Bradley Staying for Another Cup

He has a better winning percentage than any other coach than U.S. Soccer history, he's lead his team to a group win in the 2010 World Cup, an appearance in the Confederations Cup final in 2009, and he won the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Bob Bradley will have the chance to continue building on his legacy as he as re-signed with U.S. Soccer until 2014, which will be the World Cup year in Brazil.

Obviously, I think that my Dad would have been a better choice (remember to buy his book if you haven't already), but I don't be too pessimistic about the Bradley pick. His record speaks for himself, and if he wants another go at things he's earned it. Bradley was rumored for a lot of European jobs but ultimately is staying stateside.

While I'm alright with the move, a lot of fellow U.S. diehards are a bit upset, at least that's the opinion I gather from reading the comments on websites such as Soccer By Ives. While some may have not forgiven him for some lineup moves he made in the loss to Ghana, others just wanted to see a change and any kind. And the most popular man for that change was the guy that was considered along with Bradley when Bob first got the job, Juergen Klinsmann.

You may have seen Klinsmann during ESPN's coverage of the World Cup, or you may remember him from when he was a dominant force for the German national team oh so many years ago. Since his heyday, he has since moved to the United States and was always a top candidate for the job, but for the time being Bradley is going to remain the guy.

Ultimately, I don't hate the move, but I guess I don't love it either, you could say I'm indifferent. I just don't think that who the coach is will be the determining factor as to how the team performs. At least not until we have the talent that can actually compete game in and game out, not just occasionally.

What's the Deal With this Picture?

Is that Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans in Milwaukee Bucks uniforms? You bet it is. The picture was created by Yahoo!'s Ball Dont Lie in response to Brandon Jennings already joking about creating his own superteam with two of his draftmates. It's just another example of why Brandon Jennings continues to be the most awesome player in the league, as he is hilarious cocky for a young kid. Check out Ball Don't Lie for the details.

Oh, and who let Hakim Warrick in this picture?

I'm Failing You

This is how I know that it's time to start cranking it up again on the blog. Tonight I went to look at the box scores for the Brewer games over the weekend to give out some Player of the Game awards, when I realized that somewhere along the way I missed seven games. Seven! Granted, I haven't really written a Brewers post in about a month, so that could have something (read: everything) to do with it.

Come to think about it, I haven't written much at all this month. Sure, Winks Thinks is slowly making a triumphant comeback, but when it comes down to numbers I've written the least amount of posts this month since December of 2007, this first month this blog went live. Honestly, if it wasn't for Gweeds picking me up with mock fantasy drafts and golf posts, Blogger may have erased me from their database for lack of writing.

I could make excuses as to why I've been writing less, but I won't do that. At least not today. Now that we're getting back into football season though, expect more postings and more content. Expect it, but don't plan on it?

As always, thanks for reading.

Gweeds' Fantasy Draft: Rounds 9,10

In a fantasy draft, rounds nine and ten are what will make or break your draft. Also you will start to see some defenses go off the board, so who will be the first one taken? Well lets check out the 9th and 10th rounds of this mock draft.

Round 9, Pick 97

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles. With Jackson as the deep threat Maclin seems to be more of the route runner. He should be a huge target for Kolb, so in PPR leagues this might even be a little late for him. Most of the guys left seem to be guys that like to catch fewer balls, but can gain a lot of yards in those few catches. Still, Maclin should be able to catch 85-90 balls if he plays all 16 games.

Round 9, Pick 98

Eli Manning, QB, Giants. I just don't know about Eli after that huge hit he took in preseason. He already seems to be a little soft in the pocket, and I don't think this will help. He has weapons to get the ball to, but he just has awful games sometimes. He also sometimes gets in the INT mood which doesn't help your team out much. If you get him as a backup you should be solid.


Round 9, Pick 99


Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys. He is a big man like Owens, now if he can just take care of his off the field problems we might have something here. He worries me, because he is the type of person that could get suspended for doing something stupid. If he plays, he worries me that I won't have the balls to take him.


Round 9, Pick 100


Owen Daniels, TE, Texans. If you waited to take your TE till now you may have gotten a steal. If his knee can hold up, as it did for the first half of last year, he can be awesome. He just seems to work the center of the field so well, and Schaub just loves to find him. So if you don't get one of the top 5 TE's you might want to hold off for Daniels.


Round 9, Pick 1o1


Kenny Britt, WR, Titans. This is his time to shine as he will have the same QB for the whole season this year. Britt was supposed to be the big man last season, but CJ took that role for this team. I don't see him putting up real huge numbers, but he should be a good WR3 or WR4 for your team.


Round 9, Pick 102


Donald Brown, RB, Colts. With Addai as the starter who is a little banged up, look for Brown to take advantage. He is the running back of the future for the Colts, and this could be the future season. He will slowly steal touches from Addai, and could take his spot if he plays like he did last season. I know this is a risk pick if Addai plays well all season, but if it works out for you this could be a great pick.


Round 9, Pick 103


Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders. He might play more of a Reggie Bush role this season. He is not a 25 carries a game back. They should just try to get him a few targets via the passing game, and about eight carries a games. In those chances he should be able to make something happen for you to fill bye weeks at least.


Round 9, Pick 104


Thomas Jones, RB, Chiefs. Charles had a great year last season, but he is a little guy that could give carries up to Jones. Charles seems to be more of a screen back, and a toss back. Jones is a power back that might get looks at the goal line. This is another back that at this point in the draft is worth a try, because he still has a lot left in the tank.


Round 9, Pick 105


Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers. He will play this season after he misses the first three weeks. Not sure if he will be playing with the Chargers or not, but he will play. He is too good to not take a chance on, because when he does play he will put up numbers. His frame is too good for him to not play in the NFL. Only missing three games he still has time to put up good numbers for your team.

Round 9, Pick 106


LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Jets. Last year he was a first round pick this year he is a RB3, or RB4. You have to think he still has something left in the tank, and maybe being a back up will help him more. Take the weight of all the carries off his back, and he might be a good pick for your team. Also Greene will know that if he makes a mistake he has an all pro running back right behind him.


Round 9, Pick 107


Steve Breaston, WR, Cardinals. I don't like the QB situation going on here, but if they do find one that can play Breaston should be a good late pick. He will take over for what Boldin had to work with, but Breaston has more speed. Fitz will get double teamed so Breaston could have a field day on the other side. Cardinals, please get a real QB so I can comfortably draft Breaston.


Round 9, Pick 108


N.Y. Jets Defense. Revis has not signed yet, but this team still has a good defense. This is about the time a defense will find itself being taken off the board. It is always hard if you are the first one to take a D, or if you wait till later. If you think you have a strong team take a shot with the Jets. Defense is a position that if they score a bunch of points they can win you the week on their own, so don't be scared of the Jets if you get the chance to pull the trigger.


Round 9, Pick 109


Derrick Mason, WR, Ravens. Mason just seems to put up solid numbers every season, so I try to get him on my team. I like this team this season, so they should put up some numbers on offense and even defense. He just seems to catch a lot of balls, but his touchdown totals are never really high. Maybe with Boldin on the field Mason will find the end zone more.


Round 10, Pick 110

Lee Evans, WR, Bills. Loves the deep ball, but doesn't love to catch a lot of balls in a game. He will always drop in our PPR league, but if you do take him he always seems to get started towards the end of the season. He is a guy you should not reach for, but if you need a WR3, and you feel that he is the best guy on the board, take him here


Round 10, Pick 111


Johnny Knox, WR, Bears. As much as I hate this Bears team this season these WR should be busy. I don't see this team being that good, but I do see them throwing the ball a lot. So Knox could be a huge garbage touchdown guy, and if he gets one earlier in the game it would just be a bonus. Maybe the Bears will put up a lot of points, but give up more and suck that way. Either way, they will suck. Johnny Knox will be the exception.


Round 10, Pick 112


Kellen Winslow, TE, Bucs. With Freeman running the show he should look to find Winslow the most. He is a huge target that loves to work the center of the field. If he can play all season long for a PPR league he could be a major sleeper. If you take a chance and wait on the TE spot Winslow would be the man you should take a chance with.


Round 10, Pick 113


Alex Smith, QB, 49ers. Is this the year the Niners do some work in the West? Well, in order for that to be true Smith will have to have a good year. He has good targets, so all he has to do is get them the ball. Also he can use Gore out of the backfield so he could be a great back up QB for you team. If he doesn't do it this season I think we have to give up on him.


Round 10, Pick 114


Terrell Owens, WR, Bengals. I really don't know what to say here other than he always seems to put up numbers. I have never taken him myself, but if he is around this late he might be a guy to take a chance on. TO and Chad together will either be great, or just really bad.


Round 10, Pick 115


Montario Hardesty, RB, Browns. I guess this guy might start over Harrison, so if that is true any starting running back in the 10th round is a great pick. Other than that I can't tell you anything else about this guy. Writing this is the first I've even heard of him.


Round 10, Pick 116


Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos. This team lacks a threat at WR, but Royal is your best choice. If you are in a league were returns count he should really be a solid pick here. He seems to be a little up and down at times but is a solid pick as a WR3 or WR4. He should be able to improve on last year stats.


Round 10, Pick 117

Santonio Holmes, WR. Jets. Hard Knocks is awesome, so any Jets pick is worth it.

Round 10, Pick 118

Ravens, Def. Can anyone say Super Bowl vs the Packers? That's what I'm thinking, and that is why I like this defense.

Round 10, Pick 119

Laurence Maroney, RB, Pats. I love this guy because he is a work horse. The only problem with him is he seems to never play a full season. In the 10th round you can take a chance here on a guy that can put up good numbers, but might not play much. If he does play look for your team to do some things. If he doesn't play pray you took two good backs in front of him.

Round 10, Pick 120

Vince Young, QB, Titans. Vince Young is a STD. No, no, no not that kind. I mean this guy is a stud. (Winks edit: (speechless)). He can play, and I really like him as a QB where you wait till late to take him as your starter. He can run, he can pass, and he can make plays. If you don't get Rodgers, Manning, or Brees WAIT FOR YOUNG. I want to be forever Young, forever Young.

Round 10, Pick 121

Chirs Cooley, TE, Skins. McNabb, that is all I have to say. Look what he did a few years ago when Campbell found him. What do you think he will do with a real QB that loves to play this game (Winks edit: Don't you be trashing on my boy J.C.). All you people that hate McNabb can keep hating, but I will smoke your ass when I draft him or even the people that he throws to.

Round 10, Pick 122

Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Browns. Love this guy, but I just don't love Jake Delhomme. If Jake "The Snake" is throwing like he can this is a sleeper pick. If Jake blows up and sucks well this is a guy that will sit on your bench all year, and you will be FML In the 1oth round this is the chance you take to win a title.

So those are my first ten rounds, hopefully it threw the eleven other guys in my league of my scent of who I'm actually planning to take. Winks will have a review of that draft sometime this week, and I'll be posted late round sleepers sometime this week as well.

The Bucky Five: Fifty-Nine Points

1. Again, Rodgers. Wow. - If you're judging this game by the starters, then the Packers won their preseason game against the Colts 28-17, as that was the score at the end of the first half. Much of that score can be attributed to Aaron Rodgers, who is continuing to look better and better with each passing preseason contest. On Thursday night, Rodgers threw for 195 yards with three touchdowns, one to Driver, one to Finley, and one to Korey Hall. He just couldn't look better at this point, and it's going to be very exciting watching this guy and this offense once the season starts for real. I have the eighth pick in my fantasy draft, and there's no question I'm taking this guy at that point. If he's still there that is.

2. Defensive Improvements - They still gave up some huge yardage, and they let the Colts score a touchdown after just two plays, but you saw a lot better defense on Thursday than you've seen from this team previously. I'm still got going to worry about the big plays they gave up until the season starts, but I am going to focus on the positives. Morgan Burnett had a very nice interception on Peyton Manning, reading him the whole way. Everyone's favorite Frank Zombo had a huge forced fumble against Manning, and could end up making this team after all. And as a whole, even though they gave up some big plays, they did a very good job shutting down others. Huge tackles were made by B.J. Raji, Charles Woodson, and countless others throughout the game, and overall I'm lot more optimistic about the defense after this game than I was before it.

3. Still Torn on the Punters - On one hand, Chris Bryan's first punt was probably one of the worst punts I've ever seen, and the hangtime couldn't have been more than two seconds. On the other hand, Tim Masthay wears a long sleeve shirt under his jersey in the middle of August. I really don't care who wins this battle at all, in fact, I'm still kind of rooting for both of them to lose it.

4. Chery, Chery - What a night for the special teams, minus the shitty punter battle of course. First you had Korey Hall falling on a muffed punt return in the end zone for a touchdown, and then in the second half a guy named Jason Chery suddenly put himself in the running to make this team when he returned a 75 yard punt return for a touchdown. McCarthy said after the game that Chery is definitely going to get a bigger look this week, and why not? He hit the hole so quick on that return, barely getting touched along the way. If nothing else, big moment for the kid being able to do his first Lambeau Leap.

5. People Taking Notice - This game brings up a lot of the same feelings we had last preseason, when the Packers first team offense routed the Cardinals and we were immediately thinking Super Bowl. Even though it was just after a preseason game. The neat part about the all the points scored by Green Bay in their 59-24 victory over the Colts is how many different people got involved. Starters, backups, and guys just praying for a job, all of them got into the act. Matt Flynn had two touchdowns. Kregg Lumpkin looked very good on the series that spotlighted him where he earned a touchdown. The whole team was just sharp, all the way around in this one. Forget the preseason game against the Chiefts, let's just play some real football already.

Winks Thinks: The More Lousy Soccer Edition

When I told my good friend Double C that I was headed to Chicago for an MLS game last Wednesday night, he replied via text with the words "more lousy soccer". And he was right. It's no secret that I'm one of the twelve people in Wisconsin that like soccer, but the MLS game I attended last week didn't really live up to my expectations. As if I should have even had expectations at all. Nevertheless, it gave me something to write about for this week's Winks Thinks, which can be found over on our new home at PocketDoppler.com. Check it out.

Gweeds' Fantasy Draft: Rounds 7,8

Okay, so this mock draft thing is not looking good for myself. Already I've drafted Ben Tate high, and he's out for the year, and another high pick Fred Jackson is going to be a question mark for the opening week of football. So I hope no one else I pick gets hurt, but lets get started with the 7th and 8th rounds. Maybe this is where you will start to see a few sleepers that could be due for a big year.

Round 7, Pick 73

Jerome Harrison, RB, Browns. He played well at the end of last season, and looked very good against the Packers in the first pre-season game. He is not a starter for you every week, but he will be a good bye week filler. Also if you have a guy sitting a week out with an injury I wouldn't be worried if Harrison is your filler. He still seems bound for a solid year.

Round 7, Pick 74

Steve Slaton, RB, Texans. Give the guy a chance, because as you saw two years ago he can put up huge numbers. He had the fumble problem last season , but now with Tate out for the season Slaton might have luck on his side to get another chance. He might be going higher now with the injury, but keep an eye out for him. He can catch passes out of the backfield also.

Round 7, Pick 75

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens. Could he be the Matt Schaub of last year? I think so with all the weapons he has. Boldin was a huge pick up, and Stallworth can be a deep threat. Also Ray Rice can make plays after catching balls, which will only benefit Flacco's stats. Todd Heap still has some life left in him too, so if you don't get one of the top 10 QB's early make sure you snag Flacco.

Round 7, Pick 76

Malcom Floyd, WR, Chargers. With Vincent Jackson missing some games look for Floyd to make a name for himself early, and maybe force Rivers to like him more than Jackson. The guy has a huge frame that can make big plays, but he just didn't find the end zone much last season. If he can get his touchdowns he will be a WR that is worth taking for years to come.

Round 7, Pick 77

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints. Only in PPR league is Bush a smart pick here. He does get his touches, and seems to make the best of them. At any point in time he can score a touchdown that can be huge for your team. He isn't a bad guy at the flex spot if your league has those, but don't make him a RB2, or else it could be a long year for your team.

Round 7, Pick 78

Michael Bush, RB, Raiders. Not sure what is going to go on in this backfield, but Bush seems to be the best chance of getting carries right now. He had an alright season last year, but they were forced to pass being down all the time. He is another bye week filler, but has the chance with a real QB to maybe get his yards up, and find the end zone more.

Round 7, Pick 79

Zach Miller, TE, Raiders. He might be the top receiver on this team, so why not take him in a PPR league. He seems to be the best choice as the go-to man, so if he is going to get targeted a lot it seems to be a safe pick. I know you still have a lot of other guys on the board, but Campbell loved to throw to former tight end targets Cooley and Davis, so I can't see things being different with Miller.

Round 7, Pick 80

Kevin Kolb, QB, Eagles. This pick might get questioned, but I'm not a huge Eli Manning fan, and McNabb is on a Skins team that has below par WR's. Kolb played well last season, and this team loves to air it out. McNabb threw a lot of times in games, and I don't see any change in the Eagles philosophy with Kolb under center. He has a good RB in the backfield, and solid WR core, and an up and coming TE. So he has the targets now he just has to find them. And find them he will.

Round 7, Pick 81

Robert Meachem, WR, Saints. Last season he loved the end zone, so lets hope that continues. I know the Saints have too many weapons, but the good thing is that they love to use all of them. He is a huge target which makes him a threat in the red zone. He also loves to beat people deep and score long touchdowns. Guys like Santana Moss, and T.J. Whosyourdady are still around at this point, but they seem to be a little washed up. Never bad to go with the new blood that is trying to get a big contract.

Round 7, Pick 82

Justin Forsett, RB, Seahawks. In the 7th round if you can get a starting running back it is never a bad idea. A lot of people are talking about the Hawks trading for a RB, but as it stands right now Forsett will get his carries. I don't see him as a RB1 or RB2, but if one of your guys get hurt he should be a solid back up. If you don't know who to take at that spot he wouldn't be a bad choice.

Round 7, Pick 83

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seahwaks. This is a "Well, maybe he could put up some numbers" pick. He is not a strong pick, but if he can play like he did when he was a Bengal it would be a steal here. The Hawks were just that bad last season, so maybe this season they can turn it around a little bit. If they can get the offense going Housh could have another big season.

Round 7, Pick 84

Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Vikings. With number 4 back this is a great pick. I hate to say it, but he had a huge season last year. I see it happening again this year. He is a big target that just makes the game easier for Brett, so why wouldn't he throw the ball to him. I know Gonzo and Daniels are still out there, but I like Shiancoe over those two.

Round 7, Pick 85

C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills. With Jackson and Lynch hurt, Spiller could begin the season as the starter. If that happens he could earn more carries as the season goes on. He scored a 31 yard touchdown in his second preseason game, so he looks NFL ready already. He can make plays in the running game, and in the passing game. I see him getting Reggie Bush like touches, but if one of those guys go down I see him taking this team on his back.

Round 8, Pick 86

Donavan McNabb, QB, Redskins. I will always pick McNabb too high for personal reasons, but one good thing about him is he puts up good numbers to get you to the playoffs. The negative is he may not be around to play when your team is in the playoffs. He is going to have to learn a new system, but if anyone can do it it has to be him. Also, maybe a change is what he needed to put him over the top.

Round 8, Pick 87

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons. Many people will tell you to be careful with this guy, because you will either get a huge game or a bad game depending on the week. I think if he plays at home he is a for sure play, but if he is on the road you might want to think about it. Maybe this season he will learn how to play on the road as well as he does at home. He has weapons, it is just a matter of if he finds those people or not.

Round 8, Pick 88

Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins. If he can play the whole season, which I think he will, he could be a steal late. He has some help in the backfield this year, so he will still get carries but won't have to run the ball 30 times a game. Also with McNabb, the Skins should be able to throw the ball more. He is another solid RB3 to help your team fill holes for bye weeks.

Round 8, Pick 89

Santana Moss, WR, Redskins. Not sure why every year he seems to be the guy who everyone thinks is going to have a breakout season, yet he just falls flat on his face. I just see another average year for him, but he's still a solid WR3 in the 8th round. Not much out there right now for starters so if you look a little weak at WR take a chance with Santana. Who knows, maybe this is his break out year after all.

Round 8, Pick 90

Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals. He has a few more friends to throw to this year, so maybe they won't work to Cedric Benson as much this year. Not sure if Palmer is a QB1, but he does have the chance to put numbers up like one. Owens, Chad, and the rookie TE Gresham are not a bad squad to throw to. This could be the year Palmer puts up numbers like Winks thought he would in the past, only to have constantly been burned.

Round 8, Pick 91

Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons. Gonzo is getting old, but he is still Gonzo. He just has the perfect redzone body, so he should find the endzone plenty. The reason I have him going after eight other TE's is because I think his overall receptions will be down. In a touchdown league you might want to move Gonzo up. PPR leagues at best he is the eighth best TE.

Round 8, Pick 92

Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers. Kind of a tough pick with Big Ben missing the first six games, but Wallace has speed and good hands. With Holmes gone he will do what Holmes did last year, only I think he could be better. He is a big play threat that can get you yards and touchdowns. With a lot of questions marks around some still big name WR's on the board this seems to be the best guy left.

Round 8, Pick 93

Braylon Edwards, WR, Jets. For this I have just a few words to say. Hard Knocks, and huge beard.

Round 8, Pick 94

Devin Aromashodu, WR, Bears. We got him in our Madden franchise in our second year. We just played the Vikings, and he had a huge game. Other then when he plays the Packers I see this guy having a huge season. Also I kind of hope he has a good season, because I see myself trying to get him on my team, and not just my Madden team.

Round 8, Pick 95

Ricky Williams, RB, Dolphins. Never a bad pick, because Ronnie Brown could get hurt at any time. This team loves to run the football, so even with another solid back there Williams can put up numbers. Williams will get touches, and it won't take a Brown injury for him to have value.

Round 8, Pick 96

Arian Foster, RB, Texans. I don't know who is going to start, but either way both Foster and Slaton will get carries. I like Slaton a lot, but if he fumbles he will get benched real quick. That is what will open the door for Foster to be a steal late in any draft. If you get a few solid backs early, and want to stack up on some this would be your guy.

Colbert on Favre

It's no secret that when I'm low on posts for the week I usually throw a video or two up on the blog to at least remind people of the fact that we still exist, and this example is no different. I did want to share with you though Stephen Colbert's take on Brett Favre returning to the NFL for his 20th season. I know that as a Wisconsin blog, Brett Favre doesn't really fall into our realm anymore, but any chance to rip on the douchebag will undoubtedly be taken. Here's Stephen:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Brett Favre Returns to Football
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

In other former Packers news, it looks like the Vikings are signing Javon Walker for some reason. With their depth at receiver, it's probably a long shot that Walker even makes the team, so it's a curious signing for that reason. It's also curious because the whole reason Walker was basically exiled out of Green Bay was because of animosity that stemmed from when Favre called him out for holding out one season. Interesting how things worked, because didn't Favre technically just hold out this offseason? Think about it. He didn't show up to camp, and when he returned to practice he got a bigger contract. Isn't that what people do when they are holding out. Man, what a blowjob Favre is.

The Bucky Five: Finley Gonna Get Paid

1. Seriously, This Guy is Unreal - While watching the Packers second preseason game on Saturday night with a few buddies, the discussion on Jermichael Finley quickly turned from, "Man, is this guy awesome", to "Hopefully Ted is willing to open his wallet on this guy". Finley is a machine that only gets better every year. From year one to year two, he improved his reception total from six to 55, and increase of 49 catches. I don't really doubt that he couldn't make the same jump this year and grab around 100 balls. In these first two games he already looks like one of the most dominant tight ends in the league. There's no question he'll be going off of the board very quickly come your fantasy football draft, and he looked real sharp in the Packers 27-24 victory on Saturday. Final stats - 4 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD. Spread that over the course of four quarters for sixteen weeks, and this guy is going to want his share of the pie next season. If there isn't a lockout of course.

2. Rodgers Too - Speaking of being a force, how easy is Aaron Rodgers making things look right now. Just another day at the office for him on Saturday, going 8 for 11 with 116 yards and two touchdowns. One of those as mentioned was to Finley, the other was to touchdown monger John Kuhn. It just looks so simple for ARodg, and I have to say I'm loving how often the Packers are not only looking for the deep balls but connecting on them too. A Rodgers injury is the only thing I'm worried about as far as keeping the Packers out of the playoffs. As far as the dream of getting to the Super Bowl, there is still another worry...

3. Didn't We Just See This Last Week? - ... and that would be the defense. The Packers once again gave up a couple of quick touchdowns to the opposing teams' first team offense, even though we should be looked at as the superior unit. This defense isn't something I'm going to let myself worry about until the actual season starts, but my confidence is not at an all-time high right now regarding that side of the ball. I'm very interested to see what happens on Thursday night against the Colts to see how we perform against an actual solid offense instead of these scrubs we've been seeing for the last two weeks. But if we suck against the bad teams, then this might not be pretty against Peyton Manning. Again, thankfully it's just preseason.

4. I Miss Jon Ryan - And not only because he's one of the few people we've actually interviewed on this site (via a whopping three questions over Facebook!). Ryan definitely looked a lot better than our punters on Saturday night, averaging more than 50 yards per punt. He even went as so far to glare down the Packers sideline, albeit in a joking manner. Still, it'd be a lot better to have our punter be putting up those numbers than to have a battle so awful that we're dissecting who is holding more kicks for Mason Crosby to see who has the edge. Honestly, I'm not even taking the time to learn the names of our punters until we pick one. I have no invested interest in this competition. I'm still trying to understand why we don't still have Craig Hentrich.

5. Two More of These Things? - The regular season is still nearly one month away? Seriously, let's start this bitch already!

Parra Can't Complete Sweep Against Padres

Despite the fact that their are still another six weeks left in the regular season, as well as the fact that we still have another October to get through, it already seems to me that baseball is over. The Packers have started up again, my fantasy baseball teams have collapses even harder than usual, and of course our beloved Brewers are nowhere near contention. That doesn't mean that they are going to stop playing games however, as they actually just won four straight against the Cardinals and Padres before losing one to San Diego on Sunday afternoon.

If nothing else this season, the Brewers can pride themselves on playing the role of spoiler for the remainder of the season and also they can use this time to see just which parts of their 25-man roster should stick around for the future. Kind of a very extended Spring Training, if you will. We're learning in these last final weeks that Lorenzo Cain is a hell of a lot more reliable than Carlos Gomez ever was, but on Sunday we were also reminded that maybe Manny Parra just isn't going to be the guy we ever thought he would.

In his start on Sunday, Parra went six innings giving up seven earned, lowering his record to 3-10 on the season. Bob Uecker liked to call former Brewers prospect Ben Hendrickson a "Quadruple-A" player, because even though he was clearly too good for the minor leagues he just never had the stuff to make it in the bigs. This Manny Parra experiment has been going on for about four years now, and everytime it looks like he's going to turn it around he reverts back to his old form. Some people have it, some people don't. Parra might be one of the people that just don't. The silver lining for him is that this season is pretty much irrelevant at this point, so he has ample time to work out the kinks.

Other than that this San Diego series was a pretty decent showing of affairs for the Milwaukee Brewers ballclub. It was one of those series though where I happened to watch zero pitches, by way of other endeavors but mostly because my interest in this season severely waning, which I have not made any secrets of. Things are in fact so bad for me that when I checked out the scores for the weekend on Sunday, I had no idea who Mike McClendon, and he was the guy who pitched three innings to pick up a victory on Sunday. News I would normally be posting in the beginning of the season is now a throwaway line in a Brewers weekend post. Man, I just like it a lot better when these games actually mean something.

POTGs: Chris Capuano (Friday), Mike McClendon (Saturday), Ryan Braun (Sunday)

Short Man Coming....

Nod your head, short man coming, as Earl Boykins will be back in a Bucks uniform this season. It should be the final piece to the puzzle for this team, as their roster is now complete. You have to have a third PG in case one of yours goes down for awhile. I can't think of anyone better than Boykins. He really plays hard, and knows the game inside and out. He also has put a Bucks uniform on before, so this won't be his first rodeo. Every time I type about the the Bucks I just get more excited. The NBA used to just be another sports season, but this one I have a good feeling about.

Boykins, an 11 year veteran, is really looking for a team that he can help put in position to win a title. I can't think of a better team than the Bucks right now for him to have joined. This team is going to be a sleeper this season, and no one knows it but The Bucky Channel. Boykins thinks he has one year left, so unless he will fakes his retirement for the next six seasons like some douchebag I know until he wins the title. So since we don't want to see that bullshit again all the Bucks can do is win it all. It is all in the Bucks hands right now, lets hope they can pull through.

Sounds like Boykins is looking at a 1 year deal for around 1.3 million. Last year he played in 42 games for the Wizards, and put up 7.5 points per game. Another solid move by the Bucks, and for more info click this link.

Hello? Anybody?

Yeah, so it's been slow around here. It's just been a terribly busy week, and free time has been precious (although we've managed to get a full season of Madden in already). Thanks for your continued support, and we'll make it up to you soon. Kisses.

Don't Turn Your Back on the Wolfpack

Milwaukee did its best to give Wisconsin no good news on Tuesday, but they were able to hold on in the end. Thanks to a Hoffman strike out to end the game, yeah I did say Hoffman, the Crew took a two game sweep of the Cards. Randy Wolf, where has this been all season? Right when Wolf got signed the big selling point was that he can go deep into games. That hasn't been the case, but on Wednesday it finally was when he pitched a beautiful 8.1 innings of baseball.

As far as the hitting for the Brewers, an unlikely source was the key Wednesday. Lorenzo Cain was huge Wednesday going 2-3 with two runs, and one RBI. Most people thought he would get some days off when a strong right hander was put on the mound. Well the Cards sent Adam Wainwright to the mound, so you would have thought Chris Dickerson would have got the start. I guess Macha does have some common sense, and he is showing faith in Cain. I really like giving him a chance to build confidence for next season.

Milwaukee had a 3-0 lead going into the ninth, and Wolf was able to get the first guy out. He would give up a double to Pujols, which would chase Wolf from the game. Axford, who threw 28 pitches Tuesday night, was given the chance still for another save Wednesday. He would give up a double to Holliday to make the score 3-1. Schumaker was then hit by a pitch, and Axford struck out Molina. Things looked good until Prince had a fielding error to make the score 3-2. With runners on the corners Axford would walk Rasmus to load the bases.

At that point, it was time to go to our "second-string" closer Trevor Hoffman. At the time I was like "oh shit", as my faith is still not fully restored in him, but he would strike out Ryan to get his seventh save of the season. It's his 598th career save, which is another record breaking save and he's now two away from the milestone of 600, which seems to be the only reason the Brewers are even still playing baseball at this point.

POTG: Randy Wolf 8.1 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 4 k's

The girl he wants don't seem to want him too...

Winks Thinks: The He's Back Edition (As in Me, Not Favre)

Ever since the SportsBubbler closed it's doors, I've still tried to write Winks Thinks every now again here on the main site. For some reason though, it never really looked right on The Bucky Channel. Maybe it was the font, maybe it was because it was so damn long. Either way, it's back as we're now live on PocketDoppler.com. The debut column on the site is more or less an introduction, but don't worry, there is plenty of Favre and ESPN bashing in this column as well. Seriously, Favre was asked a question at his press conference and then rambled for 20 minutes. Man oh man does this guy love attention. Anyway, check out the new installment here.

McGehee, Bush Carry Crew

In the first game of their two game set in St. Louis, the Brewers were able to score three runs in the third inning, and the pitching staff was able to hold the Cardinals to only two runs. The Crew have not had many games this season where the pitchers have held on to an early lead. Most the reasons behind that are the Brewers love to give up first inning runs. But Dave Bush pitched six good innings only giving up four hits, and had just one bad pitch. Pujols hit his 31st home run of the season against Bush, but other than that Bush had the Cards number.

Kameron Loe pitched a scoreless 7th inning, but for some reason Macha kept him out for another inning. Loe has been a little off lately so you would think with a scoreless inning you put someone else in there to give Loe some confidence. After a couple of hits off of Loe, Macha went with his closer Axford to keep the lead. He threw a wild pitch that scored a run, but then struck out Jay, walked Pujols, and got Holliday to ground out. It was huge to not have to face those three guys in the ninth inning, where Axford would pitch cleanly for the save.

As far as the Brewers bats, Casey McGehee has been hot of late, and he kept it going again Tuesday night. His two run bomb in the third inning was smoked to center field. Casey also finished with three of the Brewers seven total hits. Fielder was up in the third with the bases loaded, but he grounded into a double play. Not a shocker there as I have stated in the past Prince is not King when it comes to hitting with people in scoring position. Good thing Casey picked up his slack.

This wasn't a huge game for the Crew, but it is always nice to beat teams trying to make the playoffs if you're not currently one of those teams. With the Reds winning Wednesday night as well, the Cards are now two games out of first in the Central. I would much rather see the Reds win, since it would be a change of pace for this division. Crew are back at it Wednesday at 1:15 for a Central Division day game.

POTG: Casey McGehee 3-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI

G.T.L. baby. Gym, Tanning, Laundry.

The Bucky Five: Right Where They Left Off

1. The Bad Side of Our Defense - At times last year the 3-4 defense was unstoppable, but at times it was clear that it was still a work in progress. So far this year, it's still a work in progress. The Packers first team defense let the Browns get in the end zone on their first two possessions, including one on a drive led by Seneca Wallace. I'm not one to get too concerned about things until the actual season starts, but you would like to see the first team unit look a little better before this thing starts happening for real.

2. Rodgers on a Mission - Rodgers started the game ten for ten, threw a first drive laser to Greg Jennings for a touchdown, finished with just one incompletion and had 159 yards on the day. While the defense may have picked up where they left off after their tough game against the Cardinals in the playoffs last year, Rodgers did the same just continually showing why he's already an elite starter in this league. He is a man on a mission this year, and I honestly believe he's worth a good three or four wins this season. With Rodgers we are a great team, but without him I'm not how sure how good we would be. Good to see him starting off strong.

3. The Running Battle - Ryan Grant is clearly the starter on this team, and he'll be one of the rare one-system backs in the NFL. After that, it's really a crapshoot. Brandon Jackson looked lost at times still, but should still be the second stringer. Quinn Porter and Kregg Lumpkin are then battling for a roster spot, both running about the same stats although with Lumpkin getting the touchdown. John Kuhn also had a big score on a very impressive tackle breaking run.

4. Not So Special Teams - Like that headline? First time you've heard that before I'm sure. Not a stellar night for the punt return game, especially cornerback Sam Shields who despite the Packers best efforts isn't looking too sharp on returns. By the time the season comes around, I still expect Will Blackmon to be returning any ball that comes off the foot.

5. Just the Four This Week - Again, with being up north for the weekend I only saw a bit of the game on tape delay, so we'll keep the observations brief this week. The next game is next week at 9pm against the Seattle, so I'll be able to catch the full four quarters there. Other than that, I will use this time to say that Winks Thinks should be returning this week, as we've joined up with Pocket Doppler to bring you the column once again. I never said it would be good though, but stay tuned.

Martin Kaymer Takes PGA

Nothing really went smooth this weekend at Whistling Straits as Fog delayed the start, and a controversial event occurred late in the PGA Championship. After all of the obstacles though you can't take anything away from Martin Kaymer. He played very great Saturday and Sunday to earn his first Major title. He made clutch putts when he needed them, but none bigger then the 15 footer he made on 18 to get himself into the two man playoff between him and Bubba Watson.

It actually looked like there was going to be a three person playoff as Dustin Johnson missed a 6-foot putt that would have "won" him the Championship. As Johnson was walking off the green a PGA official talked to him with some not great news. Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer were waiting in the clubhouse to get word on when to head to the 1oth tee for the playoff, but they weren't sure if Johnson would join them. The question was whether or not Johnson grounded his club in a bunker, because if he did Johnson would need to take two penalty strokes, and would not take part in the playoff. More on this later.

So the playoff began without Johnson, and Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson headed to the 10th tee. Watson smoked a drive about 10 yards from the front of the green, and made birdie to take a one shot lead going to number 17. Watson put it right in the middle of the green so things were looking good for him. Martin Kaymer stuck it about 15 feet away, and made the putt to tie things up at -1 with one hole left.

The two then played 18 again which plays hard. Watson got into trouble with his drive. Martin also go into trouble with his drive. Watson's second shot went into the water. It looked that he had no shot, but Martin played safe to leave himself a nice sand wedge left. He knocked it about 15 feet, and waited for Watson to play. After a drop Watson went over the green into a bunker. From there the only chance he had was to hole it out, and he hit the pin but the ball was moving to fast to fall. After that Martin just needed a two putt for the win.

Overall it was a real exciting final day of golf, but the whole thing was hurt with the Johnson call. This course if full of bunkers so you would have to think Johnson knew the area in question was a bunker, but it was walked over for four days so I say it should have been a waste area. My guess is also that someone else at some point in time this weekend went into that area and may have grounded their club, but it wasn't reviewed under TV replay. In most tournaments the gallery is not allowed to walk in bunkers, but during Johnson's shot there were dozens of people standing in this one. Also a PGA offical was standing next to Johnson showing him his ball, and he never told him that it was a bunker. They are not forced to tell players anything, but since golf is all about etiquette you think he would have helped Johnson out.

A rule is a rule, so Johnson did the right thing took the strokes, and signed his card. The PGA Championship in 2010 will always be remembered for what might have been. You have to feel bad for Dustin Johnson, because it was one of those things were he just played the game, but also got played by the game. He was in the final pairing of the day, and for the first part of the day you thought he was done. In the back nine he started making some big shots. All he had to do was put his drive in the fairway, hit the center of the green, two putts, and he wins. If only it could have been that easy it would have been a successful weekend in Wisconsin, but now you have to wonder who's fault this one is that Dustin Johnson got stripped of a chance to win.

Overall all it was a great weekend of golf, and a lot of young guys may have made a name for themselves. Paul Casey, my sleeper pick, played well and finished tied for 12th at 6 under. He just never put up a big score on a day to put him closer to the top. Steve Stricker had a a few bad shots that really took him out of the game. Tiger Woods after four holes on Thursday looked like he was maybe going to make a run at this. You thought maybe the old Tiger was back, but that didn't last long as he would only birdie one more hole the rest of the day. He was never a threat after the first day of this thing. Check out the rest of the scores here.

If any good news comes from Dustin Johnson's day it looks like he will be on the Ryder Cup team. I hope he takes what happens and uses it help him take out the guys from Europe. Wisconsin will be seeing the PGA again in either 2014 or 2015. I hope that with what happened this weekend it won't erase how great this course is, and how great this tournament was.

So, How'd the Brewers Do This Weekend?

As previously mentioned, this weekend was the first in a long time where I went without phone and internet, which also meant that I went four days without any news or knowledge of the Milwaukee Brewers. So after a full weekend without the technology that I base my current live around, how would I respond once I arrived back home? I definitely ran right back to my laptop the moment I re-entered my apartment, and then the instant downloading of information that I missed had begun.

In two short hours, I browsed as much information as I could to try to check up on everything that I had not seen during the weekend. The first few things were the obvious ones - e-mail, fantasy baseball stats, and then my bank account to see how much money I blew (there was a casino near the cabin where we stayed). And then I checked out the Milwaukee Brewers box scores over the weekend? Well, not yet.

My next order was business was to soak in as much information I could about the Packers game, I browsed the blogs, checked out some highlights, read the reactions. From there, I checked out some more video of NFL games throughout the weekend. I read that Torry Holt was put on the IR. I saw that Glen Coffee retired for some reason. And then I check out the Brewers box scores? Well, not yet.

For many at this point, I did the unthinkable. I looked up soccer scores from the weekend, and watched some MLS highlights. I did a real brief checking of things in the wrestling world, and then I did the usual Facebook stalking. And then I finally remembered that the Brewers played a few games over the weekend, and checked out the box scores.

Actually, I haven't even checked them out yet. I know I have all of the box score links to each of them open in my Google Chrome, but I still haven't looked at them. I'm not going out of my way to try and brag here about how little interest I have in the Brewers right now, I'm almost more or less disappointed that the Brewers aren't in a position where they are must see TV right now. It's not a bandwagon type scenario, it's just more or less as a sports fan I am interested in a lot of different teams and I'm not going to waste a good chunk of that time following a team that hasn't been able to get back to .500 since the start of the season. I love the Brewers, you know I do, but right now they are nowhere close to top priority. That being said, here are the POTG's for the weekend (just let me look over the box scores quick).

Thursday - Milwaukee 8, Arizona 4

POTG: Casey McGehee

Friday - Colorado 5, Milwaukee 4

POTG: Johnathan Lucroy

Saturday - Milwaukee 5, Colorado 4 (F/10)

POTG: Casey McGehee

Sunday - Colorado 6, Milwaukee 5

POTG: Rickie Weeks

A World Without Internet or Phone

I'm doing something this weekend that I'm not sure I've done since I turned 16, and that is I am planning to go a whole 2 1/2 days without internet and phone on my mini-vacation up north. That's right. No blog, no phone calls, no text, no Twitter, no fantasy sports, no porn. I don't know if I'll actually be able to do it or not, but I can't think of another time in my life when I'll be able to at least give it a try. That means that The Bucky Channel will be shut down until Sunday night, although (insert played out comment about how no one reads the site anyway here).

I'll let you know how this experiment of mine goes, and we also have a bit of news to share on Monday as well. For the meantime, please enjoy the fact that the Brett Favre dong shots article posted by Deadspin last week has finally brought YouTube legend BradyFan83 out of retirement. Enjoy "See My Dong".

PGA Championship Preview

So I'm not sure if you've heard but I guess there are some really good golfers hanging out in the eastern part of Wisconsin this week. Whistling Straits is holding its second PGA Championship event this weekend, as the tournament was also held there when Vijay Singh won it in 2004. He won with a total score 8 under, so we will have to see if this course is playing harder this year or not. In 2004, I was able to make it over to the Straits for a practice round, and unfortunately I won't get the chance to do the same this year. Even if you don't like golf, it is something if you that you should try to get to just to see. The layout of the course is beautiful, and it is just a great sight to witness.

Tiger has been the talk of the week so far as he is working with his swing coach after his 18 over showing last week. He was hitting balls left and right last weekend, as in left and right of the fairway. If he does that this week don't expect to see him around on the weekend. I really don't know what to think of Tiger this week, but I know for a fact I wouldn't put any money on him. I don't think he is going to just find his swing all of a sudden and play like the Tiger that won the PGA in 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2007.

Steve Stricker on the other hand can become the number 1 ranked player in the world with a win, and some help from Phil and Tiger. Do I really think this is going to happen? Not so much, but it is cool that there is a chance for the Wisconsin native to win the PGA and be the top ranked golfer in the world. Strick will start his quest for the Championship Thursday at 1:15pm playing with Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott. Both are young guys that will be headliners in a couple of years. They will be starting on tee number 1 Thursday if you are heading out to watch the golf that day.

Jerry Kelly, the other Wisconsin native in the event, is getting an early start Thursday as he tees off at 7:50am. He will be joined by Paul Casey and my boy Anthony Kim. Wouldn't be shocked if a guy like Casey comes out early to post a good score. He is always a fast starter it seems. As far as Kelly and Kim they should have goals of just making the cut. Kim is just coming off an injury, and Kelly just hasn't played well this season. I wouldn't be upset to see one of these guys have a great week, but don't count on it. Im going with Paul Casey as my sleeper pick to win it all.

Lets check out some other tee times you might want to watch Thursday.

* Y.E. Yang (defending champ), Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods 8:20am starting on the 10th tee

* Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open winner), Louis Oosthuizen (British Open winner) 1:35pm Starting on the 1st tee

* Rickie Fowler, Justin Leonard, Ryo Ishikawa 7:10am starting on the 10th tee (one of these guys could be an early clubhouse leader)

* Padraig Harrington, Davis Love III, John Daly 8:00am starting on the 10th tee (never a dull moment with Daly in your group)

The rest of the group pairings are posted here. If you want even more golf coverage, check out Aaron Rodgers on the Scott Van Pelt show to see what he had to say about the course and to find out what he shot during his last round there.

Enjoy the tournament, and check back here Sunday night for a full recap.

Get Your Popcorn Ready

That is right folks. The Milwaukee Bucks season is right around the corner, as evidenced by on Tuesday when the schedule came out. Not a shocker here, but the Bucks will be starting again on the road this season in New Orleans on October 27th, their 26th season in a row starting on the road. It won't be an easy game, but the Hornets made no off-season moves to improve this team. CP3 is not happy with what happened in the off-season, and I can't say I blame him. So I would guess he will be on the Hornets roster, but who knows.

As far as when will the Bucks be on national TV this season, they do have four nationally televised games. It's definitely more than they've had in the past, but I still think they should have had a few more. They are on all ESPN games, so they still wont be making any TNT appearances. Maybe some season they will get there chance for Chuck and the boys to talk about them. I just love TNT so I wish they could have have got one game on there. The first game on ESPN is Nov. 3rd at Boston. They also play vs. Denver on Feb. 16th, vs Boston on March 6th, and April 6th against LeBron and crew at Miami.

As far as big home games on the schedule, the Heat come to town Dec. 6th. The Lakers come early this season on Nov. 16th. The gay Hawks come to town on Dec. 27th, so that will be a game that the Bucks must win. Still not fans of them after playing them seven times in the playoffs last season. Kevin Durant and his boys will be in town early also as they play at Milwaukee on Nov. 20th. Last but not least, I guess we can nominated John Wall and the Wiz as a key game as they come to town Jan. 19th. Those are just a few home games you might want to get tickets for early if you plan on going to them.

If you have a hard time getting to games during the week, this season is for you. Milwaukee plays 18 games this season on Saturday nights, and of those 18 games 17 of them are at home. This is huge for the Bradley Center, as well as for their ticket sales. Most people find it easier to attend games on Saturday nights. Also they will sell out other key games that people when want to see the LeBron James' and Kobe Bryants of the league. This could be the best the Bucks do in the ticket office in years. Maybe since the Big Three years even.

If you would like to see the whole schedule click this link.

Also on a side note ESPN did a forecast on the East that is cool so check it out. Not only do I think the Bucks can be a threat this season, but ESPN feels the same way.

The U.S. Soccer Honeymoon is Over

While in a dream world this United States vs. Brazil matchup would have taken place in the actual World Cup semifinal this season, the two teams instead met on Tuesday night in the New Meadowlands stadium for an international friendly. And it did not go well for the United States squad. The U.S. played to form by giving up goals in the first half, and ultimately it was the two first half goals that did them in to lose by a score of 2-0. Thus ends the hoopla over the U.S. men's national team.

This game meant a lot more to the American side than it did to Brazil, as Brazil debuted a younger squad against an America team that was basically a carbon copy of the team they trotted out during the World Cup. Brazil is an established world soccer power, we all know that. But the Americans are an up and coming squad that is battling on two fronts - they are trying to prove their way in soccer world as well as trying to convince the people at home that they are a worthy team to follow. The fringe fans wanted to see a win on Tuesday, but that was not the case, as the Americans didn't play their best game against a quality Brazil side.

After the squad, Tim Howard basically said that the team took a step backwards from their semi-impressive World Cup run, and that's a great way to sum up this game. Actually, that's a great way to sum up Tim Howard right now in my opinion. The guy is a great goalkeeper, that's not even a question, but personally I have felt like he has been playing a little below his level even during the Cup. The performance and the loss isn't a huge deal though, as it was just a friendly, but I was hoping that the squad could have maybe put a decent win together to keep this momentum going and keep gaining supporters and that just did not happen tonight.

Oh well, I just have to keep reminding myself that no matter how much I love soccer and follow these national team friendlies, soccer just won't be important in America unless it's a World Cup.

POTG: Alcides Escobar.

Wait, wrong game? Oh well.

Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-power.

Gweeds' Fantasy Draft: Rounds 5, 6

Okay, so maybe I messed up by drafting Calvin Johnson twice in this thing, so lets just remove him from the first pick in the third round. (You can check out the dual drafting my checking out the first two rounds of my mock draft here, and the third and fourth rounds here). We will move everyone else down the list one spot, so this draft will start with the final pick in round 4. I'm good with that if you are. Again, this is a mock draft featuring twelve teams in a points per reception format.

Round 4, Pick 48

Chad Ochocinco, WR, Bengals. He could have a huge year now that T.O .joined him, or his numbers could drop off because of that fact. But late in the fourth round he is a safe pick to still put up good WR2 type numbers. If he is your first WR you better have a good sleeper in mind. Chad will still get his chances as T.O. will drop a lot of his.

Round 5, Pick 49

Marion Barber, RB, Cowboys. This was a hard pick for me, because you have a lot of speedy third down backs out there. Barber on the other hand will need to get a lot of goal line carries to score, but this could happen a lot for him. Maybe this is the year the Cowboys turn up the offense and score the high number of points they seem to be capable of. I'm taking Barber over Brandon Jacobs, because Barber has a better chance of running for 100 yards in a game.

Round 5, Pick 50

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears. I hate this guy so I would never draft him, but if you're going to take him this wouldn't be a bad spot to do it. It's not too early, and you don't have to worry about anyone else taking him on you if he is on your board.

Round 5, Pick 51

Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers. Before all the bullshit Favre news I would have put Favre or Harvin here, but since he looks to be "done" lets give Crabtree some love. He has the body to put up huge fantasy numbers, but the 49ers lack a solid QB. Still I think Crabtree should catch around 80 balls this season for the Niners.

Round 5, Pick 52

Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers. Hello first TE off the board. Why would you not take Dallas Clark as the first TE you may ask? Well let me tell you. Rivers will be missing Vincent Jackson for a couple of weeks, and Gates will be his main target all season. Gates has great hands, and runs great routes. As the Chargers lack WR's this season look for Gates to act even more like a receiver than he has in years past.

Round 5, Pick 53

Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jaguars. He was all the Jags had last season in the receiving game, and I think it will be the same this season. He is a great option as your second WR, because he has the chance to put up WR1 stats this season. He just needs to stay out of trouble, and keep himself on the field. Might be a risk pick, but could be an awesome reward pick.

Round 5, Pick 54

Fred Jackson, RB, Bills. He loves to catch balls out of the backfield, and can also break a long run every once in awhile. People may think that C.J. Spiller is going to see a lot of time, but I don't. Also I don't see Lynch wearing a Bills jersey all season, so this could be high for most people but for me it just seems right.

Round 5, Pick 55

Dallas Clark, TE, Colts. I don't like that the Colts have so many weapons, but I do like that Manning does a great job of finding this one. His numbers might not be what they were last season, but they should be top for an TE. In PPR leagues he should get you a lot of points for the TE spot, but if your in a touchdown league you may want to hold off on him a little longer.

Round 5, Pick 56

Wes Welker, WR, Patriots. I don't know where his health is right now, but it sounds like he should be ready to play. If he plays odds are he will produce at a high level. Normally because it's a PPR league I would have put him much higher, but I just don't know where he is right now with his knee. If he plays, getting him in the fifth round would be steal.

Round 5, Pick 57

Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings. He just has so many ways he can create on the field. He can catch the ball, run the ball, and maybe even pass the ball. With Favre all but done, well for now anyway, I guess Harvin could be used in more trick situations the season. He may have up and down weeks, but in he long run he should be able to help you out more often than not in the point column.

Round 5, Pick 58

Ben Tate, RB, Texans. I guess Steve Slaton's fumble problem is going to cost him in the long run. Texans running backs always seem to have big years, as long as they can hold on to the ball. So lets hope that Tate can keep that tradition up while holding on to the ball at the same time. It might be a little high for Tate late in the fifth, but if you want him you would need to take him around the late fifth or early sixth round.

Round 5, Pick 59

Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants. He never runs for 100 yards, but he scores touchdowns so he has the best value of any backs this late if you need another one. He has the best chance to put up bigger numbers than anyone else left on the board at this point at running back, so he's the pick.

Round 5, Pick 60

Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers. The guy is just a freak of nature, and can go up to catch any ball at any time. Not only does he catch a lot of balls, but he should score a lot of touchdowns too. At the end of last season he was Rodgers favorite target inside the ten. I know the Packers have a lot of targets, but TE's are going to start flying off the board. So snag him if you can late fifth, or early sixth.

Round 6, Pick 61

Brett Favre, QB, Vikings. I know at points of this column I've said that Favre probably won't return and at other points I said he's likely to, but that's how often the news seems to be changing with this guy. I don't believe his bullshit, I think he will be back this season to make one last run at it. I really do believe this will be the last chance he has. Also he doesn't care about anyone else so if his ankle is a little sore he will still play. I think if he comes back I have to say he could have another good year, but it is so hard to pick him personally because I don't like him.

Round 6, Pick 62

Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs. I would have taken Maclin at this spot, but it sounds like he could be hurt. Keep an eye on him if he isn't hurt too badly as he could have a good year otherwise. Bowe on the other hand has to put up better numbers than last season. This team came around towards the end of the season, so maybe this will be the year Bowe puts up the numbers he should.

Round 6, Pick 63

Carnell Williams, RB, Bucs. Derrick Ward was hurt all last season and was never anything great. Williams will get all the looks, so he has a good chance of throwing up some good numbers. He is a hard runner that loves to get carries, and all you can hope is he finds the end zone.

Round 6, Pick 65

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers. Finley and him are both keys to their teams winning, so either one of these guys would be steals. If you can hold off on Clark and Gates to get either Davis or Finley I'd do it. Davis is just a big target that runs great routes. He could have a huge season this season.

Round 6, Pick 66

Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys. No matter what, Romo will look for him when in doubt. In PPR leagues he is a great TE to keep in mind. He only had two touchdowns last season, so you have to think that number will go up. The only problem is it has been going down from the past three years. Still, I find it hard to believe he catches only two touchdowns again.

Round 6, Pick 67

Thomas Jones, RB, Chiefs. He will be behind Jamaal Charles, but should still get a good amount of touches. This team should look to run the ball, or play small ball with screens. Bowe is all they really have as a deep threat, which should set up Jones and the ability to steal some touchdowns from Charles inside the ten.

Round 6, Pick 68

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Giants. I think the Giants might try to get him to more touches as the season goes on. He just knows how to make plays, and if he gets in the open field not too many people are going to catch him. He falls down my board though because of Jacobs stealing short touchdown runs. At this point if you have two running backs and still need a QB hold off and take a guy like Bradshaw. Still some good QB's left on the board at this point.

Round 6, Pick 69

Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants. He is a big play guy, but I could see him becoming more a route runner this season. Since Plax has left this team they have been missing a big target. That is what Nicks can do. If he plays the whole season I see him catching balls and scoring touchdowns, and lots of them. He could help the Giants contend again in the NFC East in the process.

Round 6, Pick 70

Brent Celek, TE, Eagles. With Kolb as the new starter for the Eagles the first thing he should do is use his tight end. Finding Celek over the middle for a 5 yards here and 10 yards there will take some pressure off of him. Celek could be last years Owen Daniels, at least before Daniels was injured. He could put up sleeper numbers this season so take a chance with him late sixth round or early seventh round.

Round 6, Pick 71

Pierre Garcon, WR, Colts. He is the new Marvin Harrison, and well if I remember right Harrison always put up good numbers. He is the third target on a great passing team, so he should get a weaker DB to be faced up against. I really like what he has to work with this year, and that Manning is the one throwing him balls all season. I'd say 85 receptions this season is a good target for him this year, so don't be shocked if he does it.

Round 6, Pick 72

Donald Driver, WR, Packers. A PPR league is the only reason I would take Driver here over a few other names. He is the most proven of all the WR left on the board, so if you need a WR late in the sixth round don't be scared to take him. I know I keep saying the Packers have too many targets, but this team loves to put the ball in the air. If this is your second WR you might be in trouble, but as a third WR he could take over for your second once the season gets rolling on or if there is an injury.

I know I got delayed on this a little this week, as I did some Brewers posts for the slacking Winks and also had a little too much to drink Saturday night. This week we will be going up north, plus Madden 11 comes out Wednesday, so not sure when Rounds 7 and 8 will be up. If all goes well Sunday when we get back into town I should be able to do it between games of Madden. Hell, playing Madden might also help me figure out some 7th and 8th round sleepers. Also you should check out preseason games this weekend, because you might find a diamond in the rough on a team.

Bullpen Drops the Ball

There was plenty of cause for concern when the Brewers posted a lineup that had Joe Inglett in left field and Alcides Escobar in right as the two were replacing Ryan Braun and Corey Hart on Monday night, but it was the pitching staff that ultimately let down Milwaukee against the Diamondbacks. After playing some real impressive baseball over the last few days, the Brewers were back to their disappointing ways when John Axford blew the save and Trevor Hoffman picked up the loss in the 9th and 10th frames. Real momentum killer of a game this one, that is if we had any real momentum left at all.

POTG: Lorenzo Cain. He had a couple of runs, and looked very impressive holding down centerfield.

I can feel it coming in the air tonight.

Brewers Trade Edmonds

It appears that the future is now for Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain. In the past week, the Crew have sent Carlos Gomez to the DL for being terrible and sort of injured and now they have just sent Jim Edmonds to the Cinicinnati Reds. From what I understood, Edmonds didn't want to be traded even if it meant going to a contender, but apparently something changed his mind. Edmonds will now join the sixth team of his career, and the fourth time he's been on the roster of an NL Central squad. He'll join new teammates against a former team as the Reds are set for a big NL Central series with the Cardinals this week.

All this shuffling basically means that Lorenzo Cain is going to see a lot of playing time in the next month or so, as this his really his audition to make sure this is the guy we're going with in center next year, because Carlos Gomez does not appear to be the answer. In return for Edmonds, the Brewers are getting Chris Dickerson, who is 12 years younger than Edmonds at 28. Dickerson is a lefty that can play all over the outfield, but he really hasn't yet lived up to expectations. Interesting trade here by the Crew, but I can't really argue with trading an old guy for a young guy when we're out of the race. Best of luck to Jedmonds.

Brewers Sweep > Packers Family Night

I found it a bit curious on Saturday night when my buddy Hyke was surprised that I was actually attending a Brewers game that evening. For all intents and purposes, I have pretty much given up on this Brewers season, at least as far as postseason or even a .500 record is concerned. But Hyke's surprise was more or less the fact that I was at Miller Park instead of Lambeau Field, as the Packers Family Night scrimmage was taking place. Maybe Hyke doesn't know me as well as I thought he did, because there is no way in hell I'd ever attend the hick fest that is Family Night.

Packers Family Night is awful for the same reasons that it's become somewhat of a success. By having this scrimmage, the Packers give fans who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to attend a game the chance to see Lambeau in person. But if you reread that sentence, you'll see why Family Night is something I would never attend. With apologies once again to Central Wisconsin, the people that gulp up these ten dollar tickets are not a very diverse crowd. You think of your typical hick Northwoods family in this state, and this Family Night is their Super Bowl. So no, I would not have rather attended this event than the Brewers game on Saturday.

Actually hell, I would not have liked to attend this Family Night even if the crowd was a little more urban, so to speak. I know that everyone gets excited to see the Packers because they are without a doubt the go-to team in this state for sports, but this is a freaking scrimmage we are talking about. Against themselves. I just can't get into these glorified practices where half of the people in the stadium are making "At least the Packers scored first" jokes. Maybe I'm just not as much of a diehard as other fans, but the last thing I want to do is follow every practice consistently and watch the battles between the 5th and 6th string wide receiver, whether it's televised or not. While I do care about those things to an extent, it's the preseason games themselves that I follow. I could give two shits about the daily practices, just tell me who gets hurt and I'm good to go.

So with watching or even attending FOX 11's biggest night of the year out of the question, my attention instead turned to the Milwaukee Brewers. I've been sour on the Crew as well, especially as of late, and the game I attended last week with my brother for his birthday didn't help (we have started a bad tradition of ending up going to some of the most poorly played games by the Brewers throughout the last couple of seasons). The crowd on Saturday night didn't seem all that impressed either to start the game, but it quickly turned into the best atmosphere at Miller Park that I've been to since the 2008 playoffs.

Even though innings two through eight proved to have some pretty spectacular highlights (the Randy Wolf web gem being one of them), it was inning one and inning nine which the crowd was buzzing about afterwards. The crowd quickly turned from half-heartily caring to being full-blown excited when Rickie Weeks hit a leadoff home run, only of the inside-the-park variety. I had never seen one of these in person and didn't realize Weeks was going for it until the crowd cheered him hustling towards third, as my eyes were on Jason Bourgeois in center field. I didn't think it was the kind of shot that anyone could hit an inside-the-parker on, but Weeks did it and the excitement that has been lacking for most of the season at Miller Park was back.

The Astros series actually turned out to be a very memorable one for Milwaukee, kicked off with a walk-off hit from Prince Fielder on Friday night. The highlight though for many that attended this series could very well be the sound that has been missing from Miller Park since May - Hells Bells. With a three run lead in the ninth inning, the bells rang again as Trevor Hoffman was given the save opportunity. Ken Macha talked after the game about how he has earned this opportunity, and with a three run lead John Axford was still available should the night turn sour for the all-time saves leader. But Hoffman fed off of the crowd's emotion and delivered three straight outs to pick up save number 597, and the crowd erupted yet again when the sign above centerfield was finally updated.

To me, even though I'm a big Axford guy, this was the highlight of the night. I had attended the game with the girlfriend and I was explaining to her in the first inning how stupid I thought it was that the Brewers still had the Hoffman sign up in the first place. Funny how things work out that way in baseball.

So on a night where everyone seemingly decided to switch over into Packers mode, I still stayed on the Brewers train for one game longer. It really felt like a different season on Saturday night, as the team looked great and the crowd was into it. Even with the dominating victory on Sunday as well, the Brewers are still six games under .500 and still out of this thing. But for this weekend, it was kind of a nice way to honor the Brewers before I do fully switch into Packers mode.

POTG Saturday - Hoffman, the sentimental pick.

Wake up kids, we've got the dreamers disease.

POTG Sunday - Casey McGehee

Age fourteen, we got you down on your knees.

Prince With a Clutch Hit?

The king of the solo home run changed things up a bit and hit a walk off single Friday night at Miller Park. The Brewers got on the board first in this one when Alcides Escobar doubled in Lorenzo Cain, who was brought up for Gomez as he went on the 15 day DL. Gomez got smoked in the head by a pitch Tuesday in Chicago, and I think this is more of lets not rush him back type of move. He hasn't played much of late either, so why take the risk of letting him get hurt again, putting him on the DL was the right call.. I love the move the Brewers made by bringing Cain back up and starting him Friday night. Never hurts to change things up every once in awhile, and give another guy a chance.

It didn't take long for the Brewers to give up the 1-0 lead though, as Hunter Pence hit a two run double, and the "Oh crap, Houston owns us" thoughts were starting to creep in. Dave Bush had a good outing to keep things at bay though as he went six innings with only two earned runs. He did give up a lot of hits and walks but was able to keep the Crew in the game for a solid six innings. Wandy Rodrizuez on the other hand was stellar again against the Crew. Is anyone else shocked that we haven't tried to get this guy yet with all the success he has against the Brewers?

Going into the ninth inning things didn't look good for Milwaukee, and the game seemed to be all but over when Houston started the inning with back to back singles. With runners on first and third Brett Wallace hit into a double play, but plated a run to give Houston a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. After Escobar grounded out, George Kottaras was walked to give the Crew some hope. With the pitcher spot up, Joe Inglett would pinch hit, and he promptly hit a two run home run. Inglett's first home run since 2008 brough Milwaukee within one run. At this point you had to think this game is tied if we didn't just give up that run in the top half of the ninth. Still fighting though, Weeks would single and Hart would get walked to bring up Prince with a couple ducks on the pond.

Prince Fielder is batting an amazing .204 with runners in scoring position this season, so with two guys on all I could think was odds are this could be a double play, or a fly out to right. On this night things would not go the way I thought, but instead things would go well. Fielder roped one down the line where it hit the side padding and shot back into shallow right. Hart was at first base, and even though not too many people are going to try to score from first on a play like this Hart attempted it. It was a close play at the plat, and replays showed that Hart was indeed tagged before he touched safely, but the umpire gave him the benefit of the doubt and the Brewers won the game. With that the Brewers capped off a great comeback win, and gave the fans something to cheer about Friday night. With the 6-5 win maybe the Brewers can make something of this weekend series.

POTG: Joe Inglett

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes...

Brewers Can't Sweep Cubs

On the verge of their first sweep in Wrigley since 2002, the Brewers instead settled for another Ken Macha meltdown Wednesday afternoon. In this one, Manny Parra pitched five stellar innings, which he can do every time. The only problem is he is not a true starter. When he came out in the sixth inning he gave up a lead off single, struck a man out, wild pitch, and then a walk. Right there you have to say that one more batter would maybe be enough for this guy, or maybe you even pull him at this point. But instead Macha keeps him in to give up a single, strike out, single, single, and now your down 4-3 when you finally pull Parra. Not only do you pull Parra, you put Coffey out there to throw a meatball to Ramirez to end any chances for the sweep, as the Cubs would go on to a 15-3 win over the crew.

I guess the Brewers giving up runs in the sixth inning shouldn't be a shock anymore as they have been outscored 87-46 this season in the sixth inning. They added another six runs to that total Wednesday. Do we have any pitchers that can pitch a solid seven innings?

Right now this team is not going anywhere, so sweeping the Cubs would have been nice for the fans. I work with a Cubs fan, and it would have been nice to rub it in for the next week or so. Unless the Crew put up a 20 game winning streak to get back in this thing, which I don't see happening, then thank god the Packers start soon.

The Brewers have off Thursday, before the Houston Astros come to town this weekend. Last weekend Milwaukee was embarrassed by Houston only scoring two runs for the whole series. I hope they can improve on that total for the Brewer fans that are paying to watch them. Bucky Channel creator Winks is going to the game Saturday night. I would have joined him and his ladyfriend, but I can't find a date for the life of me. I'm not sure if it is girls not liking me, or me just not wanting to go to a Brewer game. Or maybe it just is both.

POTG: Corey Hart 1-5 with 2 RBI's

I would like to press charges on my roommate, he pissed on my toothbrush.