The DC Sports Page

In a move that shocked no one, the United States Soccer Federation chose to renew head coach Bob Bradley's contract for four more years.
How do I feel about this? Frustrated, to say the least.
In Bradley's first term he compiled a less than stellar 30-20-8 record, highlighted by the USA making it to it's first ever final in a FIFA competition (2009 FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP), beating #1 ranked Spain and topping the group at the 2010 World Cup for the first time in sixty years.
It's not as if Bradley doesn't deserve to be coach, but he already had his chance. The last US coach to repeat as manager was Bruce Arena, after a quarterfinal journey in 2002, Arena and the Yanks crashed out in the group stage of Germany 2006.
Bradley, it should be noted, also made terrible personnel decisions during the last World Cup. Going back to Ricardo Clark after he showed no reason to be on the pitch in the first place.
My main beef with Bradley is his blind loyalty to certain players. Deciding to start Clark over Feilhaber and Edu was ludicrous. It was a prime example of what could happen in the next four years. Certain guys need to hit the "dusty trail" and move on from international soccer, but will Bradley have the stones to tell them to go?
Bradley must also address a rapidly aging back line. As of now, Jonathan Bornstein and Oguchi Oneywu will be the only holdovers from the last World Cup.
Bradley must also solve two more riddles, first an overcrowded mid-field and second and probably the most important, he must find a world class striker.
The first problem will be easier to deal with. Micheal Bradley, the coaches son, was solid this past world cup as well as Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. Bradley however, failed to find a suitable partner for his son in his first four years giving me little hope he will this go around.
Finding a striker will be tough, unless Jozy Altidore breaks out of his shell and becomes world class. Let us not forget that Charlie Davies was tearing up the pitch with his pace and finishing prowess, but he was almost killed in an October car crash before the USA's last qualifier. If he can return to be 95% of the player he was, then he could be a huge boost.
It appears that coach Bradley has a long tough road ahead of him if he hopes to duplicate his success from 2010. Four years seems like a long time, but Brazil 2014 will be hear before he knows it. Can Bradley change his formula and create a team that infuses youth and skill with savvy veterans? Or will he be doomed to repeat the same mistakes his predecessor Arena made?

That's it and that's all....

It's that time of the year again to grab those fantasy magazines, read all the same old websites, make your own evaluations, and start ranking players for your upcoming draft. Sure you can glean fantasy opinions just about anywhere these days so what's a little more information to add to the fold? Anyone that's followed The DC Sports Page advice over the years has probably done very well in their league - see previous advice.

Let's take a closer look at the top ten Fantasy RB's this season.

1. Chris Johnson: Chris Johnson tore up fantasy leagues last season and there's no reason he can't lead the way again this year for fantasy running backs...especially when playing for a better contract.

2. Adrian Peterson: Peterson plays for what many have said could be the worst coach in the NFL. His rushing yards may have taken a hit last season as the addition of Favre (the first real starting calibur quarterback in Minn. in his career) helped stretch the field and take them one step from the Super Bowl. Peterson is the most complete running back in the league and is taking a back seat for the good of the team to share the ball in order to bring home a title. Peterson's stats speak for themselves, so let them carry you to as Johnny Drama (from Entourage) would say, "VICTORY!"

3. Maurice Jones-Drew: Without Fred Taylor to carry some of the load, fantasy owners received exactly what they expected last season...a giant increase in already solid production. Expect similar numbers to last season.

4. Michael Turner: Turner began to break down last season...was it due to the strong load from the previous season? It appears that Ryan is also tied to Turner and as Turner went so did the Falcon's offense. Look for the Falcons to keep Turner more fresh and for Turner to make the most of his rushing attempts to prove that his numbers from two seasons ago weren't a fluke.

5. Ray Rice: Everyone took notice of Rice's small frame, huge heart, and aggressive running last season despite losing carries along the goal line to McGahee. It may not be realistic to expect Rice to duplicate last season's performance and with the addition of Boldin to help stretch the field Rice may lose more open field touches resulting in a decrease from last season's numbers.

6. Frank Gore: Has there ever been a more quiet running back in recent memory that just shows up week in and week out without much hoopla? Gore may not be as powerful as ironhead Heyward used to be or as fast as DeAngelo Williams, but he effectively gets the job done and produces consistent fantasy numbers...and The DC Sports Page likes consistency.

7. DeAngelo Williams: It's all about the running game in Carolina. Somehow the Panthers have two starting running backs where both can eclipse over 1,000 rushing yards and plenty of TDs. It's too bad that there isn't a capable QB or #2 WR to help stretch the field and back off the S & LBs to open up more of the running game.

8. Shonn Green: Green should flourish in the Jets run heavy offense. Don't worry about LT stealing carries as there'll be lots to go around. It will also help keep Green fresh. His fantasy numbers should be less erratic then others further down the rankings due to the large volume of rushing attempts.

9. Steven Jackson: Jackson's numbers have tailed off from his last spectacular year four years ago, but still racks up impressive numbers at season's end. Expect some games for Jackson's numbers to drop off the map with a couple of giant fantasy game stats.

10. Rashard Mendenhall: As the Steelers leaned more on the running game and their 2nd year running back, Mendenhall should fans exactly what he was capable of doing. He has the ability to rack up huge fantasy stats as he can run short yardage and make plays in the open field. With Big Ben on the bench to start the season, Mendenhall will be expected to shoulder more of the offense.

Most Overvalued:

Benson had a career year last season. He's the classic high risk high reward pick. Can he handle the full load through an entire season and without any off the field issues? These issues land Benson just out of the top ten.

Most Undervalued:

Has the NFL and Carolina seen the best that Stewart has to offer? No. Stewart has yet to be completely healthy and splits carries with Williams yet has found a way to co-exist and keep fantasy owners and teammates happy, Imagine a healthy Stewart shouldering a majority of carries. A strong pick in hold over legues.

Sleepers:

Jamaal Charles: Charles quietly amassed huge numbers towards the end of the season on a poor offensive team. As the Chiefs rebuild the OL, Charles numbers can only improve. As the OL improves Charles yards per attempt should increase. He's an elusive runner to tackle in the open field. Even with Jones pouching carries, Charles should be more fresh for some explosive runs.

Ryan Matthews: Matthew was drafted to fill the starting role left open by the departure of LT. He's a quick & strong rb with size. Norv likes to run and look for a lot of opportunities for Matthews.

Deep Sleepers:

Ronnie Brown: Brown may fall of the radar due to his return from injury. When healthy Brown has shown the ability to be a top ten fantasy rb. Bide your time and look for a steal in mid to late rounds by drafting Brown.

Felix Jones: The hits are piling up and so is the mileage on Barber. Although Jones has yet to make in through an entire season, this explosive runner is sure to take more touches from Barber and threaten him for the starting role.

Jahvid Best: Kevin Smith is slowly returning from injury. Best is making the most of his opportunities and adds dimension of speed that Smith lacks. The first few games Best plays and performs (as Smith works his way back into the fold) may determine the rookie's fate this season.

Arian Foster: Tate could be done for the season. Slayton's season ended early last year with a neck injury and all of a sudden the name Foster moves up the depth chart. Keep an eye on this young rb in late rounds.

One Last Helpful Hint: Too much is made of drafting a starting RB's handcuff (i.e. their back up running back on the depth chart.) The real strategy should be drafting starters as reserves and ensuring that you have the best reserve running backs that can come in and start for you when needed. The only handcuff that should be drafted over another starting running back is Jonathan Stewart who garners as much yardage and TD's as a back up compared to other starting running backs.

Once all the starting running backs are off the board, then consider the fantasy potential if they became the starter for their team for a significant part of the season. McGahee, Sproles, & Bradshaw move towards the top of the list.

Good luck and feel free to send your questions to any of the team here.

It's that time of the year again to grab those fantasy magazines, read all the same old websites, make your own evaluations, and start ranking players for your upcoming draft. Sure you can glean fantasy opinions just about anywhere these days so what's a little more information to add to the fold? Anyone that's followed The DC Sports Page advice over the years has probably done very well in their league - see previous advice.

Let's take a closer look at the top ten Fantasy QB's this season.

1. Payton Manning: Most sites and publications will rank Payton 2nd or 3rd, but not here. How can you deny that Manning has been one of the most consistent and durable fantasy players for almost a decade.

Let everyone else take Brees or Rodgers while Manning slips right into your lap. That's right, if you're drafting at the end of the first round you'll have as close to there is for a lock for 30 TDs and 4,000 yards passing. Manning isn't a feast or famine fantasy player that racks up huge numbers in a couple of games to skew a season's average. He does it for 16 games!

So finish the end of the 2nd Round knowing you have a top RB & QB. Why take a 2nd & 3rd tier RB and allow Manning to slip back in the 2nd Round to someone that already has a top tier RB. (Know you're scoring system and whether QB TDs are 6pts or 4 pts)

2. Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers numbers spiked up again last year to 30 TDs while his INTs fell to 7. It's hard not to like numbers like that. GB's OL didn't do Rodgers many favors early in the season as the hits piled up, but after a decision to switch from a more max protections scheme to a spread offense with quick throws the passing game opened back up and Rodgers found his receivers again.

The GB offense is loaded with talent at the skill positions however they didn't bolster the OL much. Rodgers has the potential to single handedly vault your team into the playoffs, but will his stats help you in the playoffs when GB plays in the cold windy arctic tundra in the final weeks of the season?

3. Drew Brees: Brees is slowly winning fans over with his steady numbers and demeanor leading the Saints to their first title last year, but will he see his first drop off this season? Even Manning and Brady reverted to their statistical averages after their spectacular TD seasons and many QB's face an uphill challenge as defending Super Bowl Champions. As the defending champion, every team is attempting get to the QB and dump Brees to the ground quicker to disrupt the passing game. As a result, the risk increases for injury and a drop off in numbers due to rushed throws, incompletions, fewer big plays, and turnovers. Oh, and Brees lost some key depth along the OL as two time Pro Bowl OT Brown was traded to the Redskins in the offseason.

4. Rivers: The LT era is over. All that remains is Rivers & Gates and the near 30 TDs, 4,000 yards passing, and limited number of INT's. Rookie RB Matthews should fill in nicely for LT, but as the Chargers hit some bumps along the way look for Rivers to pass their way out of it.

5. Brady: Don't count Brady out. Much like a SP two years after Tommy John surgery, Brady's repaired knee should be fine and so should his confidence in it. Welker's return should ease some of the pressure Brady will feel as his intermediate and 1st down receiver returns and allows Moss to do what he does best - run straight down the field for big plays. Look for Brady's 2nd half numbers to exceed the first half (due to Welker). Also, factor in the likes of what some in The DC Sports Page like have called "Fragile" Fred (Taylor at RB) to help stabilize the running game and should bring a balance (run/pass) back to the Pats similar to the earlier parts of the decade.

6. Favre: Favre had one of his best years last year as he eclipsed the 30 TD mark (at 33) while throwing only 7 INTs - while playing for what many believe to be the worst coach in the NFL. Not only did Favre limit his INTs, but developed two young receivers, too. Let's see what another year for the combination of Favre to Rice/Harvin can do.

7. Romo: Barber is older and fighting for playing time with Felix Jones (who has yet to play a full season) and Austin Miles steps into the #1 receiver role. Romo can rack up huge numbers, but with the possibility of so much inconsistency for him to navigate through there remains the possibility for a drop off in numbers. An increase in key decisions and situations will occur for Romo as the team looks to answer many questions at WR & RB.

8. Schaub: Schaub should probably be rated higher after last season's performance, but The DC Sports Page isn't sold yet. When you factor into the equation that last season was also Schaub and Andre Johnson's healthiest season together it makes you question can they both make it through the season together again. Toss in that their Offensive Coordinator left for Washington and their draft pick RB Tate may be lost for the year even before the season started and the signs don't look good for this high risk high reward pick in a draft.

9. Flacco: Comparisons between QB Flacco & Ryan occur frequently as to who's the better QB, but it's not much of a debate when looking at fantasy stats and Flacco now has WR Boldin to throw to which only increases Flacco's fantasy value.

10. Manning: The other Manning is quietly getting his due respect...fantasy wise even after winning a Super Bowl. The Burress era ended as Manning developed two young receivers. Look for Manning, Smith, and Nick's numbers to slightly increase this year.

Most Overvalued:

• Matt Schaub:
It was a break out year for Schaub last season. No joke intended. Schaub made it through the season as did A. Johnson and both benefited. Are you willing to roll the dice again this year? Tate could be gone for the season before it started, Slayton is coming back from neck surgery, and Kyle Shanahan left for Washington.

Most Undervalued:

• Eli Manning:
Eli has another year under his belt developing the Giants young receivers. The Giants may need to rely more on their offense this season and Manning owners could reap the benefit. The only concern would be a lack of balance in the running game (pass/run) as the team must decide who is the primary rb and tailor the plays to the #1 rb.


Deep Sleepers:

Kolb: Kolb has shown he can make the same passes as McNabb, but can he make the same throws after being knocked down repeatedly at the NFL level. McNabb also had the ability to make others look better around him, while Kolb is still growing. Kolb's numbers may tail off as the season progresses and the hits take their toll.

Henne: Miami will continue to be a run first offense but with the addition of Marshall the team now can have a closer run/pass mix of plays pulling some of the safeties away from the line.

One Last Helpful Hint: Don't be the one that waits to be the last person to draft a QB and then finds themselves with one of the worst starting QB's and a bad back up too.

If you draft Schaub, then consider drafting a backup QB much earlier. If you're drafting a QB with injury concerns or a low fantasy producer then pick a back up within the next two rounds before everyone else circles back on drafting reserve QB's. Don't panic and continue to take mediocre receivers that may never start or pan out and take the QB. If you have a Flacco why not turn around two picks later and take Manning to deprive someone else of a talented back up. Why should you have the worst set of QBs in the league.

Also, if you're going to draft a Schaub then you probably shouldn't be taking a flyer on Kolb or Henne because they may soon become your starter.

Avoid taking a QB late as a starter and as a reserve to sure up voids at other reserve positions. All The DC Sports Page can say is that you'd better have a two top five RB's, one top three WR, and Gates at TE to start with.

Good luck and feel free to send your questions to any of the team here.

On Friday night, the Redskins started the Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb Era. Make that the Pre-Season Era. And they won, 42-17. Unfortunately it was against the Buffalo Bills, hardly a strong opponent. Still the win was a good start.

While the hype was about seeing McNabb on the field for the first time in Burgundy and Gold, another one of the several first-time in Redskins uniform players got his "tryout". That would be Rex Grossman. Explanation in a minute, but first his stats. 11/18, 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. Pretty decent stats, though again we need to be mindful, only against the Bills. He looked comfortable, if not sharp on the field.

Now here's where I explain why I think it was Grossman's tryout. When he was first signed months ago, he was insurance to Jason Campbell. Then when McNabb arrived and Campbell shipped off to Oakland, Grossman was the clear backup. But the arrival of John Beck via trade with the Baltimore Ravens, one had to question if Grossman is really in the plans for the Redskins. Shanahan has carried 2 QB's at times. While Beck came at a little cost, trading for him showed that there was some value the Redskins placed on Beck. That did send Colt Brennan packing, but it did not solidify Grossman's role. His play on Friday may have sealed the deal though. In his good showing, Grossman proved that he's got something, though it might only be valuable against lesser defenses. Let's face it, Grossman is the type of QB anyone can pick up anytime during the season. But being in camp and pre-season gives him advantages over Average Joe QB. Beck may compete for the #2 and maybe even win it. But Grossman's performance from Friday coupled with similar or at least non-deteriorating play in the remainder of pre-season may earn him a permanent spot on the roster this season.

OK, just to make it clear, that was not Albert Haynesworth. The man who kind of passed the shuttle test was ESPN Radio Mike & Mike co-host and 16 year retired NFL player Mike Golic. Sure, he kind of jumped the gun and didn't exactly go "line to line", but he substantially finished it. Lindsay Murphy of Fox 5 also completed it. Ivan Carter of Comcast SportsNet also did it. But Haynesworth has yet to complete it.

Now granted, it does not look easy. I'll volunteer that it's highly unlikely I could complete the test. But I'm not a trained athlete. And from the results so far, we should question whether Albert Haynesworth is either.

Sure, I'm piling on. Haynesworth's contract is the fault of the Redskins, in particular owner Daniel Snyder and former yes man Vinny Cerrato. But Haynesworth, while living up to the "letter" of his contract, is not being a team player. He should have showed up for some of the off-season workouts. He claims he did his own plan, and appears lighter. But as this test proves, he's not in condition. So what does Mike Shanahan do now? I say make him run it until he makes it. Sure he took that huge roster bonus, but it's done. Make Haynesworth work for it. Have him run the shuttles everyday until he passes. Then run him to the ground in practice. He'll either live through it and be a better player or he'll end up weakened. Frankly at this point, as a Redskins fan, I don't care which Haynesworth comes out of it.

Redskins Training Camp started this past weekend. While there is much focus on the Albert Haynesworth situation, it's worth taking a look a what else is going on.

This morning, I went out to Redskins Park. For the hour or so, they ran passing drills, blocking drills, and then some actual plays with offensive vs defense. The passing drills were not there to impress, but simply to make sure timing between the QB and receiver were in sync. The above picture had Donovan McNabb in the passing drill. After one attempt, the QB rotated out so all four had decent shots. To the left is McNabb speaking with coach Mike Shanahan after one of his attempts.

The blocking drills were more interesting to watch. We heard yesterday that TE Chris Cooley was upset about a hard hit against him. In the drills today, it seemed that they hit hard, but didn't "chase". At one point TE Fred Davis should have been stopped after about 12 yards, but the defense let him run for 30 yards.

While the visit was the hope to see NT/DE Haynesworth out on the field, well all have to wait for another day to pass before that might happen.