As most of you know last night was the 1st of the three Presidential debates. As a general consensus, round 1 went to the Republican candidate Massachuttes Governor Mitt Romney. He was alive and animated like a teenager on Ridalin, while President Obama was kind of passified. After last night's performance, new polls have Romney cutting into Obama's polling lead. Romney in one night cut the poll 1.8 percent, meaning that all undecided votes are now a major player in the future of this country.
It's safe to assume that Paul Ryan will win in the Vice Presidential debate over current Vice President Joe Biden. Biden is not the most eloquent of public speakers and has a tendency to put his foot in the mouth of the Democratic party. So, if Ryan helps out in the V.P. debate, then one has to assume the election is going to be a lot closer than anticipated. Preisdent Obama if he wants to retain his job is going to have to show the fire that he had in 2008, when he took the fight to the American people. Last night is hopefully an aberration for Obama and all those who would rather see him in the White House.
I, for one, after hearing the debate would vote for Romney based on that performance, if and only if he would actually go through with the things he said. That's the problem with Romney is that he has moments where he speaks what actually needs to be done for the economy, but you look at his record and it's opposite. His actions don't equal his words. It's funny that in 2004 the Republicans completely bashed Democratic Presidential hopeful John Kerry for what they called flip-flopping on the issues. Last night, we witnessed a masterful flip-flop performance. Romney went from someone who came in with a perception of being arrogant and being out of touch with the people into a candidate who seemed more in touch with the American people than his opponent was. If this was the real Romney, then maybe he would be the better candidate, but I still want to see more of that Romney, before I believe that he could be what this country needs, but againn will his words for once be on target with his actions.
Not that President Obama has done all that he has said, but to be fair, no President has ever done all that they wanted. They do not have absolute power. They have to work with committees whose agendas may vary from what the person who holds the office of President wants to accomplish. The power that the person who holds the office of President is one of direction. He (hopefully one day we can say she) has to be able to listen to both sides of the argument and be able to integrate the best parts of the argument, that's how you create a plan that serves the greater good. The problem with the politicos right now is that they aren't listening to each other and there is too much arguing and not enough listening. Republicans and Democrats are more concerned with shutting down the opponents ideas before they even hear what is being put forth and that is not in the greater good of the American people.
People have critizied President Obama last night for what appeared to be looking down while Governor Romney was speaking, but looking at it from different camera angles you can clearly see the President taking notes on Romney's arguments. What's wrong with that? The man wants to make sure he knows what he's arguing that's intelligent. Which may be President Obama's problem, he's intelligent. Not that Governor Romney isn't, but President Obama has always been perceived as highly cerebral. The whole debate President Obama was talking in factual terms, citing studies and what he has accomplished, and that kind of talk may have gone over the average American's head. Romney was able to steal the debate by being animated and lively and shooting off veiled promises, something the President doesn't have the luxury of doing.
We can't say that we are better off than we are 4 years ago. The facts don't support that. Could it have been worse, you bet. The fall of the American economy falls on all of Washington and not just the President. There are so many loopholes in tax codes that prevent people from all walks of life from paying taxes. And contrary to what Governor Romney said last night, there are indeed tax breaks for corporations that send their factories overseas. It is a standard cost deduction written into the tax codes, that companies can get this deduction for moving jobs, it doesn't have to be overseas it can even be in this country, but most common practice is outsourcing. Governor Romney knows all about outsourcing. What do you think he helped create with Bain Capital. He helped push for the global economy and knew that saving costs overseas would help businesses make more money then by keeping jobs here, which would drive the bottom line price up. The major problem with outsourcing is that it does create unemployment. It's not a bad thing to do it on a small scale to help keep costs on our products down, I understand that and it is an acceptible evil, but who are we kidding companies have no regulations on the amount of jobs they can outsource, so if they can close whole factories they will. That is what kills the American economy. We are a consumer based society and right now there aren't enough viable consumers, which builds debt. People are scared to invest in themselves as small business growth is miniscule, because they know the risk that they may end up in a huge debt if their business goes under and they know the government is going to bail out a small business like they did for GM.
We are spending too much in the government and it all areas need cuts. Public welfare, military, Obamacare, Medicaid and many, many more areas of our budget that do need to take some hits. It's a need. We have to cut spending while finding a way to grow the economy. Record unemployment in this country falls on the last 12 years. Bush allowed the mass exodus to begin and Obama didn't put his foot down to stop it. He talks all the time about getting rid of the breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and wanting to reward companies that create or bring jobs back to this country. I've been critical of Romney for his words not equaling actions and this is indeed the case here with President Obama. You are the President, if you want something to change you do have the power to innitiate new policy. That would be a policy change that most citizens would love to see implemented and with the voting being a matter of public record, the citizens of this country could see which party truly favors the outsourcing of jobs, if your policy would have been voted down.
The number one solution to all of the economic problems is getting a grip on the defecit. If you can get back into the black, then the value of a person's dollar will go further and may even drive the market price of products down. What's really a problem is that capitialism has gone extreme. There is almost a sense of disconnect between what the producers charge and what the consumers can afford. Case in point, when you go to the store and you see an item on sale for 50% off, you feel like you are getting a bargain, but don't think for a second that the seller isn't still making a profit. Not that making a profit is bad, but if you can make a profit on an item that you are selling at 50% off to get rid of, why can't the original price be lower, then you would make more money because you may not have to put it on sale in the first place. You may have moved your inventory at a price that let's say was 75% of the original. It's a win-win. The seller still makes a high profit and the consumer doesn't feel ripped off and may visit your store more often. It seems that we have forgotten good business policies. We are such an immediate gratification society that we have lost patience. Businesses are more concerned with the immediate quarter instead of looking at what's good for the whole. Sometimes you may take a loss one quarter in order to gain businesses for the longer haul. How did Japan pull out of the mess WW2 to become an economic power. They thought of building customer relations for decades, not the present. They knew it was a long process, but they dug in for the long haul and succeeded, whereas we forgot about that and are so concerned with making maxium profit in the present that the future gets overlooked and that leads to businesses failing. When the #1 priority in a consumer based market is maxium profit instead of customer satisfaction, your business loses customers and that doesn't sow up on quarterly reports, that shows up on yearly reports.
I get off the topic. I do have a fear that Governor Romney may actually win this election. I fear that he will side with his corporate friends over the American people. His track record when he was a businessman was on pace with the problems that we face now. He pushed the outsourcing of jobs and opening up the global economy, so that he and his friends could make more money and not concerned at all about the average citizen. He claims that the amount of people on food stamps have gone up, but that is what happens whne you take people's jobs away and there are none to replace the ones taken away. People have to go on assistance to survive, some don't want to be, but it's either that or starve to death. Your corporate friends, Mr. Romney, have driven the market prices up so high that the middle class cant afford everything they could 15 years ago. The middle class is turning into poverty quickly and do you really care about that Mr. Romney or are you just pandering for votes, because you now feel the desperation that you may lose in your attempt to gain control of the White House. I fear that even though your words Wednesday night were different form your actions, if you, Mr. Romney, get into office you will return to being the Mitt Romney who cares about the rich and not "the 47% of people who are victims".
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Week 5 Predictions
Time to go with another week of predictions for the NFL season Week 5. Starting with tonight's game.
Arizona vs. St. Louis. This is a very interesting game tonight. The Cardinals struggled last week before finally beating the Dolphins in overtime. The Rams surprised the Seahawks last week and got their second win. St. Louis is very tough at home and are playing solid defense. Arizona is winning with defense and have taken advantage of being at home 3 of the first 4 weeks. Kevin Kolb has been surprisingly good since regaining his starting job. Both teams are struggling with running the ball and will continue to do so tonight as both teams will play solid defense and shut down Steven Jackson and Ryan Williams. So, this game will come down to Kolb vs. Bradford. I just think in the end Kolb has more weapons than Bradford and will get the Cardinals a hard fought victory 23-19.
Miami vs. Cincinnati. The Bengals are a hot team right now. The offense is hot and the defense is playing a little better even though they have been crippled by injuries in the secondary. Andy Dalton is keeping up with his impressive season from last year (and he should have been ROY). The Dolphins had an amazing game from their rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill last week against the Cardinals, but he made rookie mistakes in the end that cost his team the upset. The Dolphins should be able to move the ball against the Bengals, unfortunately so should the Dalton gang. Cincinnati moves to 4-1 with a 28-17 vicory.
Cleveland vs. NYG. The Giants are undefeated against teams that aren't in the NFC East. The Browns are struggling right now, but they are improving. The brutal schedule for the Browns is going to hurt their record this year, but it is going to be a learning experience for tis young team. The Giants are still recovering from injuries and are upset with losing to the Eagles. This one should be an easy win for the defending champs. Giants win 31-13.
Green Bay vs Indianapolis. The present vs. the future in this one. Aaron Rodgers vs. Andrew Luck. Rodgers is considered the best in the game right now, although he has struggled this season. Luck is considered to be the future best quarterback in the league. The Packers offense has not been as explosive as it had been last season, but it is still effective. The lingering injury to Greg Jennings is slowing down the whole offense. However, the Colts aren't good enough on defense right now to contain the Packers. Luck will be able to move the ball, which will make for an exciting game, but the Pack wins 34-21.
Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh. The battle for Pennsylvania, which happens once every 4 years will be a battle as the Steelers look to get back to their winning ways. After their bye week, the Steelers may have the services of James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Rashard Mendenhall. If the Steelers get these 3 back in time for Sunday, then the Steelers defense will be back and the Steelers may have found their running game again. The Eagles stopped turning the ball over long enough to upset the Giants last Sunday night, but the Steelers are going to come after Michael Vick. I wouldn't be surprised if Vick got knocked out of this game. I look for the Steelers to come back strong and put the Eagles down. Steelers 24-16.
Atlanta vs. Washington. Atlanta is the team to beat in the NFC. They are the most complete team in the conference and Matt Ryan is playing on an MVP level. RG3 has led the Redskins to a .500 record so far and that is an impressive feat. They are playing inspired football right now and that's always a good thing. However, they just don't have the bodies on defense to shut the Falcons down. Ryan will go with whoever is open in the offense, whether that is Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez or even Michael Turner. The team isn't making mistakes and they are scoring almost at will. Washington will score some points, but they just won't be able to hold the Falcons down all day. Atlanta goes to 5-0 with a 38-24 victory.
Baltimore vs. Kansas City. The Chiefs have been surprising with their offense, but they are licking their chops after getting embarrassed by the Chargers last week. However, the Ravens are coming to town and know that they haev to keep winning to keep their division lead (right now they have the lead becasue they beat the Bengals). Joe Flacco has been very surprising this season pushing the ball dow the field especially to Torrey Smith. Ray Rice has been his consistent self, although his carries are a little down from the norm. The Ravens will be too much for the Chiefs as their defense will slow the Chiefs down. Ravens win 27-13.
Chicago vs. Jacksonville. This has trap game written all over it for the Bears. Chicago coming off an impressive Monday night victory and knowing their bye week is around the corner may get caught by a Jacksonville team that is starting to find some life. Blaine Gabbert as bad as he's been only has 1 INT this season and is starting to find his rookie receiver Justin Blackmon. Gabbert has the potential for some big plays in the passing game, if he can get some effective play action passing going, because the Bears will be looking to shut down MJD. If they put 8 in the box, Gabbert may have a couple opportunities to go over the top. I'm using this one as my upset special. Just a feeling but the Jags will get the upset 17-14.
Seattle vs. Carolina. Carolina almost pulled off the upset over Atlanta last week, but in the end Hello Kitty fumbled on a 3rd and 1 play and forced his team to punt and his defense failed in the biggest moment. Atlanta was pinned down at the 1 yard line with 1:09 left and no timeouts and the Panthers let Ryan hit Roddy White for a 59 yard pass on their first play. Now, Seattle doesn't have the offense that Atlanta does, but they perhaps have a betther defense and their athletes will come after the Kitty Cam. Marshawn Lynch will have a big game running the ball over a weak defense and will lead the Seahawks to victory. Seahawks win 27-17.
Buffalo vs. San Francisco. The Bills had a chance to be 3-1 and could've knocked the Patriots down to 1-3 in the division. They were up by 14 halfway in the 3rd quarter, then the Pats got pissed off and ran off 35 points in going on a 45-7 run to end the game and beat down the Bills 52-28. Now the Bills have to go to San Francisco, who just made the Jets look like amatuers, for a rough game. San Francisco on top of having an extremely solid defense has a balanced offense. The Bills have 2 good running backs, however, both are still hurting and are being forced into action prematurely because of each other's injuries. The 49ers will pound on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and shut down the Bills offense. The 49ers win 31-7.
Denver vs. New England. Perhaps the game of the day, featuring perhaps the greatest quarterback rivalery with Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Both are hitting the twilights of their hall of fame careers (although Brady still has a few more years than Manning). Manning looked impressive last week against the Raiders, but I have a feeling that Manning will have those kind of games every now and again and for the most part will struggle. He just doesn't look like the Manning of old, he looks like old Manning. The Patriots had their back against the wall last week and that's what it took for them to wake up and start playing like they normally do. The Pats found a running game last week as well as their normal passing game and if this continues, look out NFL. The Broncos have struggled away from Denver and will struggle in Foxborough. Brady 38 Manning 27.
Tennessee vs. Minnesota. The surprising 3-1 Vikings get to head to Tennessee who will most likely have to play Matt Hasselbeck for the injured Jake Locker. The Vikings are winning with all phases of the game. Their Special teams and defense is playing well and allowing the offense to be very conservative. The Vikings are pounding teams with AP and letting Christian Ponder make plays when needed instead of forcing things for the second year quarterback. The Titans are just a mess right now, although the did get a 100 yard game out of CJ2K, who before that was running like a Reliant K car. Sadly, for the Titans they are outmatched in this one and will be soundly defeated by the Vikings, although the game won't be as close as the score. Vikings win 24-10.
San Diego vs. New Orleans. Oh no, we get the Saints on Sunday night. Has the flex scheduling started yet? The Saints are just bad right now. The offense is still potent. The problem is the defense is excremental. The Chargers are coming in at 3-1, but are the kind of team that could give the Saints a win. The Chargers lone loss was a beatdown by the Falcons. The question will be if the Chargers defense can shut down the Saints at all, because the Chargers will be able to score on the Saints. I look for Phillip Rivers to have a big game going against his old mentor Drew Brees, but in the end I got a feeling that the Saints will get their first win at home. Saints get just enough defense to win this one 38-35.
NYJ vs Houston. It's a good thing that CBS haas excellent Monday night TV shows, because this game is almost not worth watching. The Jets have no running game and no NFL quality wide receivers and they are going against the league's #1 overall defense. Good luck Mark Tebow, Tim Sanchez, cause you both are going to get smashed in this one. The Texans are playing on a higher level and are definitely thinking postseason already. They need to start taking some carries away from Arian Foster though as he is on pace for over 400 touches. J.J. Watt is looking like the Defensive Player of the Year and may break the single season sack record as he has 7.5 in 4 games. He may add 3 or 4 in this one. This game will be over by halftime and will be a low rating for ESPN. 2 Broke Girls on CBS may have higher ratings and be more entertaining although that show would be hard pressed to be funnier than this laugher game. Texans win 38-0.
Another week's projections done. Gotta do better than 9-6, from last week, but being over .500 for the season so far is a good feeling. I'm doing better than some of the high-paid analysts out there in the world, so that's a plus. Enjoy my loyal readers.
Arizona vs. St. Louis. This is a very interesting game tonight. The Cardinals struggled last week before finally beating the Dolphins in overtime. The Rams surprised the Seahawks last week and got their second win. St. Louis is very tough at home and are playing solid defense. Arizona is winning with defense and have taken advantage of being at home 3 of the first 4 weeks. Kevin Kolb has been surprisingly good since regaining his starting job. Both teams are struggling with running the ball and will continue to do so tonight as both teams will play solid defense and shut down Steven Jackson and Ryan Williams. So, this game will come down to Kolb vs. Bradford. I just think in the end Kolb has more weapons than Bradford and will get the Cardinals a hard fought victory 23-19.
Miami vs. Cincinnati. The Bengals are a hot team right now. The offense is hot and the defense is playing a little better even though they have been crippled by injuries in the secondary. Andy Dalton is keeping up with his impressive season from last year (and he should have been ROY). The Dolphins had an amazing game from their rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill last week against the Cardinals, but he made rookie mistakes in the end that cost his team the upset. The Dolphins should be able to move the ball against the Bengals, unfortunately so should the Dalton gang. Cincinnati moves to 4-1 with a 28-17 vicory.
Cleveland vs. NYG. The Giants are undefeated against teams that aren't in the NFC East. The Browns are struggling right now, but they are improving. The brutal schedule for the Browns is going to hurt their record this year, but it is going to be a learning experience for tis young team. The Giants are still recovering from injuries and are upset with losing to the Eagles. This one should be an easy win for the defending champs. Giants win 31-13.
Green Bay vs Indianapolis. The present vs. the future in this one. Aaron Rodgers vs. Andrew Luck. Rodgers is considered the best in the game right now, although he has struggled this season. Luck is considered to be the future best quarterback in the league. The Packers offense has not been as explosive as it had been last season, but it is still effective. The lingering injury to Greg Jennings is slowing down the whole offense. However, the Colts aren't good enough on defense right now to contain the Packers. Luck will be able to move the ball, which will make for an exciting game, but the Pack wins 34-21.
Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh. The battle for Pennsylvania, which happens once every 4 years will be a battle as the Steelers look to get back to their winning ways. After their bye week, the Steelers may have the services of James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Rashard Mendenhall. If the Steelers get these 3 back in time for Sunday, then the Steelers defense will be back and the Steelers may have found their running game again. The Eagles stopped turning the ball over long enough to upset the Giants last Sunday night, but the Steelers are going to come after Michael Vick. I wouldn't be surprised if Vick got knocked out of this game. I look for the Steelers to come back strong and put the Eagles down. Steelers 24-16.
Atlanta vs. Washington. Atlanta is the team to beat in the NFC. They are the most complete team in the conference and Matt Ryan is playing on an MVP level. RG3 has led the Redskins to a .500 record so far and that is an impressive feat. They are playing inspired football right now and that's always a good thing. However, they just don't have the bodies on defense to shut the Falcons down. Ryan will go with whoever is open in the offense, whether that is Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez or even Michael Turner. The team isn't making mistakes and they are scoring almost at will. Washington will score some points, but they just won't be able to hold the Falcons down all day. Atlanta goes to 5-0 with a 38-24 victory.
Baltimore vs. Kansas City. The Chiefs have been surprising with their offense, but they are licking their chops after getting embarrassed by the Chargers last week. However, the Ravens are coming to town and know that they haev to keep winning to keep their division lead (right now they have the lead becasue they beat the Bengals). Joe Flacco has been very surprising this season pushing the ball dow the field especially to Torrey Smith. Ray Rice has been his consistent self, although his carries are a little down from the norm. The Ravens will be too much for the Chiefs as their defense will slow the Chiefs down. Ravens win 27-13.
Chicago vs. Jacksonville. This has trap game written all over it for the Bears. Chicago coming off an impressive Monday night victory and knowing their bye week is around the corner may get caught by a Jacksonville team that is starting to find some life. Blaine Gabbert as bad as he's been only has 1 INT this season and is starting to find his rookie receiver Justin Blackmon. Gabbert has the potential for some big plays in the passing game, if he can get some effective play action passing going, because the Bears will be looking to shut down MJD. If they put 8 in the box, Gabbert may have a couple opportunities to go over the top. I'm using this one as my upset special. Just a feeling but the Jags will get the upset 17-14.
Seattle vs. Carolina. Carolina almost pulled off the upset over Atlanta last week, but in the end Hello Kitty fumbled on a 3rd and 1 play and forced his team to punt and his defense failed in the biggest moment. Atlanta was pinned down at the 1 yard line with 1:09 left and no timeouts and the Panthers let Ryan hit Roddy White for a 59 yard pass on their first play. Now, Seattle doesn't have the offense that Atlanta does, but they perhaps have a betther defense and their athletes will come after the Kitty Cam. Marshawn Lynch will have a big game running the ball over a weak defense and will lead the Seahawks to victory. Seahawks win 27-17.
Buffalo vs. San Francisco. The Bills had a chance to be 3-1 and could've knocked the Patriots down to 1-3 in the division. They were up by 14 halfway in the 3rd quarter, then the Pats got pissed off and ran off 35 points in going on a 45-7 run to end the game and beat down the Bills 52-28. Now the Bills have to go to San Francisco, who just made the Jets look like amatuers, for a rough game. San Francisco on top of having an extremely solid defense has a balanced offense. The Bills have 2 good running backs, however, both are still hurting and are being forced into action prematurely because of each other's injuries. The 49ers will pound on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and shut down the Bills offense. The 49ers win 31-7.
Denver vs. New England. Perhaps the game of the day, featuring perhaps the greatest quarterback rivalery with Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Both are hitting the twilights of their hall of fame careers (although Brady still has a few more years than Manning). Manning looked impressive last week against the Raiders, but I have a feeling that Manning will have those kind of games every now and again and for the most part will struggle. He just doesn't look like the Manning of old, he looks like old Manning. The Patriots had their back against the wall last week and that's what it took for them to wake up and start playing like they normally do. The Pats found a running game last week as well as their normal passing game and if this continues, look out NFL. The Broncos have struggled away from Denver and will struggle in Foxborough. Brady 38 Manning 27.
Tennessee vs. Minnesota. The surprising 3-1 Vikings get to head to Tennessee who will most likely have to play Matt Hasselbeck for the injured Jake Locker. The Vikings are winning with all phases of the game. Their Special teams and defense is playing well and allowing the offense to be very conservative. The Vikings are pounding teams with AP and letting Christian Ponder make plays when needed instead of forcing things for the second year quarterback. The Titans are just a mess right now, although the did get a 100 yard game out of CJ2K, who before that was running like a Reliant K car. Sadly, for the Titans they are outmatched in this one and will be soundly defeated by the Vikings, although the game won't be as close as the score. Vikings win 24-10.
San Diego vs. New Orleans. Oh no, we get the Saints on Sunday night. Has the flex scheduling started yet? The Saints are just bad right now. The offense is still potent. The problem is the defense is excremental. The Chargers are coming in at 3-1, but are the kind of team that could give the Saints a win. The Chargers lone loss was a beatdown by the Falcons. The question will be if the Chargers defense can shut down the Saints at all, because the Chargers will be able to score on the Saints. I look for Phillip Rivers to have a big game going against his old mentor Drew Brees, but in the end I got a feeling that the Saints will get their first win at home. Saints get just enough defense to win this one 38-35.
NYJ vs Houston. It's a good thing that CBS haas excellent Monday night TV shows, because this game is almost not worth watching. The Jets have no running game and no NFL quality wide receivers and they are going against the league's #1 overall defense. Good luck Mark Tebow, Tim Sanchez, cause you both are going to get smashed in this one. The Texans are playing on a higher level and are definitely thinking postseason already. They need to start taking some carries away from Arian Foster though as he is on pace for over 400 touches. J.J. Watt is looking like the Defensive Player of the Year and may break the single season sack record as he has 7.5 in 4 games. He may add 3 or 4 in this one. This game will be over by halftime and will be a low rating for ESPN. 2 Broke Girls on CBS may have higher ratings and be more entertaining although that show would be hard pressed to be funnier than this laugher game. Texans win 38-0.
Another week's projections done. Gotta do better than 9-6, from last week, but being over .500 for the season so far is a good feeling. I'm doing better than some of the high-paid analysts out there in the world, so that's a plus. Enjoy my loyal readers.
The Triple Crown
Just want to give a very brief shout out to Miguel Cabrera for the Detroit Tigers and his historic accomplishment this season. Getting the Triple Crown in baseball is a tough feat. It had only happened 14 other times in the history of the game and hadn't happened since 1967. To lead the league in the top three statistical batting categories takes a lot of commitment to your job. Most home run hitters don't have the overall batting skills to compete for the lead in batting average, likewise most hitters who can hit for a good average don't have the power to hit that many home runs. Cabrera has been one of the most consistent hitters ever since he came to the show. He has a career batting average of .318, while almost always gets 30 or more home runs and over 100 RBI's each season. Some have argued that this moment was inevitable for him because of his consistency, but that should not take away from the difficulty of the feat. Add in the fact, that he made no qualms about changing his position in the field to make room for Prince Fielder and it makes it an even more impressive feat. While Cabrera was adjusting his fielding position, he was still able to focus on his job at the plate to have his best overall season, setting career highs in hits, home runs, and RBI's all the while helping lead the Tigers to the AL Central Title.
Some have argued that rookie Mike Trout for the Angels should be the MVP and while he had an impressive season especially for a rookie, it would be a dishonor to the accomplishment that hasn't happened in almost half a century. Sadly, only 6 times of the previous 14 triple crown winners were honored with the MVP, however, the last three did receive that honor. Trout is hands down the Rookie of the Year, but his numbers don't even equal out to Cabrera's. Cabrera beat Trout in batting average by .004. He beat him in home runs by 14 and RBI's by 56. Trout did score 20 more runs, but a lot of that is due more to the people around him hitting him home, although his 49 stolen bases helped put him in position to score. Trout is going to have a great career, but this is a moment that belongs to Cabrera and he should be honored with the league MVP.
Some have argued that rookie Mike Trout for the Angels should be the MVP and while he had an impressive season especially for a rookie, it would be a dishonor to the accomplishment that hasn't happened in almost half a century. Sadly, only 6 times of the previous 14 triple crown winners were honored with the MVP, however, the last three did receive that honor. Trout is hands down the Rookie of the Year, but his numbers don't even equal out to Cabrera's. Cabrera beat Trout in batting average by .004. He beat him in home runs by 14 and RBI's by 56. Trout did score 20 more runs, but a lot of that is due more to the people around him hitting him home, although his 49 stolen bases helped put him in position to score. Trout is going to have a great career, but this is a moment that belongs to Cabrera and he should be honored with the league MVP.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Fantasy Week 5 Beasts and Busts.
Here we go again, another week, another post trying to get out there the best and worst possible fantasy moves you can make at each particular position. For the newbies, it goes 3 Beasts and 3 Busts at each position; so without any further ado.
Quarterback Beasts.
1. Matt Ryan. I've been on his bandwagon all season and I sure ain't stopping now. Especially when Ryan is facing the Redskins 31st ranked pass defense. Ryan is the top quarterback in the league right now and shows no signs of stoping. For a guy that a lot of us got in middle rounds of our drafts, he's putting up 1st round numbers. Ryan will continue his MVP season with a monster game against the Redskins. Ryan throws for 375+ and 4 TD's.
2. Andy Dalton. Dalton is quietly becoming a #1 option in all fantasy formats. He's putting up top 5 numbers in every stat line and the impressive thing about Dalton is that he using all of his receivers not just A.J. Green. The Red Rifle gets the matchup against a bad Dolphins pass defense. Dalton will have to avoid some pressure because the Dolphins front did sack Kevin Kolb 8 times last week, but Dalton is a little more mobile. Look for Dalton to throw for 325 and 3TD's.
3. Philip Rivers. I haven't thrown his name out there yet this year, but he has a very favorable matchup against the Saints. The Saints defense couldn't stop a cold this year, that's how bad they are. Rivers will find openings and expose their secondary. Rivers goes for 300 and 3 TD's.
Honorable Mention: Peyton Manning, Christian Ponder, Russell Wilson. Aaron Rodgers.
Quarterback Busts.
1. Mark Sanchez. Can you hear the Tebow chants yet? Sanchez had an awful performance against the 49ers last Sunday and he'll be rewarded by facing the Texans #1 over all defense. Sanchez is in for a long day with a non-existant running game and a depleted wide receiver corps. Maybe Sanchez will be throwing passes to Tebow, if Sanchez finishes this game. The Texans are going to hit him often. Sanchez will be held under 100 yards passing and sacked 10 times with 2 INT's and a fumble.
2. Michael Vick. Vick pulled off the upset of the Giants last week and for his reward he gets the Steelers, who may very well have a returning James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. The Steelers will be angry after blowing a game 2 weeks ago and having had the bye week to think about it and get healthier. Vick will make mistakes. I'll give Vick 200 yards and he will throw a TD, but he will also be sacked 7 times and have 3 turnovers on his hands.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has been on fire recently, but he did have a 2nd half collapse last week against the Patriots and that will continue against the 49ers. The 49ers completely smothered the Jets last Sunday. They will come after Fitzpatrick and get to him eventually. Look for Fitzpatrick to get over 200 yards and 1 TD, but to be sacked 5 times and throw 3 INT's.
Running Back Beasts.
1. Adrian Peterson. Peterson is in All-Pro mode and he will go against a Titan defense that allows over 135 yards on the ground per game. The Vikings want their offense to go through Peterson and not force Christian Ponder to go back and throw 40 times a game. The Vikings are able to maintain balance because Peterson is so dominant. Look for AP to go for 150 yards and 2 TD's against the Titans.
2. Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is hitting his stride right now. He currnetly leads the league in missed tackles and he has no problem running through people. The Panthers defense made Michael Turner look like he found a time machine and was the same guy he was 5 seasons ago. Lynch is going to be the focal point of the Seahawks offense with rookie quarterback Russell Wilson struggling right now. Look for Lynch to get about 135 ards and 2 scores this week.
3. Arian Foster. Foster is on a pace right now to get over 400 touches, so I have to start wondering when the Texans are going to reel in his carries some. Unless they plan on locking up the division so early that they can rest him after week 13 or so, they need to save a little of Foster, but he has a good matchup against the Jets defense. Look for Foster to get over 100 yards and a score and get pulled early becasue the Texans should be up big in this one.
Honorable Mention. Ray Rice. Reggie Bush. Trent Richardson.
Running Back Busts.
1. Either Buffalo running back. Neither Fred Jackson or C.J. Spiller is going to have a good game against the 49ers. They are still coming off injuries and they will split carries dropping their value especially against this tough defense. Combined Jackson and Spiller will have 75 yards of offense and no scores.
2. Any Carolina running back. Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart have not looked good this year for the Panthers and they get to go against a tough Seattle defense who will be angry after getting upset by the Rams last week. The Panthers offense is in shambles and will continue to struggle this week. Look for a combined 80 yards and 0 scores for the duo.
3. MJD. Normally, Jones-Drew is a solid pick, but he gets the Bears defense this week. MJD will struggle as the O-line will not be able to give him holes to run. MJD will get you about 80 yards but that's just because he's going to get a lot of carries. If you don't have a better option with the bye weeks, then play him, but if you got someone else sit MJD for a week.
Wide Receiver Beasts.
1. A.J. Green. Green is turning into a monster in his second season; he will run every route and is not afraid to go after the ball. He has a quarterback that he has confidence in and will give him the opportunities for big plays. Green is going to give the Dolphins secondary all they can handle as Green goes for 125 and a score.
2. Roddy White. While Julio Jones is nursing a foot injury, White will be the dominant part of the Falcon offense once again. White put up some massive numebrs last week against the Panthers. He will do so again this week against the Redskins. I look for White to also get 125 and a score against the Redskins.
3. Victor Cruz. This is the week that fantasy owners will get their reward from Cruz, who has been a sort of disappointment this year. The remedy for that will be going against the Browns. Cruz should have a great game, especially if Hakeem Nicks is still going to be out. Look for Cruz to pop the Browns for 100 yards and a score.
Honorable Mention. Dwayne Bowe. James Jones. Larry Fitzgerald.
Wide Receiver Busts.
1. Any N.Y. Jets receiver. The Jets are getting wide receivers off the streets for this week and the Texans defense is going to smother them all. The Jets receiving corps will not get over 100 yards receiving for the game and no scores. Cut your ties with all Jets players if you want to be successful in fantasy this year.
2. DeSean Jackson. The Steelers will come up and press Jackson off the line to slow down the speedy receiver and to try to get into his head. Jackson and the Eagles will struggle in this game as we should see the rebirth of the Steeler defense. Jackson gets 50 yards and stays out of the end zone.
3. Mike Wallace. The Eagles will do everything that they can to take Wallace out of the game. They should be successful, Wallace is not off to a great start after holding out through camp and the Eagles seconadary will be able to matchup with him. Look for Wallace to get about 60 yards and held out of the end zone.
Tight End Beasts.
(These 3 are easy and really don't need a long explanation.)
1. Tony Gonzalez.
2. Jimmy Graham.
3. Rob Gronkowski.
If you got them start them, but I'm pretty sure you knew that already.
Tight End Busts.
1. Scott Chandler. The Buffalo tight end had a good game last week, but he will be shut down by the 49ers defense. Do not look for a repeat of that performance. Chandler gets 20 yards and no scores this week.
2. Coby Fleener. The Packers will get after Andrew Luck and try to disrupt the rookie. Also, Fleener should draw some coverage from Charles Woodson, which will be a problem for the rookie tight end. Look for a bad day for Fleener as he gets 30 yards and no scores.
3. Ben Watson. The Cleveland tight end will have a rough game against the Giants as will their rookie signal caller. Watson gets stymied for under 40 yards and no scores.
Defense Beasts.
1. Houston. Pitch a shut out against the Jets and register 10 sacks and 5 turnovers.
2. San Fransisco. Will give up 7 points and have 5 sacks and 4 turnovers against the Bills.
3. Chicago. The Bears will smother the Jags. Jags get 250 total yards take 8 sacks but only 1 turnover.
Honorable Mention. Seattle. Minnesota. Green Bay.
Defense Busts.
1. Washington. Gives up over 30 points and 500 yards of offense against the Falcons. Will not force any turnovers and get 1 sack.
2. Indianpolis. Gives up over 30 points and 450 yards of offense to the Packers. They will not get any turnovers or sacks.
3. New Orleans. Will give up at least 28 points and 400 yards of offense to the Chargers and get zero tunovers and 2 sacks.
Well, done with another week. I know I took kickers out and I will continue to do so, because let's face it if you are looking for a sleeper kicker, you don't have much hope for your team haha. Hope you all enjoy and give you all some help with your lineups for the week.
Quarterback Beasts.
1. Matt Ryan. I've been on his bandwagon all season and I sure ain't stopping now. Especially when Ryan is facing the Redskins 31st ranked pass defense. Ryan is the top quarterback in the league right now and shows no signs of stoping. For a guy that a lot of us got in middle rounds of our drafts, he's putting up 1st round numbers. Ryan will continue his MVP season with a monster game against the Redskins. Ryan throws for 375+ and 4 TD's.
2. Andy Dalton. Dalton is quietly becoming a #1 option in all fantasy formats. He's putting up top 5 numbers in every stat line and the impressive thing about Dalton is that he using all of his receivers not just A.J. Green. The Red Rifle gets the matchup against a bad Dolphins pass defense. Dalton will have to avoid some pressure because the Dolphins front did sack Kevin Kolb 8 times last week, but Dalton is a little more mobile. Look for Dalton to throw for 325 and 3TD's.
3. Philip Rivers. I haven't thrown his name out there yet this year, but he has a very favorable matchup against the Saints. The Saints defense couldn't stop a cold this year, that's how bad they are. Rivers will find openings and expose their secondary. Rivers goes for 300 and 3 TD's.
Honorable Mention: Peyton Manning, Christian Ponder, Russell Wilson. Aaron Rodgers.
Quarterback Busts.
1. Mark Sanchez. Can you hear the Tebow chants yet? Sanchez had an awful performance against the 49ers last Sunday and he'll be rewarded by facing the Texans #1 over all defense. Sanchez is in for a long day with a non-existant running game and a depleted wide receiver corps. Maybe Sanchez will be throwing passes to Tebow, if Sanchez finishes this game. The Texans are going to hit him often. Sanchez will be held under 100 yards passing and sacked 10 times with 2 INT's and a fumble.
2. Michael Vick. Vick pulled off the upset of the Giants last week and for his reward he gets the Steelers, who may very well have a returning James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. The Steelers will be angry after blowing a game 2 weeks ago and having had the bye week to think about it and get healthier. Vick will make mistakes. I'll give Vick 200 yards and he will throw a TD, but he will also be sacked 7 times and have 3 turnovers on his hands.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has been on fire recently, but he did have a 2nd half collapse last week against the Patriots and that will continue against the 49ers. The 49ers completely smothered the Jets last Sunday. They will come after Fitzpatrick and get to him eventually. Look for Fitzpatrick to get over 200 yards and 1 TD, but to be sacked 5 times and throw 3 INT's.
Running Back Beasts.
1. Adrian Peterson. Peterson is in All-Pro mode and he will go against a Titan defense that allows over 135 yards on the ground per game. The Vikings want their offense to go through Peterson and not force Christian Ponder to go back and throw 40 times a game. The Vikings are able to maintain balance because Peterson is so dominant. Look for AP to go for 150 yards and 2 TD's against the Titans.
2. Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is hitting his stride right now. He currnetly leads the league in missed tackles and he has no problem running through people. The Panthers defense made Michael Turner look like he found a time machine and was the same guy he was 5 seasons ago. Lynch is going to be the focal point of the Seahawks offense with rookie quarterback Russell Wilson struggling right now. Look for Lynch to get about 135 ards and 2 scores this week.
3. Arian Foster. Foster is on a pace right now to get over 400 touches, so I have to start wondering when the Texans are going to reel in his carries some. Unless they plan on locking up the division so early that they can rest him after week 13 or so, they need to save a little of Foster, but he has a good matchup against the Jets defense. Look for Foster to get over 100 yards and a score and get pulled early becasue the Texans should be up big in this one.
Honorable Mention. Ray Rice. Reggie Bush. Trent Richardson.
Running Back Busts.
1. Either Buffalo running back. Neither Fred Jackson or C.J. Spiller is going to have a good game against the 49ers. They are still coming off injuries and they will split carries dropping their value especially against this tough defense. Combined Jackson and Spiller will have 75 yards of offense and no scores.
2. Any Carolina running back. Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart have not looked good this year for the Panthers and they get to go against a tough Seattle defense who will be angry after getting upset by the Rams last week. The Panthers offense is in shambles and will continue to struggle this week. Look for a combined 80 yards and 0 scores for the duo.
3. MJD. Normally, Jones-Drew is a solid pick, but he gets the Bears defense this week. MJD will struggle as the O-line will not be able to give him holes to run. MJD will get you about 80 yards but that's just because he's going to get a lot of carries. If you don't have a better option with the bye weeks, then play him, but if you got someone else sit MJD for a week.
Wide Receiver Beasts.
1. A.J. Green. Green is turning into a monster in his second season; he will run every route and is not afraid to go after the ball. He has a quarterback that he has confidence in and will give him the opportunities for big plays. Green is going to give the Dolphins secondary all they can handle as Green goes for 125 and a score.
2. Roddy White. While Julio Jones is nursing a foot injury, White will be the dominant part of the Falcon offense once again. White put up some massive numebrs last week against the Panthers. He will do so again this week against the Redskins. I look for White to also get 125 and a score against the Redskins.
3. Victor Cruz. This is the week that fantasy owners will get their reward from Cruz, who has been a sort of disappointment this year. The remedy for that will be going against the Browns. Cruz should have a great game, especially if Hakeem Nicks is still going to be out. Look for Cruz to pop the Browns for 100 yards and a score.
Honorable Mention. Dwayne Bowe. James Jones. Larry Fitzgerald.
Wide Receiver Busts.
1. Any N.Y. Jets receiver. The Jets are getting wide receivers off the streets for this week and the Texans defense is going to smother them all. The Jets receiving corps will not get over 100 yards receiving for the game and no scores. Cut your ties with all Jets players if you want to be successful in fantasy this year.
2. DeSean Jackson. The Steelers will come up and press Jackson off the line to slow down the speedy receiver and to try to get into his head. Jackson and the Eagles will struggle in this game as we should see the rebirth of the Steeler defense. Jackson gets 50 yards and stays out of the end zone.
3. Mike Wallace. The Eagles will do everything that they can to take Wallace out of the game. They should be successful, Wallace is not off to a great start after holding out through camp and the Eagles seconadary will be able to matchup with him. Look for Wallace to get about 60 yards and held out of the end zone.
Tight End Beasts.
(These 3 are easy and really don't need a long explanation.)
1. Tony Gonzalez.
2. Jimmy Graham.
3. Rob Gronkowski.
If you got them start them, but I'm pretty sure you knew that already.
Tight End Busts.
1. Scott Chandler. The Buffalo tight end had a good game last week, but he will be shut down by the 49ers defense. Do not look for a repeat of that performance. Chandler gets 20 yards and no scores this week.
2. Coby Fleener. The Packers will get after Andrew Luck and try to disrupt the rookie. Also, Fleener should draw some coverage from Charles Woodson, which will be a problem for the rookie tight end. Look for a bad day for Fleener as he gets 30 yards and no scores.
3. Ben Watson. The Cleveland tight end will have a rough game against the Giants as will their rookie signal caller. Watson gets stymied for under 40 yards and no scores.
Defense Beasts.
1. Houston. Pitch a shut out against the Jets and register 10 sacks and 5 turnovers.
2. San Fransisco. Will give up 7 points and have 5 sacks and 4 turnovers against the Bills.
3. Chicago. The Bears will smother the Jags. Jags get 250 total yards take 8 sacks but only 1 turnover.
Honorable Mention. Seattle. Minnesota. Green Bay.
Defense Busts.
1. Washington. Gives up over 30 points and 500 yards of offense against the Falcons. Will not force any turnovers and get 1 sack.
2. Indianpolis. Gives up over 30 points and 450 yards of offense to the Packers. They will not get any turnovers or sacks.
3. New Orleans. Will give up at least 28 points and 400 yards of offense to the Chargers and get zero tunovers and 2 sacks.
Well, done with another week. I know I took kickers out and I will continue to do so, because let's face it if you are looking for a sleeper kicker, you don't have much hope for your team haha. Hope you all enjoy and give you all some help with your lineups for the week.
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