Thursday, August 23, 2007
Vegas - Live Blog #1
It is around 4pm here in Vegas and Brownie and I are laying out at the pool at the Venetian just chilling like the pimps we are, drinks in hand and a computer on the lap (yes, I did have a little work to do). It has been a gorgeous day in Vegas today (about 105) and I am currently surviving off about 30 minutes of sleep from last night and we are planning to stay out fairly late tonight as well. We took a stroll down the strip doing recon for potential poas for the weekend. I am currently down $35 (don't believe them when they say always bet on black), but the ATL Wrecking Crew arrive this evening around 8 whenceforth the party will officially begin.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
NFL Team By Team Judnalysis Part VII
Rounding out the AFC North is the Pittsburgh Steelers, with new mascot Steely McBeam (not a joke). Grumpy Chin Cowher is no longer in the head coach, being replaced by Mike Tomlin (former Minnesota DC). The Steelers also have a new offensive coordinator and with that, they are implementing a new scheme that is focusing on passing. The question for this team will be whether Big Ben Roethlisberger will adapt to the new scheme with the brunt of the offense falling on him to lead the team to victory and not just manage the game and not lose it. He still has a strong running back in Willie Parker and sure-handed Hines Ward at receiver. The defense has always been a strong point and will probably be so again, but the AFC North is a tough division and Ben must forget last year and focus on making this a Pro Bowl year or else he will be at home in January rather than playing at Heinz.
AFC North Projected Finish:
1. Baltimore
2. Cincinnati
3. Pittsburgh
4. Cleveland
AFC North Projected Finish:
1. Baltimore
2. Cincinnati
3. Pittsburgh
4. Cleveland
NFL Team By Team Judnalysis Part VI
The Cleveland Browns
The two biggest questions surrounding the Browns this season are (a) when will they stop sucking and (b) when will Brady Quinn see the field. The main query regarding this is whether these two are interconnected. The Browns should finish at the bottom of the AFC North and probably even bottom of the AFC, but there is a glimmer of hope with the additions of 2 first round picks, including Quinn.
Prognosis - Expect another long season for the Dawg Pound with at best a 6-10 record. [ed. note - I wonder how many Vick jerseys we will see in the Pound this year]
The two biggest questions surrounding the Browns this season are (a) when will they stop sucking and (b) when will Brady Quinn see the field. The main query regarding this is whether these two are interconnected. The Browns should finish at the bottom of the AFC North and probably even bottom of the AFC, but there is a glimmer of hope with the additions of 2 first round picks, including Quinn.
Prognosis - Expect another long season for the Dawg Pound with at best a 6-10 record. [ed. note - I wonder how many Vick jerseys we will see in the Pound this year]
24 Hours Til Vegas
Brownie, K, myself and the rest of the ATL Wreckin Crew are heading out on a spirtual journey to the desert beginning a mere 24 hours from now. Of course, by "spirtual" I mean "drunken," by "journey" I mean "journey" and by "the desert" I mean "VEGAS" baby. Yes, the Judz will be spending a refreshing few days in 100+ degree heat trying not to lose all my money.
What does this mean for the blog? I don't know. There will be some posts today, but through Monday, probably not as many. I will have a computer with me and Powdered Sugar will be around with her amazing wits, so I think y'all should be fine without Brownie and myself. I will continue preparing my NFL Preseason Judnalysis, but they may not be posted as quickly as I write them (unless K can teach me to mobile blog from my blackberry). Also, your weekly Friday Floetry may have to be provided either today or Monday, unless we can convince PS to post her own floetry (nevermind, I don't think the music she listens to even has words).
What does this mean for the blog? I don't know. There will be some posts today, but through Monday, probably not as many. I will have a computer with me and Powdered Sugar will be around with her amazing wits, so I think y'all should be fine without Brownie and myself. I will continue preparing my NFL Preseason Judnalysis, but they may not be posted as quickly as I write them (unless K can teach me to mobile blog from my blackberry). Also, your weekly Friday Floetry may have to be provided either today or Monday, unless we can convince PS to post her own floetry (nevermind, I don't think the music she listens to even has words).
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
NFL Team By Team Judnalysis Part V
Long time reader and friend of the blog, Drillo, has graciously provided us his preview of the New York Football Giants.
2007 New York Giants Season Preview
At first glance, the 2007 Giants look to be put together almost as badly as Judz’ 2007 Fantasy Team.
On OFFENSE, it’s time for Eli to shine. Will he? In the preseason so far, he’s shown solid playmaking skill combined with moments of incompetence. Kind of like Aaron Brooks. But unlike Aaron, Manning does have the talent to put it all together. And maybe for the WHOLE season this time around. But New York is running out of patience. The calls for offensive lineman turned QB Jared Lorenzen will continue if Eli doesn’t produce. Obviously, the running game will hurt without Tiki Barber. Is Brandon Jacobs ready to carry the load? He does have the ability to pound the football and tire out defenses. Steady doses of Jacobs could help take the pressure off of Eli.
The Giant DEFENSE looks weaker than Brownie on a treadmill. A respectable unit a year ago, this group will struggle to stop the run without Michael Strahan. Teams will run away from Osi Umenyiora, the most talented player on the line. The linebacking corps, lead by Antonio Pierce, will be forced to play the run more often than not, opening up the opposition’s short and deep passing game to a mediocre secondary, made weaker by preseason injuries to Will Demps and Sam Madison (threatening their availability for the early part of the season). Even if this defense overachieves, the Giant offense will be forced to put up points for the team to have a successful season.
This team will go as far as Eli Manning can take it. He’s the guy. There are no other stars on the team (sorry, Plaxico doesn’t rise to star standing in my book). While the optimist will see him putting it all together and leading the Giants offense to a great season, it seems more likely given past experience that Eli will struggle with taking the lead role at this stage in his career. He may have some great moments, but this campaign could crash faster and harder than the Boy Wonder’s Houston mayoral run.
Predicted Finish: 3rd Place, NFC East
2007 New York Giants Season Preview
At first glance, the 2007 Giants look to be put together almost as badly as Judz’ 2007 Fantasy Team.
On OFFENSE, it’s time for Eli to shine. Will he? In the preseason so far, he’s shown solid playmaking skill combined with moments of incompetence. Kind of like Aaron Brooks. But unlike Aaron, Manning does have the talent to put it all together. And maybe for the WHOLE season this time around. But New York is running out of patience. The calls for offensive lineman turned QB Jared Lorenzen will continue if Eli doesn’t produce. Obviously, the running game will hurt without Tiki Barber. Is Brandon Jacobs ready to carry the load? He does have the ability to pound the football and tire out defenses. Steady doses of Jacobs could help take the pressure off of Eli.
The Giant DEFENSE looks weaker than Brownie on a treadmill. A respectable unit a year ago, this group will struggle to stop the run without Michael Strahan. Teams will run away from Osi Umenyiora, the most talented player on the line. The linebacking corps, lead by Antonio Pierce, will be forced to play the run more often than not, opening up the opposition’s short and deep passing game to a mediocre secondary, made weaker by preseason injuries to Will Demps and Sam Madison (threatening their availability for the early part of the season). Even if this defense overachieves, the Giant offense will be forced to put up points for the team to have a successful season.
This team will go as far as Eli Manning can take it. He’s the guy. There are no other stars on the team (sorry, Plaxico doesn’t rise to star standing in my book). While the optimist will see him putting it all together and leading the Giants offense to a great season, it seems more likely given past experience that Eli will struggle with taking the lead role at this stage in his career. He may have some great moments, but this campaign could crash faster and harder than the Boy Wonder’s Houston mayoral run.
Predicted Finish: 3rd Place, NFC East
Monday, August 20, 2007
Family Values Tour - 2K7
This past Saturday evening, Powdered Sugar, the Yellow Knight and myself took in an evening of culture better known as the Family Values Tour. For those unfamiliar with this yearly tradition, it is an all-day festival that is headlined by the rock band Korn. By the time we arrived at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion up in the Woodlands, we only caught the final two performers: Evanescence and Korn. I have quite enjoyed Evanescence's work in the past, but really never got into Korn. Needless to say, both bands put on one helluva show. I really can't remember all the songs that were played, but the favorites were played and they both rocked the roof off the theater (had there been one). There was definitely an ecletic mix of people at the show, but that helped enhance the aura of the whole experience. I am not much of a music reviewer (even the Judz' expertise has some limitations, minor as they may be), so I will open up the floor to PS and YK to comment on the show.
NFL Team By Team Judnalysis Part IV
Transition or Takeover?
The Philadelphia Eagles 2007-2008
Is this Donovan McNabb's make or break year? If D McNabb doesn't get the Eagles to the promised land, thereby instituting a "takeover", the McNabb era in Philadelphia may just come to an end. The Eagles are known for putting the team ahead of individual players and recently have not resigned players or cut players who they felt were "getting old" or "slowing down" in order to put in the younger guns with cheaper contracts.
The last time we saw Donovan McNabb he was on the bench (or near the bench in street clothes) with a torn right knee. Jeff Garcia, McNabb's backup, finished the season strong. Aside from creating a market for his services, Garcia probably showed the Eagles that a decent, but not necessarily high-priced, QB can run their system successfully if other position players shoulder more of the offense (for instance, RB Brian Westbrook finished the year with 1200 yards rushing and had over 110 rushing yards in each the Eagles last 2 playoff games). Then, the Eagles went out and used their 1st draft pick (2nd round, 36th overall) on UH QB Kevin Kolb. Like it or not, the pressure is sure to be on McNabb.
Some say McNabb choked in the Superbowl in February 2005, because the pressure got to him. He's been criticized for not being his best on the big stages of this league. A league that McNabb nicknames "Not For Long" in that teams are looking to get younger not older. This season, McNabb will have to shoulder the weight knowing that his opportunity, his window, in Philadelphia may be closing.
Sure, the Eagles got within 3 points of the NFC Championship game last season, but they still fell short of winning it all, and now questions supposedly have gained traction about how much longer McNabb will lead the team ("leadership" questions and "issues" seem to have started when the Eagles locker room was divided between Team McNabb and Team TO a couple of seasons ago). If anything good came out of last season, it's that the Eagles learned that they could and probably should allow other players besides the QB and the passing game to make some big plays (see Brian Westbrook) and carry a greater share of the offensive load. Furthermore, following McNabb’s injury, Westbrook stepped up as another leader, and apparently several players are willing to listen and take advice from him as well as McNabb. Speaking of other players, Jevon Kearse, who also injured his knee last season, should be back to at least spark if not lead the Eagles Defense. Add linebacker Takeo Spikes (formerly of Buffalo) and long-time Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson to the mix and the Eagles Defense may be better than last year.
The Giants and Cowboys will come strong (unless the Strahan situation in NY causes locker room/playing field tension like the Tiki Barber situation supposedly did last year and/or Eli continues to struggle in Peyton’s shadow), and the NFC East will again be a rough and tumble and ugly yet enjoyable rivalry. Regardless of what happens this season, if D McNabb can have the "MVP-like" season he was having at the beginning of last season (before being injured on Nov. 19 with basically 6 1/2 regular season games to go, he had 18 TDs, 6 INTs, and a QB rating of 95.5, although he lost 4 of his last 5 games) coupled with the strong play that the rest of the team showed during the end of the season and into the playoffs, Eagles management may have to consider one more year with the same starting QB. One more season of wondering if this will be the year that ends with a "Takeover" or a "Transition" to a new Eagles QB and thus a new Eagles era...
The Philadelphia Eagles 2007-2008
Is this Donovan McNabb's make or break year? If D McNabb doesn't get the Eagles to the promised land, thereby instituting a "takeover", the McNabb era in Philadelphia may just come to an end. The Eagles are known for putting the team ahead of individual players and recently have not resigned players or cut players who they felt were "getting old" or "slowing down" in order to put in the younger guns with cheaper contracts.
The last time we saw Donovan McNabb he was on the bench (or near the bench in street clothes) with a torn right knee. Jeff Garcia, McNabb's backup, finished the season strong. Aside from creating a market for his services, Garcia probably showed the Eagles that a decent, but not necessarily high-priced, QB can run their system successfully if other position players shoulder more of the offense (for instance, RB Brian Westbrook finished the year with 1200 yards rushing and had over 110 rushing yards in each the Eagles last 2 playoff games). Then, the Eagles went out and used their 1st draft pick (2nd round, 36th overall) on UH QB Kevin Kolb. Like it or not, the pressure is sure to be on McNabb.
Some say McNabb choked in the Superbowl in February 2005, because the pressure got to him. He's been criticized for not being his best on the big stages of this league. A league that McNabb nicknames "Not For Long" in that teams are looking to get younger not older. This season, McNabb will have to shoulder the weight knowing that his opportunity, his window, in Philadelphia may be closing.
Sure, the Eagles got within 3 points of the NFC Championship game last season, but they still fell short of winning it all, and now questions supposedly have gained traction about how much longer McNabb will lead the team ("leadership" questions and "issues" seem to have started when the Eagles locker room was divided between Team McNabb and Team TO a couple of seasons ago). If anything good came out of last season, it's that the Eagles learned that they could and probably should allow other players besides the QB and the passing game to make some big plays (see Brian Westbrook) and carry a greater share of the offensive load. Furthermore, following McNabb’s injury, Westbrook stepped up as another leader, and apparently several players are willing to listen and take advice from him as well as McNabb. Speaking of other players, Jevon Kearse, who also injured his knee last season, should be back to at least spark if not lead the Eagles Defense. Add linebacker Takeo Spikes (formerly of Buffalo) and long-time Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson to the mix and the Eagles Defense may be better than last year.
The Giants and Cowboys will come strong (unless the Strahan situation in NY causes locker room/playing field tension like the Tiki Barber situation supposedly did last year and/or Eli continues to struggle in Peyton’s shadow), and the NFC East will again be a rough and tumble and ugly yet enjoyable rivalry. Regardless of what happens this season, if D McNabb can have the "MVP-like" season he was having at the beginning of last season (before being injured on Nov. 19 with basically 6 1/2 regular season games to go, he had 18 TDs, 6 INTs, and a QB rating of 95.5, although he lost 4 of his last 5 games) coupled with the strong play that the rest of the team showed during the end of the season and into the playoffs, Eagles management may have to consider one more year with the same starting QB. One more season of wondering if this will be the year that ends with a "Takeover" or a "Transition" to a new Eagles QB and thus a new Eagles era...
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