Fantasy football
OK, the 28-hour marathon of fantasy football coverage on ESPN has ended.
Couple of observations.
> Matthew Berry has crafted a great spot for him in the specialization of sports media. This goes back to the adage of NBA newcomers: If you can do one thing at an elite level, there will always be a spot for you at the elite level.
> There were three Chiefs - Mahomes, Kelce, Tyreek Hill - picked in the top 15 selections.
> Dianna Russini and Katie Nolan are sassy. I like that. They should have had that final draft with cocktails, no?
> That said, I would love to be in a fantasy league with Adam Schefter - who took Patrick Mahomes No. 1 overall - and Nolan, who took George Kittle in round two. Ouch-standing.
> I love Kerryon Johnson. Yes, he's an Auburn dude. Yes, he is playing in Detroit, so you will never get to see him play unless you are at a B-Dubs or the Lions are playing on Thursday night. Call it a heart pick, call it a dumb pick, but I'm in on Kerryon Johnson this year.
> I think JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be a dude this year. There is a not a huge dropoff to his back-ups (James Washington and Donte Moncrief are two names to stash late) by comparison, and the Steelers offense is going to be prolific, and Ju-Ju ran more routes than anyone in the NFL last year, and JuJu is going to get even more targets this year, and you know Big Ben and Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers would love for JuJu to have a year that makes people say, "Wow, Antonio's stats were more about that" and, well, I ran out of ands, so yeah. JuJu = dude.
> I am not as high on Damien Williams or Leonard Fournette as most. I will not draft Melvin Gordon because I think he is prepared to sit the whole season.
Feel free to offer any fantasy football thoughts and opinions.
Also of note, here was an excellent interview with the John McKechnie of RotoWire, and he answered all of your excellent questions at the end of the interview. Thanks for your input. RotoWire.com.
Value compared to price
I'm not super good at BID-ness. That's why I press keys for a living. The folks that know me will attest, I've been known to pick up a tab or 12 and money has never been that important to me.
Sure, it's better to have it than not, and I have been blessed with a lot of gifts for sure.
You get the idea.
That said, the fundamental BID-ness belief is everything is truly worth what people are willing to pay for it.
Sounds simple, but we simply forget it all too often.
It's true about cars and cards. It's true about houses and hourly wages.
It's true about football players, too.
Which leads us to the quarterback Dak Prescott discussion.
Dallas executives have leaked that the team has made top-five offers for their positions to Prescott, hold-out running back Ezekiel Elliott and wideout Amari Cooper.
Prescott has rebuffed that contract, which would be in the $30-million-a-year range, and reportedly wants closer to the $35-million ballpark. And reports have Prescott wanting every penny that Carson Wentz is getting.
Seriously.
So, is Dak Prescott worth almost a third of anyone's salary cap? I say no, but I have forever been the guy who wants teams to reload at quarterback rather make your starter a franchise guy and spread that money around.
I would not pay Dak. I would not pay Mariota. I would not pay Jared Goff.
You are going to give Dak top-three money when no one - not even Dak's momma - would say he's a top-three QB.
Worth and value are not the same thing.
Even a BID-ness goof like me knows that.
Soft Knocks and expanding Knock-ings?
Does anyone else kind of feel like there was an entire episode of "Hard Knocks" that was shot and then they lost it and used all the back-up footage last night?
Not exactly the best episode.
Psssttttt. Did you know that a) Antonio Brown has some feet issues, and b) Gruden likes to swear.
No depth about the helmet. No voices about Brown's drama other than Gruden - and most of those were from media events and not exclusive - and a little with Brown.
No reaction from teammates about his extended absence.
We have not heard about any of the other lightning-rod names the Raiders brought in.
This felt like Jon Gruden mic-ed up.
(Granted, Gruden mic-ed up is still entertaining.)
Maybe - hopefully - this was like the classic bridge episode to an explosive ending.
But the biggest - and best "Hard Knocks" news from Tuesday was the announcement that "College Hard Knocks" is on the horizon, and the folks are looking at Washington State (an idea we threw out there last week, by the way), Arizona State, Penn State and Alabama.
This and that
- OK, I love the draft. You guys know this. Is there a bigger testament to my love for the draft - any draft - than the fact that I watched way, Way, WAY too much of the ESPN fantasy football draft last night? I say no.
- I have been thinking about it since the interview we did with John from RotoWire, but I'm fascinated by a college fantasy league. Jonathan Taylor, the running back from Wisconsin, would have to be the first pick. Teams taking guys out in blowouts has to be a concern. College football fantasy leagues, friend or foe?
- Jack Mitchell, an MTSU football player, is applying for a sixth year of eligibility, and here's hoping the layers of loophole-closers allow Mitchell to get back on the field. Here's his tweet appeal for his understandable case. "Hoping @NCAA does the RIGHT thing & grants my 6th year. I'm a former D2 walk-on. Under new rule I'd be eligible. I've only played 2 years. Lost a year due to $ reasons, had to sit another & battled back from a torn ACL. I just want to play!"
- Just when you think there's no possible way to get worse candidates for public office, ladies and gentlemen, Roy Moore opens his mouth. I guess from the ''say something positive'' category, no one can say that Ol' Roy is scared to speak his mind. Here he took shots at Max Klinger dressing like a woman in M*A*S*H. So there's that.
- Thought this was interesting, as more and more college football teams are trotting out alternative uniforms. Side note: As an Auburn fan, I a) love Auburn's uniform, like a lot; and b) am very happy there have not been a bunch of tweaks or alternative options.
- Weeds liking what he sees in Jarrett Guarantano.
Today's questions
Which Way Wednesday starts here: I think Ronald Acuña is my favorite Braves player ever. Seriously. I know it's been a little more than a year. But here we are.
Which Braves player is your surprising favorite?
Which "Hard Knocks" college version would you like to see the most?
Which Dallas star - Dak, Zeke or Cooper - should be the top priority to sign to an extension?
Which college team has your favorite alternative uniform?
As for today, Aug. 14, well, in 1945 Japan surrendered and officially ended World War II. Whether it's D-Day or today, shouldn't there be a holiday to commemorate the end of World War II? Thoughts?
Some cool birthdays today. Doc Holliday would have been 168. Magic Johnson is 60. Halle Berry is 53.
Rushmore of college football uniforms. Go.