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Pro Sports Wrap - by Sam Ruesler

Pro Sports Wrap - September 2011

9/2011 Top 20 on Tampa Bay Bucs

September 30th 2011 16:58
1. QB Josh Freeman- Uh...the reason why they were above .500 last year. Talk about clutch performers, this guy can ball with the best of them in crunch time.

2. RB LeGarrette Blount- Elusive as hell, you gotta give this guy more credit. I mean, you've punched someone in the face before, right? I hope so, because you've devoided yourself of all manliness if not.

3. WR Mike Williams- The Bucs have a great young core on offense indeed

4. CB Aqib Talib- Mel Kiper Jr. was right on with this guy when he said he had all the tools to make big plays, but lacks the technique and can get beat rather easily. That's not to mention the off-the-field concerns with this knucklehead.


5. DT Gerald McCoy- No offense Mr. McCoy, but you know there's something wrong with the talent level on your team when he is one of your top five best players.

6. LB Quincy Black- An underrated linebacker, but it seems like he is rather high. He isn't, that's the Bucs for you.

7. TE Kellen Winslow- Hey Freeman, buddy, please throw it at this guy some more. He can play some damn good football.

8. SS Sean Jones- Has played great this season after a disappointing year in 2010.

9. DT Brian Price- He and McCoy are pretty good at bringing the heat up the middle.

10. LT Donald Penn- No matter how overrated I think this guy is, he's still not all bad.

11. WR Arrelious Benn- This ranking is based on potential all alone. He's gotta put it together himself so that the picture connects.

12. CB Ronde Barber- Was huge last game and is showing us that he still has some talent left.

13. DE Adrian Clayborn- Was last week his rookie breakout game? He was incredible after two poor weeks to begin the season. Although that game was against the lowly Sam Baker, he was still absolutely dominating.


14. LB Geno Hayes- Yeah, it's the Bucs.

15. WR Sammie Stroughter- No, your mom doesn't play for the Bucs.

16. DE Da'Quan Bowers- Remy Zero, please save me; this job is too tough for Superman.

17. TE Luke Stocker- I think I should just give up on these write-ups.

18. FB Earnest Graham- Party like it's 2007; it ain't the end of the world.

19. LB Mason Foster- You know your bad when I'm temped to put Kregg Lumpkin on this list. I think most of the Bucs best 20 players are young players with potential and nothing else.

20. WR Preston Parker- Now this guy I like as a potential darkhorse. He can play some ball.
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9/2011 QB Rankings

September 29th 2011 18:27
1. Aaron Rodgers- The NFL's version of The Machine
2. Tom Brady- Look past the four picks; he owned the Bills
3. Drew Brees- He rips up secondaries
4. Peyton Manning- MVP
5. Philip Rivers- Repeat after me: 4,700
6. Tony Romo- Kevlar baby
7. Ben Roethlisberger- Can't believe dude got married
8. Michael Vick- He ain't whining, the complaints are legit
9. Eli Manning- Peter Keating has it right; Eli is underrated
10. Matt Ryan- Matty Ice is melting
11. Matt Schaub- This guy
12. Joe Flacco- QBR has him as the best QB, why is this a bad stat again? Oh yeah, cause Brady's been better
13. Josh Freeman- The reason why the Bucs don't suck
14. Matthew Stafford- He's fo real
15. Jay Cutler- How many hits does he have to take? Memo to Bears' line: Get your hands out of your ass and get to work!
16. Kevin Kolb- Levi Brown is his worst enemy, but at least he has a BFF in Fitzgerald
17. Ryan Fitzpatrick- Who said the smart guys can't play ball?
18. Sam Bradford- If only he had receivers....
19. Cam Newton- Disappointing against the Jags
20. Colt McCoy- West Coast we mash up!
Have you seen his line?
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And on I march with these historical player profiles, while listening to Nirvana of course. Is Dave Grohl not the best rock personality in recent history? While that would be a very entertaining topic to discuss, my "job" here is sports analysis. It's an equally fruitless activity in the eyes of the equally ignorant public, but why listen to the ignorant who have not reaped the rewards of sports? I mean, every diehard sports fan admits that they have learned a lot about life with sports as a medium. Life is like Shawn and sports are like Gus, Gus translates the incoherent nonsense Shawn says. Likewise, sports help translate the craziness and seeming randomness of everyday life. Alright, I'm gonna stop being philosophical- and not get religious- and hit up this HPP.

Before I start this post, I want to go off on another monologue (an aside would be if I was talking to myself, but I'm not Jack White). Why is Dwight Howard's nickname D12? Like, how does that make sense at all? I hate it when people make basketball player's nicknames out of their initial and jersey number. AK47 is cool, but D12 is as ludicrous as the rapper. The guys who made up this nickname are popping too many purple pills and seeing too many purple hills.

Otis Taylor may never have shown his All-Pro talent had legendary scout Lloyd Wells not spotted him and signed him on to the Chiefs. In his first full season, Taylor broke out in a big way. He was a Pro Bowler and First-Team All-Pro after hauling in eight touchdown catches for 1,297 yards and a league-leading 22.4 yards per catch. According to Pro Football Reference, his AV of 20 in 1966 was the best in the NFL

The way Otay went to the Chiefs is also interesting, because he was originally under the control of Eagles scouts. In the famous baby-sitting incident, Taylor snuck out of his hotel room and met up with Wells and the Chiefs scouts.

Len Dawson and Otis Taylor had an incredible rapport that is akin to what Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison had a few years back. At 6-3, Taylor was an incredible talent in the middle of the field and could beat you deep. Many agree that Otay revolutionized the wide receiver position and should be in the Hall of Fame. Without a doubt, however, Taylor is the best receiver in Chiefs history. He is deserving of a place in the Hall of Fame, even if he played before the AFL-NFL merger.

In 1967, his 11 touchdown catches were the highest in the league. Taylor was also a Pro Bowler in the years 1971 and 1972, as he caught seven touchdown passes with a league-high 1,110 yards in 1971. He was also a First-Team All-Pro in '71, and he wore the number 89 for the Chiefs for 11 seasons from 1965-1975.

In Super Bowl IV (the last before the merger), the Chiefs upset the Vikings 32-7 when the Vikes were supposedly the greatest team ever before that game. In that game, Otis Taylor caught a pass from Len Dawson and ran it the rest of the way for a 46 yards touchdown. He also had one of his signature stiff-arms on that highlight play.

However, Taylor was not just a great pass-catcher, he was also a formidable blocker. For a guy of his height, it's not exactly hard to see why. But more importantly, however, he was an elusive receiver who could get a ton of yards after the catch. Taylor was also athletic enough to make unheard of one-handed grabs.

"Otis made my job easy,"Len Dawson said. "If you got the pass to Otis, you knew he'd catch it."

A season after their Super Bowl victory, Otay had one of those games that a player just wishes it never happened. The Chiefs were beating their hated rivals- the Raiders- 17-14. It looked like a sure victory after Len Dawson's scramble led to a first down, but defensive end Ben Davidson pretty much jumped into Dawson's helmet while the star QB was already on the ground. As you now know, Taylor was great friends with Dawson and did what any good friend does; take action.

Needless to say, the ramifications of this incident led to an outcome that wasn't very positive from a Chiefs perspective. Taylor came at Davidson, and the benches cleared like it was a baseball game (or a Suns-Spurs game). Both penalties basically turned the first down into nothingness- under the awful rules at the time- and the Raiders would go on to register a comeback victory. What makes this worse is that the Raiders went into the playoffs, and the Chiefs were stuck at home because of a head-scratching rule that is- thankfully- not in place today.

So you can plainly see that Otis Taylor was a pretty damn good football player. I mean, he was one of the best players in football when he was playing, and he made the wide receiver position the marquee position that it is today. He was the guy who started the highlight-reel plays, and Otay is also the best wideout in Chiefs history. Taylor was slighted from the Hall of Fame, and that's because of the statistics. For his era, Taylor was as elite as a wide receiver as you can get.

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9/27 NFL Rumors: Felix Jones injury update

September 27th 2011 14:58
So apparently, the dislocated shoulder that Felix Jones aggravated will not keep him out of next week's game. If it did, the Cowboys running game would go from subpar to really bad. Jones is an explosive back who is average at best, but his main asset comes as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He, like Reggie Bush, adds another dimension to the Cowboys' offense and is an important safety valve when Romo is under pressure.

For those of you who can't bear watching Curtis Painter (every Colts fan), this could be bad news. Kerry Collins has yet to be cleared to play, and even though he has been poor this season; he's definitely a step above Painter. Although America's favorite quarterback was a terrific player at Purdue in college, he has left a lot to be desired on the football field. I do think that Painter has a chance to be a decent quarterback, as he has studied under Manning and his performances are under a small sample size. I mean, he's only played in three games and wasn't truly ready for those games. While Painter will most likely never be anything resembling a league-average quarterback, there is still hope.

We all know that Antonio Gates has been struggling with foot injuries recently, and he is set to visit a food (sic) specialist to make sure that he isn't doing further damage to his body. All we can do is hope for the best and wish Gates luck.

The reason why star back Arian Foster did not play in last week's game was because his hamstring tightened up. Head coach Gary Kubiak is confident that Foster will be able to play in next week's game. Yeah, that's always good news.
Should Play Week 4
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9/2011 Team Scope: Baltimore Ravens

September 26th 2011 14:44
The Ravens are now 2-1 after absolutely shredding the St. Louis Rams 37-7, after coming off of a very disappointing game against the Tennessee Titans. However, that loss was probably a really bad hangover from that shocking blowout victory over their sworn enemy. Looks like a dose of greasy food- an upset loss- really does work for hangovers, as the Ravens tore the Rams with their mighty claws (Torrey Smith).

Yeah, fantasy owners are now familiar with that guy (not to be confused with THAT GUY). I hate fantasy, but even I have to admit that Torrey Smith was fantastic yesterday. The numbers don't lie, as he had five catches on eight targets for a 62.5% Catch Rate. That is made all the more impressive when you consider that his Deep % was 75 (six targets of 15 yards or more). All those stats add up to a 19 point yards per target average, and arguably the best performance by a wideout this week. According to the fantasy numbers (which I hate), Wes Welker and Smith are tied at the top of the leaderboards for all players with 34 points a piece


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9/2011 WR Rankings

September 24th 2011 13:50
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson


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9/2011 Player Profile: James Harrison

September 23rd 2011 15:17
I really don't want to address any of the off-the-field stuff in these profiles, because they are strictly about the game. James Harrison is one of those guys who says things that are filled with controversy. We all know that Harrison is one of the best five pass rushers in the game, but his ability on the field goes far beyond pressuring the quarterback and mauling tackles league-wide.

As far as 3-4 outside linebackers go, James Harrison is the best of the bunch. While it can be argued that DeMarcus Ware and Clay Matthews are better pass rushers, neither of those guys bring Harrison's run defense to the table. He's also pretty good in coverage for a guy who is mostly asked to rush the passer. For as prolific of a pass rusher as Clay Matthews is, he is very mediocre at stopping the run. Last season showcased his tremendous ability to get to the quarterback, but he was a huge disappointment in run defense


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9/2011 Player Profile: Howie Kendrick

September 22nd 2011 14:38
Before I begin this post, I want to clarify that the baseball player profiles will only be looking at the current season. I also would like to remind you that Old Spice Fiji is the best smelling cheap body spray out there. I was very surprised that such a product could actually smell good, and to those of you who are still using Axe, I would like to remind you that musk is for mold; not men.

Howie Kendrick is having the breakout season that many of us expected to come a few years earlier. Still, you can't ignore his 5.9 WAR and his stellar D at second. Kendrick has also been crazy good on the basepaths, and his wRC-plus of 123 is definitely a number that Kendrick can be proud of. He has been the Angels' best position player this season, and I have no concerns about his high BABIP. Kendrick is one of those guys who just swings to make contact and is not worried about taking pitches. It wouldn't hurt him to draw more walks, but it's all good in the end


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"Dirty" Al Gallagher spent four years in the Majors as a third baseman, and he was also a teacher. Although he was a subpar player, he did enjoy an okay season in 1971, when he hit five triples and had an OPS-plus of 104. His career OPS-plus was 91, which isn't such a good mark.

Gallagher was a poor defensive player who never had a positive dWAR in his career. In 1971, his 1.8 WAR was a career high, and that was the only year in which he was a league-average starter. The other three years in his career were spent in the doldrums, as he never attained a positive WAR total in any of those seasons


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9/2011 Team Scope: LA Angels

September 20th 2011 12:44
While they are still in the race, the Angels playoff hopes are basically over. What should haunt them is the fact that they traded a very productive power-hitting catcher, for a guy with a huge contract who is an old, marginal player. Not only does Vernon Wells have a massive contract, but he has a negative WAR total and one of the worst OBPs for an everyday player of all-time. Don't you hate it when GMs keep running these old scrubs out there all the time?

There have also been musings of Art Moreno girding up his loins to try to pursue the much-coveted Albert Pujols. If they could ever get their hands on Puj, this offense would go from ho-hum to elite. What to do with Kendrys Morales? Ship off the oft-injured first baseman to someone who could use him more. After all, he's not all that good when you compare him to the other first basemen around the league. And heck, they could end up with a couple of decent prospects in return


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9/2011 Player Profile: Philip Wheeler

September 18th 2011 12:57
Although he is listed as a backup for the Colts, Philip Wheeler is a capable starting 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL. The book on him is that he is solid but really nothing more than that. We've been waiting for a breakout season from him, but we probably won't get that. Still, all we can ask for in a player is that they are valuable to the team in some way or another. Last week, Wheeler was one of the only players on the Colts defense who wasn't smoked.

Wheeler was a third round pick in 2008 out of Georgia Tech, and he was a Second-team All-ACC player in the years 2006 and 2007. The problem, however, is that Wheeler has had some trouble showing that he is consistent enough to be a starter. The talent is certainly there, but sometimes you just sit there and wonder if this guy will ever get it. I think this year should be his year to break out, and Bill Polian certainly has high hopes for him


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I like to try to come up with questions that I don't currently have an answer for, and then I just start investigating and trying to come up with an answer. With all the great passing performances going on right now, you could argue that having a shutdown corner like Revis makes all the difference in the world. You, in a sense, take out the opposing quarterback's best weapon and are able to handcuff about 70 yards or so from an offense.

There is actually another question that I need to tackle first: who is the best shutdown corner in the game? Although quarterbacks are less likely to throw it at Nnamdi Asomugha, Revis is younger and is a slightly better corner overall. And oh by the way, he offers far more than Nnamdi in run support. It actually doesn't matter as to which corner you prefer, because either way, Nnamdi or Revis could be the best player in the league


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2011 Week 2 Preview: Falcons and Eagles

September 16th 2011 16:54
Before I take a look at this game, I want to recall the 2004 season's NFC Championship game between these two teams. This was back when Michael Vick was the Falcons beloved franchise quarterback, and it was also the year in which Donovan McNabb roasted everybody and took the Eagles to the Super Bowl. They lost, but Andy Reid may finally be able to lay claim to a title of his own this season. The Eagles first legitimate test is an away game against Atlanta.

The reason why I mention the home and away dynamic is the fact that Matty Ice and the Atlanta offense are even better in the Georgia Dome. However, they are coming off of an embarrassing and unexpected drubbing against the Chicago Bears in the season's first week. The thing is, they really didn't play as poorly as the scoreline (30-12) would suggest. They are too talented to not bounce back, but that lackluster performance certainly hurts their stock going into this game. I mean, it's pretty difficult to be a legit Super Bowl candidate when you lose 30-12 to a team who will most likely struggle to go 8-8


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The feedback I have received about the Historical Player Profiles has definitely been positive, and I am going to continue with my analysis of former NFL players. I don't really have much information to go on, but I always try to do my best to put forth something meaningful. These posts shouldn't be taken too seriously, because they are really meant as a fun look back at a player in history. I feel that it is important to revisit the players (both good and bad) who were on the playing field. And who knows? You might just learn something along the way. I definitely gained a ton of new football knowledge while researching these guys.

As of right now, Tony Brackens has the most sacks in Jacksonville Jaguars history and has the 7th most solo tackles (301). The defensive lineman spent his entire eight year career with the Jags and accumulated 55 sacks. Brackens was the first pick in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. His 27 career fumbles forced are easily the highest in franchise history, and he forced five fumbles in four seasons in his career


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9/2011 Colts top 20

September 14th 2011 15:29
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Developing new wide receiver statistic

September 11th 2011 14:14
I made a running back stat about a month ago, and I am currently trying to develop a similar one for receivers.

(Yards per Target X 10 from Advanced NFL Stats) - (Deep% from Advanced NFL Stats) - Team AY/A from Pro-Football Reference [TDs/Targets) X 10] Catch Rate/10


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2011 Week 1 Preview: Lions and Chiefs

September 9th 2011 15:36
While the best game on Sunday is between the Ravens and Steelers, there are still some other noteworthy matchups coming up. One of these games that you should tune into involves the Bucs and Lions.

Both of these teams were once regarded as two of the worst teams in the NFL, but they have both made remarkable turnarounds and have become solid teams. The Bucs were last year's feel-good story, and many people have tabbed the Lions to make the playoffs. While I think the Lions are overrated and there are far too many people saying that they are a sleeper team for them to actually be a sleeper team, they are much-improved


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2011 Week 1 Preview: Ravens and Steelers

September 8th 2011 15:12
I have another week 1 game preview for you precious few faithful readers of this blog. It involves another tantalizing matchup between two Super Bowl contenders who just happen to be perhaps the biggest rivals in the NFL. This game already has division championship and bye week implications, because a Steelers- or Ravens- win would put the other team in a hole early on.

From a schematic standpoint, signing Bryant McKinnie and Lee Evans were two of the best offensive additions that they could have made in the offseason. Even though I think Jared Gaither is the better player, McKinnie is a solid left tackle when he keeps his weight in check. Derrick Mason, as old as he is, is an underrated player who is one of the better possession receivers in the league. That being said, the Ravens didn't need another possession receiver- they have Anquan Boldin. No, they needed to get a deep threat, and they got their man


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2011 NFL Kick-off preview

September 7th 2011 16:40
As I sit here in my comfortable abode on an all too crappy netbook typing this post out while blaring Tool, my mind is busy contemplating the rigorous ahead of us (NFL fans). The parity in the NFL makes predicting a difficult task, but I do know one thing for sure; this is going to be one hell of a season. Don't believe me? Well, why don't you just take a look at the season's first game between the Packers and Saints? I don't need to tell you how great these two teams are, and just how great these two teams will be in February. Oh wait...this is the NFL, where crazy happens.

The Eagles, Falcons, Saints, and Packers are the NFC's undisputed Big Four heading into the season. They have very little questions surrounding their teams, and these are the guys who you put your sports' dignity on the line when you make your predictions. But with a full season looming ahead, injuries, poor execution, and the usual unexpected twists and turns that happen during 16 weeks of football will make the guessing game an even more difficult affair. For now, I'll just stick to one game and break down how I think things will end up between the Packers and Saints
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I am continuing my Historical Player Profiles with wide receiver Morris Owens. He was a 5th round pick in the 1975 draft out of Arizona State, but he never received playing time as a rookie with the Dolphins. However, he would make a name for himself in the city of Tampa the following season.

The Buccaneers inaugural season was in 1976, and Owens was a huge part of their team. He scored the team's first touchdown pass in franchise history; a one yard pass from Louis Carter. He finished off his first full season with six touchdown receptions on 30 total catches for 390 receiving yards overall


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9/2011 Team Scope: Cincinnati Bengals

September 1st 2011 15:01
The Cincinnati Bengals are a mess, and they're only going to win a couple of games this season. What I say is now well-known fact, but I must say it anyway to properly start this team preview. Soon, I will break down their roster, and you will see why they are such a mess.

Andy Dalton looks like a solid West Coast quarterback, but the personnel around him aren't suited for the type of offense that Dalton is. While new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is bringing in the WCO, receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson are vertical threats. Green's enormous talent is being wasted in this system, but there really is no other way. The benefactor will be slot receiver Jordan Shipley, who will continue his solid play from last year. I think 70 catches are more than just a possibility


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