It's the most wonderful time of the year. We are so close to football season you can smell the lineman melt in the heat of training camp. This is what we have been waiting for and the whole reason we started this blog. To talk football, college or pro. We will be updating often as draft picks sign and guys are sent home to work for Uncle Boofies Used Cars and Waffles. So keep it tuned right here folks for the best in NFL news and fantasy football insight. The Big Daddy has been called by some as "The Master" when it comes to fantasy football. While flattering that may be a bit over-stated. The only thing we have ever been master of is our domain, well a boy can dream cant he?
To get you in the mood for football check out this video of the most famous coach meltdowns ever. Man I can't get enough of these. And always remember, you play to win the game....hello!!!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Review of Chuck and Larry
This movie is exactly what you would expect from the two stars, Adam Sandler and Kevin James. The comedy was mostly low-brow and crude, not that there is anything wrong with that. They also brought the usual same collection of actors that can be seen in most of Sandler's movies and from James late TV show, King of Queens. The only saving grace is that we get plenty of Jessica Biel and not much of her clothes.
Premise: Chuck (Sandler) and Larry (James) are best friends who are firefighters in the same unit in Brooklyn. Even though they are inseparable when working together they are total opposites at home. Chuck is the consummate bachelor as he loves to party and see how many Hooters girls he can fool around with. Larry is a widower who is struggling to raise two children by himself who still has not gotten over the death of his wife. Larry saves Chuck's life in a fire and Chuck says he is forever in his debt. When a snafu in the benefits department prevents Larry from naming his kids the beneficiary of his estate, Larry decides to call in the favor from Chuck. He asks him to become his domestic partner so he can make sure his children are taken care of if something were to happen to him. Seems like a simple enough plan but a snoopy government bureaucrat threatens to expose their charade. So Chuck and Larry have to live as newlyweds to fool not only the city inspector but eventually the whole city. If they are exposed the kids would lose the benefits they would be sent to jail for fraud. And as they say from there the hilarity ensues. Now on with the grades.....
Plot: The plot of the movie was very predictable as nothing happens that is not expected. This movie wasn't made to make us think or look inside ourselves or other sap like that. It was made to be funny, and that is about all it was. So since they really did not take themselves too seriously, neither did we. So we will give it a solid B.
Acting: Again not much was expected with this cast and they didn't disappoint. Sandler and James play the same characters we are familiar with, but with different names and backgrounds. I am not saying that was a bad thing as we find both of them to be very funny. This is exactly the kind of movie both of these funnymen should stick to as it is what the public wants and expects from the both of them. So another solid B for delivering exactly what we wanted and expected.
Babes: If this movie was just graded on this category it should win the Academy Award for best babes. Jessica Biel was so hot she almost set off the fire alarm in the theatre in one scène. And you know there is always room for a houseful of Hooters girls and a hot doctor in any movie. As you can imagine we give this category an A++
Overall: This is your typical Adam Sandler production, crude over the top humor with plenty of side characters who are hilarious. We are not knocking this as sometimes you just need to laugh, and for that this movie delivers. It is definitely not one for the kids as most of the movie is filled with adult jokes and sexual situations. If you're a homophobe, I would not go. I personally do not care about your sexual orientation as long as you don't care about mine. Live and let live is the way I roll. Ok enough social commentary. Bottom line, if you like to laugh and are not easily offended then go see it. If your uptight and like your movies thought provoking, filled with deep ideas, you might want find something else to watch. As for me, I like to laugh so I give this one an overall A
Premise: Chuck (Sandler) and Larry (James) are best friends who are firefighters in the same unit in Brooklyn. Even though they are inseparable when working together they are total opposites at home. Chuck is the consummate bachelor as he loves to party and see how many Hooters girls he can fool around with. Larry is a widower who is struggling to raise two children by himself who still has not gotten over the death of his wife. Larry saves Chuck's life in a fire and Chuck says he is forever in his debt. When a snafu in the benefits department prevents Larry from naming his kids the beneficiary of his estate, Larry decides to call in the favor from Chuck. He asks him to become his domestic partner so he can make sure his children are taken care of if something were to happen to him. Seems like a simple enough plan but a snoopy government bureaucrat threatens to expose their charade. So Chuck and Larry have to live as newlyweds to fool not only the city inspector but eventually the whole city. If they are exposed the kids would lose the benefits they would be sent to jail for fraud. And as they say from there the hilarity ensues. Now on with the grades.....
Plot: The plot of the movie was very predictable as nothing happens that is not expected. This movie wasn't made to make us think or look inside ourselves or other sap like that. It was made to be funny, and that is about all it was. So since they really did not take themselves too seriously, neither did we. So we will give it a solid B.
Acting: Again not much was expected with this cast and they didn't disappoint. Sandler and James play the same characters we are familiar with, but with different names and backgrounds. I am not saying that was a bad thing as we find both of them to be very funny. This is exactly the kind of movie both of these funnymen should stick to as it is what the public wants and expects from the both of them. So another solid B for delivering exactly what we wanted and expected.
Babes: If this movie was just graded on this category it should win the Academy Award for best babes. Jessica Biel was so hot she almost set off the fire alarm in the theatre in one scène. And you know there is always room for a houseful of Hooters girls and a hot doctor in any movie. As you can imagine we give this category an A++
Overall: This is your typical Adam Sandler production, crude over the top humor with plenty of side characters who are hilarious. We are not knocking this as sometimes you just need to laugh, and for that this movie delivers. It is definitely not one for the kids as most of the movie is filled with adult jokes and sexual situations. If you're a homophobe, I would not go. I personally do not care about your sexual orientation as long as you don't care about mine. Live and let live is the way I roll. Ok enough social commentary. Bottom line, if you like to laugh and are not easily offended then go see it. If your uptight and like your movies thought provoking, filled with deep ideas, you might want find something else to watch. As for me, I like to laugh so I give this one an overall A
Thursday, July 19, 2007
T.W.I.F.F. Notes
We are starting a new feature here at Big Daddyz Blog. It is called This Week In Fantasy Football. We shall name it T.W.I.F.F. Notes for short. It will be small news blurbs concerning any signings or cuts for all teams and how it affects the world of Fantasy Football. The first one will be long but subsequent reports should be much shorter. Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy.
Michael Vick indicted by a federal grand jury
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy in aiding interstate commerce for unlawful activities as well as the highly publicized dog fighting scandal.
Commentary: Vick is in serious trouble as the federal government does not indict without plenty of evidence. From 2000-2005 they have a 99% conviction rate on their indictments. If convicted he could very well spend years in prison and his highly lucrative football career would be over.
Fantasy Football Impact: This will have major fantasy implications as Vick is one of the NFL’s most talented and marketed players. Falcons fans maybe in for a long season with Joey Harrington at QB. Even if my miracle Vick plays he will not be effective with this hanging over his head.
Patriots re-sign veteran WR Troy Brown
New England signed free agent wide receiver Troy Brown to return for his 15th season as a Patriot. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The 36 year old Brown has spent his entire career with New England. He was originally an 8th round draft pick out of Marshall in 1993. He has done just about everything the Pats could ask of a player. He has played on offense, defense, and special teams and been successful at each position.
Fantasy Football Impact: The Pats have a loaded roster of wide receivers so it will be hard for Troy to make much of an impact fantasy wise.
New England signs LB Rogers
The Patriots signed the third of their four total sixth-round draft picks, Justin Rogers a linebacker from SMU. The terms of the contract were not reported.
Commentary: Rogers is on the small side for an NFL linebacker at 6-4/250 pounds. He was a three-year starter at SMU and a two-time All Conference choice. He could be classified as a “tweener”. He was also a standout special teams player at SMU and even blocked some kicks.
Fantasy Football Impact: The rookie will not have any fantasy impact. If he makes the team it will be as a special team player. He is most likely just a training camp body as New England has a veteran corps of linebackers.
49ers add RB depth
The San Francisco 49ers signed their sixth-round draft pick, running back Thomas Clayton to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Kansas State Wildcat is 5-10/225 pounds and is a between the tackles type of back. His stock dropped in the draft due to some off the field issues. He transferred to KSU from Florida State and was only a part-time starter in 2006 due to injuries.
Fantasy Football Impact: Clayton is physically gifted but has been plagued by injuries and off the field issues. The Niners have a top 5 fantasy back in Frank Gore, but not much else behind him. If the talented, but troubled Clayton can stay healthy he could work himself into the backup spot behind Gore. He will not have much fantasy impact this year unless Gore gets injured.
Steelers sign seventh-round WR Baker
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed seventh-round draft pick, wide receiver Dallas Baker to a three-year contract. The deal includes a signing bonus of $39,750
Commentary: The former Gator star has impressive hands and is a good red-zone target. He has good size at 6-3/208 pounds and was an All-SEC selection his senior year. He does not have top-end NFL speed for a receiver with a 4.58 – 40 time.
Fantasy Football Impact: Baker will not have any impact this year. He will most likely only contribute on special teams. The Steelers have a full roster of receivers ahead of him. Best case scenario he would only be 4th or 5th on the depth chart after training camp.
Falcons ink third-round pick WR Robinson
The Atlanta Falcons have signed their third-round draft pick Laurent Robinson to a four-year contract. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Illinois State star is known for his speed and big play ability. He has nice size at 6-2/199 pounds. He was impressive at the combine and in Falcons mini-camp. He was hampered by an ankle injury his senior year. His junior year he posted spectacular numbers with 86 catches for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Fantasy Football Impact: Robinson is not likely to have a major fantasy impact this year. He could be a good return man but that’s about it. The Falcons QB situation will not be good if Michael Vick is suspended for a long period of time.
Atlanta signs TE to a four-year deal
The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Martrez Milner to a four-year contract. The financial terms were not disclosed.
Commentary: Milner is a hometown product from the University of Georgia. He is a 6-4/260 pound tight end. He will be expected to make the team as the number 2 tight end as the Falcons have one of the best in the league in Alge Crumpler.
Fantasy Football Impact: Milner will be used in a H-back type role as a blocker so his fantasy impact will be next to nothing.
Falcons sign sixth-round pick Datish
The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Doug Datish to a four-year contract. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Ohio State Buckeye played at all 5 positions on the line in college which means he is versatile. The 6-5/305 pound prospect is projected to play the center position in the pros.
Fantasy Football Impact: He will have no fantasy impact as he will at best be a backup lineman.
Minnesota signs fourth-rounder, DE Robison
The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with their fourth-round draft pick, defensive end Brian Robison. The contract is a four-year deal and includes a $482,000 signing bonus.
Commentary: The 6-3/275 pound prospect has been described as a “workout warrior” and has a non-stop motor. He is a talented athlete who has a 40-inch plus vertical leap and was timed at 4.67 in the 40 yard-dash. He needs to work on football skills as he is a raw talent. He was an All-Conference pick as a junior at the University of Texas and had 14 career sacks.
Fantasy Football Impact: This adds depth to an already good defensive line in Minnesota. He could also play linebacker in the 3 – 4 scheme with his athletic ability. The Vikings are a solid #1 fantasy team defense and worth starting in your lineup each week, depending on the matchup.
Lions sign fourth-round pick, Ramirez
The Detroit Lions announced the signing of their fourth-round draft pick, offensive guard Manuel Ramirez. The deal is for three years, but the financial terms were not disclosed.
Commentary: The Texas Tech product is a mountain of a man at 6-3/326 pounds. He was one of the strongest linemen in the draft with a bench press of 550 pounds. He can be a dominant run blocker, but will need to work on pass protection in the pros.
Fantasy Football Impact: This could be an excellent pick for the Lions and could add some value to whoever is the starting tailback, Jones or Bell. They should have a good running game and Ramirez will add depth and talent to the inside of the offensive line for Detroit.
Titans release 4 players
The Tennessee Titans today waived quarterbacks Kent Smith and David Koral, linebacker Robert Reynolds, and safety Erik Keyes.
Commentary: Reynolds is the only player who has seen playing time for the Titans. He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Ohio State who played in 4 games in 2006
Fantasy Football Impact: None of these players have any significance in fantasy football.
Browns sign DE Chase Pittman
The Cleveland Browns signed seventh-round draft pick Chase Pittman to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Commentary: Pittman was highly recruited out of high school originally signing with Texas. He transferred to LSU after his brother Cole, also a UT football player, died in a tragic car accident. He has good size at 6-4/270 pounds and is described as “intense with an outstanding motor”. His speed and quickness are a bit below average for an NFL lineman so he probably will be nothing more than a backup at the pro level.
Fantasy Football Impact: Chase, whose given first name is “Benjamin” will be fortunate to make the Browns roster let alone make any impact in fantasy football. He is an overachiever and one of those guys you root for to make it in the league.
Michael Vick indicted by a federal grand jury
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy in aiding interstate commerce for unlawful activities as well as the highly publicized dog fighting scandal.
Commentary: Vick is in serious trouble as the federal government does not indict without plenty of evidence. From 2000-2005 they have a 99% conviction rate on their indictments. If convicted he could very well spend years in prison and his highly lucrative football career would be over.
Fantasy Football Impact: This will have major fantasy implications as Vick is one of the NFL’s most talented and marketed players. Falcons fans maybe in for a long season with Joey Harrington at QB. Even if my miracle Vick plays he will not be effective with this hanging over his head.
Patriots re-sign veteran WR Troy Brown
New England signed free agent wide receiver Troy Brown to return for his 15th season as a Patriot. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The 36 year old Brown has spent his entire career with New England. He was originally an 8th round draft pick out of Marshall in 1993. He has done just about everything the Pats could ask of a player. He has played on offense, defense, and special teams and been successful at each position.
Fantasy Football Impact: The Pats have a loaded roster of wide receivers so it will be hard for Troy to make much of an impact fantasy wise.
New England signs LB Rogers
The Patriots signed the third of their four total sixth-round draft picks, Justin Rogers a linebacker from SMU. The terms of the contract were not reported.
Commentary: Rogers is on the small side for an NFL linebacker at 6-4/250 pounds. He was a three-year starter at SMU and a two-time All Conference choice. He could be classified as a “tweener”. He was also a standout special teams player at SMU and even blocked some kicks.
Fantasy Football Impact: The rookie will not have any fantasy impact. If he makes the team it will be as a special team player. He is most likely just a training camp body as New England has a veteran corps of linebackers.
49ers add RB depth
The San Francisco 49ers signed their sixth-round draft pick, running back Thomas Clayton to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Kansas State Wildcat is 5-10/225 pounds and is a between the tackles type of back. His stock dropped in the draft due to some off the field issues. He transferred to KSU from Florida State and was only a part-time starter in 2006 due to injuries.
Fantasy Football Impact: Clayton is physically gifted but has been plagued by injuries and off the field issues. The Niners have a top 5 fantasy back in Frank Gore, but not much else behind him. If the talented, but troubled Clayton can stay healthy he could work himself into the backup spot behind Gore. He will not have much fantasy impact this year unless Gore gets injured.
Steelers sign seventh-round WR Baker
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed seventh-round draft pick, wide receiver Dallas Baker to a three-year contract. The deal includes a signing bonus of $39,750
Commentary: The former Gator star has impressive hands and is a good red-zone target. He has good size at 6-3/208 pounds and was an All-SEC selection his senior year. He does not have top-end NFL speed for a receiver with a 4.58 – 40 time.
Fantasy Football Impact: Baker will not have any impact this year. He will most likely only contribute on special teams. The Steelers have a full roster of receivers ahead of him. Best case scenario he would only be 4th or 5th on the depth chart after training camp.
Falcons ink third-round pick WR Robinson
The Atlanta Falcons have signed their third-round draft pick Laurent Robinson to a four-year contract. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Illinois State star is known for his speed and big play ability. He has nice size at 6-2/199 pounds. He was impressive at the combine and in Falcons mini-camp. He was hampered by an ankle injury his senior year. His junior year he posted spectacular numbers with 86 catches for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Fantasy Football Impact: Robinson is not likely to have a major fantasy impact this year. He could be a good return man but that’s about it. The Falcons QB situation will not be good if Michael Vick is suspended for a long period of time.
Atlanta signs TE to a four-year deal
The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Martrez Milner to a four-year contract. The financial terms were not disclosed.
Commentary: Milner is a hometown product from the University of Georgia. He is a 6-4/260 pound tight end. He will be expected to make the team as the number 2 tight end as the Falcons have one of the best in the league in Alge Crumpler.
Fantasy Football Impact: Milner will be used in a H-back type role as a blocker so his fantasy impact will be next to nothing.
Falcons sign sixth-round pick Datish
The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Doug Datish to a four-year contract. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Commentary: The former Ohio State Buckeye played at all 5 positions on the line in college which means he is versatile. The 6-5/305 pound prospect is projected to play the center position in the pros.
Fantasy Football Impact: He will have no fantasy impact as he will at best be a backup lineman.
Minnesota signs fourth-rounder, DE Robison
The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with their fourth-round draft pick, defensive end Brian Robison. The contract is a four-year deal and includes a $482,000 signing bonus.
Commentary: The 6-3/275 pound prospect has been described as a “workout warrior” and has a non-stop motor. He is a talented athlete who has a 40-inch plus vertical leap and was timed at 4.67 in the 40 yard-dash. He needs to work on football skills as he is a raw talent. He was an All-Conference pick as a junior at the University of Texas and had 14 career sacks.
Fantasy Football Impact: This adds depth to an already good defensive line in Minnesota. He could also play linebacker in the 3 – 4 scheme with his athletic ability. The Vikings are a solid #1 fantasy team defense and worth starting in your lineup each week, depending on the matchup.
Lions sign fourth-round pick, Ramirez
The Detroit Lions announced the signing of their fourth-round draft pick, offensive guard Manuel Ramirez. The deal is for three years, but the financial terms were not disclosed.
Commentary: The Texas Tech product is a mountain of a man at 6-3/326 pounds. He was one of the strongest linemen in the draft with a bench press of 550 pounds. He can be a dominant run blocker, but will need to work on pass protection in the pros.
Fantasy Football Impact: This could be an excellent pick for the Lions and could add some value to whoever is the starting tailback, Jones or Bell. They should have a good running game and Ramirez will add depth and talent to the inside of the offensive line for Detroit.
Titans release 4 players
The Tennessee Titans today waived quarterbacks Kent Smith and David Koral, linebacker Robert Reynolds, and safety Erik Keyes.
Commentary: Reynolds is the only player who has seen playing time for the Titans. He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Ohio State who played in 4 games in 2006
Fantasy Football Impact: None of these players have any significance in fantasy football.
Browns sign DE Chase Pittman
The Cleveland Browns signed seventh-round draft pick Chase Pittman to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Commentary: Pittman was highly recruited out of high school originally signing with Texas. He transferred to LSU after his brother Cole, also a UT football player, died in a tragic car accident. He has good size at 6-4/270 pounds and is described as “intense with an outstanding motor”. His speed and quickness are a bit below average for an NFL lineman so he probably will be nothing more than a backup at the pro level.
Fantasy Football Impact: Chase, whose given first name is “Benjamin” will be fortunate to make the Browns roster let alone make any impact in fantasy football. He is an overachiever and one of those guys you root for to make it in the league.
Grading the NFL Draft
The NFL Draft has grown from an afterthought to one of the can't miss events on the sports calender. The draft was such a non-factor that when ESPN asked then commissioner Pete Rozelle for permission to air the draft on their network he replied "Sure but why would you want to do that?". Since then the NFL Draft has become almost as big as the Super Bowl. The fans are very interested to get a first look at the future stars of the league. With that popularity the pundits of the league like to judge and grade the drafts of each team. Of course this is based solely on speculation and potential of each player. It is impossible to know how good or bad a player coming out of college will be as a pro. They have not yet played a single snap and there are "experts' who want to say whether or not the teams have made a good pick.
The best way to grade a draft is to look at it 3 years down the road. This is more than enough time for a player to either blossom into a superstar or fade away into Bolivia (Thanks to Mike Tyson for that line.classic!). We will look at the top 10 picks of the first round and give a letter grade for each pick. It will be based on where the player is now and how they have fared so far in the league. Without further adieu.....let's begin
#1 Eli Manning - New York Giants via trade with San Diego Grade C+
Peyton's little brother has been a little better than average in his first 3 years in the league. He has shown flashes of brilliance but his career has so far been very inconsistent.
#2 Robert Gallery - Oakland Raiders Grade D-
Gallery has been considered a bust considering coming out of college he scored a perfect grade at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has been compared infamously to Tony Mandarich, widely considered to be one of the biggest first round busts of all-time.
#3 Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals Grade A
Larry has proven to be a franchise receiver in his first 3 years in the league. He has teamed with Anquan Boldin to become the most dangerous wide receiver tandem in the league.
#4 Phillip Rivers - San Diego Chargers via trade with the New York Giants Grade B+
Unlike Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers was not thrown to the wolves right away. He had the advantage of sitting for 2 years behind a solid pro QB in Drew Brees. He learned well as he looked like a seasoned vet in his first full year of starting.
#5 Sean Taylor - Washington Redskins Grade C
Taylor has had a solid career on the field but is more famous for making headlines off the field. He has been involved in a DUI, arrested for armed assault, and has refused to attend mandatory training camps. He was also accused of spitting at another player during a game.
#6 Kellen Winslow - Cleveland Browns Grade Incomplete
Another player from "The U", which is the war cry of players from the University of Miami, that has made more news off the field than on it. Do we see a pattern here? He was involved in a motorcycle accident in which he was trying to do tricks he had no training to do. This and a broken leg his rookie season have kept him in injured reserve for most of his short career.
#7 Roy Williams - Detroit Lions Grade A
Has become the franchise WR for the Lions. He has his best year in 2006 and is looking to improve on his already impressive resume as one of the top receivers in the league.
#8 - DeAngelo Hall - Atlanta Falcons Grade A
Hall has developed into one of the elite shut down corners in the NFL. He also won the NFL's fastest man competition at the 2005 Pro Bowl.
#9 - Reggie Williams - Jacksonville Jaguars Grade C-
This former Washington Husky has been considered a bust for his 3 years. He did start to develop some chemistry with Byron Leftwich at the beginning of last year. His production fell off after Leftwich was injured. He has never lived up to the hype that followed him out of college.
#10 - Dunta Robinson - Houston Texans Grade A
Robinson was nominated for Rookie of the Year in 2004 when he had 6 interceptions. In 2006 he was third on the team in tackles and is considered the Texans best DB.
There you have it folks. You have a mixed bag of some total busts, average, and star players. The one thing they all have in common is that coming out of college they were all rated as can't miss prospects. What can we determine from this small sampling of draft history. It is that it doesn't matter how much research, scouting, and workout time you give a player. The draft is one big roll of the dice. As they say there is no such thing as a sure thing.
The best way to grade a draft is to look at it 3 years down the road. This is more than enough time for a player to either blossom into a superstar or fade away into Bolivia (Thanks to Mike Tyson for that line.classic!). We will look at the top 10 picks of the first round and give a letter grade for each pick. It will be based on where the player is now and how they have fared so far in the league. Without further adieu.....let's begin
#1 Eli Manning - New York Giants via trade with San Diego Grade C+
Peyton's little brother has been a little better than average in his first 3 years in the league. He has shown flashes of brilliance but his career has so far been very inconsistent.
#2 Robert Gallery - Oakland Raiders Grade D-
Gallery has been considered a bust considering coming out of college he scored a perfect grade at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has been compared infamously to Tony Mandarich, widely considered to be one of the biggest first round busts of all-time.
#3 Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals Grade A
Larry has proven to be a franchise receiver in his first 3 years in the league. He has teamed with Anquan Boldin to become the most dangerous wide receiver tandem in the league.
#4 Phillip Rivers - San Diego Chargers via trade with the New York Giants Grade B+
Unlike Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers was not thrown to the wolves right away. He had the advantage of sitting for 2 years behind a solid pro QB in Drew Brees. He learned well as he looked like a seasoned vet in his first full year of starting.
#5 Sean Taylor - Washington Redskins Grade C
Taylor has had a solid career on the field but is more famous for making headlines off the field. He has been involved in a DUI, arrested for armed assault, and has refused to attend mandatory training camps. He was also accused of spitting at another player during a game.
#6 Kellen Winslow - Cleveland Browns Grade Incomplete
Another player from "The U", which is the war cry of players from the University of Miami, that has made more news off the field than on it. Do we see a pattern here? He was involved in a motorcycle accident in which he was trying to do tricks he had no training to do. This and a broken leg his rookie season have kept him in injured reserve for most of his short career.
#7 Roy Williams - Detroit Lions Grade A
Has become the franchise WR for the Lions. He has his best year in 2006 and is looking to improve on his already impressive resume as one of the top receivers in the league.
#8 - DeAngelo Hall - Atlanta Falcons Grade A
Hall has developed into one of the elite shut down corners in the NFL. He also won the NFL's fastest man competition at the 2005 Pro Bowl.
#9 - Reggie Williams - Jacksonville Jaguars Grade C-
This former Washington Husky has been considered a bust for his 3 years. He did start to develop some chemistry with Byron Leftwich at the beginning of last year. His production fell off after Leftwich was injured. He has never lived up to the hype that followed him out of college.
#10 - Dunta Robinson - Houston Texans Grade A
Robinson was nominated for Rookie of the Year in 2004 when he had 6 interceptions. In 2006 he was third on the team in tackles and is considered the Texans best DB.
There you have it folks. You have a mixed bag of some total busts, average, and star players. The one thing they all have in common is that coming out of college they were all rated as can't miss prospects. What can we determine from this small sampling of draft history. It is that it doesn't matter how much research, scouting, and workout time you give a player. The draft is one big roll of the dice. As they say there is no such thing as a sure thing.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Hot night in hot-lanta
So they have finally put the screws to Vick. Gee I wonder if this will be reported on HYPESPN? I was sick of this story weeks ago and I am probably gonna get sicker. I hate it that this will dominate the news as we get closer to football season. Enough of that crap. Let's talk about what is important...Hailey's party!!!
We survived the 3 hours at Chuck E. Cheese which is a miracle in itself. Being that it was a Gallaher production, no children were harmed or lost in the process. A swell time was had by all. There was no pouting, fighting, hair pulling, or eye gouging. The kids behaved themselves too. LOL!!! Here is a pic of the official grand-daughter of Big Daddyz Blog.
We survived the 3 hours at Chuck E. Cheese which is a miracle in itself. Being that it was a Gallaher production, no children were harmed or lost in the process. A swell time was had by all. There was no pouting, fighting, hair pulling, or eye gouging. The kids behaved themselves too. LOL!!! Here is a pic of the official grand-daughter of Big Daddyz Blog.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Read my stuff
I wanted to let it be known I am writing articles for a new football site. The site is
http://realfootball365.com
I do the breaking news blurbs in the upper right corner of the home page. Look for me on Wednesday,Saturday, and Sunday from 12-9.
Happy Sunday everyone!!!
http://realfootball365.com
I do the breaking news blurbs in the upper right corner of the home page. Look for me on Wednesday,Saturday, and Sunday from 12-9.
Happy Sunday everyone!!!
I'm Baaaaaaaaack
Sorry I have been away so long. I was in the hospital for a spell. Doing much better now thanks for asking. Been working tons of hours. I know it's shocking considering my lack of motivation and all. (See site logo). I will be catching up on things. Today is a special day for the Big Daddy. Hailey, the official grandkid of Big Daddyz Blog, it is her birthday. We are going to the kids paradise, parents nightmare called Chuck E. Cheese. We will have some pics posted tomorrow, if we survive.
As you know it is getting close to football season and this gets the Big Daddy very excited. There are many news stories that have happened this off-season. One of those is about the issue of concussions. The NFL is finally taking a stand and ponying up for some research to try to help their employees deal with and prevent them. So in saying all that being the insensitive male that I am I am posting one of the funniest commercials of all-time. Watch, remember, and enjoy!!!
As you know it is getting close to football season and this gets the Big Daddy very excited. There are many news stories that have happened this off-season. One of those is about the issue of concussions. The NFL is finally taking a stand and ponying up for some research to try to help their employees deal with and prevent them. So in saying all that being the insensitive male that I am I am posting one of the funniest commercials of all-time. Watch, remember, and enjoy!!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Wednesday Quick Hits
Today we will attempt to entertain you with some short but exciting news from around the sports and entertainment world. Let's hope this works, if not we shall try to find another way for you to avoid work or the family. Please feel free to comment or e-mail me here. Thanks for reading and be safe out there.
Movies
I have been to 3 movies in the last week but I can only really recommend one to go see, Mr. Brooks. Kevin Costner is quite convincing as a serial killer. The only problem is he has been in so many of my favorite movies I was rooting for him the whole movie. Good flick with a nice cast. Big Daddy rates it a B+
Speaking of movies do NOT go see Knocked Up. This movie made Spanglish seem like a classic. It was so long I thought we were gonna see the kid graduate high school before she was ever born. The only thing missing in this movie was a Celine Dion soundtrack, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a sinking ship. Big Daddy rates it a D-. The only good thing was plenty of nudity.
The other movie was Shrek 3. We had fun taking the official grandkid of the Big Daddy Blog, Hailey otherwise known as Skitch. She enjoyed it and grandpa liked it ok too. It had some funny moments but did not bowl me over. Except for one scene with the donkey character. I won't give it away but it involves a high school locker and a well placed sign. Good Times!!! Big Daddy rates it a C+
Sports Shorts
On to the lifeblood of this blog, sports news and views.
Trent Green was finally traded to the Dolphins from the Chefs for a fifth round draft pick. Yes it's slow news this time of year for the NFL. What this means fantasy wise, not much. Kansas City is now left with a roster full of has beens and unprovens at QB. The Dolphins get an aging QB coming off major injuries. Draft with caution fantasy players. Remember you were warned here first.
Another Bengal was arrested this week. Like any of us are surprised. We just heard Marvin Lewis cracking wise at the media about how there have been no players arrested this year. I wonder what his excuse is now.
As I have said before I am tired of hearing about Michael Vick and the dogfighting scandal. Until they arrest him or clear him I am not wasting any more time on it. Let's move on.
Billy "Cold Feet" Donovan decided this week after 2 whole days on the job the NBA was just not right for him. He negotiated a termination of his contract with the Orlando Magic and is headed back to the University of Florida. Good luck ever wanting to go back to the league Chicken Little. I hope your little mini-dynasty keeps going for your sake. Well not really, as a UK fan I hope your team goes back to the dumpster you pulled them out of and our new coach routinely kicks your rear for years to come. I had better stop before I go on a full blown rant. I haven't taken my night time meds yet.
That's all for now folks I should be back Friday. Tomorrow is work and a trip to the in-laws for a birthday party for my mother in law. Should be loads of fun!! Don't forget to read my articles that have been published at the Associated Content site. You can get to them by clicking on the links on the right side of this page. Peace out!!!
Movies
I have been to 3 movies in the last week but I can only really recommend one to go see, Mr. Brooks. Kevin Costner is quite convincing as a serial killer. The only problem is he has been in so many of my favorite movies I was rooting for him the whole movie. Good flick with a nice cast. Big Daddy rates it a B+
Speaking of movies do NOT go see Knocked Up. This movie made Spanglish seem like a classic. It was so long I thought we were gonna see the kid graduate high school before she was ever born. The only thing missing in this movie was a Celine Dion soundtrack, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a sinking ship. Big Daddy rates it a D-. The only good thing was plenty of nudity.
The other movie was Shrek 3. We had fun taking the official grandkid of the Big Daddy Blog, Hailey otherwise known as Skitch. She enjoyed it and grandpa liked it ok too. It had some funny moments but did not bowl me over. Except for one scene with the donkey character. I won't give it away but it involves a high school locker and a well placed sign. Good Times!!! Big Daddy rates it a C+
Sports Shorts
On to the lifeblood of this blog, sports news and views.
Trent Green was finally traded to the Dolphins from the Chefs for a fifth round draft pick. Yes it's slow news this time of year for the NFL. What this means fantasy wise, not much. Kansas City is now left with a roster full of has beens and unprovens at QB. The Dolphins get an aging QB coming off major injuries. Draft with caution fantasy players. Remember you were warned here first.
Another Bengal was arrested this week. Like any of us are surprised. We just heard Marvin Lewis cracking wise at the media about how there have been no players arrested this year. I wonder what his excuse is now.
As I have said before I am tired of hearing about Michael Vick and the dogfighting scandal. Until they arrest him or clear him I am not wasting any more time on it. Let's move on.
Billy "Cold Feet" Donovan decided this week after 2 whole days on the job the NBA was just not right for him. He negotiated a termination of his contract with the Orlando Magic and is headed back to the University of Florida. Good luck ever wanting to go back to the league Chicken Little. I hope your little mini-dynasty keeps going for your sake. Well not really, as a UK fan I hope your team goes back to the dumpster you pulled them out of and our new coach routinely kicks your rear for years to come. I had better stop before I go on a full blown rant. I haven't taken my night time meds yet.
That's all for now folks I should be back Friday. Tomorrow is work and a trip to the in-laws for a birthday party for my mother in law. Should be loads of fun!! Don't forget to read my articles that have been published at the Associated Content site. You can get to them by clicking on the links on the right side of this page. Peace out!!!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Weekend T.R.U
Hello gang, its time for another installment of the T.R.U. It has been a wild and wacky week in sports. Kind of unusual considering this is a traditionally dead period in sports news. Football is still a couple of months away from getting started which we all are counting the days. The NBA and NHL seasons are way too long. By this time if your team is out of the playoffs then who really cares. Next year for your team is right around the corner and they haven't even crowned a champ yet. So let's review some of the hot topics making headlines this week.
NBA Playoffs
The Spurs predictably cruised past the overmatched Jazz to make it once again to the Finals. They will meet either the Cavs or the Pistons. The only thing worth watching is the coming of age of Lebron James. He had a career defining game on Thursday night in the double overtime thriller. He scored 48 points, his team's last 25 in the game. Now all the talking heads and hype machine networks are putting him up there with all the greats. Not so fast my friends. This series is not over and if his team doesn't win tonight or a game 7 in Detroit, then his game 5 efforts will have been in vain. I think they will close it out tonight because Detroit is done. Look for Lebron to seize the moment and will his team to win again. Look at me going on about the NBA. I must stop now I am getting a nose bleed.
NFL News & Notes
The Michael Vick dog fighting story just keeps getting uglier and uglier by the day.There are now reports of informants coming forward to testify that not only was Vick a participant, but a major player in the dog fighting ring. If this is proven true then I feel no punishment could be harsh enough for Vick. He has been teetering on the edge of thugdom for a while. Things he has done have been covered up because the NFL has pushed him as the poster boy for the new breed of "athletic" quarterback of the future. It now seems as there maybe enough evidence to prove he was part of this amoral and totally disgusting activity. I don't think 1 year is enough. If proven guilty of these crimes I would be in favor of a lifetime ban, or at the least a 2 or 3 year suspension. It won't happen but it should. If any of us regular guys were caught doing this, we would be out of a job and spending many years behind bars.
Sad news about Patriots Marquise Hill this week. He lost his life in a drowning accident while riding a jet ski on a lake in Louisiana. He was not a starter but was a good backup defensive lineman. All indications are that the former LSU star was a good person and gave allot of his time and money to help with Katrina relief. The reports are he was not wearing a life jacket. Even though he was reported to be a good swimmer he could not resist the strong currents in the lake. I guess it may be true the good die young. People like Michael Vick and Pacman Jones seem to live forever.
MLB
As I have stated before wake me in September when baseball gets interesting. Right now all we hear is Yankees and Red Sox. By the way do they play every weekend now? Did I miss a meeting with the scheduling department where this was mandated. I am sick of hearing about them so I will not waste time writing about them. Someone should send a memo to MLB and ESPN that there are several other teams in the league now that are still playing baseball. I believe that has been forgotten. Not all of us are Sox and Yanks fans.
College Basketball
The Orlando Magic announced this week the hiring of their new head coach, Billy Donovan formerly of the University of Florida. Donovan says the lure of the NBA was just too strong to resist. Pardon me if I don't buy it. It was the lure of all those dead presidents that was too strong. He is the next in a long line of success stories of college coaches making it big in the NBA. John Calipari, Jerry Tarkanian, P.J. Carlesimo, Lon Kruger, Tim Floyd, Mike Montgermery, and Billy's mentor Rick Pitino are fine examples of how college success will certainly follow you to the pro level. One moment I have just been handed a memo from my research department. WHAT????? All those guys were flaming disasters and stole millions of dollars from franchises and repaid them with losing records. Yes folks we think Billy talked a good game about loyalty to UF while letting UK think they had a shot at hiring him. Oh he sounded good about not giving up what he he had built, blah blah blah. In the end he turned out to be a cash whore like all the rest. Again just like his mentor Tricky Rick Pitino who never saw a job opening he didn't like, or try to weasel an interview for it was all about the Benjamins baby. And the Magic are the next franchise to fall for it too. Don't believe me? Come see me in 3 years when the Magic are 20-62 and stuck with too many big contracts given to overrated former Gators, including the coach.
NBA Playoffs
The Spurs predictably cruised past the overmatched Jazz to make it once again to the Finals. They will meet either the Cavs or the Pistons. The only thing worth watching is the coming of age of Lebron James. He had a career defining game on Thursday night in the double overtime thriller. He scored 48 points, his team's last 25 in the game. Now all the talking heads and hype machine networks are putting him up there with all the greats. Not so fast my friends. This series is not over and if his team doesn't win tonight or a game 7 in Detroit, then his game 5 efforts will have been in vain. I think they will close it out tonight because Detroit is done. Look for Lebron to seize the moment and will his team to win again. Look at me going on about the NBA. I must stop now I am getting a nose bleed.
NFL News & Notes
The Michael Vick dog fighting story just keeps getting uglier and uglier by the day.There are now reports of informants coming forward to testify that not only was Vick a participant, but a major player in the dog fighting ring. If this is proven true then I feel no punishment could be harsh enough for Vick. He has been teetering on the edge of thugdom for a while. Things he has done have been covered up because the NFL has pushed him as the poster boy for the new breed of "athletic" quarterback of the future. It now seems as there maybe enough evidence to prove he was part of this amoral and totally disgusting activity. I don't think 1 year is enough. If proven guilty of these crimes I would be in favor of a lifetime ban, or at the least a 2 or 3 year suspension. It won't happen but it should. If any of us regular guys were caught doing this, we would be out of a job and spending many years behind bars.
Sad news about Patriots Marquise Hill this week. He lost his life in a drowning accident while riding a jet ski on a lake in Louisiana. He was not a starter but was a good backup defensive lineman. All indications are that the former LSU star was a good person and gave allot of his time and money to help with Katrina relief. The reports are he was not wearing a life jacket. Even though he was reported to be a good swimmer he could not resist the strong currents in the lake. I guess it may be true the good die young. People like Michael Vick and Pacman Jones seem to live forever.
MLB
As I have stated before wake me in September when baseball gets interesting. Right now all we hear is Yankees and Red Sox. By the way do they play every weekend now? Did I miss a meeting with the scheduling department where this was mandated. I am sick of hearing about them so I will not waste time writing about them. Someone should send a memo to MLB and ESPN that there are several other teams in the league now that are still playing baseball. I believe that has been forgotten. Not all of us are Sox and Yanks fans.
College Basketball
The Orlando Magic announced this week the hiring of their new head coach, Billy Donovan formerly of the University of Florida. Donovan says the lure of the NBA was just too strong to resist. Pardon me if I don't buy it. It was the lure of all those dead presidents that was too strong. He is the next in a long line of success stories of college coaches making it big in the NBA. John Calipari, Jerry Tarkanian, P.J. Carlesimo, Lon Kruger, Tim Floyd, Mike Montgermery, and Billy's mentor Rick Pitino are fine examples of how college success will certainly follow you to the pro level. One moment I have just been handed a memo from my research department. WHAT????? All those guys were flaming disasters and stole millions of dollars from franchises and repaid them with losing records. Yes folks we think Billy talked a good game about loyalty to UF while letting UK think they had a shot at hiring him. Oh he sounded good about not giving up what he he had built, blah blah blah. In the end he turned out to be a cash whore like all the rest. Again just like his mentor Tricky Rick Pitino who never saw a job opening he didn't like, or try to weasel an interview for it was all about the Benjamins baby. And the Magic are the next franchise to fall for it too. Don't believe me? Come see me in 3 years when the Magic are 20-62 and stuck with too many big contracts given to overrated former Gators, including the coach.
Friday, June 1, 2007
My Screen Debut
This is a video that my co-workers at Connextions submitted to Vonage. We were asked to do a spoof of a Vonage commercial. I was very honored to be asked to play a part. We had so much fun filming the parts that didn't make the final cut are probably funnier than the actual finished product. That is why they make blooper videos. Maybe Ray will put that on Youtube someday. For now here is the finished product. We are still waiting to hear if we won the contest and get a red carpet premier from Vonage. I know I am bias but I think we have this one in the bag. Let me know what you think....and now ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!
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