Troubleman's View

AM Thoughts 01/23/09

2009-01-23T12:42:00.002-05:00

I feel that PacMan Jones is an idiot like most of the country, but Dekalb County's decision to reopen and investigate an incident from 2007 is disturbing. The person who reported the incident has stated that Jones was not present when he exchanged gunfire with a group of people in a car, so why the need to investigate? Can't we use taxpayer money for other things, like making Candler Rd safe? I hate when governments go for the big case instead of focusing on the stuff that really matters to the people who vote for these idiots. PacMan Jones is not a threat to the person sitting at home with his wife and 2 kids, but the car jacker at the mall might be a problem.

I think I'm going overboard with the Starbucks stuff. I buy starbucks coffee for home brewing, stop by the stores at least 3 times per week, and now I'm thinking about a Starbucks Tumbler. Maybe I'll buy my tumbler from Walmart instead.

Facebook, Twitter, message boards, this blog. Am I becoming an internet geek? I spend more time in front of my laptop at home than watching games. Oh no.

First Quarter NFL Report

2008-10-02T10:30:00.003-05:00

A quarter of the NFL season has been completed, and as usual I was wrong on quite a few of my predictions. My Raiders are as dysfunctional as ever, the Bills look like world beaters, Tom Brady is gone, and the Pats look average, and the Broncos look like a strong team. I know there are 12 games left, and anything can happen, but I think I am getting out of the prediction biz. This stuff is on the net for everyone to see, so I cannot hide from my predictions.

AFC North and AFC South

2008-09-05T09:14:00.003-05:00

AFC North-Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore

The AFC North is a division in transition, with Pittsburgh and Baltimore both aging, and the Cleveland Browns looking to make a run for the division title. Pittsburgh is still the class of the division, but Baltimore is starting to suffer for it's inability to obtain offensive talent. The question mark in the division is Cleveland, who finished the season with a 10-6 record but missed the playoffs. Was 07 a fluke? My money is on Pittsburgh to take the division, with Cleveland possibly winning a wild card spot. Cincy and Baltimore have too many holes to compete. Cincy still has a terrible defense, and an unhappy Chad Johnson, errr Chad Ocho Cinco. Baltimore has a new coach, is starting a new qb this year, and the defense is a year older. Plus they have done nothing to upgrade the receiving core, which seems to be a theme in the NFL.

AFC South-Jacksonville, Indy, Tennessee, Houston
The AFC South is in my opinion the best division in the NFL. Jacksonville has improved their receiving core on paper, which should compliment one of the better running games in the league. David Garrard is an MVP candidate in my opinion, and the Jags already boast one of the stronger defenses. Indy has been the class of the division over the years, but I expect Jacksonville to finally overtake them. I can't put my finger on it, but Indy seems to be losing it's luster. Tennessee and Houston could flip flop as the Titans have failed once again to address a terrible receiving core. Tennessee should have taken notes from their division rivals, Jacksonville. Houston is seen as a team on the rise, but they still might be a little too young to challenge the big boys. I like the young pieces on defense, but I'm still not sold on Matt Schaub. He was injured a lot in 08, and his numbers were very similar to the backup Sage Rosenfels. I'm also not impressed with the Texans running game, so in my opinion they are still at least a year or two away from being a contender.

AFC East and AFC West

2008-09-05T08:56:00.002-05:00

AFC East-New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami

The AFC East looks to be on the rebound after a few years of dominance by the New England Patriots. The Patriots looked very old in the Super Bowl loss to the Giants, and it will be interesting to see how they bounce back from it. Look for Brady, Moss, and Company to take a step back this year, which after going undefeated in the 2007 regular season should be expected. Buffalo has a nice young group, but my concern is the receivers. Lee Evans is a star, but the rest of the core is nothing special. The return of Paul Posluszny, and the addition of Marcus Stroud should strengthen the defense. The Jets with the addition of Brett Favre at qb could be a dangerous team, but my expectations are not that high. Favre was able to participate in training camp, but I don't believe he will be truly comfortable with his teammates until mid season at the earliest. Miami is still a work in progress, and I would be shocked if they win more than 3 games. I have never really been impressed with Chad Pennington, and it doesn't help that his receiving core is probably the worst in the league. I expect Ricky Williams to get a lot of work, but he will see a lot of 8 men in the box looks from opposing defenses.

AFC West-San Diego, Oakland, Denver, Kansas City

San Diego has owned this division for the past few seasons, and I expect that trend to continue in 09. If they were going into the season healthy, they would be my pick as the AFC Champs, but Rivers, LT, Gates, plus Merriman are all recovering or dealing with injuries. They still should have enough to win a rebuilding division. Oakland should be much better in 09 compared to the last 5 seasons, but depth is a concern. The receiving core and oline are a concern, especially with a young inexperienced qb, but a strong running game should help take away some of the pressure. The key on defense is stopping the run, and the Raiders have a trio of 300+ pounders in the middle that should help the playmaking linebackers improve their 2008 league low ranking. Denver and Kansas City will battle for the cellar, but the difference is Kansas City seems to know they are rebuilding, while Denver seems to be retooling for a playoff run. Unfortunately, Denver does not have enough talent to compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.

2008-09-04T09:50:00.002-05:00

NFC East-Dallas, Philadelphia, NY Giants, Washington

Some people believe the NFC East is the strongest division in football. I think Dallas wins it easily, simply because they are the total package. The only weakness is Roy Williams in pass coverage, but the plan is to limit him to 1st and 2nd downs, which could work if this was 1970, and teams still played 3 yards and a cloud of dust football. Memo to Dallas, team's pass on any down in the 21st Century. Even with Roy Williams struggling in pass coverage, the defense should more than hold up it's end of the bargain. On offense the receiving core concerns me, but when TO lines up for a team, they more than likely will have success in the passing game. Philadelphia, like the rest of the division, has a lot of holes, but a healthy McNabb and Westbrook should more than help them win a lot of games. I think NY has lost too much in the offseason, and it would shock me if they contend for a playoff spot. The luster will wear off quick, and the sports radio idiots will soon start calling for Couglin and Manning's heads again. Washington is a good solid football team, and could possibly bump NY from the third spot, but I still have questions about Campbell at the quarterback position. I like the kid, and I believe he can be a pretty good starter eventually, but how many systems has this guy played in over the past 5 years. Can someone please let this guy grow in one system.

NFC West-Seattle, Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis

Earlier, I mentioned that many people believe the NFC East is the strongest division in the NFL. Well, the NFC West is hands down the weakest. Seattle should win this one for about the 5th time in a row, with the only competition possibly coming from a young Arizona Cardinal team. Arizona is the more talented team from top to bottom, but their youth and inexperience might stop them from winning the division. I give the edge to Seattle based on experience, and not much else. Seattle's running game, receiving core, and offensive line are all question marks. The defense should be very solid, unless worn down by the offense's inability to move the ball. Arizona has drafted well over the past few seasons, and this could possibly be the season they finally take the next step to the playoffs. I like Kurt Warner as the starter, and he should be able to get the ball to Boldin and Fitzgerald regularly. Hopefully the Cardinal can open holes for Edge, and on the defensive side of the ball they have playmakers everywhere, including one of the most underrated players in the league in safety Adrian Wilson. SF and St. Louis will battle for the cellar. San Francisco has a solid defense, but even with the addition of the Mad Scientist (Mike Martz), the offense will struggle. St. Louis is the opposite, with a horrible defense, and a good solid offense, IF EVERYONE REMAINS HEALTHY. Look for both organizations to fire their coaches after another bad season.

NFL 2009 Predictions

2008-09-04T09:05:00.005-05:00

Simple predictions for the 2009 NFL Season. No research, simply my thoughts using the little bit of information I picked up during the offseason.

NFC North-Minnesota, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit

Minnesota should win this division, because of the 2 headed monster at tailback, and the dominate left side of their offensive line. The Vikings also have a standout run defense with a strong interior, and the pass defense should improve with the addition of Jared Allen from KC providing quarterback pressure. Tavaris Jackson and the passing game is the key to consistent offensive success. Green Bay should finish second, even with the departure of Brett Favre. I strongly believe Minnesota is a stronger team, but Green Bay should give them a nice run. Chicago and Detroit both have too many weaknesses to contend. The Bears defense was not as strong last season, and the running game took a hit when Thomas Jones left 2 seasons ago. Good new is Rex Grossman is no longer the starter, and even an average Kyle Orton should be an upgrade. Detroit has a few good pieces, especially at receiver (Calvin Johnson/Roy Williams), but a journeyman at qb(Jon Kitna), and huge questions at running back. The defense took a big hit with the loss of Shaun Rogers, and we will see how that impacts the playmaking ability of LB Ernie Sims. Bottom line is, Chicago and Detroit will be battling for the cellar.

NFC South-New Orleans, Tampa, Carolina, Atlanta

New Orleans should easily win the NFC South based on their high powered offense. The defense will do just enough not to hurt the team success. The only weakness on the offense is the running game with Duece Mcallister recovering from major knee surgery again, and the ineffectiveness of Reggie Bush between the tackles, but the high powered passing game should be enough. The defense is led by a strong defensive line, and the addition of Jonathan Vilma at linebacker will help strengthen the run defense. The secondary is still a work in progress, but again it's all about the offense. Tampa is aging, but still should be better than the rest of the division. Garcia is a solid qb, and the addition of Antonio Bryant (if he has his head on straight) should help the passing game. Carolina has upgraded their running game simply by letting Deshaun Foster walk. He only had about 5 good games in his entire career, and 4 of them came against the Atlanta Falcons. Carolina drafted Jonathan Stewart to team with DeAngelo Williams. Even with Steve Smith, I believe the passing game and defensive line will be the weak links on this team. Atlanta is rebuilding, but I don't believe they are doomed to win 1 game like some of the experts. I would not be shocked to see them win 5-6 games, especially playing in an overall weak division.

Random Thoughts

2008-05-23T07:43:00.003-05:00

The NBA Conference Finals are in full swing, and unfortunately for me, I'm not a fan of any of the participants. All should be exciting series, stretching at least 6 games. My prediction is the Lakers in 6, and the Celtics in 7. Celtics finally lost a game at home last night, but it wouldn't shock me if the Pistons, with their turn it on turn it off mentality, give away one at home.

The Chicago Bulls are the NBA's latest draft lottery winner. If I was their gm, I would take Beasley, because I think their biggest weakness is the lack of a post presence. Rose is interesting, because he is from Chicago, but I think Hinrich is more than serviceable at the pt, despite his awful shooting performance this past season. A lineup of Hinrich, Hughes, Deng, Beasley, with Noah or Gray at center, will be a big improvement. With a bench of Gordon, Gooden, Thomas, and the nonstarter between Noah and Gray, the rotation looks very promising.

A couple of weeks ago, Oscar De La Hoya shammed the public by beating a smaller, less powerful fighter from the contender, Steve Forbes. I call the fight a sham, because I'm sure Oscar is hoping the general public will believe him when he says that Forbes was the perfect opponent to mimic Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather. It doesn't matter that Forbes has no pop in his punches, or that his defense is god awful, but I'm sure millions of people will fork over their cash to watch the rematch between Mayweather and Oscar. This boxing fan will watch the replay on HBO the following Saturday. Just like the first fight, I give Oscar a punchers chance, and I'm not willing to pay $50+ to watch that garbage.

It was funny watching coverage of the Chris Byrd fiasco on Friday Night Fights last week. Not because Byrd was literally destroyed, but because of the comments coming from Antonio Tarver. Byrd lost about 45 lbs prior to the fight, dropping down from a career in the heavyweight division to light heavyweight. It was funny hearing Tarver say that he didn't believe the weight loss had anything to do with Byrd's performance, because Tarver used that excuse in his subpar performance after dropping a large chunk of weight before a fight. Roy Jones Jr, also used the same excuse. Yeah, I think Byrd is nowhere near the same fighter he was say 5 years ago, but to say that the weight loss didn't play a part in the stoppage is extremely dumb in my opinion. Let's give the man a couple more fights at light heavy, before we say he is done.

TROUBLEMAN

The Hawks

2008-03-14T06:37:00.003-05:00

I received a "gift" from the Atlanta Hawks over the Christmas Holidays that offers me $30 towards two game tickets. I had every intention of attending a game, but after watching this team over the last couple of months, I have changed my mind. It is obvious to anyone that has ever played basketball on any level that this team is flawed.

The Mad Scientist (Billy Knight) has constructed a team of athletes who can't shoot, can't dribble, and can't defend. He trades for a point guard two months too late. His centerpiece (#2 pick Marvin Williams) is starting to look like a long shot to reach my predicted level of Shareef Abdur Rahim, which is a far cry from the Kevin Garnett comparisons I was reading before he was drafted. While Marvin still struggles to find a niche from himself on this team, the player I wanted, Deron Williams, has turned into a franchise point guard. The "other guy" (Chris Paul) has turned into Isiah Thomas Jr. I predicted that Marvin would be a fringe all-star, but even that is starting to look like a dream, and yeah I know he is only 21.

Bottom line is the ASG (Atlanta Spirit) will need to make several moves in the offseason to make this team competitive. The obvious move is to fire Billy Knight and Mike Woodson. Yeah, Woodson inherited a woefully bad team, and yes the team is still flawed, but they should be a much better team than this, and for that Woodson shoulders the blame. Another move I believe ownership will need to make is the trade of Marvin Williams or Josh Smith, along with Mike Bibby. Josh Smith is the more attractive piece, but I would prefer to hold on to him simply because of the way he impacts a game. Williams and Bibby are the two choices for me, because Bibby has an expiring contract next year, and Williams still has the "potential" to become a good player. Despite the flaws in Josh Smith's game, I would prefer to have him playing the 3, with Horford sliding over to his natural pf position. The one problem is the difficulty in finding a legitimate center in this league. The Hawks cannot continue to play an undersized pf and c together. Of course the trades do not have to be done until the trading deadline next year, which gives the new coach/gm (fingers crossed) a chance to prove me wrong, and make the pieces of this intricate puzzle fit into a good basketball team.

Weekend Thoughts

2007-05-28T09:32:00.000-05:00

Great, another unnamed source in the Michael Vick investigation. Why is it taking so long for the DA to file charges, if there is so much information out there linking Vick to dogfighting? I'll answer my own question. Probably the information in the media is more hearsay than factual, and many of the unnamed sources would not be willing to testify.

Braves win a series against the Mets, and turn around and get swept at home by the Phillies. I'm still concerned about this team's inability to manufacture runs, and the starting pitching. Hudson is struggling now, and I'm wondering if there might be some sort of injury or tired arm involved.

Congratulations to the Atlanta Hawks for keeping their first round picks in the upcoming draft. Unfortunately, I have no faith in Billy Knight. I'm not sure how he can pass on Mike Conley at 3, but I'm not convinced Conley is worth the pick. I don't want Knight reaching for a player, simply because the fans and media believe it is what the Hawks need. Bad teams stay bad by doing that.

Random Thoughts from the Weekend

2007-05-21T12:17:00.000-05:00

If a politician from my district or state decides to make headlines by threatening a league, because of the possible misconduct of a player, I'm picketing in front of their home. There are educational problems, health care problems, fossil fuel problems, and elderly care problems that need to be addressed, and this idiot in San Mateo decides that he is going to use his political clout against the NFL if Vick is not suspended. I was born in the Bay Area, and believe me he has a lot more to be concerned about.

The NBA playoffs have reached the Conference Finals stage, and boy am I "not" excited. Sheesh I would rather watch paint dry over watching the Spurs. Great team, but super boring. And if I hear one more person call Manu a star, I'm going to threaten the NBA with sanctions. At least it is better than the Tayshaun Prince love affair a few seasons ago. As much as I like watching Utah, and the point guard who should be an Atlanta Hawk, I'm predicting a Spurs/Pistons final, with hopefully the Spurs winning it in 6. Yeah, I know I said I hated watching the Spurs, but I hate the Pistons more.

The Braves struggled on their latest road trip, but it is too early to panic. I'm concerned about the starters after Hudson and Smoltz, but I'm more concerned with this team's inability to manufacture runs. There is power in the lineup, but playoff baseball is all about creating scoring opportunities, and I'm not sure the Braves can do that consistently.

Good luck to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Worst case scenario is 2 picks in the top 11, and worst case scenario is no picks in the entire draft. Hopefully, they can come out of the draft with Oden and Conley/Law, which would instantly improve this franchise.

Billy Knight

2007-05-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Just a few random thoughts today. I was thinking about NBA franchises, and the importance of a good GM. How in the world does Billy Knight keep his job? Boris Diaw over Josh Howard? Josh Childress over Deng? Marvin Williams over Deron Williams? Shelden Williams over Brandon Roy? These are not reach picks or hindsight being 20/20, but picks that many Hawk's fans wanted. He wastes the Hawk's 2nd round pick in the upcoming draft, in a trade for a backup point guard, Anthony Johnson? All this talk about not drafting for need, but simply taking the best player available, and he picks Shelden Williams with the #5 pick? He talks about salary cap flexibility, but he signs a career backup in Speedy Claxton to a lucrative multi-year deal? For what Claxton gave him, he could have let his 2nd round pick from 3 seasons ago, Royal Ivey, play bigger minutes so we could see what he brings to the table. It could not have been worse.

The ASG is a joke. As snake bit as this franchise is, I wouldn't be surprised if they get the #4 slot in the lottery, with Indiana somehow moving into the top 10, which of course means the Hawks would not have a single pick in the draft. For a mere $150,000 per season, I would be willing to become the GM of the Hawks, and I guarantee I would have more success than Billy Knight. I guarantee the Hawks would be turned around within the next two seasons. Marvin Williams, outta here. Speedy Claxton, Ty Lue, and A. Johnson outta here. Lorenzen Wright, outta here. I say Marvin Williams only because he is a valuable trading chip, who along with one of the "vets" could be used to make this a competitive basketball team. So, if ASG is reading this blog (doubt it), give me a shot.

The Mike Vick Saga

2007-05-17T10:34:00.000-05:00

Ok, I've had enough. Enough with the rush to judgement by the media, sports radio idiots, and the fickle fans around the NFL. Enough of the hidden "sources", and partial evidence. Enough of the whining about trading a back up qb who's only claim to fame is a loss to the New England Patriots, and a great performance in the 2005 Tokyo preseason game.

I don't know if Michael Vick is guilty or not. Honestly, I don't care. If he is the quarterback on 09/09/07, then he has my support. If he is not, then I will support Joey Harrington or DJ. As time goes on, I'm becoming more and more disgusted by the media's dishonest reporting of incidents. I know with more media outlets available to the average reader, there is pressure to have the biggest headline, but geez can we use some common sense with the reporting.

Speaking of the Falcons, I was very happy to see them finally address the offensive line. As much as people criticize Vick in this city, I would like to point out the fact that the Falcons offensive line has been a problem since 1998. How can anyone expect a successful passing attack with a poor offensive line AND poor receivers is beyond me. I like the moves made this offseason, but I'm still taking a "wait and see" approach with Bobby Petrino. We'll see what kind of offense he designs for the most blitzed quarterback in the NFL.

Atlanta's Sports Scene

2007-05-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

Wow, where do I begin. Outside of the Atlanta Braves, the sports scene here can best be described as horrific. No fan support, bad managment, and bad teams are a bad mix for any city. Unfortunately Atlanta has been plagued by them all. The Atlanta Hawks have never had fan support, even during the glory days of Dominique Wilkins. The Atlanta Falcons have the longest current streak of no back to back winning seasons. It's a little early to judge the Thrashers, but being swept out of the first round in the playoffs doesn't help matters.

This blog will be my way to vent. Sports Radio, in theory, is supposed to provide me that opportunity, but who wants to be hung up on by Steak Shapiro or Jon Kincaid when I disagree with them. Hopefully this blog will attract others who are fed up with the sports scene in Atlanta, and who want to read an unbiased vent.