2008 ALCS

I hate Jonny Gomes.

Sterling Pingree

Monkey see, monkey.....You're a monkey!!!!

I was planning on writing this, I really was. I have just been handed though an urgent and more substantial reason to write this column. I am a lot of things, long winded, wordy, verbose, never truncated, gregarious and ever the raconteur. However, above all else, I am one thing and that is competitive. So when I saw my compatriot Aaron Jackson wrote a recent column (which I didn't read, but I've heard it's quite good) I knew without a shadow of a doubt, I had to release one as well. Without further adu, here are my thoughts heading into the American League Championship Series tomorrow night, written however, under the influence of the Phillies-Dodgers NLCS.

(First a tangent, which I just mentioned to my buddy Sam while watching Game 1. I am predicting the Phillies beat the Dodgers in this series, I'll say six games and it'll be over. The reason for this is that the Phillies are starting to remind me of the Rockies from last season, a seemingly tough line up, but only at home, and their rotation is built around the left hander that seems to be on a run right now. Playing the Rays, I think this Phillies team could win the World Series, playing the Red Sox, I don't see it happening. Perhaps that's why I'm picking them, atleast I'm honest about it.)

~ I feel very strangely at ease with Daisuke going in game one tomorrow night. It won't be easy, it will be down right tough to watch I can guarantee you that, but he seems to win those games. (Speaking of tough, the last two season's I've had to listen to Daisuke's game 2 starts of the ALDS the last two season. Forget the 4 minute mile or Wilt's 100 point game, this might be the most difficult thing in sports.) He will get a lead, he will threaten to give up the lead, his pitch count will rise as will my blood pressure during every home half of the inning, but he will escape and when he departs after 5 or 6 inning the Red Sox will be holding a lead. I keep thinking that Daisuke isn't a very good postseason pitcher, but off the top of my head I can only remember one playoff game that the Red Sox have lost in which Matsuzaka started. That's for good reason, as it's only happened once, to Cleveland in last year's ALCS. The loss was also perhaps the best game that Daisuke pitched in his playoff career.

~ I full expect James Shields to be tough tomorrow night, but also very pumped up. The people that said all season that the Rays would cave in the second half, (me included) are the same people that are saying the Rays will cave underneath the pressure of the postseason. One thing that they definitely have in their favor is that they have home field advantage and get to start the series at home where they have been the best in baseball.

~ Going in the Angels series, I was on the Moneyball Bandwagon that said you have to match up your starting pitchers if you're the Red Sox so that you have your best home/road pitchers pitching where they have their best record. Matsuzaka is lights out on the road, Lester is lights out at Fenway and Josh Beckett has to be one of the top two starters and he has actually be better this season on the road than at home. Well going into this ALCS the Red Sox have their starters set up in just such a way, mostly because this year's Jim Lonborg (Jon Lester in case you couldn't figure it out fromt he next few words) had to pitch an extra game and best the Angels in the clinching game 3 Monday night. Even having to play the extra game in the first round (look at the Red Sox recent playoff history and playing more than 3 games in the ALDS hasn't happened since 2003, so I consider anything more than 3 extra) the Sox still have their proverbial ducks in a row and ready to take Tampa by storm starting tomorrow night.

(Side note from the NLCS: it's amazing in the NL and more specifically being personified by the Dodgers right now, that on these teams there is one guy on good teams that strikes fear in the other team. Right now Manny Ramirez is doing that at the scale that few have ever seen before. So when Manny (yes we're still on a first name basis since he left) lined out to Pedro Feliz moments ago in a one run game, the crowd cheered like Chase Utley had been rescued from cannibals. They know they just dodged a bases empty bullet, because a solo shot from Manny right now is happening more frequently than some people's bodily functions. Scary comparison, but its playoff time and all of the drug advertisement's are telling me that people are missing things and using too many restrooms or not enough restrooms. They all sort of run together, I can never really tell anymore.)

~ The bullpens will probably be the deciding factor in this series. There is a formula to the playoffs, there won' t be many if any blow outs in this series, but there will be a blown save, there will be a tide turning error at some point and somebody is going to get blamed for a loss and as always a hero will emerge. The Red Sox already saw these things happen, THIS YEAR!! (Talk about playoff experience, they're buying it in bulk now apparently.) Against the Angels, all of the aforementioned things happened, K-Rod blew a tied game at home, the tide turning error was the botched squeeze play that shifted all of the momentum of the series and Vlad will be the player blamed for the loss in game one, which is strange because I feel Erick Aybar should get much more credit for losing the series. Without a doubt the hero that emerged in the series was from Boston and to me Jed Lowrie should get more credit than he does as should JD Drew, but Jason Bay was Mr. First Week of October.

Look, I'm a complete homer and I know this. So if you're looking for objectivity, you won't find it here when talking about the remaining playoff games this year. If you want objectivity, read Aaron Jackson talk about politics. Whoops! That might be the one person and one topic that is less objective than me about the Sox.

~Sterling Pingree

I'm Baaaaaccccckkkkkk...

Following the path of the greats is never easy, but I'm certainly going to try. I will be attempting a feat only the greatest of the greats attempt, including Michael Jordan and Brett Favre. That's right, I am un-retiring from the blogosphere. Now you might be saying to yourselves, "but Aaron, you never retired in the first place!". That is true. But in order to make a dramatic comeback you have to have an ending before it, and retiring sounds a lot better than me just being lazy. So here it is, my first post as an un-retired blogger. Print it, send it to me with a check for 25 bucks and I will sign it for you if you want.

So what could I possibly talk about that would match the brilliance of my comeback? Quite simply, Boston, the best sports city in the world. It's pretty clear that with the Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, BC and even the Revolution are WILDLY successful. You can't have that many sports team be successful and not be the best sports city in the world, because in order to be that good you have to beat the other city's teams. When I break it down like that it seems simple, doesn't it.

Lets delve a little further though. There have always been individual dynasties (Lakers, Celtics, Cowboys, Yankees) and there will always be certain teams that are good year in and year out (Red Wings, Steelers, Braves, Yankees) but never has there been a combination of the two quite like what we have. We have the dynasties that we expect to win it all (Patriots, Sox), the always good teams that you can expect to contend (Celtics, Revolution) and even have the teams that are intriguing (Bruins, BC).

So now lets go into why these teams are so good. It's really a combination of two things. On one end is management; these teams front offices are committed to winning, and are willing to admit they need help to do it. Furthermore, they oftentimes think like fans, but know when to think like management. Take the Red Sox. You can tell they are passionate about the team, but they also occasionally make the decision (letting Pedro and Damon go, trading Nomar) that fans would never make. Management is also willing to spend money and take on additional payroll when needed. Now here is where the second reason comes in.

The fans. Boston fans are the best in the country. They have the passion of fans from Philly, but they have the smarts of fans from, well, Boston. There is not a fan base smarter than Boston's. Sure, you get the occasional drunken idiot that is jobless, listens to EEI all day and gets into fights constantly, but for every one of him/her there are 10 intelligent fans that love sports while staying on the right side of the line between sane and crazy. And when you have intelligent fans you have a fan base that is successful in their lives outside of their fandom. They have good jobs, they have happy lives, which means they have money to spend. And it shows. It's a give and take situation. We have some of the highest ticket prices in the country, which means the teams make more money and in turn, spend that money towards the on the field product. And while we can complain about ticket prices (trust me, I do) we set the market for them. There is such a high demand in the market that these teams can set the prices high and know they will still sell out. The day the Sox put all their tickets up for auction is the day we see your average ticket price at 150 dollars. That's just through the Sox, not including the mark ups you would see on Stubhub and other scalping sites.

So there it is. I hope my return from retirement was as good for you as it was for me. I feel invigorated. Until next time everyone...

~Aaron Jackson

His final bow?

He got out of an 8th inning jam, just like a couple hundred times before. He walked off the mound to about as much fanfare as there is for the 162nd game of the season with nothing postseason oriented on the line. As he strode off the mound he stared at the ground the entire way, almost embarrassed almost shy, but he's been there more than any right hander in baseball history. He finished his inning with a strike out, low and out of the zone, just where the catcher called for it.
The Great John Updike once wrote that "Gods don't answer letters", apparently he was right. Because when Mike Timlin left tonight's regular season finale where he faced the New York Yankees, he might have also faced his own baseball mortality. For a guy with 4 World Series championships there isn't a lot out there left to prove besides maybe breaking the all-time appearances record. This might be the end to one of the best career's by a middle reliever since the role has become defined, because there is no guarantee that he makes the playoff roster this year and next season is never promised when you hit the age of 40.
So when Mike Timlin made his way off the Fenway Park mound tonight, I took in the moment and savored it what might be, his final bow.

Sterling Pingree

Come, Labor On Red Sox-Angels Round 3

Oh, it's been a while. Between being engulfed in the pennant race and having no time to talk about it, I haven't posted a new column in weeks. It actually feels like years, so much has happened but nothing has changed, except now it's official. The Rays have won the division and the Red Sox finished second, but captured the Wild Card. It seems fitting that the last post is the longest running headline in the history of the website, because that was the night that if hope wasn't lost, it was evident that hope had taken a few wrong turns. It became official late last night that the Rays would by default of David Pauley, win their first division title and make their first appearance in the postseason. The Rays seem to have Boston's number, the Angels are 8-1 against Boston this year (I was at the one game that Boston won, the starting pitcher in that game? You guessed it, David Pauley.) The Twins are leading the Central by a half game over the White Sox. The Red Sox had some battles with the Twins this season in their few games against each other. The White Sox on the other hand held a decent record against Boston, but I don't see how they match up against this Boston team well at all. The Angels are on tap again for the Red Sox to kick off the first round, so here's the break down.
The pitching: The old saying's go, a good running game and good defense wins in the NFL, defense and an inside game wins in the NBA and pitching wins in the playoffs. There is a stark contrast right off the bat between the Red Sox and these Angels. During the season a deep rotation should in theory get you the best record because you are throwing 4 and 5 pitchers out there, that in theory are better than the other team's 4th and 5th starters. In the playoffs that goes out the window, because maybe two starts are going to be made by those number 4 guys and that's it. The Red Sox have arguably the two best pitchers in this series. Josh Beckett being the predominant postseason starter in baseball now and then you can argue that Jon Lester is throwing better than John Lackey and if I wanted to get crazy and get a lot of e-mails I could say that at 18-2 before today's start, Dice-K is better than Lackey and he would be Boston's number 3. Saunders is solid and has pitched well against Boston, Weaver is owned by Ortiz and most of the Boston line up. Ervin Santana hasn't faced the Red Sox much and has had a very up and down season and right now is trending downward.
The bullpens right now favor the Angels, but they don't have a lot of play off experience in the pen besides K-Rod and Scot Shields and Boston has had Shields number his entire career. Papelbon at the end of the game has been almost as lights out as K-Rod and right now Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson have been very tough and Hideki Okakima looks like he is back to where he was last season using his curve ball more than ever and more effectively.

Be sure to check back soon for the offensive break downs of the Red Sox and Angels heading into the ALDS.

Sterling Pingree

Doing the Drunk Texas Reaction and then not

I believe the date was September 16, 2005, ( I know because I was there) I went to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park against the Oakland A's. I don't remember the pitching match up, only that Wakefield threw 9 innings, but before the game even started there was an hour and a half rain delay. This was my first rain delay experience and it wasn't bad, I had some pizza and sat in the drizzle talking to my buddy, Squirrelly. There were a couple guys in front of us, one of the greatest sections I've ever sat in, I mean the people not the seats. The seats weren't bad they were down just beyond Pesky's Pole and about 12 rows off the field, but the people were good. There was a couple from Georgia, she went to school at BU so he came up to visit her. Next to them were two guys who came up from Texas to see the weekend series. Well one of the guys spent the entire rain delay drinking heavily, the more it rained, the more he drank. The original 7 o'clock start ended up taking place at about 8:30 and by this time the red headed Texan had all he could do just to stand up during the National Anthem.
Then came the moment. As soon as the PA announcer started reading off things to do with the game all he could do when the crowd erupted was throw his hands over his head with his shoulders touching his ears and the look on his face was like he was lifting the bottom of the pyramid cheerleader above his head in some elaborate toss or something. I suppose it was just a natural reaction when you're in that state and feeling that kind of joy and on occasions since then, I have found myself doing the same thing (such as when the Red Sox won the World Series last October.)
Why am I telling you all of this? Because I just had the same reaction to what Jason Bay just did for the Red Sox. He took a two out, one on offering from Dan Wheeler and drilled a low line drive into the front row of the Green Monster. The pure guttural roar of the crowd and of Jason Bay screaming "Get up!" as the ball left the yard gave me an instant rush of the "Drunk Texas Reaction".
Right now it looks like it might have been a little premature, as Joanthan "I am probably 6 months away from legally changing my last name to Cinco Ocho" Papelbon has given up a game tying home run to Dan Johnson. I guess this is fastball mode? Two doubles in a row and the Sox are trailing.
Right now though, I am still somewhat confident in this teams ability to come back. The Bay home run was a big moment for this team, it showed how badly they want to finish first in the division and how badly they want to get home field advantage in the playoffs. The moment like almost like this happened in 2004 when Orlando Cabrera hit a walk off homer against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park in extra innings. This could be that moment if they use the home field advantage they have at this moment and score in their final time up.
This bottom of the 9th will be telling, will the Red Sox battle back, will the Rays resolve be enough to hold off the defending champions or will Troy Percival cough one up to the greatest clutch hitter in Baseball history? (Yes, I stole this from Batman and yes I did read this old column from Bill Simmons at work today.)
David Ortiz is coming to the plate with a man on base down by one in the bottom of the 9th. Doesn't it seem like a while since he hit a walk off home run? Wasn't the last one last September against these Rays at Fenway Park off Al Reyes? It doesn't look like he will get the chance as he's ahead in the count 3-0 and Percival doesn't want anything to do with him. Can Ortiz turn back the clock and give us one more day of summer (stolen from Vin Scully in For Love of The Game) and knock one out of here?
3-1, he pops out to right field, it had hope off the bat, but he was just under it. Ellsbury comes on to run, you have to steal second here so you have a shot to tie the game with a single from the red hot Coco Crisp right? HE DOES!!! He steals second and the throw bounces away, Ellsbury at third with two outs.
I can't help by notice, if Ellsbury had run two batters ago, this game would be tied after Ortiz's fly out to left. I'm never going to make it through October.
Coco flies out, game over, drive home safely, the Rays have won for the first time this season at Fenway Park. My spirits are lifted knowing that Josh Beckett is on the hill tomorrow, and no matter what, there is still October.
If I can only make it through.

Sterling Pingree

Living in some tall cotton

The scale of how great these times are for Boston/New England sports fans are, (diehards, not pink hatters. I hate that I have to specify) championship sports teams and all, but you know things are huge where a beat writer changing papers is big news. Tony Massarotti has left the Boston Herald and is now anchoring the online coverage for the Boston Globe, primarily the same thing that Gordon Edes did before he left the paper. My friends and I were talking about how great it is that he is now with the Globe and makes the current staff of writers there perhaps their greatest, ever. Something that I have thought of though is that this move really gives Rob Bradford a nice bump at the Herald. Bradford deserves it without question, I have been reading him consistently since he wrote for the Providence Journal and had a terrific blog on their website.
The thing about this is that in not many sports cities are the scribes of a team or personalities that cover it, almost as big of stars as the players. Think about it though, who would you say has bigger stars, the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Globe's sports staff? In New England anyway, it's definitely a toss up.
On to some random shots:

~ Game four of the International League playoffs between Scranton Wilkes/Barre and Pawtucket features a pitching match up of Bartolo Colon and Phil Hughes. Colon has a better record and a much lower ERA (Hughes is above 5). I will now pause while Yankee fans swallow their tongues trying to say "We made the right move by not trading for Johan" over and over and over again.

~ Tim Wakefield tonight is making his 499th appearance for the Red Sox, second most in the history of the team for a pitcher only behind Bob "Steamer" Stanley, whom nobody will catch. Interestingly enough though is that Mike Timlin is third on the Red Sox list of pitching appearances with 388. What are the chances of getting to 400? Probably slim, but you never know, I'd love to see him come back next year and try to get the all time major league appearances record. Gamers and gentlemen like Timlin don't come around every season.

~ The Red Sox could pull to within just a game and a half of the Tampa Bay Rays tonight with a victory in Texas after Troy Percival blew a save today in the 13th inning by surrendering a grand slam to Greg "I used to only bat over .200 against the Red Sox" Zaun. You knew this run was coming for Boston, next week's series though is "Hu-yuge" in the words of Chris "Mad-Dog" Russo. Three games to decide first place, at the Fens and the Sox have their three best going, (Dice, Lester and Beckett) against three mediocre (Jackson, Kazmir and Sonnastine). I will preview this series in my next post.

Sterling Pingree

NFC Previews Continued

So the season is underway as of 7 pm tonight, and I am co-anchoring a local sports show for football season, so I am going to do the NFC South preview fast. I want to get them in before the season, and Sterling has been a slacker, plus if you've been watching ABC you'd know I've been putting in a lot of hours lately. So here we go with some speed previews.

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers-Projected Record 12-4, first in NFC South.

QB: This teams ranking is based solely on Jake Delhomme. If he is injured again disregard this ranking completely. If Delhomme does well I expect them to be a great team, because they have a good mix of defensive and offensive weapons.

RB: Deangelo Williams is one of my big time sleepers for this years fantasy season, and Jonathan Stewart isn't too shabby either. I can see them putting up the best rushing offense in the league.

WR: Steve Smith is good, but streaky. After that they don't have a whole lot.

TE: Not going to be a big factor.

Offensive Line etc...: The offensive line only needs to be decent with two backs like they have. Their defense goes as Julius Peppers goes. When he is playing to capacity he looks like the best defensive player in the league, when he's not he looks like a defensive version of Ethan Albright.

2. New Orleans Saints-Projected Record 10-6, second in NFC South, Wild Card winner.

QB: We all know Brees will put up numbers and be an elite quarterback.

RB: If Reggie Bush can learn to become a running back and not a kick returner trying to play running back he can be the next Barry Sanders with better receiving ability. If he continues to make too many cuts and always go for the big play then he'll struggle.

WR: Marques Colston is still a very good receiver, and I have Robert Meachem as an impact player this year.

TE: Jeremy Shockey, regardless of what Giants fans tell you, is an elite tight end and will thrive with the Saints.

Offensive Line etc...: Their defense should be much improved with Jonathan Vlima, and their special teams will be intriguing if they use Reggie Bush as a kick returner.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Projected Record 9-7, third in NFC South.

QB: I bet you thought that I would have the Bucs in the playoffs considering they're my favorite team and I said earlier I thought there would be two playoff teams in the South. Unfortunately I don't see it, and the offense is why. Garcia is old and I think last year was it for him, and after that they don't have much. Well, they have plenty of QB's, but none that are good.

RB: Warrick Dunn is washed up, Earnest Graham is average and after that they have nothing. They need Cadillac Williams to come back and perform, but I don't think it will ever happen.

WR: Joey Galloway continues to put up numbers, but after him they've got nothing.

TE: Jerramy Stevens was overrated with the Seahawks, and he still is terrible with the Bucs.

Offensive Line etc: Their offensive line is young and getting better, but it has nothing to protect. Their special teams is mediocre at best, and the defense will be carrying this team yet again.

4. Atlanta Falcons-Projected Record 4-12, last in NFC South.

QB: Matt Ryan is a rookie and he'll have his struggles, but they made the right choice even if it doesn't show this year.

RB: Michael Turner has a lot to prove, and I expect he'll prove it by putting up some good numbers. If Jerious Norwood can finally break through the running game could be good.

WR: Roddy White quietly put together a great season last year with a bad team, lets see if he can duplicate that.

TE: They lost Alge Crumpler, so who cares who they have now.

Offensive Line etc...: Their offensive line is decent, their special teams are pretty bad and their defense will struggle because of the offenses shortcomings.

~Aaron Jackson

White Hat Sports Draft Co-Jogging Diary

Alright, so here is our special segment, a co-jogging diary via AOL instant messenger. There is no other way to intro this, so here we go....

Sterling332184 (9:02:02 PM): i'm loving the brady fact, this draft is going fast,

Sterling332184 (9:02:09 PM): nice move with barber

actionjacksn04 (9:02:11 PM): I like it fast

actionjacksn04 (9:02:19 PM): I think I might be able to snag lynch too

Sterling332184 (9:02:19 PM): that's what she said,

Sterling332184 (9:02:20 PM): i wish

Sterling332184 (9:03:22 PM): lynch is gonna get to you, if not mcgahee will

actionjacksn04 (9:03:36 PM): I am even considering, well, not anymore

actionjacksn04 (9:03:37 PM): romo

actionjacksn04 (9:03:42 PM): but if Lynch makes it

Sterling332184 (9:03:46 PM): i would have been too,

Sterling332184 (9:03:55 PM): i was thinking about taking two qb's if i can play them in the util spot,

Sterling332184 (9:03:59 PM): try out something new ya know

actionjacksn04 (9:04:07 PM): I think I am going to

actionjacksn04 (9:04:31 PM): hmmmm

Sterling332184 (9:04:33 PM): but i mean with the first two picks,

actionjacksn04 (9:04:42 PM): mcgahee?

actionjacksn04 (9:04:44 PM): I don't know

Sterling332184 (9:04:50 PM): i would say so,

Sterling332184 (9:05:03 PM): unless you like brees

actionjacksn04 (9:05:20 PM): same bye week as barber

actionjacksn04 (9:05:22 PM): ugh

actionjacksn04 (9:05:39 PM): there should be a big flashing sign

actionjacksn04 (9:05:49 PM): that tells you if you do that

actionjacksn04 (9:06:19 PM): alicia sacramone

actionjacksn04 (9:06:20 PM): mmmmm

Sterling332184 (9:06:25 PM): your girl is there man

Sterling332184 (9:06:42 PM): viscious right hook

actionjacksn04 (9:06:49 PM): I love that video

Sterling332184 (9:07:03 PM): she dropped that guy

Sterling332184 (9:07:10 PM): insert link to video here

actionjacksn04 (9:07:15 PM): good call

actionjacksn04 (9:07:20 PM): vince young?

actionjacksn04 (9:07:24 PM): wow, swain blew that one

actionjacksn04 (9:07:49 PM): he's a big madden player

actionjacksn04 (9:07:54 PM): that must be the reason for that pick

actionjacksn04 (9:08:01 PM): there goes mcfadden

actionjacksn04 (9:08:04 PM): thought he would make it

Sterling332184 (9:08:28 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:08:35 PM): i have no idea what i'm doing right now

Sterling332184 (9:08:40 PM): a qb and two wr's

actionjacksn04 (9:08:48 PM): take maroney

actionjacksn04 (9:08:51 PM): he should be better this year

actionjacksn04 (9:08:54 PM): more touches

actionjacksn04 (9:09:02 PM): oh, you took edwards

actionjacksn04 (9:09:05 PM): well, to each his own

actionjacksn04 (9:09:20 PM): I'm taking Palmer if he makes it

Sterling332184 (9:09:33 PM): good call, i always like carson

Sterling332184 (9:09:56 PM): yeah, i see it as three rb's getting a lot of carries, plus brady throws alot inside the 5,

Sterling332184 (9:10:04 PM): which is good because well i own him

actionjacksn04 (9:10:21 PM): You know who I think will do well

actionjacksn04 (9:10:30 PM): Lamont Jordan

actionjacksn04 (9:10:45 PM): the guy was still decent with the Raiders

actionjacksn04 (9:10:57 PM): I wish the Bucs would've picked him up

actionjacksn04 (9:11:20 PM): Matt Forte is way too high

Sterling332184 (9:11:25 PM): yeh i love that pick for the pats,

Sterling332184 (9:11:28 PM): pick up

Sterling332184 (9:11:50 PM): morris was good last year, the three of them is going to be tough, so i don't see many red zone carries for maroney

actionjacksn04 (9:12:01 PM): good point

Sterling332184 (9:12:17 PM): i mean, i'd give it to morris inside the 5, but that's me

actionjacksn04 (9:12:24 PM): Colston could be a good pick up coming up

actionjacksn04 (9:12:39 PM): either him, housh, roy williams or boldin

Sterling332184 (9:12:59 PM): yeah i was looking at him as my third wr, haha

Sterling332184 (9:13:03 PM): housh is there

actionjacksn04 (9:13:28 PM): he's not a bad pick either

Sterling332184 (9:13:34 PM): no he is not

Sterling332184 (9:13:43 PM): especially with chad ocho cinco hurt a little

actionjacksn04 (9:14:04 PM): Colston is still developmental though

actionjacksn04 (9:14:18 PM): good thing to have in a keeper league

Sterling332184 (9:15:21 PM): oh, that's right, i forgot the keeper aspect of this

Sterling332184 (9:15:26 PM): good thing i didn't draft corey dillon

actionjacksn04 (9:15:33 PM): that's why I wanted mcfadden

actionjacksn04 (9:15:36 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:15:57 PM): brady's timeless, and owens and edwards are relatively young, so is willie parker

actionjacksn04 (9:16:08 PM): yeah, swain is picking a madden team

actionjacksn04 (9:16:16 PM): vernon davis is absurdly good in madden

Sterling332184 (9:16:17 PM): dummy

actionjacksn04 (9:16:27 PM): but to take him in the fifth?

Sterling332184 (9:16:32 PM): and in under armor commercials, in real life he still plays with jt o'sullivan

actionjacksn04 (9:16:47 PM): and he reached for Calvin Johnson and Vince Young too

Sterling332184 (9:17:09 PM): calvin is going to be very good and he's young

actionjacksn04 (9:17:25 PM): yeah, but still

actionjacksn04 (9:17:30 PM): a little high

Sterling332184 (9:17:34 PM): i took earnest graham, earnest graham

actionjacksn04 (9:17:39 PM): HAHAHA

actionjacksn04 (9:18:01 PM): starting willie parker and earnest graham

actionjacksn04 (9:18:11 PM): I bet you never thought you would see that happen on one of your teams

Sterling332184 (9:18:25 PM): parker is starting on all of my teams

actionjacksn04 (9:18:49 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:18:54 PM): fast willie,

Sterling332184 (9:18:58 PM): he terrify's me

actionjacksn04 (9:19:18 PM): yeah, well I'm putting more than few eggs in the Marc Bulger bandwagon

actionjacksn04 (9:19:29 PM): although I did it because I thought cotchery would make it back

actionjacksn04 (9:19:31 PM): and nope

Sterling332184 (9:19:48 PM): i like cotchery this year, i think everybody does now that people know favre loves him

actionjacksn04 (9:19:54 PM): yeah

actionjacksn04 (9:20:33 PM): I like Roddy White

actionjacksn04 (9:20:46 PM): although anyone on Atlanta worries me

actionjacksn04 (9:21:01 PM): but he broke out some last year

Sterling332184 (9:22:22 PM): yeah he did

Sterling332184 (9:22:32 PM): i would have gone somewhere else for a wr there, but age is a factor, so nice

Sterling332184 (9:22:40 PM): which is why i also took felix jones that early

actionjacksn04 (9:23:03 PM): yeah, keeper leagues you need a different mindset

Sterling332184 (9:23:30 PM): definately,

actionjacksn04 (9:23:41 PM): I'm Dustin Pedroia

Sterling332184 (9:23:42 PM): felix is a rookie, so i can keep him without it hurting me right?

actionjacksn04 (9:23:44 PM): and I am the man

actionjacksn04 (9:23:48 PM): right

Sterling332184 (9:23:54 PM): he is the american dream 185 hits

actionjacksn04 (9:24:09 PM): Man, Swain is having a terrible night

actionjacksn04 (9:24:14 PM): just took Rudi

Sterling332184 (9:24:26 PM): HE DOESN"T HAVE A TEAM

actionjacksn04 (9:24:28 PM): fine with me

actionjacksn04 (9:24:34 PM): and now he has the best kicker

actionjacksn04 (9:24:50 PM): hahahaha

actionjacksn04 (9:24:54 PM): poor kid

actionjacksn04 (9:25:59 PM): I can't believe Patrick Willis got taken

actionjacksn04 (9:26:03 PM): really early

actionjacksn04 (9:26:09 PM): but he puts up numbers

actionjacksn04 (9:26:25 PM): well, there goes Adam Vinatieri

actionjacksn04 (9:26:39 PM): tony gonzalez or dallas clark

Sterling332184 (9:28:33 PM): yeah, i gotta look at defensive players at some point

actionjacksn04 (9:28:50 PM): not yet though

Sterling332184 (9:29:03 PM): no, but i gotta think about it

actionjacksn04 (9:29:07 PM): yeah

Sterling332184 (9:29:21 PM): you know that's not the kevin smith from jay and silent bob right?

actionjacksn04 (9:29:32 PM): WHAT?

actionjacksn04 (9:29:37 PM): I demand a repick

Sterling332184 (9:30:41 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:30:46 PM): you like that pick of ronnie brown there?

actionjacksn04 (9:30:47 PM): I was gonna take Ronnie

Sterling332184 (9:30:48 PM): you know you do

actionjacksn04 (9:30:51 PM): if he came back through

actionjacksn04 (9:31:01 PM): Now tom will take ricky

actionjacksn04 (9:31:04 PM): guaranteed

actionjacksn04 (9:31:06 PM): yep

Sterling332184 (9:31:38 PM): swain took hawk, wow, this kid is amazing,

Sterling332184 (9:31:43 PM): and asante, holy cow

actionjacksn04 (9:31:53 PM): well, leaves us with a better situation

actionjacksn04 (9:31:57 PM): watch him win the league

Sterling332184 (9:32:40 PM): no way

Sterling332184 (9:32:46 PM): u like that ginn pick?

Sterling332184 (9:32:58 PM): young fast and catching everything in practice from what i hear

actionjacksn04 (9:33:15 PM): haha and you made fun of me for keeping him in our other league over DeSean

actionjacksn04 (9:33:25 PM): way to be a hypocrite

Sterling332184 (9:33:42 PM): ha,

Sterling332184 (9:33:47 PM): that's before i heard the good words on him

Sterling332184 (9:33:55 PM): i did a lot of late research last week

actionjacksn04 (9:34:03 PM): just shows I am on top of the trends more than you

Sterling332184 (9:34:21 PM): just shows that i can adapt

Sterling332184 (9:34:27 PM): i am no caveman

actionjacksn04 (9:34:37 PM): fred taylor this late?

actionjacksn04 (9:34:43 PM): I'll take him in Round 9

Sterling332184 (9:34:53 PM): i am not big on him, he's just old, but he has put up numbers

Sterling332184 (9:35:02 PM): btw, now pitching for the baltimore orioles, RANDOR BIERD!

actionjacksn04 (9:35:06 PM): I am way down on him

Sterling332184 (9:35:08 PM): what a name, only in Baltimore

actionjacksn04 (9:35:09 PM): but this late?

actionjacksn04 (9:35:13 PM): can't go wrong

Sterling332184 (9:35:29 PM): he's no randor, i am sensing a theme for the rest of this conversation

actionjacksn04 (9:35:52 PM): haha

actionjacksn04 (9:35:58 PM): I love Crayton by the way

actionjacksn04 (9:36:09 PM): got him in the tenth

actionjacksn04 (9:36:24 PM): and he will put up big numbers

Sterling332184 (9:36:24 PM): btw, i'm about to take rivers

actionjacksn04 (9:36:33 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:37:10 PM): crayton is good, i almost took him over ginn

actionjacksn04 (9:37:19 PM): I would've

Sterling332184 (9:37:22 PM): but ginn is the only option in miami, so i went there, though he has proven nothing

actionjacksn04 (9:37:30 PM): Crayton is in such a good situation

actionjacksn04 (9:37:42 PM): let's see who swain picks here

actionjacksn04 (9:37:45 PM): any guesses?

actionjacksn04 (9:37:56 PM): Ellis Hobbs

actionjacksn04 (9:38:14 PM): Kitna and Freeney

actionjacksn04 (9:38:30 PM): look at his team

actionjacksn04 (9:38:42 PM): he had the first pick

Sterling332184 (9:39:27 PM): haha i can't till the end

Sterling332184 (9:39:34 PM): i am worried about messing up this weird website right now

Sterling332184 (9:39:42 PM): i'm not even kidding, i am terrified of flea flicker right now

actionjacksn04 (9:39:43 PM): who are you taking

actionjacksn04 (9:39:52 PM): oooh

actionjacksn04 (9:39:56 PM): ben watson

actionjacksn04 (9:40:07 PM): looks like you are the last guy with a tight end

actionjacksn04 (9:40:38 PM): So who is it gonna be

actionjacksn04 (9:40:41 PM): Perry or Watson

Sterling332184 (9:40:47 PM): perry,

actionjacksn04 (9:40:48 PM): for the Bengals

Sterling332184 (9:40:50 PM): he's been named the starter,

actionjacksn04 (9:41:07 PM): I feel like Watson is the better player though

Sterling332184 (9:41:07 PM): i'll take watson, i mean he plays for the best offense in football,

actionjacksn04 (9:41:21 PM): maybe I'm wrong

Sterling332184 (9:41:23 PM): and he plays for them, has a uniform, they pay him in everything, it's really great

actionjacksn04 (9:41:29 PM): haha

Sterling332184 (9:41:41 PM): little veiled major league line there

Sterling332184 (9:43:23 PM): how many more rounds is there?

actionjacksn04 (9:43:39 PM): 18

actionjacksn04 (9:43:51 PM): so we both have to start taking defensive players soon

Sterling332184 (9:44:08 PM): 18 more rounds?

actionjacksn04 (9:44:12 PM): no

actionjacksn04 (9:44:15 PM): 6

Sterling332184 (9:44:17 PM): how many left?

actionjacksn04 (9:44:27 PM): look in the bottom left of the draft box

Sterling332184 (9:44:36 PM): nice didn't see that

Sterling332184 (9:44:46 PM): look at my pick here, gonna be BIG

actionjacksn04 (9:44:56 PM): Ethan Albright?

Sterling332184 (9:45:01 PM): the greatest combine phenom since tony mandarich

actionjacksn04 (9:45:14 PM): HA

actionjacksn04 (9:45:18 PM): well, you got the big part right

actionjacksn04 (9:45:24 PM): in terms of weight

Sterling332184 (9:45:27 PM): dude's a monster

Sterling332184 (9:45:31 PM): i'll take a flyer on him

actionjacksn04 (9:45:34 PM): Jamarcus Russell

actionjacksn04 (9:45:39 PM): I don't think he will ever be good

Sterling332184 (9:45:46 PM): i think he will be,

Sterling332184 (9:46:03 PM): he has some weapons to play with now, two good rb's, that will take some pressure off him

actionjacksn04 (9:46:30 PM): have you seen the NFL fantasy files videos

Sterling332184 (9:46:35 PM): swain took deangelo

actionjacksn04 (9:46:40 PM): I know

Sterling332184 (9:46:43 PM): wow,

actionjacksn04 (9:46:47 PM): his team is terrible

actionjacksn04 (9:46:53 PM): where is Charles Barkley

Sterling332184 (9:47:01 PM): haha

actionjacksn04 (9:47:10 PM): have you seen the fantasy files things though

Sterling332184 (9:49:10 PM): nope

actionjacksn04 (9:49:44 PM): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F2d7M4Lbmw

actionjacksn04 (9:49:53 PM): here is one, there are a bunch of other ones

actionjacksn04 (9:50:00 PM): but I think you'll like that one the most

Sterling332184 (9:50:26 PM): i will watch it after papelbon ends this game

actionjacksn04 (9:50:44 PM): he's struggled more this year than the last couple

actionjacksn04 (9:51:42 PM): I don't remember the last time I have seen him get a clean save

actionjacksn04 (9:51:50 PM): no walks or hits

Sterling332184 (9:52:10 PM): cheap hits though

Sterling332184 (9:52:20 PM): that last one to payton he broke his bat and sawed him off,

actionjacksn04 (9:52:20 PM): not tonight

actionjacksn04 (9:52:30 PM): Millar's hit was hard

Sterling332184 (9:54:44 PM): did the draft just break?

actionjacksn04 (9:54:48 PM): no

Sterling332184 (9:54:49 PM): what did i get with my last pick?

actionjacksn04 (9:54:53 PM): adalius

Sterling332184 (9:54:53 PM): i lost connection for a second

Sterling332184 (9:55:03 PM): what about the one before that

actionjacksn04 (9:55:13 PM): david harris

Sterling332184 (9:55:40 PM): who /

Sterling332184 (9:55:48 PM): ill just drop him after the draft

actionjacksn04 (9:55:48 PM): linebacker from the jets

Sterling332184 (9:55:54 PM): like i want him

actionjacksn04 (9:55:57 PM): actually, he was the best available linebacker

actionjacksn04 (9:58:19 PM): Steve Slaton

actionjacksn04 (9:58:52 PM): He is one of my two guys that I am considering true sleepers

actionjacksn04 (9:59:18 PM): just so you know, the last time I was this excited about a sleeper was Frank Gore with my last pick of every draft

actionjacksn04 (9:59:28 PM): that worked out beautifully

Sterling332184 (9:59:33 PM): yeah i have my eye on slaton too

actionjacksn04 (9:59:36 PM): well, had

actionjacksn04 (9:59:40 PM): ha

Sterling332184 (9:59:45 PM): had, yes, past tense,

actionjacksn04 (9:59:47 PM): I've got another one too

Sterling332184 (10:00:02 PM): eye or west virginia running back?

actionjacksn04 (10:00:11 PM): haha

actionjacksn04 (10:00:13 PM): sleeper

Sterling332184 (10:00:35 PM): i have to take a kicker, i'm sad

actionjacksn04 (10:00:42 PM): not yet

actionjacksn04 (10:00:52 PM): we've got one more round before the last one

actionjacksn04 (10:01:20 PM): how far has devery henderson fallen

actionjacksn04 (10:01:27 PM): compared to last year

Sterling332184 (10:01:51 PM): very far, but look at what he did last year

Sterling332184 (10:02:01 PM): he was pretty terrible for the little hype he had, he didn't live up to anything

actionjacksn04 (10:02:02 PM): well, to be fair

actionjacksn04 (10:02:12 PM): the saints in general were pretty terrible

actionjacksn04 (10:02:40 PM): but I am actually considering taking him over my second sleeper

actionjacksn04 (10:02:46 PM): but I didn't

actionjacksn04 (10:03:24 PM): Robert Meachem

actionjacksn04 (10:03:33 PM): it was either him, henderson, leinart or hester

Sterling332184 (10:04:28 PM): i like meachem

Sterling332184 (10:04:38 PM): and u just mentioned my next pick, as long as you weren't talking about devin

actionjacksn04 (10:04:54 PM): well, leinart and devin were both just taken

actionjacksn04 (10:04:57 PM): oh, jacob

actionjacksn04 (10:05:03 PM): thought about it

Sterling332184 (10:05:05 PM): because i like jacob hester

actionjacksn04 (10:05:09 PM): if LT goes down

Sterling332184 (10:05:44 PM): definately, he's the only one left and i heard people like him

Sterling332184 (10:05:50 PM): wait, did i just take a white running back?

~Aaron Jackson