Posts tagged Sigmund Bloom

RSP Football Writers Project

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I anticipate Drew Brees starting for at least one team for the RSP Football Writers Project, published this spring. Details below. Photo by eschipul.

Secretly, we all want to build a football team. It’s why we’re passionate about every player recruited, drafted, traded, and signed. It’s why we play fantasy football. It’s why many of us are fanatical about the NFL draft.

After a few weeks of my rants to Footballguys writer Sigmund Bloom about Steelers tight end Heath Miller as one of the more underrated players in football or how the Browns don’t use Josh Cribbs’ talent, Bloom got the kernel of an idea:

Why not let football writers build teams and write about them? And I want your help. Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, Views 11/25

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Did you know 40 percent of Vince Young’s career wins are fourth quarter comebacks?

I Know How Kevin Smith Feels

I was going to play football today for the first time in 22 years – an annual post-Turkey day contest in the neighborhood where I grew up. Then I started running last week. Before you get the wrong idea, I’ve been biking 10 miles a day for nearly six months so I’m in decent cardiovascular shape.

I learned that your knees also need to work up to the pounding.  Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, Views 11/11/11

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The best (and most underutilized) weapon in Cleveland. Hoping Cleveland changes this post haste.

Friday is the day of the week I like to thank you for being regular readers of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio blog. Hopefully you find the content as enjoyable to read as it is to write. I value the comments on the blog and email messages a great deal – keep ’em coming.

If you wish to show your appreciation while purchasing a gift that keeps on giving, Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, Views 9/2

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Billy “White Shoes” Johnson. Get acquainted with him if you don’t know who he is. A terrific football player from the `70s and early `80s. One of my favorite receivers/return specialists from any era.

As I do every Friday at the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, I extend my thanks to all of you who take the time out of your day to consistently read the work I post here. It’s been the best week yet for the blog and I want to thank Greg Cosell for being a big reason for it. He’s a great interview.

I you like what you’ve seen thus far, please consider these three acts of kindness: Continue reading →

Sigmund Bloom Part III

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Footballguys/Draftguys writer Sigmund Bloom mentions Cadillac Williams as an under appreciated NFL player - not fantasy player - NFL player. Bloom could see him as the 2000s version of Rocky Bleier. Photo by Sienc.

In this part of my conversation with Sigmund Bloom, Footballguys senior staff writer and Draftguys co-founder, we discuss under appreciated NFL players, emerging NFL players, the Bloom 100, what he’s watching when he’s evaluating players, and why he plays in 25-plus fantasy leagues .

Waldman: Aside from fantasy football, just as a fan of the game, tell me about some players you’ve seen as you watch all of these games who you feel are underappreciated to the average fan.

Bloom: Yeah. Wow. Of course, I’m going to start with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you watch what they ask their players to do then you’ll understand why James Farrior is the guy that James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons get a lot more attention because of him. Posse is just there every game whether it’s coverage, whether it’s run-stuffing, whether it’s blitzing. This is the guy that has really been the unsung hero of that Steelers defense. And I really believe that because of the guys he plays with – Troy Polamalu – he is never going to be one of the first people mentioned in a discussion of great NFL linebackers but as a lifelong Steelers fan and someone who is passionate about the Steelers organization, he is one of those guys.

Some of the other players…somebody who has never gotten due is Cadillac Williams. He’s persevered through so many injuries. To come all the way back and then suffer another catastrophic injury twice…and he was clutch for Tampa Bay last year! Them becoming a winning team last year was a lot due to the offense and he did some amazing things on third down for this team. I’m honestly shocked that they aren’t trying to bring him back. I think whomever he goes to will find that he will be an important contributor and fan favorite. I can only hope that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be one of the teams that eventually gets in the running for him. We’re not going to talk about how great Williams is for fantasy football, but I do believe he is a player who has great value to a team.

Waldman: He could be the modern day version of Rocky Bleier.

Bloom: Yeah, without the shrapnel in his leg… Continue reading →

Sigmund Bloom Part II

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The case of Chiefs RB/KR/WR Dexter McCluster may not seem as obvious, but he represents the ongoing trend with NFL strategy and personnel that draws parallels to smart phones in our society. Photo by Tennessee Journalist Wade Rackley.

In this part of my conversation with Sigmund Bloom, Footballguys senior staff writer and Draftguys co-founder, we discuss NFL trends, the appeal of the NFL Draft, and the value of the Game Recaps he does at Footballguys.com.

Waldman: Tell me about the more profound things you’ve learned about the game on the field because of your work as a fantasy football writer/analyst?

Bloom: I think that one of the things that is really fun to watch and has a massive impact on fantasy football is the natural intelligence of the game that evolves during a game. This happens when you have smart quarterbacks and smart coordinators. It’s the classic idea that if something is working then why go away from it? The game tells you which way to go. The game will guide smart coaches and quarterbacks to exploit something and continue to exploit it until the other team adjusts. Finding players who are smart enough and talented enough to do it is a big part of it. Seeing how in the course of the game that the first drive can tell you whether it’s going to be a big day for a player and it could be a player who hasn’t done much coming into the game, but because what the team knew about its opposition heading into the week it was going to be a big day. We try to perfect our ability to anticipate that on a weekly basis. Again that is where a lot of success in fantasy football comes from in-season.

Waldman: So tell me about some of the players or coaches that you see that are good at spotting a weakness and exploiting it until they are stopped.

Bloom: Of course Continue reading →

Conversation with Footballguys & Draftguys Sigmund Bloom

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Footballguys.com senior staff writer Sigmund Bloom wants to know if you use stats the way a drunk uses a lamppost. Photo by Eirian Evans.

Ask Sigmund Bloom who he became a football writer and draft analyst and he’ll tell you that its because he’s a compulsive talker, narcissist, and egomaniac and he found and audience that accepted it. As his colleague at Footballguys.com I can assure you that he’s not a narcissist or an egomaniac. However if you heard last week’s Audible Roundable podcast, you witnessed an impressive feat of compulsive talking when Bloom ran down just about every move made in a  free agency period that has been slammed with moves in a compacted period of time. Bloom might be best known as a senior staff writer and podcast host at Footballguys.com but he is also a co-founder of Draftguys.com, a site that was one of the pioneers of using the Internet to broadcast video analysis of players they filmed at all-star practices. Personally, I think the “Bloom 100,” is one of the best quick reference, fantasy-friendly rankings of draftable rookie prospects available. Bloom and I spent an hour discussing when he got the football bug, his love for the machinations of the game, and the role of stats in fantasy analysis.

Waldman: When did you catch the football bug?

Bloom: I was born the year the Steelers won their first Super Bowl. I can remember being inundated with Steelers football as much as anything I can remember from my childhood. The first really big moment for me as a football fan was John Riggins run in the Super Bowl versus Miami. It was a disappointing year as Steelers fan as they got knocked out by the Chargers and I had high hopes for them. But I really grew to love the Smurfs and Riggins and everything about that team. That was a totally electrifying moment. I think when I look back on my life as an NFL fan it was after that when I was totally hooked.

Waldman: I remember that season and Riggins play fondly as well. He had been in the NFL for a while and that year was a great way to wind down his career. I remember in Jim Brown’s autobiography how much respect the all-time great had for Riggins as a running back.

Bloom: On a personal note, any of the true individuals that have been the best at what they do in the NFL are guys like I admire: Riggins, Joe Namath, and other guys who are clearly march to the beat of their own drummer. Another guy we recently talked about before we began this interview was Continue reading →

Reads, Listens, and Views 7/29/11

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A visual metaphor for a team without Frank Gore perhaps? Photo by Addressehere

Another nice week here at the Rookie Scouting Portfolio. It helps that the NFL has a CBA agreement that lasts a decade with no opt-out clause. Special thanks to all of you who have subscribed to the blog or have made it part of your daily ritual. If you like what you’ve seen thus far, please consider these three acts of kindness:

  1. Subscribe to this blog. It’s free.
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  3. Send me feedback.

As the college football season approaches, I’ll be posting more prospect analysis that you’ll likely see in the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, available here for purchase in the early spring.

Each Friday, I’ll be sharing what I’ve been reading, listening, and viewing each week – football, fantasy football, and non-football.

This week includes:

  • Two stat-oriented, fantasy profiles from Bryan Fontaine on Tim Tebow and Ryan Mathews.
  • Footballguy Sigmund Bloom’s always entertaining, jocular, and informative Buy Low/Sell High column.
  • Rick Reilly covering an NFL agent’s day post-lockout – entertaining.
  • More of Chris Brown’s treasure trove at Smart Football.
  • Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel fronting an all-star quintet of musicians on a tune that sounds like something you’d hear if aliens kidnapped Thelonius Monk and transported him light years to an intergalactic blues joint.

Continue reading →

Walk on the Wild Side: 2011 NFL Free Agency

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Does this look like Korea to you? Corporal Chad "Klinger" Ochocinco (near right) might say so. Can you guess who Frank Burns is in this picture (far left)? Photo by Navin75

Thursday nights, I join my fellow Footballguys.com staffers the fantastic Cecil Lammey and the incredible Sigmund Bloom on The Audible Roundtable  at 10pm-12am EST on Blog Talk Radio. We talk about the week in football, share fantasy football strategies, and answer listener questions. 

If you aren’t aware, Lammey and Bloom built this show into one of the most popular – if not the most popular – fantasy sports show on iTunes. Bloom suggested I post the written version of my segment “Take a Walk on the Wild Side.” I hope you enjoy as much as he did.

Welcome back to Take a Walk on the Wildside, otherwise known as the place where I get free license to pick on Cecil Lammey and not get my ass kicked.

Not that I’m a scrawny guy. I’ve got the slight height and reach advantage on Big Mex and depending on what Cec is doing, conditioning might be a push.

However, Lammey has the nut-job factor. You know, like Curly in the Three Stooges episode where he’s the boxer whose lights stay on despite all vestiges of rationality leaving the house (seven-minute mark)  whenever he hears Pop Goes The Weasel.

No officers, I was just standing there listening to Wildman pop off about Mikel Leshoure running like he was a scat back and this red light washed over me. Next thing I knew, Wildman was on the floor unconscious, Bloom was stuck in the fireplace flue, and you guys were on top of me. That mace is still stinging my eyes! Why am I still wearing these bracelets???

Cecil is the kind of guy I’d much rather have on my side – unless I have 20 yards, his back to me, and a shotgun loaded with large game tranquilizer.

I thought it was appropriate to relate the stupidity of crossing someone like Cecil  Lammey because with free agency underway, I’d to list the transactional equivalents of NFL teams playing Pop Goes The Weasel to a stadium filled with Curly Howards and Cecil Lammeys. Continue reading →