Pinks,
Blues, Greens and Commando....Another weekend on the Manitou...From the healthy, Norton virus protected notebook of your commish. Tuesday September 4th, 2007 8:48 PM Rambling before Week 1... Quite the weekend....no not the upcoming one (but week 1 is always nice)....just got back from a long holiday weekend up on the Manitou. It was an experience, as always. From the Eveleth Cushmans to the Minneapolis Cushmans to the Vegas Cushmans to the not so perfect weather to a contest that would surprise the Seinfeld bunch, there's always something unexpected happening in the Ontario woods. But to what matters.....Week one is upcoming, only about 48 hours away from now the Saints and Colts will be kicking it around -- more accurately tossing it around with those two offenses. We can take a peek at who is looking good and who isn't in the BIG for the upcoming season. Maybe I'll go with a rating system....let's say for example, Courtney Love would be a 1.0 while Carrie Underwood would be a 10.0. Let's start out in the Bulldog Division. As far as I'm concerned, our league's Carrie Underwood at this point, is the Little Bastards (assuming that Tory Holt can give it a go). The starting lineup of Vince, Westbrook, Jones-Drew, Holt, Houshmandooozzza, Gonzo and the Chi-town boys looks pretty good on paper....just like Carrie. Team Smith - also looking pretty damn good. The starting bunch of Romo/Eli, LJ, Steve Smith, TO, Vernon, Vinatieri and JAX should be solid all year long. Sure there are question marks, but Smith should average just about 30 receptions per week with this team.....not too shabby, I'll call this one a Jessica Simpson (9.0). On to the Little Red Horse. A couple of question mark picks for Jason with Donald Driver and Tatum Bell, puts the Horse in the range of a Katie Couric (5.0). Cutler, Fast Willie, Chad Johnson and Watson will need some help, but they are a good nucleus. With some good luck, this team might just be better than 7-7. Finally for the Dogs, Team Juice. That Tomlinson guy, along with Carson and Portis will give Juice a good 1-2-3 punch. Questions here.....what can the New York WR's Plax and Cotchery do this year? A couple more questions here than answers.....but LT still brings this team up to the range of a young Kirstie Alley (7.0).....without LT, they'd be more like a current day Kirstie (3.0). Saw a bunch of wildlife up there, loons, eagles, hawks, vultures, a black bear, and other woodland creatures.....but the wildest thing may have been what I'll call "The Game"....(with respect to Seinfeld's "The Contest") Now before you get the wrong idea, stay with me here..... Imagine with me if you will.....a rainbow of colors, a monthly calendar, a fresh pair of drawers and a bunch of text messages. Put them together and what do you get? Well, if you guessed it, then you must be a ranger. Let's just say that each day on the monthly calendar has a designated color. The 'players' in the game text the color of the panties they choose that day to the guy running the game...we'll call him "Mr. Big". If their color choice for the day matches the pre-determined color on the calendar, a point is gained. The most points for the month win the prize. The obvious question is why. I agree.....so here is the genius of it. Let's say the pattern is random for the first two weeks.....but the same two week pattern returns for the second half of the month. The players will start to figure out the pattern and begin to think about Mr. Big as they pick out their undies for the day. Quite the concept. Currently he claims to have about 12 players vying for this months prize.....a "Pump 'n Munch" gas station tee shirt. Anywho.....on to the Bison Division. Jugsie looking solid with the Hasselbeck, Rudi, Edge and Roy Williams. I believe the key to this team winning this year's championship is this.....Jugs FINALLY ate his own words and took a K and Defense before his final few picks. This will show that he's been all wrong all these years.....ok, maybe not, but wouldn't it be funny.....a solid Ashley Judd here (8.0). The defending champs, the Flying Fish of far far east Wyoming (ok, we'll recognize South Dakota as an "actual" state). It was a rough draft for Suomala. Keeping Drew Brees was surprising to all. The Fish ended up with Benson and T Jones rather than either Edge or Portis. Maybe the champ knows more than us.....but we'll see. For now, I'm throwing out a ranking of Catherine Zeta-Jones (7.5) just for being the defending champ. The Drunken Sailors are ready this year to take the Bison Title. With Steven Jackson, Mike finally has a big time keeper to anchor his team. Adding Gates, Javon, Coles and Leinart should give this team some massive firepower each week. If McGahee does anything this year, you'll see the Sailors in our championship game. Mike takes top rating in the Bison as a Kathryn Heigl (9.5). To close out this division.....you gots me - Air JC. I'm pretty happy with my team. Gore, Wayne, Boldin and Heap should be solid. If Ronnie Brown and Big Ben get their work done, I'll be challenging for the wildcard. To keep it short, I'm giving myself the Emily Procter rating (8.0), just because. Small facts here in-between divisions,
Let's get the Husky Division done here and get some shut-eye. Team Nookie, first off, kudos on getting the 2008 We Fest tickets purchased. Gonna be great in 08 (I'm guessing that's the cheesy slogan....I suppose I could just look back at the 98 ads and figure it out). With Bulger, Addai, Shockey and Henry (who is the best pick of the draft I think), Ben's team will just have to find out who will be his top WRs. If he gets anything out of them, he'll have something. Otherwise.....well, let's just say, it'll be frustrating. But since WRs are pretty much a dime a dozen, Ben gets a solid rating of Britney Spears (9.0, the pre-crazy, pre-chubby one). On to Kinger's team. Interesting draft to say the least. Keeper Peyton - no doubt. Then going WR/WR before a RB? Well, for a glass half full opinion, it's never been done before. Even then going RB/TE/RB with the next three....once again, never been done before. Will it work? Sure could. The lineup of Peyton, Ahman, Barber III, Harrison, Andre Johnson and Kellen Jr doesn't look too bad (but definitely heavy on the passing game). So how to rate this team since now I've talked myself into kinda liking it....well, at worst, not hating it. I'll give Jack the Cameron Diaz rating which runs from a 4.5 to a 8.0 depending on the role. Next up, the IZzards or however Scottie is using his team to tribute his little girl.....which I hope works out for him in the world of Karma this year. An interesting team to say the least. Tom Brady will lead this team, and Scottie knows the benefits of having a good QB leading the team. From there, a lot of youth will see a lot of time for the Izzies. 2nd year Reggie Bush could be the keeper for the next 10 years. Brandon Jacobs will have plenty of opportunity to fill Tiki's shoes. The WRs, Calvin Johnson, Reggie Brown, Troy Williamson and Matt Jones are all younger than 26. Dallas Clark, at 5 years experience, is the elder statesman for the IZzzes RB/WR/TE core. I guess what I'm getting at is Scottie went for the high risk, high reward picks. Good move....we'll see. A rating of Anna Kournakova fits here....(9.5 for looks, 4.0 for performance). Finally....the house arrested Team Tang. Apparently the phone/IM/long distance relationship didn't affect Jonny's drafting. He put together a very good team.....my pick as the favorite for the Husky Division title. Grabbing McNabb, Shaun, Fitzgerald and Santana Moss to go with Maroney gives Jonny a great team (barring injuries....knock on wood for you). A year ago, Jonny mentioned he couldn't wait for this year......well, I'd have to agree. He should just about run away (figuratively of course, literally wouldn't be allowed) with the division. Rating of Jennifer Nettles (10.0). So my pre-season predictions......
Anywho, good luck all in week 1 (except for Scottie and the rest of the Bison of course). Also, Proctor/Hermantown 2007 is on Friday. I belive it's at good old Egerdahl and I'd think I'll see a few of you there. (note Proctor is coming off a opening win against Mora and I'm not sure what the Hawks did and since my internet is down as I write this, I can't check it out). As a final note on the Manitou....heaven does exist, and it is found a mere 200 miles away from my front door. It does not have electricity, nor can it be driven to directly with an automobile -- and internet, HA. What it does have is good folks, fish, food and fun. Some of you have been....those of you that have not, maybe someday you'll get to the Manitou. Need I say more? BIGFFBL senior writer Jeremy Carlson sounds off whenever he feels like it on www.bigffbl.com |