Fantasy Football 2010 Final QB Rankings

The 2010 fantasy football campaign is complete and here is how the QB position ranked with a heavy emphasis on went went down this season.

1. Tom Brady
2. Drew Brees
3. Philip Rivers
4. Peyton Manning
5. Michael Vick
6. Aaron Rodgers
7. Joe Flacco
8. Matt Ryan
9. Jay Cutler
10. Tony Romo
11. Matt Cassel
12. Ben Roethlisberger
13. Eli Manning
14. Matt Schaub
15. David Garrard
16. Josh Freeman
17. Sam Bradford

-Tom Brady once again has elevated himself to the number 1 spot in the fantasy football QB ranks and it took him two season to get back there after going through his knee injury in 2008. Brady was downright ridiculous with his TD to INT ratio and he threw a TD pass in every game this season. The best part was that Brady's value was lower than its been in years as he went fifth overall among QB's in my money league. Needless to say I was more than happy to nab him anad use his skill to win my league's top spot.

-There was a little bit of slippage in Peyton Manning's stats this season and he threw the most picks in his career since his rookie season. Some blame surely lands on the fact his receiving corps was decimated with injury but Manning also made some poor throws which we are not sued to seeing. Still he was money in the playoffs when it counted and he likely will slip into the second round next season where he makes a great value.

-Philip Rivers was awesome this season and he was one guy I was wrong about. I was worried about his offensive line and the fact Vincent Jackson was holding out. Despite all that, there were additional injuries that affected just about every receiving threat on the roster. Still Rivers was crazy good all season until the fantasy playoffs arrived where it seems he and the team lost their steam. Without a doubt Rivers is a top 5 option for next season.

-Michael Vick obviously is the story of the season and he no doubt will appear on many fantasy football winning teams this week. Its truly remarkable how great he has been and it will be interesting to see what happens next season as far as whether he re-signs with the Eagles. The offense is perfectly suited for his talents and if Vick does re-sign, he will likely put up similar stats in 2011.

-If I were to ask you who had the secon best TD to INT ratio in fantasy football, I guarantee it would take you more than 10 guesses to come up with Matt Cassel. Cassel was a preseason curiosity after finishing strong in his first season with the Chiefs last year but he bombed out in September and was cast aside by everyone. Once November arrived however, Cassel was utterly fantastic and he finished with an almost 3-TD gem in the fantasy football Super Bowl game. At the very least Cassel makes the perfect backup for next season but he clearly has earned starter status in most leagues.

-Joe Flacco was a guy I raved about all preseason and I told anyone who would listen to draft the guy. Needless to say I got a ton of angry e-mails in September after he too bombed out by I was fully confident he would turn it around. That he did and than some as Flacco finished with great stats to the tune of 25 TD and only 9 INT. Up and up we go here as Flacco is knocking on the door to the top tier guys.

-Eli Manning ruined what was looking like a potentially great season with a terrible INT rate. He completely flamed out Sunday with 4 picks against the Packers and no doubt he cost some a title. Manning is too skittish for me to trust as a full time starter but he makes a great backup.

-Matt Schaub was another one who let down and I did a feature on this weeks ago. Injuries to his offensive line and receiving corp hurt but an MVP-type season from RB Arian Foster should have helped the passing game more than it did. I still like Schaub and he will come much cheaper next season which makes him very attractive. This is a great stock to buy for 2011 if you dont want to go with a top QB early in your draft.

-Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers was up and down all season as he fought through a concussion and injuries to his receiving corp. Still he went bonkers with 4 TD in the title game and he remains a top 3 guy.

-Tony Romo finished ranked 10th on this list but he will certainly move up as we approach 2011 due to his skill set and the offense he plays in. Romo just has to stay healthy and he will yield big results.

-Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman and St. Louis' Sam Bradford are the next class of stars who will take the league by storm. Freeman surprised me with how great he played all season but Bradford is the guy I am really excited about. Without a doubt Bradford will be a top 5 guy by 2012. You read it here first.

Founder of http://www.thefantasysportsboss.com which is your one stop-spot for all your fantasy football and fantasy baseball needs.

NFL Trends and Stats

The number one topic leading up to the fantasy season is who will be the sleeper picks for your draft. Let's break down some options based on position. The first position we'll cover is running back. The running back position is one of the most coveted in fantasy sports as the number of quality backs is small compared to other positions.

Michael Turner Atlanta Falcons: This year look to the Atlanta Falcons and newly acquired Michael Turner to give you some solid fantasy numbers. Turner has been a back-up to LaDainian Tomlinson for the past three seasons and hasn't been given the chance to shine. This year will be different. On a team with a young QB, Turner should see lots of opportunities to score. The other nice thing about Turner is that he should be available deeper in the drafts than other RBs.

Leon Washington New York Jets: Washington is mainly a backup to Thomas Jones. However, last year he spent more time on the DL than on the field making Washington a solid fantasy option at times. He won't get you the numbers that most starters will bring in, but in most leagues he goes undrafted or drafted very late in the draft. Washington is young and due for a breakout season. If Jones remains as shaky as glass, Washington should see some quality plays. Look for a rise in his yards and TDs this year.

Selvin Young Denver Broncos: Henry is out of Denver and that leaves Young the opportunity to put up some great numbers. Unless they decide to pick up another back Young should see all the action this year and would be a solid contributor to a fantasy squad as a second back option. Don't bet the farm on him, but he could be a great pick around the tenth round of most drafts.

These guys won't give you the numbers of a top ten back, but watch for them to have breakout seasons.

For more information: nfl trends and stats.

Five Fun Facts About Five Arizona Cardinals Players

The Arizona Cardinals have elevated their play in recent years and turned into one of the more formidable teams in the National Football League. This is a proud franchise, but a franchise that has gone through some long losing sessions both in Arizona, in their previous home of St. Louis, and in their first home of Chicago. The success that the team is experiencing now is a direct result of some of the great players they have on their roster. Here then is a look at five fun facts about five Arizona Cardinals football players.

Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner has played a huge role in the turnaround of the Arizona Cardinals. The first touchdown pass that Warner threw in the NFL went to tight end Roland Williams and came in the 2nd quarter of a 27-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in 1999 while he was playing for the St. Louis Rams. His first touchdown pass with the Arizona Cardinals went to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and came in the third quarter of a 42-19 loss to the New York Giants during week one of the 2005 NFL season.

Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald is one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the National Football League and contributes in a big way to the Arizona Cardinals exciting style of play. During the 2008 season, Fitzgerald had 100 or more yards receiving in 11 of the 16 games he played in.

Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin has put up great numbers during his college career with the Florida State Seminoles and during his professional career with the Arizona Cardinals. He has gone to multiple Pro Bowls and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2003. His receiving numbers in high school were not very good at all though. This is misleading though because in high school he played quarterback, led his team to an undefeated season, and was named the state of Florida's "Mr. Football".

Tim Hightower
Tim Hightower, with a reputation as a running back that lacked speed and came from a small college, has come on to be one of the bright spots of the Arizona Cardinals offense. His durability and production were put on display during his rookie year when even though he started only seven games, he would score ten touchdowns. The Cardinals can trace their franchise history back to the early days of the NFL in the first half of the 1900s. With all that history though, Tim Hightower is the first Cardinals rookie to score touchdowns in each of his first two games with the franchise.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
When looking at the success of the Arizona Cardinals, it would be a mistake to not also credit part of that success to the defense. One of the best defenders on the team is defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Rodgers-Cromartie is a cousin to San Diego Chargers star cornerback Antonio Cromartie and during childhood he had surgery to remove a non-functioning kidney.

With great players like this, it isn't hard to figure out why the Arizona Cardinals are riding such a great streak of success in the National Football League. As long as the team keeps an eye on their talent on the field, there is no reason to think they will return to their previous level of lack of success anytime soon.

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Top 4 NFL Running Backs

Football has become the iconic American past time that brings family and friends of all ages together for weekends of victories or losses. The team we cheer on becomes a part of who we are. We wear the team's emblem on tee shirts and the names of the players we love on our backs. Football marks the time of season for draft picks, rookie players, player ranks, team statistics, and of course, your own fantasy football league. The top 4 NFL running backs have played their way into history and have contributed to many victories. These men command the attention of NFL enthusiasts and have made many amazing plays that come to life as we relive them in stories.

The first of the top 4 NFL running backs is Arian Foster of the Houston Texans. Standing at 6'1" and over 200lbs Arian has an impressive profile. For the last three years Arian has rushed for over 1,900 yards, with 391 attempts, and 105 first downs.

Next we have Adrian Peterson #28 for the pride of Minnesota who deserves to be called one of the top 4 NFL running backs. The Minnesota Vikings running back has had an impressive season since his 7th round draft in 2007. His total rushing yards for his career is over 6,000 with over 1,200 attempts, and receiving yards equaling 1,216. The "Purple Jesus" lead his college team in rushing yards with 1,925, setting the college record.

Chris Johnson is not only one of the top 4 NFL running backs in the league but he also is a pro bowler. This 24th round draft pick for the Tennessee Titans has proved himself strong by running a 4.24 second 40 yard dash and also claimed the NFL rushing title achieving a rushing total of over 2000 yards. He also claimed the Offensive Player Of The Year in 2009. No doubt this player is the one to watch as one of the top 4 NFL running backs.

The last of the top 4 NFL running backs to make a name for himself is Maurice Jones Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. With his five years of experience on the field his rushing yards are well over 5,000 yards, not too bad for this 26 year old second round draft from UCLA who shows no signs of slowing down. No matter what colors you bleed, you have to show respect for these top athletes who have been honored as the top 4 NFL running backs in the NFL.

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Percy Harvin Early Life Bio - Former University of Florida (UF) Gators Football Player

The professional football player widely known as Percy Harvin was actually born William Percival Harvin III in May of 1988 and adopted the nickname Percy as short for his middle name Percival at a young age. Harvin went onto garner national attention as a standout player for the University of Florida (UF) Gators football program where he was an offensive weapon that helped the college win two national championships. After being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in April of 2009 Percy has enjoyed the entirety of his pro football career in the National Football League (NFL) with the Minneapolis based Minnesota Vikings.

Long before becoming one of the favorite receiving targets for future hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre Percy grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia where he excelled in athletics at Landstown High School. In 2004 the Landstown Eagles, his school football team, won a Virginia state championship. Interestingly with a high school state championship in 2004 and college national championships in 2006 and 2008 Harvin nearly won championships at the high school, college, and professional levels in a five year span before the Vikings suffered an overtime loss that resulted in the team being knocked out of the NFL playoffs one game shy of reaching the Super Bowl. A little known fact is that years before even winning a high school football championship Percy was part of a Pop Warner football team at the age of 13 that actually won the Pop Warner National Championship.

At 5'11" Harvin has always been considered a bit undersized and has also always been considered one of the fastest players on the football field. Percy reportedly ran a 40 yard dash in 4.32 seconds as a freshman in high school. A 40 time at that speed would be considered one of the fastest even by NFL combine standards. In February of 2009 at the NFL Combine Harvin was timed in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.41 seconds.

As a track and field star Percy set five state track and field records and won state championships in the 200 meter dash, triple jump, long jump, 400 meter relay, and 100 meter dash. The success Harvin had on the track was unprecedented as no one in the state of Virginia had ever before won five state championships in a single track meet.

The unrivaled speed that Harvin demonstrated on the grid iron, track, and even the basketball court made him one of the most coveted high school recruits in the nation. In 2005 Percy was nationally recognized by respected football recruiting publications as being the top junior prospect in the country. Ultimately Harvin decided to play college football for the University of Florida over competing scholarship offers from perceived front runner Florida State University as well as the University of Miami, University of Southern California, and the University of Michigan.

Kim, the author of this article, does not know if Percy owns a pair of blue orange UF Gators slippers but considering the $14.5 million contract that he signed with the Minnesota Vikings on August 3, 2009 he can certainly afford a couple of pairs of comfortable University of Florida slippers.

Readers interested in getting their own orange, blue, or green Florida slippers are encouraged check out the links in the previous paragraph.

Fantasy Football Picks - How Many Quarterbacks is Too Many on the Roster?

Where you wondering how many quarterbacks you should plan for when creating your fantasy football picks? The answer is generally related to whether you are in a league that starts one or two quarterbacks and the size of your roster. Generally, the answer to this question is usually three, but you could do better with two.

Standard leagues only require one starting QB, so my question is, why would you need three? You could even think about not even keeping two? It all depends upon the situation of your team and situation of your league.

Here's what that means: You have two quarterbacks on your roster. You also have a RB and WR that you really don't think you are going to need and aren't performing well. Team A has a QB who just got injured and the other QB on his roster has a bye. If possible, you may want to sweep up the QB who is playing this week and stash him on your roster to make Team A have to choose another option for the week. This is a situation where keeping three QB's on your roster might be acceptable, but it is certainly not the norm.

Another reason you may want to consider keeping three QB's is in the event that the talent pool at the other positions isn't that great. There are leagues where you can be in a draft and by the time it gets to the final three or four rounds, there are no RB's or WR's really worthy of taking a chance on. This is a case where picking up or drafting a third QB may be beneficial, but overall, the answer is still, three is too many.

When evaluating your fantasy football picks a good backup QB is usually all you need. The only thing to keep in mind is not to draft a QB who has the same bye week as your starter. This is fruitless. You are hopefully only going to need your backup QB once a year. This is why keeping three is useless, unless there is a real good reason for it.

This is also why some people believe in the theory of only carrying one QB. A big part of this strategy is, again, who is left on the waiver wire. If there are two or three decent QB's left on the free agent market, you can just pick one up when your QB has a bye, so it might not be a bad thing to carry only one QB.

The question becomes, is your roster full of players that are better than anyone left on the free agent list? Remember, the ultimate goal in fantasy football is to build a team. You want to obtain the best players that it is possible for you to have at every position. Since there are more choices in receivers and running backs, it may not be smart to waste a roster spot on a third QB.

In leagues that start two QB's, you will almost always want to carry three QB's, although sometimes two is acceptable as well. First of all, let me point out that you should really think twice about any league that has more than 10 teams and requires two starting QB's.

There are only 32 teams in the NFL. If you have a 10 team league and everyone has to start two QB's that leaves 12. If everyone has one backup, that's 30, leaving only two starting QB's on the waiver wire. Again, making sure your QB's don't have the same bye week is absolutely crucial. This is why even in ten team leagues there will likely be a restriction placed that no team can carry more than three QB's.

Also, when you finalize your fantasy football picks, be aware of your bye weeks is critical to having a fighting chance of winning your fantasy league every week. You can see why joining a two quarterback league with more than 10 teams can become a fiasco.

So, to sum it all up for you, drafting and keeping two QB's on your roster is probably the best scenario. While there are circumstances where three could be acceptable. However, three QB's is usually a wasted slot.

Wondering just how to get started playing fantasy football? Here's 2 key strategies to making the best fantasy football picks. Sign up for my free fantasy football picks and tips at http://JohnnyNFL.com.

The Legacy Of The Detroit Lions

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Detroit Lions are the city's only professional football franchise. The team currently resides just a luxury sedan or limo ride away at Ford Field, located in downtown Detroit. Here are some team historical highlights:

The Lions weren't Detroit's first pro football team. In 1920, the Detroit Heralds were a charter member of the American Professional Football Association, but the franchise folded after two years. Then the Detroit Panthers formed in 1925, but that team also folded after two seasons. In 1928, the Detroit Wolverines were formed, but they failed after only one year. Finally, Detroit welcomed the Lions in 1934. The team originated in Ohio and was purchased for $7,952.08 by a group headed by Detroit radio executive George A. Richards and then moved to Motown.

The Lions played in the University of Detroit Stadium before average crowds of 16,000 people. The new Detroit Lions won the NFL Championship in only their second year in 1935. Under Coach "Potsy" Clark and stars like Hall of Famer "Dutch" Clark, Ernie Caddel, George Christensen, "Ace" Gutowsky,
Glenn Presnell and "Ox" Emerson, the early Lions established pro football in Detroit.

In 1940, Chicagoan Fred Mandel bought the club. The team was sold eight years later to a group of local businessmen under the leadership of Edwin J. Anderson. The Detroit syndicate controlled the club until 1964, when William Clay Ford became sole owner for a price of $4.5 million...

The Lions dominated in the 1950s with four division titles and three league championships. Under head coach Buddy Parker, the team won back-to-back world crowns in 1952-53, defeating Cleveland on both occasions. The Detroit-Cleveland battles of the era were classic confrontations between two giants of the blossoming NFL.

In 1967, Schmidt began the first of six seasons as head coach of the Lions. His 1970 team made the playoffs, (first post-season trip since '57) but lost in the first round to Dallas by the baseball-like score of 5-0.

During the 1974 season, the Lions moved into a new, domed stadium, the Silverdome, in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb located 30 miles north of Detroit. It remains the world's largest air-supported domed structure and seats over 80,000 spectators under a fiberglass roof.

Monte Clark took control of all football operations as head coach in 1978. Under Clark's direction, the Lions narrowly missed playoff berths in 1980-81, before qualifying in 1982 -- the Lions' first playoff appearance since 1970.
Darryl Rogers replaced Clark in 1985 but was replaced on an interim basis by his defensive coordinator, Wayne Fontes, in November 1988, after Rogers' teams had posted a combined 18-40 record. Fontes officially was named the 17th head coach of the Detroit Lions on December 22, 1988.

The Lions "Restored the Roar" in 1991, winning a franchise-record 12 regular season games. Riding a tide of emotion after guard Mike Utley's paralyzing neck injury, Detroit defeated Dallas, 38-6, in the Lions' first Silverdome playoff contest. The victory gave the Lions a berth in the NFC Championship Game, where they were defeated Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins.

The Lions finished 10-6 in 1993 en route to capturing the NFC Central Division title, and earned a wild-card playoff bid in 1994. The 1995 Lions featured the NFL's top-rated offense and won their final seven games to earn a third straight playoff berth.

In 1996, running back Barry Sanders captured his third NFL rushing title with a dramatic 175-yard outburst on the final Monday night of the season in San Francisco.

Bobby Ross was named the 18th head coach in team history January 13, 1997, and led the club back to the playoffs in his inaugural year at the helm with a 9-7 record. That season, Sanders continued his storybook career by becoming only the third player in league history to record 2,000 yards rushing in a single-season (2,053) and he reeled off an NFL record 14 consecutive 100-yard outings to finish the season.

After nine games into the 2002 season and compiling a 5-4 record, Bobby Ross abruptly resigned as head coach November 6 and was immediately replaced by Gary Moeller. Moeller guided the team to a 4-3 record over the last seven games, but narrowly missed the playoffs with a loss to the Chicago Bears in the season finale. Following the season, William Clay Ford named Matt Millen President and CEO and he assumed control of team operations. On January 25, 2001, Gary Moeller was replaced as head coach by former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

In 2002, Detroit opened Ford Field, the $500 million downtown stadium. Following the two worst back-to-back seasons in Lions' history, team management fired Marty Mornhinweg, who compiled a 5-27 mark over the two years. The Lions then hired former San Francisco 49ers head coach and Michigan native Steve Mariucci as their 22nd head coach.

During his third season in Detroit, Mariucci and his Lions held a 4-7 record after their Thanksgiving Day loss against Atlanta. Millen then released Mariucci and named defensive coordinator Dick Jauron as the interim head coach. Detroit finished the season 5-11 and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line/assistant head coach Rod Marinelli was named the 24th Lions' coach in franchise history on January 19, 2006.

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2008 Jacksonville Jaguars Outlook

The best years for the Jacksonville Jaguars were arguably in 1998 and 1999, under the management of Jimmy Johnson. These were the years that the team captured their two Division Championships for the AFC Central. Shortly after, in the year 2000, the team demolished the Miami Dolphins with a score 62-7, the second highest point margin and total point achievement in playoff history as well as longest run ever recorder in playoff history, with 90 yards by Fred Taylor. However, in later seasons and to this day, the Jaguars have struggled to be taken seriously as one of the NFL's best, though their efforts have been noticed. Last season, the team gave a good performance (and had Patriots fans sweating) and ultimately finished 11-5. This was an improvement over their 2006 record of 8-8, and marked the return of the Jaguars to the playoffs.

What does 2008 and beyond hold for the Jaguars? The team's head coach will continue to be Jack Del Rio and the team will look to improve its winning score against rivals like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. The team's first season game will be played against the Tennessee Titans on September 7th. Are there any major changes to be aware of that might influence the Jaguars' success in the new year?

The team has had its share of losses and additions thanks to free agent agreements. Wide receiver Troy Williamson was traded to the Jaguars from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 6th round pick in the 2008 Draft. The team also signed another wide receiver in Jerry Porter, from the Oakland Raiders. Meanwhile the team lost a wide receiver in Ernest Wilford, as he went to Miami. The team lost three other players to trading, including defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, traded to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for 3rd and 5th round draft picks, defensive end Bobby McCray, who went to New Orleans and safety Sammy Knight who went over to the New York Giants. On the plus column though, the team signed cornerback Drayton Florence from the San Diego Chargers and quarterback Cleo Lemon from the Miami Dolphins.

What do the fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars say regarding the team's chances of making it to the playoffs? Fans are quite vocal on the team's defense, though this is partly due to many players being injured or off the active roster. Besides injuries, some fans blame aging on the team's decreased level of the defensive line, while others argue that the media is making too much of the defense line problem and that it's really the defensive ends that need work. Jaguar fans are now looking to defensive players like Tony McDaniel and Reggie Hayward to step up to deliver a more solid defense. Draft picks like Derrick Harvey, Quentin Groves, Thomas Williams, Trae Williams and Chauncey Washington are also getting attention for the team.

The Jaguars may find more success this season if their 2007 efforts are any indication, and may bring some football pride back to Florida.

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How To - Fantasy Football Draft

It's almost that time of the year again! You can always tell fantasy football is just around the corner when everyone in the NFL starts crying about their contract. Now to the fantasy part... In my opinion, my favorite and I feel best style of fantasy football is the head-to-head leagues, with the basic scoring 1 point per 10 yards, 6 points for a td, -4 for a turnover. This will be the scoring I base my drafting off of. I will be explaining the offensive side of the ball only, for every league has different defensive scoring and lineups. Example - if my quarterback were to throw for 320 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 turnovers, he would have 30 points. Also, this is not for a keeper league.

When getting ready for a fantasy football league, the first thing you need to is preparation. Never ever go into a draft without all the essential tools and knowledge. The very first thing I will do to get ready, is write myself a list of players off the top of my head I think are going to be productive and possibly explode and list yourself your top 5 rookies. After just making this list, just place it to the side because we are now going to be doing real research and will come back to that later.

What to look for in players

* Are they new to a team? Just traded?

* New additions to the team? (Team drafted a running back or Running Back by Committee system)

* Contract Year for the player?

* Coming off an Injury?

* Was a teammate of theirs injured? (Your interested in a WR and the teams QB tore shoulder last year)

* SERIOUS off-season issues? (T.O. in philly)

* Age / Years in League

Okay, so you just realized that half of those players on that list you wrote up get scratched off for reasons on that list. It's okay, there are tons of players out there other then the ones on your list. Now to check out my favorite website for Fantasy Football FFToolBox. This website will help provide you with cheat sheet's and all(well most) of the "what to look for in players" list. Now produce yourself a cheat sheet according to your scoring system, print yourself out all the contract year players, 3rd year WR's, free agents, etc etc... Now compile yourself the Ultimate List.

So for the last 2 weeks you have studied and modified your Ultimate List day in and out, waiting for draft day. You get in the car and think you forgot something. Here's your list...

What to bring to the draft

* Money for draft

* Clipboard / pen and paper / Highlighter

* Always have with yourself 1 or 2 fantasy football magazines with all the rankings of players by position and overall, also please make sure the player's aren't injured if your draft is during pre-season.

* Cheat Sheet aka Ultimate List

* Have with yourself a schedule with all the teams bye-weeks (check your playoff system too)

* Blank Roster

Alright, you get to the draft and start nibbling at the pretzels in the middle...Lets move on. Its Draft Time, how do you start? First things first, a)don't draft a kicker and pick him up in FA and b)Unless your picking the great ravens defense or former chicago defense, wait till the end of the draft for one and c)many times your draft spot influences your drafting decisions, if you have back to back picks that could be a perfect time to grab your QB and WR dominating duo. My preference is STACK myself with running backs, I like to draft 3 dominating running backs in the first 5 rounds. In round 3, a QB, and round 4 a WR. Many people feel differently then this, but thats how I have been doing it for years, and come in the top 3 every year. Now after 5 rounds, you have 3 RB's, 1 QB, 1 WR. One thing to consider when drafting, choose your QB and WR from the same team if possible. Double the points(or double less the points if they dont produce), but it's usually worth the risk. Now I do the "Best on the Board" method from here on out, If a player slips down this far and you can't pass up it never hurts to grab him. Even if its a running back.... Having to many just gives you more trade power and injury insurance. Start preparing your backup quarterback, but make sure your positive he has a different bye week then your starter. Bye week's are tricky sometimes, you may end up having all your starters out in a certain week, and your basically just conceding that weeks loss... try not to do it, but sometimes it happens. While your doing Best on the Board, start considering possible breakout rookies(RB's are the only productive rookies on offense) and Kick Returners(!). Kick returners could save your season if you draft the next Devin Hester, last year Hester had 934 return yards and 6 td's, thats 130 points to your team. Now your on your last pick of the draft, take a risk... Draft yourself your favorite player that never plays... You can always drop him tomorrow morning.

Last but not least, start talking as much trash as possible after the draft even if you know you do not have the best team! Enjoy yourself and have as much fun as possible this year in Fantasy Football.

Enjoy Your Season; http://www.bleepingidiots.com/2008/06/how-to-fantasy-football-draft/

Gregory Egan http://BleepingIdiots.com

Top 5 Major League Baseball Parks - Wonderful Places You Should Visit

Most people often think baseball stadiums are just venues for sporting events, but it is wrong. They are also stunning works of architecture and a definite must-visit for baseball fans. If you happen to be a baseball fan, here are the top five major league baseball parks that you should definitely visit.

Yankee Stadium

The historic old Yankees stadium was torn down after the 2008 season. It was first used in April 18, 1923 for a game versus the. Aside from baseball, the old stadium was also used for other sporting events such as boxing and football. One memorable boxing match was the heavyweight title bout between Joe Louis and Germany's Max Schmeling held on June 22, 1938. The old Yankee Stadium is also the venue of Knute Rockney's famous "win one for the Gipper" pep talk. His Notre Dame Fighting Irish would go on to beat the Army Cadets 12 - 6.

Fenway Park

Opened on April 20, 1912, This historic stadium saw a lot of baseball legends, including Babe Ruth, Cy Young and Jimmy Collins. Did you know that Fenway Park is the second home of the Boston Red Sox? In 1901, the Boston Pilgrims first played ball at the Huntington Grounds. This is now a part of the Northeastern University campus. Nothing was changed at Fenway Park until May 8, 1926, when a fire gutted the bleachers along the left line. Fenway Park is still home to the only ladder in play in major league baseball. Tours run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday until three hours prior to a game. It costs $12 for adults.

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field was built in 1914 and it is the second-oldest stadium after Fenway Park. Wrigley Field was originally known as Weeghman Park. It was built on the grounds that were once occupied by a seminary. Wrigley Field has a seating capacity of 41, 160 and features vines that were originally planted in 1937. Tour tickets cost $25 each. Wrigley Field also offers group discounts.

Dodger Stadium

Sitting on 300 acres on a hill overlooking the city of Los Angeles, this stadium is known as the Chavez Ravine. It opened in 1962 and cost $300 million to build. It also regarded as a classical pitcher's park. There were no drinking fountains when the stadium was first built. It is repainted every-off season. You can see palm trees beyond the fence down the foul lines. Dodger Stadium boasts that it is the cleanest stadium in the MLB.

Busch Stadium

Before a new Busch Stadium was built, the old Busch Stadium remained home to the St. Louis Cardinals until 2005. It was built in 1966 and made of concrete and featured a two-deck facility. About half of the stadium's seats could be found in each deck. In one year, the Stadium sells 540,000 hot dogs, 181,000 pounds of nacho chips and 32,000 gallons of nacho cheese.

Now that you know all about these stadiums, they are really wonderful places for baseball fans. Just image how excited you will be wearing your favorite to take photos there.

MLB jerseys
Boston Red Sox

Watch A Football Game Online - Watch A Football Game Online Right Now

If your reading this article your probably looking for a way to watch a football game online and your in luck because this is exactly what I am going to talk about because I have found a software that has made sure I never miss a single football game even if I am working a full shift.

I have always been a big football fan but I was always working on weekends missing any Saturday and Sunday games and my favourite teams were always playing so I would get someone to tape the game for me. This worked out all right for a while but usually id end up watching highlights or my friends would ruin the game for me before I could see it.

So I decided I wanted to watch a football game online at work one day so I hopped on my computer and went to the google search engine and found a software that offered all sporting events and 3000 channels and it said it was a one time payment of $49 and offered a refund so I signed up and can watch a football game online anytime I want.

I have since cancelled my cable TV and been saving hundreds in bills not to mention I can watch nearly any sport in the world and have thousands more channels then I did so I am one satisfied customer.

If you would like to watch a football game online or anything else check out this software program this is from one average Joe to another that I can honestly say it was a great deal.

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A Football Player's Perspective - How to Make It to the Next Level of Play

It was August 2003 and my team at the time, the Pittsburgh Steelers, was holding the first live scrimmage for training camp. As a rookie in the NFL I had practiced a number of times with the team, but this was the first time I was going to suit it up for a "full contact and tackle goal line scrimmage". The set up was easy. The first and second team offenses would go against the first and second team defenses. The offense had four downs to score a touchdown. If they scored, they won; if they failed to score the defense won.

The first team offense and defense took the field first. The offense included Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, and Tommy Maddox who went against a defense consisting of Joey Porter, James Farrior, and Kendrell Bell. The opposing sides lined up against each other, the referee blew his whistle to start the play clock, Tommy Maddox called out the cadence, then the ball was snapped ... ... from that instant, the phrase "The Next Level" was defined for me.

"The Next Level" is a phrase commonly thrown around by athletes referring to the ability to play in a professional arena such as the NFL, NBA or MLB. To me "The Next Level" is not a title you gain, e.g. Professional Football Player; it is more a state of mind, an attitude and way of thinking when competing. Therefore, I have come up with three characteristics that I believe all athletes must posses in order to achieve "The Next Level".

1. Play, Practice and Think with 100% Effort. It is as simple as that. You should have one speed and one speed only - FAST! There is no such thing as "half speed" or "walk thru". Regardless of what people say, that is how we practiced and prepared in the NFL. Mike Holmgren said it best one day while practicing in the middle of December while preparing for the playoffs, "We run plays at full speed during the week so when the game comes it will be second nature and all you have to do is react."

2. Be Able to "Flip the Switch" Once the Whistle Blows. This is probably the most mental of the three characteristics. Just picture in your mind a Cheetah stalking a gazelle and how meticulous, careful and alert it is as it sets up its approach. Once that Gazelle notices it is being hunted and starts running, the Cheetah "flips the switch" and accelerates to incredible speeds. Within seconds it has the Gazelle in its grasp and the hunt is over. This is the same way you should approach every play. An average football play lasts an average of 10 seconds or less, but when that ball is snapped a literal switch should be flipped in your mind and every ounce of energy should be released at that moment.

3. Dominate. This one word sums up every quality of those who achieve "The Next Level". To dominate simply means competing to be the BEST. Does it mean you have to be the best? NO! It just means you are working, preparing, practicing and believing YOU CAN be the BEST. You may never achieve it and if you do there will always be someone that will be better. But if you compete and approach everything with 100% effort, dedication, commitment, and hold yourself accountable, you will dominate. While I was playing with the Philadelphia Eagles during our run up to the Super Bowl in 2004, starting tight end and 3-time Pro Bowl selection Chad Lewis would always tell the team, "Time to DOMINATE!" That is literally how you should approach every conditioning drill, lift, practice, meeting and play as an athlete. You approach it no other way!!

When I witnessed the explosive power, speed and attitude that my teammates displayed that late summer day in Pittsburgh, I came to the conclusion that "The Next Level" is not a title you gain when you make it to the NFL, it is truly a state of mind and way of life for those that achieve greatness in athletics.

Casey Poppinga, Tight End. College - University of Wyoming and Utah State University. NFL Experience– Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and 2004 NFC Champions Philadelphia Eagles. For football training aids and football coaching videos, I recommend http://www.touchdownskills.com

Fantasy Football Draft Day Secrets - After the Draft

Congratulations. Your Fantasy Football Draft is over! Hopefully you got every single player you wanted, and your competition was woefully short on the football intelligence quotient. That would be nice, but we know that life just isn't that easy. You got some players you wanted, spent too much on some, and absolutely screwed up twice. So, what now? How do you rectify all the errors you made? Settle down, homeboy. This is where you either win or lose your league championship. The Draft takes one day, but there are 12 to 14 weeks of line-up changing, waiver wire moves, trades and bench decisions to make before you earn a spot in your league's playoffs.

The first thing you need to do now is be brutally honest with yourself at each position. Look at your team and see where you excelled, and where you made decisions like Courtney Love signing out of rehab. If you have too many RBs and not enough quality wideouts, check the overall board and see which manager needs ball carriers. Approach him and let him know you are available to help him out, but do not appear anxious. Do this at each position, but do not over-react.

Next, check your bye weeks. Make sure you do not have multiple positions affected in multiple weeks. I prefer to have my Bye Weeks spread across the board among every position. Then again, if you have Roddy White and Larry Fitzgerald, you could care less that they have the same bye week. You will happily take that one week off at WR to reap the huge rewards they will bring the rest of the year.

Finally, look at the schedule for your players during your Fantasy Football Playoffs. For example, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the third hardest schedule for QBs and the seventh hardest for WRs in weeks 14 - 17. The 49ers are blessed with the second overall easiest schedule in the league for RBs, and the third easiest come playoff time, so Frank Gore looks even better here than usual. This is something to bear in mind as the season progresses.

One thing I like to do is not make any moves for 3 weeks, unless obviously, there is a huge injury or nightclub shooting involving your best player. You can also do just the opposite and get caught up in analysis paralysis, and do nothing at all for way too many weeks. I guess the real advice here is to think twice before you make a rash move. L.T. finished with 1600 all purpose yards and 12 tds, and a lot of owners gave up on him during the year.

Just remember that the Championship is won by managing a team, not drafting one. So pour yourself a cold one, congratulate yourself on your draft, and get ready to make all the right moves in Fantasy Football 2009.

Patrick O'Neill, an 18 year Fantasy Football Veteran endorses only one Fantasy Football League
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