I'm baaaaaaack!

I know you have all waited patiently (or at least most of you) as I studied for the California Bar exam. Thank God that hell is over. So anyways, I have a crazy month of vacations planned, so my postings will be sporadic. Don't worry, I'll get into a routine before the season starts. So here is my first post-bar posting! Leave comments!

1. I know I’m about to have the best month ever! Not only is the bar over with, and my twelve freaking hour days in the library, but I was able to get a whole month off from work. I’ll be hanging out in San Diego, enjoying boredom; then Ill be heading to Laughlin to gamble away all the money I don’t have, then going on a cruise, followed by a two-week stint in good ol’ Arizona to visit friends, family, and to conduct TWO fantasy football drafts.

2. I know the Atlanta Falcons will be the worst team in football. Face it, its not like they were good last year. They went 7-9 after starting 3-1 in a season where Michael Vick rushed for over 1000 yards. Moreover, the circumstances of Vick’s departure will plague the Falcons all year long. Now they are forced to start Joey Harrington with a 23-43 win-loss record and a career passer rating below 70. Finally to top it all off Warrick Dunn their leading rusher is out. I expect their inexperienced coach to lead them to a 3-13 record.

3. I know Daunte Culpepper will unfortunately be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. I HATE this! I can’t believe Golden was right. It is really unbelievable! However, Chris Simms still hasn’t recovered from his spleen removal. It seems he is subconsciously protecting his torso while playing, and it has screwed up his mechanics. The Bucs need to upgrade their back-up QB situation. If the Bucs sign Daunte, then I think they will likely drop Simms. Gradkowski is not ready to be a back-up yet, but his potential should keep him as the team’s third string QB. (Little known fact about Gradkowski is that in high school he played in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League in Pennsylvania topping records set by Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Johnny Unitas… maybe you heard of them.) The Bucs season (and Gruden’s career) will live or die with Garcia’s play. I wish my boy Plummer would save the day and report to camp!

4. I know that Simeon Rice will be a Detroit Lion. Rice has a great relationship with Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli who was formerly the Bucs defensive line coach. If Matt Millen does something smart and ponies up the dough, the Lions could add a defensive play-maker improving their 28^th ranked Defense last year that gave up over 345 yards per game.

5. I know that if I catch Bonds’ record breaking homerun ball, I’m selling it. For those I didn't text, the Giants are playing the Padres this Friday and I got fourth row seats in the section that sticks out of the right-field corner. So hopefully Bonds doesn't break the record during his three L.A. games this week, and the Giants don't end up resting him on Friday. So if I catch that ball there’s no giving it back, and getting an autograph in return. An auction house has already made a MILLION dollar offer for the ball that they were forced to retract for safety precautions. So like my boy Asante Samuels says I’ll need to “Get Paid!” I got bills! So show me the money!

My previous thoughts on Michael Vick

With the Bar exam less than a week away, I do not have the time to say all that I want to on this matter. So I am going to cheat and remind you all of my statements back on June 6th. This will also provide a new thread so we can debate the implications of this recent indictment.

On June 6, 2007, I said....
I know this dog-fighting issue will plague Vick all season. Most recent reports indicate that there is sufficient evidence to indict Vick on his illegal dog-fighting ring. I believe that even if found guilty he would not receive jail time, and any jail time he did receive would not be a substantial amount. Best case scenario for Vick is that the Virginia DA would hurry up and decide if he is going to press charges, and if so, sooner is better than later. The sooner they press charges, the sooner Vick can plead out, accept probation, and move on with his life. The longer they drag this out, the greater the chance it will carry into the NFL season. Then Vick will be forced to defend the case while trying to keep his job as the starting QB of the Falcons. Once charges are filed, Vick is entitled to a speedy trial. Not a right he will welcome if charges are filed in August. So Vick could spend the beginning of the 2007-08 season dealing with his legal troubles. Moreover, unlike with Pacman, Goodell will come out and say he will wait for the legal system to run its course, before he makes a decision on Vick (no rationale to explain the hypocrisy in that decision... but watch, it WILL happen). So in November, when Vick finally wraps up his case, Goodell will suspend him for two games. By that time, it will probably be irrelevant, because with the distraction all season long, and the competitive NFC south, the Falcons will probably be out of playoff contention anyways.

Guest Blogger: Brad Denny

Hey Everyone, the bar is 8 days away! Brad Denny has put together a good article on why his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers will win their division. In the comments go ahead and tell him why he is sooooo wrong, and then explain why your favorite team will win their own division.

Here are Brad's arguments...

Ben Roethlisberger – It was a tale of three seasons for Ben Roethlisberger. The first began with his horrific motorcycle accident, climaxed with his emergency appendectomy shortly before the season opener, and ended with a Week 5 loss to San Diego. In that first stretch of 3 games, he was picked off 7 times without throwing a TD. However, after that, he clearly found his groove again and played like the Ben of 2005, lighting up the Chiefs and Falcons before a Falcons cheap shot (a blow admitted as such by the NFL) gave him a concussion and knocked him out of in the 3^rd Quarter. His number in a game and a half,,,5 TD, 0 INT. He struggled for 2 more games, throwing 1-7, before again getting comfortable for begin the “third season”. He was brilliant in a 3 TD/0 INT win over the Saints, and led the Steelers to a 6-2 mark in the second half of the season, as he was finally able to be free on injury. Now with a full off-season and perfect health, new OC Bruce Arians (the quarterback coach of, yes…Peyton Manning for 3 years) is giving Ben much more control of the offense, and planning to use 3 and 4 WR formations to exploit the excellent weapons at their disposal. Ben may not throw for 3,513 yards again, but his QB rating will be much more in line with the 98s of his first two seasons. Oh, and the W-L record will be more like those years as well. It’s amazing how after 1 injury riddled, yet ultimately promising year, some superficial fans are ready to right off a QB who in his first two years went 27-4, and won a Super Bowl. Well, people in the league know how good he is, and soon enough, all of the cretins will get a refresher course.

Santonio Holmes – The Steelers rarely trade up in the first round of the draft, but when they do, the best drafting team (a fact) in the NFL never misses (Troy Polamalu anyone?). They did so again last year for Ohio State wideout Santonio Holmes. Despite being the top rated receiver in the 2006 draft, some questioned this move, as WR was not a huge need for the Steelers. Holmes had a shaky first half, as did the Steelers, posting only 16 catches. However, Holmes emerged as one of the most explosive receivers in the NFL down the stretch, and he finished with 49 grabs for 824 yards. His 16.8 yards per catch was 2^nd in the NFL among players with as many catches. Blessed with a solid frame and lightning speed to get the deep ball, he also is adept at turning a short route into a long gain, as his 10.5 yards per short pass attempt led all NFL WRs by a staggering 2.5 yards. With new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians planning on running more 3 and 4 wide sets, look for Holmes to breakout in a big way.

Dick LeBeau – Despite the coaching change, the Steelers were able to retain Dick LeBeau, one of the top defensive minds of the NFL, master of the 3-4, and inventor of the zone blitz. The defense is still among the NFL’s elite, having ranked in the top 3 in rush defense each of the last three seasons (1^st, 3^rd, 3^rd), and the core of this unit returns. All Pro tackle Casey Hampton anchors the line, and despite the loss of Joey Porter, whose bark was much more than his bite in recent years (only 1 season of 9+ sacks since 2002), the Steelers have great quality, with rookies Lawrence Timmons (16^th overall pick) and LaMarr Woodley (Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year) to compliment veterans James Harrison and Clark Haggans. The key to the defense will be the secondary. Obviously, Polamalu is the best and most versatile safety in the league, and second year safety Anthony Smith is drawing rave reviews as his partner. The CB play, especially that of Ike Taylor, regressed from 2005, and is the top concern. However, with Tomlin’s expertise and Cover 2 schemes, along with the continued development of Bryant McFadden, the early reports around the league are very promising for this young secondary. One thing is for sure, teams won’t be able to run of the Steelers, which is a damn good start.

Dan Rooney – There is no better owner than Dan Rooney. Period. End of debate. Owner of five titles, the best winning percentage of any team since 1992, and the most respected owner in the NFL, Mr. Rooney knows what it takes to run a successful and respected franchise. His right hand man, Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert is among the best in the business. Year after year, the Steelers reload through the draft after losing key verterans, yet they still win. After a horrific 2-6 start, the Men of Steel rebounded to go 6-2 for a .500 finish, and very nearly made the playoffs. After Coach Cowher retired, everyone (myself included) thought either Ken Whisenhunt or Russ Grimm would get the job, yet the team surprised everyone by hiring Minnesota Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin. The Rooneys have a proven track record of hiring coaches, having only 3 (Tomlin included) since 1969, resulting in 5 rings. The last time they hired an energetic, no-name DC in his 30s, it turned out pretty well, wouldn’t ya say?

Steve McNair – The primary threat in the division is reigning champion Baltimore, led by the 34 year old McNair. While he started fast, his play tailed off immensely late in the year, only having one game among the final 4 with a passer rating over 70, and couldn’t led the offense to a touchdown in their home playoff loss to Indy. He also showed the typical McNair nagging injuries, and with Kyle Boller as his backup, the Ravens offense is one hit away from hitting a wall. His age and injuries will catch up to him, and his play will fall well short of magic of last year, leaving the door wide open for Pittsburgh.

Bonus Reason
The Cincinnati PD – Thanks to the boys in blue for tirelessly cleaning up the streets of the scum and villainy that is the roster of the Bengals. At the current rate, most of the starters of this young and immature team will be locked up by midseason.

Quickie #2

So I JUST read a story on espn, and some thoughts crossed my mind that I wanted to get down real quick. Oklahoma was just forced to vacate their 2005 football season because their QB and a lineman received payments from a car dealership when they actually never worked there. When I read about this I immediately thought of USC and Reggie Bush. It is pretty obvious that Bush and his family received money while he was playing. My bet is the NCAA will also end up forcing USC to vacate their two seasons he was their running back... taking away a national title and his heisman trophy. I haven't seen anyone make this connection... but if that happens it will be a huuuuuge black eye for USC and Reggie Bush...

What are your predictions??? Leave some comments!

Quickie

Okay, so as you know I am studying for the bar and I definitely should not be wasting time writing blogs, but I just wanted to cover one quick baseball topic and then back to my studies. I wanted to get this in writing, so I can go back and say I told you so come October.

I know the New York Yankees will make the playoffs. Every single season ESPN goes on and on and on about the damn Yankees. Every year they write them off.... and every year they are wrong. Well this season was the first in 12 years that the Yankees were not above .500 at the All-Star break. So of course, every one claims they are done, and they should become "Sellers" before the trade deadline. Well, I am definitely not a damn Yankees fan, but you can't spend $200 million on a team and not make the playoffs! Despite "the world is ending" predictions by the so-called experts... its really not that bad. They are only 8.5 games out of the wildcard. They are behind Seattle, and teams have overcome much bigger defecits than 8.5 games. They only play Boston 6 more times the second half.... they play a million games against Tampa Bay... and even play Seattle 3 times in September. So despite being under .500 the Yankees will still make the Playoffs.... exit in the first round... followed by the firing of both Cashman and Torre. Remember you heard it here first.

Guest Blogger: Corey Bennett 3rd edition

Hey Everyone,

So I am absolutely swamped with the bar exam. Putting in 12-14 hour days at the library. 16 days until the big day... I have been meaning to put up Battle of the Brads Part 2, but the format is a little messed up and too time consuming right now to figure it all out. I'll try to post the parts that are still relevant in about two weeks. Sorry Brads, don't mean to waste your hard work! Anyways, so Corey provided three short topics to keep the discussions ongoing.

Here they are:

1. I know John Kitna’s 63 sacks last season have caused brain damage.
ESPN is reporting Kitna said, "I'll keep to myself what I think we actually will win. But it's more than 10 games.” He apparently thinks his rookie WR Calvin Johnson will help them make the jump from 3-13 to a playoff team. "I don't like putting a lot of pressure on people, but Calvin Johnson, to me, will have about the same impact that Reggie Bush had in New Orleans," Kitna said. I am a big fan of Reggie Bush, but I seem to recall he wasn’t the only difference-maker in New Orleans last season. If each of Detroit’s first-round picks spent on WRs had a similar impact, then by Kitna’s logic we would be talking about one helluva dynasty. I can just see Matt Millen in his office right now leaning back in his chair, arms behind his head with a smile on his face, thinking, “If it ain’t broke…”

2. I know Rex Grossman is going to be the laughing stock of NFL QBs for another season.
He keeps trying to assure the media and fans that he intends to be more consistent in the coming season. How has he worked on his mechanics? “I tried to work to make everything muscle-memory.” Oh thank God! Muscle memory! I suppose it’s unfair to expect an NFL QB to come to the NFL with muscle-memory. Rex “That big man in the helmet scared me” Grossman is also heavily relying on experience to get him over the hump—ahem, mountain—of becoming a consistent QB. Experience. That must be the problem. I might believe it if his three worst performances last season weren’t again Arizona, Minnesota, and Green Bay (the latter two at home, mind you). I might believe it if he had at least one above-average performance in the post-season. I might believe it if his two best games last season hadn’t been against San Francisco and Detroit…oh wait, that’s the Detroit that’s going to be in the playoffs this season. I’d better watch my words.

3. I know something fishy is going on the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Referees don’t make mistakes like that. They don’t in the middle of the season between the two worst teams in any given league. They don’t in regional cup semifinals. I really don’t care for conspiracy theories, but it is outlandish to have a Mexican referee call a game when Mexico is playing in the other semifinal and there is a clear fan and organizer preference for a US v. Mexico final. Usually, both sides can argue about calls. Usually, you can say it evens out. But that was call made ignorant to a basic rule. Basic.

Battle of the Brads: Part 1

Okay, okay, it is FINALLY here. Part 1 of the Battle of the Brads!!! I am going to make this a two part series because the debates got a little heated, and a little long. These guys really did their homework.

For those who do not know “The Brads” here are some quick one-liners.
Brad Denny aka “B-Denny” or “BraDney” is the Team Manager and Captain of the Those Guys Softball team and a self-proclaimed NFL Guru.
Brad Golden aka “Golden Boy” or “Cool Brad” is from Illinois, an avid Bears fan, father of two, and future physical therapist.

Debate Format: The Questions are in bold and underlined, with The Brads taking turns answering first, followed by the other’s rebuttal. Part 2 will be up within a week. I want to leave ample time for our comments to Part 1.

Here we go!

Question 1: Best and worst offseasons?

Denny: Ok, this kills me, but yeah….the Patriots. The only measuring stick of an offseaon’s quality should be what level of a contender you are when it’s done, and clearly, the Pats did the best, as they are most everyone’s Super Bowl favorite right now. We all know who they added, so no need to rehash that, and their most notable loss was Corey Dillon, who I think took carries away from Laurence Maroney. With Dillon out of the way, I can see a massive season for Maroney. The other big story is Asante Samuel, who is good, but not THAT good. People are overlooking their first round selection of Brandon Merriweather, who has Sean Taylor talent, and can play both corner and safety.
Worst? So many choices. Giants? Losing Tiki, really doing nothing to replace him (c’mon….Droughns? Ha). They had the weakest LB corps in the NFL, and did nothing to fix that, and the entire team hates the head coach. Atlanta? Vick has little respect of his team, has proven he is not ever going to be a top quarterback, have a new coach, and STILL do not have a legit WR (Horn is 3 seasons past his prime). Detroit? They still have Millen. ‘Nuff said. Chicago? The defense is going to suffer a ton with Rivera’s departure and the ongoing Briggs and Tank situations. Letting TJ go is a very risky move, and they still have a very questionable QB situation. The Bengals? Bringin’ the thuggish. But I will say the Titans. They were a surprise 8-8 team that made a serious playoff run, but this offseason has killed them. Obviously, the Pac-man suspension (as right and just as move that has ever been made) takes the attention, but Drew Bennett’s absence was in no way filled, as their current trio of WRs combined for 37 catches last season. David Givens and Brandon Jones? They have no RB, as LenDale white is eating his way out of the NFL, and if Combine wonder Chris Henry can’t do well at the University of Arizona, how the hell can he do it in the NFL? They signed Nick Harper to replace Pac-Man, but he is no where near the same quality cover man, and the team will seriously miss Pac-Man’s return skills (3 PR TD’s). From a playoff push to a top 5 draft pick.

Golden: I can’t even try to disagree with you that New England made the best moves this off-season. Unlike BraDney, I think it’s worth seeing these names again. Read and cry. The one thing Tom Brady needed was a receiving threat. Did he get one? No. He got three. For a mere 4^th rounder, they got the 4.29-Moss. On the other side of the field? Donte Stallworth, who proved a play-making threat in his own right last year. With all of that field-stretching, who is underneath? Solid possession-receiver Wes Welker, to compliment the excellent receiving TE Ben Watson. Oh… and who did I say was throwing to these guys? Best-quarterback-in-the-league, Tom Brady? Damn. I disagree that Dillon merely stole carries from Maroney, however. Dillon was a nice changeup in the offense, was still productive with his carries, and still had a nose for the endzone. The additions of Adalius Thomas and rookie Merriweather improve the defense, and let’s not forget that they got San Fran’s #1 pick in next year’s draft also. A dream off-season.
So who screwed the pooch? I see that we agree that the Titans will fall from grace this year. Vince Young’s rookie season was exciting and impressive, following the Titan’s “titanic” mistakes of starting Billy Volek and Kerry Collins. But another team had a worse off-season. Brace yourself BraDney, this is gonna sting. The Pittsburgh Steelers had the worst off-season. You know… “BraDney” was a pretty lame idea. I’ll just call you BD.…sounds like a venereal disease. BD. “Ball Disease”.. hey, maybe that’s why you make that high-pitched, squealy sound when someone disagrees with you!….. You’re doing it now, aren’t you? Look at the facts, BD. Bill Cowher led the Steelers to 10 playoff births, 8 division titles, and 2 Super Bowls in his 15 loyal years with Pittsburgh. He is gone. With little fanfare or appreciation, I might add. The creative offensive mind of Whisenhunt is gone. Those aren’t the only blunders the front office has committed. Joey Porter is gone, and Alan Faneca wants out. The chemistry is crumbling already, and they looked pretty poor last season, as it was. I know, I know. You’re gonna tell me all about the rookies they’re bringing in and then spill some numbers all over me, but face it, man… no rookie can replace what they have lost, and no system flourishes in its first season. The Steelers are drowning. It’s beginning to look like when the Bus left town, the Steelers’ desire to win hitched a ride.

Question 2: Daunte Culpepper’s next team?

Golden: You gotta love the irony of this. Just one season removed from a messy break-up with the Vikings, Culpepper has already worn out his much-ballyhooed welcome in Miami, and who has the most glaring need at quarterback? Minnesota. Miami wasted a 2nd rounder for the rights to Daunte; a pick that the Vikings used to select WR Sidney Rice… who now has to chase down balls thrown by Tarvaris Jackson and Brooks Bollinger. I’m not foolish enough to think that either parties would swallow their pride and reconcile their differences, however. Just enjoying the irony.
I see a couple of teams that make sense (other than Minnesota): Atlanta, maybe Detroit; but the question asks where he will be, not what makes sense. I see that the Jags are talking about acquiring Daunte, so that makes them a player. Del Rio has clearly become disenfranchised with Leftwich. The gallantry of his Marshall heroics through injury have worn thin, and now everyone is sick of hearing about his injuries. Garrard is a threat with his legs, but is too inconsistent with his decision-making. Perhaps Del Rio sees the potential of combining Leftwich’s injury-proneness with Garrard’s poor decision-making in obtaining Culpepper. Perhaps Del Rio likes the idea of having three black QB’s on his depth chart. He would be a hero to the black community, and a Trivial Pursuit question for the ages. Whatever his reason for pursuing Culpepper, Jacksonville is a potential new home for Daunte.
But what does my gut say? The surprise team that will land Culpepper will be…. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will happen like this: The Jags will drop their pursuit when the Dolphins ask too much for Daunte. By the time training camp, preseason, and 3-4 games of the season are done, Gruden will have burned through Chris Simms, Brad Gradkowski, Jake Plummer, Jeff Garcia, Jeff George, Jeff Blake, and anyone else named Jeff who can throw a football. He will go after Culpepper, who will be more attainable, as the Dolphins will be itching to lose him bad by then. Don’t think Gruden won’t do it. We’re talking about a guy who chased Jake Plummer, despite his threats to retire. Gruden goes through QB’s like you go through beer tours at OC’s. Alcoholic bastard. Before season’s end, Daunte is a Buc.

Denny: OK, well time for a legit answer. It’s down to two teams – Jacksonville and Baltimore. Baltimore has Steve McNair, a player who is clearly on his last legs. He had a solid season, but showed serious signs of age as the season progressed. They also have Kyle Boller, who has proven nothing other than that he is not a true starter in this league, and will ikely depart Baltimore following the season. He could land there, sit a year and then take over when McNair breaks down or retires. Possible, but the most likely. I say Jacksonville. Perhaps the biggest reason Culpepper would go to the Jags is one that Golden missed…Mike Tice. Tice is currently an Assistant Head Coach with the Jags, knows Culpeper than just about anyone, and was Culpepper’s coach during his most successful seasons. This is likely Leftwich’s last season in Jacksonville, unless he can lead them to 11+ wins, which I doubt.

Question 3: Which quarterback is on the shortest leash?

Denny: A lot of people will say Charlie Fry, since they drafted hometown hero Brady Quinn. They are wrong. Romeo Crennel is on the hot seat, so he will stick with the veteran as long as they have a playoff chance. The answer is Jake Delhomme. The memories of his Super Bowl heroics are long forgotten, and the shadow of David Carr looms large. The Panthers believe they are contenders, they had a fantastic draft, and can not afford to subject themselves to the Canjun’s maddeningly inconsistent play. The signing of Carr was a great deal, and I think if the Panthers start 1-3 or so (and they have an easy schedule), Carr get’s the nod.

Golden: Brad, you ignorant slut. Granted, Delhomme’s seat has warmed up a bit with the arrival of Carr, but his seat is not the hottest. And I’m not feeling your optimistic appraisal of Carr. Delhomme only threw 17 TD’s to 11 picks in 13 games last year. His “bad” year. That’s horrid. Especially next to Carr’s 11 TD’s and 12 INT’s in 16 games… oh wait. Am I missing something? I guess I just don’t see why all the hoopla over Carr. No… I answered this question earlier. The shortest leash is on Jeff Garcia, (or whoever ends up starting in Tampa). In fact, Gruden is out in the park walking all of his QB’s together, with little, tiny, short leashes, scooping their poo as he goes. The Bucs are only one year removed from the playoffs, and I think Gruden is dumb enough to think that they’re getting back there this year… if only he can get one of his damn quarterbacks to sit, or rollover, or fetch, or… throw touchdowns! That is why Daunte will be a Buc before the season ends. Because Gruden is the Buccaneer coach, their starting QB is on the shortest leash.

Question 4: Excluding LT who will have the greatest Fantasy impact next year?

Golden: Our format saw these players leading in points at season’s end:
1) LT
2) Steven Jackson
3) Peyton Manning
4) Larry Johnson
5) Brian Westbrook
6) Drew Brees
7) Frank Gore
Other than perhaps an outside shot by Tom Brady, I see no reason to believe that one of these above players will not follow LT as this season’s point leader. Brady has a legitimate chance if Belichick implements a wide-open passing offense which includes Maroney catching balls out of the backfield, like I think he should. Frank Gore has the potential, but the Niners don’t spend enough time on the scoring side of the field for Gore to get the TD’s. I’m not convinced Alex Smith will improve enough this year to change that quite yet. So it comes down to Jackson or Johnson for me. Kansas City has handed the reins over to Damon Huard and have Croyle waiting in the wings. Huard had a nice season last year, but how many one-hit-wonders have we seen at the QB position? It’s possible that it just took Huard ten years to figure it out. Rich Gannon did. But I’m not sold on Huard. With too few receiving threats and Huard at the helm, I think that LJ will take a beating this year. Stephen Jackson has the benefit of a successful offensive system, with Bulger slinging to Holt, Bruce, and the addition of McMichael at TE. Not to mention that Jackson is a featured player in the passing game. Ninety receptions last season with 3 TD’s. Because our league rewards receptions, and Jackson has the supporting cast, he will overtake LJ as the #2 fantasy point-getter.

Denny: It’s a three horse race between Larry Johnson, Frank Gore, and Steven Jackson. Johnson’s rushing numbers will decline, as the Chief’s offensive line is no where near as good as it once was, but Herm “You play to win the game” Edwards does want LJ to be a much bigger part of the passing game. Recently, Herm said he wanted LJ to have about 60 receptions, up 20 from 2006. I doubt LJ gets 1,700 rushing yards again, but I think 1,400 on the ground and another 600 receiving is possible. Steven Jackson has stated that his goal this season is 2,500 total yards, which would break the NFL record. Last season he was reminiscent of another Rams dual threat, Marshall Faulk. Jackson complied 1,528-13 on the ground and added another 806-3 on a staggering 90 receptions. I foresee an increase in the rushing numbers, at least yards, but the wildcard here in rookie Brian Leonard. Technically a fullback, Leonard is a versatile back who proved at Rutgers he can be a featured runner, as well as very skilled receiver. He could dig in to those numbers. As for Gore, he had a monster year with nearly 1,700 on the ground and nearly another 500 on 61 catches. He could very well maintain those rushing numbers, and add to his total of 8 rushing TD, but I see his receptions falling to somewhere between 40-50. Why? Unlike the last few seasons, the Niners actually have someone to throw to. Alex Smith made great strides last season, and the steal of Darrell Jackson from the division rival Seahawks was one of the best under-the-radar moves of the offseason. Ashley Lelie should do well in the #2 role, and I expect a healthy and productive breakout year from TE Vernon Davis. Even #3 WR Arnaz Battle went fro 58-686-3 last season. That should create room for Gore to run, but limit the number of balls he’ll catch. With all that being said, I say, in order, Jackson, Gore, LJ. In fact, I say this…..Jackson has more fantasy points that LT.