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Friday, August 22, 2008

Friday Links (8/22)

Happy Friday, folks. This is an especially happy Friday for me, as I will actually be off the next two days.

Now, before you all start crying into your morning coffee, I will continue to update the blog throughout the weekend. I'll add the morning links, have a few other posts, and I will be sure to update you on anything major that happens. I will also still have new features in Saturday and Sunday's papers, which you can find at Macon.com or Ledger-Enquirer.com.

What you won't find for the next two days, however, are my daily practice updates, since I will not actually be at practice. I think I speak for the Georgia coaching staff when I say, we're all hoping nothing particularly newsworthy happens in my absence.

While I'm away, among other chores I must attend to, I'll also be drafting my 2008 fantasy football team (well, one of them anyway). Since I've been so busy with UGA stuff, I've put next to no prep work into this task -- which given how I've finished the past two years, may not be a bad thing.

Nevertheless, if you'd care to offer some advice on sleepers or draft strategy in the comments section, I'm all for implementing a battle plan from complete stangers. (I have pick #9 overall. Looking at Marshawn Lynch or Marion Barber, I think.)

Anyway, on to today's links...

* I have a story in today's paper on the progress of this year's freshman class. Speaking of, both A.J. Green and Tavarres King caught touchdown passes in Georgia's practice game yesterday. I really think both of them have a chance to be special this season.

* The Atlanta Business Chronicle says that the Bulldogs could be the country's highest-revenue program this season, with the football team bringing in an estimated $70-74 million.

* The AJC's Mark Bradley must have been getting low on hate mail, so he ranked each SEC school in order of how obnoxious their fans are in his blog. Can't say I agree with Bradley on all his choices, but I am in almost perfect agreement with the good folks over at Georgia Sports Blog. My favorite is their ranking of Tennessee -- it's funny 'cuz it's true.

* Chip Towers has a story about Mo Massaquoi's continuing relationship with A.J. Green. I wrote about this earlier this month, but I could not be more impressed with how much Mass has grown into a leader since I last covered Georgia. With kids as talented as Green (and King, and Israel Troupe), Mass's influence could be huge for Georgia this season.

* Speaking of relationships, Total UGA's Brett Jensen has a story about the one between Geno Atkins and Rodney Garner.

* A Kentucky commit may consider heading to UGA instead.

* Terence Moore doesn't think Knowshon will end up returning punts. I think I may disagree. Either way, the vast majority of the fans I've heard from actually think it's a good idea.

* The Sporting News says that no starter is safe on Georgia's defensive depth chart. I assume they don't mean Dannell.

* Great story from the Athens Banner-Herald's Mark Weiszer on the top five plays of the past five years. I won't argue with his top choice, but my guess is most fans would rank his No. 2 as their favorite.

* And finally, I'm sad to report that another great '80s movie myth has been disproved. I haven't been this depressed since I found out the ghost in "3 Men and a Baby" was just a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson.

So, third round too early for Darren McFadden? When should I draft my QB? Brandon Marshall worth a fourth-rounder despite his suspension? Man, I wish they sold fantasy football magazines on CD.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

My fantasy draft is this weekend, too. If you can get Barber at #9, definitely go for it. I'm not a big Marshawn Lynch fan, so I say get Barber or Larry Johnson (or maybe even Gore...he could fall that low). Oh, and I don't think 3rd round is too early for McFadden, but stay away from Marshall. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

If you can get Barber at #9 that is a STEAL. He is a top 4 back this year. Ryan Grant is going to have a monster year as well.

But i would go RB / WR (or QB) depending on your points structure.

The 9th pick this year is an excellent spot.

Anonymous said...

A. For the top five plays for the last 5 years, there is no doubt that it was the Greene to Johnson play at Auburn. That got us to our first SEC Champion ship game in the Richt era. After all, isn't it all about championships? I was at each of the games listed in the top 5 and I feel no other one listed rivals the Greene to Johnson play.

B. It is hard to know who to pick with the number #9 selection in the draft. A lot of it depends on what the other participants have selected. I have seen some crazy/surprising picks in my day. Here is what I have listed as my top 10 (in order):

Tomlinson, LaDainian
Peterson, Adrian
Westbrook, Brian
Brady, Tom
Jackson, Steven
Addai, Joseph
Moss, Randy
Gore, Frank
Lynch, Marshawn
Portis, Clinton

Honestly, I thin Westbrook may be a better #2 pick, but that is just my gut speaking...not the numbers I crunched to come up with the top 10.

Oh...and I was number 7 in one of my leagues and I actually selected Marshawn Lynch.

Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

My bad...I need to work on my math. Scratch the Johnson play comment above... :)

Anonymous said...

I don't have specific sleepers or busts to share but I would like to introduce you to a new resource to help you find them called Sports Data Hub(www.SportsDataHub.com). The interactive visualization tools allow you to quickly see player performance trends, compare players based on performance,rankings and projections, see coaching impacts on players, and more. A preview of our tool is at http://analyze.sportsdatahub.com/beta/free/

Good luck in your draft!

Anonymous said...

Mark Bradley's main agrument against UGA was the drunk fans. Of all the college games I've been to on other campuses, I see a lot of drunks from all ages at games. We just have a wider fan base than anyone else.

To put LSU that low, Bradley must be a) an idiot (which I don't doubt) or b) has never been around LSU fans (which I don't doubt either). It is a shame Mr. College Football was booted out in favor of people like Mark Bradley and Moore.