southgadawg

146 players filed for arbitration. From me just glancing at the list the Braves will probably have the most money awarded through arbitration to the sum of the players who filed.....while the biggest single player award will most likely be to Clayton Kershaw imho. http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/releases/releases.jsp?content=011414 If you really like baseball analysis here is an interesting (imho) article on some of this years arbitration cases: http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-most-interesting-arbitration-cases-of-2014/

Setting up a questionable head coach with a first time OC....anyone really expect this guy to even last 3 full seasons? I just think the Lions really messed this up although I could be wrong.

Good hire for the Titans. The Lions again are losers imho.

1. Panthers....Not a 100% fan of Cam but I think he has come a long way (just wish he'd do more talking with his actions on the field instead of that stupid superman act). Overall as a team I think they are a team of blue collar workers getting the job done. Besides Cam Newton many NFL casual fans might not had even heard of the vast majority of their players. 2. Chargers...Again lol I am not a fantastic fan of Rivers but this could be the year that he continues to put strides forward (imho he has had his best overall season to date) and leave some of that self-destructiveness behind him. Perhaps like the Packers a few years ago this team is gelling at the right moment. 3. Saints...believe me some of their fans can rattle my nerves but I am a fan of Drew Brees and wouldn't be opposed to seeing them win it all again (although I doubt seriously they do). 4. Patriots....Brady has never really looked like an athlete to me but someway the guy works wonders with the football. He doesn't have as much to work with as in years past but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to seeing him win. 5. Colts...I don't really have any positives or negatives about them. Just sorta indifferent on this one. 6. 49ers...I grew up a watching some good 49ers teams on tv when i was young but this team is NOT those teams. 7. Seahawks....probably more anti-seattle fans than anti-seahawks if that makes any sense. 8. Broncos....I rank them last not because I want Manning to fail but because it seems that the team was annointed by the media at the beginning of the season and I just hate seeing the media darling win.

Rafael Palmerio fell off and didn't get enough votes if I am not mistaken. Hate to see that happen even though he like many others is obviously tainted in the steroid era. I understand that millions of dollars were at stake but some of these guys had tons of talent without the sterioids. Sadly they did make that choice to cheat.

That incident had all kinds of issues. It wasn't handled well (of course sometimes spur of the moment incidents aren't). If that is the mother then she had lost control of those kids way before that moment. If that was the father/boyfriend that stepped in then they did nothing but make the situation worse. That male child needs a lot of direction (to put it mildly). Sad situation.

Saints @ Seahawks Colts @ Patriots 49ers @ Panthers Chargers @ Broncos Tiebreaker:54 The Chargers/Broncos game is really a toss up for me. Manning is fantastic but has had a long history of not being successful this time of year.....and I am not a big fan of Rivers either. But it seems like something is different about the Chargers this season. Somehow some way I think they will pull out a win. Of course I stunk last week predicting games lol.

TBH I watch very little of college football (lol sometimes don't even watch UGA play and I went to college there) but from my limited understandings I'd love to someway see Jake Matthews fall to the Falcons. From what I have read he is adept at both run and pass blocking and is projected as a possible pro-bowler his first or second year even. (I also understand that he is supposed to have little to no non football issues which is something coach Smith and his team looks for). The Falcons need someone like that to help protect Matt Ryan and force their will on the other team.

No way man, not with this years TE class in the NFL.He was 3rd or 4th TE at best imo. After Julio went out for the year and while Roddy was out (or injured) for quite awhile Tony got doubled covered almost every down. Still he had a huge amount of catches and was fantastic and making first downs. The only thing Davis had on him was ypc and touchdowns and no way he was covered as much as Tony G was.

Yeah I always thought Whisenhunt got a raw deal there too. I think it will be a great move for the Lions.

Not that he needs the accolades but would had thought that Tony Gonzalez would had been 2nd team for the year that he had on the underperforming Falcons team.

I don't believe the Mariners should trade for Price. I think that it is highly possible Walker will be able to perform quite well at the major league level. I also suspect that Tanaka would fit right in to the Mariners rotation and be welcomed there with opened arms. Honestly (and I like Price don't get me wrong) but I'd be very hesitant to trade Walker if he is a good as most people think he is going to be. The thing that concerns me most about the Mariners is actually they have too many question marks who are corner outfield/firstbasemen types that the Mariners seem to be counting on to have big contributions. Maybe just maybe they will hit a thing or two right and be successful.

Chiefs @ Colts Chargers @ Bengals 49ers @ Packers Saints @ Eagles Tiebreaker:57

First let me say that I am married to someone who is almost 13 years my junior. However when we started dating she was already 21. She also approached me first because at the time I certainly did NOT even consider dating someone that young because from most of my experience women that age were very immature and also more or less focused more on material things. I couldn't had been more wrong about the woman that became my wife though. She was definitely much more mature than some of the women that i had dated in their early and mid 30's and even one or two of the ones i had dated who were around 40. The circumstances of her life growing up and made her that way. I will say I am very blessed to have married her. I also know a man who is married to a woman who is almost 17 years HIS senior. They are 53 and 69 now respectively. Her daughter gave her fits about it at the time but they have been married almost 30 years now so I would think it is safe to assume that love has conquered all. IMHO if you are looking for a physical relationship then it is wrong to pursue that with someone who you are able to manipulate through your experience and their lack of it no matter the age. HOWEVER if a friendship turns into something more through time (and I am talking about true love here) then that is another story. I think each situation for the most part is different. It wasn't too many years ago folks that young teens were frequently married. In some cultures it wasn't too many years ago when most marriages were arranged. Also in some cultures the age was frequently 20 years different in marriages. If I am not mistaken the age difference between the Van Traps (the sound of music family) was 22 years.

Rain if you are saying that there isn't much GREAT talent there besides Trufant I will agree. However I guess I am saying that Alford definitely has a chance to be an above average DB. Most of the rookies too have the chance to be solid performers as well. Almost without exception they have performed better than expected for sure. Worrilow and Bartu weren't even drafted and performed WAY above expectations although neither may be starting next season. What that tells me is that they had talent enough to play and now have a very sizeable amount of experience.....that combination alone should help the Falcons next year. I may not had worded my post well enough to convey it's true meaning. In other words the Falcons' defense as a whole was young, inexperienced and woefully undermanned....but there is some (if limited) potential there to help the team in the years to come.

I do believe there is some young but relatively unexperienced talent on the Falcons Defense but they were woefully undermanned for the most part. Just too many glaring holes on the D. But without a doubt the first pick imho needs to be an offensive lineman. It is a wonder Ryan could do anything at all as many times as he was getting hit this season.

The Falcons played a terrible game. The offensive line was overmatched. Joe Hawley made a critical mistake when the Falcons actually had a legitimate at the win in the final minute. Roddy White dropped a few passes and Harry Douglas was definitely not on the same page as Matt Ryan (causing an interception a pick six). On the plus side even with all of that they played hard against a team that had more talent on the field.

Panthers @ Falcons Ravens @ Bengals Jags @ Colts Jets @ Dolphins Lions @ Vikings Redskins @ Giants Browns @ Steelers Texans @ Titans 49ers @ Cards Packers @ Bears Bills @ Pats Bucs @ Saints Broncos @ Raiders Chiefs @ Chargers Rams @ Seahawks Eagles @ Cowboys Tiebreaker:53

Merry Christmas!

Harry Douglas chokes in the clutch again...seems like he is always having a drop or fumble or something negative happen in clutch time.

Choo has signed with the Rangers pending a physical. He should help their offense.

Well Brett did definitely chase .400 but it was just earlier than that. TBH things get muddled and mixed in my brain too so don't feel bad lol.

Terrible week dropped me out of 2nd place. Dolphins @ Bills Saints @ Panthers Vikings @ Bengals Broncos @ Texans Titans @ Jags Colts @ Chiefs Browns @ Jets Bucs @ Rams Cowboys @ Redskins Giants @ Lions Cards @ Seahawks Pats @ Ravens Steelers @ Packers Raiders @ Chargers Bears @ Eagles Falcons @ 49ers Tiebreaker:47

Braves acquired switch hitting catcher/outfielder Ryan Doumit from the Twins for LHP Sean Gilmartin. Doumit has decent (but not outstanding) power and is an average catcher who hits better from the leftside than the right. If the Braves are going with Evan Gattis as the main catcher, with defensive whiz Gerald Laird behind him, then with Doumit on the roster they won't be afraid of using either Gattis or Doumit as a starter on occassions or as pinch hitter. That is the benefit of having versatile players who can also catch. Gilmartin was thought of a future 2nd or 3rd starter but took a step back at AAA last season. I think he will bounce back though. It could be the Braves might be looking to move Gattis for some other need. Time will tell.

Sarge--- Rickey Henderson was UNREAL to watch. He had a very high OBP most years and was virtually unstoppable when he wanted to steal a base. Always a cat and mouse game with the pitcher/catcher sweating great big beads. The guy was a walking triple for sure. I will never forget the year he set the stolen base record although at that time there weren't nearly as many ways for an east coast fan to watch west coast players. Thankfully they televised a bunch of the Athletics games late that season simply because of Rickey. The battles between Bird and Magic were unreal. Always instant classics anytime those two were competing against each other. No offense Bowe but I think you are a little confused on years too. 1980 was the season that George Brett flirted with .400 and the first baseball strike I recall was the next year in 1981. Also at that time Joey Albert Belle was still in high school (I still think he is one of the biggest jerks and liars I have ever met-----stemming from the issue where he claimed we, those sitting on kudzu hill at foley field in athens, were yelling racial slurs at him causing him to come over the wall and get banned the rest of his senior year in college. We yelled bad stuff at him and ALL the rightfielders who came there but i NEVER heard anything racial there EVER and not that day either!) Sorry for bringing that into a great thread but somethings get etched in your mind.