If quarterback Drew Brees comes in focused and ready to go, the offense should have no problems getting it started this season. Brees threw for 4,388 yards with 34 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions, and set the NFL record for completion percentage at 70.6%.
If Brees puts up those kind of numbers again in 2010, there is no question that he deserves to be mentioned with the likes of Brady and Manning.
The Saints decided to stick with the running duo of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. These guys don't have to put up huge numbers in the Saints offensive scheme, as Bush is primarily used as a pass catching back, while Thomas does most of the running between the tackles.
At wide receiver it might not matter who the Saints put out there with Brees at quarterback, but they do have some very talented guys on the field at this position.
Devery Henderson and Marques Colston, are the two likely starters on the outside, but this team gets plenty of production from guys like Robert Meachem , Lance Moore, and tight end Jeremy Shockey.
The offensive line was pretty solid for the most part in 2009, and will start the season with the same group they had to finish the year.
The key will be for left tackle Jermon Bushrod,to have a repeat performance for the 2010-2011 season. Bushrod did a very good job stepping in last season when starter Jammal Brown went down.
Saints fans from around Baton Rouge gathered at Borders bookstore Sunday to get their own copies of "Coming Back Stronger" autographed by Brees himself.
Brees began his book-signing tour July 10. He is scheduled to make stops in 12 different bookstores across the South, and even as far as California and Florida.
Border's employee Claire Deville said she was impressed by the number of fans who came out for the signing.
"This is the busiest I've seen the store since I've been here," Deville said. "Everyone that works here signed up to work this day."
Brees released his book in early July, and it has since become a hit.
"I haven't read it yet, but I heard it was really good," said biology junior Hunter Chapman. "He's got a good life story, and I'm interested in it."
Since his arrival in New Orleans in 2006, Brees has become an instant legend in the Who Dat Nation. His path to success has been a crazy one, and his story is one that many Saints fans will explore.
BRCC student Joshua Watts said the arrival of Brees in New Orleans heightened his love for the Saints.
"I started really getting into the Saints when I was in high school, and once Drew Brees got here I watched every game," Watts said.
Watts, a long-time Brees fan, said seeing everything come together for Brees made him want to read the book.
The two unsigned picks are cornerback Patrick Robinson, the Saints' first-round pick, and tight end Jimmy Graham, a third-round pick.
Robinson's agent, Kevin Conner, offered no updates Monday afternoon. Conner said Friday that Robinson and the Saints jerseys had begun preliminary talks.
New Orleans, who won Super Bowl XLIV in February, also hasn't signed quarterback Patrick Ramsey, who has been expected to sign with the team since an April workout.
Ramsey only has been able to sign with the Saints football jerseys since Thursday because of an NFL rule that prohibits the top four teams from the previous season from signing restricted free agents until they lose one of their own.
Ramsey, a former first-round pick out of Tulane, would be the fourth quarterback on the roster and would battle second-year player Chase Daniel for the backup spot behind Drew Brees.
Calls and messages sent to Jimmy Sexton, Ramsey's and Graham's agent, were not returned.
Brown played in 48 games for the Trojans and spent the past two seasons Darren Sharper as a starter. He was a first-team All-Pac 10 selection as a senior in 2009.
2010年7月26日星期一
2010年7月22日星期四
Texans premium seating office
The Texans boast one of the largest season ticket bases in the NFL with more than 64,000 sold for the upcoming season. With their high season ticket base this leaves a limited number of seats available on a game-by-game basis. Season ticket and group hospitality packages are currently still available. For more information, call the Houston Texans ticket office at 832-667-2390. A limited number of luxury suites are also still available. For more information please contact the Texans premium seating office at 832-667-2160.
For the third consecutive season, the Texans football jerseys will host a Monday Night Football game when Baltimore comes to Houston on Monday, December 13. To accommodate the exceptionally high demand for tickets for that game and the matchup with the in-state rival Dallas Cowboys on September 26, the Texans instituted a drawing to give fans an exclusive opportunity to buy tickets before they went on sale to the general public.
First school, second baller," he said, asking that the youngsters Brian Cushing repeat his mantra, to make it clear that school comes first.
The second "always," Tate said, is "always believe in yourself."
"Believe you're going to be the best at what your doing. You gotta have swagger and you gotta be confident in what you do," said the second-round draft pick. "And, never quit. Never ever, ever give up."
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams officially proclaimed July 17 "Ben Tate Day" and presented Tate with a proclamation and bumper sticker that read "I Love Berlin."
"This day will go down in Berlin history," Williams said. "There are a lot of Texans fans right here in the heart of Maryland."
Tate has come a long way since playing Pop Warner football as a boy; he played Steve Slaton on Berlin, Salisbury and Laurel, Del. teams. The all-star running back's high school football career began at Stephen Decatur, where his father, Ben, also played. The younger Tate played for Decatur for three years before transferring to Snow Hill during his senior year.
Tate achieved much success in high school. Among his accomplishments: the Maryland state records for yards rushing in a career (5,920) and a single season (2,886) and state record for total offensive yards in a career (6,123).
Decatur Coach Bob Knox, who has led the program for 35 years and coached Tate's father and many other family members, said all of the men where extremely talented, and joked that he would probably get in trouble for saying that "Ben was the most talented of them all."
"Commitment, hard work and talent made him the person he is today," Knox said. "Kids should look up to him. Parents, use Ben Tate as a role model for your children, not only to be successful athletes but to be successful in life."
"You lit up the football field at Stephen Decatur for three years," Principal Lou Taylor told Tate during the Berlin celebration. "We're all extremely proud of you. In my opinion, you'll always be a Seahawk."
Snow Hill Coach Charlie Holmes told the crowd of several hundred that he Andre Johnson knew a long time ago, even before Tate transferred to the school, that the running back was going to be a professional football player ― Tate had a good work ethic and he ran tough, the coach said.
Tate graduated from high school a semester early to begin participating in spring drills at Auburn University.
Tate had 3,321 career rushing yards at Auburn, fifth best in school history. His 24 career rushing touchdowns tie him for sixth in school history. He was the also the team's 2009 MVP. He has a degree in criminology from the school.
"Ben, you left town a few short years ago and went on a journey to Auburn and you began to make your mark," said Worcester County Commissioner James Purnell, who also drove Tate and his high school football, track and basketball teammates to many games. "You picked up the torch and ran a good race. We're all here to support you the rest of the way and we wish you nothing but the best. We know you'll never let us down."
Tate was drafted in the second round (58th overall) of the 75th annual NFL draft on April 23 by the Houston Texans.
For the third consecutive season, the Texans football jerseys will host a Monday Night Football game when Baltimore comes to Houston on Monday, December 13. To accommodate the exceptionally high demand for tickets for that game and the matchup with the in-state rival Dallas Cowboys on September 26, the Texans instituted a drawing to give fans an exclusive opportunity to buy tickets before they went on sale to the general public.
First school, second baller," he said, asking that the youngsters Brian Cushing repeat his mantra, to make it clear that school comes first.
The second "always," Tate said, is "always believe in yourself."
"Believe you're going to be the best at what your doing. You gotta have swagger and you gotta be confident in what you do," said the second-round draft pick. "And, never quit. Never ever, ever give up."
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams officially proclaimed July 17 "Ben Tate Day" and presented Tate with a proclamation and bumper sticker that read "I Love Berlin."
"This day will go down in Berlin history," Williams said. "There are a lot of Texans fans right here in the heart of Maryland."
Tate has come a long way since playing Pop Warner football as a boy; he played Steve Slaton on Berlin, Salisbury and Laurel, Del. teams. The all-star running back's high school football career began at Stephen Decatur, where his father, Ben, also played. The younger Tate played for Decatur for three years before transferring to Snow Hill during his senior year.
Tate achieved much success in high school. Among his accomplishments: the Maryland state records for yards rushing in a career (5,920) and a single season (2,886) and state record for total offensive yards in a career (6,123).
Decatur Coach Bob Knox, who has led the program for 35 years and coached Tate's father and many other family members, said all of the men where extremely talented, and joked that he would probably get in trouble for saying that "Ben was the most talented of them all."
"Commitment, hard work and talent made him the person he is today," Knox said. "Kids should look up to him. Parents, use Ben Tate as a role model for your children, not only to be successful athletes but to be successful in life."
"You lit up the football field at Stephen Decatur for three years," Principal Lou Taylor told Tate during the Berlin celebration. "We're all extremely proud of you. In my opinion, you'll always be a Seahawk."
Snow Hill Coach Charlie Holmes told the crowd of several hundred that he Andre Johnson knew a long time ago, even before Tate transferred to the school, that the running back was going to be a professional football player ― Tate had a good work ethic and he ran tough, the coach said.
Tate graduated from high school a semester early to begin participating in spring drills at Auburn University.
Tate had 3,321 career rushing yards at Auburn, fifth best in school history. His 24 career rushing touchdowns tie him for sixth in school history. He was the also the team's 2009 MVP. He has a degree in criminology from the school.
"Ben, you left town a few short years ago and went on a journey to Auburn and you began to make your mark," said Worcester County Commissioner James Purnell, who also drove Tate and his high school football, track and basketball teammates to many games. "You picked up the torch and ran a good race. We're all here to support you the rest of the way and we wish you nothing but the best. We know you'll never let us down."
Tate was drafted in the second round (58th overall) of the 75th annual NFL draft on April 23 by the Houston Texans.
2010年7月20日星期二
The 2010 Houston Texans AFC South
The Houston Texans' 2011 Super Bowl Betting Odds have the Texans at +2500 to win the 2011 Super Bowl.
NFL Predictions Offense: The Texans have been getting better and better on offense for years now, and this year is no exception. Wide receiver Andre Johnson appears to have backed away from his original intent of holding out for a new contract. Receiver Kevin Walter provides a great complement to Johnson, and tight end Owen Daniels will be back from the ACL injury that ended his 2009 season prematurely. While the interior of the offensive line is sound and does a good job of getting off of the ball, the Texans' offensive tackles struggled in picking up outside pass rushers, which caused quarterback Matt Schaub to face pressure and get rid of the ball sooner than he would have liked to at times. Despite that, Schaub had a Pro Bowl season and produced over 4,700 yards. If rookie running back Ben Tate turns out to be the solid between-the-tackles runner the Texans think he can be, Houston's offense could be one of the best in the league in 2010. The 2010 new Houston Texans jerseys AFC South Odds to win the division are at +350.
NFL Predictions Defense: The Texans signed former New York Giant jerseys Danny Clark to fill in during Brian Cushing's four game suspension, and his performance in that role will be of huge importance. Those four games include matchups against the Colts and Cowboys. The Texans also play the Redskins during Cushing's suspension, and quarterback Donovan McNabb is more than capable of exploiting Clark if the linebacker becomes the weak link in the defense. Another concern is the departure of Dunta Robinson, who was the Texans' best cornerback for years. If rookie Kareem Jackson takes a while to transition to the pro game, he and second-year cornerback Glover Quinn will have trouble facing Tony Romo, Mark Sanchez, Philip Rivers, and Donovan McNabb this year. The Texans' corners will also be tested twice by Peyton Manning, Vince Young, and David Garrard, which is no easy task. The Houston Texans' Win Total is at 8 with the over at -130.
Head Coach\Special Teams: Gary Kubiak was considered to have been on hot seat Brian Cushing at the start of the 2009 season, but kept his job after the Texans produced their first-ever winning season. The Texans' zone-blocking scheme allowed their running game to be productive despite a lack of quality running backs, and it will be interesting to see if Kubiak has the Texans stick with that scheme despite offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's departure to Washington. Return man Jacoby Jones is electrifying, and has returned a kickoff and two punts for a touchdown already in his three-year career. He almost always puts the Texans in great field position, and that should continue this year. Kicker Kris Brown was a weak spot in 2009, making only four out of ten field goal attempts of 40 or more yards. To fix this situation, the Texans signed Neil Rackers, who is 13 out of 15 the past two years in field goals of over 40 yards.
Matt Schaub is coming off of the best year of his career, throwing for 4,770 yards and playing all 16 games for the first of what I hope to be many times. Will the injury bug come back again? Will the running game cut into his total? Will he break 5,000 en route to winning enough shootouts to take the Texans to the playoffs? Will he spend all of training camp working on his running game and lead the Texans to a 47-10 victory in the Orange Bowl as the greatest option QB of all-time, then call Vince Young up and ask him why he can't hold his jockstrap? Thats all up to you.
Simply predict Schaub's regular season passing yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. I'll list the weighted formula behind the jump so as to not bore you, but the person who is closest to these numbers will receive...something Texans-related as a prize, should they be around after the season to claim it. I can't tell you what the prize will be, both because it would ruin the surprise and because I'm just planning to make it something on sale and random at Amazon for the free shipping, but believe me when I tell you that it will change your life.
I'll try and run an average of what we come up with as well in a few days. If we were a baseball site, here's where I would include a player's CHONE and PECOTA and SIXWORD systems, but to the best of my knowledge, there aren't really any companies doing that for free. Football Outsiders has a projection system, but since I think they are about five more consecutive posts stealing book tidbits away from issuing me a cease and desist, let's not do that. So, on that note, project away!
NFL Predictions Offense: The Texans have been getting better and better on offense for years now, and this year is no exception. Wide receiver Andre Johnson appears to have backed away from his original intent of holding out for a new contract. Receiver Kevin Walter provides a great complement to Johnson, and tight end Owen Daniels will be back from the ACL injury that ended his 2009 season prematurely. While the interior of the offensive line is sound and does a good job of getting off of the ball, the Texans' offensive tackles struggled in picking up outside pass rushers, which caused quarterback Matt Schaub to face pressure and get rid of the ball sooner than he would have liked to at times. Despite that, Schaub had a Pro Bowl season and produced over 4,700 yards. If rookie running back Ben Tate turns out to be the solid between-the-tackles runner the Texans think he can be, Houston's offense could be one of the best in the league in 2010. The 2010 new Houston Texans jerseys AFC South Odds to win the division are at +350.
NFL Predictions Defense: The Texans signed former New York Giant jerseys Danny Clark to fill in during Brian Cushing's four game suspension, and his performance in that role will be of huge importance. Those four games include matchups against the Colts and Cowboys. The Texans also play the Redskins during Cushing's suspension, and quarterback Donovan McNabb is more than capable of exploiting Clark if the linebacker becomes the weak link in the defense. Another concern is the departure of Dunta Robinson, who was the Texans' best cornerback for years. If rookie Kareem Jackson takes a while to transition to the pro game, he and second-year cornerback Glover Quinn will have trouble facing Tony Romo, Mark Sanchez, Philip Rivers, and Donovan McNabb this year. The Texans' corners will also be tested twice by Peyton Manning, Vince Young, and David Garrard, which is no easy task. The Houston Texans' Win Total is at 8 with the over at -130.
Head Coach\Special Teams: Gary Kubiak was considered to have been on hot seat Brian Cushing at the start of the 2009 season, but kept his job after the Texans produced their first-ever winning season. The Texans' zone-blocking scheme allowed their running game to be productive despite a lack of quality running backs, and it will be interesting to see if Kubiak has the Texans stick with that scheme despite offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's departure to Washington. Return man Jacoby Jones is electrifying, and has returned a kickoff and two punts for a touchdown already in his three-year career. He almost always puts the Texans in great field position, and that should continue this year. Kicker Kris Brown was a weak spot in 2009, making only four out of ten field goal attempts of 40 or more yards. To fix this situation, the Texans signed Neil Rackers, who is 13 out of 15 the past two years in field goals of over 40 yards.
Matt Schaub is coming off of the best year of his career, throwing for 4,770 yards and playing all 16 games for the first of what I hope to be many times. Will the injury bug come back again? Will the running game cut into his total? Will he break 5,000 en route to winning enough shootouts to take the Texans to the playoffs? Will he spend all of training camp working on his running game and lead the Texans to a 47-10 victory in the Orange Bowl as the greatest option QB of all-time, then call Vince Young up and ask him why he can't hold his jockstrap? Thats all up to you.
Simply predict Schaub's regular season passing yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. I'll list the weighted formula behind the jump so as to not bore you, but the person who is closest to these numbers will receive...something Texans-related as a prize, should they be around after the season to claim it. I can't tell you what the prize will be, both because it would ruin the surprise and because I'm just planning to make it something on sale and random at Amazon for the free shipping, but believe me when I tell you that it will change your life.
I'll try and run an average of what we come up with as well in a few days. If we were a baseball site, here's where I would include a player's CHONE and PECOTA and SIXWORD systems, but to the best of my knowledge, there aren't really any companies doing that for free. Football Outsiders has a projection system, but since I think they are about five more consecutive posts stealing book tidbits away from issuing me a cease and desist, let's not do that. So, on that note, project away!
2010年7月18日星期日
The Texans added three players
Hundreds of Berlin residents braved the heat to watch a parade featuring dance teams, officials and youth football teams in Tate's honor on Main Street before gathering at the park for a picnic.
"It's exciting that a local young man has made it to the NFL," said Betty Nichols, a Berlin resident, as she waited for the parade to begin. Nichols wore a sign over her Baltimore Ravens T-shirt that read "Today I'm a Houston Texans fan."
Tate grew up in Berlin, getting his start in football in Pop Warner teams. Part of the family -- which is so large no one seems to know how many members there are -- still live in the area.
However, Betty Upchurch, the great-niece of Tate's grandmother, Ellen Tate, drove 11 hours from Cleveland with her husband to attend the celebration.
"We decided since it was such a historic event in our family that we would come," Upchurch said.
Ellen Tate agreed, adding that she couldn't be more excited for her grandson.
"I never thought I would live to see a day like this," she said. "I'm so proud."
Tate comes from an athletic family. Several of his relatives have been NFL hopefuls, and his grandfather was a strong player in the Eastern Shore's Negro Baseball League years ago, where he played alongside now County Commissioner Jimmy Purnell.
"The whole family are great sportsmen," Purnell said, adding that he got to know Tate driving to track meets and football games as a student at SDHS.
The family organized the festivities with the town to serve as inspiration for children to work hard and follow their dreams.
Tate is already a role model to his cousins Ernest and Zion Shockley. The boys, ages 11 and 7, watched as many of Tate's college games as they could and plan to follow his career with the Texans. They also use the advice their older cousin has given them -- to "just work hard" on the football field while playing for the Berlin Dolphins, a team of the Salvation Army Football League.
The running back's determination is still remembered at Andre Johnson Stephen Decatur High School, where he played until junior year, said Tyler Hartrim, 17, a quarterback on the team.
"His attitude, definitely," Hartrim said. "His work ethic too, he was constantly in the weight room."
The Texans added three players to the roster since the last checkup on May 9. Those players are shown below in green.
There were seven undrafted free agents released during the period.
The NFL off-season roster limit is 80, but the Texans will get a roster exemption for Brian Cushing.
That means the Texans football jerseys will be able to carry an extra player (53 plus Cushing) into Week 1 to help offset the loss of the 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year, who is suspended without pay for the first four weeks of the season.
Players not under contract (currently Kareem Jackson, Ben Tate and Garrett Graham) do not count against the 80 man roster limit. But there's just enough room on the Texans roster and no cuts will have to be made when the three remaining rookies get around to signing their deals.
In the summary below, you will see two numbers in parenthesis following the position names. The number on the left (in black) is the current number of players on the roster at that position. The number on the right (in red) is the number of players the Texans took into Week 1 of the 2009 season at that position.
"It's exciting that a local young man has made it to the NFL," said Betty Nichols, a Berlin resident, as she waited for the parade to begin. Nichols wore a sign over her Baltimore Ravens T-shirt that read "Today I'm a Houston Texans fan."
Tate grew up in Berlin, getting his start in football in Pop Warner teams. Part of the family -- which is so large no one seems to know how many members there are -- still live in the area.
However, Betty Upchurch, the great-niece of Tate's grandmother, Ellen Tate, drove 11 hours from Cleveland with her husband to attend the celebration.
"We decided since it was such a historic event in our family that we would come," Upchurch said.
Ellen Tate agreed, adding that she couldn't be more excited for her grandson.
"I never thought I would live to see a day like this," she said. "I'm so proud."
Tate comes from an athletic family. Several of his relatives have been NFL hopefuls, and his grandfather was a strong player in the Eastern Shore's Negro Baseball League years ago, where he played alongside now County Commissioner Jimmy Purnell.
"The whole family are great sportsmen," Purnell said, adding that he got to know Tate driving to track meets and football games as a student at SDHS.
The family organized the festivities with the town to serve as inspiration for children to work hard and follow their dreams.
Tate is already a role model to his cousins Ernest and Zion Shockley. The boys, ages 11 and 7, watched as many of Tate's college games as they could and plan to follow his career with the Texans. They also use the advice their older cousin has given them -- to "just work hard" on the football field while playing for the Berlin Dolphins, a team of the Salvation Army Football League.
The running back's determination is still remembered at Andre Johnson Stephen Decatur High School, where he played until junior year, said Tyler Hartrim, 17, a quarterback on the team.
"His attitude, definitely," Hartrim said. "His work ethic too, he was constantly in the weight room."
The Texans added three players to the roster since the last checkup on May 9. Those players are shown below in green.
There were seven undrafted free agents released during the period.
The NFL off-season roster limit is 80, but the Texans will get a roster exemption for Brian Cushing.
That means the Texans football jerseys will be able to carry an extra player (53 plus Cushing) into Week 1 to help offset the loss of the 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year, who is suspended without pay for the first four weeks of the season.
Players not under contract (currently Kareem Jackson, Ben Tate and Garrett Graham) do not count against the 80 man roster limit. But there's just enough room on the Texans roster and no cuts will have to be made when the three remaining rookies get around to signing their deals.
In the summary below, you will see two numbers in parenthesis following the position names. The number on the left (in black) is the current number of players on the roster at that position. The number on the right (in red) is the number of players the Texans took into Week 1 of the 2009 season at that position.
2010年7月14日星期三
Houston Texans has not had much to cheer
QB Matt Schaub stayed on the field the entire year and gave the Texans a birds eye view of what can be expected from a healthy signal caller. With over 4,700 passing yards and 29 TD's the sky is the limit if he can stay healthy. The alternative is Dan Orlovski, who can't be expected to approach Schaub's numbers which would be a good reason to get some balance back in the offense with a respectable running game. The problem with hat idea would mean a complete change in what has made them successful and the need to find a back that can withstand the pounding of 20+ carries while being productive. Steve Slaton led the team in rushing with under 500 yards and is more of a receiver type player that is more effective catching the ball in the open field. Houston is hoping Ben Tate (2nd rd, Auburn) is a player that can with stand the pounding and give opposing defenses more to think about other than Schaub's passing. Tate should benefit from the blocking of Vonta Leach who also has great hands coming out of the backfield. If the Texans fail to run the ball the Schaub to Andre Johnson connection is one of the most productive and feared combinations in the game. Jonson managed a 100+ catch season and was tops in receiving yards despite constant double teams. Kevin Walter is the number two who undoubtedly benefits from Johnson's presence but at the same time must produce lest Johnson see even more pressure. Kevin Anderson is dependable in the slot while the tight ends need to become more of a factor in the run game. Injuries hit the O Line hard in 2009 and they still might be scrambling with LG Casey Studdard starting because of injury and RG Antoine Caldwell doing the same. Duane Brown and Eric Winston man the tackle spots and have done the job in pass protection.
Dickerson finished with 49 catches for 529 yards in 2009.
Dickerson is the sixth of the Texans' nine draft picks to sign with the team, joining receiver DeMeco RyansTrindon Holliday, cornerback Sherrick McManis, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, linebacker Darryl Sharpton and guard Shelley Smith.
NL ends 13-year drought with All-Star victory - Brian McCann's three-run double in the seventh inning Brian Cushing provided the NL all the offense it needed to capture its first Midsummer Classic since 1996 with a 3-1 victory Tuesday night.
Guerrero enjoying career resurgence with Texas - Vladimir Guerrero has rebounded from an injury-plagued 2009 season to hit .319 with 20 homers and 75 RBIs as a Texas Ranger.
Jeter and Yankees mourn the loss of their Boss and friend - Derek Jeter was one of several Yankees to learn of George Steinbrenner's death while preparing for the All-Star Game. There was a softer side to Steinbrenner that was often hidden but has recently come to light. On Tuesday, Yankees starter Andy Pettitte recalled receiving handwritten notes from the owner with inspirational Bible verses before important playoff starts. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez said he still has the note from Steinbrenner that he received in 2004 that said "I'm counting on you," written with capital letters and punctuated by an exclamation point.
2011 All-Star Game Decision - Bud Selig considers Arizona's new immigration law a political issue and is showing no signs that Major League Baseball will shift next year's All-Star game out of the state.
Dickerson finished with 49 catches for 529 yards in 2009.
Dickerson is the sixth of the Texans' nine draft picks to sign with the team, joining receiver DeMeco RyansTrindon Holliday, cornerback Sherrick McManis, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, linebacker Darryl Sharpton and guard Shelley Smith.
NL ends 13-year drought with All-Star victory - Brian McCann's three-run double in the seventh inning Brian Cushing provided the NL all the offense it needed to capture its first Midsummer Classic since 1996 with a 3-1 victory Tuesday night.
Guerrero enjoying career resurgence with Texas - Vladimir Guerrero has rebounded from an injury-plagued 2009 season to hit .319 with 20 homers and 75 RBIs as a Texas Ranger.
Jeter and Yankees mourn the loss of their Boss and friend - Derek Jeter was one of several Yankees to learn of George Steinbrenner's death while preparing for the All-Star Game. There was a softer side to Steinbrenner that was often hidden but has recently come to light. On Tuesday, Yankees starter Andy Pettitte recalled receiving handwritten notes from the owner with inspirational Bible verses before important playoff starts. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez said he still has the note from Steinbrenner that he received in 2004 that said "I'm counting on you," written with capital letters and punctuated by an exclamation point.
2011 All-Star Game Decision - Bud Selig considers Arizona's new immigration law a political issue and is showing no signs that Major League Baseball will shift next year's All-Star game out of the state.
2010年7月12日星期一
New England Patriots
Big Ben was not even in the playoffs last year, how is that for carrying your team?"
"Did you just seriously say Romo is better than Brees?" Several of you find that very funny.
There's also a serious debate whether Brady whines too much, and if McNabb belongs on the list.
And how could we forget Romo. Fans either love — or love to hate — the Cowboys signal-caller.
"How about Tony Romo? … he also holds the most touchdowns by a Cowboys quarterback and look at who the cowboys have had (Staubach, Aikman both Hall of Fame quarterbacks), and Romo isn't better than McNabb or Ben??! Child please. The NFL is a what have u done for me now Tom Brady league and right now Romo destroyed McNabb and the Eagles in back to back games while Romo threw for the third most yards in the NFL."
The Atlanta Falcons underwhelmed last season, at least compared to the higher expectations most had for them. Running back Michael Turner got banged up late and they missed the playoffs. Ryan at least is saying the right things and trying to communicate that he is doing everything he can to get better. I believe him too. I saw Ryan and Wes Welker Boston College play my alma mater Virginia Tech on four occasions. Ryan could more consistently hit the open man than any other quarterback I ever saw during my college years. It was as though he was playing a game of Madden and could see the entire field from a bird's eye view. This column illustrates to me that Ryan is a leader. He is confident, straight-forward, and has nothing but praise for his hard-working teammates. There's no questioning whether the sport is important to him and that winning isn't everything. Ryan may not dominate this season, but he's well on his way to becoming one of the great QBs in the league.
"Did you just seriously say Romo is better than Brees?" Several of you find that very funny.
There's also a serious debate whether Brady whines too much, and if McNabb belongs on the list.
And how could we forget Romo. Fans either love — or love to hate — the Cowboys signal-caller.
"How about Tony Romo? … he also holds the most touchdowns by a Cowboys quarterback and look at who the cowboys have had (Staubach, Aikman both Hall of Fame quarterbacks), and Romo isn't better than McNabb or Ben??! Child please. The NFL is a what have u done for me now Tom Brady league and right now Romo destroyed McNabb and the Eagles in back to back games while Romo threw for the third most yards in the NFL."
The Atlanta Falcons underwhelmed last season, at least compared to the higher expectations most had for them. Running back Michael Turner got banged up late and they missed the playoffs. Ryan at least is saying the right things and trying to communicate that he is doing everything he can to get better. I believe him too. I saw Ryan and Wes Welker Boston College play my alma mater Virginia Tech on four occasions. Ryan could more consistently hit the open man than any other quarterback I ever saw during my college years. It was as though he was playing a game of Madden and could see the entire field from a bird's eye view. This column illustrates to me that Ryan is a leader. He is confident, straight-forward, and has nothing but praise for his hard-working teammates. There's no questioning whether the sport is important to him and that winning isn't everything. Ryan may not dominate this season, but he's well on his way to becoming one of the great QBs in the league.
2010年7月8日星期四
New York Jets AFC East Dynasty
The Jets have made some changes offensively, most notably signing LaDainian Tomlinson and trading for Santonio Holmes. These were two big moves for the team, but the biggest changes from a dynasty perspective should be the continued development of Mark Sanchez and the "jet"-isonning of Thomas Jones in favor of Shonn Greene.
Let's take a look at the Jets in the latest edition of the dynasty C-A-P-S-U-L-E.
Players in their Prime
Santonio Holmes WR
The Jets were more than happy to send a fifth round-pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to the Steelers for Holmes. He'll miss the first four games of 2010 after being suspended, but his addition could be a huge long-term coup for New York.
This former Super Bowl MVP set a career high in yardage with 1,248 with the Steelers last year and brings a new standard of legitimacy to the wide receiver position for the Jets. While the knucklehead factor is high for Holmes, it wouldn't surprise us to still see him lead the Jets jerseys in receiving yards this season and get a long-term extension in the process. He's a high-risk player to own in dynasty leagues, but not one without a big upside.
Dustin Keller TE
Many dynasty league owners expected more from Keller than the 522 yards and two touchdowns from a year ago. Don't let those numbers fool you though. Keller had 181 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs and emerged as a favorite target for the developing Mark Sanchez. Expect more of the same in the future.
Rising Players
Mark Sanchez QB
Dynasty owners may be going a little overboard on Sanchez right now, citing his 60 percent completion and 4:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio he posted in the playoffs last season. Just remember he had the fewest number of completions and passing yards among quarterbacks who started at least fifteen games last season, finishing with just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.
Steve Smith would like a new contract from the New York Giants, but he's not going to no-show when training camp starts to protest his salary in the final year of his rookie contract.
Smith would like the Giants to show him the money, but as deserving as he was last season, it was the first year he put up big-time production. Smith set the Giants' all-time mark with 107 receptions last season to go with 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns as the team discovered there was life after Plaxico Burress(notes).
According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants would like to get Smith locked up longterm but the expiring CBA has made it difficult for extensions to be done at this point. Smith has tried to draw parallels between his situation and that of Darrelle Revis(notes), the New York Jets jerseys cornerback who might not show up for the start of training camp.
"I feel Revis deserves it, but he's still has a lot of years remaining on his contract," Smith told Schwartz. "This is my last year. I feel like I've accomplished some good things here so I hope the people here respect that and honor that."
The problem with that comparison is Revis has been a top performer since he came into the league. Smith has been a top performer for one season.
"I deserve to at least be getting what these other players in the NFL are getting, like a Greg Jennings(notes), at least," Smith said.
Let's take a look at the Jets in the latest edition of the dynasty C-A-P-S-U-L-E.
Players in their Prime
Santonio Holmes WR
The Jets were more than happy to send a fifth round-pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to the Steelers for Holmes. He'll miss the first four games of 2010 after being suspended, but his addition could be a huge long-term coup for New York.
This former Super Bowl MVP set a career high in yardage with 1,248 with the Steelers last year and brings a new standard of legitimacy to the wide receiver position for the Jets. While the knucklehead factor is high for Holmes, it wouldn't surprise us to still see him lead the Jets jerseys in receiving yards this season and get a long-term extension in the process. He's a high-risk player to own in dynasty leagues, but not one without a big upside.
Dustin Keller TE
Many dynasty league owners expected more from Keller than the 522 yards and two touchdowns from a year ago. Don't let those numbers fool you though. Keller had 181 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs and emerged as a favorite target for the developing Mark Sanchez. Expect more of the same in the future.
Rising Players
Mark Sanchez QB
Dynasty owners may be going a little overboard on Sanchez right now, citing his 60 percent completion and 4:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio he posted in the playoffs last season. Just remember he had the fewest number of completions and passing yards among quarterbacks who started at least fifteen games last season, finishing with just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.
Steve Smith would like a new contract from the New York Giants, but he's not going to no-show when training camp starts to protest his salary in the final year of his rookie contract.
Smith would like the Giants to show him the money, but as deserving as he was last season, it was the first year he put up big-time production. Smith set the Giants' all-time mark with 107 receptions last season to go with 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns as the team discovered there was life after Plaxico Burress(notes).
According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants would like to get Smith locked up longterm but the expiring CBA has made it difficult for extensions to be done at this point. Smith has tried to draw parallels between his situation and that of Darrelle Revis(notes), the New York Jets jerseys cornerback who might not show up for the start of training camp.
"I feel Revis deserves it, but he's still has a lot of years remaining on his contract," Smith told Schwartz. "This is my last year. I feel like I've accomplished some good things here so I hope the people here respect that and honor that."
The problem with that comparison is Revis has been a top performer since he came into the league. Smith has been a top performer for one season.
"I deserve to at least be getting what these other players in the NFL are getting, like a Greg Jennings(notes), at least," Smith said.
2010年7月6日星期二
As the Chiefs enter camp
.Getting rid of the dropsies
Perhaps the biggest problem for the 2009 Chiefs jerseys was the receivers -- specifically, receivers dropping the ball. The Chiefs led the NFL in drops and Dwayne Bowe led the entire NFL, despite being suspended for four games.
Todd Haley comes from an offensive background as a former receivers coach, so this is a major issue for him. He focuses in on receivers, so you know this drives him crazy.
Most importantly, this would help Matt Cassel. Quarterback is the most important position on the field and right now Cassel's confidence may be weakened because of the receiver drops. If you cut the Chiefs 50+ drops last year in half, Cassel's completion percentage would be around 60 percent, which is the minimum a good quarterback wants to hit.
Derrick Johnson's future
Will DJ win the starting inside linebacker job? Will he be a part of the Chiefs football jerseys in 2011 and beyond?
These are key questions. DJ is working on a one-year contract and has said he's looking forward to his next contract. He obviously wants to maximize his next contract, so playing this year is critical for him.
There have been questions of his practice habits so a solid month of training camp would go a long way to securing a starting role for him in 2010.
Todd Haley and his new coaches
Todd Haley and the Chiefs hired Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis in 2010. Crennel is expected to handle the defense without a lot of interference.
Weis, like Haley, is an offensive guy. And Weis, like Haley, has a very strong personality. Though it's not expected to be a problem, there are definitely some questions about how the two will coexist.
Will Haley let Weis do his thing with the offense? How involved with Haley be? Will they be able to work together putting the offense in place?
Stock to Let Be: QB Tim Tebow
McDaniels and the Broncos have put a lot of stock in Tebow, but that doesn't mean that you should. Would you want to buy a car that has never been proven to be able to go on the highway? That's what it feels like Denver did with #15.
Tebow took snaps under center at Florida about as often as Bernie Madoff made an honest stock transaction. In the NFL, you can't simply live in the shotgun like you can in college. Athletes are just too good to fall for option garbage on a regular basis. We aren't buying Tebow until he proves to us that he can quarterback an NFL offense with the efficiency that he did as a Gator. However, if past Florida QBs are any indicator, this stock will never be worth buying.
Sacking the Market: DL Elvis Dumervil
Then again, drafting Dumervil five years ago was considered a potential hazard as well for the Broncos. Undersized for his position, Dumervil was drafted simply because of his high motor and his heart that he showed at Louisville. My, has that panned out well!
Dumervil recorded 17 sacks last season, giving him 43 for his career. If there is such a way to have a quiet season with that many quarterback sacks, Dumervil figured out how to do it. Until someone figures out how to get a body on this man, we are going to continue buying away on the former Louisville Cardinal, as he is clearly a 5* stock amongst defenders in the league.
Stock on Bankruptcy Alert: Josh McDaniels
McDaniels probably made a crucial error last year by suspending several key players for the biggest game of the season against the AFC West rivals Kansas City with the playoffs on the line. His differences with WR Brandon Marshall ended in a bloody divorce between one of the top wide receivers in the game and the Broncos.
McDaniels then made it a point to trade up in the NFL Draft to select Tebow to be his quarterback of the future. The problem that the second year head coach has is that he may never be around to see that future. Former coach Mike Shanahan was fired for missing the playoffs two years ago, and he was basically an institution in the Mile High City.
With the success of former New England Patriots assistant coaches so limited, we can't help but wonder if this is the last time that we are going to see McDaniels on the sidelines calling the shots for a team. Under no circumstance should you buy this stock.
Perhaps the biggest problem for the 2009 Chiefs jerseys was the receivers -- specifically, receivers dropping the ball. The Chiefs led the NFL in drops and Dwayne Bowe led the entire NFL, despite being suspended for four games.
Todd Haley comes from an offensive background as a former receivers coach, so this is a major issue for him. He focuses in on receivers, so you know this drives him crazy.
Most importantly, this would help Matt Cassel. Quarterback is the most important position on the field and right now Cassel's confidence may be weakened because of the receiver drops. If you cut the Chiefs 50+ drops last year in half, Cassel's completion percentage would be around 60 percent, which is the minimum a good quarterback wants to hit.
Derrick Johnson's future
Will DJ win the starting inside linebacker job? Will he be a part of the Chiefs football jerseys in 2011 and beyond?
These are key questions. DJ is working on a one-year contract and has said he's looking forward to his next contract. He obviously wants to maximize his next contract, so playing this year is critical for him.
There have been questions of his practice habits so a solid month of training camp would go a long way to securing a starting role for him in 2010.
Todd Haley and his new coaches
Todd Haley and the Chiefs hired Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis in 2010. Crennel is expected to handle the defense without a lot of interference.
Weis, like Haley, is an offensive guy. And Weis, like Haley, has a very strong personality. Though it's not expected to be a problem, there are definitely some questions about how the two will coexist.
Will Haley let Weis do his thing with the offense? How involved with Haley be? Will they be able to work together putting the offense in place?
Stock to Let Be: QB Tim Tebow
McDaniels and the Broncos have put a lot of stock in Tebow, but that doesn't mean that you should. Would you want to buy a car that has never been proven to be able to go on the highway? That's what it feels like Denver did with #15.
Tebow took snaps under center at Florida about as often as Bernie Madoff made an honest stock transaction. In the NFL, you can't simply live in the shotgun like you can in college. Athletes are just too good to fall for option garbage on a regular basis. We aren't buying Tebow until he proves to us that he can quarterback an NFL offense with the efficiency that he did as a Gator. However, if past Florida QBs are any indicator, this stock will never be worth buying.
Sacking the Market: DL Elvis Dumervil
Then again, drafting Dumervil five years ago was considered a potential hazard as well for the Broncos. Undersized for his position, Dumervil was drafted simply because of his high motor and his heart that he showed at Louisville. My, has that panned out well!
Dumervil recorded 17 sacks last season, giving him 43 for his career. If there is such a way to have a quiet season with that many quarterback sacks, Dumervil figured out how to do it. Until someone figures out how to get a body on this man, we are going to continue buying away on the former Louisville Cardinal, as he is clearly a 5* stock amongst defenders in the league.
Stock on Bankruptcy Alert: Josh McDaniels
McDaniels probably made a crucial error last year by suspending several key players for the biggest game of the season against the AFC West rivals Kansas City with the playoffs on the line. His differences with WR Brandon Marshall ended in a bloody divorce between one of the top wide receivers in the game and the Broncos.
McDaniels then made it a point to trade up in the NFL Draft to select Tebow to be his quarterback of the future. The problem that the second year head coach has is that he may never be around to see that future. Former coach Mike Shanahan was fired for missing the playoffs two years ago, and he was basically an institution in the Mile High City.
With the success of former New England Patriots assistant coaches so limited, we can't help but wonder if this is the last time that we are going to see McDaniels on the sidelines calling the shots for a team. Under no circumstance should you buy this stock.
2010年7月5日星期一
Independence Day, Detroit Lions Style
The words "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" ring loud every Independence Day. A long weekend, good food, family, friends, and fireworks make for quite a celebration. The holiday also means that NFL training camp and a new season is not far off.
A Detroit Lions season is often a cruel reminder that our unalienable rights guarantee our pursuit of happiness, not happiness itself.
Ah yes, the pursuit. Some Detroit Lions fans pursue NFL happiness by lowering their expectations to a such a low level that meeting or exceeding those expectations is a virtual certainty. Others may have adopted a second team to cheer on (cough:colts:cough) to feel the excitement of a winning season and championship run.
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