SportsCrack

MLB Powerless Rankings: Memorial Day Edition

First off, happy Memorial Day to everyone and a special thanks to everyone in our military. God bless America.

Moving on, this weeks Powerless Rankings see little mix up in regards to who made the cut (that applies to the Power Rankings as well). However there was a shakeup in the actual ranking of the teams. We’re beginning to see the same faces (or logos if you will) on either side of the rankings, so it appears we’ve finally moved past the ‘season is still early’ defense. We're almost a third of the way through the season for goodness sake!

Powerless Rankings

26. Colorado Rockies (20-30, LW: MM)

The Colorado Rockies have been struggling to stay afloat but they keep on being hit by the injury bug. The biggest of which, Troy Tulowitzki, is out until at least the All Star break. Other key injuries to their roster include (but are not limited to) Clint Barmes, Luis Vizcaino, Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday. Considering all their injuries, it’s actually a testament to the overall skill level of the team that they have the record that they do.

Prognosis: Once they have everyone healthy, they should be back on track. The only problem is, when will that be?

Team LVP: Manny Corpas, who has a 6.20 ERA and a mere 4 saves, an extreme turnaround from last year.

27. Kansas City Royals (21-29, LW: NR )

The Royals finally did what they’ve been threatening to do all year: go on a ridiculously long losing streak. At the moment, K.C. is sitting on 7 losses in a row. If they keep it up, they will surely be a perfect example of why April and early May performances don’t mean much in regards to how a team will do for the whole season.

Prognosis: The team has talent, they’re just a few years away from being a contender.

Team LVP: Tony Pena Jr. who is hitting .165 with 7 ribbies (in 139 at bats). Yes, that’s it.

28. San Francisco Giants (20-31, LW: 30)

Just when the Giants go on a losing streak (3 games), their next game gets postponed and they drop both games in a double header. This team just can’t catch a break. The team’s pitching (save for Tim Lincecum and a couple of players in the bullpen) is starting to play like the offense. A la, horrible.

Prognosis: Now that pitching is starting to play on par with the offense -- barring an unlikely turnaround, this team is done.

Team LVP: Barry Zito, who finally got his first win on Friday night. Even so, he’s 1-8 and it’s going to take a lot more wins to pardon him from this award.

29. San Diego Padres (19-33, LW: 29)

The Padres have the second worst team in the MLB in runs scored. There pitching is a bit worse than middle of the road, ranking 18th in the league in ERA. I know I don’t have to tell you this, but if you have one of the two worst offenses in the league and a mediocre at best pitching staff, your not going to be good. At all. All season. Like the Giants, barring something crazy happening, the Padres season doesn’t look too good.

Prognosis: To make matters worse, their best pitcher, Jake Peavy, who was almost single handedly keeping the Padres alive is on the disabled list. Not good, not good at all.

Team LVP: Khalil Greene, whose .221 average, 5 home runs and 3 stolen bases would be good if it were April. Unfortunately for him (and us, especially if he’s on your fantasy team like me) it’s not.

And the loser is…

30. Seattle Mariners (18-33, LW: 27)

Both sides of Seattle’s team are ranked in the bottom third of the league, with their pitching staff the second worst in the entire league. The offense isn’t much better, ranking an unimpressive 23rd. The Mariners are on a 6 game losing streak and have Boston coming into town for a 3 game set.

Prognosis: The Mariners will be lucky to win one of their upcoming 3 games against the Red Sox. If they don’t take today’s game against a rehabbing Bartolo Colon (with their ace Felix Hernandez going up against him), don’t expect them to win any at all.

Team LVP: Jarrod Washburn, whose 6.54 ERA and 32 strikeouts help explain why he only has 2 wins in 10 starts.

Mediocre mentions (MM): Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Cleveland Indians

Power Rankings

5. Chicago Cubs (29-21, LW: 1)

Just when the Cubs looked at the top of their game, ranking number one in the power rankings, they go 1-4 over their next 5. All of those losses came against two gritty teams in Pittsburgh and Houston, so we’ll chalk the slump up to a bad week.

Team MVP: It’s still Derrek Lee who is playing out of his mind. A .301 average with 11 HR’s, 34 RBI’s and a .364 OBP? Forget being the Cubs MVP, Lee is making a strong case for the league MVP.

4. Boston Red Sox (31-22, LW: 2)

The Red Sox have dropped three straight and given up sole possession of first place to the Rays. With a three game set up ahead against the Mariners however, expect them to right the ship.

Team MVP: Kevin Youkilis who is batting .306 with 9 HR’s and 35 RBI’s.

3. Arizona Diamondbacks (30-20, LW: 3)

Even though they’ve taken two of three from the Braves and are tied for the best record in the league, the Diamondbacks were swept by the Marlins in a three game set this past week. Luckily for them, the previous two teams had similar (albeit a bit worse) slumps.

Team MVP: Brandon Webb who is 9-1 with a 2.69 ERA and 56 strikeouts. He is the front runner in the NL Cy Young race and was the major piece of an early season fantasy trade that has had me lamenting even thinking of trading him. If your wondering I got Michael Bourn, Takashi Saito and Dana Eveland in return. And yes, I know I’m a dumb ass.

2. Florida Marlins (29-20, LW: HM)

The Marlins have been knocking at the Power Ranking door for the past couple of weeks, consistently getting at least an honorable mention. They’ve finally fought their way in. A sweep of the skilled Diamondbacks was the kicker.

Team MVP: Dan Uggla who in my mind is the front runner in the NL MVP race. Out of his 16 home runs, 12 were in May which is tied for fourth best all time.

And the winner is...

1. Tampa Bay Rays (30-20, LW: 5)

Okay, it’s finally happened. We can all officially stop being surprised as the Rays continue to win. They are a good, nay -- great team. They have all the makings of a contender and could be the Cinderella story of the season. So seriously everyone, let’s just come to grips with the fact that they’re a winner. It’s almost June.

Team MVP: Uber-prospect Evan Longoria already has two walk off hits in what is his first full season in the majors. Add to that 7 home runs, 27 ribbies, 3 stolen bases and a .319 OBP and what you’ve got is the makings of a super-duper star.

Honorable mentions (HM): St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics

Again, Happy Memorial Day and please do take a moment to remember all that have died for our rights including the free speech that we so enjoy.

Sport Crack’s UFC 84: Ill Will Recap

Even though some of UFC 84’s most hyped matches didn’t quite play out how we may have wanted, it was still a great ticket. Besides, any UFC even is a good event, that much is common knowledge. UFC 84 saw knockouts, submissions, ground technicians and a main event that lived up to all that preceded it.

Warning: Spoilers follow. If you’ve taped it and still haven’t seen it, and somehow got this far -- well, I warned you.

Christian ‘The Hungarian Nightmare’ Wellisch (8-3-0) vs. Shane Carwin (8-0-0)

This fight would finish second for quickest fights to end for the evening. Up and comer Shane Carwin clocked The Hungarian Nightmare, sending him reeling -- without missing a step, Carwin would go on to pound Wellisch until the referee stopped the fight at 0:44 in the 1st round.

Victor: Carwin by 1st round KO

John ‘War Machine’ Copenhaver (5-1-0) vs. Yoshiyuki ‘Zenko’ Yoshida (9-2-0)

In yet another match that failed to get past the minute mark, Yoshiyuki Yoshida maneuvered his way into locking in a lethal anaconda choke on Copenhaver. The referee would stop the fight at 0:56 after it was discovered that Copenhaver had actually been put to sleep. Score one for Zenko.

Victor: Yoshida by 1st round submission (anaconda choke)

Ivan Salaverry (12-6-0) vs. Rousimar ‘Toquinho’ Palhares (7-1-0)

This fight went to the ground in a hurry and Palhares had Salaverry in a potential rear naked choke for what seemed like forever. After appearing to finally escape, Palhares dragged Salaverry back down and as smooth as silk, maneuvered his way around to Salaverry’s arm and locked in the arm bar. It was the submission specialist at his finest. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it -- you need to go and find video of it. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

Victor: Palhares by 1st round submission (arm bar)

Tito ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ Ortiz (15-5-1) vs. Ryoto ‘Lyoto’ Machida (12-0-0)

I hadn’t seen much of Machida up until this fight, but after watching him it’s easy to see why he’s undefeated. He has a unique style all his own, quickly and skillfully dodging incoming attacks.

He had Ortiz exasperated at multiple points in the match, but showed at the end of the first round that although he flees for much of his fights, he is lethal when he sees an opening to attack. It was basically cat and mouse the entire time, with Ortiz stalking Machida the entire fight and failing to land any meaningful strikes on him. He had opportunities in the second and third round, but failed to capitalize on them and Machida would stylistically dominate his way into his 13th victory.

Victor: Machida wins by unanimous decision

Wanderlei ‘The Axe Murderer’ Silva (31-8-1) vs. Keith ‘The Dean of Mean’ Jardine (13-3-1)

Even though this would turn out to be the quickest fight of the evening, it was the one I was most looking forward to and it did not fail to live up to my expectations. Although I thought they would go toe to toe for a bit longer, it was common knowledge that this fight was going to be strictly striking.

Unfortunately for Jardine, Silva got the early advantage with a stunning right and in typical Axe Murderer fashion, he finished it off in a hurry. Although many of Silva’s knockouts have been brutal and bloody, it was great to see him attempt to go over multiple times to make sure Jardine was okay. The guy is a class act and shot up my list of favorite fighters by his actions last night.

Victor: Silva by 1st round KO

BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn (12-4-1) vs. Sean ‘The Muscle Shark’ Sherk (32-2-1)

The much awaited main event did not fail to live up expectations, surprisingly remaining upright for the entire fight. Penn and Sherk would trade jabs, hooks and strikes for three straight rounds, leading many to wonder why Sherk wasn’t trying to take it to the ground where he had a better chance of winning. After the fight, Sherk would say he thought he was doing fine on his feet and so no reason to change his strategy. While Sherk did land many blows, Penn seemed just a step ahead of him, keeping him at bay with a stiff jab.

In a controversial ending, a flying knee by Penn followed by multiple strikes led Penn to just stand up and claim Sherk “was done”. After much confusion, and a continuing Penn celebration, it was announced that Penn had won by TKO. The referee had stopped the fight. It was also interesting to note that Sherk stopped using his right hand for much of the end of the fight and may have injured it, although he said nothing of it during his post fight interview. After all the bad blood that had brewed, Penn and Sherk hugged and Penn told Sherk he could come and train with him anytime.

Fifteen straight minutes of kicking the shit out of each other and they both showed class and respect at the end, hugging multiple times. One of the many reasons I love the MMA.

Other fight results:

Dong Hyun Kim defeated Jason Tan by KO in the 3rd round

Rich Clementi defeated Terry Etim by unanimous decision

Rameau Sokoudjou defeated Kazuhiro Nakamura by TKO in the 1st round

Thiago Silva defeated Antonio Mendes by submission in the 1st round

Goran Reljic defeated Wilson Gouveia by KO in the 2nd round

Sport Crack's College Football Preseason Top 10

What, too early?

While some may look quizzically at this ranking due to LSU’s current quarterback situation, I would respond by suggesting they take a look at the rest of the team. They won the national title last year with Matt Flynn at quarterback and not taking anything away from him, but he was no Joe Montana. Much of the championship team of last year is returning and if the current front runner at QB, Jarrett Lee, can learn to not lose ball games and play conservatively enough, the team will be a BCS contender once more.

With many new faces looking to shore up the offensive line, Clemson’s potentially potent offense could all depend on their play. Luckily for them, they play in a relatively weak ACC and although there’s some tough games on their schedule, the offensive line has a much better chance to get some in game experience against some cupcake teams than say, an SEC or Big 12 team would in a similar situation.

With Colt McCoy with two full seasons leading the Longhorn offense under his belt, the promising young QB looks to lead Texas to the glory land that Vince Young led them to once upon a time. Depending on how the new running back performs will have a lot to do with how much McCoy will have to carry the offense and thus, the Longhorns record this season.

After surprising many with last seasons impressive BCS run, the Tigers of Missouri look to have just a successful 2008 with Heisman hopeful Chase Daniel back under center. Guess who else is back? Daniel’s favorite target and yet another Heisman hopeful (although a bit less so than Daniel) Jeremy Maclin.

Speaking of Heisman hopefuls, Mountaineer quarterback Pat White doesn’t have Steve Slaton in the backfield anymore, but with his skills, he doesn’t need him. With the offense likely to be completely focused around the dual threat QB, all that the team will need in 2008 is a respectable showing from their defense and they should have the Big East on lockdown.

It seems that Oklahoma has a title contending team year in and year out… and with good reason, they had one of the top football programs of the last century. It appears there will be nothing new in 2008 with the Sooners, who despite being in a tough Big 12, should yet again be in the conversation for title teams at the end of the season.

Even though NFL U wasn’t in the BCS title game last year doesn’t mean their not going to be a potential contender this year. The Trojans had somewhat of an off year last year (if you could call it that) going 11-2 with both of their losses coming at the hands of conference rivals. Some have the Trojans ranked higher, but I at least want to wait and see which QB they choose and how he’ll handle the immediate pressure that will be thrust upon him.

Speaking of off seasons, the Gators had 4 losses in 2008 and were out of title contention by mid October. Tim Tebow didn’t let that slow him down though, winning the 2007 Heisman trophy and choosing to return this year to hopefully lead the Gators to their second title in three years. With a cream puff schedule, that very well could be the case.

With the Buckeyes being the unanimous number one in this season’s preseason rankings, I just couldn’t bring myself to rank them ahead of the Bulldogs. With one of the easiest schedules of any team in the country next year, the Buckeyes could very well cruise to an undefeated season and yet another championship title appearance.

Despite playing in the toughest conference in the country, I just couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t put the Bulldogs at number one. I am so extremely high on this team that I’m very close to putting a large sum of money on them to win the entire thing. Then again, this is college football we’re talking about -- where just one loss can effectively end your entire quest for playing the most important game of the year. Tough schedule aside, the Bulldogs have many familiar faces returning and look to do something they’ve threatened to do in each of the past few season: Win the BCS national title.

Sport Crack's UFC 84: Ill Will Preview

Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine (13-3-1) vs. Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (31-8-1)

Wanderlei Silva’s last fight was his UFC debut at UFC 79: Nemesis versus Chuck Liddell. Liddell won by unanimous decision in what was a very exciting stand up striking match. On the other side of the Octagon is Keith Jardine, whose last fight was also against The Iceman. Unlike Silva, Jardine won the fight by split decision with the help from his superb kicking ability.

This fight is almost certain to be a standup brawl, similar to the Silva/Liddell fight. I also think that the fight most certainly will not go the full three rounds. As much respect as I have for Jardine as a striker, I think Silva will have something to prove after losing his UFC debut. Not to mention, he needs a win to even be considered for an eventual title shot.

Prediction: Silva wins by KO in the 1st round.

Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz (15-5-1) vs. Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (12-0-0)

Machida, who has won all four of his UFC fights thus far (not to mention all of his fights for his career) will be going against a highly motivated Tito Ortiz in what could be his final fight in the UFC. Ortiz, who hasn’t fought in nearly a year, fought to a draw with Rashad Evens at UFC 73: Stacked. While many people are predicting a Machida victory, I think the fact that Ortiz hasn’t fought in so long has numbed us to just how good he used to be.

While Machida may technically be the better pound for pound fighter, you should never underestimate a man’s pride. Ortiz doesn’t want his last fight in the UFC to be a loss and I’m sure he would love to stick it to Dana White with a victory to end his UFC career.

Prediction: Ortiz wins by split decision.

Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk (32-2-1) vs. BJ “The Prodigy” Penn (12-4-1)

These two cannot wait to get into the Octagon against each other in hopes of destroying the other. This is Sherk’s first fight since he was suspended for violating the UFC’s steroid policy. Sherk’s last loss was to Georges St. Pierre 3 years ago at UFC 56: Full Force. Meanwhile, the UFC Lightweight champion BJ Penn, is coming off two straight victories by rear naked choke, one of which won him the belt against Joe Stevenson at UFC 80: Rapid Fire at the beginning of this year.

Like the Ortiz/Machida match, the majority of people making predictions are going with Penn to defend his belt. However, this is a rivalry of sorts and anything can happen -- not too mention, I love taking the underdog. If Sherk can avoid being submitted and utilize his ground and pound skills, he should have an excellent shot at winning the match. The only problem is, Penn is going to make that very hard for him. If Sherk can take it into the later rounds, his superior conditioning will give him a better shot as well. As much as I’d like to take the underdog in Sherk, though, logical thinking prevails…

Prediction: Penn wins by submission in the 3rd round.

If you plan on watching, then enjoy! If not, I'll be posting a recap later on tonight or early tomorrow, so stay tuned.

MLB Powerless Rankings (5/20/08)

We all know and love (or possibly hate) the phenomenon known as Power Rankings. They provide just about anyone an opportunity to give their opinion on who the best teams are each week in any given league. But don’t we owe it to ourselves to know who the bad teams are as well? Sport Crack is proud to present a new weekly feature: The Powerless Rankings (Now with good teams at the end so you don‘t have such a bad taste in your mouth afterwards)!

This week's edition features a perennial powerhouse having trouble staying on top as well as many familiar faces (or logos, rather). On the opposite side of the fence, the Top 5 teams has one surprise that many uneducated fans are absolutely shocked about. Who is it? Well, do you really expect me to tell you here? Get reading...

26. New York Yankees (20-24, LW: NR)

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I fully expect the Yankees to make a turn around, no doubt about it. But I couldn’t resist dropping them in after they dropped their third game in a row. They’re 1-5 in their last 6.

Prognosis: They're the Yankees for goodness sake! I’m a Sox fan and even I don’t even expect them to suck for much longer. Expect them to turn into the usual Yankees we all know and love (or hate) very soon.

Team LVP: Jason Giambi, batting a definitely unlucky .191. Perhaps he needs a new good luck charm?

27. Seattle Mariners (18-27, LW: 28)

Yes, the Mariners have won two straight -- but guess who they were against? That’s right, the San Diego Padres. But a win’s a win, It’s more than some other teams can say down here.

Prognosis: The offense really needs to get it together. They are in the bottom third of the league in nearly every conceivable offensive category. Poor Felix Hernandez has been pitching his tail off, but with no payoff -- he’s getting hardly any run support.

Team LVP: The entire Seattle Mariners offense.

28. Detroit Tigers (17-27, LW: NR)

Just when you thought they were turning it around and were actually going to play up to their potential, they go ahead and drop five of six games.

Prognosis: If their pitching doesn’t turn it around, I don’t care how potent their offensive lineup is. Not many offenses enjoy playing catch up all the time. Nor can they do so and win.

Team LVP: Justin Verlander, who is a surprising 1-7. Some point out the lack of run support, but I just point back to his 6.05 E.R.A.

29. San Diego Padres (16-30, LW: 30)

I thought long and hard (about 4 minutes) on whether or not I should have left the Padres in the #30 spot. But I just couldn’t get past the Giants losing ways, even though the Padres have the worst record in baseball and at times look like a AAA team.

Prognosis: We’ve come to expect the Padres down here in the basement and they’re looking pretty comfortable. Don’t expect them to leave anytime soon.

Team LVP: Catcher Josh Bard, who’s batting a malignant .202.

And the loser is...

30. San Francisco Giants (17-29, LW: 29)

Another week, another losing streak for the Giants. Surprise, surprise. They are 4-13 so far for the month of May. Welcome to the cellar, boys.

Prognosis: We’re starting to progress deeper in the season, so the Giants have no excuses for their play. Either they start playing better, or they’re going to be out of it before July.

Team LVP: Starting pitcher Barry Zito who is 0-8. Done and done.

Mediocre mentions: Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies

Power Rankings

5. Tampa Bay Rays (26-19, LW: NR)

Who would have thunk it. The Rays are playing fantastic baseball which is a surprise to some, but not a surprise at all to those of us who had listened to our resident Professor Rays before the season. Forget them just starting off good, this team is for real.

Team MVP: Eric Hinske

4. St. Louis Cardinals (27-20, LW: NR)

The Cardinals were at #5 until taking 2 out of 3 from the red hot Rays. St. Louis continues to prove that they first two months are no fluke either, and they here to stay at the top of the league.

Team MVP: Albert Pujols

3. Arizona Diamondbacks (28-16, LW: 1)

They may technically have the best record in baseball, but a recent sweep by the Cubs drops the Diamondbacks to number three. Still not bad for a team that wasn’t supposed to compete this season, eh?

Team MVP: Justin Upton

2. Boston Red Sox (28-19, LW:3)

I will replace a usual statement about the Sox overall in lieu of an official congratulations to Jon Lester for his no hitter last night. Sorry Peter Greenberg, you missed out.

Team MVP: Jon Lester

And the winner is...

1. Chicago Cubs (28-17, LW: 5)

A sweep of the previous number one team in baseball? Unlike some of the other teams on this list, not many people have been taken by surprise by the Cubs play. But they are looking like that the 100th year anniversary of not winning a title may end then and there this season.

Team MVP: Derrek Lee

Honorable mentions: Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Florida Marlins

Images copyrighted by the MLB, 2008.

Arma Drama: Possible QB Controversies for the 2008 season

Never in my years of watching football can I remember there being so many opportunities for a QB controversy. Nearly half of the teams in the league (12) have a potential QB controversy in the works -- and that’s by my estimations, you could probably up it to literally half if you tried hard enough.

By QB controversy, I mean that there is a realistic chance of the starter being replaced before the mid point of the season if he isn’t performing up to par. A team’s fans have a lot to do with this, mainly because if there are two quarterbacks of similar skill on the same team, they will always, always call for the other one should the starter falter. I like to equate it to a Madden franchise when you are in a similar situation. I can’t speak for everyone but the moment my starting QB throws more than one interception and I happen to be playing with a team with a decent backup QB, I’ll bench the starter in a heartbeat. Easy as pie.

It is interesting to note that the AFC South is the only division in the league without a brewing QB controversy. You could try and make a case for Sage Rosenfels as a threat to Matt Schaub but uh, you would probably fail miserably.

The AFC East comes in first with three teams harboring potential QB battles. The NFC North would have been tied with three, but I just couldn’t entertain the thought that Gus Frerotte could ever win anything, never mind a QB battle with an up and coming QB in Tarvaris Jackson. You’re the victor already in my book, T-Jax.

As a disclaimer, I am not an expert (although it‘s fun to pretend). Some of the following teams could ride their starting QB all the way to the Super Bowl for all I know -- so feel free to disagree vehemently in the comments, per usual.

The battle: Jake Delhomme vs. Matt Moore

If Delhomme can stay healthy, this shouldn’t really be an actual battle. But therein lies the problem. Delhomme just had Tommy John surgery and there is a 20-30% chance that he will re-injure his elbow, never mind the odds of him never being the Jake Delhomme that once led the Panthers to a Super Bowl. On the other side of the fence, Matt Moore’s 2007 season didn’t win any accolades , but he did appear to get into a groove in the final three games. It’s also worth noting it was his rookie season and very, very few QB’s have had fantastic rookie seasons. Even the elite ones (I‘m looking at you, Peyton).

Projected victor: Jake Delhomme

The battle: Brody Croyle vs. Damon Huard

The good news for Croyle is that he is still relatively young and will only get better as he learns to understand the game more through in game experience. The Chiefs also showed him a bit of confidence in not pulling a Packer and drafting a QB to watch over his shoulder for the entire season. On the Damon Huard front, he had a mediocre year at best last year, leading the team to a 4-6 record when he started. It would behoove the Chiefs to just run with Croyle who should prove this year whether or not he’s the real deal. They will not win anything with Huard at the helm.

Projected victor: Brody Croyle

The battle: J.P. Losman vs. Trent Edwards

Although the Bills don’t appear to want to give up on J.P. Losman as their franchise QB, they just might have to after Trent Edwards impressive performance last year. The team went 2-4 with Losman starting in 2007, with Losman throwing for 4 TD’s and 6 INT’s. Edwards steered the team to a 5-5 record, throwing for 7 TD’s and 8 INT’s. Edwards did all of the previous in his rookie year, whereas Losman disappointed yet again in his fourth year. Advantage: Edwards.

Projected victor: Trent Edwards

The battle: Jason Campbell vs. Todd Collins

After leading the Redskins to a 5-9 record, Jason Campbell suffered a season ending injury, allowing perennial backup Todd Collins to come in and lead the Redskins to four straight wins and a playoff bid. Even though this is one of the less likely situations to be a controversy since Jason Campbell is young and Todd Collins is… uh, not -- Collins still showed he could win last year. Whether or not it was a fluke or not remains to be seen, perhaps defenses didn’t have enough game tape on him -- he certainly didn’t take the Seahawks by surprise (the Seahawks romped them, 35-14). Barring a Campbell injury or a horrible, horrible span of games, Todd Collins looks to be a backup once more.

Projected victor: Jason Campbell

The battle: Matt Leinart vs. Kurt Warner

In the five games before breaking his collarbone, Matt Leinart failed to play anywhere near a franchise QB level. A 53.6 completion percentage with 2 TD’s and 4 INT’s just wasn’t what the front office (and the fans) expected of him. His five games were actually bogged down by him being replaced by Warner multiple times, who by all accounts gave them a better chance to win despite his age. While it’s anyone’s guess as to how Leinart would have done for the whole year had he not gotten injured, he likely wouldn’t have led the Cardinals to a winning record. Still, he’s only 25 and has the potential to lead the team to the promised land that is the NFL playoffs. Kurt Warner is 36.

Projected victor: Matt Leinart

The battle: Alex Smith vs. Shaun Hill

Granted Alex Smith battled an injury bug last year, but the games he did play in were anemic at best (and I should know, I had the misfortune of starting him on my fantasy team for the first 5 games). Through six, he “led” the team to a 2-4 record, throwing for 914 yards, 2 TD’s and 4 INT’s. His completion percentage was not great either, clocking in at 48.7% for the year. Meanwhile, Shaun Hill would throw for 501 yards, 5 TD’s, 1 INT and an impressive 68.4% completion percentage. Granted, the three games he played in were near the end of the year and they went 2-1 during his tenure, but he still showed he could play if given the chance. The 49ers may just have to come to terms with the fact that they struck out with their 2005 #1 draft pick. Smith was the number one pick overall, and if he hasn’t done anything by now, he’s not going to. End of story.

Projected victor: Shaun Hill

The battle: Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton

How the Bears brass was okay with these two players battling for the starting job for the upcoming season will never, ever make sense to me. Ever. Don’t bother trying to acquire a capable QB to run your offense, which was the sixth worst offense in the entire league. Why would you do that? While Grossman has had some success during his career, he is the quarterbacking equivalent of bipolar depression. He’s either going to throw for 2-3 TD’s and 250 yards, or he’s going to throw 4 picks and post a 38% completion percentage. I couldn’t deal with that from my quarterback if I were a coach… my head would explode. Kyle Orton on the other hand only played in 3 games last year but didn’t look much better. Although Orton did have a successful rookie year in 2005, he was demoted behind Brian Griese and Rex Grossman in 2006. The Bears apparently didn’t have too much faith in him. Out of the two, it would appear Orton is the lesser of two evils, although Grossman gives the offense a bigger upside. And hey, they still have him on the team so maybe they’re shooting for upside…

Projected victor: Rex Grossman

The battle: Josh McCown vs. John Beck vs. Chad Henne

It is worth noting that Josh McCown, who is listed as #1 on the Dolphins depth chart at the current moment, has never had a year in his six year career in which he threw more touchdowns than interceptions. That’s all you need to know about him. Highly touted rookie QB John Beck left much to be desired as well, putting up numbers that I will not go through the trouble to look up. He struggled, let’s just put it that way. Lastly, is rookie Chad Henne who when placed among the other two clearly stands out as the way to go. While the Dolphins may give Beck another chance, don’t expect McCown to start too much unless injuries demand it.

Projected victor: Chad Henne

The battle: Chad Pennington vs. Kellen Clemens

The new guard versus the old guard. Pennington, who had a resurgent year in 2006, regressed in 2007 due to injuries. At one point, Jets fans even cheered when he was injured and walking off the field because they were apparently ecstatic for the Kellen Clemens era to begin. At least that’s what I’m telling myself because it was such a classless thing to do. The team would go 3-4 under Clemens, who had some shining moments but generally looked like a first year quarterback should. The Jets can either go with Pennington, who likely gives them a better shot at the postseason, or thrust Pennington into the mentor role and throw Clemens back into the fire.

Projected victor: Chad Pennington

The battle: Aaron Rodgers vs. Brian Brohm

Rodgers, whose finally gotten his chance to start in the wake of Brett Favre’s retirement will be constantly checking his rear view mirror for Brohm. Although Rodgers is entering his fourth year in the league, he is still technically a rookie QB. This puts Brohm on a level playing field with him and depending on how things turn out, the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay might never begin. If Rodgers succeeds, the Packers situation would be eerily similar to the Browns. A capable starting QB who will always have a talented younger player waiting in the wings. Not too much fun for the starter, but for the team -- not a bad place to be.

Projected victor: Aaron Rodgers

The battle: Chris Redman vs. Joey Harrington vs. Matt Ryan

Joey Harrington has proven over the years that he is a career service QB. He can put up numbers but he cannot win and is best used in pinch situations or if you have no where else to turn. Chris Redman, whose career in Baltimore is best described as a learning experience, actually looked very good last year. In four complete games, although the Falcons went 1-3, he threw for 2,147 yards, 10 TD’s and 5 INT’s. Whether or not that performance will win him favor over rookie Matt Ryan remains to be seen. The Falcons best bet would be to throw Matt Ryan into the starting role and give him some on the job experience. I doubt they can go to the playoffs with Chris Redman or Joey Harrington at QB, so 2008 might as well be used as the year that Matt Ryan is forged into a professional QB.

Projected victor: Matt Ryan

The battle: Kyle Boller vs. Joe Flacco

Kyle Boller, like Joey Harrington, has proven he cannot be a starting QB for an entire year (or at least not a winning one). Joe Flacco, who was highly praised of during the draft looks to be the one for the job. As with the other rookie QB situations, it will all hinge upon how the Ravens organization wants to approach Flacco’s indoctrination into the NFL. They may start out with Boller to begin the season, but quickly switch to Flacco when it goes sour.

Projected victor: Joe Flacco

State of the Franchise: The Green Bay Packers

At the start of the 2007 season, many were claiming that Brett Favre had made a mistake choosing to come back and play one more year. There was no denying he was once a great player, one of the best QB’s to ever play the game -- but it was common belief that he didn’t have it in him anymore. He was throwing too many interceptions as evidenced by his 2005 and 2006 campaigns. In those two years he threw 38 touchdowns, versus 47 interceptions. His QB rating over that two year span was 71.8, the lowest two year span of his career, and it spawned speculation of his impending retirement.

Favre flirted with the idea, all the while hinting that he didn’t appreciate the Packers’ brass’ lack of enthusiasm for surrounding him with playmakers. Sure he had Ahman Green, but his starts were inconsistent due to injury. Donald Driver was always there, but no one would ever mistake him for a big time number one receiver. Javon Walker flashed some brilliance in 2004, but he then proceeded to miss the entire 2005 season with an ankle injury.

After attempting but failing to acquire Randy Moss and several other high profile players, Favre apparently felt that the Packers were at least trying to surround him with quality players so he tentatively returned for what would turn out to be his final NFL season.

Heading into the 2007, hopes were high in Green Bay because hey, it was Green Bay -- and anytime Brett Favre was your QB, no matter how past his prime he appeared to be, you still had a chance.

Packers fans would not be disappointed.

Many different factors went into why the Packers had such a successful year and the up and coming defense was arguably the most important one. Led by the veteran cornerback duo of Al Harris and Charles Woodson, ever improving young linebacker A.J. Hawk and Packer mainstay linebacker Nick Barnett, the Packers finished the season ranked 11th in total defense. The defensive line, anchored by Aaron Kampman was also a constant problem for opposing offenses. The defense would rank 6th in points given up per game with 18.2.

Another major reason for the Packer resurgence was rookie running back Ryan Grant’s emergence as a capable compliment to Favre’s rediscovered passing abilities. On just 188 attempts Grant would win his way into the hearts of Packers fans and fantasy waiver wire whores alike, rushing for 956 yards and 8 TD’s (averaging 5.1 yards per carry).

Oh, and Brett Favre didn’t have a bad season either. A strong case could be made that Favre’s 2007 season was the finest of his career -- with him passing for 4,155 yards and 28 TD’s (with just 15 interceptions). Even more impressive was his 66.5 percent completion percentage, the best that he has ever had to date. Favre looked youthful surrounded by the many youngsters on offense and more importantly, he looked like he was having fun playing football again. Such a thing is key for someone who went their whole career giving NFL Films A+ comedy material whenever he was miked up during a game.

The Packers would lose just 3 games during the 2007 season and seemed destined for a fairy tale showdown with the, until then, unbeaten New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. As with many things in life, things didn’t turn out how everyone wanted (well maybe they did in regards to the Patriots losing..) and the Packers would fall to the soon to be world champion New York Giants in a thrilling, chilly overtime NFC Championship game. Both the new, improved Favre and the old and graying Favre would show up for the Championship game, with the aging Favre being the victor in regards to his performance. He looked cold, sore and out of it at times during the game and the second of his two interceptions would clinch the Giants winning OT field goal. Exit stage left, Favre.

At the end of the season, after much speculation -- Brett Favre would retire from the game of football after 17 years of Hall of Fame performances and entertaining clips and highlights. All of Wisconsin (and to a lesser extent John Madden) was floored and distraught by the news. Many thought he would be back but up until the present day, it appears to be not so. It would appear we have seen the last of Brett Favre, sans Madden appearances.

With the exception of the Bubba Franks and Corey Williams departures and Brett Favre’s retirement the Packers team remains relatively the same. The bad thing is that they have an inexperienced quarterback set to try and fill in Favre’s shoes in Aaron Rodgers. He’s thrown less than 60 regular season passes and it’s really anyone’s guess how he’ll turn out. It’s not easy filling in Brett Favre’s shoes and the Packers didn’t make it any easier by drafting Brian Brohm, a very capable quarterback out of Louisville in the second round. Had Brohm entered the draft last year, it was likely he could have gone number one overall. However, even though he had his best year statistically his senior year, his team failed to compete. Add to that a poor combine performance and you have yourself the reason why he fell to the end of the second round, no matter how silly it may seem.

As if Rodgers life wasn’t hard enough preparing to take the reigns in the capital city of football and a skilled young rookie behind him on the depth chart, the Packers decided they needed yet another QB and took Matt Flynn in the seventh round. Talk about getting insurance. While Flynn isn’t really considered a threat for the starting job, it is a head-scratcher on why the Packers brass decided to completely shatter any confidence Rodgers may have kept in the wake of Favre’s retirement and reports of the Packers impending demise.

Poor decisions aside, there has been a Favre backup who has gone on to have a fantastic career: Matt Hasselbeck. While he didn’t take over the QB job in Green Bay, he did become a three time Pro Bowler for the Seattle Seahawks. Obviously, he’s accomplished most of this through hard work and skill but you have to wonder just how much Favre taught his young protégé in the two years he mentored him. Rodgers has had three years to tutor under Favre and to think he hasn’t learned a thing or two would probably make you incorrect.

Having sat on the Packers bench the past three years may have caused people to forget about Rodgers’ skills. I know he hasn’t started in a while, but the kid’s good! Unless he’s been doing absolutely nothing on the sideline the past three years (See: Jared Lorenzen), I think he should be a pretty good QB. I also don’t think Favre is the type who would let him slack off. Joke around and make fun of him? Yes. Sit by and watch him not study and work hard? Absolutely not.

Cue Rodgers’ college statistics!

Year	Team	Comp.	Att.	Comp. %	Yards	YPC	TD’s	INT’s
2003	Cal	215	349	61.6%	2,903	13.5	19	5
2004	Cal	209	316	66.1%	2,566	12.2	24	8
T o t a l s		424	665	63.8%	5,469	12.8	43	13

Not bad for someone who’s supposed to run the Packers into the ground. If Rodgers can keep his dignity after the draft fiasco the Packers had and focus on playing solid football, he has the talent around him to succeed. Veteran wide receiver Donald Driver is returning for his 31st season and 2007 breakout star Greg Jennings will be back as well. Rodgers will have the opportunity to start fresh with rookies Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley. Tight end Donald Lee looks ready to be the number one tight end after an impressive 2007 and rookie sensation Ryan Grant looks ready to continue making huge contributions via the running game.

The offensive line, which also remains relatively unchanged looks to protect Rodgers as they did Brett Favre last year, in which they surrendered a mere 15 sacks for the entire year. The good news is that Aaron Rodgers will be in an opportunity to succeed. The bad news is that every start, hell, every pass will be analyzed under a microscope both locally in Green Bay and nationally. If he can ignore these distractions and play to his skill level, he should be fine. If he plays QB like Aaron Rodgers rather than trying to play QB like Brett Favre, he’ll be fine.

As much as I disagree with the decision by the Packers front office to take two QB’s in the draft to back up one who has yet to play more than seven games, they did cover their ass quite well. Instead of pinning their hopes of a Brett Favre successor on one QB they decided to give themselves options. While this will work out should Aaron Rodgers falter, it’s going to be a slippery slope. It has QB controversy etched with a jagged knife all over it. The decision is either going to work out and one of the three young quarterbacks will grow and become the Packers new franchise QB or it will backfire in their faces and at least two will have started different games before Week 8. A media frenzy would then commence.

The best thing for the Packers to do is keep the job as Rodgers’ to lose. By the end of the pre-season, pick one of them and stick with it for better or worse until you know what you have. If they can stay away from the pitfalls of having too many intriguing options open at all times, they should be just fine. If not, you’re going to be hearing a lot of about the Packers starting quarterback ‘job’ this coming year.

NFL History 101: Top Running Backs

In yet another new feature, Sport Crack presents NFL History 101, in which I will discuss the history of the game… whether that be the top skill positions, top games, top anything. It’s my mission to bring you a history lesson that you most certainly will not fall asleep through. At least I hope not...

Anyway, first up: NFL History 101: Top Running Backs.

It’s gone by many names in it’s storied history. The running back. The tailback. The fullback. The halfback. Each one exhibit’s a certain mystique. Each one suggests that the player it is the title of is a game changer, a skilled athlete who can take punishment like no other position in sports.

To run the ball into a group of rabid behemoths 20-30 times a game takes a certain kind of player. Hell, it takes a certain kind of person. Many say that the quarterback is the heart of the team, but I say it’s the one who takes a beating play in and play out. I say it’s the one who is the target of a kill the man with the ball mentality of the opposing defense for about a third of the entire game.

There have been many men who have graced us with their athleticism and toughness in the storied history of the NFL. So many that it’s almost a travesty to try and classify each one into a list. It just doesn’t make any sense to try and rank them from best to almost best when each one had their own strengths and their own ways in which they entertained us through the various mediums we enjoyed them with.

How do you measure receiving yards versus career yards per game? What about the amount of touchdowns one scored? If you favor one, your limiting the other and it finally dawned on me that there was only one way to do this. To shit with rankings, let’s just take a look at the best running backs.

So in no particular order, here is a brief profile of the top running backs the NFL has ever seen. There’s no sense trying to rank them because it would do them an injustice. Until someone comes up with a formula to put all of their careers on a level playing field (which I‘m pretty sure will never happen…), it’s just no use. Stop trying to rank them! Just appreciate what they each did individually for the game of football!

As with everything I write, feel free to agree or disagree vehemently in the comments. It’s why I do it.

Jerome Bettis

Jerome Bettis, or “The Bus” as he was formally known as will go down in NFL history as a touchdown machine. His running style exhibited the traits of a bus in more ways than one… he could either run through you like road kill, or he could turn on a higher gear and run right by you. In 13 years (3 of which were with the Rams [and 2 of which of those were when the Rams were still in L.A.]) he racked up 13,662 yards and bowled his way through the goal line for 91 touchdowns. Nearly half those years he was awarded a trip to the Pro Bowl and he is fifth all time in career rushing yards and tied for tenth for all time touchdowns. To think that all that time he had asthma… amazing.

Career highlights: 6-time Pro Bowler & 2-time first-team All-Pro (13 year NFL career)

Walter Payton

Nicknamed “Sweetness” in college, Walter Payton would go on to have on of the finest careers the NFL had ever seen. Rushing for 16,726 yards and an astonishing 110 touchdown’s, Payton’s career is easily one of the best ever. Coach Mike Ditka even went so far as to say that Payton was the greatest football player he had ever seen, which is no small feat. Why the man was nicknamed Sweetness is up for debate. Some have said it was acronym for how he ran the ball (which was extremely aggressive). Others have said it stemmed from his easy going personality and still others have said it was because of the ease he played the game with. No matter what the case, The Sweetness will go down as one of the best rushers the game of football has ever seen.

Career highlights: 9-time Pro Bowler & 5-time first-team All-Pro (13 year NFL career)

Barry Sanders

Arguably one of the most thrilling, electric runners of all time, Barry Sanders was generally regarded as a human highlight reel. No matter where he touched the ball, or the situation of the defenders in his proximity, he was always a threat to bring it in for six. His 15,269 and 99 touchdowns is all the more impressive when you take into account that he never really had a capable offensive unit around him (not to mention his offensive lines…). Although his retirement before the 1999 season shocked the entire football world, his career stats and classy reputation put him into the conversation of best backs to have ever played the game.

Career highlights: 10-time Pro Bowler & 6-time first-team All-Pro (10 year NFL career)

Marshall Faulk

Perhaps the best “complete” back of all time, Marshall Faulk brought an entirely different dynamic to the running back position. He could kill you by rushing the ball but he could also kill you catching the ball out of the backfield. Not only do his 12,279 career yards with 100 rushing touchdowns put him on the map for one of the best backs, his 6,875 receiving yards with 36 touchdown’s finish the conversation. While not the best running back of all time, a strong case can be put up for Faulk to have been the most complete all around running back the NFL has or ever will see.

Career highlights: 7-time Pro Bowler & 3-time first-team All-Pro (12 year NFL career)

Jim Brown

Just nine years in the league and Jim Brown is proclaimed by many more knowledgeable than I as the best back to ever play the game. Sure, we can compare stats, but by pure athleticism and dominance, Brown makes a strong case as the best back to have played the professional game. In his mere nine years in the NFL, Brown rushed for 12,312 and 106 touchdowns. Not to mention, he was named to the Pro Bowl in all nine of his NFL seasons. His dominance, at a time when many NFL legends were born builds him a strong case for best ever. If he is or not is of no concern, because all that I need to know is that I was born 25 years too early, fore I never got to witness the force that was Jim Brown.

Career highlights: 9-time Pro Bowler & 8-time first-team All-Pro (9 year NFL career)

Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin’s career is often look at how he the player was looked at when he was playing. Sure, he was a great running back -- but look a little closer and you might just find a little more. 14,101 yards and 90 touchdowns are offset only by some of his inconsistent years. Not to mention he had perhaps one of the best rookie seasons of any running back in the history of the league. No matter what the case against Curtis Martin, he had himself a fantastic career and was a class act similar to Barry Sanders. He went about his business and did what he could to win. Because of this, he’s one of the best in my opinion.

Career highlights: 5-time Pro Bowler & 1-time first-team All-Pro (11 year NFL career)

Emmitt Smith

Regardless of the comparisons between he and Barry Sanders, and his new position as wordsmith on ESPN, Emmitt Smith had a fantastic career. While some will say he had the best career ever, it was certainly in part to the talent he had around him. None the less, Smith had skills, and those skills, surrounded by supreme talent or not, rushed for 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns (most all time in both categories). Both of these accomplishments will be the mark to beat in the NFL for many years to come.

Career highlights: 8-time Pro Bowler & 4-time first-team All-Pro (15 year NFL career)

Marcus Allen

Yes, he played 16 years, but instead of knocking him for it -- why not give him a hand? The man had less than 100 attempts only twice in his sixteen year career and took an absolute beating en route to 12,243 yards and 123 touchdowns (second all time). A Marshall Faulk before their was one, Marcus Allen caught 587passes for 5,411 yards and 21 touchdowns. In conjunction with his rushing stats (which may be a bit low in the yards per game category) expose Allen as one of the most skillful, tough players to have ever played the game.

Career highlights: 6-time Pro Bowler & 2-time first-team All-Pro (16 year NFL career)

Eric Dickerson

A running back mercenary for hire if you will, Dickerson played for four different teams in his twelve year career. Not one to have scenery alter his play, Dickerson would rush for 13,259 yards and 90 touchdowns. When he retired, he was second all time in rushing yards behind Walter Payton. Unfortunately for him (but fortunately for us) the NFL was in an influx for talented all time rushers, with Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders and Emmit Smith eventually passing him. Dickerson’s 90.8 yards per game remains one of the best all time averages in NFL history.

Career highlights: 6-time Pro Bowler & 5-time first-team All-Pro (12 year NFL career)

Franco Harris

12,120 and 91 touchdowns? A nine time Pro Bowler in thirteen seasons? A focal point in one of the best offenses who have ever played? Franco Harris is a legend in the NFL, never mind his lore in Pittsburgh. I’m not even from Pittsburgh and I get jitters watching him tear it up in the old school games with the Steelers. Maybe he was overshadowed by a bunch of other players on the same team, but Franco Harris had one hell of a career.

Career highlights: 9-time Pro Bowler & 1-time first-team All-Pro

John Riggins

Known as “The Diesel” to teammates and fans, John Riggins is arguably the best Redskins running back of all time. His pure grit and toughness led him to a respectable 1,352 yards and 104 touchdowns (sixth all time). In his fourteen year career, Riggins carried the ball nearly 3,000 times -- an amazing accomplishment considering his reckless abandon running style.

Career highlights: 1-time Pro Bowler & 1-time first-team All-Pro (14 year NFL career)

LaDainian Tomlinson

About to enter his eighth NFL season, L.T. is in position to strike as perhaps the greatest running back we have every seen. Already third on the list of career rushing touchdowns (with 115), Tomlinson is equally as dangerous on the ground as well. He has a 4.5 rushing average for his career and if he can hold up a mere two more years, he could very well jump into the Top 10 rushing yards of all time. While it may strike some as surprising to already name someone still playing as one of the best of all time, L.T. has shown that even if he retires tomorrow, he could be put into the conversation with ease. The reason I included him is because he is my generations premier back -- we are going to be talking about him 10, 20 years from now. So boys and girls who are under the age of 25 like me -- enjoy this man make history while you still can.

Career highlights: 5-time Pro Bowler & 3-time first-team All-Pro (7 year NFL career… and still going!)

Other notable backs: O.J. Simpson, Tony Dorsett, Franco Harris, Thurman Thomas

Again, this is not the end all be all list. If you feel that someone was left off of my list, you’re probably right! But state why in the comments, it’s why this site exist! And who do you think is THE best all time? Let the debates begin!!

(And what kind of writer would I be if I didn’t source the absolutely amazing http://pro-football-reference.com -- if you’re at all interested in football history, than go there. You will not leave.)