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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Training Camp Chronicle: Campbell, Shockey & Pac

Just about every team has reported to training camp this year, and some players will have more challanges than the others. One of those guys could be Redskins QB Jason Campbell, who has to learn the West Coast offense on the fly under new head coach Jim Zorn. ESPN's lead blogger and NFC East correspondent Matt Mosley told SprungOnSports how Campbell would do this season:
"How will Campbell do? I think he'll love playing in Zorn's system. It's the type of offense he played in his senior season at Auburn. And I don't believe that team lost a game."
They didn't, but they also had Ronnie Brown and Caddy Williams, but the point is his familiarity with the system; it wouldn't be foreign to him like offenses in previous years.
"Zorn has worked with Campbell on taking longer strides and getting lower in the pocket. I really think it's a nice match. So yes, it's tough to learn a bunch of new systems, but you can't use that as an excuse. This is a good system for Campbell."
I'll be looking forward to seeing him a week from Sunday in the Hall of Fame Game. I delved into the Jeremy Shockey trade on Tuesday, but the Football Scientist KC Joyner spoke to me about how Shockey upgrades the Saints offense:
"Shockey's YPAs weren't that much better than Eric Johnson's but Johnson has too many durability issues. Shockey will be an improvement on that front and his YPA should go up some under Payton, as Payton will use him a lot more as a flex TE."
As I also discussed on Tuesday, Shockey will be ideally utilized in head coach Sean Payton's system and will be able to stretch the field and cause more distractions. Despite Shockey's seemingly similar yards per average than Eric Johnson's, Shockey will cause more guys to defend him which will free up guys like Marques Colston and Reggie Bush. If Shockey can keep himself together, New Orleans got themselves a major piece.
The Dallas Cowboys open camp today with numerous question marks on both sides of the ball, but there isn't a question greater than the question of CB Adam "Pacman" Jones. If Jones is reinstated by comissioner Roger Goodell, he'll compete with Anthony Henry for a starting CB spot opposite Terrance Newman and will return punts and kicks. But his greatest obstacle to once again isn't a grueling training camp or a monster WR, it's the off the field temptations led by his chief vice the strip club. ESPN's Jeremy Green thinks that Jones will not only be there, but will excel at his position:
"I think he's going to make the team. He's going to be there. I think he'll stay out of trouble. I think he finally gets it. I think he has a chance to start. Dallas is now all of a sudden deep in the secondary. He's had a great offseason. I think he has a chance to be a starting corner and an impact player."
Matt Williamson described Jones as "Big time difference maker. Can be an elite CB. Great player. That secondary is amazing." But nobody questions Pacman's ability on the field, the major issue is whether he can control himself off it. For the Training Camp Chronicle, this is SprungOnSports...

Monday, July 14, 2008

1st half awards

AL MVP
1. Josh Hamilton, Tex
2. J.D. Drew, Bos
3. Ian Kinsler, Tex

NL MVP
1. Albert Pujols, Stl
2. Chase Utley, Phi
3. Lance Berkman, Hou

AL Cy Young
1. Roy Halladay, Tor
2. Cliff Lee, Cle
3. Justin Duchscherer, Oak

NL Cy Young
1. Dan Haren, Ari
2. Tim Lincecum, SF
3. Cole Hamels, Phi

AL Rookie of the Year
1. Evan Longoria, TB
2. Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos
3. Greg Smith, Oak

NL Rookie of the Year
1. Edison Volquez, Cin
2. Jair Jurrjens, Atl
3. Hiroki Kuroda, LAD

AL Manager of the Year
1. Joe Maddon, TB
2. Ozzie Guillen, ChW
3. Ron Gardenhire, Min

NL Manager of the Year
1. Tony Larussa, Stl
2. Lou Pinella, ChC
3. Charlie Manuel, Phi

LVP AL
1. Richie Sexson, Sea


LVP NL
1. Andruw Jones, LAD

Friday, June 27, 2008

Happening Again? I Think So, Why This Draft Reminds Me of 1996

-I'm finally back after a long vacation, six months or so. Its nice to be back.

At 1:00AM, about an hour after the draft, the T-wolves traded Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo, Marco Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner to the Grizzlies for Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. A blockbuster, brain teasing trade that makes you wonder what this may change for the futures of two perenial stars. Mayo and Love may eventually be looked at as the top guard and top forward in the league if their chips fall right, and they will look back and realize how different their careers may have been in opposite parts of the country. Let me explain why this trade makes sense. The Grizzlies are now stacked with guards, Mike Conley, Javaris Crittenton, Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, and now Jaric and Mayo. It looks as if they will have a starting five of Conley, Mayo, Gay, Warrick, Darko, if they stayed this way right now. The future in Memphis involves movement and guard play, and Love didnt seem to fit the system. On the other side, Minnesota seems to want a David Robinson/Tim Duncan connection in Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, not that they can be compared yet, but Jefferson reminds me of a yound Robinson and Love's fundementally sound mind reminds me of the Duncan of today. They have Telfair, Miller and Foye/Brewer to build around them and it could lead to more wins in a few years.

Now ill give a history lesson. Four times has a trade been made within the top 5 since 1993. Penny Hardaway, drafted 3 by the Warriors, traded for Chris Webber who was number 1 for the Magic. Antwan Jamison drafted 4 byt the Raptors, traded to Golden State for Vince Carter, who was drafted 5. And in 2006 Lamarcus Aldridge, drafted 2 by the Bulls was traded to the Balzers for Tyrus Thomas, picked 4. The draft I think this one was conparable to was the 1996, where Stephon Marbury, drafted 4 by the Bucks, was traded to the T-wolves for 5 pick Ray Allen. Whats makes a draft you may ask? What it looks like ten years later. This draft had tons of stars, Iverson, Camby, Pedja, Antoine Walker, Kobe, Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Fisher, Ilgauskas, and of course Allen and Marbury. This years draft had a trade within the top five, and Rose/Beasley could be compared to Iverson/Camby of that year. Campby was going to be a prolific scorer out of UMass and Iverson a great point guard out of Georgetown. I'm not saying that Brandon Rush who was picked 13th will be the next Kobe, who went 13th, or that Robin Lopez who went 15 to Phoenix will be as productive as Steve Nash who also went 15 to the Suns, but im just saying that there will be many stars from this years draft, and many busts.

Will Be Stars: Rose, Beasley, Mayo, Love, Bayless(the Nash of this years draft), Randolph and Alexander, Hickson, Arthur
Busts: Westbrook, Lopez Brothers, Koufos.
Ballers, but not Hallers: Gordon, Gallinari, Augustine, etc.