Five 2010 Fantasy Baseball Bounce Back Guys

Spring is in the air down in Florida and out west in Arizona. Mitts are popping. Bats are cracking. Elbows are getting sore. And you? Well, if you're anything like me, you're fiending to join the pitchers and catchers and everyone else because you're ready for some baseball. Fantasy baseball, in particular.


I've been tweeting my pre-spring training division predictions for the last several days and it's gotten me thinking about who this year's rebound guys could be. You know, the guys who you decided to build your roto squad around that let you down. Basically, the reasons you did not win your league last season. Who are the most likely bounce back players of 2010?


3B David Wright - I'm positive that I'm not the only one picking Wright, the face of the Mets, to turn it all around this season. But that doesn't mean we're all right. No pun intended. CitiField took it's toll on D-Wright's power numbers in '09 and stayed in his head all season to the tune of a career low .837 OPS and a Placido Polanco-esque 10 home runs. Factor in the 140 strikeouts and you have the prototypical example of someone trying to hard. Expect Wright to enter the 2010 season with his head clear knowing that Jose Reyes is back at the top of New York's lineup and Jason Bay is providing some pop to the middle of the order. It should all add up to a fantasy steal if you take Wright with your 3rd round pick. Expectations of .315-100-24-100-30 are not out of line.


SP Scott Kazmir - The electric little lefty entered 2009 hoping to overcome injury and inconsistency. Many fantasy pundits had him on this same list this time last February. Here's hoping Kaz doesn't make it an annual thing. Signs point to the still only 26 year old having turned the corner once he was dealt to the Angels. Prior to the trade, Scotty was floundering with his mechanics in Tampa and even got sent down to the minors briefly after being removed from the Rays' rotation. Clearly, a change of division did him some good. With L.A. Kazmir went 2-2 with a 1.73 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in six starts. Amazing what getting away from the Yanks and Red Sox can do for a pitcher, huh? His K/9 rate was still a little down, 26 punchouts in 36.1 innings is nothing to be vexed about. If you're a risk/reward kind of fantasy player, this is your man. He can be had as a SP4 and could possibly produce high-end SP2 numbers.

OF B.J. Upton - This is not as much of a "should" as a "must" bounce back guy. If he doesn't turn it around in 2010, Upton can go ahead and recalibrate his career goals. Think Mike Cameron, at best. Journeyman type who never quite becomes a star, but always has a job. Obviously, B.J. is as toolsy as it gets and that's one reason I believe the world will see more 2007 than 2009 from him this season. But, after two subpar years, Upton has certainly learned that talent can only take you so far in the majors. Hard work and heart have to eventually come into play. In '07 we saw a determined player who had worked hard in the offseason and spring training to learn two new positions. That work translated into performance on the field, both offensively and defensively. Now, three springs later, B.J. has been passed in fantasy value by his younger brother Justin out in Arizona. That has to sting his pride at least a little bit. Spring training numbers generally don't mean a whole lot, but pay attention to Upton over the next few weeks. His performance should be a big indicator of whether he's back to top form or still just skating by on talent.

SP Ricky Nolasco - This one has all the markings, if you know what to look for. Nolasco is injury free, in his "age 27" season, and his '09 numbers are skewed badly by three horrific starts. Throw out those three games and you go from a 5.06 ERA down to a 3.99 ERA. Amazing what nine bad innings can do to your numbers, huh? Despite being perceived as having such an off year last season, Ricky still struck out 195 in just 185.0 innings and finished the season strong. He was 11-4 with a 3.82 ERA, 141 K's, and a sparkling 1.08 WHIP from June 7 on. All of these thhings add up to a probable fantasy steal for you. Nolasco could easily be a top-25 SP in 2010 while you sit back and patiently wait to select him in the 10th round of your 12-team draft.

RP Carlos Marmol - 2009 was supposed to signal the christening of Marmol as the Cubs' closer for years and years to come. Not so fast, my friend. While Carlos ultimately wound up in that position, it wasn't easy and didn't come without it's share of bumps and bruises. First there was the World Baseball Classic, where Marmol underperformed and imploded while trying to anchor the bullpen of the highly touted Dominican squad. Next, it was Kevin Gregg who got a jumpstart on Marmol in the closer race in Chicago by pitching well throughout the spring. Finally, the walks. Oh, those walks. Nearly one BB per inning for a pitcher who had been a WHIP wunderkind in 2007 and 2008. This year provides a clean slate for Marmol, however. No WBC to fret over. No Kevin Gregg with whom to compete. And, without those distractions, I fully expect no more control issues. Draft Marmol as a second closer around the 12th round and reap the benefits of a rare RP with actually helps you in K's too.

Good luck boys and girls.

NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Combine

As we all know, you can't put much stock in anything from an NFL Draft perspective before the Combine in Indy. But, just for fun, I wanted to take a look at things right now and try to project how the first round might play out. Feel free to chime in with any opinions/disagreements you may have. One thing is for sure, the draft always provides great discussion.

1)St. Louis Rams-Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska.

I know. Me and everybody else, right? If it's the guy, then it's the guy. You can't help that. The only other player who is even an option here is Sam Bradford. And I promise you that Bradford would have to be off the chart exceptional and prove that he is completely healthy in order for the Rams to even consider deviating from Suh. This kid was as dominant in 2009 as any defensive lineman has been in a generation.

2)Detroit Lions-Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma.

Once again, no shock here. There is a real possibility that McCoy may actually be the better of the these two big defensive tackles but, after the way Suh performed in 2009, the Nebraska kid's production cannot be dismissed. McCoy would give the Lions what they need, a strong athletic guy against the run and pass with Kevin Williams type upside. He's a difference maker.

3)Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Eric Berry, S Tennessee.

Berry was, without doubt, the most productive and disruptive defensive back in college football last season and the Bucs should not hesitate to take him off the board if the two big DT's are taken 1-2 as I predict. Berry's an Ed Reed type whose athletic gifts at free safety would provide a plus complement to Sabby Piscitelli in the back of Tampa's defense. There's very little limit to how good he can be.

4)Washington Redskins-Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma St.

Here is where I staunchly disagree with most other draft pundits. I do not see the Redskins going QB at this spot. Mike Shanahan's greatest successes have come with brilliant offensive lines and Washington's is far from that level. Drafting Okung gives them an immediate starter at left tackle and still leaves the opportunity to pick a quarterback like Colt McCoy or Dan LeFevour later on in this draft. Okung rates higher than any of the OT's from 2009 and has the tools to be a ten year NFL starter and multiple time Pro Bowler.

5)Kansas City Chiefs-Rolando McLain, ILB Alabama.

The Chiefs have so many holes to fill, they could conceivably go in any direction here. However, many folks had them penciled in for LB Aaron Curry last season and they instead took a gamble on DE Tyson Jackson from LSU. Look for Scott Pioli to correct that apparent mistake by grabbing this 'Bama beast to play inside linebacker in their 3-4. McLain has it all. Size. Speed. Smarts. Talent. At best, he could be part Urlacher, part DeMeco Ryans. At worst, he's still a solid starter.

6)Seattle Seahawks-Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma.

Despite having huge needs at OT and DE with the apparent retirements of Walter Jones and Patrick Kerney, Pete Carroll simply cannot pass on the undisputed best QB in this year's draft with this pick. In my mind, Bradford is the only quarterback this year with the stuff to become elite a la Peyton, Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Rivers. His accuracy is excellent, he has good zip on his passes, and is adequately mobile in the pocket. Best of all, Bradford should have at least one season to sit and learn under starter Matt Hasselbeck.

7)Cleveland Browns-Joe Haden, CB Florida.

This seems to be another consensus among those of us who try to predict the draft. Haden certainly inspires some very lofty comparisons. Darrelle Revis? Really? I'm not THAT high on him, but I see him having Antoine Winfield type potential for sure. And that's not too bad. Pair him with Eric Wright and the Browns will have the talent at corner to expand their blitz packages and play more man coverage.

8)Oakland Raiders-Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida.

I called it last year at #7 with Darrius Heyward-Bey and I'm calling for another hyphenated last name with crazy measurables again. I actually have Derrick Morgan rated higher at defensive end, but that won't stop the crazy old madman, Al Davis, from taking the guy he falls in love with at the combine and in workouts. The Raiders need help all over the field, but DE will probably be the priority here.

9)Buffalo Bills-Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland.

Campbell is fairly inexperienced, but he is by far the most physically gifted OT on the board and the Bills are in dramatic need of tackle help. This "workout warrior" will remind many in Buffalo of former LT Jason Peters in terms of athletic ability, but it remains to be seen if he'll develop the same way. Mark my words, Campbell will be the OL mover after the combine and workouts.

10)Denver Broncos-Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma St.

Four guys from the state of Oklahoma in the first ten picks. And it's very likely to happen. The Broncos appear to be done with Brandon Marshall and Bryant is the only guy in this draft at WR with the size and ability to possibly replace him. Dez is more of an Anquan Boldin type, but could be a steal here at #10 because I rate him higher than I had any receiver in the 2009 Draft.

11)Jacksonville Jaguars-Taylor Mays, S Southern Cal.

Despite all of the Tim Tebow/Derrick Morgan speculation, I think the Jags will go with the most enigmatic player in this draft instead. Mays is a physical freak, possessing the size and skill set not seen in the defensive backfield since Sean Taylor roamed the field for the Washington Redskins. However, his on-field production has never matched his talent. Jacksonville's recent early draft history has been sketchy with guys like Derrick Harvey and Reggie Nelson not playing up to expectations, so I see them going away from the "safe" pick and grabbing a fellow Trojan for head coach Jack Del Rio to try and inspire.

12)Miami Dolphins-Brandon Graham, OLB Michigan.

With Bryant off the board, I anticipate Bill Parcells looking to add a combo LB at this spot. The hot guy after the Senior Bowl, practices and game, is Graham. He was looked at as an early to mid 2nd rounder previously, now he looks like the number one 3-4 OLB and, according to me, will be drafted as such. I know Fins fans are hoping for a bigger splash, but take a look at how successful last year's first round OLB's(Orakpo, Cushing, Matthews) were. Graham could have a similar impact as long as he plays with same motor he displayed in Mobile.

13)San Francisco 49ers-Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma.

It seems to be a sure thing that the Niners go with an offensive linemen here. The only question is which one? I say Williams right now. That could definitely change post-Combine, but for now I'll take the kid who compares favorably to two other recent Sooners, Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson, who are now solid starters in the NFL. Williams could allow San Fran to move Joe Staley to the right side, where he's better suited, or they could leave Staley alone and draft another guy to man the right side.

14)Seattle Seahawks-Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers.

This is why the Seahawks were allowed the luxury of picking Sam Bradford at #6. There are certainly enough first round quality offensive linemen that they could take that chance at QB and still be rewarded with a solid player here at #14. Davis makes the most sense for them despite questions about his commitment. He's a big dancing bear a la the guy he'll be replacing, the aforementioned Walter Jones, and he's actually my number three offensive lineman this year. If things go this way for Seattle, 'Hawks fans and their new coach should all be ecstatic.

15)New York Giants-Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech.

What the hell happened to the Giants' vaunted pass rush last year? Quite simply, Osi Umenyiora was not himself and many in the organization feel that he never will be again. In fact, Osi is talking retirement right now. That makes Morgan, a very productive pass rusher in college, the logical choice. He provides great value at this spot, too, since many have Morgan projected as a top-10 player.

16)Tennessee Titans-Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida.

At first glance, this pick makes no sense. Dunlap's character is questionable and the Titans have a Pro Bowler at defensive end in Kyle Vanden Bosch. Look deeper and you'll see how much sense it makes, however. Dunlap is a top-5 player strictly based on talent and Vanden Bosch, along with Jevon Kearse, is up there in age. Look at the history of supremely talented players who fell in the 1st round due to character issues. Warren Sapp come to mind? How about Randy Moss? Or Ray Lewis? I'm just saying, Dunlap's worth the shot here.

17)San Francisco 49ers-Sean Weatherspoon, ILB Missouri.

This, too, is a bit of a luxury pick for another NFC West team. Weatherspoon is not an immediate need, but a player of this caliber has to be gobbled up at this point. The Niners still have Takeo Spikes beside Patrick Willis, the premier ILB in the league, but Spoon would give them a young future star and free up Spikes to play some OLB as well. This pick could give Mike Singletary the NFC version of the Jets duo, Bart Scott and David Harris.

18)Pittsburgh Steelers-Mike Iupati, OG Idaho.

Have you ever seen anyone sprint to the podium to submit their pick? Well, pay attention to the Steelers execs if Iupati falls to them, because this guy gives them the replacement for Alan Faneca they've been seeking for two seasons. In actuality, they'll work the phones the full time to see if anyone wants to trade up for a guy like Jimmy Clausen or C.J. Spiller, but this kid from Idaho is definitely the player Pittsburgh will covet.

19)Atlanta Falcons-Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas.

Why not? The Redskins hit a home run in '09 with another combo OLB/DE from Texas and Kindle has primarily played 4-3 OLB in his career. Consider that Mike Peterson is now 34 years old, and it makes that much more sense. You probably have a vivid memory of Kindle from the national championship game and, if you don't, I promise you that Alabama QB Greg McElroy does after Sergio terrorized him all night.

20)Houston Texans-C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson.

In all likelihood, Spiller will not fall this far because someone will trade up to take him. But in my draft, with no trades, the Texans get a steal. Steve Slaton fell all the way out of favor with coach Gary Kubiak last season and Houston owner Bob McNair has clearly stated, "We need a running back." Spiller would give them a Chris Johnson/Reggie Bush type player to pair with late season starter Aryan Foster and turn a weakness into a strength for a team looking to make a big splash and finally make it into the playoffs in 2010.

21)Cincinnati Bengals-Dan Williams, DT Tennessee.

For a defending AFC North champ, the Bengals still have a ton of holes to fill. They need help at TE, S, WR, and DT. Williams, of all the remaining players at these positions, charts the highest...just ahead of S Earl Thomas from Texas. Wilson has been a fast riser since the season ended and now rates as the number three defensive tackle on many teams' boards. He's good at occupying blockers and also collapsing pockets and Cincy coach Marvin Lewis will hope Williams becomes as good a player as another former Vol defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth.

22)New England Patriots-Jared Odrick, DT Penn St.

For the first time in a while, the Patriot organization has many significant needs and concerns. Not the least of which are the defense and Vince Wilfork's impending free agency. Odrick's a great pick here because he can play some nose if they lose Wilfork or, preferably, slide over to DE in their 3-4. Odrick's an active athletic defensive lineman who already uses his hands well and should work well within the Bill Belichick assignment heavy defense.

23)Green Bay Packers-Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa.

Bulaga fits with the Pack. They need offensive line help and the Iowa product can play tackle on the right side or either guard spots. His stock may actually be hurt by the past failures of similar type players from the Big 10, but he should be a solid NFL starter for many years to come. When you have a commodity like Aaron Rodgers at QB, you want to make sure to protect him. This guy helps do that and should help Ryan Grant and the running game in Green Bay too.

24)Philadelphia Eagles-Navorro Bowman, OLB Penn St.

Philly needs help at LB in the worst way. Bowman is a great fit for them. He's an incredible athlete, good in coverage, suited for OLB only in 4-3 schemes. But the Eagles play a blitz heavy 4-3 and can utilize all the strengths of this kid from "Linebacker U". Combined with a healthy Stewart Bradley back in the middle, Philadelphia will be extremely fast in the second level, play tough sideline to sideline, and be improved against opposing tight ends.

25)Baltimore Ravens-Earl Thomas, S Texas.

The Ravens have a perennial need at wideout, but this draft isn't exactly deep with surefire talent at that position. After losing Jim Leonhard to the Jets prior to last season and with Ed Reed talking retirement, Thomas would be a fantastic add for Baltimore. He's a ball hawking playmaker in the mold of Reed and, retirement or not, will be a plus addition to a secondary in need of help. Thomas is a bit undersized for a safety, but makes up for it with his cornerback level coverage skills and could even play some nickel CB if Reed decides to return.

26)Arizona Cardinals-Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma.

This pick could be a DT, but if Gresham falls to them the Cards should snap him up. With the retirement of Kurt Warner and the possible loss of WR Anquan Boldin, Gresham could give Matt Leinart a security blanket over the middle and help speed up the team's offensive transition. This kid is wide receiver fast and built like a young Tony Gonzalez but needs to really work on his strength if he's ever going to become a good blocker. Gresham's a top-15 talent and the knee injury he's coming off is the only reason he'll slide this far.

27)Dallas Cowboys-Brian Price, DT UCLA.

The Cowboys may have the fewest needs of any team in the NFL. Price provides terrific value along the defensive front. He would come in and start immediately for most teams, but with Dallas he'll play behind Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff at the nose and Igor Olshansky at 3-4 defensive end. This pick could turn out to be a steal because you can never have enough talented big players on the D-line and Price definitely has talent.

28)San Diego Chargers-Jonathan Dwyer, RB Georgia Tech.

This is a hit-or-miss pick. The Chargers need a running back to replace all-time great LaDainian Tomlinson and Dwyer has all the talent to fit that bill. He's solidly built and much faster(4.3 range?) than people realize...yet. A solid combine and/or pro day performance could lead to Dwyer becoming a fast riser in the weeks leading up to the draft despite his inexperience as a pass blocker, receiver, and in a pro-style offense. I liken this kid's upside to that of Ronnie Brown, but without the injuries.

29)New York Jets-Kyle Wilson, CB Boise St.

Rex Ryan made no bones about it after the Jets' loss to the Colts in the AFC Championship game, he needs more help at DB. Wilson provides it. He's only 5' 10" and he hasn't played much against top flight competition, but this kid can play. He's great in man coverage, has fluid hips, and doesn't back down from anyone. He works hard and should be an ideal fit in New York.

30)Minnesota Vikings-Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame.

Just as with Spiller earlier, Clausen will probably not be here, but this is a MOCK draft and it's a good pick for the Vikings. Whether Brett Favre returns or not, Tarvaris Jackson was not the answer before and will not be the answer moving forward. Besides, T-Jax is a free agent likely to be gone anyway. Enter young Clausen. He has a little of Favre in him too. He's fearless, hangs in the pocket, and is experienced in trying to lead comebacks. I personally think this is just about the perfect spot for Clausen, but I know some teams have him much higher on their draft boards.

31)Indianapolis Colts-Lamarr Houston, DT Texas.

This pick is really a crapshoot. Indy is another team without a ton of faults but, since the draft encourages nitpicking, they could use a better playmaker at DT and a better man coverage CB. Houston's built a lot like Darnell Dockett without quite as much athleticism and not quite the same motor. He is, however, good at collapsing the pocket and very strong at the point of attack. His strength and quickness should allow him to help the Colts stuff the run and develop into the playmaker they need.

32)New Orleans Saints-Patrick Robinson, CB Florida St.

Good in man or zone, great closing speed, feisty enough to play against the run, and nice size all make Robinson just what the doctor ordered for the newly crowned Super Bowl champions. At the very least, he'll provide the Saints with a nickel CB and allow them to slide 2009 1st rounder Malcolm Jenkins over to safety where he's better suited. Robinson gives New Orleans great DB depth and addresses the one big problem this team had.

Hey A.J. Smith...

Drew Brees has a message for you and he wanted me to relay it. He said,"SUCK IT!" I had a chance to talk to Drew mano a mano for a sec after last night's Super Bowl XLIV thumping of Peyton Manning's Colts, and he held up the Lombardi Trophy and gave me that quote. He also wanted to know "when was the last time YOU got invited to Disney Land, A.J.?" But he's not bitter. Brees is way too busy not choking in the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl MVP trophy to be bitter. So, uh, good call Mr. Smith.

Or should I call you Dr. Frankenstein? Because you created one helluva NFL monster back in early 2006 when you decided to just let Drew walk his way to Bourbon Street. You were so smug about it too. It really is a problem for you dude. Granted, Brees was injured at that time and you had a promising young QB in Phil Rivers, but you were the G.M. of a seemingly Super Bowl ready San Diego Chargers team and you decided to start from square one at the most important position on the football field. Meanwhile, the discarded monster proceeded to go on a Marino-esque tear for the next four seasons and put an exclamation point on it with a Super Bowl win...something that always eluded Danny Boy and your Bolts. Coincidence? Luck? I think not.

Drew Brees came to post-Katrina New Orleans in a swirl of questions. How is the shoulder? Who will you throw to? Where will the team play? Will New Orleans ever recover? He immediately made himself a huge part of the "Big Easy" and immersed himself in helping his fellow citizens and the city move forward. His banishment from San Diego's laid back atmosphere had been a blessing in disguise. Brees had a fire burning inside him unlike any he had possessed before. He, along with many other cast-off Saints, vowed to put it all together and give the city of NOLA something they could be proud of. Right off the bat he found a go-to guy in Marques Colston and threw for over 4,400 yards and 26 TD's. Leading the former "Aints" to the NFC Championship game at Chicago where the Bears were victorious but the Saints had gotten a taste of what they wanted and Brees knew he wanted more.

The next two seasons were no less prolific statistically, with Brees putting up around 9,500 passing yards and 62 TD's. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to explain it. While the Saints may have struggled, primarily on defense, to a 15-17 combined record in 2007 and 2008, many fantasy football titles were won on the right arm of #9. I know I owe at least one of my trophies to him, so thanks Drew. You were the man even when your team was all over the place inconsistent.

Enter 2009, and yours truly makes the case for why Drew Brees may have been the safest first round draft pick in your fantasy draft. Another 4,388 yds. and 34 TD's later, New Orleans is sitting at the precipice of the playoffs as the NFC #1 seed at 13-3 and Brees has the all-time NFL record for QB completion % at 70.2. No matter. It's playoff time now. Up first? Future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals. THUMP! Adios Kurt. I wish you the best in retirement. Next? A nail biter, but another playoff victory over a future Hall of Fame QB named Brett Favre. The "Human Interception" may have given the Saints their chance, but it was Drew Brees who led his team down the field and straight into the Super Bowl. Finally? Another future HOF'er in "Peyton Perfect" and his video game cast of wide receivers. The money was all on Indianapolis, but the money was wrong. The Saints and their MVP quarterback had pulled the upset and given a truly historic city another one for the record books. Three games, three wins over Hall of Famers at QB, and one world championship.

All courtesy of you A.J. The city of New Orleans, coach Sean Payton, millions of fans in the "Who Dat? Nation" and Drew Brees himself all thank you from the bottoms of the respective hearts. I know that you would never admit it was a mistake to let Brees walk but, then again, you're so stubborn that you still won't admit that drafting WR Craig "Buster" Davis in the first round ahead of guys like Sidney Rice, Steve Smith, and Mike Sims-Walker was a colossal mistake in 2007. The word obstinate comes to mind. Also the word doomed. Because the Chargers are doomed as long as Norville Turner is your man at the head coach position. But you won't realize it until it's too late and Norv's ineptitude has cost you your job.

And get used to the feeling A.J. Because it's coming again in 2010 when you release LaDainian Tomlinson. He'll wind up signing with Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Randy Moss et al in New England and help carry them farther than your Chargers. Maybe even all the way to the Super Bowl too. Meanwhile, you'll at least have Norv and Rivers. Good luck with that.

The Locker Room

As many of you know, I used to do a sportsradio show called "The Fantasy Front Office" in Columbia, SC on 1400 AM. I was unfortunately forced to give the show up prior to the 2009 NFL season. Sadly. Sadly, because I missed providing fantasy sports info to everyone in our listening radius. Sadly, because I was losing the rush of doing what I had always dreamt of...sharing my sports knowledge and opinions with bright people who had their own opinions. But most of all, sadly, because of the relationships I was fortunate enough to forge with some great journalists and some pretty good former athletes as well. I miss it. I miss it every single day. But I miss the people I worked with the most.

A couple of my former colleagues, Eric Guimaraes and "The Captain" Carey Rich, have gone on to start their own successful show in that same Columbia market at the same station. Their show is called "The Locker Room". It airs daily at 1400theteam.com and includes discussions on an interesting variety of topics. It's not just Carolina Gamecocks all the time. These guys are knowledgeable and funny, and talk about everything from professional sports all the way down to high school football and basketball and recruiting. Yes, they're friends of mine, but that isn't the only reason I'm recommending the show to you. It's just good sportsradio and that's the bottom line. Check out "The Locker Room" the next chance you get. You'll get some of the best SEC and ACC talk around and you'll be amazed at where "The Captain" takes you when he gets going on basketball in general. Maybe even give the boys a call(803-978-1832) or e-mail them at lockerroom@1400theteam.com. Tell 'em Buddha sent you.

Welcome to Gamecock Nation...for Better or Worse

Dear Marcus Lattimore,

I just wanted to take a second and welcome you into the South Carolina Gamecock family. I hope you'll like it here. I really hope that you are able to aid us in taking our football program to a level the likes of which we've never seen. Chances are, sadly enough, that you won't. It may or may not even have anything to do with you and all your wonderful abilities on the field. It may just come down to the same old things that have always kept the Carolina program from elevating itself to elite status.

Our talent level, the highest we've had at Carolina since 1987, is still is not on par with the Floridas, Alabamas, and LSU's of world. All of whom we have to compete with directly just to get out of Southeastern Conference play. A case can even be made that Clemson remains more talented than us inside our own state, making the task of reaching that elusive "next level" even more daunting. You're heading up another great recruiting class in 2010, Mr. Lattimore, but Florida, Bama, Auburn, Georgia, and Tennessee still all outdid us.

And the coaching. Well, the coaching is as good as it has ever been at South Carolina. But this version of "The Ol' Ball Coach" still isn't what he used to be and certainly isn't the SEC's best. Once again, the best reside in Alabama and Florida. And there are absolutely no cupcakes in this conference. The new guys in Tennessee and Kentucky will be tested early, but have been well groomed and should be ready and up to the challenge. Coach Spurrier keeps us in the national spotlight, but who knows if he still has one more run at greatness left in him?

The overall situation looks as promising as ever in 2010. The entire SEC East faces more uncertainty than we do, with the exception of our pathetic excuse for an offensive line. Adding your versatility to the specialty positions on offense should make for the best group we've ever had in the Spurrier Era. The defense returns exceptional talent in the secondary and a solid front seven, despite the losses of LB Eric Norwood and DE Clifton Geathers. And the special teams should be improved over last year's fairly solid unit. The pieces are there, but can we put them all in place?

For every Gamecock fan's mutual benefit, I hope we can find out the answers to all the questions surrounding the program and give you the most positive experience you could possibly ask for over the next three years. Nothing on Earth would please me more. But I am a Gamecock fan and hence cannot avoid being skeptical. Even the best of times as with Carolina are merely average to below average times for the SEC big boys.

So welcome, once more, Marcus. May you truly be a difference maker and be a big part of getting the University of South Carolina football team over the proverbial hump. I wish you, your teammates, and your coaches all the best.

Forever a Gamecock,
Buddha

Upon Further Review...

Okay. Here we are in early February. Post-Senior Bowl and Pro Bowl, pre-Super Bowl. And I'm here to say how wrong I was about three 2nd year NFL running backs in 2009. Nobody gets it right all the time, but I was so far off on these guys that it's a wonder I was able to even keep myself competitive this past fantasy football season. However, thanks to nabbing Matt Schaub in the 8th round and a career high 18 TD's for Adrian Peterson, I was able to come out victorious in my oldest, most prestigious league and put my name on the championship trophy for the sixth time in 13 years. Right on.

Now that I'm done patting myself on the back, let's get to why we're here. Three guys named Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, and Chris Johnson. And how far off the mark I was with all of them. Heading into the season, I actually had Forte and Slaton both rated in my Top 12 players overall. Sadly and apallingly, as it were. Chris Johnson, meanwhile, was a guy I had slated for around 1,300 total yards and about 7 TD's and a mid-2nd round draft slot. Not horrible, but not even in the same universe as the numbers he actually posted in his record smashing 2009 season.

Why was I so far off on these guys? That's what I hope to clear up. Here and now. And I hope to avoid ever making these mistakes again. But I doubt that'll happen. There's just too much uncertainty in fantasy football and that's what makes it so challenging and fun.

1)Forte's Fall - It all really starts with the acquisition of Jay Cutler. The Bears were so dead set on featuring their shiny new toy at QB that they forgot what kind of ballplayer they had at tailback. As a result, the pass became the first, second, and third option for a team not exactly loaded with NFL caliber wide receivers. Predictably, Chicago often found themselves behind in the first half of games. Trailing early doesn't lead to a lot of carries for your young star RB. Add to this the lackluster play of an aged offensive line, an unforgiving schedule, and a clueless offensive coordinator and you have a recipe for fantasy disaster. Chances are, if you owned Matt Forte last season you'll be gunshy in drafting him this year. He burned you...burned us...pretty good. I say don't give up on him completely though. If he lands in the third round, don't be scared to call his name and give Forte the same shot at fantasy redemption that many folks gave Joseph Addai this past season. Only this time as an RB2.

2)Slaton's Slide - Steve Slaton's 2009 season was a total reversal of his out-of-nowhere 2008 campaign. He seemed destined to flop from Week 1. He fumbled versus the Jets and was generally ineffective when he did hold onto the ball. Little Stevie didn't score a TD until the fourth game of the year versus the lowly Raiders and finished with only four all season. He failed to even average 40 yards per game rushing prior to a neck injury which ended his season in Week 12. His head coach, Gary Kubiak, has lost so much confidence in Slaton that he will likely have to compete just to get back into the RB rotation in 2010. I suppose we can chalk this bust up to that same lack of confidence from Kubiak. We, as fantasy owners, assume that players' jobs are set in stone when they have a season like Steve Slaton had in 2008. In fact, very very few players in the NFL have that kind of job security. Once the fumble problems started, it was all downhill for Slaton and probably for your fantasy squad too. I can't advise you to give "Stevie Blunder" a chance at retribution this season. I just don't see him fending off the competition for what used to be his job. It feels like this kid was a one hit wonder that we all just fell in love with a little too much.

3)Chris' Coronation - Yes, at least for one year, fantasy football has a new king. All hail Chris Johnson and his 2,500+ total yards, 2,000+ yards rushing, and double digit TD's. And I didn't see it coming. I truly believed, heading into the year, that Johnson would continue to lose goal line carries to a slimmed down, harder working LenDale White. White was looking ahead to free agency at season's end and was coming off an awesome 2008 consisting of 15 TD's. I even had an inkling that White would steal enough carries for both backs to hit the one-thousand yard mark. Boy, was I wrong! Titans coach Jeff Fisher fell in love with CJ28 while White fell into his coach's doghouse. Johnson's unmatched speed and explosiveness combined with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL to make a mockery of opposing rush defenses. All told, Johnson had twelve games of 100 yds. or more on the ground and finished with eleven in a row. His 16 total TD's all seemed to be on long runs or pass receptions, making him everyone's sexy number one pick in their 2010 drafts. Everyone but me, that is. I understand, as a former owner of LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander, and Marshall Faulk in their spike seasons, that it's only downhill from here for Chris Johnson. If you owned him in 2009, it'll always be one for the books. Remember it well, but understand that the numbers he put up were of the "once in a lifetime" variety and expect a certain amount of backslide. For more recent examples, see DeAngelo Williams and Michael Turner.

If I were drafting number one today, I'd still go with guy who helped lead me to a title this year. The guy who has A LOT to prove after fumble problems, a dip in production over the second half of the season, and the ascension of other running backs have all relegated him to yesterday's news. Give me all the Purple Jesus I can get in 2010. You'll see. The most fearsome and talented running back on the board will now be the most motivated. Of course, I could be wrong and, as we know, it wouldn't be the first time.