My New Sponsor with Awesome Quality Gear and Unbelievable Deal of The Day!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

MY FANTASY FRENZY HAS TURNED INTO A DISASTER! Poll: How is your team doing?

My fantasy team is in total dissaray. I am dead last in the weakest division in my fantasy league. Okay my draft did not go as well as I had hoped, a few injuries, and some bad match ups have left me at 4-7. My team bus would have a bumper sticker that says "I'd rather be Fishing" The new 2 or 3 back systems that most teams have at least experimented with have hurt. I opted to pick up 3 top ten tight ends and kept a running back that I thought was the man going into this season. Justin Forsett is a bust and judging by his tweets, he has lost all his mojo. I can't believe I declined a deal for a 1st rounder next season for him! Never drink during your fantasy draft! Marcedes Lewis has done well for me this season, dropped Chris Cooley after the injury and Shiancoe is inconsistent. QB Brady has done well for me when I started him. A couple mistakes after Moss left the team, 12 and 14 pt outings had me questioning his rapport with the new receivers. Carson Palmer as my back up is clearly on the decline. Never the same after the knee injury, but I felt he could still represent against some weaker match ups. Not so much! He sucks. Other running backs Ricky Sticky icky Williams, Darren Sproles both inconsistent and Kieland Williams who may lose his starting game after Clinton Portis is put on IR. 4-7 has me looking at fantasy basketball already, I usually start checking my basketball lineup when fantasy football playoffs begin but lights out early this year. Guaranteed a top 3 draft pick unfortunately. Vote on the Poll.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

BULLS/BUCS/RAYS/MICHIGAN updates

Well we are just over 2/3rds of the College football season and Cam Newton is still the biggest story out there. I will not be touching on that but I will talk about my South Florida Bulls who basically control their own destiny with a couple Big East Conference home games against Pittsburgh and Connecticut with a trip to Miami squeezed between. Pitt has 4 losses coming into the tilt and a well balanced offense with an aggressive defensive front. They were throttled by Miami 31-3 earlier in the season. Last week the huskies ran for almost 300 yards on the Pitt defense so I see opportunity there. I feel like USF wins this one at home by 2 somehow. Then will get smashed by Miami next week and UCONN beats us by running the ball to set up play action passes taking advantage of Washington in the secondary. We're still going bowling! Gametime 12:00pm on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com

Bucs have a surprising 6-3 headed to San Francisco this weekend. Jeff Faine is questionable at center but it appears he lost his job when he comes back. Kinda like the car business when you go on a 3 day vacation and your office is packed into a shoe box sitting outside your old office. Jereme Zuttah replaces him. Just a couple more wins and we're looking at playoffs! Solid QB play and Rookie WR Michael Williams have given us fans something to look forward to even if all our home games are blacked out this year! Will they Blackout playoff games?

Rays are liquidating their team faster than the Marlins did(after they won it all)and are banking on an 8th grader to lock down the bullpen. Just kidding, but they are not actively buying in Free Agency. ACL or not, I may have a shot at first base! That's all I will say about the Rays. It's not even close to baseball season!

My Wolverines have a big tilt on Saturday as it's the Battle of the Rhodents. Wolverines vs. Badgers! Wisconsin's only loss was to Michigan State. They are 12th in the nation rushing at 228 yards a game and should have a field day against Michigan's sad defense. Give them credit, the Wolverine's D played well against Purdue but they are not Wisconsin. I think Denard Robinson is the wild card here. If the Badgers make him beat them in the air, we will see Forcier in the 2nd half. 38-23 Wisconsin. I hope I'm wrong.

Monday, October 25, 2010

BUCCANEERS WIN, USF WINS ON THE ROAD, PLACED WELL AT MY TRIATHLON BUT MY YANKEES LOST!!

Three out of four is good enough! After weeks of hearing about the Bucs in the tank, they pulled out a quality come from behind win! I could only imagine watching it on television or in person as the game was blacked out here locally. The young Bucs showed some poise from what I heard on the radio! 2nd year quarterback Josh Freeman led his team down the field for a game winning drive with a rollout pass to Cadillac Williams in the end zone! After being dominated for 80% of the game K2 (Kellen Winslow) and Mike Williams kept the final drive alive to finish off the young St. Louis Rams.
USF Bulls traveled to Cincinnati for a quality win on the road for what I believe is their first Big East win! Hopefully they have found a solid receiver in Faron Hornes as he had the longest play from scrimmage for the Bulls, a 71 yard TD pass from the struggling BJ Daniels. It was a welcomed sight as the struggling Bulls have failed to score a touchdown in two straight games against Syracuse and West Virginia.
After laughing at the Rays performance against the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees were equally as laughable. The big bats were silent for the most part as the pitching for the Texas Rangers appears to be peaking at the perfect time! It was great to see the excitement on the field and brings me back to my own little league experience in Brooklyn, Michigan where we celebrated the exact same way when we won the title. Not much changes in grown men as they revert back to an inner child mentality when the final out is made. I still believe that the only chance the Rays had to get the World Series trophy was in 2008, when the Yankees were down. For the Yankees, there is always next year, hopefully with Carl Crawford patrolling the outfield!
Officially my first season of Triathlon is over! After months of training that included hundreds of miles swimming, biking and running, I am taking a couple weeks off with some light jogging and weight training. I learned a lot about myself this season and my strong finish at the end has allowed me to see what I am capable of! I don't plan on going pro, but my 22nd finish within the most competitive age group gives me hope of improving next season. I plan on at least 6 triathlons in the state and hope to make it to the Clark Lake triathlon in July 2011 in Jackson, Michigan. My tri season started with what they call a super-sprint in Clermont, Florida. With a shorter swim (only 200 yards)and an 8 mile bike paired with a 2 mile run, it was the perfect beginner triathlon. My final and longest triathlon was this past weekend and consisted of 1/3 swim, 10 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. I look forward to the longer races next season.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

CALL THE POLICE....SOMEONE HAS STOLEN THE RAYS BATS!!!

I found them, they were sitting on their shoulders. Last night was a sad way to end the season for many Rays fans. They appeared as a shell of themselves, almost as if they knew they could not hit Cliff Lee. Sure they had beat him this season 3 times but 2 wins were vs. a horrible Seattle defense and one was a blown save by the bullpen. Bottom line is if you want hits, you have to swing the bat and protect the plate with two strikes. Lee was on last night and continually used the backdoor slider or curve as his strike out pitch.
It will be a long off season and I still feel the best shot the Rays had at winning the World Series was in 2008 when the Yankees were in a bad place. And whatever happened to the best hitter vs. left handed pitchers? Do you know who it was? Gabe Kapler!! He took a trip to the training room on August 16th and came out with a sprained left ankle and never returned. But Rocco came back. WOW! Heck of a sprain if they had room for Rocco and not Kapler.
Anyway the Rays will not only start fresh with the bats next season, they will also be bringing in some fresh talent with the losses of free agents and club options they will likely not take up.
Free agency will claim most of the production and some lack there of. Crawford, Pena, and Shoppach will likely go. Along with them Soriano, Kapler and Choate. Dan Wheeler who cannot seem to pitch to lefties is hopefully gone and Willy Aybar who I would like to stay along with Crawford is due for a club option.
The Rays have a great group of young(cheaper) talent on the way up and I would have loved to see Hellickson pitch instead of Big Game James Shields in the ALDS. We did see glimpses of him toward the end of the season and will most likely see him, Desmond Jennings and maybe Matt Moore next season. Great season, I didn't expect them to make it through the all-star break in such great shape as their schedule appeared brutal leading up to it. They played their best ball that month if I'm not mistaken and battled the Yankees, Boston, Minnesota and a decent Detroit team at the time. What a run that was fun to watch as a baseball fan, but you gotta swing the bat to win in the playoffs. Drawing walks is for Co-ed softball.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

RANDY MOSS TO THE VIKINGS FOR ........

It is now confirmed that Randy Moss has been traded to the Vikings but not straight up for Jared Allen which was reported. He was shipped out for a 3rd round draft pick, straight up. Moss checks out mentally as soon as he feels disrespected and you bet he felt that after Tom Brady received his new contracted before the Patriot's 1st game of the 2010 season. Randy's post game rant after game one signed his ticket out of New England and actually helped the Pats come out a draft spot ahead. The Patriots gave up a 4th round pick to the Raiders in 2007 draft.
That is just how the Patriots Roll! They will not play contract games nor will they pay you big loot, unless your name is Tom Brady. They received great production from Moss at times and I'm sure fantasy championships were won based on his monster numbers. They came out ahead getting a 3rd rounder for the guy three years later. Brilliant in my mind especially since they are rebuilding yet are pretty competitive. This year the offense sees good matchups with their new tight ends and the Three Chipmunks in Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Danny Woodhead. Credit for that name goes to my buddy Cesar in Boston. I will use it the rest of the season. Aside from the young defense and mini offensive weapons paired with 8 draft picks in the first 4 rounds in next years draft, the Patriots are setting themselves up for another championship run! I see 10-6 this season realistic and then maybe 2nd round of the playoffs. If the receivers can do something special and the defense grows up quickly they will sniff 11-5. This a calculated move by the Patriots. Queue the Vincent Jackson rumors.

Fantasy Impact: From a Tom Brady standpoint, his production should dip a bit as Welker will draw the best DB from the defense. In turn Welker, who admits he is not 100% may get more looks but production should dip a bit as well. There is noone to stretch the D allowing for Welker's under routes. Moss: It will give Brett Favre one more receiver to force the ball into for more picks. Favre: could go either way as he will now just fling the ball to Randy when pressured. Good Luck Randy, shave your beard
you look dirty!

-David Simmons

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

DEAR RAYS, THIS RELATIONSHIP IS NOT WORKING OUT....AND IT'S NOT US, IT'S YOU!!!!

I have been in Tampa for 13 years and have never been able to figure out why the Tampa Bay Devil Rays(the team name when I moved down here) were located in St. Petersburg. Tropicana field was built for another team from what history I have gathered and they bailed on the idea for some reason or another. The team has changed owners a couple times with the previous owner Vince Nimoli being a huge creep from all accounts. The new owner, Stu Sternberg comes in gives free parking with 4 or more people in the car, bring your own food and drink to the stadium, hires a good manager and keeps the front office somewhat intact. Great right? Yet noone shows up. Sure we have heard about the economy, unemployment etc. But according to ESPN and all the local media and the star athletes on the team that is no excuse. Just ask David Price and Evan Longoria they will tell you to your face that the broken economy and unemployment is not an excuse. Let me ask you, would you rather go to a Rays game or go job hunting? I would rather go to a Rays game if I had a job and I know that if I didn't have a job, that my time would be spent looking for one. Even at 7:05pm on a Monday night when the games are on. I may watch it on television while job hunting on monster.com or I might catch the last 3 innings later say around 8:30pm after I put my kids to sleep on a school night. I would love to go see the Rays try to win the division more than almost anything but if I had no job guess what? If I had no job, I'm not going. I won't even bring up location because I live in North East Tampa and it's a drive to get there.

Now you read all this and think of the relationship between the Rays and their broke fans and question where can all this lead? Sure the fan is down but we can watch it on TV, but all you hear is the drive by media ripping the fans for not coming out. The stars and leaders on the team telling you they are embarrassed on the turn style count. Maybe Stu should not have let the cat out of the bag publicly last week when he said he is slashing the payroll next season. And this was just before the Yankee series, the biggest series of the season. Attention Rays PR dept. do not punish the fans who are single parents, unemployed, or worse off in a bad economy because those that are hoping for the return of the economy are the same one's that will not buy tickets next season if you keep this up! Right now Rays this relationship is on you! If you and the negative media want to see fans show up, sponsor a job fair after the games instead of concerts and play in front of a packed house every game from now till the end of the World Series! The Bucs are another story!

Friday, September 24, 2010

DOWN A SAFETY, WHAT CARD SHOULD THE BUCS PLAY NEXT? THE YOUTH MOVEMENT POINTS TO THE ROOKIE CARD!

The unfortunate turn of events in the Buccaneer's safety spot, being the suspension of Tenard Jackson, has Tampa rookie Cody Grimm next in line! From the preseason games I attended, the rookie has more of an instinctive play style which should translate into a full time starting spot. He has got to play out of his mind to keep the starting job though. Sabby Piscatelli was over his head all last season and looks lost to me this year as he is pressing too hard and lacks the instincts needed for the position. Dropping him third on the depth chart, he will enjoy 5-10 snaps a game to give both Grimm and fellow new comer Corey Lynch a breather. Lynch is a winner, I like his style. Out of Appalachian State, Lynch was signed off the Bengals practice squad last season. No relation to John Lynch but he respects John greatly. He even wore 47 with the Bengals. Not here though.

I dig the youth movement of the Bucs, but they need to transition and justify their decisions better. Growing resentment from the fan base and negative press from the drive by media has these guys wearing a black eye. The press had us geeked up for a possible bucs game cameo on Sunday but hopes were dashed as the Glazers were focused on the opening of the Glazer Childrens Museum this week instead of getting Ray Jay seats filled. Nothing wrong with the opening of the museum, I like the fact that they put forth 5 million to the cause. But put someone out in front of Ray Jay to get those tickets sold the fans deserve TV. Another Black out for the Steelers game, a black eye for the Glazers. WOW!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

NOT A BAD TIME FOR BAY AREA SPORTS TEAMS!!

Tampa Bay has never been called a sports mecca but as of late, the area boasts some great coverage. You see the Rays Baseball team everynight playing their hearts out trying to win their division for the second time since 08. The Buccaneers Football team is 2-0 with Pittsburg Steelers coming to town this weekend, their first home game that is not blacked out due to lack of attendance. It could be their only televised home game of the season. The Lightning Hockey team full of stars, newly acquired Coach Guy Boucher and GM Steve Yzerman are already creating a buzz with a new owner in Jeff Vinik. Good to see hockey people involved with the transition to championship expectations. Aside from the pro teams locally USF Football program has been nationally televised playing Florida and Plant High School was on ESPN affiliates two weeks in a row. Even though they were drilled in both games it was good to see them in the spotlight.


My softball team plays tonight from the top of the 6th inning with runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs tied at 10. Last week the lights went out on us. This will be our final playoff push as we are dissolving this team after the season. In the upcoming off season, I hope to work on the swim portion of my triathlon training and fine tune my blog. I could really use some sideline passes to some sporting events. HINT HINT.

Follow me on TWITTER: supadupaD

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

IS IT OKAY TO LEAVE THE GAME EARLY? TOM BRADY DOESN'T THINK SO!

Now normally, Tom Brady and I see eye to eye. Today according to Boston Herald.com site Tom had this to say during an interview.....

“The road environment is very different than our friendly home crowd, who when I looked up, half the stadium was gone when we were up 21 points early fourth quarter, which I wasn’t so happy about,”

Now I have been on both sides of the crowd that leaves early in the 4th quarter of football games (and the game 7 of Stanley Cup Playoffs but that's another story)

Usually those who leave early fall into two categories, maybe three.

1. Home team blowing out the visitors.

2. Getting woodshedded at home.

3. Drunk and get thrown out by the 3rd quarter or arrested and thrown in stadium jail(nasty Philly Fan)

Now I prefer #1 and you have to understand that it is quite possible you will miss something monumental such as a record broken or a comeback. Let's face it your team needed you as the 12th man to lock it up! You also miss the hour of waiting in traffic or this, a game that I still think about to this day, every time I see or hear Peyton Manning's name.....

It was October 6th 2003. Huge build up all weekend for the epic Monday Night Tilt at Raymond James Stadium here in Tampa. Colts prolific offense versus one of the Top 5 NFL defenses of all time. Three Keenan McCardell touchdowns by the 3rd quarter had me confident this was locked up. The score was 28-7 Bucs at 3rd quarter end. My buddy Cesar and I began joking about rolling out to beat traffic etc. so we said by the middle of the 4th we would leave to beat traffic. After a good return and a touchdown by the Colts we thought maybe we should stay and watch, it could get interesting. But after after a Bucs 3 and out then a pick 6 by Ronde, we were out! By the time we got back to the car, the game was essentially tied and was going to overtime where Vanderjagt missed the winning field goal but Simeon Rice jumped on the back of one of his teammates so Indy got another chance. As we left the stadium area the Bucs lost on the 2nd chance kick and we missed it!
The Bucs also had 25 first downs that game! Wow it's been a while since they have done that.

#2 The woodshed at home. This should never happen. If it does you can listen to all of last season's post game press conferences by Bucs coach Raheem Morris to justify losing at home. All 3900 fans that watched the Bucs last season left at halftime and it could be even worse this year because the Rays are the hot ticket here in the bay area. Well, almost. The Rays couldn't even sell out the Yankee home game (economy).

Back to Tom, I wouldn't call the fans bandwagon or even compare them to the Jets fans, but I would say they were thinking ahead. The Bangles are fun to watch but you know they can't come back to maul you (oh wait!) The game was over. So from someone that has felt the pain of leaving too early, it is worth the gamble of not sitting in an hour+ of post-game traffic. Patriot fans you are great and yes, it is safe to leave early if your team is up big, I said it was okay.

That game was still great wasn't it Cesar?

Monday, September 13, 2010

UNDRAFTED TO UNTOUCHABLE-ARIAN FOSTER A WEEK ONE BEAST, HOW DID HE GET HERE?

Just a little FYI on Arian Foster

Went to Mission Bay High School San Diego, California.
Other notable alum
-Frank Zappa (Rocker)
-Marcus Smith(Buffalo Bills)
-Tawny Kataen (Famous Druggie)

College at Tennessee
-Red shirted his Freshman year.
-Freshman year ran for more than 800 yards game high of 223 vs Vanderbilt
-Known as Fumblin' Foster because of fumbles at key times.

Signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans 2009.
-Brought up from the practice squad Nov. 17 2009
-Posted the 2nd highest opening day rushing yards. Only OJ "Killa" Simpson posted more(250)

He looks like a week one stud or the Colts defense is bad. Make your own assumption.

Friday, September 10, 2010

FANTASY FRENZY: WHO TO START A TOP NOTCH TIGHT END OR A #2 WIDE RECEIVER

When I first started playing fantasy football some 8+ years back, there is no way you could convince me to start a tight end over a decent wide receiver. Times have changed, and so has my thought process. Today's top shelf tight ends are better than most #2 receivers so my draft prep has changed and so has my confidence in tight ends and here is why.

Last season I picked up multiple tight ends off waivers only because I had to start one. They were horrible! They were also on bad teams or second tier at their position. Chris Cooley literally beat me two weeks giving me losses and also opened my eyes for the following years draft. I looked at the position similar to a kicker but not this year. I picked up Shiancoe in the 7th round and Cooley in the 8th. Even though we are no longer required to start a tight end I drafted the two that I feel are primed for big seasons. Shiancoe gave me 14 pts last night as Grandpa Favre gave him many targets and Cooley now has Donovan McNabb tossing him the rock. If the matchup are right I have no problem starting both as receivers and if they both work out I plan to trade one for an extra draft pick next season.

On a side note, my running back was not there for me in the first round so I picked up Carson Palmer in the first round in hopes of trading him for something decent by week 3 or 4. This could backfire but oh well. Have a great fantasy season and stay tuned for Fantasy Frenzy posts on Tuesdays!
You can also follow me on Twitter: supadupaD

Thursday, September 9, 2010

College Football Week 2: USF vs. UF In the SWAMP this Saturday!!

Florida, Florida State and Miami the big 3 in the sunshine state of Florida. USF an up and coming school located in Tampa, Florida. The location is more like west central Florida but that name does not have the same ring to it. The University of South Florida, yes that South Florida that beat Florida State last year and the same South Florida that was ranked as high as No. 2 in the polls in 2007. The Bulls went on to get woodshedded by Oregon in the Sun Bowl but that was 07 and a different team. The Bulls and new coach Skip Holtz will once again be in the conversation if they can pull off one of the largest upsets since Appalachian State beat my Wolverines at the Big House a few years back. This team has been around since 1997 beginning in Conference USA and now reside in the Big East.

THE BREAKDOWN
QB
I must say that the Gators looked a bit sluggish with Redhawks of Miami, Ohio. Definitely not what we are accustomed to here in Gator Country. It is safe to say that the Bulls have a chance if they can get pressure on quarterback John Brantley as he lacks the element of escape.
USF Quarterback BJ Daniels must play out of his mind, Florida has an elite secondary in Janoris Jenkins as well as Will "The Thrill" Hill and Ahmad Black. What I say is run the receivers downfield and let BJ run if the seams are not there. Not that easy because USF has no QB depth, their backup QB is wide receiver Evan Landi 3rd on the depth chart is a Freshman from Jesuit High School here in Tampa.

RB
Florida junior Jeff Demps and Emmanuel Moody and Sophomore Mike Gillislee are all fast and averaged over 6 yards per carry last season. Demps' speed will be of focus as the Bulls have to keep in mind not to get too deep in the backfield. USF will need to fill their gaps and bottle up the speedy backs.
USF backs are a different story. They looked mediocre at best against D-1 AA Stony Brook, with one nice run of 63 yards by Marcus Shaw. Mike Ford was let go for brushes with the law in the offseason, he really let down the program. Mo Plancher is the most experienced of the group and all 4 backs on the roster should be used situationally if that is a word.

WR
Since losing Carlton Mitchell to the NFL, USF is a bit green at receiver with the exception of Dontavia Bogan. Evan Landi had 104 yards for the Bulls against a sad Stony Brook secondary.

For UF Chris Rainey could have a field day with USF secondary. I think we will find out early in the 2nd quarter what kind of game he will have. Remember USF is pretty quick on defense so I expect one of the Gator QBs to check down in the 1st quarter and maybe an occasional shot downfield.

DEFENSE
My prediction: Florida's secondary is top notch and should lock down the receiving corp of USF. This will leave QB Daniels to improvise much like he did in Tallahassee last season.
USF's front seven will play a key role in run stopping and if they are successful, the secondary will need to play all-pro to keep the Florida receivers at bay.

Game prediction is Gators 24 USF 17

Follow Me on Twitter: supadupaD

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Bucs Coach Arrested For DUI....Let Tampa's Football Season Begin.

Tampa Bay Buccaneer games may be blacked out this season but there should be no shortage of Buc news. When you cannot afford to pay good assistant coaches you get this!
Just days after the league decided to suspended Aqib Talib for beating a cab driver last year, Christopher Mosley Assistant Defensive Line Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers busted for DUI Tuesday Night. Probably from drinking while watching game film and doing a shot everytime Sabby Piscatelli got burned on a play. The Bucs played like drunk pirates on defense last season and now we know why and it may not all be the Piscatelli Monsters fault. Do the depressed Buc fans deserve this now? Just wondering.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

TIGER GET BACK TO YOUR PARTYING!! (Golf needs you)

Divorce is sad and almost always leaves a horrible mess behind. Will it be the same for a couple millionaires that can afford to pay to clean up the mess? What about the kids? I'm pretty sure they will be fine. Tiger and Elin will eventually become civil but it will take time. With that said....Tiger please get back to your old self. Now!!
Tiger's play has taken a hit throughout the divorce proceedings. I get that, and his top ranking is in jeopardy for the first time in years. He lost money like he invested with Madoff. The final payout? Over 100 million to his ex wife who deserves every penny after what he put her through. Not sure why he did what he did but the divorce is over now go back to your shady self Tiger! Please?
This time do it a little different. Pick up some shady sponsors, give out tweets of your text messages. Make that money back and then some. The ratings of his shady stories were through the roof!! Get a tattoo of Scarletts on your shoulders. Where am I going with all this? Golf.
Golf has lost a ton of viewership in your absence and continues to struggle with your foul play. Just get back up and make it happen and I know that all it will take is a little text or phone call or two or three to get you back playing championship caliber golf.
In conclusion, I think what he did was horrible, but I am a golf fan and golf needs Tiger to play better. Today's round is underway and the buzz is that he is playing well at the Barclays. With the divorce behind him, I hope we can once again watch without feeling sorry for a guy who I once admired as a family man. Now I see him a an athlete only!!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

MANNY GET BACK ON THE JUICE AND TAKE THE NEXT PLANE TO TAMPA!!

Now that I have your attention..the amazing career of Manny Ramirez is coming to a screeching halt if you haven't noticed. This is primarily due to injuries he cannot recover from because he is probably no longer using steroids. As a long time Yankee Fan I recognized him as a very talented hitter. It was great seeing Manny and Papi in the middle of that lineup in Boston(as long as they were not playing the Pinstripes). I dig is antics and the drama that accompanies Manny in the club house. It's like he has a SLIM SHADY side to him. Just as Barry Bonds didn't really need the JUICE to crush the ball, they need the JUICE to recover from the workouts and minor injuries that come with the need for more bat speed as they age. In conclusion whatever team he makes it to, I hope he doesn't make it to the Yankees and here is why....
From a contender standpoint, Manny will disrupt the needed chemistry that accompanies championship aspirations. I know he helped Boston win the World Series, it came at a cost due to his antics. Tampa Bay has a great chemistry as do my Yankees. So I say it will be great to watch him live here in Tampa if he makes it past the White Sox and lands on the Rays roster for two reasons. It will give the Rays a decent bat in the lineup and will fill more of the seats which will bring in more money to throw at Carl Crawford's next contract. It could also backfire and melt the Rays down and push them out of contention with 3 or so series left with the Red Sox and Yankees. All it takes is Manny being Manny!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

2010-2011 FANTASY FOOTBALL FRENZY

Okay, so your fantasy Football draft is probably within the next week if you haven't had it already. After relying on Brian Westbrook the last 6 years I cut him last night just before my midnight deadline. He was great for 7 games a season and numerous 20 plus point performance. To me he is now Westbroke and will take up a roster spot for someone else. Not here.

Anyway, my fantasy league has been around quite a while and my keepers this year are not as solid as previous seasons. Scoring has shifted quite a bit the last 2 or 3 seasons with the use of Running back committees. With this shift, be aware that the receiver return on investment will be much more stable, especially with top tier receivers(unless of course they play the Jets with Darelle Revis if he signs).
My 5 keepers stack up as follows

1. QB Tom Brady-Easy to keep an obvious Top 5 QB I like the idea of Randy Moss in a contract year. I also see Moss as the type that could retire pretty soon. although he is talented, I don't find him being in love with the game only as a job, similar to Sticky icky Ricky Williams..and Barry Sanders.

2. RB Justin Forsett. I like his upside and his schedule. He is in a Committee situation but is the top runner.

3. RB Sticky icky Ricky Williams. I kept him because I just don't believe in Ronnie Brown and Williams was a stud for me last season. Again he talks about retirement but with all his baby mammas asking for money, I can't see him retiring any time soon. That could all change when he gets chiefed up next long offseason!

4. WR Terrell Owens. I traded my 4th round pick in next weekends draft for this head case. It is an all or nothing gamble but I hope the competition between him and Ocho works in my favor. I just hope he has something left in the tank, I need to see him doing sit ups in his driveway to put me at ease.

5. WR Wes Welker. Unreal that he is back already after knee surgery only six months ago. This guy is a scrapper and I may even keep him on my roster when he is 60. I dig his work ethic and I also like his backup Julian Edelman.

I will have a press pass for all USF games this fall..... I will be on twitter from the sidelines..follow me: supadupaD

Friday, August 6, 2010

FANTASY FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE! ARE YOU READY? A couple good sites to frequent.

If you're like me, you are counting down the hours to your first fantasy football draft. I have been in one league for about 8 years where you keep your 5 players and redraft another 11 rounds. Over the years I tried participating in other leagues only to experience cognitive dissonance. I quickly realized that it is hard to root for yourself completely as all your players are competing against one another. Forget it. Only one team from now on. Sorry guys but last year was rough having two completely different teams.

Footballguys.com free to a certain point of the season. Killer Statistical digestion.
ProFootballTalk.com somewhat biased kind of the TMZ of Fantasy football but rumor mill is decent.

I frequent these two sites every morning of game day in hopes of seeing scratched players.

After riding the often injured but highly effective Brian Westbrook into the playoffs the last 5 years, I will probably cut him. As of today he is not on a team and had several concussions last season. He will backup someone somewhere. Maybe Tampa? I am allotted 5 keepers in my CBS league and I think TOM BRADY will bounce back this season. That is one of my keepers this season. More fantasy to post so stay tuned.

You can also follow me on Twitter: supadupaD

Friday, July 30, 2010

Two Triathlons within a Month? Am I Crazy? Sorry for the long post. I will post more frequently! I promise

Sprint Triathlon's are my distance of choice as I begin the sport at the ripe old age of 35. Even my hometown of Jackson held a triathlon on the weekend of July 18th in Clark Lake, Michigan. I hope the event was a success because I want to race in it next season.

Well I was going to Ft.Lauderdale for by Brother and Sister-in-Law's baby shower over the 4th of July weekend so I thought why not find something to do on Sunday since the Shower is on Saturday. The Coconut Creek Triathlon and Duathlon just happened to be going on. I signed up and felt it would be a good primer for my big race on July 18th in Miami. Time was just barely under 1:15 mins. 1:14.59 for a 1/4 mile swim 10 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. This was a wave start where everyone just takes off at the gun shot. A far cry from my relaxed time trial start at my season opener in Clermont, Florida. I got my goggles broken by a kick to the head at the start. I may have swam better.

Open water swimming was on the agenda for the July 18th Triathlon in Key Biscayne South Miami(ish) I hate salt water even if it helps with buoyancy. With two large bridges to cross I bettered my time to 1:14.22. Not a huge gain, but with the bridges, I was happy to know my hill training in Thonotosassa on the weekends paid off. I did see my first bike crash and it was nasty.

Next up! The Fort Desoto Triathlon in October. It is a little longer but closer to home and should allow me to train on the actual course. This will be the first time I will be participating with a friend as well so my time should be better as we push each other.

Lost some weight as I tweak my diet and work out to get my body lean and mean! Down to 212lbs as of this morning with my initial starting weight in March was a healthy 227. I will begin posting more often so I don't bore you with these long posts. Cheers all off to bike!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

UPDATES GALORE! Including following on Twitter: supadupaD

Wow, it's been a while since I have updated the site. Where the heck have I been? I am in the midst of my first triathlon season, so I am training like crazy in an effort to keep my times low. I should have been updating all along but life is crazy at times so from here out I promise to come back a few times a week.

Tampa Bay Rays Baseball team has amazed me leading up to the All-Star break. I thought for sure they would melt down and find themselves 5 games back with a brutal first two weeks of July. But, they kicked Boston when they are already injured and kept pace with my Yankees (RIP Mr. Steinbrenner) and are only 2 games back in the AL East. The pitching has cooled off a bit but still looking good as David Price made the All Star Start for the American League. Longoria and Crawford also started at their respective positions in the All Star game. Congrats to all three.

My second sprint triathlon of the season came and went on July 4th. Time of 1:14.59 beating my goal of 1:20:00. The Coconut Creek, Florida Triathlon had me anxiously training the weeks leading up to it. Now with my second triathlon out of the way, I'm getting more comfortable with the format of the races. I have some new additions to my bike too! I got the aero bars for Father's day from my wife and kids, and purchased new tires. I am looking forward to my third race of the season this weekend, an open water triathlon in Biscayne Bay in South Miami. I will do my best to break 1:12:00.

My Miles for Moffitt 5k event on May 15th went well. I finished 8th in my age group of 35-39 at 24:23.34. Even better, our group raised over $2500.00 for cancer research. Let me know if you are interested in running next year.

MY WEIGHT LOSS

I noticed a lot of weight loss as my miles on the bike began adding up. I was stuck at 227lbs when I began, down to 216lbs this morning. Tweaking the diet and cutting back on the adult beverages have really made a difference. I now look for the healthy goodies first. A far cry from my days of eating dessert first!

I will update one more day before my Triathlon in Key Biscayne. Thanks for being here!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

My Sporting News Updates--MLB/SOFTBALL/5Ks/TRIATHLONS Oh my!!

Okay, for those of you following my train wreck of a softball season, it is finally over. My Tuesday night team has finished with a 1-9 record and my Wednesday night team that was in the Championship Game just last season has finished up a solid 2-8. So a combined 3-17 record made for a lot of dissapointment and a truly long season. It's over and I am done playing for the month of May and will only sub in on the Tuesday team (Underdogs) and will focus more on the Wednesday team (The Bulls)

Now this coming weekend is a race that I run for Charity. As some of you know my cousin Rusty, passed away from cancer in July of 08 so every year since, I have taken part in running the Miles For Moffitt 5k. It's a great cause and the proceeds benefit cancer research. That will be this Saturday May the 15th. We have a huge group of almost 100 people that will be part of the P.O.P.S. ON THE RUN runners. Thanks to all for your support.

A few posts back, you will see I raced in the Super Sprint Triathlon that took place in Clermont, Florida. I didnt feel comfortable with my training for the Ron Jon Triathlon so I skipped it and I have officially registered for the Mack Cycle Key Biscayne Triathlon! It takes place on July 18th just south of Miami, Florida. Equipped with a New set of wheels, I hope to place a good time as I learned a lot from my first Tri. Pictured is my new ride!

And finally, a congrats to the current best team in baseball, the local good guys, the Rays. With an amazing road record and a fired up young pitching staff these guys will be great until the all-star break. Then the Yankees will hit stride and win the AL East by a landslide. It is unbelievable they are the best team in baseball with a batting average of about .250. Pitching does wonders. Anyway, until next time enjoy sports and enjoy life! I do!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

FIRST TRIATHLON DOWN

With both softball teams having issues finding a win, I have decided to also work some triathlons into my athletic ventures. My First Triathlon took place in beautiful and surprisingly hilly Clermont Florida.
Nerves were killing me the night before the event, so as soon as we arrived in town, I took the family to the site. I checked the water temp and took a look around settling my nerves a bit. After picking up some GU packs at the vitamin shoppe, we drove by the NTC, an elite training center set on a 300 acre campus just outside downtown Clermont. Went back to the hotel and tried on all my gear one last time and went to bed.
Race day I woke at 5:30,it was nice and dark out. Woke the family and went downstairs for some oatmeal and banana and plenty of water and it was off to the event. Sunrise was nice and calming, and my wife pointed out that one person that you can tell is hardcore. He was rail thin, donned a pair of speedos and goggles... that was it.
First leg of the race was the swim, that wasn't long, only 200 yards. I powered my way through it with virtually no form at all. I need to revisit my swim lessons before the next event. Next was the transition to the bike which I could have done better. I could have ran faster, but I was so concerned with saving energy for the 8 mile bike and 2 mile run later. Jumped on the bike after throwing my shoes on just a quick mouthful of GU energy gel and off I rode. Immediately was a decent hill right out of the transition area, the girl in front of me slipped out of gear and wiped out. I stayed on my seat in a low gear because that was the way I trained and also have no ACL, so I was a little worried about stability. I encountered a lot of rolling hills in the 8 mile ride and some beautiful homes on Lake Minneola as well. As I headed back to the transition area, Boomer said "You're in last place Daddy" and after a chuckle with the crowd, I dropped off the bike and left for the 2 mile run. Surprisingly, the run was my best leg of the race with sub 8 minute miles. I finished, which was one goal and I finished the event under an hour which was my initial goal. I had a couple issues on the bike where I only had 3 gears to choose from due to shifting issues.
I had no idea exactly how far to push my body in the first two legs of the event so I feel like I left some time on the course. I was so focused on conserving energy, I could have ran another mile at the same sub 8 minute pace. Overall, it was a great time and now I know what to expect for future competitions.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

March Madness is upon us-I just said no to Brackets and guess what?

No brackets for me. I didn't feel the need to fill them out this year. This allows me to cheer for underdogs like Oakland and the other small schools like University of Northern Iowa who just knocked of the #1 seed of the tournament, Kansas. I enjoyed the whole game. Sure just like most of you I waited for the UNI collapse and expected Kansas to eventually win by 10 or so. Didn't happen and it was great. I didn't have to worry about the effect it would have on my bracket, I could watch it for what it was a monumental upset.
Don't get me wrong, I like filling the brackets out and doing the research associated with the small schools. I have even won a few in my day, but this year allows me to enjoy the underdogs and the passion they bring that the schools that are always in the top 25 feel is their right.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

New Shoes in time for my first Super Sprint Triathlon

After my last race I took some time to examine the running shoes the serious runners had on. What I noticed shocked me. No Nike shox! I did not see a single Nike shock running shoe in the first 70 shoes or so. What did this tell me. Exactly what my guy at the IRONMAN store told me. Save your shox for jeans and casual attire. Don't run in them. So back to my research. I successfully found a shoe that fits well is light and didn't break the bank. The Saucony Pro Grid Ride 2 is my running shoe of choice. These shoes are light, breathable and since I began wearing them the strain I was feeling in my shin has disappeared. Nice.

I know it's been a while since I last posted. On a softball note after starting off 0-3 in my Tuesday night softball league we posted our first win. Oh yeah, a 14-12 beating (well not quite) and then the second game of the double header we got lambasted by 20 in five innings to a far superior team full of ex-baseball and softball stars.

Hats off the USF Mens Hoop team on their third best season in history. 20 wins in the Big East conference is a major feat. It looks like it was all for nil as they were taken behind the woodshed by the Georgetown Hoyas in the second round of the Big East Tournament. The second half was the most atrocious basketball I have ever witnessed. Plagued by missed free throws, dunks and horrid shooting the Bulls dug a deep hole and accepted their invite to the NIT with about 8:00 left in the second half. After winning their first game in the Big East Conference Tourney, they had us looking forward to a visit to the dance but we will watch the top 65 from the outside this year. Fear the Bulls next year if we can keep Jones from entering the NBA draft.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

First Challenge of 2010 down-Gasparilla 5k finished

Am I happy with my finish? Yeah, it felt good to get out there and run. It sure was cold. Too cold for my self-made cheering section, they got to have fun at the babysitter's house. My wife guessed my run at 25:25 but my chip time was 25:43. Not too far off from her guess work. Overall I finished 948 spots out of first place out of 9644 runners that took place in the 5k event. The start was a little crowded. My next event is slated for April 18th which is the Ron Jon Triathlon but I heard that I may need a wetsuit, so I may wait for the Sprint series over on the "West Side" or Gulf Coast. Fort DeSoto has several throughout the summer and into early fall. Besides this last race shows me that I need more training to be somewhat competitive. We'll see how the next month goes. I am planning another 5k on May 15th for those of you interested. The Miles For Moffitt is a great race for a great cause, to raise money for cancer research!! My wife is also racing in this one which will give the winner in home bragging rights. My wife is the team captain and also ran track and cross country in high school. So the pressure is on her! The kids can also compete in this, as there is a 50 yard dash that Boomer raced in last year and got a medal.

Friday, February 26, 2010

My first challenge of 2010. 5k Gasparilla Run-Downtown Tampa

The run is tomorrow at 7:30am. I have just gained 5 lbs in New Orleans thanks to my new found love of Beignets. I tried to walk as much as possible, I just did not have the energy left after walking the French Quarter all day only to come back to the hotel and workout. Wow what a run on sentence. Anyway, I am posting a poll to see how fast I will run this 5k be sure to vote!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Killing time on Super Sunday-When I Noticed....My beer was finally cold and...

With the Super Bowl still hours away, I find myself flipping channels between college basketball and the 2008 World Series(Rays vs Phillies). I had to stop watching the World Series because1. I knew how the series ended (Phillies in 5). and 2. I couldn't help but notice how many tattoos these college basketball players have. This is serious artwork that cost serious money. Where do they get the thousands of dollars for these tattoos. I couldn't read most of them but they are pretty elaborate. It takes hours to get these done. Does it take away from their study time? Some look to cost as much as a good used car. Maybe they are paid for by an unspoken sponsorship. I'm inspired to get one now but will I look as badass on the court at the YMCA as they do on national television? I think so.

Friday, February 5, 2010

New Bat=New Era in Temple Terrace Softball League

An awesome win in my Wednesday night softball league. The bats came alive from the first pitch and the new player acquisitions fit right in making the Bulls a league force. Is the new bat the difference or are we ball smashing badasses? We will find out next Wednesday for all the marbles in the league championship.

Now onto USF football news. Skip Holtz's first recruiting class is officially in place and looks pretty solid. High hopes for the upcoming season. Highest ranking recruits ever for USF football including two 4 star recruits Terrence Mitchell, cornerback from our local Hillsborough High, and Defensive Tackle Todd Chandler out of Miami.

USF Basketball note. Dominique Jones is a ManChild!! He has scored 140 points in the last 4 games!! True Story! Against Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall,and PITT.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Review of Easton IMX PLUS Slow Pitch Softball Bat

Easton IMX PLUS Slow Pitch Softball Bat

This was the first time I have spent this type of money on a bat. It looked nice and had a good end load feel to it but could it perform right out of the plastic. Hell yeah, I didn't get a good pitch to hit out in BP or my first game with it but my line shots were filled with pop and my opposite field attack gave me an in the park homerun. My buddy Matt had his first career homer, a 3 run shot to right. I would say this bat is worth the praise.

Today is about me since there are no football games on.

My softball team THE BULLS has our best shot at winning our league since we began playing about 6 years ago. We made a few position adjustments, cut some dead weight, and picked up some key players. We are in line for our first winning season, the first time we have advanced past the first round of the playoffs and the first time that I have felt like we are going to win this. I hope I didn't jinx us.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Former Buccaneer and Chicago Bear Gaines Adams Passes at Age 26

A sad day for Gaines Adams Fans. I met the guy a few times at the Five Guys burger place on Kennedy Blvd and at Jackson's night club on Harbor Island in South Tampa. Adams was a standout at Clemson and was the fourth overall pick of the Bucs in the 2007 draft. We had very high hopes for the guy and both fans and the media begged for him to fulfill our expectations from the first snap his rookie season.

Everyone I spoke to about him agreed that he was very approachable. I will post updates as they come in.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Its Official and Recruiting is Under Way in the Skip Holtz Era at USF!

Fresh out of the press conference Holtz made it sound as if he was getting his hands on the recruiting process. With only two weeks left, I completely agree that he should jump right in and lock down these poor recruits. Left in limbo the last five weeks, the investigation into allegations that Coach Leavitt hit the student athlete came back true and Leavitt was fired with cause.

Holtz made it clear that he was rolling up his sleeves and taking the bulls to the next level. He was fiery and confident. Those in attendance loved it, many screaming and fainting. No not really fainting, but you could feel the emotion. Its an exciting time to be on campus.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Skip Holtz signs with USF.

Judging by the number of TV camera crews on campus, you knew something was coming down the pipeline. As I walked to lunch, the campus was buzzing and students were anxiously looking to their phones for the most current updates regarding the next coach of one of the most up and coming football programs in the BIG EAST. After making headlines all week for the wrong reasons, the University of South Florida has made some positive news and providing a stabilizing answer for the incoming prospects that will fight for USF on the gridiron next season.

Skip Holtz was a solid decision. His buyout was low at $100,000 and he arrives with no skeletons. At least none that I am aware of. Scratch our back Skip and we will scratch yours. Its a new day for USF Football.

NEW FAAS SHOE BY PUMA-GET THAT PUMA GEAR!

PUMA Introduces the Faas Lightweight Running Shoe

Final Triathlon of the 2010 Season

Final Triathlon of the 2010 Season
20lbs lighter and looking forward to next Tri season

Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays
New Leaders in the Clubhouse

SUPPORT OUR NEW SPONSOR-PUMA AND THEIR NEW RUNNING SHOE!

PUMA Introduces the Faas Lightweight Running Shoe