big head ed - 12/10/99 19:43:10

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Stu: your site SUCKS! It bites the big one. Go back to your damn day job. Cordially, Hillary "Bite My" Cliton

Wade - 10/09/99 03:32:57

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Did I miss something, or is it now almost Saturday and still no week 4 Commish letter? Hello?

Buscher - 09/16/99 17:45:35

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Week 1 ended with the Joyster doing his best Stu immitation. For the first time in my memory, the scores were sent out with a scoring error, which changed the winner of the week. Nice work Joyster, or should it now be "barge-ster"?

Vinny T. - 09/13/99 03:15:12

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OUCH!

Joyster - 09/12/99 15:33:45

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Unlike previous seasons, we have two weeks and one more exhibition game before the season starts. Players drafted could get hurt (?), healed (Cecil Collins), signed (Joey Galloway) or traded (D. Mayes). Add in an unusually thin pool of talent at RB and R and you have the ingredients for a very uncertain season.

One axiom that has proven true over the years still applies: you lose in early rounds of the draft and win in the mid to late rounds. All past winners have consistently followed this formula; to win you can't throw up any goose-eggs early and then must ave some big success late in the draft. Look at last year: late picks Fred Taylor (12th round) and Randy Moss (8th ) are this year's #2 and #3 picks. Meanwhile, evidence of how you can lose it in the early rounds (despite some great picks later) was pro ided courtesy of Corey Dillon, the second pick of Buscher's '98 draft. That brings to mind another proven axiom: never pick a Bengal in the first two rounds. Ever.

With these thoughts in mind, here is my review of the 1999 draft. Note, I am assessing drafting prowess, not luck. Therefore, for example, I get no credit for picking Terrell Davis with the first pick, etc. Only stupid and thoughtful picks are consider d below. Also, I grade on a bell curve here; no grade inflation. Sorry, Stu.

#1 Joyster Grade: B+
I have to admit, every pick I made after Terrell Davis (1) until Tyrone Davis (11) felt like a bit of a reach. Questions include RB (Faulk, Nap. K., SF RB's), QB, and whether I hit on any garbage time picks (Jett/Tyrone Davis/Boston/James Johnson/Tony Si mons). You also have to wonder about three Raiders (Kaufman, Jett, Oak QB) on the same team. Still, there are no teams in the league without holes, which is strange coming off a huge offensive year last year. Overall, a decent but not exceptional perfo mance from the guy who has set the standard with four titles in the league's eight year history. (By the way, that's bulletin board material, more to come later).
Gag: Kevin Faulk (5). Even if you like Kevin Faulk (a stretch since I've never seen him play), he probably would have been on the board 16 picks later. Thus, I committed my own cardinal mistake of drafting. Wags said he was "shocked" by the pick, a ba sign coming from a New Englander. Stu asked if I knew Terry Allen had been signed. Enough said.

#2 Tex Grade: B-
Tex approached the draft with renewed vigor and confidence bordering on cockiness. However, he was still "cramming" minutes before the draft, always a bad sign. (Remember the people who walked into the SAT's with the Barron's guide?) Still, an improved performance from last year's car-phone draft. Resisting the Jax QB itch this year, Tex did the right thing and picked Randy Moss, thus assuring himself of some money. WR's and QB's are the holes. Santiago in the 13th is the value pick here.
Gags: Priest Holmes (8) and the Rocket (10) were reaches. Look for the Rocket to barely break the Mendoza line this year (approx. .190, if I recall).

#3 Buscher Grade: A
This grade reflects a good team but, more importantly, some guts displayed by the Buscher. Memo to those who have never won before: you don't win with singles hitters. You win with picks like Galloway (4) and Cecil Collins (7), both perfectly timed, or t least you go down swinging. If Galloway doesn't sign, Busch is in some trouble, but you have to like the play to win strategy. I like the Buscher's 1-8 picks the best of anyone. If there's a weakness, it's in rounds 9-20 (Thigpen through Riemersma). Last year, Buscher cornered the 49er passing attack, this year he's cornered every receiver on the Seattle roster (Galloway, Mayes, and Dawkins). Personal opinion, but I don't particularly like any of the position guys picked by Busch after Round 8, not hat that is going to hurt the Buscher too much. These picks always seem to be the difference between winning and just missing. Still, make Buscher the favorite this year.
Gag: Like I said, I don't really like any of the late position picks. Thigpen is McNair's go-to-man in the air-Tennessee offence (note, that was a pre-spell check walk down memory lane for the Buscher) ; Also, I could probably take Dawkins in the 40.

#4 Clary Grade: C+
I heard Clary say that he hates his team after draft. I basically feel the same way. Other than two solid QB's (trade bait later?), where's the depth at RB and WR?. Three starting running backs on bad teams (George, Dillon and Rivers) and I'm not even ounting Gary Brown! Terry Glenn as a gimpy #2 WR? Clary did snatch Den QB's and F. Jones out from under me. Overall, kind of a mess.
Gag: Not having a single starting RB on team likely to post a winning record. Clary, you know better.

#5 Stu Grade: C+
A vast improvement from last year's F. If you recall early last year I answered "What is 7, Alex?" to the question "What number, when subtracted by 7, equals the number of weekly wins in 1998 by Stu?." Well, I was off by 1 as it turns out. And 1 weekly win sounds about right again for Stu this year. Stu is a guy in desperate need for some confidence in fantasy football. His proven track record of picking championship-challenged teams has left him sans confidence and motivation, with Stu admitting as uch by stating: "There are just some things that you're not good at and fantasy football is one of those things for me." Let's hope (at least for "stuff-it-in-me's" sake) that he performs more capably in the other aspects of his life.
Gag: Moulds (2) too early; and a starting RB core comprised of a Charger, Eagle and Buccaneer.

#6 Wade Grade: B-
On an unadjusted basis, Wade gets a C. However, for the second year in a row, I'm moving Wade up based on the Herculean effort of attending the draft in person. Wags, are you reading this? Wade's downfall began in the fifth round with Skip Hicks. With the exception of McCaffery (6) and Dudley (8), Wade made a series of uninspired late picks. But the real question I have is: Who is M. Cloud (18)? Who does he play for? What position does he play? I promise to have answered these questions in time to core the first week.
Gag: Not picking up a "gold" in any activity at the post-draft party at ESPNSportszone, despite being perhaps the most gifted novelty sport athlete I have ever seen.

#7 TVP Grade: C-
A harsh grade, but reflective of a guy who bypassed the last 5 rounds of the draft. On second thought, maybe that was a good strategy, Tom. OJ McDuffie needed a home this year and was properly "allotted" to TVP in round 20 by unanimous consent. TVP onc again started out strong, squirreling away enough nuts with his first four picks (including the value of the second round-Minn QB's) to win a week or two, perhaps. TVP, my only request is that when Busch calls you up offering a tempting Yancy Thigpen an Frank Sanders package for Minn QB's in week 11, PLEASE SHOP THE TRADE this time.
Gag: My particular favorite was the back-to-back Michigan Wolverine picks of Tim Biakabatuka (11) and D. Alexander (12). More damaging, however, was the troika of Irvin, McCardell and Bam Morris in rounds 5-7.

#8 Wags Grade: A-
Picking on the end in this draft sucked (speaking from experience). However, Wags came out OK with perhaps the most balanced team on the board. Do over: It would have taken some balls, but the pick to make at the turn would have been to double-up at QB (SF and Minn). I would have made a big fat offer for either QB about two weeks into the season after watching Jon Kitna and Rich Gannon. Worst case scenario, Wags goes into every week with about 200 pts at QB.

Stu - 09/12/99 05:13:30

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Observation...Here are the teams Wags top position players are from:
Saints (1) Bears (2) Rams (2) Ravens (1)
Hmmm...So much for picking guys from good teams