I'm Pretty Good at Fantasy Football

Sadly, the NFL season is nearing the end so that means that fantasy football it down to the wire as well. In this post, I just want to talk about my keeper league fantasy team and how I've rebuilt it into a championship contender. Last year was my first year joining a competitive fantasy football keeper league. Every year, each team would select 5 players from their squad and keep them for the next year. The champion of course, would be awarded an extra keeper! Rookies that are selected in the rookie draft would have 3 years of free keeper status. For example, if you guys chose a guy like AJ Green in a rookie draft this year, he'd be a free keeper for the next 3 fantasy seasons unless he's dropped anytime before that! After that, he'd be like every other player and count towards your original 5. That would mean Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Calvin Johnson, and all the other superstars will probably end up being kept. That means they will not be thrown into our Free Agent draft. Rookies are really crucial in leagues like this because it gives you a potential fantasy star keeper for upcoming years. The team I took over ended up stacking up QBs and finished last in the previous year. Fortunately, he did end up leaving me Ben Roethlisberger and drafted Josh Freeman. AND Luckily, I was able to get the 1st overall pick in the Rookie and Free Agent draft. The manager I took over decided to tank it all for some reason and left me with little to work with!
These guys were the keepers I ended up keeping:

• Ben Roethlisberger (PIT-QB)
• Matt Leinart(ARI-QB)
• Vince Young (TEN-QB)
• Matt Cassell (KC-QB)
• Donald Driver (GB-WR)

and my rookie that I was able to keep was Josh Freeman!

Not a good team right? I hated it too at first but those were the cards that were dealt to me. I quickly took this team and did a massive rebuilding process. In the rookie draft, it was a no-brainer to select RB, Ryan Mathews. His lightning speed and elusiveness was like a young LT. He was already rated a top 10 RB by many scouts before the season even started. After that, I made a couple of trades that gave me a little leeway. I traded Matt Cassell for Ryan Grant and a 2nd round rookie pick that ended up being Brandon LaFell. Then, I traded away Matt Leinart,5th round FA pick for Mike Sims-Walker and a 3rd round FA pick. MSW was coming off of a breakout year and I thought that he would've built on that. I was definitely wrong. A few more trades and free agent draft picks netted me some good players like Chad Ochocinco, Cedric Benson and Ahmad Bradshaw. My team was looking good on paper before the season started. Ben Roethlisberger, Josh Freeman, Vince Young, Bradshaw, Mathews, Benson Ocho, LaFell, Driver, Mike Sims Walker were my key guys that I thought would give me a solid team. I WAS SO WRONG. I started off on a bad note and lost my first few weeks. BUT, it was a blessing in disguise! I ended up having 1st waiver priorities and picked up Michael Vick. He turned out to be a fantasy phenomenon! Along the way, as my team kept losing, I just started to stack up on players with value. I picked up people like LaGarette Blount, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Earl Bennett. I also did a lot of major trades to give me a good team for next year:

• I traded Vince Young for Mohammed Massaquoi who still had rookie keeper rights. It was a great trade because VY ended up getting benched a few weeks later and Massaquoi still had potential for a breakout year.
• I also traded Ryan Fitzpatrick and Donald Driver for Sidney Rice and a future 3rd round pick.
• I also traded Big Ben and a future 3rd round pick to a team that was in contention for a title! He gave me a hefty price of Tony Romo and a 1st round pick. Remember, Romo was out for the season with a collarbone injury. He was in desperate need for a QB

AND then.... Sadly... my team finished with a miserable 4-9 record.

AND NOW.

 THIS YEAR!!!!!

My 5 keepers coming into this season were:

• Michael Vick (PHI-QB)
• Tony Romo (DAL-QB)
• Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG-RB)
• LeGarrette Blount (TB-RB)
• Sidney Rice (SEA-WR)

WITH my rookies : 3rd Year(Josh Freeman, Mohammed Massaquoi). 2nd Year(Ryan Mathews, Brandon Lafell)

Honestly, this team was looking good. And with the extra free agent picks, I was in line for a great season! I got back to work and traded Blount, 3rd round FA pick for Vincent Jackson! With that trade, I added an elite WR to my team. I had the second worst record in the league so I was awarded the 2nd overall pick in the rookie and free agent drafts.  In the rookie draft, I drafted AJ Green 2nd overall. I couldn't pass on a talented guy like him. I know I left people like Cam Newton and Julio Jones but AJ Green is someone I couldn't let go. In the second round, I found a gem. Can anyone guess who this was???? It was DEMARCO MURRAY! Yes, the Dallas phenom! I didn't expect him to blow up either but he was probably the steal of this draft.

Take a look!
                   Round 1

1. King Brodeur (via Deckie) - Daniel Thomas
2. Jabatchi - AJ Green
3. Alphabits - Mark Ingram
4. Falcons - Ryan Williams
5. Axsalinger - Julio Jones
6. Raiders - Cam Newton
7. Habspatrol - Roy Helu
8. Elicit - Jake Locker
9. Axsalinger (via Evil Empire) - Blaine Gabbert
10. Deckie (via King Brodeur) - Andy Dalton
11. Broncos - Jonathan Baldwin
12. EE (via Axsalinger via Cheetos) - Mikel LeShoure

Round 2

1. Elicit (via Deckie) - Greg Little
2. Jabatchi - DeMarco Murray
3. Falcons - Christian Ponder
4. Alphabits - Colin Kaepernick
5. Axsalinger - Titus Young
6. Cheetos (via Raiders) - Leonard Hankerson
7. Habspatrol - Denarius Moore
8. Habspatrol - (via King Brodeur via Elicit) - Kendall Hunter
9. Deckie (via King Brodeur (via Evil Empire) - Delone Carter
10. EE (Deckie via King Brodeur) - Alex Henery
11. Broncos - Torrey Smith
12. Cheetos - Lance Kendricks 

In the FA Draft, I ended up selecting Brandon Lloyd, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, and others.

My team looked solid!!!

This is what it looked like before the season started:

QB:
Tony Romo (DAL)
Michael Vick (PHI)
Josh Freeman (TB)*
RB:
Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)
Marshawn Lynch (SEA)
Ryan Mathews (SD)**
DeMarco Murray (DAL)***
WR:
Vincent Jackson (SD)
Brandon Lloyd (DEN)
Sidney Rice (SEA)
Bernard Berrian (MIN)
AJ Green (CIN) ***
Brandon LaFell (CAR) **
Mohammed Massoquoi (CLE)*
TE:
Jimmy Graham (NO)
K:
Stephen Gostkowski (NE)
DEF:
Green Bay
IDPS:
Tyvon Branch (OAK)
Trent Cole (PHI)
Derrick Johnson(KC)



And of course, Lloyd got traded to STL. I dropped Berrian, Massaquoi and they turned into Brad Smith and Thomas Jones. My IDP's changed too. I have Jason Babin, DQwell Jackson instead of Cole and Johnson. I also seemed to pick up Philadelphia's DEF after everyone gave up on them!

To many of the managers in the league, they looked at it as a team pushing for a playoff spot. They were soooo wrong! Even though Vick is having an awful year, he still manages to give me 20 points because of his legs. Despite all the hatred for Tony Romo, he's still one of the best QB's in the league. He's been doing really well but no one ever acknowledges that because of his 4th quarter meltdowns. Josh Freeman was a little disappointing but he was a good injury filler. Murray, Mathews, Lynch, and Bradshaw all have helped me! They all had breakout years! DeMarco Murray came out of no where and landed a 253 yard rushing performance one week against the Rams. After that, he took off! Sadly, his season ended last week with an ankle injury. Bradshaw was having an outstanding year before he got hurt but now he's getting back to form in time for my championship! As for Mathews, he's become one of the most complete backs in the game! AND, Marshawn Lynch has scored a touchdown in 9 straight games! He's definitely the hottest RB right now. And my WRs are amazing. AJ Green was a pleasant surprise. I didn't think he would do really well this year because of a young Bengal offense but that certainly turned some heads. VJ has been up and down but he's still an explosive guy. He could be giving off only 9 points in one game but have a 30 point explosion in the next! And the mid-season acquisition of Brandon Lloyd for the Rams really upped his fantasy value. He was going nowhere in Denver but the trade made him a viable option for weeks! He had pretty good weeks for me. But my MVP might have to be Jimmy Graham. He has played well every week! I swear he averages at least 20 points a week. If he's not scoring, he's getting 7,8 receptions with 100 yards receiving.  The man is a beast; a total superstar! He has to be the best tight end in the NFL right now. No one can stop him! Overall, my team ended up being the first seed in the league! We went on to finish with a record of 11-2 in the regular season! I also had an eight game winning streak to end the year! This is a great rebuild on my part and probably the best season of fantasy football i've ever managed!

And now, my team is in the finals. Unfortunately, the other team has a scary team. He has a Ray Rice and LeSean Mccoy RB duo goin' on. AHHHH, I'm so ready to win this league. I hope i'll be Tebowing by the end of next week! In just 2 years of managing this roster, I must say, i'm pretty good at fantasy football.

The Chris Paul Relay

As we all know by now, the lockout has ended and the transactions started to roll! Almost every team made under the radar acquisitions but a handful of teams made a big splash! One of the biggest moves that happened was of course, the Chris Paul trade. It finally happened! After weeks of speculation and some offers that were negated by David Stern, the NBA has agreed to let Paul move. LA was the team that one the Paul sweepstakes. For all you Laker fans out there,  he'll be wearing purple and yellow!We're on the road to another championship! Just kidding.

 He actually joined forces with Blake Griffin and the rest of the Clipper gang. The Knicks, Nets, and Lakers were the other top runners in this marathon but they came up short. To be honest, I felt like the Clippers gave up WAY too much. I felt the same way when the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony last year. There was so much solid talent that were going Denver's way. This trade is the same. Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, and Minnesota's UNPROTECTED 2012 first round draft pick were sent to New Orleans in exchange for Paul and a couple of second rounders in 2015. Yeah, I know Chris Paul is one of the best players in the NBA today but it does take more than one guy to win. Especially in a season like this, extra bodies are needed to fill the void a LOT this year.

Lets take a look at the Hornets side:

Eric Gordon is one of the upcoming young guards in this league! Did anyone even notice he averaged 22.3 points per game last year? I don't think so. Everyone was so focused on Blake Griffin's stellar "rookie" year but Eric Gordon quietly had one of the better seasons for any guard. He has been exceeding everyone's expectations and slowly progressing into the upper echelon of players. I thought the Clippers would have had a better team if they didn't give him up. He'll definitely be the key to the Hornets offense this upcoming season. As for Al-Farouq Aminu, the Hornets netted themselves another young, athletic player. He was drafted 8th overall in last year's draft. He didn't have a stellar rookie campaign but he showed flashes of what he could develop into. He's long, can stretch the floor, and play defense. Chris Kaman was the other guy in this trade. Even though he had an injury plagued year, I know he still has a LOT to offer. He's tough, can play amongst the best of 'em and has a soft touch around the rim. He's one of the best offensive big men in the NBA. Look's like they have a perfect replacement for Aaron Gray!Go Raptors! :D

AND. AND. AND. The Hornets also get the T-Wolves unprotected first round draft pick! WOW. With the Wolves roster right now, I don't see them making it far this season. This pick will give the Hornets a high end lottery pick for this upcoming draft! The can potentially snag someone like Harrison Barnes, Perry Jones, or some other top prospects. Crazy trade for New Orleans.

Trade Grade: A. We all knew Chris Paul was leaving. It was just all the matter of where and what the Hornets will get in return. This trade will make them better now and in the future.

And for the Clippers:

Chris Paul was the most prized guy in all the available guys other than Dwight Howard. The Clippers will be a better team but I just think they gave up too much of a price. But then again, Chris Paul is a superstar and opportunities to get a player of his caliber are rare. Chris Paul will make everybody on this squad better. His play-making and ball-handling skills are impeccable. It'll be "lob city" for the Clippers. The only thing that the Clippers need to do now is get overall depth. They have 4 point guards that are all worthy of being starters! Chris Paul is obviously the man there but everyone else is in a bubble. Newly signed Chauncey Billups will probably see time at the 2 but I don't see him doing all that well there. Mo Williams should be the next person moved on this Clippers team. They should trade him for depth. They need a legit SG and a backup big man. Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, and Randy Foye won't fill the best needs at their respective positions. Mo will definitely bring in someone with value. And Eric Bledsoe is the 4th point guard here. He'll be a good backup and reliever for this team. His young legs will give a good spark off of the bench.

Trade Grade: A. Chris Paul is someone that could change a franchise in a blink of an eye. The price was steep but it is a definite upgrade. They need to work on getting rid of the logjam at the PG position for other positions. Other than that, this team will be exciting to watch this year.

What If..

Sadly, the NBA hasn't resolved its lockout issues just as yet and we have to wait even longer. But today, 'Off the Record' relived the past. It was about the '99, '00 Toronto Raptors. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Charles Oakley all appeared on the show talking about the their tenure with the Raptors. McGrady was drafted 9th overall in the 1997 NBA draft. He was the young, high-flying, defensive phenom for the young raptors back in the day. Despite the season being awfully disappointing, T-Mac showed flashes of what his game could develop into.

As the next draft approached, the Raptors made the biggest deal in their history. They decided to select Antawn Jamison with the 4th overall selection and then ship him to the Golden State Warriors for his UNC teammate, Vince Carter. Vince Carter would soon be the franchise's biggest star. He would turn into the face of the Raptors and what many believe is the equivalent to what Lebron is today for the NBA; a world known superstar at the top of his game bringing excitement to everywhere he went.
 
The Raptors management saw the potential that these cousins had. The management team knew the two would excel in this league so they built a team with veterans that could show them the ropes. Charles Oakley was the main man they brought in. He was their big brother. If you were going to try and knock VC or T-Mac on their asses, Oak would be the first one at your doorstep ready to smack some sense into you. He was the glue to the Raptors team. In the interview today, Vince and Tracy both acknowledged him as the guy who made it all happen. Without the presence of Charles, Vince and Tracy wouldn't have been able to accomplish everything they did.

But, the biggest question that was asked today was "What If". That question for Raptor fans still lingers in our minds today. It makes me so sad thing about this. It actually breaks my heart. The 1999-2000 Raptors were special. They achieved the first playoff berth for the Raptors and they made some noise. Although they were swept by the more experienced Knicks, they showed that they were a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, McGrady decided to leave the up and coming Raptors for his own spotlight on the Orlando Magic. Some see it as selfish, but others see it as an opportunity to develop. People say that McGrady wouldn't have been as good as he was had he not left the Raptors but you can definitely argue that McGrady was the missing piece on the road to the championship. Carter did flourish as the only Raptor superstar but his cousin would have greatly helped. The second round was the furthest they went but Iverson scored in bunches. Although Vince Carter was killing the 76ers, his last shot was the start of the Raptors fall. The shot in game 7 still gives me nightmares. Why did that ball have to miss? WHY?! Tracy even said today that if he was playing in that game 7, the Raptors would have went to the NBA finals. Do you know how heartbreaking that sounds?! When Tracy said that, I was literally crying. Man, T-Mac should have stayed. He didn't even pass the first round of the playoffs in his career until he was injured with the Rockets a few years back and contributed nothing in the playoffs. But damn... I can't stress enough how sad I really am. This team could have been special. And I agree with Kobe with his statement that if that Raptor team stayed together, they'd be battling the Lakers multiple times for championships. Its unfortunate that things ended the way they did. Personally, I still love Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. They were my idols growing up and even though they left, I still supported them. That's how much I loved these guys. I don't care about the way they left, I care about what they did with the team. They created a buzz in the air and expanded the basketball culture throughout Canada. Two of the biggest superstars in the basketball world. They gave us hope and something to look forward to. They even did a lot for the organization and for the city. *sigh*

 At least the Raptors look like they're going in the right direction with their young pieces like Derozan and Ed Davis. They look like a team that could make some noise, right?! But no matter how good this Raptor team will be in the future, we will always end up asking this question to ourselves. What if?

NBA 2k12

As we're still waiting for this dreaded NBA lockout to finally end, we can at least look forward to the releasing of the new NBA 2k12 right? I'm usually super amped to buy NBA 2k every year but this year is a different story. 2k did add some neat features with all the different legends branching off the idea from last year's MJ challenge. I do play those time to time but I'm more of an association and online mode player. And that being said, I do care about the ratings of the different players around the league. It's actually such a disappointment. I don't know what they base these ratings on but its horrible. Most players are either really overrated or extremely underrated.

Some notable overrated players
- Corey Maggette(CHA - SF) (74) : I don't think he deserves a 74 personally. He didn't have a great season and it was filled with nagging injuries. An average of 12.0 ppg and 3.6 rpg is not 74 worthy. I'll say 71. It is only a few more digits below but hey, it makes a difference.
- Delonte West(BOS - G)(69) : Really? This man is rated as good as Derozan? An average of 5.6 points and 2.7 assists is a person who should be in the low 60's. He even had a bad year before this year. How is he rated this high? Yeah, a 69 isn't high....but it is for a guy like West.
- Marcus Thornton(SAC-SG)(74) : I do like Marcus Thornton in both the game and in reality but a 74 may be a little too high for this young guard. Yeah, he's a dynamic scorer who has unlimited range but other than that, he can't do much else. If 2k puts a higher emphasis on scoring and shooting then I wouldn't argue about this one.
- Shannon Brown(LAL-SG)(72) : He's a great boost off the bench but a 72 for an energy guy seems like too much right? Every other energy guy seems to be in the 60s... Why does he get it different? I don't know. He's exciting I guess.
- Matt Barnes(LAL-SF)(71) : A little too high for him. He didn't even have that great of a season but he can play defense so I guess this is why he's at this rating.
- Quentin Richardson (ORL)(71) - A shooter. He averaged 4.4 points this past year and he's still rated this high. 71.....for QRich. He's done.
- Paul George(IND-SF,SG)(74) - As much as I like George, I can't rate him this high after just one mediocre season. He did have an ok rookie year and he did show flashes of greatness but it wasn't enough to earn him a 74. He only showed up in the second half of the season. I'd say a 70 at best.
There are WAY more but yeah....

Some underrated players include Derozan, Bargnani, and Nowitzki. These are just some that I think are horribly underrated. Demar Derozan is a 69....that's so harsh. He can't even believe it. I remember him tweeting @2k about it. It's an insult. He averaged 17.2 points and has developed nicely in every aspect of his game. His only clear flaw is his three point shooting. He has opened a lot of people's eyes this past season and he should have been recognized. Even by a game. Bargnani at 68 is just heartbreaking. He averaged 22 points, over 5 boards and a block per game. You might say,"Ew, a big man only grabbing 5 rebounds?" But, he's scoring over 20 points a game. That has to at least give him a nod on some more rating points! How can the likes of Humphries, and more other random players be better than him? It might just be a hate on Toronto as a whole team. No one is rated higher than a 69 other than Barbosa. It disgusts me. Dirk is another player that got robbed. A 85? Really? For the Finals MVP? That's just wrong. He needs a 90 AT LEAST. Like, how can you give this guy anything less? He plays his heart out everyday and just about does everything for his team. Without him, the Mavericks wouldn't have even gotten past the Lakers with ease. 2k needs to wake up! Their ratings are horrible. AND, they didn't include the rookies because of the lockout. Such a disappointment for me. I've probably left out a lot of players and you may think that I'm overreacting but hey, its just my opinion. Feel free to bash, comment, agree, disagree.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)

Week 1

As we all know, the football season has launched! Last night, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints battled it out all the way til the dying seconds. Mark Ingram had a chance to score a touchdown to put the game into a deciding 2 point conversion but the Packers D showed up. I swear like five different players did a superman jump at Ingram! It was actually crazy! Speaking of superman jumps, did anyone see AJ Hawk attempting it?! It actually looked really cool. Too bad it was called for a pass interference. Here's a bad, but passable link for Aj Hawk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0_Jv63msfw

Ok, anyways, about week 1, there are a lot of great matchups to look forward to.
Atlanta@Chicago: I have a great feeling that Chicago has this game. I think it will be an all offense game with these two teams with nonstop scoring drives. I just have that gut feeling that Mike Martz' offense with newly acquired Roy Williams and a rising player in Knox will be able to pull through despite facing a powerful Falcon offense. This one is up in the air.
Cincinnati@Cleveland: Okay, this will be a good game as well but Cleveland is the better team, at least on paper. Cover boy Peyton Hillis will absolutely dominate this game. With an young QB at the helm in Cincy, I doubt the Bengal offense will score much. I do like the AJ Green, Joe Haden matchup. That will be a fun one to watch throughout the game. I'll take Cleveland in this game.
Buffalo@KansasCity: As much as I do consider Buffalo as my home team, I do know they are bad. Kansas City have a strong offensive punch with Jamal Charles leading the charge at RB. Newly acquired recievers Steve Breaston and Jon Baldwin should fit in to Haley's offense perfectly. KC's D is pretty good also. I got KC winning by 20+ points in this one. I hope i'm wrong though.
Philadelphia@St.Louis: DREAM TEAM! I've been an Eagles fan since the McNabb-Owens era and I'm not a bandwagon jumper! Michael Vick has bounced back to claim a seat with the elite QBs in the league; Desean Jackson is definitely one of the most explosive players in the league but contract issues have been lingering; and most of all, the D. Three proven corner backs in Asomugha, Samuel, and DRC. This team should be able to battle it out with the best of them. Sam Bradford, as good as he is, will not have his best game on Sunday. I really do like the Rams this year, but this week, they're on the Eagles dinner menu. Eagles will win this and go to the SUPER BOWL. Book it. I know its week 1 but I know it'll happen.
Detroit@TampaBay: Josh Freeman should be able to have a decent game against the Lions but who knows? The Lions D has improved drastically but I have that feeling that Freeman will be able to get passed them. Mike Williams should be able to get 8 or more receptions with a touchdown on Sunday. I do expect an entertaining game on both sides. Stafford and the CJ connection is amazing and will probably be one of the best this season BUT, it won't be enough this week. I got TB.
Tennessee@Jacksonville: Both teams are mediocre in my opinion but I'll give the edge to the Titans. Chris Johnson is a game changer and will always keep his team in ball games. David Garrard will have a great day throwing! Oh wait..he was cut...GO LUKE MCCOWN! He got this! I'm going to say he'll throw a touchdown on Sunday....but also two interceptions. We'll see. I got the Titans in a kinda exciting affair.
Pittsburgh@Baltimore: DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE! A low scoring affair is what I'm expecting but it will be a great game to watch, like always. Both teams are evenly matched but the edge on offense goes to the Steelers only because I'd rather have Big Ben than Flacco. BUT, I'll take Baltimore in this game only because of the home field advantage. A toss up though.
Indianapolis@Houston: Okay, I'm reaching far on this prediction but I think the Texans will finally win their division and also take a trip to the Super Bowl. I think they are a complete team all around with great additions to their defense and a growing chemistry in their offense. Andre Johnson is arguably the best WR in the league right now and Arian Foster only started to heat it up last year. The Colts don't have Peyton. They'll be competitive but won't win this game. Put your money on the Texans.
Carolina@Arizona: Kevin Kolb and Fitz versus Cam Newton and Steve Smith...I'd take Arizona. Despite losing a little fire power in their defense, I think the Cards made the right move to get Kolb. He has been throwing well and has developed a good chemistry with Larry. I see big things from them. As for Carolina, they are still a work in progress but they are heading in the right direction. Expect a ton of headaches in the Panther nation this year. I'll take the Cards in this matchup.
Minnesota@SanDiego: Its hard to say no to McNabb and AD but I just don't see them beating the Chargers on Sunday. Why? One, they don't have home field advantage and two, they are facing notably the most under appreciated QB in the league in Rivers. Rivers will throw lights out and I expect VJ to have a field day! It'll be close but SD will pull out the win.
Seattle@SanFrancisco: The Seahawks made a splash signing Sidney Rice this offseason but the Niners also got better. Braylon Edwards will surely be an upgrade at their WR position. The nod goes to the San Fran D which I think are one of the more better defenses in the league. I take San Fran in this one.
NewYorkGiants@Washington: New York is a consistent team and I think they will have a nice day defending Rex Grossman. I won't be surprised if the Redskins will lose this game by a landslide. Go Giants!
Dallas@NewYorkJets: I do like what the Cowboys have done this offseason and the development of Dez Bryant is great but the Jets are tough to beat especially on their home turf. I think Revis Island will take over. I got the Jets winning in a close one.
NewEngland@Miami: Tom Brady or Chad Henne? Eh......Ocho? Go Pats? Yeah, I'll take the Pats on this one.
Oakland@Denver: I got a big upset on this one! I'm taking the unproven, bad, inconsistent Raiders on this one! Why? I don't know...BUT I do believe that this team will be decent. Run DMC should be able to run around the Broncos on Sunday. Gut feelings really cost people money...

Hope everyone agrees but if not, comment with your own opinion!

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in you're Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)

Better or Worse?

The Jays pulled off a trade today with the Diamondbacks that included a pair of infielders. John McDonald and Aaron Hill were sent to Arizona for fellow second baseman, Kelly Johnson. Honestly, this might just be the worst trade Alex Anthopoulos has ever made. Yeah, I know Aaron Hill hasn't been doing anything lately and McDonald is just a filler on random days but Kelly Johnson hasn't been showing any signs of life either! Johnson does have a good burst with his bat as he has 18 home runs but he has a .209 average. You could also throw in the argument that Aaron Hill is only hitting .225 this year but to me, I just can't see the upgrade in acquiring  Johnson. Aaron Hill has the potential to hit as much, if not more, home runs than Kelly but I guess potential can only take a player so far. And to Johnny Mac, i'm actually sad that he got traded. He is a reliable player and was a phenomenal defender. His services will be missed dearly. I might be kind of biased to this trade because Hill and McDonald have been on the roster for so long. I don't really know. Did the Jays get better or worse? I know the Diamondbacks did. Hopefully Johnson creates some magic and help this Blue Jay team reach the top.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)

Jays Future is Bright

Today was another great day for Toronto blue jay fans across the world because we got to witness another young prospect making a major league debut this season. This season has been a good one so far for the Jays in every aspect of baseball. Their record is among the middle tier teams in the league sitting at 57-55 but remember, they sit in a tough A.L East division where the behemoths of baseball lurk. If the Jays were in another division, I would have no doubt in my mind that they will be sitting in 1st or 2nd in it. Now, back to the main topic....A new prospect call up! This time it's Brett Lawrie. We should've seen his debut months ago but it was unfortunately postponed due to a hand injury. But now it's time!

We've seen the likes of David Cooper, Eric Thames and Luis Perez called up for the first time in their careers but Brett Lawrie seems to have that "thing". I can't explain it but you know what I mean right? Actually, I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. I probably sound stupid by using "thing" to describe Lawrie. BUT anyways, Lawrie has that thing. He has that vibe about him that shows people that he can be a very special player. He has a swagger and an aggressive personality which makes him all that more great! He is also one of the most confident or some might say, cocky people on the roster which is a pretty good trait to have if he uses that in a positive way. Earlier today, the Jays entered play against the Baltimore Orioles and they set up Brett to hit 9th. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was HUGE. I'm not trying to sound sexual but he is a big dude! The man has muscles and I swear he had veins all over his arms. The dude is built. I just had this feeling that he was going to hit a home run at his first at bat by just looking the part. Isn't it sad that the most i've described so far was his body? Weird. Anywho, he quickly learned how hard it was to be an infielder in the MLB. In one of his first defensive plays, a grounder was hit to third base while Lawrie was set up so far. As the ball was speeding through the ground, Lawrie somehow caught up to it and threw an inaccurate, but strong ball. That play alone showcased that athleticism that everyone was talking about. BUT, on the next ball sent his way, he got a little excited or something and he messed up an easy grounder. The ball was bouncing happily towards Brett and then it hit right off of his glove. ERROR! But, at least he balanced his infield error with an RBI Single as his first ever major league hit. It was belted into shallow centre field. He even seemed like he was a good runner! He also included another hit to his resumé today and helped the Jays win 5-4. All he needs to work on is his defense but that'll come along when he gets more comfortable.

This Jays squad is as young as ever. This team of youngsters are probably the best crop of young men grown by the Jays organization in a very long time. The outfielders are all young guys with Snider, Rasmus, and Thames. I guess you can say Bautista is young because it's really only his second year as a reliable player meaning he still has a lot of juice left in him as the ball club grows. The infield does show promise also. Lawrie is aligned to a young-ish Escobar and two savvy veterans in Hill and Lind. Sadly, Hill is declining and we need a new 2nd baseman! Please, someone take him off our hands! I used to love this guy but its awful watching him now! Arencibia, the catcher, is also pretty young as this is his first major league campaign also! Oh golly gee, and we have Kyle Drabek, David Cooper, and Travis D'Arnaud in the minors?! This is getting me excited for the future. We got ourselves a nice looking team in 2-3 years. I have big hopes for this kid and the rest of the blue jays.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)