Team Season Previews

[sovstar]

there is no scenario in which you could say you have a better secondary than me. and there isn't a team that sports a betting starting 4 in their secondary, and the depth to go along with it. great starters+great depth=best secondary.

2+2=4

stop.

oh hai man, i have a lot of creepers in my 2ndary. so they are better then dthey look.

[Hell Atlantic]

don't you have a 1st round playoff series you should plan on losing? i have a better team than you outside of QB. throw some papricka and salt on that and chew on it.

[sovstar]

i have a better team than you outside of QB

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

So you're a QB away from 12-14 wins and you aren't trying very hard to acquire one?

[Hell Atlantic]

QB is only like the most important, hard to aquire position.


i mean, for those of us who don't abandon Oakland to go to Portland just to get a team with the best QB/player in the league and excellent finances QB is only like the most important, hard to aquire position.

[Hell Atlantic]

and i can get a QB right now if i want.


do i want to pay the asking price? no. do i want to give up potentially 2 to 3 future good young players in the form of draft picks for that guy? no. do i want to give up draft picks for an 8th year or more vet when i could save those picks and move up in the draft to aquire a possible draft stud QB who i can build around for the next 12 years?

no.

[sovstar]

Hey, what's that on your shoulder? It's kind of big. Oh, IT'S A BIG FUCKING CHIP.

[BuddaKINGII]

don't you have a 1st round playoff series you should plan on losing? i have a better team than you outside of QB. throw some papricka and salt on that and chew on it.

LOL. Game on bitches.

[BuddaKINGII]

and i can get a QB right now if i want.


do i want to pay the asking price? no. do i want to give up potentially 2 to 3 future good young players in the form of draft picks for that guy? no. do i want to give up draft picks for an 8th year or more vet when i could save those picks and move up in the draft to aquire a possible draft stud QB who i can build around for the next 12 years?

no.

Remember you have till game 5 to make a trade. Do it soon as possible as you can't make the decision when you're at 1-3.

[Hell Atlantic]

i'm done with this QB stuff. i gave up quite a bit for Dennis Colella and now have little to show for that investment. i'm not giving up that much more for another top-flight QB. i'm exploring several options, but nothing i'd give up a lot for. just may be the best thing is to take my lumps this season and regroup next season.

[tarcone]

He already missed that decision.

[Kobeck]

OFFENSE
Injuries. Mules fans are already disspirited with LT Amos Barhill being put on IR in the preseason. WR Lester Bridges is expected back after the bye week, and hopefully will be back too form at that time.
DEFENSE
Injuries. LB Karl Hinson is expected to return after the bye week also. Rookie LB Calvin Lake has developed a vision problem that has team doctors baffled.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Leadership. Veteran WR leader Charles "Johnboy" Walton's job will be in joporady when Lester Bridges returns to action. Veteran DF leader Marshall Flannery will retain his job this season as the Mules decided against developing two rookie DTs. RB Scott Fortune took over the RB leadership position and OL leader Larry Leatherwood is in his 14th season. Watch for rookie WR Hodel to complement second year WR Victor "Reais" Neri at the FL position.

[JesterBlaze]

OFFENSE
The Phantoms offense has lost a lot of individual talent the past two seasons and has a new LT. Hopefully Arnold "You gotta shake it... before you bake it!" Greene will show some promise

DEFENSE
Uggh! So much talent lost in the off-season... so little replaced. This is looking to be the Phantoms worst defensive unit ever.

PLAYER TO WATCH
That dude burning my FS... or is it RCB... or is it LCB... or is it NB... or is it.... (you get the picture) seemingly at will.

I don't have a good handle on my current team yet. I've been spending most of my time on making a draft utility.

[JesterBlaze]

just may be the best thing is to take my lumps this season and regroup next season.

At some point in the sports world it seems the "re" prefix just started getting added. Lemme clear this up:

When a team that was great has a temporary down time it's "rebuilding" or "regrouping". When a team that's never done anything continues to do so it's "building" or "grouping" at best.

I would describe the heroes as "faltering" or maybe "refaltering".

[Cringer]

I just drove/worked for 25+ hours straight. I never dosed off at the wheel once. Although I get another reminder I am not young any more. I got 5 hours of sleep, then got up at 5 AM yesterday and was going until after 6 AM this morning. I have had another 4 hours of sleep since and I feel like hell.

I will get my preview up shortly.

[Cringer]

Offense - The offense is looking for one major thing this season. The return of QB Ralph Given to the top of the QB leader boards. After two straight seasons with injuries it would be really nice to have a full season with Given at QB. If not, then the Toads could be in a bit of trouble as former trusted backup QB Peabody has moved on and last years hero when Peabody was injured, Humphreys, was not brought back. RB Brian Dixon has led the league in rushing over the last two years, but continues to decline as he will soon be 31 years old. Brett Hoffman and newcomer J.C. Polanco could be called to take some of the load. Longtime Toad #2 RB Walter McKelvey was not brought back for a 7th season with the team. WR Randolph Kennedy missed over half of last season's game and with Given is looking to return to previous form. Hathcock will once again be the starting SE, and should continue to be a solid performer. The offensive line returns 4 starters, with longtime utility man and one time starter Marcus Freels probably getting most of the time at the RT spot. Rookie RT Ellis Bookwalter should see action though. If injuries once again hit the Toad offense, it could be more devastating then in previous seasons.

Defense - The defense is lead by our continued strong front seven. DE's Karl Cronin and 3rd year man Andrew Kinney return, with hopes of Kinney having a breakout season. NT Xavier Bridges performed above even the Toads expectations last season, and improved depth behind him has us very happy at that position. At LB the Toads still lineup with one of the best groups of a starting four, with Cloninger and Cortez inside, and Barber and Bell on the outside. Gulbrandsen remains as a top notch backup who could start on another team if given the chance. The defensive backfield is in the middle of a transition and remains somewhat of an unknown. Longtime CB's Sandy Lindo and Rodney Love return, but age is taking its toll and Lindo is already injured and will miss over half the season. Rookies Jerry Poole and Curtis Harley will be called upon to learn fast while Leonard Walcott will be a key player at CB as well. The safeties see last year's top rookie Buddy Forbes move into a permanent starting roll with the retirement of long time star Stanford Zamudio. Omer Flaherty returns for his 10th season at the FS spot.

Player(s) to Watch - How the Toads fare this season will once again depend on Brian Dixon. Can he still carry the team as he has done for the last two years? Andrew Kinney is a key player to the defense this season. Can he increase his pash rush numbers in his third season? It will be key to helping out a depleted secondary who will probably not be able to maintain coverage for too long. Special teams once again has star return man Lawrence Wiggins, who will need to have an exceptional year of providing good field postion for the offense to take advantage of.