Yet Another Reason ESPN Sucks

Its not really anything new to anybody but just another example of why ESPN sucks and proof that they only care about the Yankees and Red Sox.

So Jim Thome hit his 600 hr last night...if he had been a Yankee or a Red Sox, ESPN would have live coverage and an endless lovefest with Thome.  But because Thome has always played in small market teams, ESPN folks barely even know who Thome is.  To prove this, this morning as I was driving to work I tuned into a little Mike And Mike show to hear what they were yapping about, because I knew it wouldn't be about Thome...but I was incorrect.  They actually did mention Thome's feat, but the crux of their discussion was how much bigger a story Derek Jeter hitting 3,000 hits was versus Thome's 600 hrs.  Are you f'ing kidding me?  ESPN can't even stop their endless Yankee lovefest for one frickin' morning and talk about Thome's accomplishments in MLB?  Nope, they have to tell you why some Yankee and anything that Yankee does is more important because more people care about the Yankees than any other team... GIVE ME A BREAK!  ESPN SUCKS!

Preseason Game 1, No Fantasy Football For Me

Tonight is the night many a football fan has been waiting for...the kickoff of the 2011 season...sure, it is just the preseason but just a few weeks ago we weren't sure when we would get to see our favorite NFL team back on the field.

As per usual, I won't spend much time watching or dissecting preseason football games but I will DVR the Charger-Seahawk game tonight and likely zip through it.  If Rivers and any starters play, I will likely pay more attention to those plays but overall, not grade the game as anything special, regardless of the outcome.

The 2011-12 season will also be an unique season for me...after 15 years of running a fantasy football league, I decided (last season) to disband the league and am not participating in any "serious" fantasy football league(s) at all.  Although, I don't think it will really be that big of a change for me since, to me, fantasy football was always secondary to me.  What could really be a blessing, now, is the fact that I will no longer have to care about almost every game because of fantasy football ramifications. 

I'm already debating on whether or not I just say screw it and not make any attempt to go out and watch football on Sundays, most of my friends stop going about week 6 and I am now thinking of not going out at all...even for week 1.  I know I might get some crap from my friends on week 1, but these are the same friends that stop watching football before November, so I really won't feel too bad about it.  I'll still get to see the Chargers play every game and since no other games matter to me, why do I really need to go out to watch them all anyways?

Even though those are my early thoughts, I will probably get coaxed into going out on week 1...but again, with no fantasy football amongst my friends, as well, maybe their interest in going will not be as great either...we'll see.

The Rich And Darrick Podcast

I have kept a project under wraps for the past few months because I was unsure if it was going to come to fruition or not...and as luck would have it, it is now a reality...The Rich And Darrick Podcast.  Me and my pal sit around and bullshit while sucking down some beers. Here you can get, first hand, some of my crazy thoughts and rants...and of course, thoughts on the San Diego Chargers.

We just released our first episode and we hope things work out...check it out and we hope you enjoy it!

http://richanddarrick.blogspot.com/

NFL Lockout Over, Game On!

It seems anytime I go on vacation something newsworthy happens and this year was no exception.  The NFL lockout was resolved last week and the 2011 NFL season will be played in full...sound the trumpets and cue the celebration complete with dancing in the street.  That is the good news.

And we'll stay with the good news, in terms of my favorite NFL team, the Chargers... a couple of moves that I have liked for the Chargers was the signing of Bob Sanders and Takeo Spikes.  Both veteran defensive players that will hopefully be "difference makers" for the Chargers on defense this season.  Sanders, though, is very injury prone.  When he played the Colts win a Super Bowl...when he doesn't, the Colts lose in the playoffs.

Now, unfortunately, the bad news for the Chargers before the season starts...Antonio Gates is still dinged up from last season and as I have speculated in the past, his toe injury is the same type that has ended careers of other players so, not saying his career is over, but I think the injury could effect his production...as it already has...for the rest of his career.

And of all the other news that has came out of Charger camp thus far, the one that troubles me is that 2nd year runningback, Ryan Mathews - the replacement for LT - came into camp apparently out of shape.  The article tries to 'sugar-coat' the fact that Mathews was winded after conditioning tests but anyone with a clue knows that a runningback should not be the player that has the most trouble during conditioning tests.  Mathews was injured and did little to impress me last season and his start to this season isn't doing much to improve his image with me.  Many Charger fans were quick to anoint Mathews the next greatest runningback or, at the very least, be a capable replacement for LT.  Darren Sproles, after a subpar season last year, is now in New Orleans.  The Chargers still have Tolbert who had an impressive year last season but ended up injured as well, to me, seem thin at runningback.

Add to the fact that the Chargers still don't have any wide receivers other than (I do believe still disgruntled) Vincent Jackson that make a difference.  Phillip Rivers is great and a winner, but with a lackluster run game and reliant solely on the pass game with, mostly, sub par receivers, the Chargers, I think, are in for another long year.

Word from Charger camp is that coach Norv Turner is putting some emphasis on the early season trying to get the team to care about the first 6 games of the season...something past Charger teams he has coached, have not done and most of the time are fighting an uphill battle for the remainder of the season leaving no room for error.  That of course, we will all be able to watch first hand when the season starts.

I will withhold any formal predictions at this time but will offer up my preseason picks, hopefully, prior to kickoff of the first game.