First of all, the fact that's covered like this at ALL is preposterous! But let that go for now...
Listening to the NBC Radio coverage while running errands this evening and several things made me chuckle.
"There are only about 15 to 18 first round grades in this draft..." Wait. But there are 32 first round picks, and you knew that going in. What, did you just think the last half of the round would just PASS?
"See, the next 25 choices could go in any order - Who I like at one you may like at 25, and vice versa." Gee, glad you're going to stick your neck out and make some predictions - take a stand, danged talking head!
"Next on the clock, the Dallas Cowboys - ALWAYS an exciting moment in the draft!" Really, numbnuts? Didn't sound like anyone got that excited when they picked some nobody...
(When selecting a cornerback from Connecticutt) "Strengths - he should be great in press coverage because he pivots so smoothly... Weaknesses - he'll need to improve in press coverage..." Say WHAT?
And the WORST part of this whole thing? I was actually LISTENING to this pablum!
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Do you feel a draft in here?
It seems appropriate to have an event named after an unwanted breeze take place in the Windy City... Chicago hosts the first round of the NFL draft tonight, rounds 2 and 3 tomorrow, and 4 through 7 Saturday. That's not because it takes them that long to choose between names they've looked at, researched, and figuratively dissected over the last few months... it's all for the media. "We" have to have time to dissect their dissections, it seems, because of course we do.
Here's an idea, NFL. You've got computers, right? Do this instead:
1) Each team submits a list of its top (7 times 32) 224 player choices to the NFL no later than the day before the announcement of the draft.
2) All trades must be completed by, say, eight hours before the announcement.
3) The NFL simply goes through the 32 lists and as each team's draft choice comes up, they name the highest player remaining on that team's list that hasn't already been drafted.
4) Repeat 223 times. Done. No more "Tennessee is on the clock", no more "We're just looking for the best athlete available" interviews, no more stretching this God-forsaken event out to three bleep'n days!
So, Tampa's first? The first name on the list (probably Florida St's Jamies Winston) is drafted to the Bucs, crossed off all 32 lists, and then it's Tennessee's turn. If Winston wasn't first on their list, they get whomever was first; if he was, then they get whomever they had second on their list. (Marcus Mariota, I'll bet.) Mariota's crossed off everyone's lists, and we move to the number 3 team. And so on and so forth.
A computer could do this in about five seconds, but if you need 32 NFL execs to do it instead, fine by me. It could still be over in four hours - a minute per choice, plus potty breaks!
Honestly, I don't get why the draft is such a big deal, but there's NO conceivable reason the process itself should be a star. Give us the entire list at once (or at least, the four hour version of "at once", although I'd still wait until the process was done before releasing it) and let the media hounds spend the next three months parsing it to a pulp. Don't make us sit through the parsing as it slowly emerges...
Here's an idea, NFL. You've got computers, right? Do this instead:
1) Each team submits a list of its top (7 times 32) 224 player choices to the NFL no later than the day before the announcement of the draft.
2) All trades must be completed by, say, eight hours before the announcement.
3) The NFL simply goes through the 32 lists and as each team's draft choice comes up, they name the highest player remaining on that team's list that hasn't already been drafted.
4) Repeat 223 times. Done. No more "Tennessee is on the clock", no more "We're just looking for the best athlete available" interviews, no more stretching this God-forsaken event out to three bleep'n days!
So, Tampa's first? The first name on the list (probably Florida St's Jamies Winston) is drafted to the Bucs, crossed off all 32 lists, and then it's Tennessee's turn. If Winston wasn't first on their list, they get whomever was first; if he was, then they get whomever they had second on their list. (Marcus Mariota, I'll bet.) Mariota's crossed off everyone's lists, and we move to the number 3 team. And so on and so forth.
A computer could do this in about five seconds, but if you need 32 NFL execs to do it instead, fine by me. It could still be over in four hours - a minute per choice, plus potty breaks!
Honestly, I don't get why the draft is such a big deal, but there's NO conceivable reason the process itself should be a star. Give us the entire list at once (or at least, the four hour version of "at once", although I'd still wait until the process was done before releasing it) and let the media hounds spend the next three months parsing it to a pulp. Don't make us sit through the parsing as it slowly emerges...
Monday, April 27, 2015
Looking at week 5 of the Australian footy schedule...
So, here are the games and my thoughts on the upcoming AFL schedule for May 1-3...
Collingwood @ Carlton... Both teams won last week, playing their best game of the season, and meet under the lights on a Friday night (the equivalent of the old "Monday Night Football" in the states before NBC's Sunday tried to usurp it). Hard not to pick Collingwood regardless - they simply remain a class above the Blues, who won't win more than a couple of games this year. But that would put the Magpies at 4-1, and with the next six weeks all holding winnable games (Geelong, Richmond, Gold Coast, North, Melbourne, and Geelong again) before their bye week, they can reasonably dream of 10-1 at the midpoint of the season...and then what?
Geelong @ Richmond... On the other hand, here's a game between two teams who really need the win! Geelong's season risks going down the drain if they can't beat a middling team like Richmond - but they've lost to other middling teams already, and have shown they may not have the speed to compete with virtually anyone this season. Richmond thought they were set to run this year but lost two sort-of embarrassing games to Western and Melbourne, two lower teams that simply out-worked them. Translation: both teams NEED to win this game...and one of them WON'T!
Western @ Sydney... By all rights, the Swans should blow the Bulldogs out of the water by forty points. But the Western Bulldogs are 3-1, having been simply out classed by Hawthorn and by simply outworking their other three opponents (West Coast, Richmond, and Adelaide), all finals candidates. If Sydney takes them seriously, they win. If not...
Brisbane @ Gold Coast... the state of Queensland hosts the only two teams without a win, two proud franchises who desperately want to avoid holding the wooden spoon at an 0-5 start to the season. I'm picking the home team, but they've either bought into their own press clippings this year and assume victory, or Gary Ablett Jr. has some magical power on the field that wills his team to victory, or Guy McKenna was a MUCH better coach than Rodney Eade is. The Brisbane Lions are currently a hard-working team that's simply not very talented at the moment; parts of the game against West Coast last weekend were sad because they were trying so hard, yet couldn't compete against the bigger, stronger, and faster Eagles.
Hawthorn @ North Melbourne... I am so tempted to take the Kangaroos again this week in the battle of vastly different 2-2 teams! They have the talent to do exactly what Port Adelaide did to the Hawks last weekend: annihilate them in the first half! (Remember, the Roos played the Power to nearly a draw in round 3.) But I have faith in the integrity of the two-time defending champs - after an embarrassing first half against Port, they sucked it up and played magnificently in the second, coming back from 58 down to close within a goal before losing. They'll come back with pride this week and win handily.
GWS @ West Coast... This is going to be a treat! West Coast is the betting favorite, but they're well known as a "flat-track bully", building their percentage off of poor teams but getting hammered by the good ones (remember what Fremantle did to them in r. 3!). Take a good look at GWS. They're a GOOD team. Currently, they sit at #2 on the ladder, the highest percentage of the five 3-1 teams, with only a well-fought loss to Sydney on their platter, although their wins may not be the most impressive (SK, Melbourne, and Gold Coast). Still, I think they will be able to exploit the Eagles' many weaknesses in the backfield and win handily.
Fremantle @ Melbourne... Boy, it would be nice to be able to tell you that the Demons have a chance against Fremantle! Such a good tackling team! Such hard workers! Unfortunately, Fremantle's number one on the ladder for a reason. Nat Fyfe and company will soundly rout the Dees.
Essendon @ St. Kilda... The Saints would like to say they can handle a team like Essendon - but their youth won't hold up for four quarters again the Dons. And after a loss like they took on ANZAC Day against their main rivals (Collingwood), Essendon won't be sitting back ignoring the Saints until it's too late.
Port Adelaide @ Adelaide... Finally, the game of the week! The Adelaide crosstown showdown between two powerful teams could produce some stellar play and a very close game! The Port Power started with two losses to great teams (Fremantle and Sydney) and then defeated two other great teams (North and Hawthorn) before taking on the 3-1 Crows, who ran off impressive wins over North, Collingwood, and Melbourne before Western blew them out on Sunday. It's hard not to be impressed with Port's schedule - for them, this is just one more game, and they've looked better every game. But Adelaide needs this game after being embarrassed by the Bulldogs last week. No matter how it unfolds, though, this should be one of the great crosstown games ever!
Collingwood @ Carlton... Both teams won last week, playing their best game of the season, and meet under the lights on a Friday night (the equivalent of the old "Monday Night Football" in the states before NBC's Sunday tried to usurp it). Hard not to pick Collingwood regardless - they simply remain a class above the Blues, who won't win more than a couple of games this year. But that would put the Magpies at 4-1, and with the next six weeks all holding winnable games (Geelong, Richmond, Gold Coast, North, Melbourne, and Geelong again) before their bye week, they can reasonably dream of 10-1 at the midpoint of the season...and then what?
Geelong @ Richmond... On the other hand, here's a game between two teams who really need the win! Geelong's season risks going down the drain if they can't beat a middling team like Richmond - but they've lost to other middling teams already, and have shown they may not have the speed to compete with virtually anyone this season. Richmond thought they were set to run this year but lost two sort-of embarrassing games to Western and Melbourne, two lower teams that simply out-worked them. Translation: both teams NEED to win this game...and one of them WON'T!
Western @ Sydney... By all rights, the Swans should blow the Bulldogs out of the water by forty points. But the Western Bulldogs are 3-1, having been simply out classed by Hawthorn and by simply outworking their other three opponents (West Coast, Richmond, and Adelaide), all finals candidates. If Sydney takes them seriously, they win. If not...
Brisbane @ Gold Coast... the state of Queensland hosts the only two teams without a win, two proud franchises who desperately want to avoid holding the wooden spoon at an 0-5 start to the season. I'm picking the home team, but they've either bought into their own press clippings this year and assume victory, or Gary Ablett Jr. has some magical power on the field that wills his team to victory, or Guy McKenna was a MUCH better coach than Rodney Eade is. The Brisbane Lions are currently a hard-working team that's simply not very talented at the moment; parts of the game against West Coast last weekend were sad because they were trying so hard, yet couldn't compete against the bigger, stronger, and faster Eagles.
Hawthorn @ North Melbourne... I am so tempted to take the Kangaroos again this week in the battle of vastly different 2-2 teams! They have the talent to do exactly what Port Adelaide did to the Hawks last weekend: annihilate them in the first half! (Remember, the Roos played the Power to nearly a draw in round 3.) But I have faith in the integrity of the two-time defending champs - after an embarrassing first half against Port, they sucked it up and played magnificently in the second, coming back from 58 down to close within a goal before losing. They'll come back with pride this week and win handily.
GWS @ West Coast... This is going to be a treat! West Coast is the betting favorite, but they're well known as a "flat-track bully", building their percentage off of poor teams but getting hammered by the good ones (remember what Fremantle did to them in r. 3!). Take a good look at GWS. They're a GOOD team. Currently, they sit at #2 on the ladder, the highest percentage of the five 3-1 teams, with only a well-fought loss to Sydney on their platter, although their wins may not be the most impressive (SK, Melbourne, and Gold Coast). Still, I think they will be able to exploit the Eagles' many weaknesses in the backfield and win handily.
Fremantle @ Melbourne... Boy, it would be nice to be able to tell you that the Demons have a chance against Fremantle! Such a good tackling team! Such hard workers! Unfortunately, Fremantle's number one on the ladder for a reason. Nat Fyfe and company will soundly rout the Dees.
Essendon @ St. Kilda... The Saints would like to say they can handle a team like Essendon - but their youth won't hold up for four quarters again the Dons. And after a loss like they took on ANZAC Day against their main rivals (Collingwood), Essendon won't be sitting back ignoring the Saints until it's too late.
Port Adelaide @ Adelaide... Finally, the game of the week! The Adelaide crosstown showdown between two powerful teams could produce some stellar play and a very close game! The Port Power started with two losses to great teams (Fremantle and Sydney) and then defeated two other great teams (North and Hawthorn) before taking on the 3-1 Crows, who ran off impressive wins over North, Collingwood, and Melbourne before Western blew them out on Sunday. It's hard not to be impressed with Port's schedule - for them, this is just one more game, and they've looked better every game. But Adelaide needs this game after being embarrassed by the Bulldogs last week. No matter how it unfolds, though, this should be one of the great crosstown games ever!
Oh, is the draft this week?
Lost in the NHL and NBA playoffs, the baseball season, the buildup to the Kentucky Derby (which admittedly is pretty light this year), and the Mayweather fight, there's the non-event event that is the NFL collegiate draft, held for some inscrutable reason in Chicago this year.
So - if I recall, FSU's Jamies Winston goes first to Tampa, yes? Then, what? Tennessee trades #2 to San Diego for Philip Rivers and the Chargers take Marcus Mariota? Seems the most reasonable to me - Philly isn't going to do it, Tennessee would take Rivers over a rookie any day of the week, right? And Rivers would LOVE to come home, raised in north Georgia as he was.
And after that? Who cares...Wake me up when they do something in the league...
So - if I recall, FSU's Jamies Winston goes first to Tampa, yes? Then, what? Tennessee trades #2 to San Diego for Philip Rivers and the Chargers take Marcus Mariota? Seems the most reasonable to me - Philly isn't going to do it, Tennessee would take Rivers over a rookie any day of the week, right? And Rivers would LOVE to come home, raised in north Georgia as he was.
And after that? Who cares...Wake me up when they do something in the league...
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Wild Week 4 down under!
What a wild ANZAC holiday weekend in the Aussie Footy league! I spent thirteen straight hours listening to the quadruple-header on line from Friday evening at seven through eight a.m. Saturday morning (ok, I heard all of the first two games, and dozed on and off through the other two!), with another five or six hours last night for the three overlapping Sunday games! Heaven!
Friday night, the opener for ANZAC week set the tone as the harder working team won; the fact that they were twenty point underdogs is immaterial. Melbourne dominated Richmond 83-51 in the second half, holding the Tigers to one goal in the entire second half. Jack Riewoldt, the lead forward for Richmond, hit four behinds and zero goals in the game, for example, as the team went 6.15 (meaning six goals, fifteen behinds). And it was a PHYSICAL game, too, with each team racking up almost a hundred tackles.
Saturday started in Wellington, NZ, with St. Kilda 'hosting' Carlton, two bottom feeder teams. They played like it, too, and in the fourth quarter the younger Saints simply wore out, as Carlton pulled away and won by 40.
The traditional ANZAC day game over the last twenty years has been Essendon/Collingwood, at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds, "the home of footy"). This year's version did not disappoint, as Collingwood looked far better than expected and won comfortably in the rain with 90,000 close friends, 69-49. It wasn't pretty (twice as many behinds as goals), but the Magpies are suddenly 3-1 and in the top 8 at the moment!
Next came the continuing degradation of the previous flavor of the month, the Gold Coast Suns, at the hands of their 'little brother', fellow expansion team GWS Giants, who set team records as they ripped the Suns apart 119-53. Frankly, the score flattered GC, as they were NEVER competitive; GWS had 157 more disposals than the Suns. Giants star Jeremy Cameron was spectacular with ten scoring shots, just missing a goal with a ridiculous backwards bicycle kick.
The two nightcap games were the headliners, and played out virtually identically! The Grand Finalist (Hawthorn, Sydney) travels to the Up-n-Comers (Port Adelaide and Fremantle, respectively), and the home teams spend the first halves absolutely dismantling the champs (Port led Hawthorn 69-11 towards the end of the 2nd; Fremantle held Sydney to NINE points in the entire half). But the Champs are champs for a reason, and they found a gear at halftime that overwhelmed the younger team for a time (the Hawks scored 34 straight in the fourth to cut the lead to seven; the Swans outscored the Dockers 41-1 from the third into the fourth to cut that lead to three), before the opponent stabilized and won - Port Adelaide beat Hawthorn 99-91, and Fremantle became the only 4-0 team, winning 74-60 over Sydney. Great games!
On Sunday, West Coast outplayed Brisbane 118-65. WC had seventy inside 50s over the less experienced Lions, and played to their usual pattern: whomp the little guys; get whomped by the big guys. The Kangaroos held to form for a change, overcoming a virtual shutout in the first quarter to defeat aging Geelong 83-67 in a defensive battle where neither team played great defense. (Both teams moved an extra man into defense, which meant the offense couldn't just kick it in - the Roos figured out they needed to RUN the ball into the forward region, ending with just 10 marks inside 50 of their fifty-three inside 50s.)
And the upset of the round, unless you really believe in the hardest working team in the league: the Western Bulldogs, who amazed the unbeaten Adelaide Crows 125-68! Despite having more than fifty more possessions than the Crows, the Bulldogs still out-tackled them by eighteen! Already leading 69-35 at the half, the Doggies ran off thirty-four more points in a row to close out the third quarter. Suddenly, Western's got a 3-1 record, sitting comfortably inside the top eight, and looking like they may STAY there for awhile!
Friday night, the opener for ANZAC week set the tone as the harder working team won; the fact that they were twenty point underdogs is immaterial. Melbourne dominated Richmond 83-51 in the second half, holding the Tigers to one goal in the entire second half. Jack Riewoldt, the lead forward for Richmond, hit four behinds and zero goals in the game, for example, as the team went 6.15 (meaning six goals, fifteen behinds). And it was a PHYSICAL game, too, with each team racking up almost a hundred tackles.
Saturday started in Wellington, NZ, with St. Kilda 'hosting' Carlton, two bottom feeder teams. They played like it, too, and in the fourth quarter the younger Saints simply wore out, as Carlton pulled away and won by 40.
The traditional ANZAC day game over the last twenty years has been Essendon/Collingwood, at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds, "the home of footy"). This year's version did not disappoint, as Collingwood looked far better than expected and won comfortably in the rain with 90,000 close friends, 69-49. It wasn't pretty (twice as many behinds as goals), but the Magpies are suddenly 3-1 and in the top 8 at the moment!
Next came the continuing degradation of the previous flavor of the month, the Gold Coast Suns, at the hands of their 'little brother', fellow expansion team GWS Giants, who set team records as they ripped the Suns apart 119-53. Frankly, the score flattered GC, as they were NEVER competitive; GWS had 157 more disposals than the Suns. Giants star Jeremy Cameron was spectacular with ten scoring shots, just missing a goal with a ridiculous backwards bicycle kick.
The two nightcap games were the headliners, and played out virtually identically! The Grand Finalist (Hawthorn, Sydney) travels to the Up-n-Comers (Port Adelaide and Fremantle, respectively), and the home teams spend the first halves absolutely dismantling the champs (Port led Hawthorn 69-11 towards the end of the 2nd; Fremantle held Sydney to NINE points in the entire half). But the Champs are champs for a reason, and they found a gear at halftime that overwhelmed the younger team for a time (the Hawks scored 34 straight in the fourth to cut the lead to seven; the Swans outscored the Dockers 41-1 from the third into the fourth to cut that lead to three), before the opponent stabilized and won - Port Adelaide beat Hawthorn 99-91, and Fremantle became the only 4-0 team, winning 74-60 over Sydney. Great games!
On Sunday, West Coast outplayed Brisbane 118-65. WC had seventy inside 50s over the less experienced Lions, and played to their usual pattern: whomp the little guys; get whomped by the big guys. The Kangaroos held to form for a change, overcoming a virtual shutout in the first quarter to defeat aging Geelong 83-67 in a defensive battle where neither team played great defense. (Both teams moved an extra man into defense, which meant the offense couldn't just kick it in - the Roos figured out they needed to RUN the ball into the forward region, ending with just 10 marks inside 50 of their fifty-three inside 50s.)
And the upset of the round, unless you really believe in the hardest working team in the league: the Western Bulldogs, who amazed the unbeaten Adelaide Crows 125-68! Despite having more than fifty more possessions than the Crows, the Bulldogs still out-tackled them by eighteen! Already leading 69-35 at the half, the Doggies ran off thirty-four more points in a row to close out the third quarter. Suddenly, Western's got a 3-1 record, sitting comfortably inside the top eight, and looking like they may STAY there for awhile!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Why is the NFL schedule release such a big deal?
The answer, or at least the obvious answer, is that everything about the NFL is a big deal. Well covered by Peter King of MMQB and SI.com, the release of the 2015 schedule this morning was presented like the Camp David accords - a document of great import and interest, fundamentally altering the landscape of the universe - when it's just a flipp'n schedule! We already knew who was playing who and where: that's set the moment the previous season ends, by formula. So when teams play each other isn't really all that important... is it? Regardless of its importance, here's the full schedule, starting with Pittsburgh at New England on Thursday evening, September 10th.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Football League schedule has been released as well, and it's chock full of repeated games in a league with nine teams and twenty rounds. The opener of the regular season hits on Thursday, June 25th, where the Ottawa RedBlacks are given a chance to (temporarily) lead the entire league if they can win at the Montreal Alouettes. The championship game, the Grey Cup, will be played on Sunday, November 29th.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Football League schedule has been released as well, and it's chock full of repeated games in a league with nine teams and twenty rounds. The opener of the regular season hits on Thursday, June 25th, where the Ottawa RedBlacks are given a chance to (temporarily) lead the entire league if they can win at the Montreal Alouettes. The championship game, the Grey Cup, will be played on Sunday, November 29th.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
AFL leading players as of week 3
Using a combination of the coaches' votes (the AFLCA has the opposing coaches each vote for the outstanding players of the game, on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale) and the AFL's team of the week (the first fifteen are designated with 8 points each; those marked as "followers" and "interchange" are given 5 points). [For the Brownlow medal, the voters are the officials refereeing the game, on a 3-2-1 basis. But those votes are kept secret until the ceremony at the end of the season.]
Just to give you an idea, here are the leaders for each individual team in the AFL:
Adelaide: Rory Sloane (34 pts)
Brisbane: Daniel Rich (4 pts)
Carlton: Sam Docherty (3 pts)
Collingwood: Dane Swan (18 pts)
Essendon: Cale Hooker (34 pts)
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe (36 pts - overall leader)
Geelong: Joel Selwood (15 pts)
Gold Coast: Michael Rischatelli (5 pts)
GWS: Dylan Shiel (27 pts)
Hawthorn: Jordan Lewis (26 pts)
Melbourne: Tom McDonald (25 pts)
No. Melbourne: Jarrad Waite (16 pts)
Port Adelaide: Brad Ebert (21 pts)
Richmond: Trent Cotchin (18 pts)
St. Kilda: David Armitage (18 pts)
Sydney: Lance Franklin (26 pts)
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern and Josh Kennedy (18 pts)
Western: Marcus Bontempelli (18 pts).
Just to give you an idea, here are the leaders for each individual team in the AFL:
Adelaide: Rory Sloane (34 pts)
Brisbane: Daniel Rich (4 pts)
Carlton: Sam Docherty (3 pts)
Collingwood: Dane Swan (18 pts)
Essendon: Cale Hooker (34 pts)
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe (36 pts - overall leader)
Geelong: Joel Selwood (15 pts)
Gold Coast: Michael Rischatelli (5 pts)
GWS: Dylan Shiel (27 pts)
Hawthorn: Jordan Lewis (26 pts)
Melbourne: Tom McDonald (25 pts)
No. Melbourne: Jarrad Waite (16 pts)
Port Adelaide: Brad Ebert (21 pts)
Richmond: Trent Cotchin (18 pts)
St. Kilda: David Armitage (18 pts)
Sydney: Lance Franklin (26 pts)
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern and Josh Kennedy (18 pts)
Western: Marcus Bontempelli (18 pts).
Welcome back to the Tim Tebow saga!
Welcome back to the Tim Tebow saga! Chip Kelly, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that he as a genius can make use of the inimitable talents of the Heisman winner, a proven leader but not a proven passer or NFL-caliber quarterback, although he does have an indescribable presence on the field that seems to lead to wins that you don't see possible otherwise. Personally, I'd take a shot with Tebow - as a person, he's a winner, and he brings that to a locker room. But you have to be willing to take on the media circus that comes with him, not that it's his fault.
The general consensus, as Peter King of SI's Monday Morning Quarterback explains well in this piece, is that if it's going to work anywhere, it'll be in Philadelphia, with a Chip Kelly offense where Tebow is NOT the key piece, but the offense fits his style of play.
And, if the reports are true that he's been working on his throwing motion non-stop since his last gig with the Jets? Kelly may have a gold mine in his hand!
The general consensus, as Peter King of SI's Monday Morning Quarterback explains well in this piece, is that if it's going to work anywhere, it'll be in Philadelphia, with a Chip Kelly offense where Tebow is NOT the key piece, but the offense fits his style of play.
And, if the reports are true that he's been working on his throwing motion non-stop since his last gig with the Jets? Kelly may have a gold mine in his hand!
Monday, April 20, 2015
AFL's Week 3 results...
Collingwood 140, St. Kilda 66... The Saints started strong, but they just don't have the horses to keep up with almost anyone in the AFL.
Essendon 105, Carlton 84...Similarly, Carlton's fourth quarter was good but they don't have the players to stay up to speed with even a low-finals club like the Dons.
Adelaide 80, Melbourne 55...Similarly, the Demons are improving and were able to stay with the 3-0 Crows for most of the game, but after four quarters Adelaide was going to outrun Melbourne.
Sydney 111, Greater Western Sydney 90...and the Giants are in the same boat, able to stay with the Swans for three quarters but not four.
Port Adelaide 113, North Melbourne 105...This was the one competitive game of the round (which went completely to form) - two very good teams in a very close and well-played game, which the home team Power won by about a goal.
Richmond 137, Brisbane 58...Another game between a team fighting for finals and one that certainly won't be.
Hawthorn 127, Western Bulldogs 57...See previous comments. Western is improving quickly, but they're not ready to beat the two-time defenders.
Geelong 105, Gold Coast 96...Two teams starting the game 0-2, both with severe problems that the other exploited at different times in the game. Geelong's too slow for most teams, and in the 2nd and 4th quarters the Suns ran past them, but Gold Coast has major defensive woes, which the Cats exploited in spades the rest of the game.
Fremantle 111, West Coast 81...The score is far too close for the actual game. At one point, the Dockers led 69 to 4! The Eagles scored nine of the last ten goals in the Western Derby to make the score look vaguely respectable, but there's no comparison between the two teams right now.
Records after round three...
3-0: Adelaide, Fremantle, Sydney
2-1: Hawthorn, Richmond, Essendon, Collingwood, GWS, Western
1-2: West Coast, Geelong, Port Adelaide, No. Melbourne, St. Kilda
0-3: Gold Coast, Carlton, Brisbane.
Essendon 105, Carlton 84...Similarly, Carlton's fourth quarter was good but they don't have the players to stay up to speed with even a low-finals club like the Dons.
Adelaide 80, Melbourne 55...Similarly, the Demons are improving and were able to stay with the 3-0 Crows for most of the game, but after four quarters Adelaide was going to outrun Melbourne.
Sydney 111, Greater Western Sydney 90...and the Giants are in the same boat, able to stay with the Swans for three quarters but not four.
Port Adelaide 113, North Melbourne 105...This was the one competitive game of the round (which went completely to form) - two very good teams in a very close and well-played game, which the home team Power won by about a goal.
Richmond 137, Brisbane 58...Another game between a team fighting for finals and one that certainly won't be.
Hawthorn 127, Western Bulldogs 57...See previous comments. Western is improving quickly, but they're not ready to beat the two-time defenders.
Geelong 105, Gold Coast 96...Two teams starting the game 0-2, both with severe problems that the other exploited at different times in the game. Geelong's too slow for most teams, and in the 2nd and 4th quarters the Suns ran past them, but Gold Coast has major defensive woes, which the Cats exploited in spades the rest of the game.
Fremantle 111, West Coast 81...The score is far too close for the actual game. At one point, the Dockers led 69 to 4! The Eagles scored nine of the last ten goals in the Western Derby to make the score look vaguely respectable, but there's no comparison between the two teams right now.
Records after round three...
3-0: Adelaide, Fremantle, Sydney
2-1: Hawthorn, Richmond, Essendon, Collingwood, GWS, Western
1-2: West Coast, Geelong, Port Adelaide, No. Melbourne, St. Kilda
0-3: Gold Coast, Carlton, Brisbane.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
An interesting perspective on football injuries, from a guy who should know
While this is an AFL article, it applies to ALL sports: American football, futbol, basketball, you name it. When you're injured, take care of it.
Gary Ablett Jr, the consensus best player in footy, had a season-ending shoulder injury in round 15 last year, went through surgery and rehab, and pronounced himself ready to start the season. But in rounds one and two, he was mugged mercilessly by the opposition "taggers" (defenders assigned to cover him) and it was clear that the shoulder still wasn't "right". Rather than play half-strength, he's chosen to sit out for at least two weeks and try to put it back into the shape it needs to be to play a roughhouse game like footy.
Retired AFL legend Wayne Carey writes a thoughtful article on the topic in The Age, and it's worth a read no matter what sport you follow - are short-term on-field endeavors worth long-term physical damage? It relates back to the concussion conversations in American football, and to the knee damage that so many basketball players suffer as well. In short, Carey says he's changed his mind and now agrees with Ablett's decision, because of the difficulty Carey now has trying to pick up his infant daughter.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Here's an array of (American) football topics on the front burner this morning...
The big story, of course, is that New England's former star receiver Aaron Hernandez has been found GUILTY in the murder of his associate Odin Lloyd by a jury of twelve. 130 witnesses took the stand in one of the most well-assembled cases in high-profile history (as OJ Simpson followers would agree). The verdict carries an automatic life without parole sentence, which makes all the other charges, well, kinda moot.
In the world of normal football kind of stuff...Pete Thamel of SI.com has a great interview with Ohio State guru Urban Meyer on their QB situation and much more...The rumors about San Diego trading Philip Rivers for, essentially, Marcus Mariota are discussed by MMQB icon Peter King...The Detroit Lions' front seven keeps adjusting, as now they're sending George Johnson back to Tampa Bay....and finally, shocker-of-shockers, the Cleveland Browns players are saying yeah, they noticed that Johnny Football/Manziel didn't seem to be too focused on his actual profession last year, so rehab wasn't a huge surprise. How anyone can be surprised by Manziel's struggles on and off the field is what would shock me. The kid had trouble stamped all over him, and if it hadn't been that Cleveland desperately needed to take a chance in order to try hitting a home run, drafting would've made no sense at all. It was a risk - probably not worth a first round draft choice, but then, go big if you want to get big, I suppose.
I wouldn't have done it.
In the world of normal football kind of stuff...Pete Thamel of SI.com has a great interview with Ohio State guru Urban Meyer on their QB situation and much more...The rumors about San Diego trading Philip Rivers for, essentially, Marcus Mariota are discussed by MMQB icon Peter King...The Detroit Lions' front seven keeps adjusting, as now they're sending George Johnson back to Tampa Bay....and finally, shocker-of-shockers, the Cleveland Browns players are saying yeah, they noticed that Johnny Football/Manziel didn't seem to be too focused on his actual profession last year, so rehab wasn't a huge surprise. How anyone can be surprised by Manziel's struggles on and off the field is what would shock me. The kid had trouble stamped all over him, and if it hadn't been that Cleveland desperately needed to take a chance in order to try hitting a home run, drafting would've made no sense at all. It was a risk - probably not worth a first round draft choice, but then, go big if you want to get big, I suppose.
I wouldn't have done it.
Monday, April 13, 2015
AFL Week 2 in Review/Preview Week 3
What a wild week of footy! Here are the game results from this weekend just concluded...
West Coast 131, Carlton 62.
> The Eagles (1-1 record, 60.0 rating) have a reputation as "flat-track bullies", meaning that when they play lower-level teams, they win in this fashion...but when they play a game like they will next week, against neighbor-rival Fremantle, they can't keep that level of play up. The Blues (0-2, 32.0) are proving they don't have the horses they need to compete this year, and their season will be a battle to stay out of last place. They play Essendon next week.
Western Bulldogs 85, Richmond 66.
> The Doggies (2-0, 39.4) pulled off their second straight upset, outplaying a finals contender again and doing it with ferocity and speed. New head coach Luke Beveridge has brought a toughness to the team that will be tested when they play the two-time champion Hawthorn Hawks next week...but I'm not betting against them. We don't yet know what kind of team the Tigers (1-1, 50.9) are yet, having beaten failing Carlton and now lost to an upsurging Western - next week's game at Brisbane may not tell us much more, unless they lose.
GWS 101, Melbourne 56.
> One of the weirdest games I've ever heard. The Demons (1-1, 22.6) were demolishing the Giants (2-0, 34.4) in the first half, leading 45-12 just before the siren. Something then woke up within the orange and black, and they scored the next fourteen goals to run away with the game - literally. They switched to a speedy lineup, even taking their star goal kicker Jeremy Cameron out of the lineup for the most part, and simply outran the Demons. GWS actually went on an 86-4 scoring run - absolutely insane. Both teams look much better than last year, but they'll have to be: Melbourne plays at Adelaide, and GWS at cross-town rival Sydney.
Adelaide 90, Collingwood 63.
> The first game that went exactly to prediction - a 27 point victory for the team that looks like the presumptive challenger to Hawthorn and Sydney this year. Adelaide (2-0, 70.7) under new coach Phil Walsh has a toughness to them that they haven't had in recent years, and it's ironic that the rumors all off-season was that their superstar Patrick Dangerfield wanted to leave at year's end for Geelong. Right now, that looks foolhardy! Collingwood (1-1, 37.3) put up a good fight, and appears not to be quite the disaster that I thought they'd be this season. The Crows host Melbourne next week, and the Magpies host St. Kilda; both will be prohibitive favorites.
St. Kilda 104, Gold Coast 76.
> What the H#$% is wrong with Gold Coast? The Suns (0-2, 35.7) have not only been barn-whupped by two of the weakest teams in Melbourne and the Saints (1-1, 17.9), but they were never competitive. (One of the sportswriters pointed out that they're proving that former coach Guy McKenna must've been really good. They're doing nothing under Rodney Eade, supposedly a successful coach brought in to "take them to the next level".) They ironically go to play equally-struggling Geelong next week, while St. Kilda tries to build on this against Collingwood on Friday night.
Sydney 92, Port Adelaide 44.
> Any doubts about the Swans (2-0, 79.7) was removed Saturday night with a defensive slaughter of a potent Port team, holding them to just six goals. The "Bloods" were back in hard-tackling form, and the Power (0-2, 66.9) have to fight another top opponent next week in North Melbourne, also prelim finalists last year. (Game 4 is Hawthorn, so when it rains, it pours...) Sydney takes on similarly undefeated Greater Western Sydney in a cross-town rivalry made serious last year when the Giants beat them decisively in round 1.
Fremantle 104, Geelong 60.
> Like Port, Geelong (0-2, 54.1) has a rough schedule to start the year - Hawthorn and Fremantle, both of whom exposed the veteran Cats as slowing down in their old age. (Can they run on Gold Coast next week? It'll be a very interesting game.) Fremantle (2-0, 73.3) showed the last two weeks that they have the goods this year, especially with Brownlow favorite Nat Fyfe running rampant, beating finalists Port and Geelong back to back. Now they get West Coast and Sydney, so it won't slow down much for them. Hard to imagine seeing Geelong in last place on the ladder - my late wife is turning over in her grave! She LOVED the Cats!
Essendon 78, Hawthorn 76.
> If you only watch one set of highlights, this is the match to watch! Essendon (1-1, 55.9) led by 35 at half, the Hawks (1-1, 83.7) stormed back to lead by sixteen points with five minutes to play, and somehow the Bombers scored the last three goals, including two in the last 90 seconds, to pull out a "famous victory" (love that phrase!). After everything the Dons have been through the last year or two, especially the players who weren't involved in 2012's scandal, this was a great reward for patience. They play low-level Carlton next week, while the Hawks try to regroup against up-and-coming Western.
North Melbourne 133, Brisbane Lions 51.
> A rout from the word go...well, alright. Brisbane (0-2, 24.9) kicked three of the first four goals. After that it was all Kangaroos (1-1, 60.6), who bounced back from a rout of their own at the hands of the Crows last week. Jarred Waite kicked seven goals for the 'Roos, who host surprisingly winless Port Adelaide; Brisbane hosts Richmond.
THIS WEEK'S ROUND THREE GAME PREDICTIONS -
St. Kilda @ Collingwood (the line is 18-22 points Collingwood's way) - St. Kilda will cover!
Essendon @ Carlton (line is 20-34 points Essendon's way) - take Essendon with ease.
Melbourne @ Adelaide (line is 44-54 points for Adelaide) - and they'll clear even that.
GWS @ Sydney (Swans favored by 39-48) - GWS will cover the spread but lose.
Port Adelaide @ N. Melbourne (Port slightly favored) - take North to win outright.
Richmond @ Brisbane (Richmond by 12-20 points) - The Tigers will win by more than 20.
Western @ Hawthorn (Hawks favored by 40-48) - Western will make it close.
Gold Coast @ Geelong (line reads 24-32 for Geelong) - The Cats will win...
Fremantle @ West Coast (line is Freo by 10-22) - Fremantle's too good. Big win.
West Coast 131, Carlton 62.
> The Eagles (1-1 record, 60.0 rating) have a reputation as "flat-track bullies", meaning that when they play lower-level teams, they win in this fashion...but when they play a game like they will next week, against neighbor-rival Fremantle, they can't keep that level of play up. The Blues (0-2, 32.0) are proving they don't have the horses they need to compete this year, and their season will be a battle to stay out of last place. They play Essendon next week.
Western Bulldogs 85, Richmond 66.
> The Doggies (2-0, 39.4) pulled off their second straight upset, outplaying a finals contender again and doing it with ferocity and speed. New head coach Luke Beveridge has brought a toughness to the team that will be tested when they play the two-time champion Hawthorn Hawks next week...but I'm not betting against them. We don't yet know what kind of team the Tigers (1-1, 50.9) are yet, having beaten failing Carlton and now lost to an upsurging Western - next week's game at Brisbane may not tell us much more, unless they lose.
GWS 101, Melbourne 56.
> One of the weirdest games I've ever heard. The Demons (1-1, 22.6) were demolishing the Giants (2-0, 34.4) in the first half, leading 45-12 just before the siren. Something then woke up within the orange and black, and they scored the next fourteen goals to run away with the game - literally. They switched to a speedy lineup, even taking their star goal kicker Jeremy Cameron out of the lineup for the most part, and simply outran the Demons. GWS actually went on an 86-4 scoring run - absolutely insane. Both teams look much better than last year, but they'll have to be: Melbourne plays at Adelaide, and GWS at cross-town rival Sydney.
Adelaide 90, Collingwood 63.
> The first game that went exactly to prediction - a 27 point victory for the team that looks like the presumptive challenger to Hawthorn and Sydney this year. Adelaide (2-0, 70.7) under new coach Phil Walsh has a toughness to them that they haven't had in recent years, and it's ironic that the rumors all off-season was that their superstar Patrick Dangerfield wanted to leave at year's end for Geelong. Right now, that looks foolhardy! Collingwood (1-1, 37.3) put up a good fight, and appears not to be quite the disaster that I thought they'd be this season. The Crows host Melbourne next week, and the Magpies host St. Kilda; both will be prohibitive favorites.
St. Kilda 104, Gold Coast 76.
> What the H#$% is wrong with Gold Coast? The Suns (0-2, 35.7) have not only been barn-whupped by two of the weakest teams in Melbourne and the Saints (1-1, 17.9), but they were never competitive. (One of the sportswriters pointed out that they're proving that former coach Guy McKenna must've been really good. They're doing nothing under Rodney Eade, supposedly a successful coach brought in to "take them to the next level".) They ironically go to play equally-struggling Geelong next week, while St. Kilda tries to build on this against Collingwood on Friday night.
Sydney 92, Port Adelaide 44.
> Any doubts about the Swans (2-0, 79.7) was removed Saturday night with a defensive slaughter of a potent Port team, holding them to just six goals. The "Bloods" were back in hard-tackling form, and the Power (0-2, 66.9) have to fight another top opponent next week in North Melbourne, also prelim finalists last year. (Game 4 is Hawthorn, so when it rains, it pours...) Sydney takes on similarly undefeated Greater Western Sydney in a cross-town rivalry made serious last year when the Giants beat them decisively in round 1.
Fremantle 104, Geelong 60.
> Like Port, Geelong (0-2, 54.1) has a rough schedule to start the year - Hawthorn and Fremantle, both of whom exposed the veteran Cats as slowing down in their old age. (Can they run on Gold Coast next week? It'll be a very interesting game.) Fremantle (2-0, 73.3) showed the last two weeks that they have the goods this year, especially with Brownlow favorite Nat Fyfe running rampant, beating finalists Port and Geelong back to back. Now they get West Coast and Sydney, so it won't slow down much for them. Hard to imagine seeing Geelong in last place on the ladder - my late wife is turning over in her grave! She LOVED the Cats!
Essendon 78, Hawthorn 76.
> If you only watch one set of highlights, this is the match to watch! Essendon (1-1, 55.9) led by 35 at half, the Hawks (1-1, 83.7) stormed back to lead by sixteen points with five minutes to play, and somehow the Bombers scored the last three goals, including two in the last 90 seconds, to pull out a "famous victory" (love that phrase!). After everything the Dons have been through the last year or two, especially the players who weren't involved in 2012's scandal, this was a great reward for patience. They play low-level Carlton next week, while the Hawks try to regroup against up-and-coming Western.
North Melbourne 133, Brisbane Lions 51.
> A rout from the word go...well, alright. Brisbane (0-2, 24.9) kicked three of the first four goals. After that it was all Kangaroos (1-1, 60.6), who bounced back from a rout of their own at the hands of the Crows last week. Jarred Waite kicked seven goals for the 'Roos, who host surprisingly winless Port Adelaide; Brisbane hosts Richmond.
THIS WEEK'S ROUND THREE GAME PREDICTIONS -
St. Kilda @ Collingwood (the line is 18-22 points Collingwood's way) - St. Kilda will cover!
Essendon @ Carlton (line is 20-34 points Essendon's way) - take Essendon with ease.
Melbourne @ Adelaide (line is 44-54 points for Adelaide) - and they'll clear even that.
GWS @ Sydney (Swans favored by 39-48) - GWS will cover the spread but lose.
Port Adelaide @ N. Melbourne (Port slightly favored) - take North to win outright.
Richmond @ Brisbane (Richmond by 12-20 points) - The Tigers will win by more than 20.
Western @ Hawthorn (Hawks favored by 40-48) - Western will make it close.
Gold Coast @ Geelong (line reads 24-32 for Geelong) - The Cats will win...
Fremantle @ West Coast (line is Freo by 10-22) - Fremantle's too good. Big win.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
What do you think? The NFL certainly wouldn't have done this...
Geelong has suspended star forward Steven Motlop for Sunday's huge game against Fremantle because he was out drinking on Good Friday before their game against Hawthorn last week.
That's not against AFL rules. And Motlop was rated as the best Cats player on the field Monday, with 32 disposals (possessions of the ball), so it didn't affect his play adversely.
BUT..."the timing just days out from such a big game was not the preparation expected of a Geelong player." Coach Chris Scott was "disappointed" in Motlop's choices but also was pleased how he responded to the suspension.
That's not against AFL rules. And Motlop was rated as the best Cats player on the field Monday, with 32 disposals (possessions of the ball), so it didn't affect his play adversely.
BUT..."the timing just days out from such a big game was not the preparation expected of a Geelong player." Coach Chris Scott was "disappointed" in Motlop's choices but also was pleased how he responded to the suspension.
"We have clear expectations of our players and there is no grey area here. Steve has not been able to meet those on this occasion and to his credit he acknowledges it and he admits and he is prepared to take his right whack."
As I've pointed out before, the "moral code" in the Aussie leagues are significantly stricter than they are in the States...I cannot imagine an NFL team (or any other major sport, for that matter) suspending a player for drinking three days before a game.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
..and AFL Week Two In Preview!
...and here are the match-ups for Week Two!
Fri) Carlton at West Coast
West Coast is a 12.5 point favorite, and 20+ by the ratings, but with the injuries it's hard to picture the Eagles beating many teams besides the Carlton Blues, who will be sinking towards the basement.
Sat) Western Bulldogs at Richmond
Richmond should be able to win this one as easily as last week's game over Carlton, but it still doesn't mean an 18-23 win (the betting line) would imply the Tigers are top 8 material.
Melbourne at Greater Western Sydney
Given where the two teams were last August, the spread of 11-15 points in GWS' favor is reasonable...given how the Demons played last week, though, a Melbourne victory is possible!
Adelaide at Collingwood
On the other hand, the 11.5 point spread flatters Collingwood immensely - Adelaide is a 27 point rating favorite, which is more likely.
Sydney at Port Adelaide
This should be a GREAT game! Port is a five point favorite due to home pitch advantage only, and each team had a challenge to get warmed up last week!
St. Kilda at Gold Coast
On paper, the GC Suns should be easy winners here...but then, they should have been easy winners LAST week, when Melbourne dominated them for four quarters and won by 26. Here, the Suns are 30-37 point favorites.
Sun) Fremantle at Geelong
Until very recently, this would be a no-brainer for Geelong - they've won 27 of the last 29 at home. But while the oddsmakers still have them as a 2.5 point favorite, we're taking and rating the Dockers as a six point fave.
Hawthorn at Essendon
Good luck, Essendon. The Dons ran out of gas last week, failing to score in the fourth quarter while Sydney scored nine goals for the victory. Hawthorn won't let them get out in front in the first place Sunday. The spread is 27-36 points.
Brisbane at North Melbourne
Here's an example of past performance outweighing last week's debacle at Adelaide: the Kangaroos, who were AWOL last week but one game short of the Grand Final last September, are 32 point favorites against a Brisbane Lions team which has looked much better in 2015. We like the Lions to beat the spread.
Fri) Carlton at West Coast
West Coast is a 12.5 point favorite, and 20+ by the ratings, but with the injuries it's hard to picture the Eagles beating many teams besides the Carlton Blues, who will be sinking towards the basement.
Sat) Western Bulldogs at Richmond
Richmond should be able to win this one as easily as last week's game over Carlton, but it still doesn't mean an 18-23 win (the betting line) would imply the Tigers are top 8 material.
Melbourne at Greater Western Sydney
Given where the two teams were last August, the spread of 11-15 points in GWS' favor is reasonable...given how the Demons played last week, though, a Melbourne victory is possible!
Adelaide at Collingwood
On the other hand, the 11.5 point spread flatters Collingwood immensely - Adelaide is a 27 point rating favorite, which is more likely.
Sydney at Port Adelaide
This should be a GREAT game! Port is a five point favorite due to home pitch advantage only, and each team had a challenge to get warmed up last week!
St. Kilda at Gold Coast
On paper, the GC Suns should be easy winners here...but then, they should have been easy winners LAST week, when Melbourne dominated them for four quarters and won by 26. Here, the Suns are 30-37 point favorites.
Sun) Fremantle at Geelong
Until very recently, this would be a no-brainer for Geelong - they've won 27 of the last 29 at home. But while the oddsmakers still have them as a 2.5 point favorite, we're taking and rating the Dockers as a six point fave.
Hawthorn at Essendon
Good luck, Essendon. The Dons ran out of gas last week, failing to score in the fourth quarter while Sydney scored nine goals for the victory. Hawthorn won't let them get out in front in the first place Sunday. The spread is 27-36 points.
Brisbane at North Melbourne
Here's an example of past performance outweighing last week's debacle at Adelaide: the Kangaroos, who were AWOL last week but one game short of the Grand Final last September, are 32 point favorites against a Brisbane Lions team which has looked much better in 2015. We like the Lions to beat the spread.
AFL Week One In Review...
Welcome! Here are the game results from last weekend's Australian Football League games - Week One of the AFL "home-and-away" season:
Richmond 105, Carlton 78 (Season opener in the MCG!)
Melbourne 115, Gold Coast 89 (a big upset but a deserved win!)
Sydney 72, Essendon 60 (in a heavy downpour - Essendon was up 41 in the third)
Collingwood 86, Brisbane 74
Western Bulldogs 97, West Coast Eagles 87 (another upset, but the Eagles' injuries are going to knock 'em down several pegs this season)
GWS 87, St. Kilda 78 (but the Saints played well!)
Adelaide Crows 140, N. Melbourne 63 (the surprise of the round - not that the Crows won, but that they ANNIHILATED the Kangaroos, who never really showed up)
Fremantle 75, Port Adelaide 68 (the GAME of the round - both teams were superb)
Hawthorn 123, Geelong 61 (the showcase of the round: the Hawks are set for a three-peat!)
Here are the records, ladder positions, and ratings following Round One:
Richmond 105, Carlton 78 (Season opener in the MCG!)
Melbourne 115, Gold Coast 89 (a big upset but a deserved win!)
Sydney 72, Essendon 60 (in a heavy downpour - Essendon was up 41 in the third)
Collingwood 86, Brisbane 74
Western Bulldogs 97, West Coast Eagles 87 (another upset, but the Eagles' injuries are going to knock 'em down several pegs this season)
GWS 87, St. Kilda 78 (but the Saints played well!)
Adelaide Crows 140, N. Melbourne 63 (the surprise of the round - not that the Crows won, but that they ANNIHILATED the Kangaroos, who never really showed up)
Fremantle 75, Port Adelaide 68 (the GAME of the round - both teams were superb)
Hawthorn 123, Geelong 61 (the showcase of the round: the Hawks are set for a three-peat!)
Here are the records, ladder positions, and ratings following Round One:
| Hawthorn Hawks (1-0) #2 | 87.1 |
| Sydney Swans (1-0) #5 | 74.5 |
| Port Adelaide Power (0-1) #10 | 72.1 |
| Adelaide Crows (1-0) #1 | 70.7 |
| Fremantle Dockers (1-0) #9 | 69.5 |
| Geelong Cats (0-1) #17 | 57.9 |
| N Melbourne Kangas (0-1) #18 | 55.6 |
| West Coast Eagles (0-1) #12 | 55.6 |
| Richmond Tigers (1-0) #3 | 55.1 |
| Essendon Bombers (0-1) #13 | 52.5 |
| Gold Coast Suns (0-1) #15 | 42.2 |
| Collingwood Magpies (1-0) #6 | 37.3 |
| Carlton Blues (0-1) #16 | 36.4 |
| Western Bulldogs (1-0) #7 | 35.2 |
| GWS Giants (1-0) #8 | 31.0 |
| Brisbane Lions (0-1) #14 | 29.9 |
| Melbourne Demons (1-0) #4 | 26.0 |
| St. Kilda Saints (0-1) #11 | 11.4 |
Saturday, April 4, 2015
This is an AMAZING video!
Peter Dickson created an amazing view of the 2014 AFL Grand Final through the eyes of two random fans, good friends, one who roots for Hawthorn and one for Sydney.
If you like the work NFL Films does, you'll LOVE this one!
Also, the AFL film folks premiered a piece on the world as seen through the eyes of footy superstar Gary Ablett Jr of the Gold Coast Suns - not having Australian television, I haven't seen it yet, but a short version was posted on the AFL website that looks like they did a remarkable job putting it together!
If you like the work NFL Films does, you'll LOVE this one!
Also, the AFL film folks premiered a piece on the world as seen through the eyes of footy superstar Gary Ablett Jr of the Gold Coast Suns - not having Australian television, I haven't seen it yet, but a short version was posted on the AFL website that looks like they did a remarkable job putting it together!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
By the way, April Fools!
The G-Ball post was a joke. Google Australia published it on April 1, 2008.
Tonight's the Night! (Gonna be aw-right!)
Here we go! The 2015 Australian Football League kicks off in less than five hours with Carlton v Richmond, two of the oldest teams and a traditional season opener (albeit not always on a Thursday night, which it already is Down Under!). Go to afl.com.au for all your news, scores, video highlights, and whatever else you want on all things footy!
Here's the round-up of games for Round 1 of the twenty-two game season...
Carlton v Richmond (Richmond favored by 16.5 on line, 12 by our rating system), Thurs Apr 2
Gold Coast @ Melbourne (GC Suns favored big on all fronts), Sat Apr 4
Essendon @ Sydney (Sydney favored by 30-ish over the Bombers), Sat Apr 4
Collingwood @ Brisbane (despite recent records, Brisbane is rightfully favored by a few points here!), Sat Apr 4
West Coast @ Western (in Melbourne, which tells you how old "Western" is! - pundits are split here. West Coast should be better, but have some injuries...), Sat Apr 4
GWS @ St. Kilda (if ever GWS will be favorites on the road, this is it, by about 15), Sun Apr 5
Kangaroos @ Adelaide (great game, potentially. We like North Melbourne to finish higher, but the Adelaide Crows to win here by a goal), Sun Apr 5
Port Adelaide @ Fremantle (met thrice last year, all classic games! Flip a coin, but Freo is favored by 4-5), Sun Apr 5
Geelong @ Hawthorn (the best matchup there is, because of the six-year long "Kennett Curse" that was broken in the prelim finals in 2013 - now, it's safe to pick Hawthorn by 20+!), Mon Apr 6
We'll update on Mondays, both standings and rating systems, but again, follow for yourself on afl.com.au!
Here's the round-up of games for Round 1 of the twenty-two game season...
Carlton v Richmond (Richmond favored by 16.5 on line, 12 by our rating system), Thurs Apr 2
Gold Coast @ Melbourne (GC Suns favored big on all fronts), Sat Apr 4
Essendon @ Sydney (Sydney favored by 30-ish over the Bombers), Sat Apr 4
Collingwood @ Brisbane (despite recent records, Brisbane is rightfully favored by a few points here!), Sat Apr 4
West Coast @ Western (in Melbourne, which tells you how old "Western" is! - pundits are split here. West Coast should be better, but have some injuries...), Sat Apr 4
GWS @ St. Kilda (if ever GWS will be favorites on the road, this is it, by about 15), Sun Apr 5
Kangaroos @ Adelaide (great game, potentially. We like North Melbourne to finish higher, but the Adelaide Crows to win here by a goal), Sun Apr 5
Port Adelaide @ Fremantle (met thrice last year, all classic games! Flip a coin, but Freo is favored by 4-5), Sun Apr 5
Geelong @ Hawthorn (the best matchup there is, because of the six-year long "Kennett Curse" that was broken in the prelim finals in 2013 - now, it's safe to pick Hawthorn by 20+!), Mon Apr 6
We'll update on Mondays, both standings and rating systems, but again, follow for yourself on afl.com.au!
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