Category Archives: michael vick

2015 NFL Team Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers always seem to put together a team worthy of preseason hype. ‘Experts’ pick them to either win the AFC North or make the playoffs year after year. I guess when you have the same leaders on the field, it’s hard to pick against them.

The Steelers lost some of their leaders on defense this offseason. Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor are no longer wearing black and yellow this season. It’s not a rebuilding year, they are just retooling on defense.

The Bengals and Ravens both look like contenders in the AFC North. Can the Steelers win another division title under Mike Tomlin?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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2012 NFL Team Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles were supposed to be the “Dream Team”, but the season turned into a nightmare very early. The team rallied strong, but missed the playoffs. Fans were upset, but should they have been?

The Eagles had a ton of new starters on defense and a defensive coordinator had never coached defense. The team didn’t have much of a training camp because of the lockout, so things looked bad early. Saying all that, with a training camp under their belt, will Philadelphia be dangerous this season?

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview of the Philadelphia Eagles.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 8-8

Key Additions: LB DeMeco Ryans, DT Fletcher Cox, QB Nick Foles, RB Bryce Brown, WR Marvin McNutt, LB Mychal Kendricks, DE Vinny Curry, S Oshiomoagho Atogwe, OT Demetress Bell, OG Mike Gibson, CB Kevin Thomas, CB Brandon Boykin, OT Dennis Kelly, P Mat McBriar and C Steve Vallos.

Key Losses: RB Ronnie Brown, WR Steve Smith, QB Vince Young, FB Owen Schmitt, DE Juqua Parker, DT Trevor Laws, OG Kyle DeVan, OT Tra Thomas, LB Moise Fokou and LB Greg Lloyd.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC North and NFC South

Fantasy Sleeper: RB Dion Lewis – LeSean McCoy just signed a lucrative deal to stay in Philadelphia long-term. A lot of backs regress the season after they earn a big deal. I’m not saying that McCoy will sleep on his pile of money and be lazy, but it is just a weird coincidence in the NFL. Ronnie Brown is no longer his backup and Lewis is the next in line. I don’t see Bryce Brown as a threat to overtake Lewis, but he was an elite talent out of high school…money could be his motivation.

Team Analysis: Michael Vick has already been knocked out of two preseasons games. Philadelphia will only go as far as Vick’s health can take them. Backup QBs Trent Edwards, Nick Foles and Mike Kafka won’t be able to fill-in and lead the Eagles to win the NFC East, the division is too good. Head coach Andy Reid felt comfortable with Kafka last season, but he has been injured. Foles has been a surprise and could leapfrog Kafka if he keeps playing well. LeSean McCoy got a lot of money this offseason and the Eagles have Dion Lewis and Bryce Brown on standby. I’m not a fan of Desean Jackson this season, but I feel like Jeremy Maclin will take another leap. The defense should be amazing this season. They will be tested with their non-divisional schedule. I see the Eagles contending for the NFC East crown and one of my favorites to make the Super Bowl.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 10.5 (Prediction: OVER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 11-5

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees have been the top fantasy quarterback picks over the last few seasons. The 2012 season is no different. The same trio is at the top of the preseason rankings and all of the usual suspects following them.

The quarterback situations in Seattle, Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Tennessee have left some question marks on where the value is at the quarterback position in fantasy football this season. Can you wait to pick a quarterback or will you have to grab one early or spend $45 dollars in an auction draft to have an elite QB.

We have some surprises for you in our quarterback rankings. I am not sold on Cam Newton this year and I love Philip Rivers more than most people. How will the rookie QBs fare this season?

Here is our Top 50 quarterback rankings for the 2012 NFL fantasy football season. Continue reading →

NFL Storylines: Week 3

Joe Pasquali is back with another post here on America’s White Boy. He had stopped by a few times to rattle off some analysis and critique. He writes some thoughts about week 3 of the NFL season. Who are the pretenders and contenders this season? Which teams have a quarterback controversy brewing?

It’s only Week 3 of the NFL season and it seems like some of the same quarterbacks are getting injured. The fashionable injury these days is the “rib injury.” I think it would be a great time for McDonald’s to add the McRib back on the menu permanently, but that’s me.

Contenders and Pretenders

San Francisco (2-0)- Love the rushing attack of Frank Gore, but time has shown NFL backs take a ton of wear and tear, need someone to step up as a second option for a 16 game season. Also, Shaun Hill is NOT going to get the job done if you want to play with the big boys. Like the defense and the physical nature Coach Singletary has brought, but they aren’t there yet. Pretender

Denver (2-0)- Moreno is a great back and has this team rolling, but wins at Cincinnati on a fluke play and blowing out the hapless Browns at Mile High won’t impress anyone. The defense seems much improved, but we won’t really know how good they are till week 4 against Dallas. Kyle Orton isn’t a playoff caliber QB. Pretender

New Orleans (2-0)- Everyone knew the Saints would be good, but THIS GOOD?? Yeah, yeah, they stomped on the terrible Lions, but THEN went to Philly and smoked a pretty good Eagles defense. Drew Brees is firing on all cylinders and the running game doesn’t look to shabby either. The Saints defense is forcing turnovers and coming up with some big plays, something this team wasn’t doing the past few years. Contender

Cincinnati (1-1)- The only 1-1 team I am going to mention, and this is because I think a lot of people have them under the radar. They should be 2-0 right now and got their one victory at Lambeau field. The Bengal’s have shown they can run the ball AND stop the run, two things good football teams do. Add a veteran QB with that and you got the chance to do anything. Only problem is, they still play Baltimore and Pittsburgh twice…. Contender

QB Controversies

Detroit- You gave the team to the rookie, let them sink with him. It can’t get worse than last year and he needs time to grow.

Cleveland- You have scored one offensive touchdown in two games, and Brady Quinn has been sacked nine times. You got three options, try a new QB, buy a new O-Line, or fit Brady for a body cast.

Dallas- Tony Romo can’t win big games? Ok, maybe he can’t. But you think Jon Kitna can? Yeah, shut up.

Things to watch in Week 3

Detroit has a good shot at getting it’s first win in 19 games. Washington has looked bad and it’s in Ford Field.

Green Bay should destroy St. Louis by about 20+ points

Frank Gore may have a tough time running against the Vikings this week, expect a lot to fall on Shaun Hill.

Tennessee must win at the Jets. No team has ever started 0-3 and made the playoffs.

Michael Vick will play against the Chiefs. If the Eagles offense sputters, you’ll start to hear the Vick chants from angry Philly fans.

The Cardinals and Colts may score a combined 5012091 points in the Sunday Night Game.
Can Jay Cutler keep up the winning ways in Chicago? It was a close game against Pittsburgh, but was the game against Green Bay just nerves? We will see this week against Seattle.

Could the San Francisco/Minnesota contest be the game of the week? Frank Gore has been the only offensive weapon for the 49ers and Minnesota stops the run. Can Shaun Hill step-up and get his team to 3-0?

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Top 15 Best Back-Up Quarterbacks

The 53-man roster is set for the upcoming 2009 NFL season and most of the teams, I’m looking at you Cleveland, have named their starting quarterbacks. There are a number of good back-up quarterbacks waiting for their opportunity to play, who are the best back-ups? Check out the list for the top 15 back-up quarterbacks.

This list is compiled on the basis that these back-ups will do the best job this season. So the rookies that are waiting in the background that may be good in the future, wouldn’t fit in on this list. Sadly, Jeff Garcia probably would have came in pretty high on this list, but since he was cut from Oakland, he’s not on the list.

1. Matt Leinart – This list is full of guys that have had a shot at the starting job, Leinart never had much of a chance. He was very inexperienced and the offense that Arizona was running, suited Kurt Warner more than Leinart. If Warner goes down, Leinart can do a very good job and keep the Cardinals in the playoff hunt.

2. Daunte Culpepper – He came into camp looking very good and trimmed down a lot of his extra weight. Unfortunately for him, the city of Detroit wants to move forward and named Matthew Stafford as the starting quarterback. Culpepper looked to have finally rebounded from his injuries and could still end up seeing some time behind center this year.

3. Billy Volek – He hasn’t had a shot at the starting gig since he has been in San Diego, but he definitely has an arm. He put up some staggering numbers when he was with the Titans and could repeat those numbers with Chris Chambers at wide receiver. He is a quality back-up, but Phillip Rivers is a Pro-Bowler and the future of the franchise.

4. Derek Anderson – It looks like Brady Quinn will be the starter in Cleveland, but if Anderson wins the job, add in Quinn at this spot. Anderson had a very productive season a few years back, but has yet to win over the coaching staff in Cleveland. He could end up seeing some time this year, but would probably fair better if he ends up on another team.

5. Vince Young – He was the toast of the town during his rookie season, but one tough loss and a night of questionable behavior has made the city worry about his long-term future. He has played well in the pre-season and he should still end up as the starter if Collins goes down or when he retires. He may not have the best arm, but he can make things happen in the offense.

6. Sage Rosenfels – If you forget about the game against Indianapolis last season, he filled in very well for the Houston Texans. The Vikings signed him to a pricey contract for a back-up, as he did show signs of excellence over the past few years. He can pass the ball well and is a model professional as a back-up. If ends up a starter at some point, he can do a good job.

7. Tyler Thigpen – Kansas City was scrambling for a quarterback last season and Thigpen did an admirable job, considering the circumstances. He helped the Chiefs be able to be competitive and had a few highlight reel passes. If Cassel’s injury nags him this year, they’ll be okay, but not great.

8. Troy Smith – He was the starting quarterback going into the regular season last year, but he fell sick and lost weight. Joe Flacco ended up having a great rookie season and Smith is an after-thought. He was a great college quarterback and he can help a team with his legs and arm. Flacco is a better option, but Smith can play the position.

9. Michael Vick – I am rating him this low because he hasn’t played football in a few seasons. He has a great upside, but at this point, he probably belongs at this spot. He will see some action at quarterback this year, but mostly in the wildcat offense. He is currently the #3 quarterback, since Kevin Kolb is the second-string, so Vick would have to leapfrog him to take over as the starter, in case of an injury.

10. Chris Simms – Denver has a lot of problems and Simms seems lost in all of the drama. He can play in this league and if he gets a shot, he could excel. If Josh McDaniels can get maximum effort out of Matt Cassel, there is a chance that he can make Simms into something special.

11. Tarvaris Jackson – After his play this off-season, if Minnesota didn’t sign Brett Favre, he may have ended up with the starting job. He looked like a starter the last few games, but with the large contract that Rosenfels received, he needs to play to earn that deal. Jackson looked like the odd man out around the 53-man roster cuts, but they cut John David Booty. Jackson is a good player, but may not receive a shot.

12. Jon Kitna – He has been a starter in this league for years, even if the last few seasons he played in Detroit. He is now the back-up in Dallas and has a relationship with Roy Williams. If Romo goes down, he can play, but would definitely take a step back in the standings.

13. David Carr – It’s amazing that he’s still able to walk after the punishment that he received when he was in Houston. He was sacked nearly every other snap and now he’s the back-up for Eli Manning. He has never showed that he can be a starter in this league and the jury is still out if he can handle the pressure and I believe that he has permanent happy feet.

14. Charlie Batch – Ben Roethlisberger is always banged up and Batch seems to see more random time than most back-ups in this league. He has been with the Steelers for a few years and has always done a decent job when needed. They are a run-first team, which helps when he is in there. He is getting up there in age and I’m not sure if he can still handle it like he has in year’s past.

15. Mark Brunell – Speaking of quarterbacks that are getting up their in age, Brunell is the poster child. He was once a back-up for Brett Favre and turned himself into a great starter for Jacksonville. He went to Washington and had minimal success and now finds himself as the back-up in New Orleans. If you are a Saints fan, please pray that Drew Brees stays healthy or it could be a long season. They rely on the pass so much that Brunell wouldn’t be a great fit in their offense.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Why You Shouldn’t Draft These Players

Going into your fantasy football draft, you have a few players already planned that if they are available, you’re going to pick them. You may have an allegiance to them because they are on your favorite team or your favorite fantasy football analyst picked them to have a big year. If you’re on the fence about a few players, here are reasons why you shouldn’t pick certain players. I’m just talking you guys off the ledge, not pushing you off. All of these players will probably be great, but they all have possibilities of an epic fail this year.

Tom Brady – Did you see how his knee bent last year? Also, I’m pretty sure he’s using all of energy on Gisele Bundchen, wouldn’t you?

Aaron Rodgers – Before last season, he was known as “injury-prone,” one full season and that suddenly disappears?

DeAngelo Williams – Jonathan Stewart is a touchdown vulcher…even if he’s only 70% healthy, he’ll still get touches in the red zone.

Michael Turner – see DeAngelo Williams, but add in Tony Gonzalez as the touchdown vulcher.

Jay Cutler – It’s hard to throw a football with a pacifier in your mouth.

Peyton Manning – He spent the off-season filming commercials and Marvin Harrison is currently sitting on a couch somewhere.

Adrian Peterson – Brett Favre is in town and he’s the NFL version of Stephon Marbury, he’s a ball hog.

Donovan McNabb – He looks like he’s been eating a lot of Chunky Soup lately…probably an extra 15 pounds of beef and potatoes in his mid-section.

Matt Cassel – I hear Scott Mitchell called and he said that he wishes him the best this season.

Thomas Jones – He had more candles on his last birthday cake than touchdowns he has left in his career.

LaDanian Tomlinson – Emmit Smith looked good in a Cardinals uniform right? Jerry Rice was great for the Seahawks, right? Tomlinson will probably look good in a Texans uniform next year too.

Chad Pennington – Does he have any ligaments or tendons left in his arm?

Brian Westbrook – The Eagles have already ear-marked a spot on the injury report for him, right between Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis.

David Garrard – If he can somehow be able to throw from his back, maybe he can throw a few touchdowns.

Maurice Jones-Drew – When Warrick Dunn went to the only option in the backfield he had his worst year.

Calvin Johnson – He should probably play quarterback and throw passes to himself.

Chris Johnson – LenDale White will eat him by Week 4.

Brandon Jacobs – You should probably pick him early or he will go to your draft and give you a power-bomb courtesy of Captain Insano.

Eli Manning – You may have a better year if you draft Archie.

Steven Jackson – Remember when he was a first-round pick? Back when the Rams played like an NFL team…it’s been awhile.

Kyle Orton – Did you see his pre-season games? That’s probably why he’s still available.

Matt Schaub – Do you think he will be healthy all year this season? Didn’t you ask youself that the last two seasons?

Marion Barber – I’m sure Felix Jones won’t take any touchdowns away from him this year…even though Jerry Jones is in love with him. Nah, go ahead and draft him, yeah….yeah.

Ben Roethlisberger – After getting punished last year by an awful offensive line pass protection, they have improved it right? No? Okay, stay away from Big Ben.

Kevin Smith – He plays for the Detroit Lions.

Tony Gonzalez – The Falcons were 31st in the NFL at throwing to the tight end last season.

Terrell Owens – He will be a contestant for “I Love New York” by mid-season. No one will notice that he is gone.

Brandon Marshall – An emotional, hot-headed, receiver always does well when their team is bad. I’m sure he will keep his composure and not demand a trade. Oops!

Trent Edwards – I’m glad that he has that Stanford degree to fall back on. I hear J.P. Losman already landed a new job.

JaMarcus Russell – Al Davis bet the farm on him, but he looks like he has eaten all of the animals.

Reggie Bush – Kim Kardashian broke up with him, his year has already started horribly, do you think its going to get better?

Larry Johnson – Todd Haley loves to pass the ball, the Arizona Cardinals running attack was putrid last year.

Willie Parker – Don’t turn around, Rashard Mendenhall is right behind you.

Chad Ocho Cinco – I’m sure all that UStream experience will be handy on the field.

Joseph Addai – When your team drafts a top player at your position, how do you take it?

Braylon Edwards – Maybe he will get an endorsement for “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter,” on top of his “5-Hour Energy” endorsment money.

Darren McFadden – He plays on a team where his coach broke the face of an assistant. Sounds like a good team atmosphere for a break-out season.

Michael Vick – A few months out of prison and all the pressure to perform well to resurrect his career…you think he’ll be pretty calm and clear-minded?

Brady Quinn – Express and Limited Corporations are located in Ohio, maybe he can pose for some modeling campaigns on the sideline when he’s holding a clipboard by mid-season.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Will Dungy Cut Ties With Vick?

Dick Ebersol, the head of NBC Sports, has recently met with Tony Dungy about his relationship with Michael Vick. Dungy is a football analyst for NBC’s “Football Night In America.” A possible conflict of interest could be taking place with Dungy’s involvement with Michael Vick’s career. He has been instrumental in landing him a job with the Philadelphia Eagles and his spiritual guidance over the last few months. Do you think Dungy’s relationship would interfere with his job at NBC?

I was listening to the Dan Patrick Show and he mention that Ebersol told Dungy that he needs to end his relationship with Michael Vick, due to conflict of interest. It is reported that Dungy has obliged and will end the professional relationship with the trouble quarterback. Now that he has a job, Ebersol thinks that Dungy’s job is over. I believe he would still help Vick spiritually, since he preaches religion in all of his public speaking engagements and in his book, “Quiet Strength.”

Dungy did have a conflict of interest with Vick, but it would be the same conflict that would happen if Peyton Manning would call him about information on an opponent. It’s a double-edged sword and NBC didn’t want that to muddle up the broadcasts.

I believe that Dungy would be critical of Vick if he had to on a national broadcast. If he ends up playing and made a horrible play, I believe Dungy would call him out on it. He has integrity and knows that he has a job to do, even if he has a strong personal or professional relationship with Michael Vick. I hope he can keep his nose clean without Dungy checking up on him. I know he has done horrible, horrible things in the past, but I believe in second chances. I haven’t posted much about Michael Vick in the past, because I believe that everything about him, was overly-opinionated and so one-sided, it wasn’t fair. I hope he turns around his life and can find piece without the competition of dog fighting forever.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

The Ultimate Fantasy Sleeper: Deon Butler

I have been looking for the ultimate fantasy football sleeper. I have been looking through training camp notes, pre-season game box scores, and random internet/radio banter. I think I am ready to proclaim by choice, it’s Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver, Deon Butler. Am I crazy? Is this extremely bold? Maybe I am a little crazy, but I am not very bold with this pick, you just may not be aware.

The Seattle Seahawks have been a passing offense since Matt Hasselbeck has been the quarterback in Seattle. Was that because Mike Holmgren was calling plays? Maybe that is the case, but I don’t see them being a running offense like many analysts believe that they could be this year. It true that Jim Mora Jr. had one of the best running games when he was in Atlanta, but he had Michael Vick! People seem to forget that Vick had about 60-70 yards per game running the ball. If you add that to any marginal running attack, they would be in the top 5. Jim Mora has already spent time with the team over the last couple seasons, so I wouldn’t expect a huge change with the team this year.

When you look at Seattle’s wide receiver corps, Deon Butler looks to be the 4th or 5th option. I don’t see that being the case. I know T.J. Houshmandzadeh is probably the #1 and Deion Branch and Nate Burleson are the #2 and #3 targets. Heck, even my pick last year, Ben Obumanu is probably a good bet to see the ball some this year. Saying all of that, can you remember a year when Branch and Burleson were both healthy? They seem to be injury-prone and both are getting old. Hasselbeck has a tendency to spread the ball around, even John Carlson will be a nice late-round fantasy option this year. Bobby Engram is gone from Seattle, so he will need another option at wide-receiver, Deon Butler will be your man.

Butler was chosen in the 3rd round and many believe that this year’s wide-receiving draft class was extremely deep. I don’t see them picking him and letting him sit on the bench to season. He will be in games and he will produce. Trust me, no one will be picking him before the last round, unless you’re in a 20-team deep league. Take a chance with Butler, if he lays a goose eggs the first couple weeks, drop him and get someone proven, but he will be a low-risk/high reward receiver for your team. Seattle receivers can be a bit up and down, but stick with him if he produces early.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Breaking News – Vince Young Likes Fried Chicken

I woke up to a lot of banter on morning sports talk shows about the state of mind of Vince Young. Chris Mortensen may have said the most absurd, semi-racist thing I’ve heard before 9am. He was describing the situation where the police was searching for Vince Young and worried about his state of mind. They found him at his buddy’s house watching Monday Night Football. Mortensen said, “He was just at his buddy’s house eating fried chicken and watching football.” I think a better use of words could have been used when describing what Young was doing at a friend’s house. I mean you either refrain from using “fried chicken” in reference to a African-American male or you go all out and make it like he was re-enacting a scene from the movie “Friday” or “Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In Your Hood.”

Vince Young seems like a pretty weak person. The kind of person that has went through life where he’s been showered with praise. I know he may have had a harsh childhood financially, but you know he had the football field to rip the local guys up when he was feeling a little down. He hasn’t had the chance to do anything in the NFL yet, the only reason they were in the playoffs last year was due to Indianapolis playing Jim Sorgi and resting Peyton Manning in the final game of the year.

Yong has a few weeks to heal up physically and get his mind around the situation. I think he may need a mentor to help him through everything or he’ll end up like Michael Vick. I’m not saying that he is going to be the Don King of professional dog-fighting, but he will end up being a bust and never maturing into the kind of NFL player he should become. The Titans did sign Chris Simms, he also went to University of Texas, I don’t think they have much in common, but maybe he can help Young out. The best situation would have been the Titans drafting Limas Sweed, Young target at UT in last year’s draft, but that didn’t happen.

Kerry Collins isn’t going to steal anyone’s job away. Collins has had some success in the NFL, he lead a star-less NY Giants offense to the Super Bowl nearly a decade ago. If the Titans signed Daunte Culpepper or drafted another young quarterback last season, Young would have been all but out of Tennessee, but it’s still his job to lose.

I would have checked the clubs out first before I called the cops.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Happy 4-20 Day

I just wanted to wish a Happy 4-20 Day to everyone that enjoys the illegal plant. I would like to wish a special 4-20 Day for Ricky Williams and Michael Vick. They should be on the Mount Rushmore of pro athletes would smoke the ganja. Sadly Mr. Vick or Inmate 34534546, cannot participate in this year’s festivities. I guess Ricky can’t either since he is getting drug screened everyday in-between his Cocoa Puffs and Lunch. Well, maybe next year guys, keep up hope.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.