SportsCrack

State of the Franchise: The New Orleans Saints

While I acknowledge that there is a time period that exists where it is too early to talk football, I believe we have passed it. As long as you stand on the precipice of the NFL Draft and refrain from talking too much about Week 10 match ups and other things that just need to wait, than your fine.

So without further ado: Let’s talk football. More importantly, let’s talk about the Saints.

After an impressive season that culminated in a trip to the NFC championship in 2006, the Saints failed to even make the playoffs in 2007. Suffice it to say, Saints fans were none too pleased. Although the offense was one of the league’s best, finishing the season ranked 4th overall in the NFL, an injury to Deuce McAllister and a weak (and that’s being kind) sophomore season for Reggie Bush ensured the Saints offense could never quite keep up with it’s horrid defense.

Drew Brees however, had a fantastic season -- more or less carrying the offense on his back (or should I say... shoulder) in route to a 4400 yard, 28 TD effort. He finished the season with an 89.4 in what might just have been his finest season to date considering the lack of a running game he had behind him.

The Saints front office has hoped to remedy this problem with the signing of Randall Gay, Dan Morgan and Bobby McCray. It’s also pretty much a certainty that the Saints will break the three year trend of taking an offensive player in the first round and that they are looking to add some young talent to their struggling defensive unit. With the 10th pick in each of the seven rounds, they should have ample opportunity to do so.

The next question that is posed when looking at the Saints is which part of the defense is in desperate need of tuning up first. This question is easily answered by taking a look at the defensive stats from last year: The Saints finished 13th in the league in rush defense, whereas they almost came in last place in regards to pass defense -- finishing a pathetic third to last place.

Thankfully for the Saints, there is an impressive array of cornerbacks that will most likely be available to them with the 10th pick. Assuming that the Patriots are the only team in the top 10 that are a threat to pick one of the CB’s, the Saints should get their pick out of two of the top three. They are (in no particular order) Leodis Mckelvin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib.

Some are saying the Saints could take Keith Rivers if he falls to them here (and he most likely will) and it will probably come down to the scouting department. Whoever they feel will make the biggest impact for them on defense, they will take -- and they can’t really go wrong since all of the previous four players could be an enormous asset to the unit assuming they don’t turn out to be a bust.

For the sake of being on the record, I think the Saints take Cromartie at number ten -- but I can most definitely (and probably will be) wrong.

If the off season sculpting can give the defense even a minor boost from last year, the offense still has the same potential as last year. If Deuce McAllister can stay healthy and Reggie Bush can improve upon his field vision, it won’t matter that the receiving corps isn’t particularly strong -- Drew Brees could throw to imaginary receivers and he’d still probably get at least 200 yards.

As long as the Saints can stay away from some injuries to key players and have a solid draft, I don’t see any reason the Saints won’t be marching right back into the playoffs in 2008.

(Next up: The Cleveland Browns)

State of the Franchise: The Oakland Raiders

While I acknowledge that there is a time period that exists where it is too early to talk football, I believe we have passed it. As long as you stand on the precipice of the NFL Draft and refrain from talking too much about Week 10 match ups and other things that just need to wait, than your fine.

So without further ado: Let's talk football. More specifically, let's talk about the Oakland Raiders.

The Oakland Raiders were a consistent passing attack and a few defensive players short of making a strong playoff run in 2007. As the franchise looks towards the 2008 season, it has been successfully plugging away at it’s weaknesses from the past couple of years. DeAngelo Hall gives them a dynamic defensive back they‘ve been missing out on. Javon Walker gives them a legit receiver threat they‘ve sorely needed. JaMarcus Russell gives them hope at the QB position, and a high first round draft pick gives them a shot to make things right.

Write it down: The Oakland Raiders will become the trendy sleeper pick of the upcoming NFL season.

After taking over for an injured Lamont Jordan early in the season, Justin Fargas never looked back. 1,009 rushing yards and 4 touchdown’s later he sealed the deal as the 2008 starting running back. That deal was further sealed when Oakland offered the up and coming back a 3 year, $12 million contract early in the off season. Because of this, don’t expect the Raiders to take McFadden with their first round draft choice -- although, I wouldn’t put it past them either.

The Raiders defense took a step back in 2007, at least in regards to it’s 2006 showing. The 2006 unit, known primarily for it’s strong play in wake of an anemic offensive performance showed a lot of promise for the future. Although they showed flashes of greatness last year, they weren’t nearly as strong as the previous year -- finishing the year ranked 25th in total defense.

The addition of DeAngelo Hall, and a number of offensive weapons should give the Raiders defense a boost and hopefully keep it off the field for the majority of the game. Will everything that they’ve done in the off season come together and result in a winning season? The answer to this question and many other’s relies in the 2008 NFL Draft.

With the fourth pick in this year’s draft the Raiders have a plethora of suggestions to improve either the offensive or defensive side of the ball. Unless they pull a fast one and take Darren McFadden, which honestly wouldn’t be very surprising at all, than it is safe to assume a defensive player will be taken. But who will fall to them at pick number four?

It seems one day people are convinced the Dolphins will take Matt Ryan at number one, other days it’s Jake Long and still other days it’s Chris Long. Since it’s anyone’s guess who they’ll actually take and then who the Rams and Falcons will take in turn -- let’s take a look at the top 5 available players.

Some may disagree but I believe they are Jake Long, Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden (with Glenn Dorsey coming in an extreeeeeemely close sixth). Now, there is no way the Raiders are going to take Matt Ryan, so he is out. Darren McFadden is the wild card of the bunch, since the Raiders already have a great RB in Justin Fargas (or at least it appears so). Count me a part of the group of people who’s a bit skeptical he will continue such a great performance all of next year. Not to mention, they still have Rhodes, Bush and Jordan on the depth chart. Although if I were Al Davis and McFadden fell to me at the fourth spot, I would take him in a heartbeat.

If the Raiders do what most people think they are going to do and pass on McFadden, that likely leaves them with Vernon Gholston. This is under the assumption that both Long’s will go in the top 3 and of course, no one takes Gholston over McFadden, Dorsey or Ryan.

As much as I believe I’d take McFadden, taking Gholston would be an incredibly smart move -- especially in regards to their team needs. With Warren Sapp’s retirement, the defensive line is in need of some more talent. A young, talented defensive end like Gholston could be a cornerstone of the Raider’s pass rush for year’s to come. It’s hard to pass up on such an opportunity.

It’s really anyone’s guess as to where the Raiders will steer their team’s ship come draft day -- but they’ve done an incredible job of filling their weaknesses with impact players and have given Raider’s fans something they’ve been sorely needing since 2001:

Hope.

ImmersedFan GM: Could a fan run franchise really work?

If you’ve ever been to a bar or public place during a thrilling sports event, you know the atmosphere. It is sports fandom at it’s purest. Whether it’s complete strangers, common acquaintances or best friends -- there’s nothing like sharing a great sporting moment with those who love them as much as you do. It is an unspeakable connection that not many things can even begin to touch.

It has made grown men and self professed toughs hug and giggle like little school girls. It can bring down race, gender and difference barriers so effortlessly it sometimes makes us wonder why we think we’re all so different in the first place.

It’s impossible to explain to someone who’s never really come to love a sports team what it’s really like or what being a true fan is really about. Fans live and die with their teams -- their attitude often fluctuating on the recent wins and losses that they acquire or the anguish that is felt when their team falls just short of a championship. Some fans anguish is more extreme than others, obviously, but at it’s most basic form and to the average fan -- the extremes of winning big and losing bad are easily recalled.

From the moment sports were born they were a catalyst for the everyman to become a fan, and doing so had many advantages. Whether it was to take their mind off the real world, to feed their need for competition, plain old enjoyment or a combination of the bunch -- no matter what, it became a part of your life. Your hometown baseball team’s fate had as much say about your daily mood than the inner workings of your automobile. So what if your car broke down in the rain, the Sox just won a key series against the Yanks in September. It isn’t just a thing to watch on T.V. or an excuse to throw back beers on weeknights -- it’s a part of your life.

That’s it. If you understand, you understand and if you don’t, you don’t.

Why the idea of a fan led franchise hasn’t been thought up before in America is beyond me. I’ve honestly, never even thought of it. But if you take a minute and think of it, it’s a brilliant idea. Who better to run a professional sports team than those who live and die with their every move? Why not put the fate of a franchise into it’s fans hands so they have only their selves to blame if they mess it up?

Most GM’s (while not all, mind you) have finance in mind when running a team. Sure they might be a fair-weather fan, but since when have you seen a hardcore fan of a particular team become the GM? Sure, Marc Cuban comes to mind -- but other than that, I got no one. Does that mean that they don’t exist? Absolutely not. Does it mean we need some? Absolutely yes.

Someone who runs a particular team should have more than just dumping salary or selling tickets in mind when trading, drafting or signing players. They should worry less about how the local fans will react to the team’s moves and more about how their moves will react their own life. If the fans run the team, only the most logical and best-for-the-team moves will be made. Again, if those moves don’t work -- they will have no one to blame but themselves. No more FireCoachSoandSo dot com‘s, no more excuses, no more blame. How could this not be good for sports? With all the things happening in regards to steroid scandals and spying cases, how could a logical step backward, to a simpler time be so bad? Even if it doesn’t work at first, why shouldn’t those who pay the taxes for a particular team, overpay to see them live and even buy papers and magazines to read about them not have a say in how they’re run?



Over the years money has become more important in sports than the actual outcomes of games. Players care more about their signing bonus than they’re own record. Not a contract year? Time to relax. Money talks, and we all know this -- but it’s now the focal point of the conversation for a thing that was once just all about competition. It was all about winning. It was all about your team winning the title and that was that. What would true fans choose between: the basketball arena grossing an extra 4 million or the basketball team adding a championship banner to the said arena. I think you know the answer.

Even if you disagree with this whole thing, please, just do me a favor. Stop and think about something for me. Stop and think about why you watch sports in the first place, why you love your favorite teams, why you would jump for joy if someone told you they had 50 yard line tickets to the next local pro football game. Literally, jump up and down for joy. What harm could it do to let the people who are so emotionally involved in a team that a loss can make a normally horrible Monday morning absolutely abysmal, run the show?

If you’ve agreed with this piece and you think it would be a good idea for fans to run what they love, head over to http://projectfranchise.org -- and before you start to make judgements, I thought to do this article all by my lonesome after reading about the whole thing on their website. It’s not a shameless whore like plug by them and more of a shameless whore like plug by me -- who isn’t even affiliated with them. So if you’ve ever thought you could do better and believe that the blue collared fan would fare better than the current money hungry GM’s -- do yourself a favor and head over to the Project Franchise site and read what it’s all about. Hell, you may even be a part of a revolution.

Not again... yet another AL East preview!

As I’ve stated in the past, I’m not as knowledgeable about baseball as a whole compared to football. With that said, I think I’m competent enough about the AL East to at least write a preview relegated to it. While I don’t know Alex Gordon’s batting average in the minor leagues, I do know who Alex Gordon is. Let’s put it that way. Also, I did not create the following rankings to create controversy -- this is honestly, in my gut, how I think this whole race will shape up, and if we don’t have our gut in regards to predictions, what do we have?

1.) Boston Red Sox - To be absolutely and completely honest, I considered putting the Yankees here. Yes, the Red Sox have a better roster on paper but as we all know, that doesn’t mean shit. Would it surprise me if the Yankees took back control of the East? No. Do I have the balls to predict it since I live on the outskirts of Boston? Also a no.

On a baseball note, I am going along with the belief that Dice-K’s second year in Boston and more importantly the AL will be much better than the first. People were surprised when he came to camp packing more pounds than last year -- but if that’s what makes him comfortable, so be it. Dice-K is my sleeper/homer pick for the AL Cy Young. Commence with the witty jokes and jabs!

2.) New York Yankees - I’ve been brought up to despise the Yankees, and it’s been successful. I do. But in a weird way that I hope makes sense, I appreciate them. Because when the Yankees come to town, my whole attitude changes, not to mention the atmosphere in Boston is completely different. I can’t stand them, yet I don’t think I would enjoy baseball as much without them.

It’s common knowledge that the Yankees destiny hinges on their young pitchers. More importantly, the AL East hinges on their young pitchers. If they play up to their expectations it’s going to be one hell of a ride. If they don’t? Well, I’m still pretty sure it’s going to be one hell of a ride -- but it’s always more fun when the AL East title comes down to the last couple of series’ of the season in the best rivalry in professional sports.

3.) Tampa Bay Rays - Here it is. Make fun of it if you want, but every single year in every sport teams like the Rays come out of the wood work to surprise everyone. Just as consistent is the fact that no one had the balls to predict it. A lot of those people are also wrong, mind you, but that’s okay. I have no problem admitting I’m wrong -- especially if it’s in regards to the Rays finishing fourth rather than my predicted third. So, I’m going to go on a limb -- based on their last season’s improvement and the fact that I’ve been a fan of Scott Kazmir for many years and think he will be a big part in the Rays’ resurgence (among many others, mind you). Actually, I should say first-surgance… what is it called if they’ve never ‘surged’ before?

Oh, and the video of Jonny Gomes coming to the aid of his teammate had a big part in this prediction. Any time something like that happens, I believe it has a lot to say about the team as a whole. I can’t really explain it, it just gave me a really good feeling about them.

4.) Toronto Blue Jays - To use the on paper analogy again, the Jays look better on paper (maybe they’ll follow suit with the Rays and drop the Blue from their name?) than I think they will really be. Yes, their starting pitching is impressive and the addition of Scott Rolen improved the team, I just don’t see the same intensity as I’ve seen in the Rays thus far that will be key in whoever finishes third in this tough division.

Sure, the Blue Jays are the logical pick to finish third -- but honestly, since when have we ever had a logical baseball season?

5.) Baltimore Orioles - The Orioles look to be in an infamous ‘rebuilding year’ which is management slang for ‘We‘re horrible, but um… we’re trying to get better… yeah, yeah! We’re rebuilding!’ There’s nothing wrong with rebuilding of course, and I’m ready for anything in this upcoming 2008 baseball season -- but if the Orioles contend, I’ll sure as hell be surprised. You never, ever know though -- and that’s the allure of sports and it’s why we watch. Enjoy the season.

Confessions of an AFL Newbie: Adopting an Obsession (Team)

Instead of pretending to know what I’m talking about in regards to baseball, I’ve decided to stick to my guns, no matter how different and un-gun like they may seem. That’s right; I’m throwing myself into the AFL to satisfy my withdrawal from the NFL. Sure, I love baseball and I have an eagle eye for talent fantasy wise (be forewarned), I just don’t feel myself qualified to write whole articles about it. At least not right now, with the season still a ways away.

Due to outside forces, I was going to adopt a CFL team but I have decided that the AFL will be a more worthy endeavor to write about in place of my brilliant NFL ramblings. This is due to the fact that AFL games are on ESPN and they start in March. Game, set, match. This should tide me over until the NFL season (along with baseball of course), at least and honestly, that’s all I’m looking for. So to all the AFL die-hards out there (all 23 of you) I apologize if I’m whoring myself out to your beloved sport in order to satisfy my selfish, whore like needs.

The AFL has 17 teams for its 2008 season. I will be choosing a team to adopt based solely on the nickname, my gut feeling and the fact that they are not a juggernaut if you will. I would like to root for an underdog AFL team and hope that they have a great season. Even if they don’t, it’s the fact that they could that makes this so much fun.

Since it’s not physically possible for me to support a New York team, the New York Dragons are immediately taken out of the equation. The San Jose Saber Cats and Columbus Destroyers are also thrown out the window since they both made the 2007 championship game, formally known as the Arena Bowl (San Jose won 55-33).

The Tampa Bay Storm has 5 titles since the AFL’s inception thus making them similar to the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. So they, too, are out of the question.

Not only do I want a team with a cool nickname and who is not too popular of a team in the league, I want a team that will fit my football personality. I like a strong running game and a tough defense. Yes, I know these are rarities in the AFL, but why not take a look at the top rushing teams and top defensive teams shall we?

2007 Top 3 AFL Rushers

1.) Dan Alexander from the Chicago Rush - 426 yards

2.) Adrian McPherson from the Grand Rapids Rampage 360 yards (is actually a QB)

3.) Josh White from the Dallas Desperadoes 278 yards

If you’re a rabid NFL fan like I am, these stats are hard to comprehend. I knew the AFL was pass-happy, but I didn’t know it was this bad.

Even though Josh White was third in rushing in the league last year, I’m leaning towards picking the Dallas Desperadoes as my team based solely on his picture:


I’m not sure if it’s a picture error or what, but it appears as Mr. White has a fake eye not to mention he looks like the biggest badass in the entire universe. Also, he plays linebacker too! I could get to see him destroy people on BOTH sides of the ball? Hmm…

Since one of the top 3 rushers in the AFL last year was a QB, I felt I needed to take into account the top 5 rushing teams overall instead. This is where it gets complicated. First off, let’s take a look at the top 5 rushing teams in the AFL. That’s right, five, you’ll see why in a second:

1.) Nashville Kats 470 yards rushing

2.) Austin Wranglers 444 yards rushing

3.) Kansas City Brigade 393 yards rushing

4.) Columbus Destroyers 367 yards rushing

5.) Grand Rapids Rampage 354 yards rushing

Now, you may be asking yourself, why five? Well, that’s because the Nashville Kats are no longer in the AFL (and a good thing, they spelled the word cat wrong). In AFL terms, they ‘folded’ which apparently means although they may have been a good football team, whoever was running the business side of things behind the scenes just did not do a very good job.

The Austin Wranglers were demoted to the newly formed minor league branch of the AFL, the AF2, which is perhaps the most retarded name for a league or branch of a league in the history of sports.

Now taking these two teams departure from the league into account, the actual top 3 rushing teams would be K.C., Columbus and then the Grand Rapids. After seeing the sorry state of rushing in the AFL, I decided to abandon my hope of a good rushing game and instead focus on a fantastic defense. This may also be a false hope since it is not uncommon for an AFL team to put up 70 points on any given day.

Top 5 AFL Defensive Units in terms of Opponents QB Rating

1.) Chicago Rush – Opponents QB rating: 91.4

2.) Dallas Desperadoes – Opponents QB rating: 98.1

3.) Kansas City Brigade – Opponents QB rating: 98.8

4.) San Jose Saber Cats – Opponents QB rating: 99.1

5.) Orlando Predators – Opponents QB rating: 107.1

I felt it better to take a look at the defenses rating compared to the opponents QB rating since every defense gives up so much passing yards, it’s incredibly difficult to decide who is good and who is not. At least with the opponents QB rating you can factor in turnovers and the like.

Top 5 AFL Defensive Units in Terms of Rushing yards per game

1.) Arizona Rattlers – 164 yards per game

2.) Georgia Force – 187 yards per game

3.) New Orleans Voodoo – 207 yards per game

4.) Dallas Desperadoes – 212 yards per game

5.) Los Angeles Avengers – 231 yards per game

My favorite team going into this information, the Dallas Desperadoes did nothing to hurt their status with these stats, showing they have a great defense (at least by AFL standards). Not to mention, they have a beast of a running back/linebacker who is already my favorite AFL player, and I haven’t even see him play yet!

It’s been a long journey filled with a lot of ups and downs but I now have my team: the Dallas Desperadoes! I from this point on will be hopping on the bandwagon and have absolutely no intentions of getting off, unless the team ‘folds’ in which case, I’ll be extremely pissed.