Category Reads Listens Views

Reads Listens Views 10/19/2012

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Hat tip to E.C. Stoner for the Brees video.

Reads (Football)

Futures: Matt Barkley – This was last week’s column. Tomorrow’s analysis is on West Virginia Receiver Tavon Austin.

Russell Wilson’s Seam Pass to Zach Miller – Danny Kelly at Field Gulls is one of the cooler bloggers I’ve had the pleasure to interact with during my first year and a half doing this work. He has been extremely generous with posting my work on his site and I wish I had discovered his work as an analyst sooner. This is a fantastic piece on Russell Wilson that demonstrates why Wilson has skills to start in the N.F.L. Go ahead, bring up the 49ers game last night. You done? Good. Read.

A Former NFL Player’s Inside Scoop on Aaron RodgersIf you weren’t done about Wilson then I suggest this fascinating read about Rodgers at Cal from his former teammate Ryan Riddle. As usual, excellent stuff that describes a debut that left Rodgers crying the night away alone in his room. All quarterbacks go through rough patches.

New Grantland: Denver Dips Into the Old Colts Playbook for Some Vintage Peyton

Nick Saban Doesn’t Teach Back-Pedaling – Always good stuff at Smart Football.

Reads (Non-Football) Continue reading

Reads Listens Views 10/12/2012

Football Reads/Listens/Views

Alfred Morris’ ability didn’t surprise me, but the opportunity to get a real shot as a rookie did. See his 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio analysis below.

Alfred Morris RSP Evaluation – I grade on a 100-point scale. Morris received an 89 on my scale when I watched him play Auburn last year. An 89 is an immediate starter grade. I only watched one game and was reticent to rank him higher than 20th among backs because I didn’t get to see a strong sample size. However, I think you’ll find the details about what I saw commensurate with what you’re seeing from him in Washington. Continue reading

Reads Listens Views 9/28/2012

Do you understand this? Can you write about it? Can you diagram it over a photo of an actual game? Do you want to write about stuff like it here? Keep reading. Photo by Avinnash Kunnath.

Seeking Writers

Unlike my pals Cecil Lammey and Sigmund Bloom, I have a a day job that does not involve football. It means that I have to cut back on some of my football writing at certain points of the year. One of those difficult choices involved saying good bye to my in-season version of my Weekly Gut Check columns (I’m still writing the column from May through late August) and it has meant fewer posts with this blog – the two football vehicles I love the most.

It won’t always be like this, but in life one has to bob and weave with the times and even a stubborn guy like me learns the ropes at some point. One of these moves is having a guy like Nick Whalen provide his analysis at the blog. I’m looking for more writers to do the same. Continue reading

A Message From The Overlook

All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. All work        no play                    a dull boy.              and              makes Matt               .      All work and             makes Matt a        boy. All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. All         and no                    Matt a dull       .      work and      play            Matt a dull boy.

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. I’m busy vomiting words. Thanks for your patience. I miss this place.

Matt

All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy.
.yob llud a ttaM sekam yalp on dna krow llA  .yob llud a ttaM sekam yalp on dna krow llA
.yob llud a ttaM sekam yalp on dna krow llA  .yob llud a ttaM sekam yalp on dna krow llA

 

Reads Listens Views 9/14/2012

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Chris Potter and Marcus Strickland, two of the better saxophonists of my generation playing with a great group that includes the fantastic Benny Green on piano, Martin Wind on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums.

Reads

From the “isn’t that charming and hip, but completely stupid file,” The USB Typewriter. If someone rigged any of my devices with this hipster pile of garbage as a gift, I’d deck them. Or at least I’d be imagining how I’d dismember them as I do the polite thing. Of course, I think the polite thing to do in the long term is throw a hay maker so they never do something like that to a writer’s helper ever again. If you want to pretend you’re Hemingway go ahead. Try writing a piece to deadline with that contraption and you’ll have killed yourself decades earlier than For Whom The Bell Tolls.

Back to School: How Mike Shanahan is Using RG3’s College Offense with the Redskins by Chris Brown

Futures: Tyler Wilson by Matt Waldman

Why Fathers Really Matter by Judith Shulevitz. A fascinating article touching upon epigenetics – or how your environment triggers your genes to change.

iPhone 5? Yawn. What Will the ‘Phone’ of 2022 Look Like by Alexis C. Madrigal. What will it look like? Most likely, none of the things in this article.

Listens

Superego – The Superego podcast is a great mix of old-school radio drama techniques, stream-of-consciousness, existential-style humor, and just plain funny. Set against the format of “case studies” of varying psychological profiles, the skits and sketches range from the absurd to the thought-provoking. Highly recommended (thanks Interlocuter, whomever you are on iTunes, for the description).

Views

Optical Illusion Photography

28 Mind Bending Examples of Optical Illusion Photography

Thanks

I mean it. And you probably know why. I’m just slammed with work like nobody’s business right now to go into detail.

Frank’s Flops Week Two: A Caravan of Panic

Frank’s Flops Week 2: The Caravan of Panic

Will the Saints go 0-2? My buddy Frank who went 14-6 with this player-specific predictions last week thinks so. Photo by eschipul.


What a week! The Packers lose, the Saints lose, the Giants lose, the Jets scored, and Frank went 14-6! Hell, Roger Goodell even lost! What’s next, panic in the streets?

There might have been if the commish took the stand and testified that he put the hammer down on ole Jonathan Vilma and the Bayou Sinners Sam Jackson style:

“Yes, their careers deserved to die and I hope they burn in hell! Respect my authority…”

Yes, Rog, even you’re a loser. My buddy Matt Waldman is hoping there’s a line in Vegas where he put down a c-note that you’ll have to hand the Saints and Jonathan Vilma the Lombardi. He thinks its just too strange not to come true. Frank is inclined to agree.

The two normal things last week were the Raiders and Browns doing what they do best: Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Here’s how Frank fared on his picks:

Hits

  • Dez Bryant plays like a college boy who says he’s “backed up.”
  • The Irsay-You Say Ponies defense.
  • Matt Forte saying, “I told you so.”
  • Dwayne Bowe medium rare.
  • Brandon Weeden needing rubber diapers.
  • Cortland Finnegan pissing off the Simbas.
  • Jake Locker giving up on Jared Cook by the second quarter.
  • Ryan Fitzpatrick getting his pipe shoved up his Harvard hind parts.
  • Ryan Tannehill earning a big Frank Flops welcome courtesy of the Houston Secessionists.
  • Late Night Larry Fitzgerald slipped a dose of Ambien.
  • Deangelo Williams robbed of chance to shine in Tampa.
  • Jermaine Gresham performs like a pussy (cat).
  • Denarius Moore not showing up to play – literally.
  • Ix-Nay on any back with a Bolt on his helmet.

Misses

  • Miles Austin blowing a tire.
  • Santana Moss out-playing the Haitian Waiter.
  • Football Santa Claus doesn’t exist. Proof came that Nick is actually a Purple Viking. Leave a cookie for Peterson lest you want to get trucked.
  • Fred Jackson thriving and C.J. Spiller barely surviving.
  • Jermichael Finley jilting Matt Williamson at the altar.
  • Demaryius Thomas getting slobber knocked.

Week 2 Flops

 Bears vs. Packers

The Windy City Bear Claws get flown west to Wisconsin with the hopes they don’t get shrink wrapped into a box by the Green Bay Warehouse Foremen. Don’t flop on Randall Cobb this week. He’s getting the Darren Sproles treatment. However, expect Devin Hester to wish someone would get the clue that he should have been Darren Sproles five years ago.

Chiefs vs. Bills

The KC Pitt Masters are traveling to Buffalo for some bison barbecue on Sunday, but they are gonna be disappointed because that meat is lean. Frank doesn’t want any part of C.J. Spiller after that Clemson Tiger ripped a hole through the Jets fuselage. However, give this hack predictor a slab of Jonathan Baldwin with a side of Tony Moeaki. Neither of these Pioli specials are gonna chow down in the Niagara Neighborhood.

Saints vs. Panthers

The Treme Sinners had a post-Vilma hangover thanks to too many shots of RG3 with an Alfred Morris chaser. Frank thinks that pain will persist when they make a road trip to Cackalacky to face Sir Isaac Newton’s freak show science project and a bunch of pissed off Appalachian Lions. Drew Brees will play pretty as usual, but this offense will be leading a second line Nawlins funeral march that ends in sadness. Frank isn’t expecting Brandon LaFell to repeat his performance from last weekend. Don’t get stuck with him this weekend unless you want the Rebirth Brass Band playing a second line in your honor.

Browns vs. Bengals

The Red-headed Rifle got swarmed by a flock of Never Mores in Charm City last Monday. He could have the same problem when they host the Polluted Lake Elves in River City. Frank needs to take a risk this week and that bold pick is Joe Haden blanketing A.J. Green. Wait a minute. Haden is suspended? Forget that. Green is going to make up for a mediocre outing last weak where he dropped two passes. Frank will go back to picking on Brandon Weeden, who is going to get a big taste of Geno Atkins and have nothing but putrid water to wash it from his mouth. Clamoring for Colt? Nope. Trippin’ for Thaddeus? Maybe.  Frank will again bet against Jermaine Gresham. He’s one of those big, bad-lookin’ softies that curl up and quiver when they get trucked. He’s the most overrated young gun at tight end in the NFL.

Vikings vs. Colts

Frank is definitely leaving a cookie for Saint Adrian Peterson every week without fail. Frank may be naughty, but he doesn’t want to get trucked. On the other hand, this looks like a game where Percy Harvin gets a day off, and it won’t be for a migraine. St. Peterson’s Purple Henchmen say they want to be careful about Big Daddy’s knee, but they’re not in charge.

The rest will be available later this week at Fantasy Throwdown.com

Reads Listens Views 9/7/2012

Views

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Pound-for-pound, one of the fiercest competitors in the NFL. If you don’t want this guy on your team you need a gut check. Although I must admit that he’s completely delusional when it comes to saying that he doesn’t play with a chip on his shoulder. Listen to him say he wasn’t allowed to practice with the wide receivers during his rookie year at Carolina and I think any guy that used to be a part of that coaching staff still reflexively slaps himself in the face when he hears the name Steve Smith.

Fantasy Rosters (I’m asked, so here are 4 of my 8 teams this year) Continue reading

One-on-One Fantasy Football-Free!

Check out our one-on-one fantasy game in Year Two. It’s free!

Most of you reading the RSP blog play fantasy football. If you’re like me your favorite part of fantasy leagues is the draft. There’s nothing more enjoyable than assembling a team, except perhaps the week you play a heated rival and get a chance to smack talk like you’re James Harrison and he’s Ray Rice.

I’ve been touting a fantasy football game for the past 7-10 days that is a free, simple, convenient, and fast way to play every day and it’s also challenging enough to keep you coming back for more – FantasyThrowdown.com. I think it’s a great innovation to playing fantasy football because its one-on-one match ups allow you to challenge anyone, anytime.

You can play 20 times in a week or you can play once a month – whatever fits your schedule. It’s so easy to learn that I’ve had very few people need to ask me a question about how to play because if you’ve been in a fantasy league, it’s truly an intuitive game to learn.

Here’s the basics (for more complete directions go here):

  • Challenge a friend or another person on the site.
  • You and your opponent determine the three games for that week that will comprise your player draft pool.
  • Pick your games wisely as well as your draft order, because you each get to block a player from the draft pool during the draft. If there’s only two good QBs from those games you selected, you can set it up to force your opponent to settle for a scrub.
  • Draft your team.

Drafts take 10 minutes if you and your opponent are both online. Or you can stretch out the draft throughout the course of the week or even do predraft settings. Play standard or IDP, PPR or non-PPR. And the site has live chat and connects to Twitter and Facebook.

For those of you wondering why I’ve been promoting FantasyThrowdown.com on the RSP blog it’s because I am a co-owner of this new website.  This season we are Beta testing Throwdown and the response has been terrific since making it public.

Challenge me to a game either by registering and looking me up on the Leaderboard in the Lobby (matt) or use my email address: thegutcheck@gmail.com.

Reads, Listens, Throwdown 8/31/2012

Reads: Frank’s Flops

Is that you, Weeden? Or is it just more of Frank’s depravity? Whoa…not sure I want to know. Photo by Makenshi Fox.

I have a slightly depraved colleague who refers to himself as “Frank.” I’m not sure if “Frank” is his real name, but after meeting him I forgot to ask. He’s a lot like Seinfeld’s Kramer in the sense that you might notice one outrageous thing about him immediately, but within 30 seconds you realize that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Continue reading