Redskins Report Card: Week 4 vs. Dallas Cowboys

Redskins 26, Cowboys 24

Offense: B+

It's still not a dominant offense, but the more frequently you score enough points to win, the better it looks. And, the longer this win streak lasts, the more (justifiably) confident Jason Campbell will be. There's something special about knowing you can make a pass, as opposed to thinking you can make a pass. Knowers: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre. Thinkers: Jon Kitna, Derek Anderson, Gus Frerotte. To be fair, however, Tarvaris Jackson is also a knower, and Eli Manning is a thinker. But generally, I'd rather my quarterback were overconfident than a quivering mass of indecision. I'm looking your way, David Carr.

This marked the fourth game (out of four) in which the offense had no turnovers. I know, it's not like I expect to go all season without a fumble or interception, but Jacksonville showed us last year that if you hold onto the football and play good defense, you can put yourself into a position to win a lot of games. And Jacksonville didn't have any wide receiver play as well as Santana Moss is playing right now. So it's not unreasonable to be a little optimistic about how this season might go.

I probably owe an apology to Clinton Portis. I've been loathe to give him praise because I don't care for his attitude, and because he doesn't seem to have the breakaway ability we see in some of the elite backs around the league. But Portis is a workhorse, picking up 21+ carries in each game this season, and he dashed for 121 yards in the Cowboys game. He's still not an elite back, but he's plenty effective for what the 'Skins want to do on offense.

And good lord, Santana Moss is playing like he wants to smack me in the face for saying he wasn't a #1 receiver. He's getting open all over the place, snagging everything within his reach, and just generally playing like a superstar. Maybe I should start bashing Antwaan Randle El, see if we can get some legitimate production out of him.

By the way, the Skins' first touchdown, a pass to James Thrash, was one of the most entertaining plays I've seen in a while, and most of the action was before the snap. Thrash went in motion, followed by his man-to-man cover on the defense. Thrash tried to switch directions quickly but slipped, so the defender was able to stay with him. Then Thrash switched directions again and the defender slipped this time. Campbell hiked the ball and Thrash was wide open for a touchdown. It was beautiful.

The offense did get stifled four times inside the red zone and had to settle for field goals, which can be frustrating. But it really seems like this team accepts that field goals aren't exactly a failure, since you're still getting points, and this Washington group seems much less deflated than teams in the past had when they had to settle for 3. Points are points; you'd like more if you could get them, but adding any points to your total is always a good thing.

Defense: B+

Here's the deal. I'm giving the Redskins a bump on their defensive rating because they were able to keep the potent Cowboys offense in check for most of the game. However, I still have concerns. For some reason, Dallas only ran the ball 11 times, while passing the ball 47 times. The game was competitive throughout, but the Cowboys stayed predictably pass-heavy, and seemed to pay the price. It's not like the 'Skins have some crazy offense that forces opponents into constant passing situations. Someone is going to figure out that the run defense is suspect, and they'll be in for a fight.

Chris Horton picked up another interception, and this one wasn't a lucky bounce; he made a great read and jumped in front of the pattern to make a play. I like Reed Doughty as well, and I think instead of trying to make a thing about which one should start, they should both get plenty of snaps. With the cornerbacks constantly getting injured, working in a third safety instead of an extra corner might be the best way to have your top talent on the field. (I think the Redskins already do this, I believe it's called their "Cobra" package).

Special Teams: B

Shaun Suisham hit four field goals under 40 yards, which you could say is easy, but that's what he's supposed to do. He didn't miss any field goals, so he did all you can ask for. The return game was still unimpressive, but Randle El looked better this week than he's looked all season, so maybe there's reason to be optimistic. Kickoff coverage was very good, except for the one where they seemed to intentionally kick it high and short. But they seemed to learn from that mistake (which Troy Aikman happily pointed out multiple times; fuckin' Cowboys), and kicked it deep each time after that.

Overall: A-

How does the team get an A- when they didn't have any rankings that high in any of the different categories? Because they beat Dallas. The Redskins played well, definitely well enough to win, and although it was still a close game, they came out on top. They were 11.5 point underdogs, and they've historically had a lot of trouble in Texas Stadium. It was a huge victory, and for that they get bonus points.

I'm trying to temper my excitement, but the reality is that this Washington team is starting to look very good. They play a very good Philadelphia team next Sunday, but after that they've got St. Louis, Cleveland, and Detroit. A 6-2 start to the season is definitely reasonable, and 7-1 isn't out of the question. Things get tougher after that, but if you can win at Dallas, you can win anywhere, anytime.

Player of the Game: Jason Campbell, 20/31 for 231 yards, 2 TD, 0 turnovers (again)

Ravens @ Steelers - Flacco Do or Die

It's only the beginning of an incredibly young QB career for the Ravens rookie QB. However, this evening's Monday Night Football showdown will be the foreshadowing of Joe Flacco's career with the Ravens, and quite possibly as an NFL quarterback.

Up to this point, Joe Flacco has been tossed into the quarterback position sooner than his coaches would have liked. He has not been incredibly spectacular with 28 completions with 48 attempts (58.3%) for 258 yards and 2 interceptions. Don't be deceived by the INTs though. One was a ball tipped by his wide receiver, and the other was a well-defensed trick play. On a quick side note, he was an idiot for even throwing the flea-flicker bomb. It was a poorly drawn up trick play with only one option (that was triple covered) that didn't work. He has been managing the game, getting first downs, and minimizing turnovers. This is a big reason why the Ravens are currently 2-0 going into tonight's game. The other reason is because they played teams that are currently a combined 1-7 (Cleveland and Cincinnati).

Now to the Rite of Passage part:

The Ravens have only won at Pittsburgh twice since they won the Super Bowl in 2000. One of those wins was in the 2000-2001 season. Randall Cunningham (remember him?) squeeked by with a 13-10 victory, 14/22 passing for 158 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. Not exactly a great game. Cunningham was the backup for the great Elvis Grbac. It was a semi-successful season for the Ravens though. They entered the play-offs with a wild card bid, beat Miami that first weekend, just to lose at Pittsburgh in the divisional round. The second victory came in the 2005-2006 season. This was during Steve McNair's first year with the team, where the Ravens managed a 13-3 season. McNair threw 2 INTs, but that was the only low point. The Ravens blew the Steelers away 31-7 to help them earn a bye for the first week of the play-offs. McNair couldn't repeat the performance though. The next year, Pittsburgh returned the whooping with a 38-7 victory. McNair's 63 yards on 13/22 attempts and an INT led a floundering offense that couldn't get anything going.

Ravens quarterbacks have been known to have a hard time in Pittsburgh, and I don't see this time being any different. I will be closely watching Flacco's play tonight. If he plays well enough to win the game, it will not only be a rare feat, but it will hopefully give everyone an idea as to where this kid is going as an NFL quarterback. If he falls apart, then we can all chalk this up as another blown Ravens 1st round pick.

Its an early test, but if Flacco wants to be the Ravens' starting quarterback, he's going to have to get used to playing in Pittsburgh and he's going to have to perform. You can't transfer from Pittsburgh every year.

Wild Card Weekend

The Mets are in a rain delay. It's reasonable to think that, should the game be played today, it will be starting between now and 2:00, or perhaps 2:05, when the Brewers game starts. Coincidence? Maybe. But having those two games come into the late innings at the same time is about the only way regular-season baseball could compete with an NFL Sunday.

Well played, baseball.

So I've Been Playing.... - Animal Crossing (GameCube)

I tweaked the title of the new feature a little bit to accommodate games that I've played in the past (and thus would not have "just started" playing), but have given renewed attention. The main reason is that this game, Animal Crossing, is one such game.

First of all, it's ridiculous. The game is ridiculous. Your character is a human with some kind of horns or something, maybe a demon? I don't know, but you're like a little kid and not evil at all. Anyways, you move to a new town and get a house and get to know your neighbors. Not like that, sicko, it's rated E. Your neighbors, of course, are different kinds of animals, from elephants to alligators to dragons, as well as the more pedestrian cats, dogs, and chickens.

Your character spends the majority of his/her time running around doing errands, like delivering items for the various animals of your town, fishing, catching bugs, picking up seashells, etc. You can sell most items at the local mart, and use that money to buy furniture for your pad. There's also a museum that houses local fauna, priceless art, and fossils. To dig up fossils, you need a shovel. To catch fish or bugs, you need a fishing pole or a net, respectively. And to acquire art, you just have to buy it or get it from someone for doing one of their errands.

The game sounds a bit simplistic, and truth be told, it is pretty simple. But there's something about the small sense of accomplishment you get when you pay off your mortgage, or complete a T-Rex skeleton, or catch a rare fish, that keeps me going back to the game over and over.

While there's no true multiplayer option, you can have up to four characters living in your village, and there are a number of small, fun ways your characters can interact. You can make posts on the local bulletin board, place signs in the ground and write on them, write letters to each other, and put items in your "gyroid" (a helper robot that manages the business related to your house) to make them available for other players to purchase. Additionally, the animals in the town will gossip about other characters ("Where has player B been?", "Check out this letter Player D sent me!", etc). A little personality gets added to the game when other people live in your town.

It's a pretty cheap game these days, so if you've already got a GameCube or a Wii and it sounds interesting, it's worth checking out. Also, there's this story, which tugs at the heart-strings just a little bit. It probably won't (and shouldn't) affect whether or not you want to play the game; it's just something for you mushes out there.

Buffalo Wings & Beer

First, let me start by saying that the combination of eating buffalo wings and drinking beer is solid. I have no issue with the combination of food and drink, and I like buffalo wings, and I enjoy the occasional beer.

My issue is with the Gaithersburg bar/restaurant that goes by the name, "Buffalo Wings & Beer." I say specifically the Gaithersburg one because I haven't been to any of the others, but my guess is they all suffer from the same weaknesses. The most amazing part is that their weakness is not food quality or service, the two most likely culprits when a meal is ruined. The weakness is in their policies, policies that make you feel like they're really out to get you. And it's not a stretch to think that they might actually be out to get you.

First off, they don't offer free refills on sodas. This has become such a convention in restaurants that it's literally shocking for a place to not have that feature. And the sodas are fountain sodas, not bottles, so it's even more puzzling. Normally this would be bad but not unbearable, as you can just get a water. But at BWB, they also don't offer water at no charge. The only water they make available to customers is bottled water, at a cool $1 apiece. Feel like you're getting screwed yet? Sit tight, we're just getting started.

Their menu says the following phrase word-for-word underneath the wing prices and flavors:

• Wings are served with either Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing, Two Celery Sticks and Two Carrot Sticks
• Extras.......................... .75

My brother and I went in on Tuesday and got FOUR orders of wings, and we each got 1 small cup of ranch dressing, and we were charged $0.75 apiece for those two small cups. And not by mistake. That's just how these guys do business.

Speaking of Tuesday, we went in because they have a "deal" (you'll understand the reason for the quotes in a second) where you buy one pound of wings and get a second pound free. The second pound has to be the same flavor, and I have no problem with that. You can't get them boxed up, and I suppose I understand that; I'm sure their hope is that the deal brings people in who will buy drinks. But here's the kicker: you can't share. So if you want to take advantage of the deal, you have to get two pounds of wings yourself, or not get any. They're kind enough to let you share if everyone at the table gets their own double-order; what a bunch of sweethearts.

One last issue that didn't affect me personally but I found laughable was their list of lunchtime specials. You can get an order of a number of appetizers for about half of the normal price. Of course, these orders only contain about half of the food as the regular orders (5 cheese sticks vs. 10, 2 chicken tenders vs. 5, 4 broccoli cheese balls vs. 7). Also, there's a two drink minimum. FOR LUNCH. I'm fully convinced that the only people who can go to this place and not get pissed off are alcoholics.

It's a shame they have such an awful sense of customer relations, because the food is good. The wings are large and flavorful, and despite all of my nay-saying, it's still a valid place to grab some carryout wings from. But don't let them suck you into their den of deceit. You'll walk away angry, or walk away with blood on your hands. Or both. Probably both.

However, in my magnanimity, I've decided to come up with a new marketing strategy for BWB. I like to help even the most villainous of restaurants. So here you go:

Buffalo Wings & Beer: A place that sucks.

Short, catchy, effective. Lock it up.

Redskins Report Card - Week 3 vs. Arizona Cardinals

Redskins 24, Cardinals 17

Offense: B-

I got some criticism on my B+ rating for the Skins' offense last week, so I spent this week's game really trying to be critical. I wanted to make sure I wasn't skewing my opinion based on the happiness I was feeling in seeing Washington win. So I made sure to take note of offensive miscues. Problem is, of course, that the Redskins had zero turnovers on Sunday. Jason Campbell had a play where he tripped over his lineman and he just bailed on the play instead of getting up and trying to make a play, but hell, that goes wrong half the time anyways, so I can't be mad about him playing it safe.

Well, that's not entirely true. In the second Joe Gibbs era in Washington, they played it too safe too often. So in that period, I would've been mad about Campbell playing it safe, because the whole offensive strategy was "play it safe." In the Jim Zorn offense, however, the play-calling has been aggressive and confident, so the occasional conservative play isn't a tragedy.

I've been assured by a former football player that this isn't the case, but Clinton Portis looked slow on Sunday. He averaged only 3.2 yards per carry, and didn't have a rush for 10 or more yards. He was able to punch in a touchdown from three yards out, but I'm starting to think more and more that the offensive line he was so quick to throw under the bus is the reason he's getting any yards at all. And more and more I'm thinking that Marcus Mason probably should've made the team. Still, the Skins picked up 11 first downs on the ground, so they're doing what they need to do to keep drives going.

The passing game was good, not great. The Skins still seem to be missing that wild card receiver who randomly gets 50-yard catches. Devin Thomas could be that guy if he can ever get his head on straight, but it's a shame that their first pick in the 2008 draft couldn't figure more into the offense than one seven-yard catch. Eventually people are going to realize that Santana Moss and Chris Cooley are the only receiving threats on this team, and they'll be in trouble, but until then, I say keep going to the well.

The best part of the game? The two kneel-downs at the end. I forgot how much I like seeing my favorite team kneel at the end of a game.

Defense: B

For the second time in two weeks, the Redskins defense has faced a prolific offense and held them just low enough to get the victory. The real key was keeping the Cardinals' passing game in check, which they did by holding Kurt Warner to 53% completions. They got an interception and a fumble recovery, and those two turnovers led to 10 points. The interception in particular was a huge momentum shift, giving the Skins the ball on Arizona's 15 yard line, and letting Moss score on a screen pass two plays later.

I'm still worried about Washington's rushing defense, though. The Skins gave up 5 yards a carry to Edgerrin James and rookie Tim Hightower, the second game out of three in which the opposition's running backs averaged 5 yards a carry. If they're to have any chance against Dallas next weekend, they'll have to tighten up that rushing defense. Otherwise, the thunder and lightning combination of Marion Barber and the explosive Felix Jones might allow Tony Romo to never throw a pass.

Special Teams: C

Shaun Suisham hit a 48-yard field goal, missed a 52-yarder. He also failed to force a touchback on any kickoffs, something of a disappointment after last week's fantastic kickoffs. The coverage teams, however, made up for it. The Cardinals started six different drives inside their own 20-yard line. Anytime you can force your opponent to drive 80+ yards, you're putting your defense in a good position to be successful.

The return game was unimpressive, specifically on punts, which has been an issue all season. They even tried Moss on a punt return to jump start the return game, though it ended up being a fair catch. At least they're trying something. When your offense isn't a powerhouse, and your defense has holes, you've got to make some plays in special teams, so I like that they're trying out some different personnel to see what they can do.

Overall: B

Am I terrified about the trip to Dallas next week? Yes, a little bit terrified. But at least my guys will be going in there 2-1 and with some confidence that they can beat this team. If they can handle themselves on the rushing defense, I think Romo is mistake-prone enough that the Skins can capitalize and make a game of it. If nothing else, it should be fun to watch.

Player of the Game: Jason Campbell, 22/30, 193 yards, 2 TDs, 0 turnovers

So I Just Started Playing... - Crysis

I've decided to make a new feature for this blog (since it seemed like a good idea for my other blog). This feature will highlight some game that I've started to play a lot recently, or CD I've started to listen to, or movie I've watched. It won't be isolated to new products, mostly because I generally don't see movies in the theater, don't like new music, and don't buy games new. But that means that you'll mostly see me comment on things that you've heard of or tried out yourself, so hopefully it'll result in a little more discussion.

If you're worried that this will replace the halls of fame, you're right to be worried. This will replace the halls of fame. The reality is that, without a gallery and bronze busts of the inductees (or at least a list somewhere), there's just not much reason to keep it up. I could make the lists or fashion the busts, but we both know I have neither the motivation nor the tendency to succumb to modest peer pressure to do that.

So anyways, let's get to work. Crysis. When the game first came out, it was highly thought of for being an exceptional work of programming, specifically when it comes to graphics. Unfortunately for many PC gamers at the time of Crysis' release, the hardware demands made by this game prevented many from playing it at all, and prevented most from being able to really enjoy the full capacity of graphics that the game offers. But I just got a brand new computer with high-level components, so I've been able to see the game as it was intended, and let me tell you; it's spectacular.

All of the character models are solid, but you find solid character models in a lot of games. The explosions are very good, but again, not unique to Crysis. Yes, you can fell trees and blow up shacks, but the most impressive part visually is actually the terrain. The entire wilderness moves all the time, leaves rustling, seagulls scampering, and water running. This might seem small, but I assure you, it's huge. In most games up until now, you could find your enemies simply by scanning the horizon for movement or waiting to hear anything other than music. But when every bush and blade of grass is moving, and when there are fluctuations in environmental sound based on wind and wild animals, it's a much more difficult (and realistic) task to stay alive.

The gameplay is fun, similar to Halo in a lot of ways, but a little more realistic. Your character is a super soldier from a couple decades into the future, rather than a couple centuries. The actual tasks are relatively similar; you have to travel through the jungle, picking off or eliminating patrols, making your way to some landmark where you get information or take out a target. But it's such a beautiful terrain, and the game is pretty tough, so each leg of your journey is a new challenge.

The most unique part of the gameplay is the ability to gear your nanosuit to allow you to do different things. The default setting is for it to act as armor, giving you an extra health bar. You can also set it to stealth (cloaking you from your enemies), speed (giving you extraordinary running speed, useful for escaping), and strength (increasing the power of your melee attacks and giving you the ability to jump high in the air).

You can also customize your weapons, adding silencers, sights, and scopes, and switching between different kinds of ammunition. You can carry two rifle-class weapons, so you can have one long-range, non-silenced, scoped weapon, and one with normal sights and a silencer for eliminating enemies with a bit of discretion. Coupling a silenced submachine gun with the stealth nanosuit option makes for some enjoyable, movie-style assaults.

I like the game a lot. I'm not going to break it down into different categories, because different games will have different relevant categories. So I'll just give it a base-100 rating (and I'll do this for all of these kinds of posts).

Final Score: 93

Ed Hochuli - Human?

Joe & Joe Sports is excited to offer yet another piece of breaking sports news. We have confirmed with sources familiar with the situation that NFL referee Ed Hochuli is in fact a human being, and not a cyborg, built for melee combat and roughing the passer calls, as has been suggested in the past. Turns out, he requires calories for sustenance, breathes Earth air, and has virtually no interest in storing electricity in his legs and abdomen.

Jesus Christ, people. The guy is a referee who made a bad call. We've seen hundreds of them. You'll see five or six a game, and a few more no calls. People talked about it on Monday, that's understandable. People talked about it on Tuesday, which was a little weird because of how explosive a game we had on Monday night, but fans will be fans, I guess. But it's Friday. There are some fantastic matchups coming up this weekend, including Steelers/Eagles, Cowboys/Packers, and a Vikings team that needs a win more than anybody taking on Carolina, who's 2-0 and is about to get their best player back in Steve Smith.

But if you go to ESPN.com (which I try not to do; what a jumbled up mess that page is), Hochuli being "devastated" is the second story under "news." What is wrong with sports fans where they won't just let a regular season referee mistake get chalked up as exactly that? It was a blown call, and it happens. Getting crazy and demanding recourse is just stupid.

Even stupider, however, are the comments that people have made this week. Chip told me that Michael Wilbon suggested that the whistle not be the end of a play anymore. What? Are you insane? If you don't use the whistle as the end of a play, then everyone will get hurt every week, because nobody will stop playing. The whistle has to be the end of the play. The only thing you can do is tell your referees, "Don't blow the whistle unless you're sure." Seems reasonable, right? Seems like a way to be sure that you get every call correct, right? And isn't that what we're all really interested in anyways, getting the calls right and letting the game be settled by the players' abilities to succeed within the rules?

The real problem here isn't Hochuli. It isn't even the situation with the whistle, not directly at least. The reason you have to blow the whistle as soon as you're ready to make a call is the flawed replay system in football. Coaches make challenges? They get two opportunities to challenge a play, and if they're right on both, they get a third. So we know that there are never more than 3 close plays in a game? Oh, and they're tied to timeouts, so if you burn your timeouts early, then you could get screwed at the 6-minute mark and have no recourse. A wrong call is upheld because of a technicality. Americans hate technicalities, they often vote in elections based on which candidate says he'll eliminate more loopholes.

I don't understand the bogus idea that the decision to review plays should be in the hands of a coaching staff. They took the concept from the American legal system, where the lawyers make objections and the judge interprets the law. But in a courtroom, there's no limit on the number of objections a lawyer can make, even if you get a few overruled. The instant replay system was implemented because fans wanted to see more plays called correctly. The limitation is supposed to prevent the game from going on too long, but I honestly don't think fans would care if the game was a half hour longer and they got every call right. With the current system, challenges give both fans and commentators a chance to catch up, and give them something to discuss. Reviews are good television.

Here's the deal. Replays should be completely out of the hands of the coaching staffs. The NFL makes enough money that they should be able to hire a couple more referees for each game who review every play as it happens and signal down if the play needs to be reviewed. I've thought this was the system they should use since they started using instant replay; I was right then, and I'm right now. Getting the calls correct has to be the #1 priority.

Back to the earlier point, the reason referees have to make a call on a fumble or an incomplete pass is that they can't just not make a call and force a review every time, because you'll have coaches burning their challenges and timeouts early, and that changes the complexion of the game. The way to keep football clean is to give the league control over the review process, as it should always have been.

Steelers Report Card - Week 2 - Browns

Final Score: Steelers 10, Browns 6

Same old Cleveland Browns? Maybe, maybe not. The Steelers were able to squeak out a victory to improve to 2-0 on the season and sit alone on top of the division with Baltimore still having to play their second game. Ben Roethlisberger was able to muster enough strength out of his injured shoulder (i highly doubt he has an A-C separation) to lead the Steelers to the win and threw the game's only TD pass to Hines Ward in the first half. Willy Parker continued his dominance against the Brownies with another 100+ yard rushing effort and the defense made big stops when they had to and held the Browns to only two field goals. This game might have been more about missed opportunities and costly turnovers by Cleveland than it was about Pittsburgh's efforts, but a win is a win. Here's the breakdown.

Offense: B

As stated, Parker led the attack with 105 yards on the night and had two key runs late in the game for first-downs that put the game on ice. Roethlisberger was good, not great... but very efficient in sloppy, windy conditions that made it difficult to throw the ball down field. He was 12/19 for 186 yards and 1 TD. The key is that he did not turn the ball over, which in inclement weather will usually win you football games. Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward each turned in nice performances catching the ball and the offensive line looked solid for the majority of the game.

Defense: B

The defense performed admirably, only giving up 6 points in the game. They were able to force 2 crucial turnovers which were basically the difference in the game. Troy Polamalu played a particularly spirited game and seemed to be all over the field. He was able to keep Kellen Winslow Jr. in check throughout the game, obviously frustrating him at times. Polamalu also made the game-changing interception in the redzone at the end of the first-half on what was a terrible decision by Browns' QB Derek Anderson. The Steelers completely shut down Jamal Lewis who only managed 38 yards on 19 carries in weather than was far more conducive to running the football than it was for throwing. Aaron Smith sacked Anderson twice during the game and seemed to play the whole game on Cleveland's side of the line of scrimmage.

Special Teams: A-

The best player on the field last season for Cleveland versus the Steelers was Josh Cribbs. The Steelers punt/kickoff cover teams did a fantastic job in not letting Cribbs get anything going all night. The Steelers won the field-position battle all night and Jeff Reed made a long field-goal in swirling winds that put the steelers up by 10 points. They still have not had any good returns, but the wind was such a factor that staying away from the ball on punt returns may have been the best strategy to avoid fumbles.

Overall Grade: B

The Steelers play the toughest schedule in the NFL this year and the sexy pick to win the division this preseason was Cleveland. The Steelers have a very early 2-game lead on the Browns in the division and a tremendously important head-to-head win tie-breaker. The two teams don't meet again until week 17 in Pittsburgh in what assuredly will be a snowy and blistery day. Next week the Steelers travel to Philadelphia to play a good Eagles team coming off of a tough loss in the MNF thriller to the Dallas Cowboys.

Player of the Game: Troy Polamalu with 4 tackles, a huge INT and great coverage on Kellen Winslow Jr.

Redskins Report Card - Week 2 vs. New Orleans Saints

Redskins 29, Saints 24

Offense: B+

What a difference a a game makes. A week after the Redskins almost went an entire half without completing a pass, Washington puts together three scoring drives in the first half, and scores three touchdowns in the second half to come from behind and pick up Jim Zorn's first win as a head coach. Shaun Suisham also missed two field goals, so they managed to have 8 scoring opportunities, far beyond the sort of offensive output anybody expected from them.

The first half still had Redskins fans worried, as the team had five field goal attempts, but couldn't punch it in. We also learned in this game that Jason Campbell is simply not mobile at all. He was sacked twice and two other times was cut off on a scrambling attempt and tackled at or behind the line. Many quarterbacks can pick up crucial yardage on a run when the middle of the field opens up, but it doesn't look like Campbell has the instincts or running ability to offer that. Still, can't complain too much about his performance. He had his third career 300 yard passing game, and the first one in which the Skins were able to pick up a victory. He looked poised, his throws were generally on the mark, and he managed to avoid any turnovers.

The real superstar of this game, though, was Santana Moss (7 catches, 164 yards, TD). He seemed to take the criticisms of last week and play like a man possessed. He caught everything thrown his way, made the first guy miss every time, and altogether played like a number 1 receiver, despite the analysis of many Washington area commentators (including myself). The Redskins still didn't get much production out of the rest of their receiving corps, but they got Cooley involved to the tune of five catches for 72 yards.

It's worth pointing out that most of Washington's big plays came after the injury to substitute starter Aaron Glenn, when rookie cornerback Tracy Porter was forced into action. Washington consistently exploited Porter, and you can say that sullies the victory, but my feeling is that you're supposed to beat who you're supposed to beat. I'd venture to say the Redskins of 2007 wouldn't have been able to take advantage of that matchup, so they've progressed a little bit.

The running game was effective again, but seemed to move better this week with a legitimate complement in the passing game. Maybe Clinton Portis will keep his mouth shut this week and accept that football is imprecise, and complaining about the blocking when you pick up 80+ yards (as he did in week 1) seems whiny. And is whiny.

Defense: B

The defense looked as good in week 2 as they did in week 1, but against a better opposing offense. Additionally, rookie Chris Horton picked up three turnovers (a fumble and two interceptions) on his way to inevitably bumping injured starter Reed Doughty down on the depth chart. None of the plays were tremendous athletic feats by Horton; both interceptions resulted from batted balls. Still, being in the right place at the right time is something, and when you get three turnovers, you're doing something right. Jason Taylor also picked up his first sack as a Redskin.

If Deuce McAllister were fully healthy and productive, I think this game might've gone the other way, because the Skins' rush defense is still suspect. But Reggie Bush isn't a premier running back, Pierre Thomas is inexperienced, and Deuce is still recovering from last year's season-ending knee surgery, so the Saints had to rely more heavily on the passing game. And with Shawn Springs healthy for this week's game, the Skins were up to the task on the pass defense. With Arizona on the schedule next week, they'd better not let up, or Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin will embarrass another group of defensive backs.

Special Teams: C+

The special teams grade slips this week, but it's no fault of Rock Cartwright's. He had three good kickoff returns and another solid tackle on a return. No, the first culprit here is "return specialist" Antwaan Randle El, who fumbled a punt return and was unable to make anything happen on his other three returns. Additionally, a bad snap and hold cost the 'Skins three points, and the team gave up a punt return for a touchdown to Reggie Bush.

The one saving grace for the special teams unit was that kicker Shaun Suisham seems to have a hammer for a foot, forcing touchbacks on several kickoffs. After a few years of John Hall giving opponents the ball at the 35 every time, this is a welcome upgrade.

Overall: B

It was a great game, lots of back and forth with a number of big plays. I remember thinking in the first half that, even if Washington lost (and as a fatalist Redskins fan, I assumed they would), the game would serve as a reason to be hopeful going forward this season. Getting the win, though, makes me think maybe, just maybe, the Skins can play their way into playoff contention. As long as they're playing relevant games in December, I'll be happy.

Player of the Game: Chris Horton, 2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, 2 pass deflections

Guitar Hero: World Tour

As I'm sure many of you know, Guitar Hero: World Tour comes out October 26, 2008. It will follow the Rock Band precedence by including microphone, drums, and the two guitars. I just got a glimpse of the set list (currently 86 songs) that will be included with it... and it does not disappoint:

30 Seconds To Mars--The Kill
311--Beautiful Disaster
Airbourne--Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
The Allman Brothers Band--Ramblin' Man
Anouk--Good God
The Answer--Never Too Late
At the Drive-In--One Armed Scissor
Beastie Boys--No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Beatsteaks--Hail To The Freaks
Billy Idol--Rebel Yell
Black Label Society--Stillborn
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club--Weapon of Choice
blink-182--Dammit
Blondie--One Way or Another
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band--Hollywood Nights
Bon Jovi--Livin' on a Prayer
Bullet for My Valentine--Scream Aim Fire
Coldplay--Shiver
Creedence Clearwater Revival--Up Around the Bend
The Cult--Love Removal Machine
Dinosaur Jr.--Feel the Pain
The Doors--Love Me Two Times
Dream Theater--Pull Me Under
The Eagles--Hotel California
The Enemy--Aggro
Filter--Hey Man, Nice Shot
Fleetwood Mac--Go Your Own Way
Foo Fighters--Everlong
The Guess Who--American Woman
HushPuppies--You're Gonna Say Yeah!
Interpol--Obstacle 1
Jane's Addiction--Mountain Song
Jimi Hendrix--The Wind Cries Mary
Jimi Hendrix--Purple Haze (Live)
Jimmy Eat World--The Middle
Joe Satriani--Satch Boogie
Kent--Vinternoll2
Korn--Freak on a Leash
Lacuna Coil--Our Truth
Lenny Kravitz--Are You Gonna Go My Way
Linkin Park--What I've Done
The Living End--Prisoner of Society
Los Lobos--La Bamba
Lostprophets--Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)
Lynyrd Skynyrd--Sweet Home Alabama (Live)
The Mars Volta--L'Via L'Viaquez
MC5's Wayne Kramer--Kick Out the Jams
Metallica--Trapped Under Ice
Michael Jackson--Beat It
Modest Mouse--Float On
Motorhead--Overkill
Muse--Assassin
Negramaro--Nuvole e Lenzuola
Nirvana--About A Girl [Unplugged]
No Doubt--Spiderwebs
NOFX--Soul Doubt
Oasis--Some Might Say
Ozzy Osbourne--Crazy Train
Ozzy Osbourne--Mr. Crowley
Paramore--Misery Business
Pat Benatar--Heartbreaker
Radio Futura--Escuela De Calor
R.E.M.--The One I Love
Rise Against--Re-Education Through Labor
Sex Pistols--Pretty Vacant
Silversun Pickups--Lazy Eye
Smashing Pumpkins--Today
Steely Dan--Do It Again
Steve Miller Band--The Joker
Sting--Demolition Man (Live)
The Stone Roses--Love Spreads
Stuck in the Sound--Toy Boy
Sublime--Santeria
Survivor--Eye of the Tiger
System Of A Down--B.Y.O.B.
Ted Nugent--Stranglehold
Ted Nugent--Original Guitar Duel Recording
Tokio Hotel--Monsoon
Tool--Parabola
Tool--Schism
Tool--Vicarious
Trust--Antisocial
Van Halen--Hot For Teacher
Willie Nelson--On The Road Again
Wings--Band on the Run
Zakk Wylde--Original Guitar Duel Recording

Enjoy!

Steelers Report Card - Week 1 - Texans

Ok, with the special invitation from Joe Mattingly, I will be logging the Steelers week 1 report card and hopefully (with frequent reminders from Joe) be keeping up with this throughout the season. Here we go, the skinny on today's solid victory.

Offense: A -

More specifically I can break this down into a few categories.
Running Game: A
Willy Parker had a terrific week 1 showing, scoring more touchdowns (3) than he tallied all of last season (2) and let's keep in mind that when he broke his leg in late December, he was leading the league in rushing. The offensive line had a good push all day and the Steelers punished Houston in the second half by keeping the ball on the ground.

Passing Game: A
I'd say that 13 completions out of 14 attempts is a pretty darn good statistic for a starting QB. Throw in there the fact that he had 2 touchdowns and a 60+ yard completion that was negated by penalty and you can see that Roethlisberger pretty much had his way with the Texans and did whatever he wanted all afternoon. He only threw for 137 yards but playing with a huge lead all game, there was no reason to throw the ball for the most part. Ben looked to be on the same page with his receivers all afternoon. He was replaced in the 4th quarter by Byron Leftwich who did not complete a pass and seemed to be mistiming routes with his receivers (mostly backups) but considering he was brought into the fold half-way through camp this year, it's not unreasonable that the timing isn't there yet.

Offensive Line: B
The run blocking was very good, but they did let up 2 sacks to Mario Williams (who is a beast). One let to a fumble by Roethlisberger which led to the only legitamate points the Texans scored all game. The rest of their points were pretty much during garbage time. As the Patriots game proved today, one hit on a QBs knee can F up your season, so the two free shots by Williams on Ben Roethlisberger were somewhat concerning.

Defense: A
The Steelers defense was dominating today. The outside linebacker duo of James Harrison and new starter Lamar Woodley were all over the field and between them tallied 4 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble and 1 recovered fumble. The Texans offensive line simply could not keep them in check all afternoon.

The defense held Houston Running backs to a mere 71 yards on the afternoon. They did give up two late touchdowns, but the game was well over by that point in time. The defense totaled 5 sacks on the afternoon and 3 turnovers total. They looked the part of the defending "leagues #1 overall defense" from last season.

Special Teams: B

Jeff Reed connected on his only Field Goal attempt, a 44 yarder into the closed end of the stadium. He also was true on 4/4 PATs on the afternoon. The Steelers kick coverage did not give up any long returns on punt/kick returns and reserve DB William Gay made two terrific open-field tackles of return men that stood out.

The Steelers kick return and punt return teams did not do anything distinctive all afternoon and the duo of Mewelde Moore and Rashard Mendenhall still seem to be lackluster when it comes to both. Special teams could be a real problem for the Steelers once again this season as nobody grabbed a hold of the return man job this preseason and they gave up a touchdown in kick coverage to the Buffalo Bills. On this day, however, they couldn't seem to do anything wrong and the special teams were no different.

Overall: A-

The Steelers play the toughest schedule in the NFL this season and if they are to repeat as AFC North champions must win every game in which they are supposed to. This was definately a game that they were supposed to win and it was a great opening week win where they seemed to fire on all cylinders for 45 minutes. The fourth quarter was mostly the first-team Houston Texans playing against the 2nd-team Pittsburgh Steelers. The offensive line is the big question mark coming into the season and for one week they looked like a cohesive unit. The 2 sacks were dissapointing, but Mario Williams was 2nd team All-Pro last season and made two very good indivual plays. They head to the Dawg-pound next week to play a hungry Browns squad that was embarressed at home today. The Browns are the biggest competition for the AFC North this season and hopefully the Steelers will match this week's effort and make a statement versus the Browns in Cleveland.

Player of the Game: Willy Parker, 25 carries, 138 yds, 3 TDs

Redskins Report Card - Week 1 vs. New York Giants

After a few years in central Pennsylvania, I'm finally back in Maryland, and able to watch every Redskins game. So, to take full advantage of that fact, I'm going to try to do this new weekly feature and review the Redskins game for that week. We'll use a report card system with some analysis. You'll love it.

Offense: D

The offense looked pitiful for 28 of the 30 first-half minutes. They put together a solid scoring drive at the end of the half which included Jason Campbell's first completion of the game. For 28 minutes, Campbell was 0-fer. The second half was much better, but the team seemed to have trouble stringing together multiple positive plays, which was a problem last year as well. The Skins would get one or two nice plays, but be unable to sustain drives.

The thing that was most noticeably lacking, though, was management. There were at least five occasions where the Redskins completed a pass on 3rd down that came up a yard or two shy of the first down marker. That's either bad play-calling (thus Jim Zorn's fault) or bad passing decisions (thus Jason Campbell's fault...and in turn, Zorn's fault). Additionally, there was virtually no sense of urgency on the offensive side of the ball at the end of the half or the end of the game. The end of the half was forgivable, the end of the game was not. Down 9 points, you need to be focused on getting to the sideline or throwing the ball out of bounds when you're inside 5 minutes left. Dumping off 4 yard passes to the middle of the field is a surefire way to lose the game, and lo and behold, that's what they did.

Jim Zorn is a first time head coach, and it was reasonable to expect that this kind of thing might be a problem. But it would have been a nice surprise to see the 2 minute offense work fluidly in week one. Even in a loss, I'd have felt good about the team if we'd have picked up that last touchdown and looked good doing it. As is, I'm predicting losses every week until they show me they're worth something. An 0-5 start is within this team's grasp.

Defense: C-

While better than the offense, the defense still showed some of the same problems they had last year. They still have trouble stopping the run, although I do think Brandon Jacobs is going to make a lot of defenses look bad this year. They got picked apart by Eli Manning in the first series of the game, and Coughlin showed what he can do with a lot of preparation time. It seemed like every play on that first drive was the right call. Still the Skins had opportunities to shut down some of those early scoring drives before they turned into field goals, and they came up short.

It is worth pointing out, though, that the team was missing a starting cornerback in Shawn Springs, and that both Jason Taylor and LaRon Landry have been battling injuries. And the Giants' plan all night was to run right at Jason Taylor, who even healthy isn't a tremendous run stopper. Hopefully with the extra time in between games, Washington can get healthy and we can see what this defense looks like when at full strength.

Special Teams: B

I wasn't of the opinion that Rock Cartwright was anything special. But as I said, I was living in Altoona for the past three years, so I didn't get to see him in action much. He shined on a few different plays last night, churning out a 50-yard kickoff return and picking up a huge tackle on punt coverage. The kicking and punting was fine, not exceptional, but nothing to be ashamed of.

Overall: D+

The special teams weren't difference-making, and so they make no difference in the final overall score. This was a bad offensive performance by a team that didn't have a lot to be excited about on offense anyways. The one saving grace is that with as bad as they were, they were able to stay in the game. Hopefully we can get a little more moving on offense and prevent the defense from having to play with their backs to the wall all game again. Of course, next week is New Orleans, which could be a slap in the face. See you next time.

Player of the Game: Rock Cartwright

Matt Ryan: The Right Guy, Next Year

You've read some good reasons for Matt Ryan to be the opening day starter for the Atlanta Falcons and most of them are listed here. However, I'm of the strong opinion that the best way to handle a rookie quarterback is to get him very familiar with a headset and a clipboard.

The quarterback position is by far the most difficult transition from the college game to the pros. While all position players have to adjust to the unbelievable speed and intensity of the NFL, a quarterback has the added responsibility of learning thousands of additional plays (including knowing where all 10 of his teammates need to be on each play) and adjusting to much more complex defenses. Additionally, but not the least of a rookie quarterback's responsibilities, is earning the respect and trust of his teammates. While that might sound ridiculous, imagine if a 23 year old kid came into your office, fresh off signing a contract that paid him between 2 and 20 times more than you, and started bossing you around. Might be a problem.

Ok, those are the things that are tough to quantify, but here at Joe and Joe Sports we love numbers, so let's break it down. Since 1998, 28 quarterbacks have been taken in the first round, but I'm going to throw out Patrick Ramsey, who was selected 32nd overall in 2002. Of the other 27 first round QBs, I looked at guys that started more than 9 games in their rookie season versus those that waited until season two to become the starter (note: 9 games was chosen since it represents more than half the regular season).

Ten first-round QBs started more than 9 games in their rookie season and they are (draft number in parenthesis): Vince Young (3), Matt Leinart (10), Ben Roethlisberger (11), Byron Leftwich (7), Kyle Boller (9), David Carr (1), Joey Harrington (3), Tim Couch (1), Payton Manning (1) and Ryan Leaf (2). Of those ten, only three are currently starting NFL quarterbacks. Of the three starters, two can be described as a "franchise quarterback". Of the remaining seven non-starters, five are colossal failures (Boller, Carr, Harrington, Couch and Leaf) and the other two (Leinart and Leftwich) have had their opportunities and have been replaced by their respective teams. Over the last ten years, the success rate of first round quarterbacks that started in their first season is, at best, 30%. Not good.

Now let's look at the guys that waited until year two to reach the 9 start mark: Jay Cutler (11), Alex Smith (1), Eli Manning (1), Carson Palmer (1), Michael Vick (1), Cade McNown (12), Daunte Culpepper (11), Akili Smith (3) and Donovan McNabb (2). While there are still some failures on that list (McNown, Akili Smith and possibly Alex Smith), four of the nine are still starters (Cutler, Manning, Palmer and McNabb) and a fifth would be starting if he weren't, let's just say, in jail. Also, while Daunte Culpepper is currently out of the league, he was a three time Pro Bowler. So of these 9 QBs, six can be considered successful NFL quarterbacks, a ratio that won't have GMs rushing to nab the best available play-caller with their first round pick next May, but certainly better than the 30% success rate we saw out of the guys that started in year 1.

For completeness, the guys that had to wait more than one season to take over as the starter is mostly a mixed bag of success or don't really have a track record yet. They are: Chad Pennington (18), Rex Grossman (22), Philip Rivers (4), JP Losman (22), Aaron Rogers (24), Jason Campbell (25) and Brady Quinn (22). The success or failure of this group lies in with Rivers, Rogers, Campbell and Quinn, so check back in a few years to get my feelings on whether it's a good idea to keep your stud QB in the stable for more than one season.

So what does it all mean? The success rate of "franchise quarterbacks" that were rushed onto the field only months after leaving college indicates that, for whatever reason, rookie starting quarterbacks have less chance of becoming a long-term solution for their team than a guy that spends a year learning in a less stressful back-up role. So why would a team start a rookie when the past indicates that they double their player's chance to be successful by simply playing someone else for a year? The answer is "I don't know". If you are looking for someone to be the "face of your franchise", isn't it best if the fans are still seeing that face five or ten years down the line rather than lamenting the lost years of Joey Harrington or David Carr or Tim Couch or Kyle Boller? I think so and I think most Lions, Texans, Browns and Ravens fans will agree with me.

Congrats Cliff Lee

A hearty Joe and Joe Sports congratulations out to Cleveland Indians lefty Cliff Lee. With a dominant 5 hit, complete game shutout on Labor Day, Lee became the first Indians pitcher to win 20 games since Gaylord Perry in 1974.

A couple of interesting notes on Cliff Lee's accomplishment:

The 34 year dry spell had been the longest active streak among MLB teams (obviously the expansion teams that have never had a 20 game winner don't count).

Gaylord Perry also won his 20th game on a 5 hit, complete game shutout. Weird.

Lee's 20th win came exactly one year to the day from the day he was recalled to the majors. After struggling with ineffectiveness and injury in the first half on 2007, Lee (who, at the time, was the owner of a 6.38 ERA) was sent to AAA Buffalo. On September 1st he was recalled when rosters expanded and pitched exclusively in mop up duty. Today, he is a 20 game winner and nearly a lock to win the American League Cy Young. Lee is leading the majors in wins and ERA. He is the owner of a win/loss percentage that has only been topped twice since 1959. Cliff Lee is having a truly remarkable season and his 20th win is an exclamation point, the 20th win coming exactly one year from his recall to the majors is a pleasant coincidence that reminds us that redemption can always be found the next time the rubber is toed.

Cover Bands Redux

I spoke with a few friends over the weekend, and realized that I may be using some incorrect terminology. I've been saying "cover band," but the way I understand it, when a band covers only one band's songs, they're more properly classified as a "tribute band." So that's what I'm looking for, a festival-style concert involving tribute bands.

I'm on the case.

Radio Show - AFC Preview

We had our first new radio show in a while last night (after a few scheduling conflicts), offering our preview of the AFC. It was generally a show of agreement, where both Joe's felt pretty similarly about how teams will fare. As always, you can listen to the episode through the widget at the top right of this blog, or you can go to our home on TalkShoe and download this and any past episodes.

Our NFC preview show will likely be next week, leading up to the opening game of the 2008 season, Giants/Redskins a week from Thursday. Go Skins!

Matt Ryan: The Right Guy, Right Now

You'll find a lot of people on both ends of the argument about whether or not to play a quarterback in his rookie season. It's a difficult question, and the real answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. Some guys should start right away, based on their talent, their maturity, their ability to grasp the offense, and the team's situation. Other guys would be best served (and so would their teams) by waiting a few games, a year, or more. Matt Ryan is in the former category: it's time for him to start, right now.

I don't think he's supremely talented. I don't think he's exceptionally mature, though I think he's mature enough. I have no idea how complex Atlanta's offense will be, so I couldn't speak as to whether or not Ryan is able to grasp it. But the team's situation suggests, nay, demands that he be given the reins immediately, and the Falcons will rise or fall based on his performance.

First, the other two quarterback options are Chris Redman and Joey Harrington, two guys have proven only one thing in their NFL tenures: they can lose with the best of them. Listen, I thought Harrington would be a solid football player for years, but the proof is in the pudding. The same can be said about Chad Pennington, who's a fine player but will never be the answer for a team in need. He's a nice fit for Miami because he's smart and efficient, but nobody is foolish enough to think the Dolphins will win anything more than 6 games this year. But back to Atlanta's situation, their options besides Ryan are weak.

Second, and in my opinion far more importantly, Redman and Harrington are no-names. This is a team that's trying to get out from under a gigantic shadow (both on and off the football field) in Michael Vick. Chris Redman and Joey Harrington aren't going to make anybody forget that Vick was Mr. Falcon for five years. In fact, they didn't make anyone forget when they played last season. Matt Ryan, even with his inevitable growing pains, will give Falcons fans something to talk about, and will give national commentators a non-Michael Vick story to discuss when Atlanta plays on national TV. That's good news for both the Falcons and the NFL, who would both like to distance themselves as much as possible from that outrageous story.

Putting Ryan in immediately may not be the best move for his short-term confidence, and there's a chance it hinders his development, but in terms of getting the franchise back on track, it's the only move you can make.

Cover Bands

I was thinking the other night about LeRoi Moore, and how the Dave Matthews Band, in its original, most correct state, is done. The same is true for thousands of bands who've lost a member: Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers Band, Metallica, The Doors, Alice In Chains, and many more. Granted, Metallica's most popular days came after the loss of Cliff Burton, and the Allman Brothers Band still tours today, but to people who've followed the band since they became popular (like myself with regards to the Dave Matthews Band), the band is gone, and this is a new band with similar members.

Anyways, it got me to thinking about all of the bands who've broken up or lost members and who I'll likely never see in concert, and how that's a shame. Then I thought about the Michael McDonald concert I went to a few weeks ago (laugh if you like, but it was a good show), and how many of his most exciting songs were actually cover songs: Living For The City (Stevie Wonder), Into The Mystic (Van Morrison), Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Walk On By (Dionne Warwick), and several Motown songs. This is along the same lines as many jazz artists, who often play almost exclusively songs written by someone else. Jazz fans appreciate this; they get to hear familiar songs with a personal touch by the artists. But if you were to go to a rock show and the band played mostly cover songs, you'd be dissatisfied.

Or at least you think you would be. But say you went to a concert of a newer band, Wolfmother we'll say. They've got one album with 12 songs. Presumably they'll play more than 12 songs, so you're either going to hear songs you don't know, or covers. While I'm open to some new songs, it's always nice to hear familiarity. So if they played 8 of the songs from the album, plus assorted songs by their stated influences (Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The White Stripes), I don't think anybody would go home unhappy (unless of course they sucked, but we'll assume they play the songs reasonably well).

A couple of particularly interesting bands to cover (and two that support the point I'm about to make) are Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. Those are two bands who've broken up for good and lost former members to death (George Harrison and John Lennon from The Beatles, John Bonham from Led Zeppelin), and even if they hadn't, the living members are getting awfully old, and we can foresee a time when they're all dead and gone, or at least incapable of playing shows.

So should the band's music die with the band? Of course not. We own CDs, we bought songs on iTunes, some of us own records and cassettes, we know how to play the songs on guitar or bass or drums, we sing the songs. We know the songs won't die as long as we like them. But there's something different and special about hearing a song played by professional musicians, people who know the song inside and out. But if Led Zeppelin is gone, how will we ever be able to enjoy their music in a concert again?

Cover bands. Cover bands are the answer. I know what you're saying, "Cover bands are lame, they just play other people's music." Think about that, though. Most music today is derivative of some music played in the past. Some of it is more than derivative; some songs are simply rearrangements, identical songs with changed lyrics, or out and out cover songs. And we're generally okay with that. So why would we not give any credit to a cover band? They've got the chops to play the music, and we like the music (or at least we did when the original band played it). I understand that there's a concern for a quality drop-off with cover bands, but if it's a really good cover band full of folks who can really play the shit out of their instrument, what do I care?

I'm stating for the record, here and now, that I'd love to see a Doors cover band open for a Led Zeppelin cover band in a legitimate concert theater. I'd be willing to pay good money to see a 3-hour show by a Pink Floyd cover band. Hell, I did pay good money to see the Allman Brothers Band, and they've only got half of the original members. And historically, when I go to concerts where I don't know the band's music that well, cover songs are sometimes the highlight of the show. As humans, we appreciate familiarity.

Thus, my new dream is for a festival-style concert featuring only premium cover bands. You can pay them cheaply, and after a few stops, people will start to catch on. I'm gonna do it. I'm sooo gonna do it.

Okay, probably not, but I hope someone else does.

LeRoi Moore, 1961-2008

Dave Matthews Band saxophonist LeRoi Moore died Tuesday from complications resulting from an ATV accident on June 30th. He was no small part of the reason that the band enjoyed such success. Moore's strong jazz saxophone offered a thick complement to the more mainstream members of the band.

They've been my favorite band since high school, and it speaks to the strength of the band that I haven't wavered on that. I regret not getting out to see the band over the past few years. While I'm sure whoever they get to replace Moore will be an accomplished musician, LeRoi brought a special flavor to the music. There was a sense of maturity about his play as well as that of drummer Carter Beauford, when compared to the playful nature of Dave Matthews (guitar/vocals), Stefan Lessard (bass), and Boyd Tinsley (violin).

I can't really explain why Moore was different from other saxophonists, or why I think he was better. It's a subjective argument, and one that you couldn't in good conscience agree with without hearing the music. Luckily, the Internet offers about fifty billion ways to listen to music. I was able to quickly find what is, for me, the most memorable LeRoi Moore tune. It's a cover of All Along the Watchtower, off of the band's Recently CD. Moore's best segment starts at about the 4 minute mark, and culminates at about 5:30.

Enjoy it.

R.I.P. LeRoi.

Fantasy Football: Kicker and Defense Rankings

I don't make lists for kickers or defenses. You know why? Because defenses are very difficult to predict, and kickers are impossible to predict. Allow me to show you why kickers are a joke.

These are the top point-scoring kickers for the past three years, and where they were drafted in my main league, relative to other kickers:

2007: Mason Crosby (undrafted)
2006: Robbie Gould (undrafted)
2005: Neil Rackers (undrafted)
2004: Adam Vinatieri (10th kicker taken)

Each of those guys was obviously taken among the first few kickers off the board the next season, and each time the person who took him was disappointed. At some point, you have to grow up and realize that there's no way to predict a kicker's performance from year to year. So just pick one up whenever and know that he won't be that much worse than any other kicker could've been.

Fantasy Football: Tight End Rankings

Here are your Joe & Joe Sports top 15 tight ends for the 2008 fantasy football season. (These rankings assume 10 rushing/receiving yards per point, 6 points per rushing/receiving TD).

1. Antonio Gates - I'm sorry, I'm not in a rush to dethrone Gates as the #1 tight end like everyone else. He's still more athletic than anyone at the position, and he's still the most important receiver in his offense. Don't try to talk yourself out of taking Gates; he's still the best in the business.
2. Kellen Winslow, Jr. - Winslow has become more and more important to what the Browns do on offense over the past couple of years, and he figures to continue to build on his stellar performance in 2007. If there's one piece of his game that needs work, it's his ability to factor into the red zone offense, but he's too big and strong to have trouble working that into his repertoire. Look forward to 90 catches and 1200+ yards.
   
3. Jason Witten - Witten really exploded onto the scene last year. After back-to-back seasons around 65 catches and 750 yards, he shined through as Tony Romo's go-to receiver. I expect Witten to put up numbers that would be worthy of starting at WR, which means he's better than most tight ends.
4. Tony Gonzalez - I'll admit it, I was among those who thought Gonzalez was ready to fall off in a bad way. Gonzalez answered with one of his best seasons, posting 99 catches and 1172 yards. Still, I think he's closer to the player he seemed to be becoming than that, and I figure him for more like 80 catches, 1000 yards, and 6 TDs. Not bad at all for a tight end.
5. Jeremy Shockey - While Shockey seems to have a volatile personality and an unpredictable track record, he's got a ton of talent. He'll also be looking to prove that the Giants made a mistake, and he's got a strong offense to work with, including an elite QB in Drew Brees. I expect Shockey to rejoin the ranks of the elite tight ends.
6. Chris Cooley - I think Cooley and Dallas Clark are similar in value, but I'd be surprised to see Cooley not improve in his second year with Jason Campbell. Campbell still has trouble with his timing, and that's less important when you're dumping it off to the tight end; head coach Jim Zorn knows this too, and will probably call for a lot of passes to the tight end. Also, Cooley is a great red zone tight end, and a Redskin, so he benefits from hometown bias.
7. Dallas Clark - If you think Clark will grab 11 TDs again, you're a fool. Harrison should be healthy, and he traditionally gets a lot of red zone looks. Still, Clark established himself as a reliable option, and Manning makes any receiver worth owning.
8. Owen Daniels - Don't be surprised if Daniels ends up with 1000 yards receiving in 2008. He doesn't have the nose for the goal line that some of the higher-ranked TEs have, but he's a very solid receiver on a team lacking options past Andre Johnson.
9. Vernon Davis - He's allegedly the next big thing at the tight end position. He showed flashes of brilliance, and if Mike Martz is able to take advantage of his athleticism, Davis could be a surprise top 5 TE this year.
10. Heath Miller - The Steelers have become a 50/50 split team, rather than the run-first juggernaut they've been in the past, and Miller is among the beneficiaries. He's got a good sense for getting open in the end zone, and he should provide owners with good, if erratic, production.
11. Todd Heap - Not too long ago, Heap was in that top level with guys like Gonzalez, Gates, and Shockey. But last year he missed 10 games, and his production was way down in the games he did play in. Still, he's a solid receiving talent on a team without much of it, so he should be a decent low-end option.
12. Alge Crumpler - We all remember Crumpler's days as a premier tight end when he was Michael Vick's favorite target. While Vince Young is a different kind of QB than Vick was, they're similar enough that it's not unreasonable to think Crumpler could experience a revival in Tennessee.
13. Tony Scheffler - While Scheffler didn't start factoring into the passing game until a quarter of the season was gone, he became a solid producer almost immediately once he was given opportunities. Jay Cutler found him 5 times for TDs, and Scheffler established himself as a solid fantasy option. Don't overpay for him (read: draft him in the last three rounds if at all), but he could be a solid source of points this season.
14. Greg Olsen - Olsen has got a lot of talent, and with Kyle Orton as the QB over Grossman, there will probably be more opportunities for the tight ends in this offense to be successful. He's still raw, but he could blossom into a fantasy starter this year.
15. Zach Miller - Oakland's offense isn't exactly daunting, but they should be alright this season with a couple of key additions (Javon Walker, Darren McFadden). Miller should do as well as most TEs, and be a nice option during your starter's bye week, or if some tool in your league drafted multiple elite TEs and you have a thin field.
    

Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Rankings

Here are your Joe & Joe Sports top 40 wide receivers for the 2008 fantasy football season. (These rankings assume 10 rushing/receiving yards per point, 6 points per rushing/receiving TD).

1. Randy Moss - You're really a fool if you pick anyone else ahead of him. Granted, you don't want to count on another record-setting year with 20+ TDs, but he's got a pass-happy offense and all the talent in the world. He'll be money.
2. Reggie Wayne - Most lists I've seen have Terrell Owens at #2 and Wayne a spot lower, but Owens is five years older than Wayne, and is likely to drop off from last season. Moreover, the Colts' offense is just a more proven system than the Cowboys.
3. Terrell Owens - His size and ability match him with anyone in the league, and he's always had a nose for the end zone. As long as Tony Romo doesn't experience a drop-off (which is a possibility), Owens should be good for another 1200 yards and 12 TDs.
4. Larry Fitzgerald - He's supremely talented and a great red zone target. If Anquan Boldin has trouble staying healthy again, look for more ridiculous numbers from Fitzgerald. If Boldin is healthy, then Fitz will just be a solid top 5 WR. Ho hum.
   
5. Andre Johnson - Johnson is my, "If he doesn't get hurt, he'll be a monster" pick. He had at least 74 yards and a touchdown in 7 of his 9 games last year, and figures to build on that with a healthy Matt Schaub this year. I dare say the Texans passing game might be alright.
6. Chad Johnson - Last year, Chad was in most people's top 3 wideouts. Then, he had a career high 1440 yards and he's been bumped to 10th or later on most lists. Don't make me laugh; I'll take 1400 yards, 8 TDs, and a virtual lock for 16 games (hasn't missed a game since his rookie season) any day. Until the Bengals are worried about this recent shoulder injury, neither am I.
7. Braylon Edwards - I'm less sold on Edwards than most, but still sold. He's a tremendous home run threat on a team that likes to pass. He'll have to share looks with Kellen Winslow and offseason acquisition Donte Stallworth, but he should be good for big time production again.
8. Steve Smith - He's still supremely talented, but he relies heavily on Jake Delhomme staying healthy. After Delhomme went down last season, Smith only had 2 100-yard games and only 3 total TDs. It sounds like Delhomme is healthy, but keep an eye on the Panthers in the preseason to be sure.
9. Marques Colston - Colston followed his great rookie year with an even better sophomore season. Traditionally, wide receivers make a big jump in their third years in the league, which would be scary for the rest of the NFC. All signs point to Colston's continued success.
   
10. T.J. Houshmandzadeh - You'll read all over the Internet that you shouldn't pay for career years when you're drafting. Problem is, you'll read that right next to where they tell you to draft Housh. He's a high-level option, and we all know the Bengals like to throw. Keep in mind, however, that over his last six games (when you're trying to win fantasy titles), he averaged 56 yards per game and had just one TD.
    
11. Plaxico Burress - Burress played through pain all last season and still put up excellent numbers. Now, armed with a pair of orthotics to alleviate some of his foot pain, he should build upon the rapport he had with Eli Manning last year. He is now unquestionably Manning's favorite target, and a red zone threat. Get used to seeing this line regularly on Monday mornings: 8 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD.
12. Torry Holt - Holt is one of the most consistent wide receivers I've ever seen, posting at least 90 catches and 1150 yards in each of the past six seasons. He's not getting any younger, but 32 isn't old enough to discount his ability. He won't ever match his 1600-yard seasons of 2000 and 2003, but 1200 yards and 8 TDs should be well within his grasp.
13. Anquan Boldin - His numbers last year may help you get him a few picks later than you should, because he missed 4 games in the middle of the season. But don't hesitate to jump on him right at his value, because he's the real deal. He had 9 TDs in 12 games, and has put up 1200 yards in each of the three seasons in which he played at least 14 games. Look for Boldin to thrive once again in the potent Arizona offense.
14. Wes Welker - Has there ever been a wide receiver who was better suited to his team's offense? Welker was a special teams player for Miami for three years, then moved to New England where he caught 112 balls for 1175 yards, scoring 8 times. Oops. Welker should match those numbers this year, which put him among the best #2 fantasy receivers.
15. Brandon Marshall - Marshall is going to miss the first three games of the season due to a suspension resulting from his offseason debauchery. That's certainly a blow, but if you can stomach the rough couple games at the beginning, you should have a prime time producer come fantasy playoff time. Marshall broke out last year with over 100 catches and 1300 yards, and as he and Jay Cutler become more comfortable together, those numbers figure to swell up a bit. Still, he's shown a propensity for trouble, so don't say I didn't warn you.
16. Marvin Harrison - I was as ready as anyone to dismiss Harrison, but I just can't do it. Before last year's injury, he had posted 8 straight seasons of 1100 yards and double-digit touchdowns. That's just obscene. Maybe he's 36, but at 34 he was a monster. You have to think he can still scare some children.
17. Roy Williams - I've probably got Williams a few slots too high, but I can't help thinking that he's still got the talent to be an elite receiver. And I actually think the departure of Martz will help Williams' numbers. With 4 wide, guys like Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald were getting 5+ looks a game. Under a normal offensive set, Williams should get a greater percentage of the looks.
18. Roddy White - This guy had 83 catches and 1202 yards and the vast majority of fantasy players were clueless. What's most important, though, is that he was able to put up those numbers without a quarterback to speak of. That's fortunate, since Atlanta's situation under center figures to be similar this season. Expect similar results.
19. Calvin Johnson - Full disclosure here: somewhere around 50% of my thoughts this season on Calvin Johnson are from ESPN's John Clayton talking him up like crazy on every radio show. The other 50% say he'll be good as well, though, so all of my thoughts are getting along...for now. I think a season that mirrors Brandon Marshall's 2007 is a fair guess.
20. Dwayne Bowe - Bowe had 70 catches and nearly 1000 yards in his rookie season, and 50 of them were for first downs. He's without a doubt the best WR on a weak Kansas City team, and the Chiefs won't play around about getting him the ball. I expect him to get as many looks as Tony Gonzalez and post numbers similar to Calvin Johnson, hence the back-to-back rankings.
21. Santonio Holmes - Holmes was a home run threat again in his second season for the Steelers. But this time, he managed to find the end zone 8 times, as opposed to just twice in his rookie season. In this, his third season (as I mentioned the traditional breakout year for WRs), we shouldn't be surprised if he starts to get integrated more into the intermediate passing game. Pittsburgh has become more of a passing team than they've been historically, and Holmes figures to keep that trend going.
22. Lee Evans - With Evans, the talent is there. He's the best option they've got at receiver in Buffalo. But for whatever reason, he's completely unpredictable from game-to-game and season-to-season. The thinking of putting him this high on the list is that there's finally some stability for the Bills, with a declared starting QB who (hopefully) will stay there all year and a solid running game. I'm comfortable investing in Evans' superior talent and hoping it'll pan out this year.
23. Greg Jennings - Do we think that Brett Favre benefited from a bevy of talented receivers, or his receivers benefited from Favre's skill? I'm wary of saying Favre was only who he was last year because of Jennings, so I'd lean in the other direction. That's why Jennings falls this far on my list, because I'm uncertain as to how he'll perform without Favre. I personally like Jennings, but I'm holding judgment on his football ability until I see what the Packers look like without #4 under center.
24. Laveranues Coles - Speaking of Favre's receivers, I love what Coles might be able to do with Favre at the helm in New York. The best quarterbacks Coles has ever had include Patrick Ramsey, Vinny Testaverde, and Chad Pennington. All the talk is about Jerricho Cotchery, and I think Cotchery will be good as well (see #25), but I like Coles just a little bit more.
25. Jerricho Cotchery - Cotchery posted a career high of 1130 yards in his fourth season, to go along with 82 catches (tied his career high). Word is that he's already clicking very well with Favre, and so he should have plenty of opportunities to succeed. The Jets don't have solid receivers 4 and 5 deep like the Packers did, so Favre will have to focus more on the top two, and that means nice numbers for Coles and Cotchery.
26. Chris Chambers - Chambers has been a solid player throughout his career, and landing in San Diego didn't hurt his production at all. I expect 1000 yards and 6-8 touchdowns from the veteran.
    
27. Donald Driver - I've always felt Driver had a lot of skill, but it seems like it took too long for him to get going, and now all of a sudden he's a grizzled veteran and his window is closing. He picked up 1000 yards last year again, but don't expect him to improve on that with Aaron Rodgers replacing Favre as his quarterback.
    
28. Kevin Curtis - A large portion of Curtis' production comes from that drubbing he and the Eagles put on Detroit. Still, he had enough other good games to warrant being drafted as a #3 WR in most leagues. He'll continue to be a wild card, all-or-nothing kind of receiver.
    
29. Santana Moss - As a Redskins fan, I've been able to watch Moss' play firsthand, and it's at least as erratic as anyone else I've described as such. He's a burner, but he's really better suited for a #2 role behind a true possession receiver. Still, he's got a 1400-yard season on the books, so you can't discount his ability to put up big time numbers.
    
30. Javon Walker - Walker has had a tough few years. He got told by Brett Favre to shut up and play when he asked for a new contract to give him some stability, then tore his ACL. He left for Denver after the season, and had his friend Darrent Williams die in his arms after that awful drive-by shooting. This past offseason, after signing with Oakland, he got mugged in Las Vegas. Hopefully the change of scenery will help Walker simplify his life and concentrate on football. If he can, he's got the talent to scream up this list.
    
31. Joey Galloway - The original all-or-nothing wide receiver, Galloway somehow still has the speed and moves to get by #1 corners. He's probably stuck around 55 catches, but he'll still pick up 1000 yards.
    
32. Hines Ward - One of the faces of the Steelers' franchise, Ward's best days are behind him. He hasn't had 1000 yards since 2004, and his catches have been holding steady around 70. Still, he remains a red zone threat, and with Pittsburgh leaning on the passing game more and more, Ward should still be a serviceable starter in deeper leagues.
    
33. Nate Burleson - Burleson is the main beneficiary of Bobby Engram's injury. He's now guaranteed a starting position, and with a lot of passes coming his way, he should do very well. He's got game-breaker open-field ability, as evidenced by his solid work returning kicks and punts.
    
34. Patrick Crayton - With Terry Glenn out, Crayton moves into the starting lineup with Terrell Owens. Crayton has fantastic hands, and figures to flourish with this opportunity. I wouldn't be surprised if he posted top 25 WR numbers.
    
35. Anthony Gonzalez - It's always a good call to invest in potent offenses, as they seem to only get stronger. The Colts have such an offense, and with Harrison's health a concern, Gonzalez figures to factor into things more than last year. These very same Colts proved that a #3 receiver on a great offense can be valuable when Brandon Stokely was startable in most leagues a few years back.
    
36. Bernard Berrian - Berrian was a big play threat for a bad Bears offense, but I think people are mistaken when they think things will be any better in Minnesota. He'll probably still pick up the occasional long reception, but I don't expect him to be more than a 1000 yard, 6 TD guy unless he gets matched up with a real talent at QB. Tarvaris Jackson isn't it.
    
37. Reggie Brown - Philadelphia's #2 option is actually on par with Kevin Curtis when it comes to talent. Curtis and Brown figure to split looks pretty evenly, so it's just a matter of what they each do with them. Brown seems to be more of a possession receiver, which is nice for the Eagles and Donovan McNabb, but makes him substantially less valuable than Curtis in fantasy leagues.
    
38. Isaac Bruce - Bruce is reunited with Mike Martz, and I have to think that's only a good thing for both parties. The 49ers still have question marks at the quarterback position, but presumed starting WR Bryant Johnson is hurt, so Bruce is getting all of the exposure in preseason. I like Bruce to bounce back from a down year in 2007 and pick up another 1000 yards in his quest for the hall of fame.
    
39. Derrick Mason - Mason has picked up 1000 yards in 6 of the past 7 years, and posted a career-high 103 catches last season. The Ravens still have a crummy passing attack, and the loss of Jonathan Ogden only compounds their difficulties. Mason is a fine guy to pick up as a bye week replacement, as he's sure to be the focal point of Baltimore's air game. Just remember that they stink.
    
40. Jerry Porter - Porter's move to Jacksonville helps his value ever so slightly. Reggie Williams is hurt, giving Porter all of the snaps as the #1 WR, and on a team that's as run-heavy as the Jaguars, you really can't afford to be #2. Porter's always had some skill, but it remains to be seen if he can take advantage of an opportunity like this.
    

Fantasy Football: Quarterback Rankings

Here are your Joe & Joe Sports top 15 quarterbacks for the 2008 fantasy football season. (These rankings assume 25 passing yards per point, 10 rushing yards per point, 4 points per passing TD, 6 points per rushing TD).

1. Tom Brady - If Randy Moss had left New England, Brady would've slipped at least one spot on this list. As it is, Moss is still there, and Brady will still be a monster.
2. Peyton Manning - As sure a bet as there is in football, fantasy or otherwise. If you get Manning, just sit back and enjoy.
3. Drew Brees - He had 1 touchdown and 9 interceptions entering week six, and still managed to finish as a top 5 quarterback. Oh, and the Saints added a top 5 tight end talent in Jeremy Shockey.
4. Tony Romo - Even a small regression would leave him with a ton of yards and a ton of touchdowns. And an improvement in efficiency is likely as Romo becomes more comfortable in the pocket.
5. Carson Palmer - It was a down year for Palmer, but he's too good to not justify being selected as the fifth QB off the board, especially with two elite wide receiver weapons.
6. Ben Roethlisberger - He seems to be getting more and more comfortable in a balanced offense. At least as importantly, the Steelers have shown a propensity to pass in the red zone.
7. Matt Hasselbeck - He's quietly put together productive season after productive season. At some point, it's time to acknowledge that he's just a very good quarterback.
8. Derek Anderson - He's got great weapons and seemed comfortable working with them last year, but always be wary of the guy with a career year. Considering he's also got the golden boy Brady Quinn behind him, it's important to temper your expectations.
9. Donovan McNabb - His days as a prominent runner are behind him, but he's quietly become a very efficient passer. His constant injury problems are a definite concern, but while healthy, he's very, very good.
10. Jay Cutler - In his first full season as a starter, Cutler looked pretty sharp. He'll suffer without his #1 receiver Brandon Marshall (suspended for the first 3 games), but when the fantasy playoffs come around, he'll be a fantasy force.
11. Marc Bulger - Like McNabb, the constant injuries are becoming troublesome. But with his offensive line healthy again, Bulger should be able to perform at a high level.
12. Jake Delhomme - Delhomme was excellent in the few games he played last year, and has seemed on the cusp of taking his game to the next level for a couple years now.
13. David Garrard - There's no way he matches his efficiency from last year (18 TD, 3 INT), but he should still be a solid if unspectacular option at QB. His general lack of receivers keeps him from being higher.
14. Brett Favre - I couldn't put together a list without including Favre, but he could be bad, just as likely as he could be good. He's only 2 years removed from a 29 INT season, and he's not getting younger. Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, and Leon Washington give him weapons, but it's no sure thing that he'll flourish with them.
15. Philip Rivers - I'm in the minority of people in that I really like everything about Rivers. He's jawing at fans? Perfect. Those fans have a story to tell for the rest of their lives. Independent of any of that, though, Rivers is also becoming a pretty decent quarterback for a team whose passing game keeps looking better.

Fantasy Football: Running Back Rankings

Here are your Joe & Joe Sports top 25 running backs for the 2008 fantasy football season. (These rankings assume 10 rushing/receiving yards per point, 6 points for rushing/receiving TD, no points for receptions).

1. LaDainian Tomlinson - While a lot of people will want to take Adrian Peterson first, it's just foolish. Tomlinson is a no-brainer...as in, if you don't take him, you don't have a brain.
2. Adrian Peterson - All of that said about Tomlinson, Peterson could be obscenely good. He benefits from the best left side of an O-line in football.
3. Brian Westbrook - He's less reliable than the top two because he relies a lot on the passing game, but he's a big time producer. Westbrook leapfrogs Peterson in leagues that give points per reception.
4. Joseph Addai - Indianapolis' offense is one that you can't go wrong investing in. He'll find the end zone at least a dozen times, and give you solid, consistent performance every week.
5. Steven Jackson - Other lists have him higher, but this isn't the Rams offense of years past. Holding out shouldn't hurt him much, though; running backs usually succeed or fail on their own ability.
6. Marion Barber - I have concerns as to how he'll handle a full load, but he was a top 10 back sharing carries last year. Even if Felix Jones gets substantial playing time, Barber will be productive.
7. Larry Johnson - He had back to back 1700 yard seasons before his injury-riddled 2007. My bet is he bounces back.
8. Clinton Portis - New head coach Jim Zorn will likely call on Portis a lot, and Portis has the talent to excel when given the opportunity.
9. Frank Gore - He's produced well for an awful 49ers team that should be improved. The law of averages says eventually they'll have a passing game.
10. Marshawn Lynch - He had 1100 yards and 7 TDs in 13 games as a rookie. My guess is that we'll forget all about his vehicular hit and run by October.
11. Willie Parker - People seem to put out of their minds that he led the NFL in rushing for a good part of the year last season. Rashard Mendenhall may eventually take over, but Parker will be a big time producer again this year.
12. Ryan Grant - I'm a little wary of his flash-in-the-pan potential, but he sure seemed good. Still, he'll need Aaron Rodgers to be closer to '07 Favre than '06 Favre to be sure he won't see stacked boxes.
13. Brandon Jacobs - Who had the third-highest yards per game last year? Who had more yards per carry than Westbrook, Tomlinson, Barber, Jackson, Gore, Addai, and Parker? This guy.
14. Ronnie Brown - He was the best fantasy running back in football when he got hurt last year. And come on, we're worried about Ricky Williams taking carries? No.
15. Willis McGahee - He could probably afford to be a little higher on most lists, but I really just don't like him as a fantasy player. It doesn't help that he's undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, either.
16. Laurence Maroney - The guy is a tank, and New England will likely find success in running the football this season.
17. Maurice Jones-Drew - Hyphenations aside, he's explosive and exciting. It'd be nice if he got more carries, but Fred Taylor may actually help Jones-Drew by keeping him fresh and healthy.
18. Michael Turner - Don't look now, but the Falcons have an interesting QB/RB/WR trio in Matt Ryan, Turner, and Roddy White. I'm not saying championship, but it's good to see the Falcons moving on quickly from the loss of Michael Vick.
19. Jamal Lewis - It's been years since he was dominant, but he's got back-to-back 9 TD seasons, and Cleveland's potent passing game should continue to open things up for Lewis.
20. Edgerrin James - Like Lewis, his best days are behind him, but playing San Francisco and St. Louis twice a year each is always a good thing.
21. Darren McFadden - In fantasy football, talent is king, but opportunity is the ace. McFadden's got Big Slick suited, as he has both in spades.
22. Earnest Graham - I don't know why Tampa is surrounding Graham with competitors. He was a great producer down the stretch for a lot of fantasy teams last year (though I'm sure I'm not the only one who got screwed by his benching in week 16).
23. Reggie Bush - He ranks higher in point per reception leagues, but in a pure yardage & TD league, he's hurt by having to compete for playing time with Deuce McAllister and now Pierre Thomas, who Sean Payton apparently loves.
24. Selvin Young - Young had over 5 yards a carry last year in limited duty. While that doesn't always translate over to full-time carries, we all know that the starting running back in Denver will succeed, and that appears to be Young right now.
25. Lendale White - White had 1,100 yards and 7 scores, and figures once again to be the featured back for a Tennessee team that will lean on its running game. Lock it up.

Steve Novak = Marcus Camby?

You'll all be happy to know that Steve Novak was just acquired by the Clippers in a deal similar to the one the Clippers swung to acquire Marcus Camby: Houston gets the choice to swap second round picks in the 2011 draft.

Article

What an obscene system.

A Meaningless Rock Band Post - Part 2

What do you do with a meaningless post? You follow it up with updates and responses, of course. After giving it some thought (and seeing that my list was 80% classic rock...when really 70% is plenty), I've made a couple of adjustments to my Top 10 Songs That Should Be In Rock Band list. List 2.0, again, in no particular order...except for Jungle Love. That song has just got to be in there. Anyways, the list:

1. Steve Miller Band - Jungle Love
2. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons (don't tell me a 24 minute song won't work...it'll work)
3. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer (I don't care, I like it)
   
4. Ted Nugent - Stranglehold
   
5. Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
6. Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart
   
7. Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath
8. Bill Withers - Use Me Up
   
9. Hard-Fi - Gotta Reason (if you own FIFA '06, you know the song)
   
10. Velvet Underground - Oh Sweet Nuthin'

The Wing T

While hanging out this weekend, Joe made a joke referring to the wing T offense, and I was the only person who laughed, and laughed heartily in fact. There's something particularly satisfying about getting a joke that not everyone can get. So the next time you're about to snicker at someone who made a joke involving Klingons, D20 dice, or HTML, remember how much fun you had throwing the "challenge flag" when you were drunk last Thanksgiving.

Edit: If you're interested, here's the Wikipedia article on the single wing formation, off of which the wing-T is based.

A Meaningless Rock Band Post

So here's something that's completely useless: What songs should be added to the Rock Band downloadable content list? It's a discussion you can have with friends, but forwarding the results of that discussion to the folks at Harmonix is completely useless.

Fortunately, this a blog, where I can say whatever asinine shit I want, so here goes. What follows is my top ten songs that ought to be available for download for Rock Band (excluding Led Zeppelin, who apparently aren't yet interested in joining the fray...I guess the Beatles as well, but they don't have any songs that would make my list).

In no particular order:

1. Steve Miller Band - Jungle Love
2. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons (don't tell me a 24 minute song won't work...it'll work)
3. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer (I don't care, I like it)
   
4. Cream - White Room
   
5. Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
6. Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart
   
7. Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath
8. INXS - Elegantly Wasted
   
9. Scorpions - No One Like You
10. Velvet Underground - Oh Sweet Nuthin'

Yeah, so what it's mostly classic & 80s rock? It's my goddamn list.

You Know What?

I'm sick of Brett Favre. Go to the Vikings, or go to the Bucs, or stay with the Packers, or stay retired. But jeez, shit or get off the pot, people. Was this just a massive plot to get people talking about football on TV/radio throughout July? If so, it's working, because there's some sort of Brett Favre talk every day, on PTI or on SportsCenter, or on the radio. It's just obscene.

Still, if he comes to the Vikings, I'll forget all of this hullabaloo and cheer him on.