Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Kevin's Week 17 Picks

Last week: 5-10-1
Season: 100-116-11

GB +4
SF -11
NYJ +1 (NYJ win)
Min PK
NE -12
NO -9
Phi -9
Jax -4
Hou +3 (Hou wins)
Atl -12
Bal -3
Pit PK
Den -4
SD +3 (SD wins)
AZ -3
NYG -3

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Week 16 Picks

NY Giants +3 against NY Jets
Carolina -8 over Tampa Bay
Denver -3 over Buffalo
Arizona +5 against Cincinnati
Tennessee -8 over Jacksonville
Kansas City -3 over Oakland
New England -9 over Miami
Pittsburgh -10 over St. Louis
Minnesota +7 against Washington
Baltimore -12 over Cleveland
San Diego +3 against Detroit
Philadelphia +3 against Dallas
Seattle +2 against San Francisco
Green Bay -12 over Chicago
New Orleans -7 over Atlanta

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Kevin's Week 16 Picks

Last week:4-11-1 (OOF)
Season: 95-106-10

Hou -6
Den -3
Cin -4
Jax +8
KC -2
NE -10
NYJ -3
Stl +17
Min +7
TB +8
Bal -13
SD +3 (SD wins)
Dal -3
SF -2
GB -13
NO -7

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Week 15 Picks

NY Giants -7 over Washington
Houston -6 over Carolina
Buffalo -1 over Miami
Chicago -4 over Seattle
Tennessee -7 over Indianapolis
Green Bay -12 over Kansas City
St. Louis +8 against Cincinnati
New Orleans -8 over Minnesota
Detroit -3 over Oakland
Denver +8 against New England
NY Jets +3 against Philadelphia
Arizona -7 over Cleveland
Baltimore -3 over San Diego
Pittsburgh +3 against San Francisco

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Kevin's Week 15 Picks

Last week: 9-7
Season: 91-95-9

Atl -12
Dal -7
NYG -7
Buf +2 (Buf wins)
Chi -4
Ten -7
GB -15
Cin -7
NO -7
Hou -7
Det -2
NE -7
NYJ +3 (NYJ win)
Ari -7
Bal -1
Pit +3 (Pit wins)

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Week 14 Picks

NY Giants +3 against Dallas
Carolina +3 against Atlanta
Houston  +3 against Cincinnati
Minnesota +10 against Detroit
New Orleans -4 over Tennessee
Miami -3 over Philadelphia
NY Jets -11 over Kansas City
Washington +9 against New England
Jacksonville +3 against Tampa Bay
Indianapolis +17 against Baltimore
Chicago +4 against Denver
San Francisco -5 over Arizona
Green Bay -12 over Oakland
San Diego -7 over Buffalo
St. Louis +10 against Seattle

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Kevin's Week 14 Picks

Last week: 9-7
Season: 82-88-9

Cle +15
NYG +3 (NYG win)
Hou +3 (Hou wins)
Det -7
NO -4
Mia -3
NYJ -9
NE -9
Atl -3
Jax -1
Bal -17
Den -4
SF -4
GB -12
SD -7
STL PK

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Week 13 Picks

NY Giants +7 against Green Bay
Tampa Bay -3 over Carolina
Tennessee +3 against Buffalo
Chicago -7 over Kansas City
Miami -3 over Oakland
Minnesota -2 over Denver
Indianapolis +21 against New England
Cincinnati +7 against Pittsburgh
Washington +3 against NY Jets
Atlanta -3 over Houston
Baltimore -7 over Cleveland
Dallas -5 over Arizona
San Francisco -14 over St. Louis
New Orleans -9 over Detroit
San Diego -3 over Jacksonville

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Kevin's Week 13 Picks

Last week: 8-6-2
Season: 73-81-9

Sea +3
GB -7
Ten +2 (Ten wins)
Chi -7
Oak +3 (Oak wins)
Den +1 (Den wins)
NE -21 TWENTY ONE POINT LINE!!!?
Pit -7
TB -3
NYJ -3
Atl -3
Bal -7
Dal -5
SF +14
NO -9
SD -3

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Week 12 Picks

Carolina -4 over Indianapolis
Atlanta -10 over Minnesota
Cincinnati -7 over Cleveland
Tampa Bay +4 against Tennessee
Arizona +1 against St. Louis
NY Jets -10 over Buffalo
Houston -7 over Jacksonville
Chicago +3 against Oakland
Seattle -3 over Washington
New England -4 over Philadelphia
San Diego -6 over Denver
Pittsburgh -11 over Kansas City
New Orleans -7 over NY Giants

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Kevin's Week 12 Picks

Last week: 4-9-1
Season: 65-75-7

GB -7
Dal -7
Bal -3
Atl -10
Cle +8
TB +4 (TB wins)
Car -4
Stl PK
Buf +8
Hou -4
Chi +5 (Chi wins)
Sea -4
NE -3
SD -6
Pit -11
NO -7

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Week 10 Picks

NY Jets -6 over Denver
Jacksonville -1 over Cleveland
Carolina +7 against Detroit
Green Bay -15 over Tampa Bay
Buffalo +2 against Miami
Oakland -1 over Minnesota
Dallas -8 over Washington
Baltimore -7 over Cincinnati
Seattle +3 against St. Louis
San Francisco -10 over Arizona
Tennessee +7 against Atlanta
Chicago -4 over San Diego
NY Giants -6 over Philadelphia
New England -15 over Kansas City

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kevin's Week 11 Picks

Last week: 8-8
Season: 61-66-6

NYJ -7
NYG -5
Jax -1
Det -7
GB -14
Buf +1 (Buf wins)
Oak -1
Dal -8
Bal -7
Stl -2
AZ +10
Atl -7
Chi -4
NE -15

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Week 10 Picks

Atlanta +1 against New Orleans
Pittsburgh -3 over Cincinnati
St. Louis +3 against Cleveland
Dallas -6 over Buffalo
Jacksonville -3 over Indianapolis
Kansas City - 4 over Denver
Washington +4 against Miami
Arizona +14 against Philadelphia
Houston -4 over Tampa Bay
Tennessee +4 against Carolina
Seattle +7 against Baltimore
Chicago -3 over Detroit
NY Giants +4 against San Francisco
NY Jets -1 over New England
Green Bay -14 over Minnesota

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Kevin's Week 10 Picks

Last week: 6-8
Season: 53-58-6

SD -7
SF -3
NO -1
Pit -3
Stl +3 (Stl wins)
Dal -6
Ind +3 (Ind wins)
KC -4
Wash +4 (Wash wins)
Phi PK
Hou -3
Car -4
Bal -7
Det +3 (Det wins)
NE +1 (NE wins)
GB -14

Monday, November 7, 2011

The Sham Known As "Success With Honor"



I have always have been skeptical of whole "Success with Honor" slogan that Penn State use to market their football program.  Lets face it College Football is a big business skeptics would not be surprised to see that a majority of top programs (which Penn State is one) cheat or bend the rules to get top recruits to their respective schools.  Being a Penn State fan (one who doesn't wear the blue and white goggles) I always wondered when Penn State would make minor recruiting violation that would be the first in the program's history.  Little did I know the first black eye for the Penn State program (and the University) would be a nightmare.  Most of you have heard by know the awful scandal that is unfolding in Central Pennsylvania.  To all my fellow Penn Staters, lets face it, our University's leadership (Graham Spanier, Tim Curley) have failed us.  They chose to cover up the sick crimes by Jerry Sandusky to try and salvage Penn State's wholesome and clean image as a football program instead of helping the necessary authorities take Sandusky from causing more harm.  This fact is unforgivable.  I'm leaving Joe Paterno (out for now) because no one knows yet how much he knew about the situation at hand.  However the cynic in me feels that Paterno knew all of the information and about the attempted cover-up since he indeed runs Penn State University and it could be argued Curley (the Athletic Department) reports to Paterno.

What is disappointing is the football team has had nothing to do with this scandal and face a multitude of distractions entering their biggest game of the season this weekend against Nebraska.  My hope is that the Penn State Family continues to support the football team in their quest for a berth in the first ever Big Ten Championship Game whether at Beaver Stadium or in front of televisions worldwide.






For the Glory,
Zachary Pletchan (Class of 2010)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Week 9 Picks

Last Week 4-8-1

Atlanta -7 over Indianapolis
New Orleans -8.5 over Tampa Bay
Cleveland +10.5 against Houston
Miami +4.5 against Kansas City
NY Jets +3 against Buffalo
San Francisco -4.5 over Washington
Dallas -11.5 over Seattle
Oakland -7.5 over Denver
Arizona -3 over St. Louis
NY Giants +9 against New England
San Diego +6 against Green Bay
Pittsburgh -3.5 over Baltimore
Chicago +8 against Philadelphia

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Kevin's Week 9 Picks

Last week: 6-5-1
Season: 53-55-7

Buf -2
Dal -12
Atl -8
KC -5
NO -9
SF -4
Hou -11
Cin +3 (Cin wins)
Oak -9
NE -9
Stl +3 (Stl wins)
GB -6
Pit -4
Phi -8

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Week 8 Picks

Last Week: 6-7

Indianapolis +9 against Tennessee
New Orleans -14 over St. Louis
NY Giants -10 over Miami
Minnesota +4 against Carolina
Baltimore -13 over Arizona
Jacksonville +10 against Houston
Buffalo -6 over Washington
Detroit -3 over Denver
New England -3 over Pittsburgh
Cleveland +9 against San Francisco
Seattle +1 against Cincinnati
Dallas +4 against Philadelphia
Kansas City +4 against San Diego

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Kevin's Week 8 Picks

Week 7: 6-6-1
Season: 47-50-6

Ind +9
NO -14
NYG -10
Car -4
AZ +13
Hou -10
Buf -6
Det -3
Pit +3 (Pit wins)
SF -9
Sea +3 (Sea wins)
Phi -4
SD -4

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Week 7 Picks

 Last Week: 6-4-2

Tampa Bay +1 against Chicago
Washington +1 against Carolina
NY Jets PK over San Diego
Cleveland -2.5 over Seattle
Houston +3 against Tennessee
Denver PK over Miami
Atlanta +3 against Houston
Oakland -3.5 against Kansas City
Arizona +4 against Pittsburgh
Dallas -13.5 over St. Louis
Green Bay -9 over Minnesota
Indianapolis +13.5 over New Orleans
Baltimore -8 over Jacksonville

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Kevin's Week 7 Picks

Last week: 6-5-2
Season: 41-44-5

Cle -3
Atl +4
Hou +3 (Hou wins)
Den +2 (Den wins)
SD -3
TB +1 (TB wins)
Car -3
Oak -4
Pit -4
Stl +13
GB -9
NO -14
Bal -9

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Week 6 Picks

Last Week: 7-5-1

Green Bay -15 over St. Louis
Pittsburgh -13 over Jacksonville
Philadelphia -3 over Washington
Carolina +4 against Atlanta (Panthers Win)
NY Giants -3 over Buffalo
Indianapolis +7 against Cincinnati
Baltimore -8 over Houston
Cleveland +7 against Oakland
Dallas +7 against New England
New Orleans -6 over Tampa Bay
Chicago -3 over Minnesota
NY Jets -7 over Miami

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Kevin's Week 6 Picks

Last week: 5-7-1
Season: 35-39-3

Atl -4
Ind +7
Det -5
GB -16
Buf +3 (Buf wins)
Jax +13
Phi -2
Oak -7
Hou +8
NE -7
NO -4
Chi -3
NYJ -7

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Week 5 Picks

Last Week: 10-6

Indianapolis -3 over Kansas City
Arizona +3 against Minnesota
Philadelphia -3 over Buffalo
Oakland +5 against Houston
Carolina +7 against New Orleans
Jacksonville +1 against Cincinnati
Pittsburgh -3.5 over Tennessee
NY Giants -10 over Seattle
San Francisco -3 over Tampa Bay
New England -8 over NY Jets
San Diego -4 over Denver
Green Bay -6 over Atlanta
Detroit -6 over Detroit

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Golden Age Of The Safety Valve

In today’s NFL, you’d think that offenses would be at a disadvantage. Not only are defensive players constantly getting bigger and faster, but the league’s great defensive minds have quickly figured out how to combat the new rules that severely limit physical contact between defenders and offensive players that gave offenses such a leg up over the last few years.

Instead, the total passing yardage accumulated in each of the first four weeks of the 2011 season has shattered previous records.

One of the reasons that offenses are putting up jaw-dropping numbers this season is that they have countered the latest defensive fad by being proactive.

As Peter King detailed in his Sports Illustrated NFL Preview story “Chaos By Design,” many teams have all but abandoned traditional 4-3 and 3-4 defensive sets. (King reports that last season the Seattle Seahawks used their base defense more than any other team and even they only utilized their basic 4-3 set 60-percent of the time). Today defensive coordinators favor formations that specialize in organized chaos and deception, which makes it extremely difficult for even the league’s elite quarterbacks to read what a defense will do on a given play.

So instead of trying to determine exactly what pressure package a QB will face, many are opting to quickly get rid of the ball to outlet receivers, usually positioned just a few yards off the line of scrimmage. These men aren’t among the biggest stars in football, but they have sure hands and the ability to pick up precious yardage after the catch.

Chief among them is Tom Brady’s favorite target with the New England Patriots, Wes Welker. Through four games, Welker has 40 catches and is on pace to shatter the single-season mark of 143 set by Marvin Harrison in 2002.

Welker has topped 100 receptions three times in his career, so it’s not a shock that he’s hauling in passes by the truckload. But this season Welker isn’t just joined by marquee receivers like Andre Johnson atop the receptions leaderboard; the list is dotted with running backs including Chicago’s Matt Forte and New Orleans’ Darren Sproles who have 26 receptions each and San Diego’s Mike Tolbert who has 25.

Welcome to the golden age of the safety valve.

In the NFL, ever a copycat league, reliable short-yardage receivers are rapidly becoming as important as the big-play guys, if not more-so.

Everyone wants a Megatron, but there are only a handful of those in the world. Finding a 5-foot-11 slot receiver with sure hands and great footwork isn’t easy either, but teams are quickly discovering their importance.

Welker is a unique specimen, but many teams are utilizing their running backs in the passing game more than ever before. Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy finished 14th on the receptions list with 78 in 2010-2011, but Forte, Sproles, Tolbert and Tampa Bay’s Earnest Graham are all on pace to surpass that total this season.

In today’s NFL every play features pressure on the quarterback coming from all sides, defenders dropping from their normal positions into coverage on a whim and general unpredictability. It’s why teams with banged up offensive lines like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets, two supposed Super Bowl contenders, have struggled mightily in the season’s first quarter.

Both teams have been unable to protect their quarterback even for the length of time it takes to get the ball to an outlet receiver in the flat. But for many teams, including New England, New Orleans, San Diego and Tampa Bay - all of which have winning records, getting the ball out quickly is a major key to their success.

Instead of waiting for a defense to fool them, the quarterbacks of these teams are making conscious decisions to turn quickly to their safety valves with either designed plays or quick check-downs before defenses can disrupt their plays. You won’t often see Welker outleap a defensive back in the corner of the end zone, but he already has made 29 first downs this season, nine more than the second place man, Vincent Jackson.

Welker only has one play of 40+ yards this season, but 11 of his receptions have gone for more than 20 yards. Few of Brady’s passes have travelled anywhere near 20 yards in the air to Welker, but the jitterbug is nearly unstoppable when he catches the ball in space even just a couple of yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Replicating Welker’s success is a difficult task, but plenty of other teams are finding that dumping the ball off to playmakers quickly rather than giving defenses time to throw everything but the kitchen sink at quarterbacks is the way to go

It’s all part of the endless give-and-take cycle that constantly shifts the advantage back-and-forth from offense to defense. By this time next year, defenses may have figured out how to take the outlet receiver away and offenses will have to find a way to adapt.

Kevin's Week 5 Picks

Last week: 8-8
Season: 30-32-2

Sea +10
Phi -3
Ind -3
AZ +3 (AZ wins)
Pit -3
NO -7
Jax -3
Oak +6
TB +3 (TB wins)
SD -4
NE -9
GB -6
Chi +6


Saturday, October 1, 2011

Week 4 NFL Picks


Detroit +1 against Dallas
Saints -7 over Jacksonville
San Francisco +9 against Philadelphia
Washington -2.5 over St. Louis
Tennessee “Pick’em” over Cleveland
Buffalo -3 over Cincinnati
Kansas City +2.5 against Minnesota
Chicago -6.5 over Carolina
Pittsburgh +3.5 against Houston
Atlanta -4.5 over Seattle
Arizona +1 against NY Giants
San Diego -7 over Miami
Green Bay -12.5 over Denver
New England -5 over Oakland
NY Jets +4 against Baltimore
Indianapolis +10.5 against Tampa Bay

Friday, September 30, 2011

Kevin's Week 4 Picks

Last Week: 7-9
Season: 22-24-2

Chi -7
Buf -3
Cle -1
Det +1 (Det wins)
KC +2 (KC wins)
Wash PK
Phi PK
NO -8
Pit +4 (Pit wins)
NYG -1
Atl -6
GB -13
NE -5
Mia +9
Bal -4
TB -10

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Zach's Picks

San Francisco +3 against Cincinnati
New England -7.5 over Buffalo
New Orleans -4 over Houston
Philadelphia -9 over NY Giants
Cleveland -3 over Miami
Denver +7 against Tennessee
Detroit -3.5 over Minnesota
Carolina -3.5 over Jacksonville
San Diego -15 over Kansas City
Oakland +3 against NY Jets
Baltimore -4 over St. Louis
Atlanta +1 against Tampa Bay
Arizona -3.5 over Seattle
Chicago + 4.5 against Green Bay
Pittsburgh -11 over Indianapolis
Dallas PK over Washington

Friday, September 23, 2011

Kevin's Week 3 Picks

Last week: 9-6-1
Season: 15-15-2

Phi PK
NE -9
Cin -3
Mia +3 (Mia wins)
Den +7
Det -4
NO -4
Car -4
NYJ -4
Bal -4
SD -15
GB -4
Ari -4
Atl +1 (Atl wins)
Pit -11
Dal PK

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Week 2 Picks

Last Week 6-8-1
Buffalo -3 over Oakland
Detroit -9 over Kansas City
Tennessee +7 against Baltimore (Ravens Win)
Indianapolis +2 against Cleveland
Minnesota -3 over Tampa Bay
Chicago +7 against New Orleans (Saints win)
Jacksonville +9 against NY Jets (Jets Win)
Pittsburgh -15 over Seattle
Washington -4 over Arizona
Green Bay -11 over Carolina
Dallas -3 over San Francisco
Denver -4 over Cincinnati
Houston -3 over Miami
New England -7 over San Diego
Atlanta +3 over Philadelphia
NY Giants -6 over St. Louis.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Kevin's Week 2 Picks

Last Week: 6-9-1

Buf -4
KC +9
Bal -7
Cle -3
TB +3 (TB wins)
NO -7
NYJ -9
Sea +15
AZ +4 (AZ wins)
GB -10
Dal -3
Den -4
Hou -3
NE -7
Atl +3 (Atl wins)
NYG -5

Sunday, September 11, 2011

WK 1 Picks

ATL -3 over CHI
CLE -7 over CIN
BUF +5 against KC
PHI -4.5 over STL
TB -1 over DET
TENN  +1 against JAC
PITT +1 against BAL
IND +9 against HOU
ARI -7 over CAR
MINN +9 against SD
SF -5.5 over SEA
NYG -3.5 over WAS
DAL +6  against NYJ
NE -7 over MIA
DEN -3 over OAK

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Kevin's 2011 NFL Predictions


AFC East
New England Patriots 12-4
New York Jets 10-6*
Buffalo Bills 6-10
Miami Dolphins 4-12

AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5
Baltimore Ravens 11-5*
Cleveland Browns 7-9
Cincinnati Bengals 3-13

AFC South
Houston Texans 10-6
Indianapolis Colts 8-8
Tennessee Titans 7-9
Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10

AFC West
San Diego Chargers 11-5
Kansas City Chiefs 9-7
Oakland Raiders 7-9
Denver Broncos 6-10


NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles 11-5
Dallas Cowboys 10-6 *
New York Giants 7-9
Washington Redskins 4-13

NFC North
Green Bay Packers 12-4
Chicago Bears 9-7
Detroit Lions 8-8
Minnesota Vikings 7-9

NFC South
New Orleans Saints 12-4
Atlanta Falcons 11-5*
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7
Carolina Panthers 4-12

NFC West
St. Louis Rams 9-7
Arizona Cardinals 8-8
San Francisco 49ers 6-10
Seattle Seahawks 5-11


Wild Card Round
Steelers over Jets
Ravens over Texans

Eagles over Cowboys
Falcons over Rams

Divisional Round
Patriots over Ravens
Steelers over Chargers

Falcons over Packers
Saints over Eagles

Conference Championships
Patriots over Steelers
Falcons over Saints

Super Bowl
Falcons 31, Patriots 30



Awards
MVP - Drew Brees
Offensive Player of the Year - Drew Brees
Defensive Player of the Year - DeMarcus Ware
Offensive Rookie of the Year - Julio Jones
Defensive Rookie of the Year - Von Miller
Coach of the Year - Jason Garrett
Comeback Player of the Year - Matt Stafford

Kevin's Week 1 Picks

Last season: 125-118-4

NO +4.5
NYG -3
ATL -3
CLE -7
BUF +6
STL +5.5
TB -1
TEN +3 (TEN wins)
PIT +2 (PIT wins)
HOU -9
CAR +7
SD -9
SF -6
NYJ -4
NE -7
OAK +3 (OAK wins)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

NFL Season Preview Next Wednesday August 31 At 6:00 p.m.

GardenStateGurus Radio returns a week from today with out NFL season preview show at 6:00 p.m.

We'll break down Bodog's projected win totals for each team and give our predictions on whether each club will go over or under Bodog's line.

Listen to internet radio with GardenStateGurus on Blog Talk Radio

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Jerry Reese's Free Pass Is Running Out

Despite a train wreck of an offseason, some media and fans are cutting New York Giants GM Jerry Reese some slack. Many insist that since the leader of Big Blue’s front office was at the helm just three years ago when the Giants won the Super Bowl, one sloppy summer isn’t justification for crucifixion.

While it’s true that Reese was presiding over the organization at the time of Super Bowl XLII, it’s not fair to give him all the credit for the team’s victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

Reese succeeded long-time GM Ernie Accorsi - who retired after nine years in the position - just 13 months before the Super Bowl. He began working with the organization in 1994 and had served as director of player personnel for the previous four seasons, but Reese only became the true head-man of the front office in January 2007.

In his first offseason as the man solely responsible for transactions Reese drafted Aaron Ross, Steve Smith, Jay Alford, Zak DeOssie, Kevin Boss, Adam Koets, Michael Johnson and Ahmad Bradshaw, signed Kawika Mitchell and traded for Reuben Droughns and Lawrence Tynes. Reese also added Madison Hedgecock and Domenik Hixon during the season.

But Accorsi was the man responsible for constructing a far greater portion of the Super Bowl roster including Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Jeremy Shockey, David Diehl, Shaun O’Hara, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Antonio Pierce, Gibril Wilson, Sam Madison, Justin Tuck, Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Matthias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, Corey Webster and Jeff Feagles.

As Director of Player Personnel Reese undoubtedly played a pivotal role in acquiring several of the team’s impact players at the draft including Manning, Umenyiora, Diehl, Snee, Wilson, Tuck, Jacobs, Kiwanuka, Webster and Cofield, but he should hardly be considered the sole architect of the title squad. Instead, Reese was a tremendous college scout and guiding hand that provided the finishing touches for an emerging team that bust through for a surprising victory.

Since the Super Bowl Reese’s work has yielded mixed results. In his four years at the helm, the Giants have a 40-24 record, a Super Bowl title, an NFC East title and no sub-.500 seasons. But the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since Reese’s first season as general manager and it has experienced more than a few embarrassments both on the field and off it.

In the last three years Reese has added considerable talent at the draft in Kenny Phillips, Mario Manningham, Terrell Thomas, Hakeem Nicks, Will Beatty and Jason Pierre-Paul, but he’s also overpaid players like Michael Boley, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Antrel Rolle and added mediocre stopgap solutions like Danny Clark, John Carney, David Carr, Deon Grant and Keith Bulluck.

Reese has bid adieu to many participants from the Super Bowl squad, ignored glaring holes on the roster, repeatedly antagonized one of the team’s biggest stars (Umenyiora), and his poor salary cap management resulted in the departures of key contributors Steve Smith and Kevin Boss via free agency in the last month.

Reese did make key contributions to the ’08 championship squad and he has done some good things over the last few years so he shouldn’t necessarily be lambasted for the team’s unsettling dormant summer, but his grace period is nearing expiration.

Only time will tell if Reese’s new penny-pinching ways and commitment to ceding jobs to young players will pay off, but it could easily blow up in his face. If it does, Reese’s get out of jail free card will lose what remaining value it has left.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Don't Blame Steve Smith For Leaving The Giants, Blame Jerry Reese For Letting It Happen

It’s tough to blame Steve Smith for following the money. Coming off complicated microfracture knee surgery, there’s no telling how much, how well, or how long Smith will play this season.

It was a foregone conclusion that he would get a one-year deal to re-establish his value along with the opportunity to test the open market again next summer. But as much as Smith, 26, wanted to return to the Giants, and by all accounts he was desperate to re-sign with New York, he would have been foolish to do anything but take the highest offer.

Smith, like all football players, has watched far too many promising young players disappear after injury and surgery, never to make another ripple on the NFL landscape, never again to earn the big bucks that have been such a huge part of the lavish lifestyle they've enjoyed for their first few years in the league.

Surely Smith is confident that he’ll come back better than ever, but he also must be realistic – and if he’s not being realistic, his agent is – and so he knew that he must cash in now, while he still has value.

Ideally Smith will miss just a few weeks of the season, put up Pro Bowl numbers and get his coveted long-term deal next offseason. But he’s only being smart and safe by taking the highest offer now. The Eagles offered $4 million, $2 million of which is guaranteed, which is believed to be far in excess of the Giants’ best offer.

Just a couple months ago Smith was one of Tom Coughlin’s most loyal soldiers, spouting off inflammatory tweets at Eagles running back LeSean McCoy. How this all unfolded was a shock to everyone, including Smith and if he had any other choice he likely would have taken it.

Smith is not the fool here, Giants GM Jerry Reese is. He’s fumbled through a train wreck of an offseason and just allowed quarterback Eli Manning’s favorite target to not only leave the organization, but to sign with the hated rival, the self-described “Dream Team,” the Philadelphia Eagles.

Reese and the Giants will insist that they were told by doctors that Smith might not play this year and might never be the same again, but indications are that this was all about the money.

Smith took the most he could get from a team that has added a steady stream of impact players this offseason, while Reese tried to untangle a poorly managed cap situation. Smith joined a legitimate Super Bowl contender, while Reese watched yet another key contributor leave for greener pastures thanks to financial constraints.

The brilliant roster construction of Reese’s Super Bowl XLII Championship squad is a distant memory and the only thing that fans will remember now is that Reese allowed Smith to become a member of the hated team that ripped their hearts out in the unbelievable season finale that eliminated the Giants from playoff contention.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sports Fans Missing Out On The Best NHL Playoffs In Years

We’re in the midst of the best professional sports postseason in years and the vast majority of sports fans are missing it.

Some have wasted their time watching the mind-numbing action of spring baseball, some still await pro football players and owners to stop arguing over $900 million, and some have inexplicably chosen to watch the NBA Playoffs over hockey.

My question is why? Consider:

  • The NHL recently concluded a whirlwind stretch with overtime in 15 of 16 nights from April 19th through May 4th. The NBA hasn’t had consecutive nights with OT in its postseason. In total, the NHL Playoffs have featured 20 overtime games thus far, the NBA, four.
  • With the Detroit Red Wings come-from-behind win last night, we’ll see the fifth Game Seven of the NHL Playoffs tomorrow night; the NBA Playoffs have had none.
  • Detroit was down three games to none and forced a Game Seven, the second team to accomplish that feat this postseason and third in two years. No NBA team has ever done that.

  • The big villain and title favorite in the NBA is the Miami Heat, which imported stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh this summer to vault itself into title contention. In the NHL, all five remaining teams are reliant on homegrown talent that has played together for years.

The full support of the Worldwide Leader might capture the attention of America’s sports fans, but that’s not forthcoming. Those of us lucky enough to recognize how wonderful the NHL Playoffs have been will agree that there’s no way to put magic into words. You have to experience it firsthand to recognize it, and Game Seven Thursday night between the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings is a good place to start.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Fantasy Baseball Fanatics Salivate As Royals Recall Eric Hosmer

“Eric Hosmer has been summoned from Class AAA, and will join KC on Friday,” chirped Buster Olney from my TweetDeck yesterday.

It was a moment long awaited by the fantasy baseball community, and like every addict I rushed to open my league’s transaction page to scoop up Hosmer. He’s one of a select group of hotly anticipated minor leaguers that fantasy baseball junkies dream of snatching midseason.

The first reason is obvious; Hosmer could have a game-changing impact on fantasy leagues. The second is an underlying truth; fantasy baseball fans love to be the guy that got “the guy” that’s the next big thing in the sport.

Often mid-year call ups of top prospects fizzle out and disappoint, but for a dozen 2009 Matt Wieters there’s occasionally a 2007 Ryan Braun. Called up on May 25th, Braun looked like the winner of multiple MVP awards en route to an enormous rookie season in which he posted a .324 average with 34 homers and 97 RBIs in just 113 games with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Performances like Braun’s are rare, but Hosmer has the potential to have that kind of impact. Or so I’m told, because I’ll readily admit I hadn’t seen a second of video footage of Hosmer until yesterday. My opinion of him is based solely on the opinions of others that have seen him (I think) and know what they’re talking about.

Ninety-five percent of fantasy baseball players are with me, because it’s just not that easy to follow Omaha of the Pacific Coast League with so much else going on in life. But that won’t stop them from heading straight to their league’s site to try to grab Hosmer before it’s too late (and by the time you’re reading this, it probably is in most competitive leagues).

If you missed out on Hosmer, don’t fret. There will be a couple more super rookies getting the call sooner than later. In fact, Sam Fuld has been slumping horribly for the Tampa Bay Rays…Desmond Jennings, you’re on deck.