So our league just had our Fantasy Football Draft. We have eight teams. I drafted Curtis Martin pretty early, which is bummer. I should have put him on my exclude list.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know my thinking on choosing a fantasy football team, because it has worked very well for me in the past. Let’s call this “my fantasy football tips for beginners”.

Prior to the draft, I put players who are out for the year on my excluded list. Then I start ranking players.

Usualy, I go around to places like CNN SI’s Fantasy Football site and ESPN’s Fantasy Football site and look to see what their experts are saying and who their sleepers are.

I usually move all my favorite running backs way up on my board. Next, I move my top 10 quaretrbacks up on my board. I don’t worry much about the wide recievers, except that I usually move the top two wide recievers up a little (just not above my top 8 running backs). The reason I don’t worry nearly as much about my wide receivers is that it seems like every year I can pick up really good wide recievers of the waiver wire. Every year there are wide recievers that seem to come out of nowhwere to have really excelent stats.

Next, I move up the top 2-4 rookie running backs. I had Reggie Bush in my top 15 players, but someone took him even higher. I also moved up Laurence Maroney and Mike Bell. Both of whom may have better stats this year than Reggie. I also wound up with Lendale White. Lendale is a reach, but has good potential. I like to stockpile running backs at the beginning of the year, because my goal is to have the best running backs and quarterbacks in the league every year. If I do that, I have found that I can win every week. Quaterback and running back seem like the most consistent fantasy scorers every week, that’s why I like to stockpile them.

I move kickers and tight ends way back in my list. I always wind up with a good kicker if I wait until week 2 or week 3 and take the best performer on the waiver wire. It seems like the best fantasy kicker changes every year, so there is no point in taking a kicker high in the draft. With the exception of Anotonio Gates, tight ends don’t score enough and aren’t consistent enough to spend a high pick on.

Defense on the other hand is important and I try to move at least a couple of defenses up in my draft order.

I make lots of waiver wire moves in the first three weeks. Especially, following week 2 when I feel like some of the people having big weeks two weeks in a row may be for real.

Throughout the year, I check the fantasy sleepers on major fantasy football sites and see if I have a need for any of them in my roster.

Following this pattern has helped me to consitently be in the top half of my fantasy leauges (sometimes winning them).

So those are my tips for choosing a great fantasy football team.

Now, here is my 2006 fantasy football team’s current lineup:

QB T. Brady (NE – QB)
QB C. Palmer (Cin – QB)
WR T. Owens (Dal – WR)
RB L. Johnson (KC – RB)
TE A. Crumpler(ATL – TE)
W/R J. Jones (Dal – RB)
W/R L. Maroney (NE – RB)
W/R A. Johnson (Hou – WR)
W/R M. Bell (Den – RB)
BN C. Chambers (Mia – WR)
BN T. Jones (Chi – RB)
BN L. White (Ten – RB)
BN V. Young (Ten – QB)
BN K. Curtis (StL – WR)
BN B. Johnson (Min – QB)
BN A. Toomer (NYG – WR)
BN M. Lewis (Jac – TE)
BN B. Griese (Chi – QB)
BN V. Morency (Hou – RB)
K J. Brown (Sea – K)
BN N. Kaeding (SD – K)
DEF New York (NYG – DEF)
BN New England (NE – DEF)

The NFL Season is about to start and you know what that means…

Fantasy Football is close to starting! I play in a Yahoo league every year with some friends and family. Our draft is this weekend.

Would you like us to give out weekly fantasy football tips? Let us know…

Wow. This is one of the best sports articles I have EVER read.

ESPN has an article about Tony Dungy that is so inspirational. With Father’s day coming this weekend, I suggest all you Fathers out there click here to read the article.

Actually, everyone should read the article. It really puts things in perspective.

I just finished reading a great story about a project that Linebacker Derrick Brooks runs called the “Brooks Bunch”. Go check out the story here. It’s a really nice read.

From what I understand the Texans looked a lot better in training camp than they did last year. The offensive line looks WAY better than they used to and the defensive line looks really good. In fact, from what I understand Mario Wlliams is looking really, really impressive. Of course, these are initial reports and who knows what will happen when the season starts.

I expect my hometown Houston Texans to be much better this year. Probably not going to the NFL playoffs this year, but they might have an outside shot at a playoff birth this coming season.

Tags:
NFL Texans NFL draft nfl-draft

The college football Hall of Fame changed it’s rules in order to induct Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden this year. Previously, you had to be a retitred coach to be inducted, which lead Bowden to believe that he would have to be dead to be inducted. Well all that has changed. The Hall of Fame changed it’s rules to allow coaches over the age of 75 to enter the Hall of Fame.

Along with Bowden and Paterno, former FSU QB and heisman trophy winner Charlie Ward was inducted, as well as the following players:

Bob Anderson—RB, Colorado, 1967-69
Bennie Blades—DB, Miami (Fla.), 1985-87
Carl Eller—T, Minnesota, 1961-63
Steve Emtman—DL, Washington, 1989-91
Thomas Everett—FS, Baylor, 1983-86
Chad Hennings—DT, Air Force, 1984-87
Chip Kell—OG, Tennessee, 1968-70
Mike Phipps—QB, Purdue, 1967-69
Mike Rozier—RB, Nebraska, 1981-83
Jeff Siemon—LB, Stanford, 1968-71
Bruce Smith—DT, Virginia Tech, 1981-84
Emmitt Smith—RB, Florida, 1987-89

You can read more about the inductees by clicking here.

I am very happy for all the inductees. Being a graduate from Florida State University, it’s very nice to see Bobby Bowden get a chance to be inducted during his lifetime. It’s nice to see Charlie Ward inducted as well.

Tags:
fsu Florida State University charlie ward bowden bobby bowden joe paterno paterno

The Sporting News were allowed an exclusive behind the scenes look into the Houston Texans draft process. I kind of doubt they knew at the time how interesting this would be. Anyway, it is real interesting to read how the whole process worked out. It answers the question:

“Why did the Texans choose Mario Williams over Reggie Bush?”

Click here to check out this exclusive behind the scenes look into the Texans NFL Draft process.

I found this interesting so I thought I would pass it long. Denzel Washington’s son who wasn’t selected in the NFL draft signed with the St. Louis Rams. He had some nice stats in college. His name is John David Washington, and he is a 5-10, 200 pound running back from the Division II Morehouse College.

It should be fun to follow his story. You can read more about his signing here.

Many people in the media and fans around Houston are saying “What were the Texans thinking?”

The Texans picked Mario Williams for a number of reasons:

1. He has freakish size and speed (talent galore).
2. He plays every down (Reggie Bush is not an every down back)
3. Great Defensive ends are harder to come by than running backs
4. The Texans needed help at that position more than they needed a running back

The Texans could certainly be proved wrong. But I think both Mario Williams and Reggie Bush will have great carreers in the NFL. In my opinion this wasn’t really a bad pick at all.

One other interesting note is how often running backs drafted later in the draft turn out to be more productive than backs drafted early. For instance, last year Cadillac Williams was much more productive than Ronnie Brown (taken second overall). This year Laurence Maroney or Lendale White may take that honor. I think Lendale White may have an awesome rookie season in Tennessee. As for Laurence Maroney taken by the Patriots late in the first round, here is what Denver head coach Mike Shanahan had to say about him (from this cnnsi article):

“I loved him,” Shanahan said. “I think the Patriots got a steal. An absolute steal. I think he’s going to be the best back in the league.”

Anyway, I do expect Reggie to do well this year and the Texans will be a much better team this year as well. A few other teams that I think had great drafts:

1. Tennessee – Getting Vince Young and Lendale White is great for the future of this offense.
2. Denver – the trade for Javon Walker was brilliant.
3. Philadelphia – Building up the lines – the perfect road to success
4. NY Jets – O-line went from weakness to major strength

The draft was loaded with talent this year, most teams were able to fill some of their needs with solid draft picks this year.

Here are the results of my pre NFL Draft poll:

Who do you think the Texans should take with the first pick in the draft?
Reggie Bush: 39% (7)
Vince Young: 56% (10)
Matt Leinart: 0% (0)
Mario Williams: 6% (1)
D’Brickashaw Ferguson: 0% (0)
Trade the Pick: 0% (0)
other: 0% (0)
Total Votes : 18

I personally would have taken Vince Young, but taking Mario Williams was a good pick, despite the public and media backlash. More on that soon…

My first quick impressions of the draft. The Texans drafted one of their biggest needs instead of going with the obvious choice of Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush instead went to New Orleans who in no way shape or form needed a running back. In fact, after the Texans announced they would select Mario Williams I thought that Reggie might fall to the number 4 pick.

Now, I think that New Orleans must be planning on trading either Reggie Bush or Duece McAllister. With all their other needs, you would think they could make a decent trade to help them fill some of their glaring needs.

As for Vince Young going to Tennessee, a lot of people in Houston are upset today. Not only did Vince not get picked by the Texans, but Bud Adams who moved the Houston Oiler to Tennessee got our hometown hero. Anyway, I am real happy for them and they got a steal in the second round by drafting Lendale White, who quite frankly outshined Reggie Bush in the Rose Bowl and looks like an amazing prospect.

I think Matt Leinart wound up in a perfect situation. Arizona is loaded with talent at the skill positions (Larry Fitzgerald, Anquon Boldin, Edgerren James).

Most teams did well in the first round. The later rounds (and about three years time) will really tell who did best in this draft.

Later…

The other day Matt Leinart was in New York and wanted to meet Donald Trump.

Donanld had great things to say about Matt. Donald would make a good sports agent. You can read more about Donald Trump’s visit with Matt Leinart by clicking here.

Well the NFL Draft is a day away. Probably the biggest question of the day will be where are the top 3 QBs going?

Will Vince Young end up in Tennessee, Oakland, Minnesota, elsewhere?

I think the Tennessee Titans will take Vince, because the owner Bud Adams wants to bring in his hometown guy. So the Houston Texans may not get Vince but the former Houston Oilers might take him. Like I said I would like to see him fall to Miami or Tampa, just because I want one of those teams to win another SuperBowl (and no I am not smoking the funny stuff). I really believe that Vince will be a great QB if he stays healthy.

Will Tennessee take Matt Leinart to appease their offensive cooridnator Norm Chow who coached Matt or will they take Vince?

I think Matt might be chosen by the Titans, he might be taken some where else. It’s really hard to say. With three top QBs in the draft and some other really, really good prospects who will be drafted later in the draft, this draft is loaded with QBs. Which means all three of the top QBs may fall lower than one would expect (I kind of doubt it though).

What about Jay Cutler?

I think Jay is going to be a really good QB in the NFL. Just the fact that he is projected to go so high is saying something about his talent. My wife Jill went to college at Vanberilt (she was know as Jill Kropp back then) and she was very surprised to see a QB from Vanderbilt be so highly touted. Vanderbilt is not exactly a football school, which makes it all the more impressive that Jay Cutler is so highly regarded. Jay could wind up in NY with the fourth pick, but it’s really hard to say.

Whatever happens with the top 3 QBs it will be fun to watch who gets them.

The other day Charlie Casserly reiterated that they haven’t had any trade offers for the first pick in the draft. I think the main reason for this is that the first round of this draft is loaded with excellent players. No real need to trade up when you are going to get a great player anyway.

So it looks like the Texans will take Bush (according to Mario Williams agent). This should sure up their backfield and give them a stronger running game. Now that it looks like Bush will be taken by the Texans, the Saints should wind up with Mario Williams.

Tennessee is now the new point of interest, who will they take? Most people have the Titans taking Matt Leinart, but some people think they will take Vince Young. It will be fun to see what happens.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the Texans have announced that they will pass on taking the best football player I have ever seen play college football (Vince Young) and take Reggie Bush or Mario Williams instead. If they are drafting to fill the teams biggest need, they will take Mario Williams. But they can’t really go wrong with either player (the team needs a lot of help).

Anyway, those of us who would have liked to see Vince wearing a Texans uniform won’t get our way. I expect Vince Young to be a phenomenal player and it will be fun to see where he winds up. I wish the Texans well. I think their coaching staff will make a huge difference and will turn this team around. I am a little bummed they won’t take the best player in the draft, but then again that rarely happens with the number 1 pick in the draft anyway.

BTW- What I would love to happen is for Vince to fall all the way to one of my former home state teams (Miami or Tampa Bay). That would be really cool!

You know I would prefer to see the Texans draft Vince Young, because I expect him to lead a team to the SuperBowl at some point in time and because QB has ALWAYS been a more important position in the NFL than running back (just look at past NFL drafts).

However, I was just reading a blog on the Houston Chronicle and apparently the Astros players favor selecting Reggie Bush. Go check it out by clicking here. It’s an interesting read.

No matter who they select, they will be improving their team.

This is funny. Sports Illustrated writer Mike Silver created a mock NFL draft based on what would happen if current NFL players were available to draft. The Texans select Tom Brady with the first pick, check out the article to read who he thinks everyone else would take.

Very fun read.

PS. I love number 10!