BAKER MAYFIELD
Before the regular season starts, I need to make an important declaration: I am fully aboard the Baker Mayfield hype train. I was adamant throughout the college football season last year that I wanted nothing to do with Mayfield. He was my third favorite option, behind Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold. He was undersized and an Oklahoma quarterback, a product of the system that has produced Heisman trophy winning quarterbacks, such as Jason White and Sam Bradford, that have gone on to less than sexy NFL careers. I had no issue with his off field concerns, if anything, I liked his fire and passion. Unlike some, I didn't see similarities to Johnny Manziel. I just dislike system players. After seeing a few preseason games, I am ready to let go of every one of my assumptions. Here is why:
First, the height argument. If you watch elite quarterbacks, such as Tom Brady, something will stand out in the way that he stands in the pocket: He feels the pressure, but will keeping his focus downfield, subtly shift his feet a few inches to the right or to the left, avoid the pressure, and make a quick throw from the pocket. He is one of the most unathletic quarterbacks in the NFL and he almost never takes sacks. I'm not saying that Baker doesn't take sacks, but something he already looks great at is keeping his feet active in the pocket and sliding to his left or right to avoid pressure in the pocket. He does not tuck the ball and run, like a lot of rookie QBs, he keeps his focus downfield and looks to keep plays alive. With lacking ideal height, this is a vital trait, and one that makes me comfortable with his measurables.
The other knock, and the more important one, is his experience in a "run n gun" Oklahoma offense. However, Mayfield impressed the Browns the most when it came to drawing up plays on the whiteboard and recalling plays from college in a near photographic capacity. He was able to explain routes, checkdowns, and progressions. These are arguably the hardest traits for QBs to develop as it is not necessarily projectible. You can see it in the way he plays. Watch him on a deep drop and pay attention to his head. He will often look one way, then another, then another, before firing. This is a new concept for Cleveland QBs, as Derek Anderson staring receiver down as if they were stripping women is one of my many haunting memories.
If you watch Hard Knocks, you will know that Baker considers Olive Garden a great dining option. Personally, I was elated to hear this. Olive Garden gets drug through the mud far too often on social media and I, for one, am sick of the stuck up millennials tainting its great name. Eat their salad and breadsticks and try telling me that it's second rate italian cuisine. I'm half italian and have put up with the snobbery of being told what is and what is not real Italian food for my entire life, and honestly, I am sick of it. I enjoy burgers from McDonald's and Chicken nuggets from Wendy's. I dip my fries in my frosty. I am a man of the people, as is Baker Mayfield. He gets us. That kind of attitude just screams rubbing some dirt on a gaping wound.
I am not talking myself into anything. The guy has a cannon for an arm. He appears to have the work ethic and desire to make it. He's learning from a veteran in Tyrod Taylor, and although I think he should start fairly early in the season, it is nice to know that he isn't taking notes from the great Cody Kessler. It's August 26th, 2018, and I think Baker Mayfield is going to be a franchise quarterback. Trust me on this one.
WHEN YOU BITCH ABOUT YOUR PLAYOFF TEAM
Find somebody that looks at you the way Terry Francona looks at his veteran players. As I say that, two things can be simultaneously true: 1.) Terry Francona can be the best manager in the history of the Cleveland Indians, and 2.) He can be subjected to legitimate criticism for sticking with guys too long. Case in point, the 2017 ALDS. For a good portion of the season, particularly in the second half, Michael Brantley was sidelined due to the persistent shoulder injuries that had plagued him for the past few seasons. When the ALDS started, Brantley was given ample playing time, despite not being fully healed. Jason Kipnis, after a brief experimentation in the regular season, moved to center field after the injury to Bradley Zimmer. Austin Jackson, who batted .317 in the regular season, was regulated to a platoon role in the outfield. The results? A complete disaster. They batted .173 in the postseason, nearly a hundred points down from their .263 regular season average. Lonnie Chisenhall received just 5 at-bats, despite hitting .288 in the regular season. The reality is that the Indians are rarely, if ever, going to win a playoff series when Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor combine to go 3 for 31 in a 5 game series. But fumbling with a recipe that brought you a 22 game win streak, and turning away from less proven players such as Yandy Diaz, is head scratching and a troubling sign for a team that relies on its veteran players. With Jason Kipnis struggling, I'm a huge advocate to moving Jose Ramirez to second base and giving Yandy Diaz time at third base. They are not going to do that, so I guess I'll have to trust Tito, as Indians Twitter will tell me. I hope I'm wrong... again.
NOTE: I write this as I watch Jason Kipnis hit an inside the park home run. I am too lazy to edit, so I am going with my original take. What's more, I appreciate the irony.
FANTASY
And when I say "Fantasy," no, I don't mean the one where Tori Black is delivering me a pizza while my girlfriend is at work. "Ha! This guy writes sports and makes porn jokes, he must be cool!"
Nobody wants to hear about anybody else's fantasy team. With that being said, here are mine:
QB: Carson Wentz
QB: Phillip Rivers
RB: Le'Veon Bell
RB: Royce Freeman
RB: Duke Johnson
RB: Mark Ingram
WR: Michael Thomas
WR: Juju Smith-Schuster
WR: Marquise Goodwin
WR: Nelson Agholor
TE: Rob Gronkowski
TE: OJ Howard
Team 2:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
QB: Matthew Stafford
RB: Dalvin Cook
RB: Alex Collins
RB: Mark Ingram
RB: Sony Michel
WR: Odell Beckham
WR: Michael Thomas
WR: Chris Hogan
WR: Nelson Agholor
TE: Trey Burton
TE: Mike Gesicki
I'm buying into the Mark Ingram business. Yes, he's suspended for the first 4 games, but as a fantasy nerd, I was thrilled to hear that. I got a 2nd round player in the 5th round of both leagues. Also, I live by a philosophy: Don't let your quarterbacks suck ass. Always get a good backup. As you can see, I didn't list my kickers or defenses, because if you save those picks for anything but last, you're not playing the odds. I'd rather take a flier on a young player than be the first to take Jacksonville's defense.
NICK'S CORNER
I resume college tomorrow, and as my dad always tells me, "I wish you had just done it right the first time around." For those of you that did it right and didn't spend your weeknights smoking pot and binge watching 'Two and a Half Men,' (the Charlie Sheen version, never Ashton Kutcher), I am here to tell you all that has changed: Everybody is constantly on their phones, which makes elevator rides a little less awkward. People often just whip the phones out in the middle of class, which I don't recall ever being a thing. Women wear as little clothing as they can get away with, which for some reason bothers me. The times are just... different. Gone are the days of the beer jokes, the sex jokes, the cool dude that seems to look cooler by talking down to others. Or maybe that was just high school? I can't be too sure, I didn't always go to class when I was at the University of Akron. What seems apparent, is that there are muchhhhh more people that show personality, both in how they dress and how they style their hair. Piercings are more prevalent in places not just used for ears. It isn't rare to find people with pink or green or purple hair. People are just- themselves. It's a change I find welcoming, if not making me a bit envious. I tried molding myself into a form that fit in during my first go in college rather than expressing myself. Now that I am fully comfortable with who I am, turns out the basketball shorts and messy t-shirt was always my style, simply because I quite frankly don't give a shit how I look. I'm more of a 'what's comfortable' type of lad. But, it would've been nice to feel the freedom to explore. Then again, I can't imagine myself with loops in my ears. Our future is in good hands. The movements happening nationwide are felt significantly at the college level, and personally, I find this long overdue.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: I was discussing somebody that a friend and I mutually hate, and she said something interesting to me: "I just kill him with kindness." It made me think. I won't change anything about my approach, but it is something to consider. But really, the guy is annoying as an itchy asshole.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Who the fuck knocks on a closed bathroom door? Imagine yourself sitting down to take a nice relaxing number two and her KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Sighs. Just twist the doornob. If it's locked, it's being used. Don't be a dick.
Before the regular season starts, I need to make an important declaration: I am fully aboard the Baker Mayfield hype train. I was adamant throughout the college football season last year that I wanted nothing to do with Mayfield. He was my third favorite option, behind Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold. He was undersized and an Oklahoma quarterback, a product of the system that has produced Heisman trophy winning quarterbacks, such as Jason White and Sam Bradford, that have gone on to less than sexy NFL careers. I had no issue with his off field concerns, if anything, I liked his fire and passion. Unlike some, I didn't see similarities to Johnny Manziel. I just dislike system players. After seeing a few preseason games, I am ready to let go of every one of my assumptions. Here is why:
First, the height argument. If you watch elite quarterbacks, such as Tom Brady, something will stand out in the way that he stands in the pocket: He feels the pressure, but will keeping his focus downfield, subtly shift his feet a few inches to the right or to the left, avoid the pressure, and make a quick throw from the pocket. He is one of the most unathletic quarterbacks in the NFL and he almost never takes sacks. I'm not saying that Baker doesn't take sacks, but something he already looks great at is keeping his feet active in the pocket and sliding to his left or right to avoid pressure in the pocket. He does not tuck the ball and run, like a lot of rookie QBs, he keeps his focus downfield and looks to keep plays alive. With lacking ideal height, this is a vital trait, and one that makes me comfortable with his measurables.
The other knock, and the more important one, is his experience in a "run n gun" Oklahoma offense. However, Mayfield impressed the Browns the most when it came to drawing up plays on the whiteboard and recalling plays from college in a near photographic capacity. He was able to explain routes, checkdowns, and progressions. These are arguably the hardest traits for QBs to develop as it is not necessarily projectible. You can see it in the way he plays. Watch him on a deep drop and pay attention to his head. He will often look one way, then another, then another, before firing. This is a new concept for Cleveland QBs, as Derek Anderson staring receiver down as if they were stripping women is one of my many haunting memories.
If you watch Hard Knocks, you will know that Baker considers Olive Garden a great dining option. Personally, I was elated to hear this. Olive Garden gets drug through the mud far too often on social media and I, for one, am sick of the stuck up millennials tainting its great name. Eat their salad and breadsticks and try telling me that it's second rate italian cuisine. I'm half italian and have put up with the snobbery of being told what is and what is not real Italian food for my entire life, and honestly, I am sick of it. I enjoy burgers from McDonald's and Chicken nuggets from Wendy's. I dip my fries in my frosty. I am a man of the people, as is Baker Mayfield. He gets us. That kind of attitude just screams rubbing some dirt on a gaping wound.
I am not talking myself into anything. The guy has a cannon for an arm. He appears to have the work ethic and desire to make it. He's learning from a veteran in Tyrod Taylor, and although I think he should start fairly early in the season, it is nice to know that he isn't taking notes from the great Cody Kessler. It's August 26th, 2018, and I think Baker Mayfield is going to be a franchise quarterback. Trust me on this one.
WHEN YOU BITCH ABOUT YOUR PLAYOFF TEAM
Find somebody that looks at you the way Terry Francona looks at his veteran players. As I say that, two things can be simultaneously true: 1.) Terry Francona can be the best manager in the history of the Cleveland Indians, and 2.) He can be subjected to legitimate criticism for sticking with guys too long. Case in point, the 2017 ALDS. For a good portion of the season, particularly in the second half, Michael Brantley was sidelined due to the persistent shoulder injuries that had plagued him for the past few seasons. When the ALDS started, Brantley was given ample playing time, despite not being fully healed. Jason Kipnis, after a brief experimentation in the regular season, moved to center field after the injury to Bradley Zimmer. Austin Jackson, who batted .317 in the regular season, was regulated to a platoon role in the outfield. The results? A complete disaster. They batted .173 in the postseason, nearly a hundred points down from their .263 regular season average. Lonnie Chisenhall received just 5 at-bats, despite hitting .288 in the regular season. The reality is that the Indians are rarely, if ever, going to win a playoff series when Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor combine to go 3 for 31 in a 5 game series. But fumbling with a recipe that brought you a 22 game win streak, and turning away from less proven players such as Yandy Diaz, is head scratching and a troubling sign for a team that relies on its veteran players. With Jason Kipnis struggling, I'm a huge advocate to moving Jose Ramirez to second base and giving Yandy Diaz time at third base. They are not going to do that, so I guess I'll have to trust Tito, as Indians Twitter will tell me. I hope I'm wrong... again.
NOTE: I write this as I watch Jason Kipnis hit an inside the park home run. I am too lazy to edit, so I am going with my original take. What's more, I appreciate the irony.
FANTASY
And when I say "Fantasy," no, I don't mean the one where Tori Black is delivering me a pizza while my girlfriend is at work. "Ha! This guy writes sports and makes porn jokes, he must be cool!"
Nobody wants to hear about anybody else's fantasy team. With that being said, here are mine:
QB: Carson Wentz
QB: Phillip Rivers
RB: Le'Veon Bell
RB: Royce Freeman
RB: Duke Johnson
RB: Mark Ingram
WR: Michael Thomas
WR: Juju Smith-Schuster
WR: Marquise Goodwin
WR: Nelson Agholor
TE: Rob Gronkowski
TE: OJ Howard
Team 2:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
QB: Matthew Stafford
RB: Dalvin Cook
RB: Alex Collins
RB: Mark Ingram
RB: Sony Michel
WR: Odell Beckham
WR: Michael Thomas
WR: Chris Hogan
WR: Nelson Agholor
TE: Trey Burton
TE: Mike Gesicki
I'm buying into the Mark Ingram business. Yes, he's suspended for the first 4 games, but as a fantasy nerd, I was thrilled to hear that. I got a 2nd round player in the 5th round of both leagues. Also, I live by a philosophy: Don't let your quarterbacks suck ass. Always get a good backup. As you can see, I didn't list my kickers or defenses, because if you save those picks for anything but last, you're not playing the odds. I'd rather take a flier on a young player than be the first to take Jacksonville's defense.
NICK'S CORNER
I resume college tomorrow, and as my dad always tells me, "I wish you had just done it right the first time around." For those of you that did it right and didn't spend your weeknights smoking pot and binge watching 'Two and a Half Men,' (the Charlie Sheen version, never Ashton Kutcher), I am here to tell you all that has changed: Everybody is constantly on their phones, which makes elevator rides a little less awkward. People often just whip the phones out in the middle of class, which I don't recall ever being a thing. Women wear as little clothing as they can get away with, which for some reason bothers me. The times are just... different. Gone are the days of the beer jokes, the sex jokes, the cool dude that seems to look cooler by talking down to others. Or maybe that was just high school? I can't be too sure, I didn't always go to class when I was at the University of Akron. What seems apparent, is that there are muchhhhh more people that show personality, both in how they dress and how they style their hair. Piercings are more prevalent in places not just used for ears. It isn't rare to find people with pink or green or purple hair. People are just- themselves. It's a change I find welcoming, if not making me a bit envious. I tried molding myself into a form that fit in during my first go in college rather than expressing myself. Now that I am fully comfortable with who I am, turns out the basketball shorts and messy t-shirt was always my style, simply because I quite frankly don't give a shit how I look. I'm more of a 'what's comfortable' type of lad. But, it would've been nice to feel the freedom to explore. Then again, I can't imagine myself with loops in my ears. Our future is in good hands. The movements happening nationwide are felt significantly at the college level, and personally, I find this long overdue.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: I was discussing somebody that a friend and I mutually hate, and she said something interesting to me: "I just kill him with kindness." It made me think. I won't change anything about my approach, but it is something to consider. But really, the guy is annoying as an itchy asshole.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Who the fuck knocks on a closed bathroom door? Imagine yourself sitting down to take a nice relaxing number two and her KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Sighs. Just twist the doornob. If it's locked, it's being used. Don't be a dick.
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