; or, if they did realize it, if they’d actually been proactive in getting him more touches throughout the season.

With the success that teams like Tennessee and Miami had last year splitting time between two backs, I actually think that Harrison could and will get more touches than what is projected above. I would not be at all surprised to see him get 100 to 125 touches, approach 1,000 total yards, and find the end zone six to seven times.

Jamal Lewis will no doubt get the bulk of the goalline touches and TDs, but Harrison’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and make people miss in space will make him a valuable commodity inside the red zone on screen and swing passes. If he can find the end zone on a few of those passes, six to seven TDs is not an outlandish projection in my estimation.

You don’t want to leave your draft with Harrison slotted to be a starter. However, once the bye weeks roll around, he will have some value as a capable flex option who will get touches and have the potential to get you double-digit fantasy points in any given week. And if you’re in a PPR league, Harrison’s ability to grab two to three catches per game at least ensures that you won’t come up empty at a spot  in the worst case scenario.

So the question is where should you target Jerome Harrison in your drafts. Clearly, he is not a guy you want to even think about in the first half of a draft, nor do you need to. Harrison is not in Yahoo!’s Top 40 running backs for 2009 and doesn’t show up until No. 76 in ESPN’s running back rankings. His value obviously increases somewhat in a point-per-reception league, where he shows up at No, 192 overall in the ESPN PPR rankings.

Here is the guide I will be using when it comes to Jerome Harrison, and obviously specific rounds will depend on the number of teams in your league and how your league doles out points. (And, since I am in leagues that have other Browns fans, I may have to jump on Jerome a round or two earlier than normal.)

• If I draft Jamal Lewis somewhere in rounds 5 or 6, I am definitely grabbing Harrison by round 14 as an essential handcuff.
• If I am in a PPR league, I am targeting Harrison somewhere in the 13 to 15 range, depending on the other RBs and WRs available.
• In a non-PPR league in which I do not need Harrison as a handcuff, I will try to grab him in the last couple of rounds, earlier if there has been a run on second-tier, non-starting running backs already.

Remember that fantasy football championships are won many times by the guys you draft in the later rounds that far exceed their expected or projected value.  The later rounds are a great place to take chances on players who are one injury away from putting up big numbers, especially when the guy in front of them is a 30-plus running back.

Last year, for example, I rode mid- and late-round draft picks Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton to a fantasy title. While Jerome Harrison is not going to approach the production of either of those two guys, he does have the potential to give you ninth or 10th round value with his current role in the later rounds of the draft. If he gets the chance to start at any point this season, he could potentially offer third or fourth round value.

Stack a few of those guys together, along with a solid performance at the top of the draft, and you have the makings of a team with depth that can withstand the inevitable injuries you’ll endure, which will allow you to be competitive on a week-in, week-out basis.

Fantasy Football 2009: Advanced Training for the Last Four Rounds

If you have not read my previous article on fantasy football draft day strategy, please do so before continuing to read this one.  If you have already read the previous article, you have now graduated to my advanced training. 

The last four rounds of a fantasy football draft can give you the ability to win your league.  These four picks can be nasty, vindictive, or simple self-defense picks, all depending on your strategy and perspective.

Most of you who attend live drafts at a specific location are usually too intoxicated to even see the draft board by the last four rounds.  While you are wasted, people like me are capitalizing on your early draft selections. Dispensing this advice will probably come back to haunt me in my own leagues I participate in, most notably Midwest Sports Fans’ Fantasy Football League, as my guerilla warfare tactics will now be used against me. 

My guidelines are simple, and are keys to winning in your league.

1.  Protect—Self preservation is key.  If you draft a top 20 player, or a very good player who has a strong back up, you better buy insurance, meaning: draft the back up.  If you do not follow this guideline, which appropriately is listed first, see what will happen to you in No. 2.

2.  Plot—Not only should you have your draft mapped out, like a well designed battle plan, but you should take careful notes on what teams appear strong based on the way the draft unfolded.  You know, the team you look at on the board and say, “how in the hell did he get all of those players?”  You are left wondering if he was at the same draft your currently in. 

Lets face it, injuries are part of the game, you know they are going to happen. It’s only a matter of who and when.  Take his backups, and then wait for when a top notch starter goes down with an injury, especially season ending, and owners flock to the waiver wire. You will have made the waiver wire a non-option for owners by grabbing the backup in the draft and then waiting patiently for what you know is going to happen sooner or later. If your opponent is not smart enough to “protect” his assets, stick it to him.  

This strategy does have a down side though.  If your league counts bench points in ties to determine a win, their weekly “0″ in the points column blows, but when the “Matt Cassel 2008″ is inserted into the lineup when the starter goes down, the team with the injured starter is left scrambling while you reap the benefits of skillful drafting.

3.  Gamble—This is something that you are doing in No. 2. If you are not backing up your own starter for insurance purposes, but rather a starter on another team, you are gambling on another starter having an injury. 

Drafting a rookie is also a gamble.  With the exception of a few rookies a year, drafting a rookie usually leads to an inconsistent, mostly non-productive player.  But sometimes you can strike gold with a late-round gamble on a rookie who will get consistent playing time.

I took Matt Ryan in the 16th round last year.  There were 20 rounds in this league.  Matty Ice started for me on numerous occasions last year.  If you are capable of drafting starters in the last four rounds, you are setting yourself up for a loaded team with depth, and potential trade bait down the road. 

Be daring with these last four picks, just have a purpose and a game plan.

4.  Self Evaluate—After the 10th round, you already know where you have screwed yourself.  Try to improve yourself at these positions in the next few rounds.  If you still are not comfortable with your players at these positions, spend a few of your last round picks on adding depth to your weak spots. 

My favorite positions to back up three-deep which most owners never do is the kicker and team defense position.  I know you’re asking “why?”  If you have two suspect defenses already, this will give you a third option on any given week. 

Hopefully one of your three defenses is playing a miserable offense, and that defense will play well above its normal level of play that week.  In addition, most defenses will produce some points to some degree, helping your bench points. 

The same applies to a kicker.  Are your two kickers playing the Ravens and Steelers this week? If so, that sucks for you.  If you had a third option, they might be playing the Lions.  Kickers will also always produce points, which will again help your bench points.  At some point during the season, you will gauge that you will never start one of your three defenses, or one of your three kickers, so off them when you sustain a short term injury to another player.

5.  Future—This applies to only keeper leagues.  Draft rookies with upsides.  Draft backup quarterbacks whose starter is in the last year of his contract.  Draft younger backup running backs to warriors whose best days are years behind them.  Keep this in mind as well: when you keep them next year, you may lose a the draft pick where they were selected (depending on your league’s rules), so draft this year in later rounds for them to hopefully produce this year, and if not, definitely next.

I still have a few tricks left in my trick bag, but these five guidelines will throw you from worst to first instantly.  If I see these tactics deployed against me, I will know where it came from.

If you like what you see, become a fan here for instant updates on new articles, and weekly notes throughout the fantasy football season.

Kurt Fraschetti

Senior Fantasy Football Writer

MidwestSportsFans.com

* – Matt Ryan photo credit: AtlantaFalcons.com

Chicago Bears Wide Receivers Not Given Enough Credit

More than not I see a lot of comments saying that Jay Cutler has no one to throw to. This really makes me angry. Yes, the Bears don’t have a lights out receiver, but their receivers aren’t that terrible.

The Bears’ first string WR is Devin Hester, a return man turned WR. At first I didn’t agree with the change, but now that the Bears have committed him to at the WR position, Hester has shown a lot of improvement. He is a big threat downfield, and even more now because he has a QB that can hit him farther down the field.

The Bears also have one of the greatest route-running and receiving tight ends in the game today. Greg Olsen has produced great numbers throughout his tenure with the Bears. He has seven career TDs and his receptions increase every year. He was a great pick in the 2007 draft and his numbers will only improve.

Matt Forte is one of the great all-around running backs in the game. He can run, catch, and block. What a gem from the second round. His catching abilities are one of his greatest assets. He can be counted on to get that extra yard or block that blitzing corner back. Forte is one of the best athlete in the league.

And how can we forget Desmond Clark? He might not produce amazing numbers, but he can be counted on every time his number is called. He is also a great blocking tight end. Clark is the veteran every team should have.

Rookie WR Juaqin Iglesias will need a few years to transition to the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make an impact this year. He is a sure-handed WR who can run routes very well. Look for him to be a sleeper, as soon as this season.

So I don’t want to hear how the Bears don’t have any good receivers. The offense is a great one that can produce touchdowns. The defense, in fact, needs to be tweaked more than the offense. I am glad Lovie is back to calling the plays and with all of the potential that this team possesses, It seems like it will be an interesting Chicago Bears season in 2009.

BEAR DOWN!!!

Chicago Bears’ Problems Lie in Defense, not Offense

The Chicago Bears’ defense, once great, is now old and worn out. They get run over by receivers, and read like a book by opposing quarterbacks. With Jay Cutler, the Bears offense should be able to provide solid production, but defense does, and will always, win games.

The Bears’ defense has declined in talent after the Super Bowl loss to the Colts in 2006. It was ranked fifth in the league that year. They also posted a 13-3 record.

In 2007 the rank dropped all the way to 28th in the league, and so did the win percentage. The team’s record in 2007 was 7-9.

It was a huge disappointment after playing in the Super Bowl the season before. Last season the defense wasn’t great but was at least better than the 2007 season, ranked at 21st.

The defense was hit with injuries, and it seemed like the receivers were always open. Still, despite their problems, the Bears were one play away from making the playoffs. Unfortunately, they didn’t make the cut with a 9-7 record.

The Bears are known for having a stellar defense. The 2006 defense was being compared to the ’85 Bears D (although not so much in the ’07 season).

Another trait of the Bears is not having a franchise quarterback. They have mostly relied on their running back and defense to put up the points. In 2006 the Bears’ offense was ranked 15th, proving that having a great defense but a mediocre offense could take you deep in to the postseason.

The 2008 team’s offense was also ranked 15th, but the defense was a miserable 21st. A better defense would have had the Bears in the postseason.

Bringing Jay Cutler helps the offense a lot, but the defense is the one that needs the help. I really like the Cutler trade because it gives us some years to improve the defense now, and not having to worry about what quarterback to start.

Some people say Cutler has no one to throw to, but that’s not true. He has one of the best tight ends in the league, Greg Olsen, a great receiving running back with Mate Forte, and a maturing receiver in Devin Hester. Earl Bennet and Juaquin Iglesias will also split the catches.

The offense is set for years to come, but it’s the defense that is rebuilding. Who knew the Bears could have a better offense than defense?

The Anchor’s Desk: The Gradual Sexification of Sports News

The economy sucks. Newspapers are shutting down. Local news stations need to earn back viewers. Mainstream sports websites have new competitors and independent blog sites to compete with.

It’s time to make a desperate ploy, fellow media members. Time to turn to an age-old method to get attention: Super-hot chicks.

This has been creeping up on us for a while. We men used to keep our two favorite things, women and sports, separate. The SI Swimsuit edition was a completely separate issue that came once a year. It was fun, and had nothing to do with sports. The lines weren’t blurred.

Then our local sports pages started getting sprinkled in with car ads sporting hot bods and mini-skirts.

Sex sells.

Fox’s Best Damn Sports Show Period will dedicate an entire episode to a Hooters beauty pageant. I’m not saying I wouldn’t watch, but if I want sports, give me sports for crying out loud! Call it what it is.

Mainstream sports websites like www.cbs.sportsline.com, and especially www.si.com, dedicate plenty of room to the hotties. Features like “Which celeb chick is hotter?” or “Vote on which athlete looks better half-naked” have become Internet staples that come as a side dish to our sports information consumption. It’s become a part of the equation.

The sports sites are starting to become man-sites. The message is: “Guys, we give you tons of reasons to come to our site! Get your sports and your women all in one place.” The lines have definitely blurred.

Since the internet is the future, are we going down this road and never looking back?

Right now, the major shows and websites are still trying to walk that fragile line of subtlety. Just a small bit of the hot babes sprinkled in with the sports info.

I say, why pretend to make it subtle? If sex sells, and you are using that to get readers and viewers, why not go all the way? Why not give us more chicks with our sports…WAY more.

That’s the future anyways, right?

I say don’t stop. This could save the local sportscast, which has been disappearing from some newscasts. Fellow sports anchors like myself could sprinkle in still shots of Baywatch and Maxim babes in between each highlight.

Here’s how my Mariners highlights could look and sound like:

–ANCHOR ON CAMERA—
Good evening, The Ms at home tonight…

(–TAKE VIDEO–)
To the first inning, Ichiro homers. 1-0 Mariners! What a great play! And now we take a look at Pamela Anderson. (cut to still shot of her in red bathing suit)

Moving on to the third inning, Beltre strikes out again. Hey, Yasmine Bleeth sure looked hot in 2001! (cut to a still shot of her)

Eighth inning, the Misses put the game away. Ichiro a double! A run scores! He’s the only guy on this team who isn’t terrible! Here’s someone not terrible…Megan Fox! (cut to hot Fox picture)……”

Think more viewers would turn in? If our brains have been preconditioned the last few years to expect babes and sports together…my plan is crazy enough to work.

Sports pages could have an article about a game, and the accompanying picture wouldn’t be from the game, but a sexy shot of Eliza Dushku.

The caption would read “This hot babe had nothing to do with the Packers game, but she’s nice to look at!” That might put a jolt into the dying newspaper industry, right?

I’m gonna go cry now about the state of journalism…right after I google some Megan Fox pics.

* – Megan Fox photo credit: Maxim

[Blog Editor’s Note: Thank you for writing this article, Scott.  It provided the perfect excuse to include a picture of Megan Fox, thus making Midwest Sports Fans one of the last sports blogs to feature its first picture of Fox. Also Scott, please don’t take offense that we replaced your head shot on the front page.  You’re great and all, but I guarantee the Fox pic drives more click-throughs to the article…thus proving your point I guess.]

———-

Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as Dallas Sports Fans.

He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.

To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com

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