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Oct. 24, 2009
Fantasy Football: Looking beyond the top two running backs
Adrian Peterson of the Vikings and the Jaguar’s Maurice Jones-Drew are the top two scoring running backs in standard fantasy leagues. That’s no surprise since they were drafted to perform to that caliber.
However, the breakdown after those two is surprising: the Raven’s Ray Rice, the Dolphin’s Ronnie Brown, the Titan’s Chris Johnson, the Jet’s Thomas Jones and the Bengal’s Cedric Benson.
If we take a closer look at these numbers we can weed out Johnson since his numbers were inflated after a 45-point Week Two. My blog last week focused on my man crush on that bad little dude Rice. Check out last week’s blog entry for more information about his situation.
Don’t look now but Brown is a top five back. After a bad Week One, Brown’s lowest scoring week is 11, with his other three games more than 20. He is looking better than a lot of other backs and you might be able to get him cheaply if you act quickly.
Even more, his playoff matchups (Weeks 14, 15 and 16) are out of this world. He faces the Jaguars, Titans and Texans. The Jags and the Titans have two of the worst defensives in the NFL, so you can basically ride Brown to your championship game.
Although I’m set on Brown, I don’t quite know what to make of Jones. He exploded against the Bills last week, but they also have the worst rushing defense in the NFL. What worries me most about Jones is he is in a running back by committee with two other solid backs, Leon Washington and Shonn Greene. Washington has been getting double digit carries most games. I see too much talent in that backfield to trust Jones. Furthermore, the team just reminds me of Mike Shanahan’s Broncos and how he seemed to deliberately destroy fantasy teams.
Lastly, big ups to Benson coming out of nowhere. The Bengal’s running back is third in rushing yards and is turning into a reliable running back. The team struggled against the Texans last week, but that was largely because the Bengals were playing from behind after giving up two scores. However, tread carefully with Benson because his upcoming schedule includes the Bears, a bye week, the Ravens and the Steelers. His schedule lightens up a bit after and I think you can expect him putting up some solid stats along the lines of 80 yards and scattered touchdowns.
Predicting fantasy football week-to-week can be hard, but looking into the future and finding trends is just a matter of looking at stats. Check out any site, such as ESPN, to get your fix.
Oct. 23, 2009
Missouri soccer keeps momentum with win over Iowa State
The Missouri women’s soccer team honored its seniors Friday night at Walton Stadium. There was a pregame ceremony, but perhaps the more fitting recognition of the class of 2010 was a 3-1 defeat of Iowa State to keep the Tigers’ record spotless in conference play.
“It’s all dedicated to [our seniors],” sophomore forward/midfielder Jessie Crabtree said. “They motivate us every morning in practice. They’re there for us every single time we need them. This one was a big-time win for them.”
It was Crabtree who scored the game-winning goal in the second half. The score was knotted at one goal apiece, and a corner kick from senior forward Kristin Andrighetto headed straight toward the net. As senior forward Michelle Collins went up for the ball, it eventually ended up in the goal off Crabtree’s body.
Andrighetto, one of the seniors honored before the game, was Friday’s star. She scored two goals and kicked the corner kick that was credited as an assist that produced the game-winning tally. The goals were her sixth and seventh of the season.
Andrighetto overtook Collins for the team lead in points with 18 on the year. She also moved into sole possession of second place on the Missouri all-time goal scorer’s list. She has 34 career goals.
“It’s definitely a really special game,” Andrighetto said. “We wanted to come out really hard and win and continue to do well in the Big 12. It was really exciting, especially because my parents are here.”
The pregame ceremony featured the seniors being individually recognized. Each walked through a tunnel of their underclassmen teammates before reaching their parents, who stood with them on the player’s number, which was painted on the field. A highlight video of each senior played on the video board as the public address announcer listed their career accomplishments.
The six seniors honored were midfielder Bree Thornton, midfielder Meghan Pfeiffer, defender Crystal Wagner, goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore, midfielder Michelle Makasini and Collins and Andrighetto.
The first half ended in a scoreless tie, but the Tigers struck first in the second half. Andrighetto netted her first goal of the night off an assist from freshman defender Kellie Gavigan. Missouri’s first goal came just over four minutes into the first half.
Iowa State would answer with a goal from senior forward Amanda Nimtz with about 23 minutes remaining in the game. Crabtree’s game-winner came five minutes later, and Andrighetto added the insurance score for her second goal of the night 15 seconds after that.
The Tigers’ record improved to 11-4-3 overall and 6-0-2 in the Big 12. They have two games remaining before the Big 12 Tournament. Their next match comes Sunday when they will play host to the Nebraska Cornhuskers at 1 p.m.
Oct. 22, 2009
Columbia sits at No. 56 in Sporting News' list of best sports cities
Columbia ranks No. 56 in the Sporting News' list of best sports cities.
Among Big 12 towns, Columbia comes in behind Boulder, Co. (No. 18), Norman, Okla. (No. 37) and Austin, Texas (No. 38).
Stillwater, Okla. (No. 60), Lawrence, Kan. (No. 61) and Lubbock, Texas (No. 63) came in right behind Columbia.
Ames, Iowa ranked last of all Big 12 towns at No. 114.
The No. 1 city was Pittsburgh. Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles made up the rest of the top five.
Oct. 20, 2009
Photo Blog of MIssouri-Oklahoma game
Oklahoma State fans pack Boone Pickens Stadium Saturday night in Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys' homecoming game against the Tigers brought over 55,000 spectators.
The Tigers traveled over 400 miles to Stillwater, Okla. to play the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday at Boone PIckens Stadium. Missouri was defeated by the Cowboys 33-17.
MU fans cheer on their Tigers after a first half touchdown on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. Mizzou fans were sprinkled throughout the stadium despite the 440 mile trip from Columbia to Stillwater.
Missouri freshman tight end Chris Willett loses his helmet as he brings down Oklahoma State senior cornerback Perrish Cox during a kickoff return on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys had a total of 117 yards off of four returns.
Missouri junior linebacker Andrew Gachkar makes a diving tackle to bring down Oklahoma State senior quarterback Zac Robinson on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. Gachkar was the leading tackler of the game with nine tackles.
The Missouri defense teams up to bring Oklahoma State senior running back Keith Toston to the ground during their game Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The Tiger defense failed to stop the Cowboy offense for much of the game, giving up 16 first downs
Missouri sophomore defensive lineman Dominique Hamilton flies through the air in an attempt to block a punt on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
Missouri senior receiver Jared Perry catches a pass from sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert Saturday night during the Tigers game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. Passing accounted for 325 of Mizzou's 393 total yards. game against Oklahoma State Saturday night in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Passing accounted for 325 of Mizzou's 393 total yards.
Oklahoma State senior running back Keith Toston stiff arms Missouri freshman safety Zaviar Gooden on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The Tigers suffered four turnovers during the game, ultimately leading to the their defeat.
Freshman linebacker Tavon Bolden talks to junior safety Jasper Simmons on the sidelines during Mizzou's game against Oklahoma State on Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. Simmons returned to the sidelines following a 60 yards punt return.
Oklahoma State sophomore receiver Hubert Anyiam gets tripped up by Missouri defensive back Trey Hobson during their game Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The Tigers outgained the Cowboys by 42 yards but failed to translate the yards to points.
Oct. 17, 2009
Missouri soccer claims 150th victory in program history
Bryan Blitz earned his 150th win as head coach of the Missouri women’s soccer team Friday night in Waco, Texas, as the Tigers posted a 5-0 shutout win over Baylor.
In addition to Blitz’s 150th win, it was the 150th win in the history of the Missouri soccer program.
The Tigers scored four goals in the first half to put the Bears away early. Sophomore forward and midfielder Jessie Crabtree scored the first two goals of the game. Her first of the evening came just two and a half minutes into the game. The goals were her second and third of the season. Crabtree started Friday night in place of senior forward Kristin Andrighetto.
Junior forward and midfielder Kari Adam and sophomore midfielder Kelsey Blincow added goals in a three-minute span midway through the first half. Andrighetto scored with 20 minutes left in the game to give Missouri its fifth goal of the night.
Missouri again utilized an aggressive offensive attack, outshooting Baylor 23-5. The Tigers controlled the game as Baylor took just one shot on goal during the game.
Senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore made just one save and earned the 16th shutout of her career. The Tigers have shut out opponents four times this season, including two conference opponents.
Dittamore was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week earlier this week for her performance last weekend at home. She allowed just one goal in two games, and she set the school record for career shutouts.
The Tigers have the Oklahoma Sooners on the schedule Sunday in Norman, Okla. That contest is set for 1 p.m.
Oct. 16, 2009
Fantasy Football: Manning Brothers continue to excel
Nature vs. Nurture.
Archie Manning is making me a believer in nature. Talk about some serious breeding. Even though Archie wasn’t the greatest of quarterbacks for the New Orleans Saints, he definitely knows how to mate. His sons, the Colts’ Peyton Manning and the Giants’ Eli Manning, are leading undefeated teams that have two of the most potent offensives in the NFL.
As individuals, Peyton is ranked first in the NFL for touchdowns and quarterback rating, while the younger Eli is a second in both categories. Sports haven’t seen family domination like this since Venus and Serena Williams.
Archie is probably smiling pretty big right now, but who knows how long that’ll last. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two brothers squared off in the Super Bowl which, would make for the most epic rivalry clash ever, one that has been 28 years in the making (Eli’s age).
Eli has been great and deserves his props, but Peyton Manning, really? I mean, really? He is going for the triple crown and then some. Including for throwing over 300 yards every game, the Colts' quarterback is leading the league in yards, touchdowns, completion percentage and quarterback rating. Don’t look for him to slow down any time soon because, after a bye this week, Manning gets the Rams, 49ers and Texans. Those are going to be some BIG weeks for him.
Even more, Peyton has been doing all of this despite Tony Dungy, his head coach, retiring last year. Dungy had been coach since 2002, but Peyton and the rest of the Colts’ offense haven’t skipped a beat this year, which just goes to show what kind of leader Peyton is.
As for the rest of the Colts, Joseph Addai’s carries have seen a slight hit and he’s not the first round talent he was a couple years ago, but he’s still producing. Donald Brown has no fantasy value, but Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are both top-five receivers right now, and are second and third in receiving yards respectively. I think Reggie is the best fantasy wide receiver out there right now.
Lastly, here’s a shout out to my boy Ray Rice of the Ravens. I’ve been waiting on the 5 feet 8 inch tall running back ever since I drafted him last year. After getting his first NFL touchdown two weeks ago, Rice got his first receiving touchdown last week on perhaps the coolest play of the season. Rice has the most receiving yards for running backs and is another bowling ball type runner (think Atlanta Falcon Michael Turner) with some pretty decent speed.
The Ravens’ other running back, Willis McGahee, had been getting most of the touchdowns early on, but his carries have been steadily declining as he has had less than eight touches in each of the last three weeks. The Ravens are starting to see what I’ve seen for a while. It seems like every time Rice touches the ball he is gaining at least seven yards. With his influx in carries, his fantasy value is only going to rise.
Oct. 9, 2009
Soccer team gets by Colorado in overtime
MU women’s soccer certainly has a flair for the dramatic. After 90 minutes of scoreless soccer Friday night at Walton Stadium, the Tigers only needed 36 seconds of overtime to grab a 1-0 win over the Colorado Buffaloes.
After the overtime kickoff was sent down into the Colorado zone, senior forward Kristin Andrighetto was knocked down in the box. Assuming a foul was going to be called, most of the players on the field froze, as the ball stood between Andrighetto and the Colorado defender, who were both on the ground.
Senior forward Michelle Collins, realizing the whistle had not been blown, dashed after the ball and dribbled it right up to the goal, baiting the goalkeeper to one side of the net. She crossed it to junior forward Alysha Bonnick, who pushed the ball into the net for the game-winning goal.
“One of our mottos is finish,” Bonnick said. “Finish early and finish the game. And that’s what we did.”
The quick strike from Missouri was a huge change of pace from the first 90 minutes of the game, as each team’s defensive players stepped up and did not allow a goal to be scored.
A tie would have been the third straight for the Tigers, who returned home Friday after a road trip to Texas that featured ties with Texas and Texas A&M. The three ties the Tigers have played to this season already match a career high for head coach Bryan Blitz.
As has been the case all season, the Tigers continued to put on the offensive pressure, outshooting the Buffaloes 23-6. They had nine shots on goal, compared to just two for Colorado.
By not allowing any goals to the Buffaloes, senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore recorded her 15th career shutout, a school record.
The Tigers remain unbeaten in conference play with the win. Their record improves to 7-4-3 and 2-0-2 in the Big 12. They will host Texas Tech Sunday at Walton Stadium.
Fantasy Football: Unpredictable first-rounders
This is the first entry in a weekly series of fantasy football analysis.
Following the recent success of his new album Man on the Moon, Kid Cudi released a new demo tape of songs that didn’t make the cut for the album.
My favorite song on the demo tape, “I Be," (which should have been on the album instead of “Make Her Say”) pretty much sums up my fantasy experience after four weeks: “I be high, then I be low, I be low, then I be high.”
If your team has been anything like mine, this year has been a constant struggle for consistency. Last week I would have said stick to your guns and duke it out another week, but if your players still have been really disappointing, it might be time to trade.
However, there’s no need to panic because chances are the other owners are in the same boat.
This year has been as unpredictable as anything I have ever seen. The top 11 players going into the year seem to be indicative of the year as a whole. Below are some things to consider about your trusted first-rounder.
Top 11
Some stats on this year’s top draft picks this year. I’m just saying…
-- Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson scored more in the first week than in the next three weeks combined. After Week One it has been a struggle to get past the line of scrimmage.
-- Atlanta’s Michael Turner is averaging 3.5 yards a carry and less than 10 fantasy points a game.
-- Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew has been a model for inconsistency with fantasy scoring weeks of 17, 7, 31 and 9.
-- Sure the San Diego Chargers’ LaDainian Thomlinson has been injured, but do you trust he’s healthy and ready to go? I definitely don’t.
-- It took playing the Detroit Lions for Matt Forte to have his first 100-yard game and touchdown of the season. Despite speculation, it seems the Bears' mantra has changed with the presence of Jay Cutler.
-- DeAngelo Williams hasn’t been terrible when he gets the ball, but this year the 0-3 Panthers are throwing 15 more passes per game than they did last year. Their defense has been getting rocked, and playing from behind is really hurting Williams.
-- Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald hasn’t had a 100-yard game this season.
-- Steven Jackson has been surprisingly decent for the dismal St. Louis Rams, but still has not seen the end zone.
-- You might remember Chris Johnson’s monster game when he lit up the Texans for 280 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. But keep in mind the winless Titans are falling fast and Johnson hasn’t had a touchdown or 100 yards in his other three games. Like DeAngelo Williams, playing from behind isn’t helping.
-- Houston’s Andre Johnson is more of the same: one monster game, yet he hasn’t cracked 10 fantasy points in his other three games.
-- New England’s Randy Moss might be the only redeemable player of this group. Besides one bad week of two points, Moss has had three weeks of double-digit points.
Quarterbacks:
The “reliable” quarterbacks have been slightly better. Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger have all been very solid. However, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb (though he has been injured) and Tony Romo have all been brutal.
Brees, after looking like the steal of the year after two huge weeks, has had games of four and seven points. Meanwhile, Brady’s average scoring is less than David Garrard, Cutler, and Brett Favre. Yikes. It gets worse for Romo, whose average is worse than Kyle Orton, and just a notch above the likes of Jason Campbell and Kerry Collins.
For some of these guys (Turner, Jackson, Johnson, Fitzgerald, Brady, Romo) it might be time to sell their name and not their value.
The other guys you might want to shop, but its not going to kill you if you hold onto them.
But then again, what do I know, my teams are struggling just as much as everyone else.
Oct. 3, 2009
Tiger soccer ties Longhorns, 1-1
Last Sunday against Oklahoma State, senior forward Michelle Collins scored the game-winning goal to earn the Missouri women’s soccer team a victory in the season’s conference opener.
Friday at Texas, she was at it again.
This time Collins’ goal, scored with one minute and one second left in regulation, tied the game and kept the Tigers’ Big 12 record unblemished. It was the only Missouri score of the game, as the contest with the Longhorns ended in a 1-1 tie. The two teams played 110 minutes of soccer Friday night, but each team was only able to find the back of the net once.
Texas netted its goal with just under 22 minutes remaining in the first half. Freshman forward Hannah Higgins put the ball by Missouri senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore for the game’s first score.
The Tigers once again put on a massive offensive attack, outshooting the Longhorns 24-10 over 90 minutes of regulation and two ten-minute overtime periods. They also mustered six shots on goal to just four for Texas.
Senior forward Kristin Andrighetto had a whopping eight shots on the evening. Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Blincow was credited with the assist on Collins’ fourth goal of the season.
Missouri’s record stands at 6-4-2 after Friday’s game. The team will travel to College Station, Tx., for a matchup with the Texas A&M Aggies Sunday. The game can be seen at 4:00 p.m. on ESPNU.
Sept. 30, 2009
Alden named president of Division 1A Athletic Director's Association
Missouri Athletics Director Mike Alden was named the new president of the Division 1A Athletic Director's Association Tuesday, according to a news release.
Dutch Baughman, the assocation's executive director, announced Alden's appointment yesterday. He will replace Eric Hyman, athletics director at South Carolina, and begin his one-year position as president.
Alden is in his 12th year as athletics director at Missouri. His term as association president will end September 2010.
