Oakland Raiders = Motorcycle Gang

After all the years of drama, bad publicity, and likely cover-ups I am convinced the Oakland Raiders are more Biker Gang than they are NFL Franchise. The godfather of this biker gang is "crypt keeper" Al Davis. After finding out that assistant coach Randy Hanson was decked from behind by head coach I automatically assumed Al Davis finally found a tough as nails head coach that he could latch onto. Therefore I hated Tom Cable.

I was too quick to judge. Turns out this Randy Hanson deserved everything he got. He is a snitch. He got blindsided for snitching to the godfather for whatever reason. I would punch Hanson and then immediately resign as coach of Oakland. Why would anyone in their right mind every want to A. coach there. B. be drafted there. or C. sign any sort of deal to the Raiders.

There is some show on some channel about a biker gang and drugs and guns and stuff. What do I automatically think of every time a promo comes on the t.v. for that show? Obviously the Raiders. I don't know what exactly leads me to think of the Raiders as a biker gang. Could it be the skulls and crossbone clad fan section, the violent coaches, the ultra-controlling godfather figure of weird Al Davis, the fact that they obviously don't care about football as evidenced by their past decade record, their scary black and silver colors, the fact that their name is the Raiders, the uber tough-looking coaches who are normally just fat with the exception of Kiffin, or maybe the fact that instead of playing football they would much rather just beat each other up, drink, "kiss-ass" to the godfather. Sounds like a biker gang to me.

Did anyone else notice that Lane Kiffin just never really felt like a Raider. He seemed intelligent. He was clean cut. He wasn't a thug. He just never fit there for me. I was in shock every time I saw this middle-aged good looking guy in Raiders black and silver. No genuinely good guy is a Raider by choice. He was never a Raider. A Raider is missing teeth, has a beer gut, condones inter squad fights (Rob Ryan like brother Rex Ryan), just looks mean, doesn't have a college degree, and was born with excessive aggression problems. Sounds like a biker gang member to me.

The evidence is there. Oakland Raiders are only an NFL Franchise as a cover to their biker gang reality.

Jared

Chad Ochocinco and Football

Oh man! Did this one fall right into my lap or what? Less than two days after that post about Bill Simmons and Kobe Bryant's love of soccer, I find out that Chad Ochocinco's first love is real football! I knew I liked him for a reason. Here is the quote, thanks to ESPN.

"'Esteban' Ochocinco is back, the most interesting footballer in the world," Ochocinco said. "Everyone has to remember, I've always said that soccer is my No. 1 sport. I think Ronaldinho would be proud of me right now."

"Soccer's my first love, Kicking's easy ... like riding a bike," he said. "I can kick them from 50, 60 yards, left or right hash mark. ... I kicked all through high school."

Oh baby! My unwavering love for #85 just reached new heights. Not only was he an integral part in both of my fantasy championships as Chad Johnson, but he loves soccer! This story comes after he kicked a perfect PAT against the Patriots. When I first saw him line up as kicker, I thought it was a gimmick, Chad being Chad, but he put it through perfectly. It probably would have went through from the 45 yard line as well. I have always thought this guy gets too much crap for his showmanship and goofiness. What is wrong with having fun playing the game he loves? Sure he had a few down years here and there, but at least he entertained. Sure he quarreled with Coach Lewis, but I would too. Marvin doesn't know what he is doing. Compared to the rest of his current and former teammates at Cincinnati, Chad is almost seen as a role model for good behavior.

He entertains me. He catches balls, most of the time. He does fun dances in the end zone. He has a better attitude than T.O. He has got himself attention in the tiny market Cincinnati. He led me to two fantasy championships. He changed his name to a Spanish number that I am almost positive isn't even the real name of the number. Whats not to like about the guy?

Oh did I mention he loves soccer too.

Soon I will compile a list of celebrities and non-soccer athletes who have declared their love for soccer. If you know of any please let me know. I love to love the soccer lover.

Jared

Fantasy Football. Super Dooper.

I am the commissioner of the Fantasy Football league Super Dooper. Since 2003, there have been at least ten of my friends who participated in the league and we pretty much have had the same group since 2005. None of us would consider ourselves experts, but we have been in the game for a while and it can get quite competitive. There is a consistent group of 8 that have done different fantasy sports together for over five years but football has seemed to stick with all of us. Obviously I am one of the best along with my blogmate here Lyle(scott). The first four years of the league consisted of two championships and runner up for me and two championships and a runner up for him.


Even though fantasy football is just a stupid competition based on a professional game, that doesn't mean there aren't deeper ramifications. Sometimes pride is based on fantasy. For example, I am pretty sure Lyle would have no self-confidence whatsoever if he sucked at fantasy sports. Ultimately fantasy sports have given the nerd Lyle a chance to excel in something that can garner him some respect from his peers and more importantly himself. The opposite of this though is true as well. Drummond, who we hope to hear from soon in this blog, has no skill in fantasy and has nothing else to base his confidence on. He is a nerd without fantasy skills. A sad, sad thing. That is like saying you are a fan of figure skating. It would be a shame however to solely base your pride and self-confidence on something as trivial as fantasy football. That being said there are more deeper purposes for fantasy football. At least for my group it has become a way to keep in touch. It has been used as a social medium.

"Have you heard from Blake lately?" "No but he is making a comeback in fantasy, so at least we know he is alive."
That conversation can initiate maybe a phone call with Blake, thus keeping friends closer. All I am saying is that Fantasy Football may be more than a trivial game if played correctly. Though for piss-poor players like Drummond and Jordan maybe the focus needs to be more on the game than anything else.

Jared

Fantasy Football Top Fives

The NFL pre-season is in progress and fantasy drafts have begun. To some weird people, fantasy leagues are more important than the real one. With that in mind, here are my top fives for the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end positions.

Quarterback

1. Drew Brees- Last year's top fantasy quarterback should be back for another strong year. Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has averaged 613 passing attempts, 4,637 yards, and 29 TD's per year. That is a lot. Essentially returning the same receiving corps, including a healthy Colston, Brees should be headed for more of the same. Even given the return of Tom Brady, I see no reason why Brees should not be the first QB taken.
2. Tom Brady- Brady is back after missing nearly all of last year. Some early rust should be expected, but he still has great receivers, including Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Toward the ending of his record-setting season, defenses were starting to adjust to the Pats' pass-happy scheme. I wouldn't expect many 5 or 6 TD games.
3. Aaron Rodgers- Rodgers was the second-best fantasy QB last year, throwing 28 touchdowns, plus 4 on the ground. Same team, same numbers. I'd even give a little room for second-year improvement.
4. Peyton Manning- The machine will keep chugging. Don't expect the loss of Marvin Harrison to negatively effect his play. Expect the same: around 30 TD's and 4,000 yards.
5. Philip Rivers- I don't much like the guy, but he threw 34 touchdowns last year, and that was with Antonio Gates having an "off" year. If LT really starts hitting the age wall, they may throw even more than they did last year.

Running Back

1. Adrian Peterson- Peterson ran for 1,760 yards last year, but had a disappointing 10 touchdowns. I'd expect a few more touchdowns this year. After two years to prove himself, Peterson has shown himself to be the most consistently dominant RB in the NFL, and he should be the first choice in most drafts. If he becomes more of a receiving option like his rookie year, you can expect some spectacular numbers.
2. Michael Turner- After Peterson, the backs are not sure things. The Burner ran for 1,700 yards and 17 TD's last year, but the coaches would be crazy to give him the 376 carries he got last year. Expect Matt Ryan to throw more in his sophomore season, and for Turner's carries to go down. However, if he starts to to catch the ball at all, he could finish as the top RB.
3. Matt Forte- After a surprisingly spectacular rookie season, Forte will look to continue his role as the featured back for the Bears. A lesser known aspect of Forte's rookie season was that he lead all RB's in receptions last year, making up for his lack of huge touchdown numbers. Expect Jay Cutler to hand off to Forte a lot, and expect similar numbers.
4. DeAngelo Williams- Last year's top fantasy RB surprised everyone in the league. Don't expect the huge numbers from last year, especially if sophomore Jonathan Stewart receives an expanded role.
5. Steve Slaton- This may be somewhat surprising, but Slaton was the seventh best RB last year. And the two guys directly ahead of him were old men: Thomas Jones and LT. He should surpass those two this year. And I can't see Maurice Jones-Drew taking this spot, either.

Wide Receiver

1. Larry Fitzgerald- Larry, or God, has caught for 1,400 yards and 10+ TD's in each of the last two years. And last year's amazing Super Bowl run propelled him into #1 status and God status for the different writers, announcers, and analysts. His numbers should be about the same. But I'd be surprised if Kurt Warner has another MVP-caliber season, so don't be surprised if there is a drop-off.
2. Calvin Johnson- It should be obvious by now that he doesn't need a solid quarterback to dominate opposing DB's. Amidst a horrendous year by the Lions and plenty of quarterback controversy, Johnson still put up 1,300 yards and 12 TD's in his second year. A rookie QB shouldn't affect his play.
3. Greg Jennings- Aaron Rodgers' number one receiver has improved by about 3oo yards in each of his first 3 years, ending up with almost 1,300 last year. I expect him to possibly improve even more, especially in returning to double digits in TD's.
4. Randy Moss- Matt Cassell had an outstanding year, but often settled for dumping off to Wes Welker instead of throwing bombs to Moss. With Brady back throwing the long ball, Moss will see more opportunities. Don't expect 23 touchdowns again, but 15 is a good possibility.
5. Andre Johnson- Johnson might be the most talented receiver in the league, but has been plagued by injuries, to him and to his QB's. I can't reasonably expect Matt Shaub to be healthy the whole year. And if he goes out, Johnson's numbers will suffer. These problems still aren't enough for him to drop out of the top 5.

Tight End

1. Jason Witten- Witten just missed out on two straight 1,000 yard seasons, which is ridiculous for tight ends. Although last year wasn't as prolific as the one before, Tony Romo will be looking for Witten even more with T.O. gone.
2. Tony Gonzalez- Age has yet to find the best tight end in the history of the NFL. After two seasons of 1,000+ yards and 15 total touchdowns, Gonzalez will move to the Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan will love having Tony around when Roddy White isn't open for the long passes. He should be a great addition to an ever-improving offense.
3. Antonio Gates- Gates had a down year, dealing with nagging injuries. Fortunately, his "down" year still included 8 touchdowns. I think Gates will be back to his old self: close to 1,000 yards and 10 TD's.
4. Dallas Clark- Clark had a monster yardage year, although he went down in touchdowns. With Marvin Harrison gone, Clark should still see plenty of looks, especially if the running game continues to struggle.
5. Chris Cooley- The internet sensation finished 9th among tight ends last year, but I think he will make a big jump into the top 5 this year. Last season, Cooley ended up with only 1 touchdown. In the previous two seasons, he had combined for 14. I expect his TD numbers to jump up this season. 900 yards and 7 touchdowns seems reasonable.

Scott

Brett Favre

So Brett Favre has signed with the Vikings today continuing his career in the NFC North. I like that he came back and I have no qualms with his decision process. I understand why fans, experts, and other players can be tired of the media coverage the past five years, but why are you pissed at him? He didn't personally attack you. He has been giving the opportunity to play football again and has taken a different course of deciding his actions that maybe you or I would have taken. But he is still wanted. His jerseys still sell. He hopefully can still throw touchdowns and for that matter interceptions. He is turning the Vikings from almost contenders to serious NFC North material. So what if he didn't want to sign last month. The Vikings still want him. Somehow they got him. He got to miss out on a few weeks of training camp. Ouch. Who is hurt by this? Why are you complaining? A NFL great is still in the league. We have another chance to see Brett Favre shine. What is horrible about that? Aside from the Packers, Bears, Sage, and Tavaris being hurt by this I don't see why anyone should complain about Brett Favre being in the league or his process of deciding. The teams who wanted him allowed him to do that. If anyone should be complained about it should be every NFL who allowed him to flirt with the idea of coming out of retirement. It is an oppurtunity for the NFL, the fans, and the world to continue to see Brett dance around after touchdowns, carry wide outs on his shoulders, flick game winning touchdowns nonchalantly, scramble like a mad man, and have fun playing one of the most entertaining games out there. Who cares how we got there? We are there. Don't hate the player.

Jared