Posts Tagged ‘Nairann Merceir’

Fantasy Report: Play’em or FOH

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

By Nairann Merceir

Week 3: “Play’em or FOH”

Here is my fantasy football advice for week 3 on who to play on your team and who to tell FOH.  Through the first 2 weeks of the season, I have predicted with 75% accuracy on who to start to achieve a fantasy victory in your league.  Ok, the 75% may be a little high, but you get my point.  It’s all about match-ups people.  Find that star QB facing a subpar pass D.  Find that running back facing a porous rushing defense, that defense facing an unproductive offense.  Enough chit-chat already, let’s get to the reason we are here, who to play and who to tell FOH.

 

Play’em

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady vs. Bills – Let’s look at Brady’s numbers through the first two weeks…63/88, 940 yds, and 7 TDs.  I’d say Brady is a safe start against anyone this week.

Matthew Stafford vs. Vikings – Matthew has been off to a hot start this season with 599 yards and is tied with Tom Brady with 7 TD passes.  The Vikings’ pass D has allowed an average of 280 yards per game this season.  Matthew is a safe start here, with a chance to put up monster numbers.

Phillip Rivers vs. Chiefs – Phillip is off to another fast start…713 yards and 4 TDs, and is facing a porous Chiefs’ defense that just lost its best defender, Eric Berry, for the season.  Look for Phillip to have a good day against the Chiefs.

 

FOH

 

Quarterbacks

Tarvaris Jackson vs. Cardinals – I know Cam Newton and Rex Grossman both had outstanding games vs. the Cardinals pass D the past two weeks, but I’m not buying Tarvaris Jackson as a starting QB on a semi-pro team.  As long as he starts in Seattle or anywhere, tell Tarvaris FOH.

Kerry Collins vs. Steelers – Do I really need to give a reason for this match-up?  Be my guest and start Mr. Collins against the Black and Yellow if you want.  Hopefully you’re facing me this week in a fantasy league.  I could use an easy “W”.

Eli Manning vs. Eagles – With the Giants already lacking receiving options in their passing game, the team just received another bit of bad news.  Their #2 receiver Mario Mannigham is out against the Eagles.  With only one real receiving threat, Hakeem Hicks, against a stout Eagles pass D, don’t look for Eli to put up big numbers.  I say let Eli sit this one out.

 

Play’em

 

Running Back

Fred Jackson vs. Patriots – The NFL’s leading rusher (229 yards) may see a heavy workload this weekend as the Bills try to keep Tom Brady and that high powered Patriots offense on the side line.

Chris Johnson vs. Broncos – Chris Johnson has been quiet for the first two weeks of the season, and I’m sure he doesn’t want to hear boos this weekend from the home crowd, after receiving a huge off –season contract.  And what better way to get it going than against a Broncos D that has allowed an average of 131 rushing yards per game through the first two weeks?

Beanie Wells vs. Seahawks – I know right now you’re saying to yourself, “really Nai, Beanie Wells…you must have bumped your head”.  But in reality, Wells hasn’t played that bad through the first two weeks…183 yards and 2 TDs, and he’s facing a weak Seahawks run D.  I look for the Cardinals to get up big early, which means a healthy dose of Wells in the second half.

 

FOH

 

Running Back

Reggie Bush vs. Browns – I wouldn’t play Reggie against the any team in Ohio right now…not even the Akron Zips.  He’s steadily losing touches to rookie Daniel Thomas and I see this trend continuing vs. the Browns.

Felix Jones vs. Redskins – Felix hasn’t exactly been lighting it up the first 2 weeks of the season…26 carries, 69 yds, 1 TD, and I don’t see that changing against a surprisingly solid Redskin’s run D.

Joseph Addai vs. Steelers – Another guy not really filling up the stat sheet through the first two weeks of the season…22 carries, 103 yds, 0 TDs.  Don’t look for those numbers to improve vs. the Steelers this weekend.

 

Play’em

 

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson vs. Vikings – Johnson has solid numbers through the first two weeks…9 rec for 117 yards and 4 TDs.  Vikings are likely to assign their best cover corner, Antoine Winfield, who stands a full 5’8” in shoes vs. the 6’5” Johnson.  I like Calvin’s chances for a big game this week.

Brandon Marshall vs. Browns – Brandon is off to a fast start this season…13 rec, 218 yds, 1 TD, and he’s Chad Henne’s favorite target.  Against an inexperienced Browns secondary, look for a big day from Brandon.

Steve Smith vs. Jaguars – Steve Smith is off to a vintage Smith type season…14 rec, 334 yds, 2 TDs, and seems to have developed a nice chemistry with his young QB.  Look for Steve to have another big game against a hapless Jaguars pass D, especially since the Panthers are throwing 40 + times a game.  That means more opportunities for Smith to make plays.

 

FOH

 

Wide Receivers

Denarius Moore vs. Jets – The rookie Moore had a huge coming out party last week, with 5 rec for 146, and 1 TD.  The clock has struck 12 on Cinderella as he now faces one of the top corner duos in the league in the Jets’ Reevis and Cromatie.  While he may make some plays, don’t look for a repeat of last week’s game.

Packers’ Wide outs vs. Bears – Besides the Saints and Patriots, the Packers are the ultimate “spread the ball around and exploit matchups” team with no one receiver being the focal point of the offense from week to week.  If you have no choice but to play one, I like Jennings and the big tight end Finley this week.

Dwayne Bowe vs. Chargers – Bowe is off to a slow start, just 7 catches and 118 yards on the season, and with the Chiefs’ biggest play maker, Jamaal Charles, out for the season, look for the Chargers to focus on stopping the Chiefs’ second best offensive option, which is Bowe.  Bowe will see consistent double teams from the Chargers.  Only play Bowe if you’re in a pinch this week.

 

Play’em

 

Tight End

Jason Witten vs. Redskins – With both Dez Bryant and Miles Austin struggling with injuries, look for Tony Romo or Jon Kitna to look Jason Witten’s way early and often in the passing game.

 

FOH

 

Tight End

Zach Miller vs. Cardinals – Zach has been a reliable safety blanket for Oakland QB’s the last 3 years, but has yet to develop any chemistry with Seahawks QB Tarvaris Jackson.  Through two games, Zach has only 3 catches for 32 yards, and has only been targeted 6 times by Jackson.  Also, the issues along the Seahawks offensive line aren’t helping Zach either because he is asked to stay in and help block, limiting his effectiveness in the passing game.

 

Play’em

 

Defense

Eagles D vs. Giants – The banged up Giants just don’t have enough offensive weapons to successfully move the ball against the Eagles, in my opinion (not a homer pick either).  Look for Eli to force throws in an attempt to make plays, leading to 2 or 3 Eagles’ interceptions, and if you add in the QB sacks the Eagles are going to generate, this could be a big week for their defense.

 

FOH

 

Bills D vs. Patriots – The way the Patriots’ offense is playing right now, I wouldn’t start the 85 Bears, 91 Eagles, or 2001 Ravens against them.  If you own the Bills defense, I think it’s best to leave them on the bench this week.

Nairann Merceir, Fantasy Expert for War Room Sports

(For additional advice, hit me up on FB or Twitter.  I’m always available to talk fantasy football.  Click my signature at the top of the page for my Twitter page and click the signature directly above this message for my Facebook page.)

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Fantasy Report: Play’em or FOH

Sunday, September 18th, 2011

By Nairann Merceir

Week 2: Play’em or FOH

Ok, I’m man enough to admit I missed the boat on Joe Flacco as he torched the Steelers’ defense for 224 yards and 3 TDs, however in my defense, in the six pervious Steelers/Ravens matchups, Flacco has thrown a combined 6 touchdowns, so I guess he was due.  But enough small talk, here are my picks for “Play’em or FOH”, week 2.

 

Play’em

Quarterbacks

Michael Vick vs. Falcons – I know the Falcons are playing at home on Sunday night TV, in front of a national audience, and would like some redemption from their opening week blowout loss to the Bears, but let’s be real.  The Falcons’ secondary allowed Jay Cutler to throw for 312 yards and 2 TDs.  Mike Vick and the Eagles’ offensive weapons are far greater than the Bears’.  Look for a big night from Vick.

Matt Stafford vs. Chiefs – Stafford is coming off a 305 yard and 3 TD performance against the Bucs and his facing a Chiefs defense that allowed 4 passing TDs to Ryan Fitzpatrick.  This a no-brainer start.

Josh Freeman vs. Vikings – I still believe in Josh Freeman, even though he didn’t have his best game last week.  Look for him to bounce back in a big way against a mediocre Vikings secondary.

Tom Brady vs. Chargers – All I have to say is…look at last week’s stat line of 517 yards passing and 4 TDs.  START BRADY!

 

FOH

Quarterbacks

Donavan McNabb vs. Bucs – All I have to say is…look at McNabb’s stat line from last week; 7–15 for 39 yards.  Play McNabb if you want too, but I’m not guaranteeing you he’ll improve much.

Alex Smith vs. Cowboys – It’s Alex Smith.  Do I really need to give a reason?

Luke McCown vs. Jets – Look at the previous Alex Smith comment.

 

Play’em

Running Backs

Tim Hightower vs. Cardinals – I see a little payback here for Hightower, who was given his walking papers from the Cardinals.  Hightower is clearly the number 1 back in Washington, as evident by his 25 carries last week against a weak Giants defense.  Look for Hightower to have a good game.

Derrick McFadden vs. Bills – “RUN DMC” had a monster game in week one with 22 carries for 150 yards, and with an improved Raiders offensive line, look for McFadden to have a big game against the Bills.

Cedric Benson vs. Broncos – Denver’s defense allowed the Raiders to run for 190 yards on 39 carries, for an average of 4.9 yards per carry.  It’s a copy cat league so expect Benson to get a heavy workload against Broncos this week.

 

FOH

Running Backs

Fred Jackson vs. Raiders – Raiders’ defense only allowed the Denver Broncos to rush for 38 yards last week.  Look for Fred Jackson to find it difficult running against the middle of this Raiders defense, with a rejuvenated Richard Seymour anchoring it.

Chris Johnson vs. Ravens – Chris Johnson never got into a rhythm last week vs the Jaguars, and appears a little out of football shape this week.  Don’t look for him to have an impact this week against a very good Ravens defense.  He still is Chris Johnson and if you lack a better match-up, start him but don’t expect much.

Ryan Matthews vs. Patriots – As long as Matthews is in a carry share with Mike Tolbert, and with Tolbert getting the goal line plays, I say keep Matthews on your bench.

 

Play’em

Wide Receivers

Dez Bryant vs. 49ers – I just don’t see anyone in the 49ers secondary capable of guarding Bryant, who gave Reevis Island fits last week.  Look for another big game from Bryant.

Mike Wallace vs. Seahawks – Seahawks are another team that had difficulty with covering the opposing team’s receivers last week.  Look for Big Ben and Wallace to connect on a couple of big pass plays vs a porous Seahawks secondary.

Devery Henderson and Robert Meacham vs. Bears – With Colston out for 4 weeks and Lance Moore still hampered by the groin injury, look for Brees to look more to Henderson and Meacham in their absence.

 

FOH

Wide Receivers

Mike Thomas vs. Jets – Jaguars best receiver will have to pay a visit to Reevis Island. And at 5’8 and 160 pounds soak and wet, he lacks the physical attributes of a Dez Bryant.  Look for Thomas to have a hard time shaking Reevis.

Any Seahawks receiver vs. Steelers Defense – Two words…Tavaris Jackson.  Play at your own risk.

Any Vikings Receiver vs. Bucs – SMH, McNabb is under center.  Play these guys at your own risk.

 

Play’em

Tight end

Vernon Davis vs. Cowboys – Davis only had 5 catches for 47 yards last week and Alex Smith says he has to do a better job of getting the ball to him.  Look for him to do that against an improved Dallas defense that struggled to contain Dustin Keller last week.  Look for a big game from Davis.

 

FOH

Tight end

Brent Celek vs. Falcons – With Jason Peters questionable for the game, which possibly means King Dunlap will start against Falcons defensive ends John Abraham and Ray Edwards, look for Celek to remain in protection and help the offensive line, limiting his opportunities to make plays in the passing game.

 

Play’em

Defense

Packers Defense vs. Panthers – Cam Newton had a monstrous first start in his NFL debut, throwing for 422 yards and 2 TDs.  Look for him to have a difficult time repeating that performance against a solid Packers defense, lead by Clay Matthews Jr. and Charles Woodson.

 

FOH

Defense

Chargers Defense vs. Patriots – Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense looked like a well-oiled machine, gaining 622 yards against what I thought was going to be a solid Dolphins Defense heading into the season.  While they might not repeat that performance, I still look for Brady & Co. to have a huge week vs an average Chargers defense.  This game has “shoot-out” written all over it.

Nairann Merceir, Fantasy Expert for War Room Sports

(For additional advice, hit me up on FB or Twitter.  I’m always available to talk fantasy football.  Click my signature at the top of the page for my Twitter page and click the signature directly above this message for my Facebook page.)

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Fantasy Report: Play’em or FOH

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

By Nairann Merceir

Week 1: Play’em or FOH

Are you ready for Fantasy Football?  This is opening weekend in the NFL, and a chance to get your team off to a fast start.  While a loss doesn’t mean you won’t make the playoffs or even win your league championship, if you are like me (a person who dislikes losing), you want to win them all.  So hopefully I can provide you with some last-second fantasy advice to help you start your season off 1 and 0.  If you look at my predictions for Thursday night’s Saints/Packers game, you saw that my “play’em or tell them FOH” predictions were right on point, but enough talk, let’s get to it.

Week 1: Play’em

Michael Vick vs. Rams: I believe Michael will carry on his momentum from last season and will have a monstrous opening day performance.  While I do believe the Rams have made great strides, I just believe the Eagles have too much firepower on offense.  Red Flag alert: this is the Eagles o-line’s first time playing together since the revamp.

DeSean Jackson vs. Rams: Recognize any of these names?: Ron Bartell? Bradley Fletcher? Justin King? Or maybe Al Harris?  Isn’t Al like 36 years old?  Start DeSean, Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and Dez Bryant vs. Jets Pass D:  I believe the Cowboys will make plays against the Jets secondary.  “Revis Island” can’t cover everyone and will likely be matched up against Miles Austin most of the night.  If the Jets get an early lead, look for the Cowboys to chuck it around and for Romo to look to Witten and Bryant.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs Dolphins: in his career against the Dolphins Defense, “BGE” has averaged 80 yards and a TD per game, and I don’t see that changing this season.  Look for at least 100 yards and a TD for “BGE”.

Josh Freeman vs. Lions: I believe last season was no fluke.  Josh is ready to take next step into upper echelon QB in the NFL, plus the Lions pass D is poor.  Look for a big game from Josh.

MUST START ALERT: Lance Kendricks vs. Eagles D: if you watched the preseason, you know Sam Bradford loves this young tight end, and we all know the Eagles’ history of being unable to check tight ends, and with the corners the Eagles have, look for the Rams to use Lance to attack those young Eagles linebackers.

Other matchups I like:

Peyton Hills vs. Bengals

Beanie Wells vs. Panthers

Jarvis Best vs. Lions

Mike Williams and Blount vs. Lions

Kenny Britt vs. Jaguars

Texans D vs Colts: No faith in Kerry Collins

San Francisco D vs. Seahawks: Are the Seahawks really starting Tavaris Jackson?  49ers D is a must start.

 

Week 1: FOH

Joe Flacco vs. Steelers: I won’t start any QB not named Rodgers against the Steelers D.   While Flacco is a solid QB in 6 match-ups against the Steelers, he has only thrown 6 touchdown passes.  If you have a better option at QB, I say start them.

Felix Jones vs. Jets D: I believe Felix will find running room difficult to come by against a solid Jets run D.

Miles Austin: Two words…”Revis Island”

Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon: No Peyton Manning…and let me say that again… NO PEYTON MANNING!  While I believe Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne will be fine with Kerry Collins under center, the two players I believe will miss Peyton most are Collie and Garcon.

Brent Celek vs. Rams: Once again, with the uncertainty of the offensive line, look for Celek to once again remain on the line to help in pass blocking.

Giants D vs. Redskins: The Giants will be without CBs Terrell Thomas, Prince Amukamura, DE Osi Umenyiora, and LB Jonathan Goff, leaving them very thin on D, which wasn’t in the best shape to begin with.

My FOH of the week goes to (drum roll please)…

Kyle Orton vs. Raiders D: With Josh McDaniels and his dink and dunk offense now in Saint Louis, and John Fox a coach known for running the ball into the ground, look for Orton’s numbers to decrease dramatically, but on a positive note, the Broncos may win 1 or 2 more games this season.

Nairann Merceir, Fantasy Expert for War Room Sports

(For additional advice hit me up on FB or Twitter.  I’m always available to talk fantasy football.  Click my signature at the top of the page for my Twitter page and click the signature directly above this message for my Facebook page.)

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Breaking Down Eagles Free Agency 2011

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

by Nairann Merceir

With a new CBA signed and in place, it’s time to start looking at possible free agent moves for the Philadelphia Eagles. First I will look at the Eagles own free agents and than explore the possible free agents to fill the Eagles various needs.

Eagles top 5 free agents are:

MLB Stewart Bradley – while the oft-injured Bradley has shown promise over the course of his short career, his inability to stay healthy over the course of a 16 game schedule is troublesome.  However, with no clear replacement on the roster, Jamar Chaney still has a lot to learn.  Re-signing Bradley is a must.

SS Quintin Mikell – I like Mikell a lot but he was obviously exposed the last two seasons not playing next to B. Dawk, and with the drafting of Temple safety Jarrett in the second round it looked like the writing was on the wall for Mikell.  However with last years second round pick Nate Allen returning from a knee injury and with little experience on the roster besides Kurt Coleman, the Eagles will be wise to re-sign Mikell to have veteran leadership to the back part of their secondary.

G/C Nick Cole – Nick has been a variable sub and spot-starter for the Eagles the last few seasons, and what he lacks in ideal size for the position he makes up with heart and effort.  However I think it’s time for the Eagles to start looking in a new direction, unless Cole is willing to return at a reasonable salary.

RB Jerome Harrison- During his time in Cleveland, Harrison has shown flashes of being a featured back and with McCoy clearly the no.1 here in Philly; I look for Harrison to explore his free agent options with the chances of battling for a starting spot on another team.

CB Ellis Hobbs – I doubt if Ellis will return as an Eagle next season. With the team using that money to sign an upgrade at the position.

Filling team needs:

Priority #1: Cornerback

All the rumor mills point to the Eagles trading Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round pick.  However, if the Eagles are unable to acquire Rodgers-Cromartie or any other cornerback in a trade involving Kevin Kolb, I feel there are a few quality free agents still available for the Eagles to choose from.  The Eagles could make waves this free agency and sign Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomugha, likely at a $17 million-a-season pop, but other options are available and at a more affordable price.  The Bengals Jonathan Joseph is the best of the rest in my opinion, and would fit nicely into the Eagles defense, having played a similar style with the Bengals.  However, Cincinnati has cap space to keep the 27-year-old Joseph.  Antonio Cromartie has ideal size, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, but the N.Y. Jets aren’t likely to let him walk without a fight, as he has proved to be a nice complement to Revis.  The same could be said for the Falcons’ Brent Grimes, a local kid who played at Northeast High, and the Chiefs’ Brandon Carr.  This leaves the Eagles with choosing from Pittsburgh’s Ike Taylor and Washington’s Carlos Rogers as the next best options, however both are in their 30s.

Priority # 2 Defensive end:

Under the reign of Head coach Andy Reid, the Eagles have always placed a high value on end.  Since 2007, the Eagles have drafted four defensive ends in the first three rounds.  The reason the Eagles need to address defensive end during free agency is because they haven’t drafted the position well.  Brandon Graham’s (last years #1 pick) knee concerns make it all but certain the Eagles will sign a defensive end this free agency period.  Minnesota’s Ray Edwards and Carolina’s Charles Johnson are at the top of the defensive end class and would likely be options for the Eagles because of their sack totals and age (both are 26).  However, the Panthers are expected to re-sign Johnson but the Vikings more than likely won’t be able to afford Edwards.  Cliff Avril of the Lions and Mathias Kiwanuka of the Giants are also options at defensive end, if they reach free agency and aren’t resigned by their current teams.  Another hot name is former Eagle Jason Babin, who has been gaining buzz because of his success last season in Tennessee under the direction of new Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn.  He’s 31 and probably looking to cash in, so the price tag may be too high for the Eagles.

Priority #3 Defensive tackle:

Seattle’s Brandon Mebane is probably the best defensive tackle available this free agency period.  Mebane is 26 and the kind of gap-plugger the Eagles covet, however word is that new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo is supposedly looking for pass rushers inside.  The Bears’ Tommie Harris used to fit the mold Castillo is looking for but his numbers have steadily decreased over the last few seasons.  Albert Haynesworth isn’t a free agent yet, however many believe the Redskins will release the former all-pro, another of Washburn’s success stories, so that is also an option for the Eagles.

Priority #4 Linebacker:

This all depends on whether or not the Eagles choose or want to keep Stewart Bradley.  If the Eagles choose to say farewell to their middle linebacker or are outbid for his services by another team, I feel there are few options out there for the Birds.  First is Buffalo’s Paul Posluszny, followed by Tennessee’s Stephen Tulloch, Tampa Bay’s Barrett Ruud, or Jacksonville’s Kirk Morrison.  Posluszny is interesting because he played outside at Penn State until his senior season and could also play outside in the Eagles scheme, allowing second year man Jamar Chaney to stay inside.

Priority #5 Running Back:

Personally I feel the easiest way for the Eagles to address their backup tailback need is to keep Jerome Harrison.  However that’s easier said than done.  Talks out of the Nova Care Center at the end of the season was that Harrison wants an opportunity to start.  He won’t get that chance here with LeSean McCoy clearly in place as the number one back.  Other options include Darren Sproles of the Chargers, who appears to be a match for the Eagles offense.  He can run and catch and has never been the featured back.  Ronnie Brown did a lot of the Wildcat in Miami and would give Andy a new toy for that formation.  Also, Bucs tailback Cadillac Williams may be willing to play back-up after losing his starting job in Tampa.

Others:

Of course if Kevin Kolb is moved, a back up to Vick has to be found among a list of candidates.  I’m not thrilled by Mark Bulger, Brett Farve, Matt Hassellback, Troy Smith, Trent Edwards, etc.  Like I said in an earlier blog, that a deal to acquire Vince Young makes sense.  Also, the state of Winston Justice’s knee could make right tackle a priority for the Eagles, just as Nate Allen’s ruptured patellar tendon could lead to a safety acquisition.  The Eagles are stocked at wide receiver, but every armchair general manager has Plaxico Burress in midnight green, so that is also another free agent signing possibility.

Only time will tell.

Nairann Merceir, Philly Sports Correspondent for War Room Sports

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If Kevin Kolb is Traded, Vince Young Makes Sense as Vick’s Backup

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

By Nairann Merceir

As a die-hard Eagles fan, I would love to see nothing more than Kevin Kolb traded once the lock-out is officially lifted, to the Arizona Cardinals for Rodgers-Cromartie (immediate upgrade at right corner) and a second round pick.  However, once Kolb is traded, that leaves the Eagles with a huge void at back-up QB, leaving only second year man Mike Kafka as Michael Vick’s primary back-up.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not comfortable with Mike Kafka having to start two to three games.  Hence the reason the Eagles must seek out a veteran back-up to Vick.  I’ve heard rumors of Brett Farve, Mark Bulger, etc. coming to Philly but I want Vince Young, and here is my argument now.

First, the offense that Andy Reid and the Eagles have installed for Vick fits the skill set of Vince Young.  Plus we know Andy has a proven track record of developing QBs who were labeled as underachieving passers, such as McNabb and Vick, so why couldn’t he do the same for Young?  Now let’s look at Vince Young the player.  Last season, Young appeared in 9 games (8 starts), and had the 4th best third down passer rating in the league, only trailing Brady, Roethlisberger, and Kitna.  At times in his short career, he has done pretty well, he’s had several come from behind victories, and he’s been effective in the short and long passing game.  According to NFL Films, last season Vince was the most accurate passer of balls that were thrown in the air beyond 35 yards and we know how that plays into Desean Jackson’s game.

Looking at Young’s first 4 seasons in the NFL, 2006 through 2009, he has amassed a regular season record of 26-13 as a starter.  That’s a .67 winning percentage for you math guys.  He’s lead 11 come from behind victories in his career, including 9 come from behind or tied performances in 2009.  That season, he started the final 10 games and led the Titans to an 8-2 record after they began season 0-6.  So the leadership skills are there.  He also made the Pro Bowl that season but we know that’s a bogus award/recognition.  

His career numbers through the first 5 years of his career are: 54 games played, 8,098 yards passing, 42 tds and 42 ints, with a 57.9 percent completion rate, 264 rushes for 1,380 yds and 12 tds.  If you compared that to Vick’s first 5 seasons, Mike played 58 games, threw for 9,031 yards, 51 tds and 39 ints, with a 52 percent completion rate.  There’s no need to even add rushing numbers, as they are not even comparable. However, as a passer, Vince Young is on par with Michael Vick through the first 5 years of their respective careers, with Vince actually being a more accurate passer.  So there is definitely something for the Eagles to develop here, and let’s not forget this guy was a top 3 talent when he came out of Texas in 2006.  If anyone has a better option out there to back up Michael Vick for this Eagles season, who may be called upon to start two to three weeks in case Vick goes down, I would love to hear it.

Nairann Merceir, Philly Sports Correspondent, for War Room Sports

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The Overuse of the Words “Hater” and “Hating” in Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Stop "hating" on Lebron

The other day, at the end of the school day, a few of my students had engaged in a conversation about basketball while preparing for dismissal.  The conversation quickly turned to the Miami Heat and Lebron James.  Several of the students began to praise Lebron James, “he’s the best player in league,” “he’s unstoppable,” etc.  The normal banter one would expect to hear from middle school aged children.  One student, while agreeing with the others, made the following statement about Lebron, “man, for as big as Lebron is, I wish he would post up more.”  I thought this statement was an accurate observation for an 11 year old to make.  However, this statement was quickly shot down by his peers and the student was called a “Lebron James hater”.  Was this student’s comment one based in hate?…Or just an observation he made about one of his favorite players’ ability, or lack thereof, to post up another player.  Yet he was quickly labeled as a “hater” by his peers.  These types of conversations happen on a daily basis in barbershops, in classrooms, in sports bars, and on social networking websites, just to name a few.  Hence, people making logical observations and expressing their opinion of an athlete’s ability on the court, field, etc that go against the “norm” are quickly labeled as “haters” in an attempt to dismiss the validity of his or her comment/statement.

The term “hater” is commonly used by individuals in an attempt to discredit anyone who criticizes him or her or displays displeasure in his or her actions or abilities.  Using this term appears to be the “trendy” thing to do in our society these days to discredit someone’s opinion, by saying he or she is “hater” or that they are “hating.”  Using this term seems to quickly dismiss the persons comments as jealousy, however, calling he or she a “hater” is not a very strong argument and holds about as much weight, in my opinion, as someone saying, “I know what you are but what am I”.  I refer to the use of the word “hater” as a form of “superstar athlete protectionism”.

In sports, if you notice, certain athletes appear to be above criticism, like Lebron James, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Sidney Crosby, Alex Rodriquez, Kobe Bryant, etc, rather it is the way the media portrays these athletes as players “above the game” in their respective sports.  It also appears that the casual fan perceives them to also be these “bigger than life” figures that are above criticism.  Even to the extent that they ignore certain players’ shortcomings on the field, court, etc and if someone else brings up these short comings.  For example, if I say “man Ryan Howard struggles with hitting a curve ball”, the casual fan will just respond, “what, your just a Ryan Howard hater”.  However, the same protection is not allotted to a lower status athlete such as Andre Iguodala.  For example, if you say “man Iggy plays soft or has no jump shot”, no one will respond with “you’re an Iggy hater”, yet if you say the same thing about a Lebron James, legitimate criticism, you are automatically labeled a James hater.

The really sad part is that some knowledgeable sports fans are guilty of the same behavior, discrediting other sports fans’ arguments when he or she believes the debate is not going his or her way, by labeling the other person as a hater.  In summary, I often refer to the words of one of my all-time favorite rappers, Common, who said “just because I don’t like it, that don’t mean that I’m hating”.  Using the terms “hater” and “hating” is a poor and easy defense against anyone in a sports debate who makes an observation or gives his or her opinion about an athlete’s shortcomings or poor performance, and the minute you resort to using these terms, your sports IQ drops 50 points in my opinion.

Nairann Merceir, Philly/Fantasy Sports Contributor to The War Room, and guest blogger for War Room Sports

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Posted in General, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL | 2 Comments »

The BEST Marshall Faulkin Sports Radio Show Online…PERIOD!

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

War Room Sports is a sports marketing & communications company, of which our primary focus is to utilize our resources and the resources of our investors to create a marketing funnel of products and services through the use of sports and sports media.

War Room Sports is the producer of “THE WAR ROOM”, the highly anticipated, roundtable format, internet sports talk radio show.

The War Room
“The War Room” is a much anticipated, roundtable format, internet sports talk radio show, dedicated to an unbiased, objective, though highly opinionated examination of the people, places, and things in our wild and wacky world of sports and beyond. Through candor, we will bring about a revolution in sports media…the revolution of honesty…politically incorrect opinion brought to you with a ton of thought and a lot of laughs…social commentary at its pinnacle.

The War Room is brought to you by War Room Sports, a sports marketing & communications company.

Our Vision

  • To Create the most comprehensive, interactive, industry leading sports media and marketing company possible.
  • Be The Very Best of The Best in combining sports and media as a means of candid, honest and opinionated reporting.
  • Create a revolutionary media experience based on honesty, integrity, humor, individuality, and ground-roots knowledge of the content.

Our Mission
To bring a widespread target audience sports banter without the constraints of political correctness, and to become a marketing funnel for our clients by providing them exposure via the world of sports.

We will:

  • Provide our global audience with an honest, funny, opinionated, informative medium of communication and sports related commentary;
  • Create a place where our global sports audience can learn, grow and be fulfilled in an interactive space;
  • Optimize the long-term changes to the global media experience, while providing a sound investment through sponsorship opportunities.

Our Purpose
Our ultimate purpose is to create a superior sports marketing and communications product through a distinct media experience for our global audience based on our Vision and Mission.

This purpose is defined by the perceived needs of our audience and the void in the current market. Our audience will provide the ultimate voice and intellectual capital that is necessary to make War Room Sports and The War Room possible. They will determine the growth of our interactive model via feedback and participation, which in turn will determine if the business is ultimately successful.

Therefore, we will manage our business in a long-term context, as an integrated whole, with the ultimate objective of rewarding our global target audience for their investment of time and energies into our show and the show’s content, while realizing that the cause of this result is quality content and excellent interactive media. Excellent service to our target market will be delivered by a motivated team working as an integrated unit on all War Room Sports projects, with the The War Room Radio Show being our lynch pin. These results will be impacted by our capacity to contribute to the growth and well-being of the sports community and the listeners we serve.

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Posted in Boxing, General, MLB, MMA, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Podcast, Show Ad, Track & Field | 1 Comment »