jayratkowski.com

I am looking at doing a pay league via Yahoo, as I like their format the best and it seems most user friendly.

Here’s the breakdown of the league scoring/rules:

Here’s what would come with a pay league:
- Live stats
- Extensive weekly and draft scouting reports
- Advanced controls for scoring/stats (more customization)
- Prizes (Cash!)

Here’s what I’m thinking for prizes:
- $10 weekly high scoring team (16 weeks * $10 = $160)
- $10 weekly high scoring player (I would probably do NOT on the same team as the high scoring team, but that’s up for debate) (16 weeks * $10 = $160)
- Lump sum grand prize or 1st/2nd place prizes (I’m thinking $160 grand prize, $35 2nd place = $195)

League setup costs $124.99

So, some easy math
160 + 160 + 160 + 35 + 125 = $640

$640/8 teams = $80/team.

If that sounds like too much money, we can either increase the number of teams or decrease the prizes. There’s other ways to add to prize amounts, like charging for trades/transactions, etc.

ESPN.com has an article talking about the increased emphasis on the blitz during mini-camps this summer.  It’s obvious to anyone who has watched the Jim Bates/Bob Sanders era defense that the Packers rarely send anyone but the front four after the QB.  Last season, the Packers blitzed on about 22% of passing plays.  The NFL average was about 30% (both according to STATS LLC).  Some of the more memorable lack of pass-rushing performances came against the Cowboys, where Romo stayed upright the entire game, and the NFC Championship where Eli was able to spend the majority of the game comfortably picking us apart.  Coach McCarthy claims that the defense is more comfortable in the scheme this year and the blitz is a natural progression, but I just find it hard to believe.  This is a defensive system that has never relied on the blitz, not when Bates was in Miami and not since he went to Denver.  Why should we expect a change now?  I guess we’ll have to see what the regular season brings…

There’s a new car in the driveway!  Not mine, the woman got an ‘08 Focus SES in classic Ford black.  Bring on the $5/gallon gas!

The NFL Network has wisely chosen to dump Bryant Gumbel as their play-by-play guy, replacing him with Bob Papa of NY Giants radio and Sirius NFL Radio fame.  Ditching the lifeless Gumbel could not have come soon enough,  the man seems more suited to do work at a 12 and under mini-golf tournement, not be the voice of a TV network that is still trying to gain credibility.  I hear Papa on Sirius 4-5 days a week and he does a quality job, knows the game and has a far more tolerable voice.  Good move.

What did I say at the ‘07 draft?

Everyone on the planet said it, why did we pick Justin Harrell?  The guy was always hurt, and no surprise, he’s hurt again.  Can we cut this dude, eat his signing bonus and stop paying 1st round money to someone who will be on the PUP list the next 5 years anyway?

Other news, Jason Taylor doesn’t want to come to Green Bay.  Well, no kidding!  What did Deion Sanders call it many years ago when he was still playing?  The coldest, smallest, borinest city in the NFL?  The whole thing is, Green Bay is likely the only team in the NFL where Taylor could come in and A) Start, B) Be the hero of the defense (which he arguably had to split reps with Zach Thomas on) and C) Have a realistic chance at a Super Bowl in the next 2 years (assuming the Aaron Rodgers project doesn’t blow up from day 1).  Most any other team is either going to A) Put him in a rotation, B) Have him play in the shadow of an established defensive star, C) Not win (or some combination of the 3).  If you think about Green Bay last year, Favre really did nothing spectacular all year… and we came an interception away from the Super Bowl.  If you look at the other playoff teams last year, Washington, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Seattle all had problems on offense that need to get solved before Jason Taylor would help them go further.  New York could use a guy in the left end spot, but many would say they don’t have a chance at repeating, New England, San Diego and Indy already have pass rushers (and Indy can’t afford another contract).  So that would put Taylor in the position of trying to find a large market team that is an old defensive end away from a Super Bowl.  Fat chance.

The lady and I got some inexpensive mountain bikes recently and have started riding again for the first time in ages.  It’s great fun, but it’s sad how we thought we were in decent shape before doing this.  We live in a pretty hilly area, so every time we go out riding there is a good deal of effort involved.  We’re still building up the energy/ambition to take our bikes to work.  It’s about 10 miles one-way, but there are some serious hills to climb each way… don’t quite want to show up for work smelling like we just ran a marathon.