SB Nation User Blog: whiskey chainsaw

Do you think any Seahawks do this?

whiskey chainsaw — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:36:38 -0000

Do you think any Seahawks do this?

This is John Henderson, a Jacksonville Jaguar's final pregame preparation before going out to the field. Reminds me of something you'd see in a movie...

The Official Fantasy Football Thread – Week 14. The place for fantasy talk, thought, questions and general fantasy ranting.

whiskey chainsaw — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:20:47 -0000

Here at Field Gulls we’ve had discussions on just about every aspect of football, including having discussions about when we can or should have discussions about Fantasy. Well, this IS the place. You can, if you must, add fantasy talk in additional game threads, but be warned, someone may be watching, and they may be mocking. Here, you have free rein to talk your team’s reign or your rain of injuries.

Something to note, and this should be a true football fan’s golden ticket when it comes to heaven and hell and the voiding of the warranty on your soul.

The first rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.
The second rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.

On this site, NEVER cheer against the Seahawks due to your fantasy roster. My personal rule is to avoid as much as possible acquiring division rivals, or to avoid playing them against the Seahawks if reasonably possible. Statements like, “Well, at least I have Larry Fitzgerald on my fantasy team” (if) he was scorching the Hawks will unleash the hounds of hell upon you. Please don’t be that one bastard playing the “Don’t Come” line at the craps table. Not only will you bring bad mojo to everybody, but you’ll likely get verbally harassed, if not banned. You’re a Seahawk fan, you aren’t “that guy” you are one of OUR guys—act like it!

The NFL season may still be a jockeying for playoff position, but this is playoff week for a lot of you.

The interesting thing about Fantasy Playoffs is the lack of connection to the real playoffs. I’ve even heard it called the Peyton factor. You know what I’m referring to—that team that finished your league regular season 3 games up in first place, but they have Peyton Manning leading them, and come fantasy playoff time he’s phasing down as the Colts “get healthy” for the NFL playoffs. I’ve seen this destroy many a so-called well constructed fantasy team.

There may even be a lesson in that for us… but I don’t know if it is for GM’s drafting fantasy teams to avoid the Colts, or for the Colts to learn their lesson and stop going into cruise control come week 14 just to lose in their first playoff game.

I personally made the playoffs in one league while going 6-7. I still am convinced my team is dangerous for the playoffs, but I had a really bad QB matchup—a struggling Carson Palmer vs. Minnesota. I picked up Vince Young earlier in the week, but he’s now listed as questionable and didn’t practice Friday—not a good sign. I went back to the waiver wire and found Hasselbeck sitting there. Hey, if I’m going to lose, I might as well lose with MY QB, DAMMIT. C’mon, Matty. Pull one more great one out for me, and of course-- the Hawks.

Pickups of the week – Quinton Ganther, RB Washington. Chris Brown, RB Houston. With Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts on the IR, Ganther is a starter by default. With Steve Slaton on IR, someone is going to get the carries in Houston, we just don't know who yet. Being that Brown has already also gotten the goal line looks, he’s your man. Pick them both up for bench strength, but sit Brown against Seattle’s stout run D this week.

Drop of the Week – Steve Slaton, RB Houston. Projected for 14th overall in Yahoo’s rankings, he went on the IR a disappointing 64th overall with 4 games to play. Matt Forte owners are all wishing it was their guy that went down instead, to put them out of suffering. And seeing how Chicago plays Green Bay this week, safe to say the suffering will continue.

Start of the Week – Ray Rice RB Baltimore (vs. Detroit). Last week was the first week all season Rice did not go over 100 combined yards from scrimmage, and Baltimore is hurting right now, but Detroit is hurting worse. Look for the Ravens to ride Rice to a win while they keep themselves in the wildcard hunt.

That’s it for this week. Good luck for those of you in the playoffs!

Greetings Eagle fans. I have a QB "controversy" for you involving Kevin Kolb.

whiskey chainsaw — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:47:53 -0000

Over in Seattle we are looking toward the future, our Hasselbeck-led window of opportunity closing quickly, if it hasn't already slammed shut.

This has led to a lot of talk about future QB's in Seattle. I know well the love/hate relationship Philly has had with McNabb. Personally, I've always liked him and would be happy to have him until he can no longer perform. You also seem to have found your "QB of the future" as well.... but that's where this discussion comes in.

There are really three non-Hasselbeck options for us going forward that have been discussed in the Pacific Northwest. 1) Draft a rookie, to either play right away or learn under Matt or a journeyman. 2) Go trade for a QB with upside in our system 3) find a vet who can play right away with potential to be a solid starter going forward for a while.

The first option has a debate between big names like McCoy, Clausen, Jake Locker, and the like. The second option points to you and Mr. Kevin Kolb. The third interestingly, gives us a guy you are familiar with-- Jason Campbell.

My questions for you--It has been suggested to trade for Kolb. Do you see him as being the least bit available? What would it take? Would it be worth it? Starting from scratch, is Kolb a guy you would feel comfortable rebuilding with? Do you believe he showed enough in 2 games to be worth giving a 1st round pick to pry him away?

Bottom line-- if you were in our shoes and not yours, would you rather have Kolb, any of the three college guys I listed, or Jason Campbell, and why?

Thanks Bleeding Green. I used to bleed green too, until the NBA stole my lifeblood... sigh.

The Official Fantasy Football Thread – Week 11. The place for fantasy talk, thought, questions and general fantasy ranting.

whiskey chainsaw — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:12:48 -0000

Here at Field Gulls we’ve had discussions on just about every aspect of football, including having discussions about when we can or should have discussions about Fantasy. Well, this IS the place. You can, if you must, add fantasy talk in additional game threads, but be warned, someone may be watching, and they may be mocking. Here, you have free rein to talk your team’s reign or your rain of injuries.

Something to note, and this should be a true football fan’s golden ticket when it comes to heaven and hell and the voiding of the warranty on your soul.

The first rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.
The second rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.

On this site, never cheer vocally against the Seahawks due to your fantasy roster. Statements like, "Well, at least I have Larry Fitzgerald on my fantasy team" (if) he was scorching the Hawks will unleash the hounds of hell upon you. Please don’t be that one bastard playing the "Don’t Come" line at the craps table. Not only will you bring bad mojo to everybody, but you’ll likely get verbally harassed, if not banned. You are a Seahawk fan, you are not "that guy" you are one of OUR guys—so act like it!

Rants and Ramblings.

I have a confession to make. I might not be the best person to be giving fantasy advice. I haven’t won a fantasy championship in three years. I feel a little like Dan Marino in around ’85. You know he believed he was going to make it back to the promised land and win one, and he never again got close… Speaking of which, don’t you feel a little like Dan Marino is about to wrap his isotoners around someone’s neck the next time they mention how great a leader and winner and talented of a quarterback is Ben Roethlisberger?

However little I’ve won recently, I do believe I put together good teams. I think my rationale is sound… it’s just… the luck part of fantasy football and poker seem to fall away from me.

Fantasy football is an endeavor in hope, and all you can do as fantasy GM is put the best possible pieces together and pray they stay healthy and perform up to expectations. Well, isn’t that interesting. Sounds a little like the same thing that a real GM has to deal with. So the next time you have some commentary about Ruskell’s inability to put together whatever aspect of the Hawks you find lacking, ask yourself this—are you in first place in your Fantasy League, a place far more inherently easy to win than the NFL? If not, perhaps your methodology for expectation in the Hawks is a little off base, eh?

Let’s talk a little about "Luck" as it pertains to fantasy football. I completely believe there are times where you make your own luck, but we have to be cognizant that there are times where things just break bad. One team in my keeper league has ZERO luck. Two weeks ago, he made a blockbuster, trading Matt Forte for Roy Williams, a 2nd round pick, and a RB outperforming Forte with a less attractive contract, Ronnie Brown. One week later, Brown goes down, lost for the year to injury. This is the 2nd time this has happened to him, as two years ago he traded for Cadillac Williams the week before he blew his ACL. Guy just needs to stay away from ex-Auburn teammates when trading for running backs.

I’ll be sure to let you know if he trades for Brandon Jacobs, since Jacobs started his college career in that same Auburn backfield…

Continuing on the "luck" tangent, listen to this team, in a .5 ppr 10 team league. (PPR= Point Per Reception)

QB - Carson Palmer, Matt Ryan
RB - AP, Ray Rice, Kevin Smith, Steve Slaton (and a recently picked up Larry Johnson on a flier.)
WR – Greg Jennings, Anquan Boldin, Percy Harvin, Nate Burleson
TE – Dustin Keller (just picked him while dropping a fading Todd Heap)
K – Stephen Gostkowski
D – Cincy.

Looks pretty good, right? Great RB’s, a solid QB, talented WR’s, best kicker in the game and a top 5 defense.

Yeah, well, I’m 4-6 and in 8th place. How is that even possible, that this team can be below .500 and on a three game losing streak?!? 6 teams make the playoffs, just have to hope I can get hot and pull an NC State tourney run. Survive and advance, survive and advance. The league playoffs aren’t until week 14, but mine start this week. Hope my team gets the memo.
---

The Picks.

The YOU IDIOT start from last week: NYJ D vs. Jacksonville. Apparently I didn’t get the memo that the NYJ D hasn’t done anything since about week 5, and Jacksonville has done nothing but get better offensively since the shellacking our Hawks put on them.

Dump of the Week: NYJ D. They’ve gone down hill from a modest to solid start, to a matchup start. Now with only Buffalo and TB left as potential matchup starts, there are better week to week D’s available. Let them go and don’t pick them back up!

The "You’ve got the touch" Reach Start of the Week: Beanie Wells against St. Louis. If you are ever going to start him, St. Louis is the team to do it against. Otherwise, might as well shelf him the rest of the way.

The bad idea play of the week: Hate to say it, but it’s our boy Matt Hasselbeck. Minnesota’s given up a ton of passing yardage this year, but most of it has been mid to deep routes, not check downs. For Matt to have a big game, his wide receivers are going to have to kill it in the YAC categories. Not to mention we’re at Minny, which means snap count/audible issues and of course, Jared Allen coming around the corner hard and fast. Not good.

And, because someone commented in a thread a while back that AP might be primarily a product of his line, not that he is a great back, but only that he is "pretty good" or some such. Here is a first half of 2009 highlight reel in HD. Guy is crazy good. Check 1:42 for a little Pittsburgh beat down (how can that NOT make a Seahawk fan happy, even if it wasn't our guy handing out the beat down.

We get to watch the best back in the league this week… may the Hawks contain him.

Jordan Kent signs with St. Louis.

whiskey chainsaw — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:33:41 -0000

Jordan Kent signs with St. Louis.

I still wish him well and hope he sticks in the NFL.

The Official Fantasy Football Thread – Week 10.

whiskey chainsaw — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15:23 -0000

The place for fantasy talk, thought, questions and general fantasy ranting.

This is a new concept to be put out weekly. This week being new, it is coming later than ideal due to the late thought of creating it.

Here at Field Gulls we’ve had discussions on just about every aspect of football, including having discussions about when we can or should have discussions about Fantasy. Well, this IS the place. You can, if you must, add fantasy talk in additional game threads, but be warned, someone may be watching, and they may be mocking. Here, you have free rein to talk your team’s reign or your rain of injuries.

Something to note, and this should be a true football fan’s golden ticket when it comes to heaven and hell and the voiding of the warranty on your soul.

The first rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.
The second rule of Fantasy Football, you do NOT root for players against your favorite team.

Never NEVER EVER cheer against the Seahawks due to your fantasy roster. My personal rule is to avoid as much as possible acquiring division rivals, or to avoid playing them against the Seahawks if reasonably possible. Statements like, "Well, at least I have Larry Fitzgerald on my fantasy team" (if) he was scorching the Hawks will unleash the hounds of hell upon you. Avoid playing those guys. I have Boldin in one league, Beanie in another. Both will be sitting this week on principle. I suggest, STRONGLY, that you do the same. But if you don’t, please don’t be that one bastard playing the "Don’t Come" line at the craps table. Not only will you bring bad mojo to everybody, but you’ll likely get verbally harassed, if not banned. You’re a Seahawk fan, you aren’t "that guy" you are one of OUR guys—act like it!

Weeks 8-10 are the “Moving Weeks” of fantasy football.

If you don’t know what your team looks like at this point, you probably never will. If you are out of it now in a keeper league, time to start trading for next year, and if you’re in it time to become a buyer, selling your team’s future soul for a chance at a trophy right here right now. In playoff leagues, teams are jockeying for position and starting to look at matchups for those playoff weeks while thinking of trades. Heroes, and goats, are created right here and now.

These are grave times we live in friends, and a fantasy championship cannot be achieved for anyone without the absolute fullest of dedication, a commitment to excellence in waiver wire scouring, and a steady hand when making the big trade, and of course, a great deal of luck.

By now, studs and frauds have been discovered or discarded. Yes, Mike Sims-Walker is a viable option and near must-start. No, nobody knows what the hell happened to Jay Cutler OR Matt Forte. And, of course, the one owner in your league holding out for Beanie Wells to “put it together” is just gonna have to wait at least one more week. Oh, and Steve Slayton, I’m talking to you. STOP FUMBLING!!!! I need your production, dammit. On top of that, some asshat picked Moats off the waiver wire by iphone before I could get to a computer. Kurt Warner? START FUMBLING!!! You’ve looked just a little too good so far, and if the Hawks are gonna make a serious run, Natty Matty Beer Bong needs to get on the field and help the Hawk cause.

Personally, I have two leagues I “care about” due to actual money being involved, and one that is all about the pride, in the NFC of the FieldGulls Invitation League. The interesting thing about these three leagues is that I’ve never seen fantasy leagues so wide open. I want to hear from you on this, because I don’t know if this is just my leagues, or all leagues, but there are a lot of teams still in it.

In my keeper league, 7 of the 10 teams are within two games of first place. This has completely restricted trades, as nobody can decide if they are a buyer or a seller, and the three teams out of it are so gawd awful, about the only thing they can provide is a blueprint for what NOT to do when rebuilding a team. I’m surprised none of them have changed their team name to “Mangini’s Weinies.”

In my yahoo league, one team is 7-2, two are 3-6, and the rest are all either 5-4 or 4-5. Six teams get into the playoffs, so not a single team is out of that league. And in the NFC, there are eight teams in it and four teams making plans to watch the college basketball. If they’re making plans to watch the NBA, may they join David Stern in the afterlife.

A couple notes from my league matchups.

The Marv Albert “YESSSSSSS!” Star of the Week: Drew Brees vs. St. Louis.
Too bad it’s the other guy’s QB. Sigh.

The Anakin Skywalker “NOOOOoooooOOOO!” Sit of the Week: Jay Cutler.
I know, I’m cheating. But this was also the guy I went against, and he sat Forte to play Cutler. I’m now ahead Zero to -8, and haven’t used up any players yet. Gotta love it!

The "You're Crazy Man" Start of the Week: Devery Henderson vs. St. Louis.
He’s a big play guy playing a weak pass defense in a game that should get out of hand pretty early. Look for something like 4-115 with 1 TD. Considering I have Andre Johnson and NYG Steve Smith on the bench, I’ll take any WR help I can get this week.

So here it is all. A thread for fantasy talk. Have at it, this is open season on all things fantasy football related. And no, Erin Andrews does not count as football related.

Looking for a decent Tatupu highlight vid...

whiskey chainsaw — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:18:54 -0000

Can anyone help? I've been scouring the youtubes with little success.

Specifically I want a clip of the hit against Carolina in the playoffs when he knocked the Carolina RB out of the game. I'm trying to explain to my housemate-- a Cardinal fan-- how incredible that hit was, and words just aren't doing me justice.

Can anyone help with this, post a link or some such? Thanks all!

Another great hit I'd love to have is on the old school NFL Crunch course Video-- it had Pete Gross announcing and I think it was against KC, Freddy Young came out of nowhere on a kickoff and just absolutely leveled the return man.

Anyone know of a secret stash of unbelievable and or classic Hawks highlights from over the years???

Are we done improving the team for 2009?!?

whiskey chainsaw — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:29:31 -0000

There is a very talented and young player out there who certainly seems worthy of a roster spot at SS if Lawyer Milloy is... Bernard Pollard, anyone?!?

I can't help but to look out there and see Bernard Pollard, a 24 year old 2 year starter at SS for the Chiefs. Now admittedly the Chiefs haven't been great, but he has managed 90-100 tackles a year in his two years as a starter and he was unceremoniously dropped from the roster come cut day.

I have heard there was something going on involving he and a defensive coach having a disagreement, but haven't heard any details. I just can't help wondering if a player like this (or any others) could be a welcome addition to our team while improving the overall talent.

Let's be honest, Lawyer Milloy is NOT the answer he is barely a stop-gap, and I think we all have a fear he will get the majority of the snaps at SS. Why not take a chance on an upside guy like Pollard instead of a downside guy like Milloy? Or even add both of them if that's what it takes to make the secondary maximized...

Jake Locker, NFL prospect?!?

whiskey chainsaw — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:22:28 -0000

Am I the only one blown away by his performance against LSU?

I know the numbers weren't incredible, but they certainly seemed solid to me.

25-45, 55%; 320 yards 2TD/1INT

Several of those incomplete passes seems more like great decisions to get the ball out and avoid trouble, something you just don't see from many college QB's. In addition, his pocket presence was excellent, his touch much improved and he still has the speed to leg one out when needed.

I really feel he is a better NFL prospect today, right this minute, than Tim Tebow. Of course he doesn't play for Florida so he doesn't have the "is this guy the next Brett Favre all the announcers love him intangibles" Tebow owns.

I do admit I'm thankful for that...

I look at his coach and new system, with newfound touch and pocket presence, and I see a guy that will in a year, or two if he stays, be a better long term NFL option at QB than Colt McCoy or Timmy T. I ask you how many great (or even playable) pro QB's came out of Mack Strong's offense, or even Urban Meyer's?!? Even their elite level guys have not panned out to date. Maybe Sark is the key to resurrecting Quarterback U...

Admittedly with the third of the "Big Three" I do like Bradford a lot, but he's injured already and you can't help but to think that his smallish frame may not ever let him realize his full NFL potential. He looks like injuries could be a long term issue for him, even if you see this one as a "freak event."

Thoughts, people???

Oh, one more note-- while a fan, I'm not a bleeding purple Husky grad putting this thought process together. And before last night, I didn't feel nearly as confident in Locker. I just think he was incredible; that it wasn't a highwater mark, but it was a show of things to come...

Why your team sucks, NY Giants... incredibly funny vid included!

whiskey chainsaw — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:47:59 -0000

Why your team sucks, NY Giants... incredibly funny vid included!

You have to see the drunk over-emotional Giant fan bawling about the team losing in the playoffs... priceless!