With that in mind, I'm going to speculate and explain my strategy before actually trying it tomorrow during the draft.  Unfortunately I won't post this until after the draft results are in and my friends can't sneak onto this site siphoning my brilliant strategies.  I've made a few rules for myself before going into this auction draft.

1)  Never make a bid on a player you really don't want - Sounds simple sure.  But many common strategies involved price hiking on a player you don't even want and banking on the opposition to out bid you and spend more capital.  It's often regarded as a risky move, and can accidentally net you an unwanted player by foolishly outbidding your competition.  The reward to this strategy is not nearly worth the risk despite the fact that you feel devilishly sneaky if you pull it off well.  That reward is obviously making another owner pay more than they would feel comfortable paying because of their devotion to a player.  If you're to use this strategy, use sparingly as you can be caught doing it many times if you bid on every player nominated.  You may end up with a roster of overpaid, injury bugged, underproducing players (think last years Shaun Alexander).

2)  When overpaying a player, make sure you're spending your cap flexibility on the best players.  What I mean by this is don't worry about spending an extra few dollars on Ladian Tomlinson (say, going up from $55 to $60 to ensure you get him) as opposed to spending an extra $3 making sure you land Bernard Berrian.  These extra dollars should be put forward towards the better players simply because at the lower tier, you can find many players able to perform at the same caliber.  But let us mortals remember, you won't find another LT in the league today.  Reach/overpay for the studs, and have a limit for the amount you're willing to pay for the scrubs.  Don't let your football fanhood influence your fantasy ownership.

3)  When in doubt, take the sure bet.  When it comes down to taking say Jake Delhomme, who had an injury plagued year in Carolina in 2007 or say a newly introduced, recently unretired Brett Favre in New York - who would you take?  Well the simple answer is neither because they're both going to burden your team and make you feel horrible every week you play them because they will throw one touchdown but fumble twice and have an interception or two.  Now the better option in a league of 12 (with one starting qb per team format) is to take guys who are younger, but not too young, in an offense accomodating their style, and with little to no injury history.  The high tier qbs are obvious, so I need not mention them as the 6 or 7 of them will all be overpaid in this fantasy league because they are a glittery position posting very seductive stat lines.  The Bradys, Manning (I'll leave him singular because I don't want to give off the wrong impression that there are multiple high tier Manning qbs in fantasy), Palmers, Brees'es, Romos, and even Roethlisbergers and Derek Andersons are amongst the best.  The following handful of quarterbacks will give the most difficult fantasy decisions for an unexperienced auction drafter.  Here they are: Jay Cutler, Eli Manning, Donovan Mcnabb, Marc Bulger, Jake Delhomme, Matt Schaub, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Vince Young, Jason Campbell, Matt Leinart, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard, and Aaron Rodgers.  Obviously the spectrum of fantasy value ranges pretty broadly amongst these guys, but the general consensus I think is, these are the middle tier guys who will make or break many fantasy seasons.

a) Let's start eliminating the guys I would flat out avoid no matter how cheap they are:  Jake Delhomme, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Jay Cutler.  Jake is coming off Tommy John Surgery - way too much risk with little upside.  He's out of his prime and doesn't have his top reciever in the first two games of the season.  Mr. Favre will take a step back this season as he is being fit into a system rather the system being fitted to his strengths.  He will have interception riddled games as he has had the green light in his past to sling the ball where ever he pleased.  Aaron Rodgers is an interesting case where he is put in a position to succeed and has a lot of support behind him.  To be honest I can't honestly judge this man quite yet, but mark my words - I have a bad feeling about this guy this season.  And Jay Cutler - So many games Cutler posted an astonishing 100 yards passing with a touchdown if he were lucky last season.  Not to knock on him, but he does suffer from diabetes as well.  Not something I'm looking for my quarterback to suffer from (despite the fact that it is now under control and he is worlds healthier) next season.  No thanks.

b) Conditional Quarterbacks (If the price is right) - Marc Bulger, Matt Schaub, Philip Rivers, Vince Young, Jason Campbell, Eli Manning, Matt Leinart, and Jeff Garcia.  The only occasion I would take any of these guys is if I can get them at a cheaper-than-expected price.  Bulger and Garcia are the older of the pack and have certainly proven themselves to be winners as well as fantasy worthy.  Injuries are always a risk with the older guys, especially ones who are as buckwild with his feet as Garcia, and as fearless in the pocket as Bulger.  The difference between them and say Delhomme in the previous group is that Tommy John is a serious surgery, it's that simple.  Schaub, Campbell, Manning, and Leinart headling the next subgroup.  These guys are all put in quite promising positions as their teams are young and on the rise.  Manning especially, is riding a huge wave of confidence after winning the superbowl against an 18-0 juggernaut.  Look to steal him if the price is right.  But with all young guys, you will have games with growing pains - and furthermore job security isn't quite there yet with these guys.  So be careful.  I give Philip Rivers and Vince Young their own individual subgroup because of their particularly unique circumstances.  You must always give Rivers a chance with your team (at the right price of course) when you have a healthy LT in the backfield.  He will provide plenty of openings down the field for Rivers to hook up with his receivers.  And in a similar regard, you must respect the athletic nature and freak abilities Vince Young has been blessed with.  Whenever a man is capable of the way he played the national championship game, and is still young and on the rise, you must be willing to take a cheap chance with him.  If someone is willing to overpay this man in your league, so be it and move on.  But if the opportunity arises for you to nab him at say a few bucks out of $200, go for it.

c) Quality Picks include just two guys: David Garrard and Donovan Mcnabb.  But wait, wasn't Mcnabb coming off countless surgeries and an injury draped history?  The answer is obviously yes, and if it were not for his ability and the way he is coached, he would have been in the category prior to this one.  But many tend to forget what Mcnabb is capable of.  He was the type of guy who was a perrenial top five qb fantasy wide - and league wide.  His situation differs from Favre because he isn't not leaving his system, he is younger, and he's not coming out of retirement with something to prove.  Sure the risk of reinjury is there, and it would be devestating to lose him after heavily investing in him, however Donovan is a gifted quarterback who, when healthy, is (in my opinion) a better quarterback than Tony Romo right now.  Probably #3 or #4 in this league when healthy.  The opposite quarterback to Mcnabb is Garrard.  He will never peak as high as four or 5 tds in a game with 350 yards passing and 50 yards rushing, but he will always be the voice of consistency in a game where consistency is hard to find.  Garrard was a stud last year, and though he only has the history of about a year to earn a title of 'Mr. Consistent', it would be foolish to think he would deviate very far.  He comes from arguably the toughest division in football the AFC South (arguable with the AFC North), and still managed to produce the way he has.  He inherited a team that is a run first, jam down the throat, type of team.  His job is to manage the game, throw the tds when the opportunity is given to him, and (here's the big one) limits the mistakes.  Mcnabb will either show you the succulent fruits of the fantasy gods, or drag you down with him as his ACL disintegrates into Lincoln Field.  Garrard will not singlehandedly bring you a fantasy title and bragging rights among your friends, but he will definitely give you what's expected.

That's about it for now.  Thanks for reading and good luck this year in your first fantasy auction draft.

Now I"m obviously biased towards the cartoons of my generation. Compared to most cartoon shows now, the 80's and 90's kicked ass and didn't even bother taking any names...they were that good. You know, shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Freakazoid, Batman, Tailspin, Darkwing Duck. The list goes on and on. Now you have shows that make little to know sense. Ed, Edd, and Eddy is perhaps the worst show I've ever seen. It's not funny, the characters are way creepy, but it still continues to be shown. The new ninja turtles done in that cheap animation style that all the poplular shows are doing now, not as fun...though in their defense they do stay closer to the comics...sort of. Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good shows today too. Invader Zim is genius but not really for kids, Sponge Bob is quite legitimate, and Venture Bros. might be one of my favorite shows ever.

Ok tangent, back to it. Where I'm trying to get is anime. Anime isn't just Japanese cartoons...I mean yes it is but its much more. Anime offers animated action which we get so little of in the states. Sure we had GI JOE and you would think a war between COBRA (a ruthless terrorist organization led by a crazed man with emphezema) and the JOES (some branch of the US army that requires one of every minority, they defend America and teach kids not to lick light sprockets in their spare time). I mean come on! This is a powder keg. You would think over all the seasons of GI Joe that someone would die...but no. Stuff blows up all the time but the US censors make sure we see that everyone baddies and goodies alike are ok. Doesn't it make you wish real war was like this?

Anime gives us action that is not censored and often beautiful storytelling. Anime also gives us a complete story which a lot of American cartoon shows don't. Instead of being episodic they go for an entire story from start to finish...this is anime's greatest strength...and its biggest downfall. Now some animes last only for a short while. Some of my favorites: Death Note, Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing are all under at least 40 episodes. They told their story and they were done with it, no stretching out the story till no one cares anymore. Sadly I used to have two other favorite animes but they have fallen to the dark side. I love the style of both Bleach and Naruto. They have amazing characters and incredible worlds in which those characters live. I also used to think they had good stories...but no any more.

To a point these animes do have incredible stories, but you have to waft through so much muck and gunk that it's hardly worth it. Naruto has been going on for so long that they had to start a whole new series so people wouldn't go "Naruto Episode 324...Synopsis: Naruto and Sakura stand around and talk in great length about nothing that interesting while stylized shots fill up the extra ten minutes the animators didn't want to bother animating and the writers didn't want to bother writing." Seriously though a lot of the episodes are like that. When Naruto is in an arch that directly correlates with the manga, than it is good...painfully slow but good. Back in the day writers like Charles Dickens were paid by the word for their stories, hence why some of their stories are long and tedious...classics none the less but eventually dull.

Same goes for these anime that run on and on. I mean Bleach has even gone as far as to have a 3 to 4 minute recap before we watch any new stuff. Add that to the long opening and closing song, plus the prediction of the next episode and weird little extras at the end, we the viewers are only getting about 10 minutes worth of story. Don't even get me started on filler. If you don't know what filler is, filler are episodes (usually many in a row) that anime shows put on usually to buy time for the writer of the corresponding manga since the anime show is catching up with the manga. I don't know who writes these filler episodes but they are complete dribble. I dare a wooden stump to write fillers worse than some of the Naruto filler I have seen.

Part of the problem is people keep getting paid per episode. The show is no longer about the story and more about people getting more money. Now I am all for people making money but don't make everyone else suffer, especially the story and the characters because you want some extra money so you can buy yourself another convertible and a high class whore who won't steal your social security card after giving you the clap. Another problem is that both of the writers of this show look up to the guy who wrote Dragon Ball Z. When I was a kid, I thought that show was amazing. I wanted to be Vegeta. But after watching it awhile you figure out each story arch is exactly the same. New villain who couldn't possibly be stronger than the last shows up to wreak havoc. People power up for several episodes while Bulma is no doubt setting herself up for awkward sexual advances. There is some cool fighting for a bit and than some boring fighting for a lot. Finally someone reaches some new insane level of being (which means their hair usually gets bigger) and they kill the bad guy. Wash, rinse, repeat.

All of this being said, I implore all you story writers out there to tell your story and be done with it. Stories should never feel like the line at the DMV, rush hour traffic, or listening to talk radio while stuck in rush hour traffic on your way to the God forsaken DMV.

Well if I thought it was cold last weekend at the Flat Tracks round 3& 4, I soon had to think again. It was that cold this weekend I even think I felt some snow fall on my hands. As everyone would have felt & seen the bad weather happening during the week you could image the track was muddy & wet which it was. This weekend the track was in reverse to what it was at the Michael Godfrey & it hadn’t been groomed, so it was a little rough. I was second up for practice so the track was still a little wet & fresh. Practice went well & I came in round the top 10. During the practice I got a good feel & look for the track. Race one was not the best, on the first hill I came off & by the time I got going again I was last. I then fought my way back up the pack to 18^th. Race two I got an average start & had an ok ride & came in 18^th. Race three was a lot better, I was 10^th around the wholeshot corner, I had a very fast race & came 13^th which I was stoked with. For the day I was in 18^th place. That night I went home & it rained & rained & rained some more & when we got up the next morning it was still raining. I rung the info line & they said that the pits had flooded over & the racing had been cancelled. That was it for the Canterbury Champs so I finished 18^th overall, which was not too bad for the day.

Until next time, catch ya later Shaun

Julie and Shaun were beyond fantastic to work with, and were up for all kinds of fun and cool and pictures, so lots of fun and cool pictures is what they're getting :-) We really enjoyed Julie and Shaun's families and friends too! We even had a past bride and groom among their guests, so it was extra cool to get to catch up with Tanya and Ben a little bit too!

I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from their wedding day!

Well what an exciting weekend of racing. We had 4 different track & weather conditions, ice, mud, dusty & cold all in one day just perfect. Saturday morning was freezing & the track had frozen over so when we went out for practice it was like riding on concrete with oil & diesel poured all over the top, it was super slippery. Race 1the track was still frozen over so everyone was being very cautious. The race started of well, I was coming about 6^th & then on the second to last corner I fell off & couldn’t start my bike again. Once I rejoined the race I was coming last & that was where I ended up for that race, so not the best race. Race 2 went a lot better I got a good start, I didn’t fall off & I came 4^th. Race 3 was another shock, I was coming 3^rd then I came into the hole shot corner on the 3^rd lap & I yanked on the front brake to much & the front washed out & I came off. I regained my composure & got going again & finished 5^th. Race 4 was my best race, the conditions were the best out of all the races. I got a good start coming 4^th & the rider in front of me fell off & I moved up to 3^rd & that was were I finished. Saturday night rained & Sunday morning it continued to rain so the club decided to cancel round 4. My overall result for the Marlborough flat track rounds was I got was 4^th, so that wasn’t too bad for my first Marlborough event on the new bike. The bike went good in the weekend & I can’t wait for the Canterbury champs this weekend.

An extra small jumper.

:D

Which made me wonder...

Are there any kid shows that teach spanish speaking kids english words?

My guess...

Probably not

well, we're over a week and one eviction into the latest series.

alex

well, we know which box to put her in don't we? i don't even know if she's trying to be charley or is just a rude bitch. not sure what would be worse.

dale

hmm. he reminds me of the actor in 27 dresses a bit. not sure about him yet. the whole having a crush on someone already thing is a bit desperate. it didn't work for saskia and maxwell and it won't work this time.

darnell

i have a feeling darnell is going to be good value, and possibly one of the only housemates brave enough to take on alex.

dennis

bitchy little pinenut akin to sex and the city's anthony. but nowhere near as redeemable.

jennifer

single mum who supposedly looks like cheryl cole but in all truth, looks more like alanis morissette. there's a VAST difference.

kathreya

human pokemon and obvious fodder for jlc and alan carr. haven't heard her talk about anything other than cookies so far.

lisa

is clearly going to have some kind of epiphany relating to her relationship. seems fairly calm but could just be in blind panic from the realisation that her boyfriend is a twat.

luke

his longevity could hinge on how well he copes with pissed up housemates while rolling on in his wagon. hissy fits could ensue.

'mario'

twat. thinks he looks italian so changes his name from shaun to mario. wtf? this man is every bouncer you have ever hated, every dickhead who has pinched your arse in a crowded bar. torture him or get him out.

mikey

seems very sweet but is being patronised to hell and back by mario and lisa. he's blind not stupid you fu%!ers.

mohamed

has the potential to be a good housemate if he doesn't end up winding up the others up by nicking all the food. another one who might stand up to alex.

rachel

former child actress. has five cats so i want to like her. her and jennifer kind of look the same so i don't see both lasting.

rebecca

same as laura form last year. but not welsh. she'll be out soon bar an act of immense generosity so don't pay too much attention to her.

rex

has that max from eastender thing going on. gingers are doing it for themselves this year.

stephanie

thick as, and the least compelling interviewee ever, but i would have preferred to see one of the others go as she had the potential to cause trouble and was allergic to mario.

sylvia

will disassociate herself from alex at the scene of the first big fight. in fact, is there anywhere that will take a bet on that?

download here

aaliyah - don't know what to tell you

alexander o'neal - fake

colonel abrams - trapped

kelis - game show/about to hate me

living in a box - living in a box

mariah carey - prisoner

marvin gaye - it's a desperate situation

o'jays - 992 arguments

prince - let's pretend we're married

the roots - lazy afternoon

vybe - i can't fight anymore

The first solution is a simple one. They could just start rookie Matt Forte who everybody in the organization really seems to like him and it's possible he could have won the job anyway. Garrett Wolfe is the other guy on the roster with legitimate NFL experience, but is probably a little undersized to be a starter in the league. Ultimately I think they do go with Forte and Wolfe would be a capable Kevin Faulk or Chris Perry type third down receiving back. If they do this though they probably still need to sign a spell back. Here's five to consider:

1. Kevin Jones- Forte is a power back and should be very effective between the tackles. This would make Jones the perfect change of pace back for Chicago. He is very good on the tosses and off-tackle and is a home run threat. The downside is injuries as they have cut him short the past several seasons.

2. Shaun Alexander- The guy is only a few years removed from setting the NFL single season touchdown record. He was a very good back who could fit well running in the Bear downhill system. He certainly appears to have broken down quickly over the past couple of seasons but Alexander could be a good bargain for the Bears. You could get him cheap and he could possibly break out with the change of scenery.

3. Lamont Jordan- Jordan is very good out of the backfield and runs hard. He has a chip on his shoulder and is determined to prove he didn't get a fair shake in the Abyss. You could also get the Randy Moss factor, where a guy breaks out when released from the black hole. Injuries and the fact that he has never really been a successful starting back could deter.

4. Ron Dayne- A guy who was humbled by his time in New York and has proven to be a pretty good back since leaving there. Has had some very nice games while running in the Denver-Houston system, but would need to adjust to fit into Lovie's version of the west-coast offense. He is also a little to comparable to Forte's style.

5. A trade- Tough to work out at this stage in the off-season but some guys should be available. Earnest Graham, Ladell Betts, Najeh Davenport, Wali Lundy, Nick Goings, Mike Bell, or my favorite if they could get him Greg Jones from Jacksonville.

In the end I think they end up with Jordan. He'll come at the right price and makes sense for the job. Jones goes to the Patriots and Alexander to the Bengals. If Forte looks as good in game-time as he does in practice the trio of him, Jordan and Wolfe could really help the Bears offense. As for Benson? I think he'll get a shot somewhere at least for training camp. Maybe Dallas or Buffalo. His biggest problem may be that he is only the second most talented but troubled back on the market, behind Travis Henry. I hope things work out for Cedric as a human being. I can't say I feel any sympathy for the Bears. How did they not know it would end up like this? The cat looks just like Ricky Williams. Benson to the Dolphins? Might make some sense.

Alexandra is my most hated blend of person. Loud, obnoxious - yeah, that's Big Brother. But her most awful characteristic is her belief that only her opinion matters, when she's clearly too ignorant to even form a cogent poo. I'm sorry, ALEX, but not everyone can push out a piglet at 8 or however old you were and then succumb to your world wisdom. In other words, do one. Or that's what should have been said. Instead, Rachel tried to diffuse the situation only to make it worse, leading her to the Diary Room to call Alex a bully.

Ah.

Big Brother does not tolerate bullies, oh no. But it will cast them, every series, because somehow the execs still cling to the rather pongy belief that arguments=entertainment. They do not. If they did, I would cheer on my neighbours' 3am rows. Clearly I don't, because like most sane folk, arguments - especially those led by thick twunts - infuriate me, not to menton make me deeply uncomfortable. So anyway, Big Brother reminds Alex where she is, etc etc, and that was pretty much it as far as her reprimand went, depsite Big Brother NOT TOLERATING BULLIES ETC. In other news, Alex also called Steph a prick, and simple. Surprisingly, Steph wasn't being either.

It was also Mario Shaun's birthday today. Lisa filled his mouth with cream. They cackled. They sang Eye of the Tiger. Now THAT is was BB should be about.

Rank (LW)     Team          Key Players

1 (N/A)         Chargers  LaDainian Tomlinson, RB; Shawne Merriman, OLB; Antonio Cromartie, CB              

The Chargers lost 21-12 to the Patriots in the AFC Championship, but they didn't have Antonio Gates, L.T, and Phillip Rivers was playing on a torn ACL. The Chargers would have beaten the Patriots if they had been healthy. Look for the Chargers to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

2 (N/A)         Cowboys  Tony Romo, QB; Terrell Owens, WR; DeMarcus Ware, DE/OLB

Drama in the 'Big D' this offseason, with the addition of Pacman Jones, and Romo singing to Jessica Simpson. But the Cowboys had a good draft and are going to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks: Training Camp. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys go all the way to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

3 (N/A)         Saints       Drew Brees, QB; Deuce McAllister, RB; Jonathon Vilma, ILB

Injuries and an awful defense plagued the Saints all the way to a 7-9 season. But Deuce McAllister is expected to be healthy by Week 1, and Reggie Bush is 100% (he was about 85% throughout the season) and; via the draft, trades, and free agency, the Saints improved their defense 200%

4 (N/A)         Steelers    Ben Roethlisberger, QB; Willie Parker, RB; Troy Polamalu, SS

The Steelers' offense this year is going to be deadly. By drafting Rashard Mendenhall with the 23rd overall pick, Pittsburgh added a compliment to Willie Parker. And by drafting Limas Sweed in the second round, gave Big Ben his big target (6'5, 220 Lbs) This offense paired with the always good defense makes the Steelers a playoff lock.

5 (N/A)         Colts        Peyton Manning, QB; Dwight Freeney, DE; Bob Sanders, FS

Hey! Marvin and Dwight are back! Peyton Manning, who is always good, found out that Reggie Wayne is just as good, if not...ahem...better, than Marvin Harrison. Joseph Addai had a break-out season as well in Indy. And don't forget, Dwight Freeney got injured in the playoffs, and he's the best pass rusher in the NFL.

6 (N/A)         Eagles      Donovan McNabb, QB; Brian Westbrook, RB; Asante Samuel, CB

Donovan McNabb & Company were .500 last year, but McNabb had nobody to throw to. Now he has explosive DeSean Jackson. McNabb will greatly profit from the speedy Jackson, who was the target of streaks, slants, and screens in college, because he ran the same system in college at California. Don't forget Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown makes Philly have one of the best Nickel defenses in  the NFL.

7 (N/A)         Patriots    Tom Brady, QB; Randy Moss, WR; Ellis Hobbs, CB

"Randy Moss!" - Randy Moss, in response to who was the best wide receiver on the New England team in a Super Bowl press conference. And he was right, just ask Tom Brady. But this year, the Pats aren't concerned about their offense, it's their defense. They lost Asante Samuel and Randall Gay to free agency, and their linebacking corps isn't getting younger.

8 (N/A)         Browns    Derek Anderson, QB; Jamal Lewis, RB; Shaun Rodgers, DT

Derek Anderson was THE surprise of the 2007 NFL Season (I would know, I cut him from my fantasy team at the start of the season) and the Browns reached 10-6 - but missed the playoffs - despite their defense being terrible. But the Browns are a wildcard favorite to start the year with the addition of Shaun Rodgers and other defensive players.

9 (N/A)         Jaguars    David Garrard, QB; Fred Taylor, RB; Rashean Mathis, CB

David Garrard had zero interceptions for a long while into the NFL season (then was picked in a game against Indianapolis) and Fred Taylor is no longer 'Fragile Freddy' But! Marcus Stroud was traded and the Jaguars did not have much success in the draft. But the offense looks good and the Front 7 looks good in general as well. If there was ever a time the Jags could vie for the AFC South Divisional Crown with the Colts it is NOW.

10 (N/A)       Vikings    Adrian Peterson, RB; Jared Allen, DE; Antoine Winfield, CB

Tarvaris Jackson is back and has a year of experience under his belt. The offense looks good with new additions at WR and the O-Line - which is arguably the best in the NFL - is back. The defensive line is now the best in the NFL with pro bowl DT's Kevin Williams and Pat Williams back. And the addition of last year's leader in sacks, Jared Allen (he had 15.5 in 14 games) acquired in a trade with the Chiefs makes the D-Line the best in the NFL.

11 (N/A)       Packers    Aaron Rodgers, QB; Ryan Grant, RB; Al Harris, CB

Brett Favre is gone and it's time to see what Aaron Rodgers can do. Basically the entire team is intact except for the loss of Favre. With Ryan Grant's breakout season at running back last year, the only question on offense is Rodgers. Yes, the defense is older this year, but they are one of the best with Charles Woodson and Al Harris playing Bump'N'Run on the outside.

12 (N/A)       Giants      Eli Manning, QB; Michael Strahan, DE; Kenny Phillips, FS

Champs! After upsetting the then undefeated New England Patriots, the only question is whether Michael Strahan is coming back. Plax showed he is still one of the most legitimate vertical threats in the NFL. And Brandon Jacobs showed he can run anyone over. But, Eli Manning has to show that he is going to live up to his great playoff performance.

13 (N/A)       Redskins  Clinton Portis, RB; Devin Thomas, WR; LaRon Landry, SS

The tragic death of Sean Taylor was the story of the year last year for the 'Skins. After their loss in the NFC Wildcard round to the Seahawks, Washington looks good this year. They added two rookie WR's with high expectations: The explosive Devin Thomas, and the tall Malcolm Kelly. Fred Davis, a TE out of USC, should be able to compete for the TE job. But Jason Campbell must step up and lead this team, manned by new head coach Jim Zorn.

14 (N/A)      Seahawks  Matt Hasselbeck, QB; Julian Peterson, OLB; Marcus Trufant, CB

They cut Shaun Alexander! They cut Shaun Alexander! But have no fear, Julius Jones is here! Jones is a speedy back that wasn't resigned by the Cowboys. So, Seattle picked him up and cut Shaun Alexander. The defense is a very good unit, and the Seahawks seem to be poised for another NFC West Championship.

15 (N/A)      Bucs          Jeff Garcia, QB; Carnell Williams, RB; Ronde Barber, CB

Cadillac is back. Carnell Williams is no longer injured. And the offense seems very steady with him back. They also added Warrick Dunn, so perhaps they could pair them together to make a pretty good duo. Even though Jeff Garcia isn't very happy, the offense looks good. And, with the addition of shutdown rookie corner Aqib Talib, the defense is still very good. 

16 (N/A)      Cardinals  Matt Leinart, QB; Darnell Dockett, DT; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB

Leinart is the starter in The Desert. Or, so Ken Whisenhunt says. The offense looks great with Edgerrin James at RB, and Fitzgerald-Boldin is the best wide receiver combo in the NFL, period(.) However, a bad loss on the defense occured, as DE/OLB Calvin Pace slipped to the Jets in free agency. But, DRC, cousin of Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie, was drafted and should help out the secondary.

17 (N/A)      Panthers   Jake Delhomme, QB; Steve Smith, WR; Julius Peppers, DE

Jake Delhomme is back in the house people! After coming back from Tommy John surgery on his elbow. Jake Delhomme seems to be the pre-season starter and looks to lead a dangerous offense. DeShaun Foster was cut. This lead to powerful Jonathon Stewart being drafted. Paired with the electric DeAngelo Williams, they should be a good duo. However, on defense, Dan Morgan and Kris Jenkins are gone. And DE Mike Rucker retired.

18 (N/A)      Broncos    Jay Cutler, QB; Brandon Marshall, WR; Champ Bailey, CB

After being diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes, Jay Cutler looks to lead the Denver Broncos to an AFC West title. And it's actually a possibility. Even though Travis Henry was cut, Brandon Marshall looks outstanding at WR. And on the defensive side of the ball; Champ Bailey, John Lynch, and Elvis Dumervil seem poised to be a shutdown D.

19 (N/A)      Bills          Marshawn Lynch, RB; Lee Evans, WR; Marcus Stroud, DT

The Bills should improve to a winning record this year. They added pro-bowl DT Marcus Stroud to the defense for basically nothing in a trade with the Jaguars. They also have a great LB corps too. But with the drafting of Leodis McKelvin, the secondary and special teams unit will improve. But, questions still remain with a shaky Buffalo offense.

20 (N/A)      Raiders     Jamarcus Russell, QB; Darren McFadden, RB; The D-Line

With the arrival of many free agents, the defense looks great. Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall makes a great CB tandem, and the secondary further improved with the addition of Gibril Wilson. And, the D-Line also looks great. But, on the offense, questions rise about Jamarcus Russell and the WR corps. Even though D-Mac is in Oakland, he isn't expected to be the starter. Why?

21 (N/A)      Titans       Vince Young, QB; LenDale White, RB; Albert Haynesworth, DT

He who drafted Chris Johnson is an idiot. Who is Vince Young gonna toss the rock to? Alge Crumpler is good, but he can't do it by himself! They needed to get a WR. LenDale White proved he could do it on his own and the defense proved to be a stable unit. It's a shame that Vince Young didn't get a WR. One hadn't even been drafted yet! They could have had anyone they wanted.

22 (N/A)      Texans     Matt Schaub, QB; Andre Johnson, WR; Mario Williams, DE

Houston is a very bland team overall. They don't have a consistent running back, and Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson got hurt last year. But, they found a good safety valve in Owen Daniels, the TE. However, on defense, Mario Williams is a beast on passing downs, and they actually had a few pro-bowlers. But the secondary still looks like it needs help. 

23 (N/A)      Ravens     Willis McGahee, RB; Jonathon Ogden, LT; Ray Lewis, ILB

They almost beat the Patriots and they lost to the terrible, terrible Dolphins. However, their pro-bowl tackle Jonathon Ogden was hurt last year. Joe Flacco was drafted, but their is no clear-cut #1 WR. Willis McGahee did what he did in Buffalo: run all over the place. McGahee was the only source of offense the Ravens consistently had.

24 (N/A)      Jets          Chad Pennington, QB; Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB; Kerry Rhodes, SS

They got Gholston with the 6th overall pick, and TE Dustin Keller with the 30th overall pick. So, they had a 'B' draft. But, there are questions about who is the starter. And whether or not Thomas Jones can have a good year at RB. But, at WR, Coles was hurt, so we'll see how he comes back this year.

25 (N/A)      Lions        Jon Kitna, QB; Kevin Smith, RB; Ernie Sims, ILB

Brett Favre is gone, so Jon Kitna is the best QB in the NFC North. But he can only be so good because the O-Line is terrible. They allowed the most sacks in the NFL the past two years. But, Kevin Smith was a great pick in the third round. He should start. BUT! Shaun Rodgers was traded to the Browns, a dumb decision. Matt Millen is an idiot. But at least they didn't draft a WR.

26 (N/A)      Rams       Steven Jackson, RB; Torry Holt, WR; Leonard Little, DE

The Rams could have been NFC West champs, but they didn't protect Marc Bulger. The defense is a steady unit. Very quietly success has come to the St. Lou' D. But on offense last year they failed expectations miserably. They should have been a .750 team last year. Let's hope that they can improve this year.

27 (N/A)      Bengals   Carson Palmer, QB; Chad Johnson, WR; Keith Rivers, ILB/OLB

Will he stay or will he go?...to the AFL. That is the question entering training camp in Cincinnati. He, of course, is Chad Johnson. The star wideout said that if he wasn't traded, he would play in the AFL. But, the Bengals' front office stood its ground and declined trade requests for Johnson. But on the other side of the ball, it is NOT looking good. Even though the Bengals drafted linebacker Keith Rivers with the ninth pick of the draft, the overall situation on defense is bad.

28 (N/A)      49ers      Alex Smith, QB; Frank Gore, RB; Patrick Willis, ILB

Patrick Willis was the Defensive Rookie of the Year last year - he had an astonishing league leading 172 tackles in '07 - and with the addition of Kentawn Balmer, the defense looks...g-g-okay. The offense should be good if Alex Smith performs well, because with the addition of Isaac Bruce, he has a go-to guy this year. A legitimate one.

29 (N/A)      Bears      Rex Grossman, QB; Cedric Benson, RB; Brian Urlacher, ILB

Turnoversaurus Rex is the starter, so that means Lovie Smith is still an idiot. But, Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, and Brian Urlacher are not happy at all on the defensive side of the ball with their contracts. The situation at wide receiver does not look good at all either, and we all know the Cedric Benson boat story. So, it looks like the Bears are in trouble again in the NFC North.

30 (N/A)      Falcons   Matt Ryan, QB; Michael Turner, RB; Keith Brooking, OLB

In a desperate P.R attempt to rid the Falcons of Michael Vick's namesake, Atlanta took Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the draft. Michael Turner was the biggest RB in the free agent market and they signed him too. But they made dumb off-season trades and releases. Such as cutting Alge Crumpler, releasing Rod Coleman, and trading cornerback DeAngelo Hall. The offense looks fine, but the defense seems to be in trouble.

31 (N/A)      Chiefs     Larry Johnson, RB; Tony Gonzalez, TE; Glenn Dorsey, DT

L.J was injured for the majority of the season., so lots of pressure was on Tony Gonzalez to perform. But, if you look three years down the line, the Chiefs look pretty good. They had the best draft in the NFL this year, so they are stacked with fresh rookie talent. However, the defense is still one of the worst in the NFL and they need to fix that.

32 (N/A)      Dolphins  Ronnie Brown, RB; Jake Long, OT; Jason Taylor, DE

Jason Taylor has angered the Big Tuna by Dancing With The Stars. The Fins were the worst team in the NFL last year with just one win. But, in all fairness, Ronnie Brown was injured, Ricky Williams got injured, but that's no excuse. I still don't think the Dolphins are going to improve that much. They cut pro-bowler Zach Thomas. But they've bolstered the line and they should win four games this year.

Written by Shaun

Hi everyone, I had a great weekend at the Michael Godfrey. I am starting to really enjoy the power of my 125. The track was awesome this weekend, it had heaps of jumps & drop offs, there also was alot of traction so you could let it hangout all weekend long. The 1st  race on Saturday I placed 25th, the 2nd race I placed 23rd, then in the 3rd I placed 21st. The next day it wasn't as cold in the morning & it didn't take as long to warm up. I went out for my 1st race & enforced all of what I had been told the night before at the motel & got 16th, I was really stoked with that. The 2nd race wasn't as good as I stalled on the start line & was last off the gate, I worked my way through the pack & got 20th. So overall I placed 23rd for the weekend & I was pretty happy with that considering I was racing against 250 4 strokes. Flat tracks round 3 & 4 are three weekends away & I am really looking forward to it.

Thanks everyone Shaun

With all four of these players I know that I would be happy to see any of them play for the Colts, as unrealistic as it is. I'm just trying to say that they are all good enough that I would want them on my team. However I believe only one of these players has any likelihood of ending up in a Colts uniform next year, and that is Jason Taylor. The reason I say this is because he says he want to play for a contender, and the Colts need help along the defensive line, so it would be a good fit for him. Wherever he is playing in September, I don't see it being with the Dolphins. Chad Johnson on the other hand I see staying put. As much as he wants to get out of Cincinnati, it doesn't appear that it's going to happen. There have reportedly been some pretty big offers sent their way, the most notable being from Dallas, and all trade proposals have been rejected. So I see Johnson staying with the Bengals. In Shaun Alexander's and Travis Henry's cases, they obviously can't be staying with their team because they were released. The sad thing about these two is that there's a chance that neither one of them find a team for next year. Alexander has been on the market now for about a month and nobody has signed him, and he has no off the field issues, and is about on the same level as Henry in terms of production. So with Alexander struggling to find a job, and having a clean record, it will probably be just as difficult or harder for Henry to find a team to sign him, because he has had some injury problems as well as off the field issues.

Well, I saw on ESPN.com that Travis Henry had been released and it got me thinking about these four players so I decided to write a post about it. If you have any additional thought please feel free to leave a comment. I'm curious as to where (if anywhere) these players will end up.

But not for long as Ubisoft has unveiled it’s first action-sports title; a snowboarding game licensed to use the Shaun White name.

Shaun White’s Snowboarding is being developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 using the Assassin’s Creed engine and will allow players the chance to explore huge mountains as large, open areas rather than as linear levels. The game even lets you explore the mountains on foot, by lift, helicopter or board.

Speaking of boards, Ubisoft revealed at Ubidays 2008 yesterday that the game is also being built for the Wii and that this version will be compatible with the Wii balance board.

We got a chance to see both versions of the game at the Ubidays event this year and, although we couldn’t go hands or feet-on with the game it is looking very impressive. The Wii version in particular is very eye-catching as it uses a cool cel-shaded art style.

“Shaun is one the world’s best known snowboarders and has won Olympic gold medals repeatedly,” said one of the developers for the game who we got chatting to.

“He’s actively involved in the project and working very closely with us to make this game his own. We hope it could be the next Tony Hawk’s.”

A lofty aim? Let us know what you think in the forums.