Overall 49-25

Chicago Bears Vs Atlanta Falcons

Both teams are 3-2 and have running backs that can quickly change the game with one carry and a similar attack on offense. Which is simple don't turn over the ball and complete third downs. Both the Falcons and Bears don't ask their quarterbacks to win games but to manage them and allow the sticks to move so that they can do more running and so that their defense can stay fresh. The advantage would go to the Bears because of their defense they currently ranked 8th while the Falcons are 23rd. Run and Pass wise the Bears are ranked 3rd against the run and 23rd against the pass. While the Falcons are 22nd against the pass and 21st against the run. I believe this plays into what the bears normally face they stop the run so teams pass the 40+ times. The falcons will need to have success running the ball or they are certainly in trouble. The Bears will likely keep a balanced offense sense the Falcons seem to be vulnerable on both sides of the ball. However the most important note for them is ball safety and not turning the ball over. 32-17 Bears

Miami Dolphins Vs Houston Texans

The Dolphins sit at 2-2 while the Texans are 0-4 desperate for a win they will come into this game willing to do and try anything to succeed. The Dolphins are familiar with such cases as they only won one game last season and it took more than four weeks to do so. Therefore I don't think the Dolphins will take this game lightly, they come in with the 7th ranked defense 15th against the pass and 7th against the run. While the Texans are 18th overall 12th against the pass and 26th against the run which could be a problem heading into this week. I believe that the Dolphins has what it takes and will get it done this week against the Texans however the wildcat formation won't have much success this week though they still will have a 100 yard performance on the ground. 24-14 Dolphins

Baltimore Ravens Vs Indianapolis Colts

The Ravens have the number 1 defense 1st in both the Pass and the Run. While the Colts have struggled on Defense and have been slow on offense. This will be a test of the Colts will this week can they perform up to the caliber they are used to playing on? Or did the Super Bowl win feed the hunger of their team. They are certainly a veteran team and some players are satisfied with winning one championship that's certainly how they have been playing as if they are just padding the stats to increase their chances for Hall of Fame induction and they definitely have a few players on their way. This game I believe the Colts go in it with something to prove however seeing how they played against the Texans last week and the Jaguars and Vikings earlier in the season I don't think they will prove it but every time I pick the Ravens they loose and when I don't they win. So umm 17-9 Colts but you know. Lol Game could go either way ravens all the way 17-9

Detroit Lions Vs Minnesota Vikings

The Lions are 0-4 while the Vikings sit at 2-3 and look to go .500 this week. They face a Lions team that has struggled on both sides of the football, though when going against the Lions no team can believe it's a guaranteed victory due to the fact the Lions and Pass the ball well if they have time. I don't expect them to have time this week, I expect heavy pressure in John Kitna's face the Lions have given up the most sacks every season the last two seasons and have giving up the most so far this year. So the philosophy is rather simple blitz them, in which the Vikings don't have to go outside of their defensive play calling on this one. The Lions also struggle against the run in which I expected Adrian Peterson to have a big game last week he didn't however I certainly don't see him having two slow weeks in a row no matter how good the teams run defense is in which in this case the Lions are 30th giving up 180 yards a game respectively on average. They did have a decent week last week against the bears however they game up over 300 yards passing. In which the Vikings had a slow run week but had a productive day through the air. It has now become stop Adrian Peterson if you can and if you can will just take the passing yards and TD's sense you want to stick 8 and 9 guys in the box. Since the departure of Randy Moss and even then the Vikings are nearly undefeated when having a receiver go over 100 yards and score a touchdown they did that last week against the Saints and this week won't be any different I expect them to hit one of their wide outs deep early and this will open the run back up for the Vikings. 42-0 Vikings

Oakland Raiders Vs New Orleans Saints

The Saints should have another 300+ yard performance through the air and a little more success running the ball the ball as well. The saints showed the ability to play well stopping the run so the formula of success will rely solely on the offense not turning the ball over if they can do this they will have no problem winning the ball game. 28-14 Saints
Cincinnati Bengals Vs New York Jets- Brett Farve had a beautiful game before the bye week and coming off the bye week he should be still in sink after receiving rest and studying a little harder on getting the offense rolling. While the Bengals are hungry for a win they won't get it this week as their defense is still vulnerable against the pass and the run and with Farve likely to go deep early the run will open up keeping their offense balanced. 28-20 Jets

Carolina Panthers Vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Panthers have the better overall offense while the Buccaneers have a better defense in my opinion because good offense always beats good defense I believe that the Panthers will get it done as the Panthers defense is pretty decent. Steve Smith should have a big game against the Buccaneers this week as well. 28-16 Panthers

St Louis Rams Vs Washington Redskins

This is a mismatch game in the Redskins favor now anything can happen come Sunday however the Redskins have shown the ability to be teams that are strong on offense and defense seeing that the Rams lack skill and playmakers on both sides of the ball so I won't go in to much on this pick 35-10 Redskins.

Jacksonville Jaguars Vs Denver Broncos

The Jaguars have struggled putting up points this year and while they have a better defense than the Broncos I think that the Broncos will get back on track with their offense this week and the Jaguars won't be able to keep up with them. Cutler should be over 300 yards this week 28-10 Broncos

Dallas Cowboys Vs Arizona Cardinals

This is going to be a high scoring game something like the jets vs. Cardinals game. Though the Cowboys can be on either side of this if their defense doesn't get their act together and if the Cowboys offense doesn't play at top level. The Cardinals are strong on offense if not stronger than the Cowboys but have major problems on defense 48-35 Cowboys.

Philadelphia Vs San Francisco 49ers

The eagles have played very tough teams the last few weeks and while the 49ers are a decent team not as tough as the other games the Eagles have faced despite the Rams. With or without Brian Westbrook the Eagles will use their passing attack to lead them throughout this game and should get it done putting them back over .500 this week. 31-14 Eagles

Green Bay Packers Vs Seattle Seahawks

The question mostly rely on whether Rodgers can snap out of this loosing funk and whether the Seahawks can snap out of their horrible defensive play. They come off a week of being shut out and their team will face yet another strong opponent well at least stronger than them. 28-7 Packers

New England Patriots Vs San Diego Chargers

This should be a very exciting game as it always is. The Patriots will have to get Randy Moss involved early and often to keep balance in their offense. If they can they should have no problem running the football. Mean while the Chargers will try all they can do to rack up points on the run and through the air. Based on the fact that the Dolphins beat the Chargers and the Patriots I can only look at how it was done which was by the Dolphins running over both teams. Which means to me both the Chargers and Patriots will have a problem covering the run. Should be an exciting game however the Chargers have the 32nd ranked defense against the pass could be bigger problems covering the run with Randy Moss sure to catch a few deep to help open the run even wider. 28-17 Patriots

New York Giants Vs Cleveland Browns

The giants are getting it done on both sides of the ball so this will be another successful week if they continue to control the clock and not turn over the ball in which I don't believe the Browns will force them not to do so therefore I believe the Giants will win yet another game and remain undefeated 30-12 Giants.

Speed

This is first and most important for a running back to learn if you're not fast it will be hard making the cut. The best way for a running back to gain speed, is pushing cars or vans preferably also doing lunges with dumb bells in hand works great, or some kind of Vest that puts weight on your body. There are also par shoots you can wear this usually helps with not only speed but acceleration. It is important that a running back can reach full speed in the least amount of steps as everyone else on the field. All of the exercises I have named are great at doing this as well he helps train the running back to run through force hence break tackles when he gets on the field. When training to gain speed however force isn't always needed and sometimes reason running backs suffer injuries it is important to know your limits and always build up even if when you first begin the work out seems completely easy.

Stretching

Stretching is the best way increase speed and durability of the body. The more you stretch the more flexible you will become. It is important that you stretch each part and muscle this helps when your tackled your body is used to going a certain ways, preventing injuries. Most injuries come from heavy weight lifters who have tight bodies weight lifting is important for running backs however having a tight body is not. As an professional athlete you want to be as loose as possible in order to establish good flexibility when ever your watching TV as soon as your favorite show goes to commercial stretch until the show come back on and the next commercial switch up the stretch.

Weight Lifting

It is important for a running back to have strength even if you're the fastest guy on the field you must have some type of strength and being a running back means you need to be stronger than the receivers and quarterbacks pretty much the strongest offensive skill person. As a running back you also have to take in the fact there are big defensive line man and line backers out there so you want to be strong enough take a hit but preferably give a hit to one of those guys. Bench press, Leg Press, Curls, Leg curls, Dead lift, and squats, and Lat pull down are a great way to go. Also if you have a Runner available this is pretty much a machine for weight lifting you get on and run with the weights you put on. You want your reps to be explosive to create a little bit of pop for yourself. Always stretch before and after weight lifting stretching will also him you to become stronger. If you don't have weights you can do pushups and pull ups for upper body and use running as weight lifting for the legs preferably some hill sprints. Pushups and pull-ups would be something good to do between commercial breaks as well.

Running

As a running back you should get out and do some running the more you run faster you will become, as well the more you run the more endurance you will get. You don't want to be a player that has to come out the game after every 40 yard run. If you're running stretching and lifting you will have the best chance of becoming a better running back. Running also help build strength throughout your body as when you're running every muscle is moving pretty much. Running will help you loosing up to the more you run the looser you will become as well as faster. Running if you don't get it helps everything so if you're playing football in the fall it would be a good idea do something like track in the winter.

Other Tips

Swimming, dot drills or any polymeric work outs work well for running backs. Swimming and polymeric workouts will help with agility and speed as well as power. If all that isn't enough both will also help create strong joints in your knees and ankles which are the biggest known injuries for not only running backs but sports players in general. All in all it takes dedication the longer you do something naturally you will become better at so get out and work hard but work smart. Get someone to throw the football to practice catching as well running backs need to know how to catch. If you're reading this article for your child or someone else the earlier you start the better you will become. It all depends on your natural abilities some guys and get away with starting in high school but let's be real most of us can't getting in little leagues and training prior to high school helps big time.

NFC Edition

Based on observations of the league both this year, and over the several seasons previous, I have decided to anoint the various Football teams of the NFL with names more reflective of their status. Came along with me on this flight of linguistic fancy!

NFC North

The Minnesota Mouths

Based on their performance on Monday night against Green Bay, and all of the trash-talking that preceded it, it seems as though the Mouths are the only parts of this team capable of making any noise. I mean, come on, all summer it was “Jared Allen this,” and “Jared Allen that”. His stat line against Green Bay? Zero tackles, zero sacks, and zero hurries. Yes, Peterson had over 100 yards rushing, but their quarterback broke the Rex Grossman pathetic record with 16 yards passing in the first half. Green Bay even spotted them over 100 penalty-yards and a Hall-Of-Fame-free quarterback position.

The Green Bay Not-Favres

Has any team ever heard more discussion about a player NOT on their roster? Not since the San Francisco Not-Montanas. How did Aaron “target on his back” Rogers fare under the pressure? Not bad. 115 QB rating and 82% completion rate on 22 passes. By the way, how many times in his 30,000 career starts has "ol what"s-his-name had a completion rate that high? Once.

The Chicago Defense:

The other side of the ball doesn't even bear mentioning, does it? When your quarterbacks are mentioned in the same breath as Hall-Of-Nothinger Trent Dilfer, and your only receiver is a converted punt returner, its time to check the waiver wires for some shiny new castoffs.

The Detroit Edsels

Too easy. This team, since the Ford family bought it, has been abysmal. Matt Millen should be jailed for impersonating a team president, and the team holds the record for underachieving at pretty much all positions. Time for some truth in advertising, here. By the way, does anybody want to buy 4500 tickets for this team's home opener? If not, loyal Detroit fans will have to go to sports bars to watch their team lose. Trust me…you do NOT want these folks near any alcohol.

NFC East

The Dallas Heimlichs

Great team and all, but no “props” until the QB, Mr. Jessica Simpson, and the coach, Wade “this-is-why-I-was-kicked-out-of-Buffalo” Philipswin a freakin' playoff game. (Side note… one of their corners is named Pac Man, and one of Green Bay's safeties is called Atari. Shouldn't they be in the same backfield? Just sayin'…)

The New York Dangerfields:

What does a team have to do to get respect in this league? Knock off the first undefeated team since the "72 Dolphins? Win three road playoff games to go to the Super Bowl? WIN the freakin" Super Bowl? I guess we'll have to wait until they turn water into wine, or lead into gold or soccer into a watchable sport before they get any attention.

The Philadelphia Cripples

Between McNabb's sensitive stomach and knees, and this year's receiver injuries, this team has more wounded than Al Quaida HQ after a friendly visit from Delta Force. And what do these proud soldiers get for triumphing in the face of such adversity? Philly fans. Ugh. I'd rather see combat.

The Washington Hot Seats

With a litany of coaches on the afore-named piece of furniture, is it any wonder that this team can't get it's groove on? With Dan “Mr. Burns” Snyder at the helm, Jim Zorn is going to need opposable eyes to watch for the knife heading for his back.

NFC West

The Seattle Lattes

Apparently, more froth than substance in this team. Also, as overrated as a Starbucks special. Mike “I AM the Walrus” Holmgren seems to be playing out the string until he rolly-pollys into retirement.

The San Francisco Doormats

Until proven otherwise, if J.T. O'Sullivan is the face of the franchise, you're screwed. On a side note, their running back has the same name as the guy who lost the 2000 election. The Saints have the winner at running back. Coincidence? Yeah…probably.

The Arizona Cacti

There are no cardinals in Arizona, and if there were, they'd only burst into flames. Props to this team. It only took them about two years to figure out that if you have a Super Bowl MVP quarterback, it might be a good thing to let him PLAY. Leinert needs to learn that when the only film you watch is “Girls Gone Wild”, you don't become a starting quarterback. (unless you play for the Bears, who are about 2 games away from just asking volunteers from the stands to play QB)

The St. Louis Girls JV High School Lacrosse Team

This team needs an enema. Or a punch-on-the-bracket, or a kick in the va-jay-jay…or SOMETHING!

NFC South

The Tampa Bay Quarterbacks

Coach John “Chucky” Gruden collects them. Too bad none of them play particularly well. Add in the defense that came over on the Mayflower, and soon the “Tampa-2” is going to be their total wins for the season. The “good” alternate-universe version of Tiki Barber plays here…someone needs to grow a goatee soon.

The New Orleans “Holy Sh*t, here Comes Hurricane ______”

Katrina, Hanna and Ike. No, they're not the real names of the Pussycat Dolls (thank god), just the last three major hurricanes to threaten the humble stadium that is home to the Saints. (S.S. Minnow Stadium, if I'm not mistaken.) Trivia: Most Popular play in the Saints playbook? Flood Left.

The Atlanta Pit Bulls

A fitting tribute to their former franchise quarterback, Michael 246013. Gives new meaning to the signal call “Blue Dog!!!”

The Carolina Lazarus

Quarterback: back from the dead. Game against the Chargers: Back from the dead. John Fox' job? Priceless.

Next Time: AFC Team Names

With that incredible season behind them, there are a lot of questions surrounding this team as many personnel changes have taken place. The question is with all of these changes, what’s it going to take to get back to that level of play and repeat with another Super Bowl appearance? 

Here is a look at the additions and subtractions on both offense and defense. The hope is that everything adds up to another road to the Super Bowl.

Quarterback

Eli needs to be the Eli we saw at the end of last season, starting with the last few regular season games, going all through the play-offs and the Super Bowl. He shut up a lot of critics over the course of these games, which included: an awesome performance in the last game of the season; road play-off victories at Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay; one of the most miraculous plays in Super Bowl history (David Tyree’s helmet catch on the winning drive late in the fourth quarter); and climaxed with the Super Bowl MVP award.

The bar has been raised as Eli has flat out pushed his game to another level. He has potentially propelled himself into the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the league. Now he has to prove he can do it over the long haul. Great performances now need to be the norm and not the exception. Anything less would be unacceptable. With a phenomenal championship season under his belt and his confidence at a career high, the best of Eli may be yet to come. If it is, then this is unquestionably a huge plus for this season.

Offensive Line

By the end of last season, the unit comprised of center, Sean O’Hara, guards Rich Seubert, and Chris Snee, and tackles David Diehl and Kareem McKenzie, blossomed into one of the most efficient and effective offensive lines in the league. Their ability to blow open holes for the running game and to consistently protect Eli was one of the unheralded ingredients to their championship run.

The one critical factor that helps offensive lines continually improve and become cohesive, is time played together as a full unit. This will be their second consecutive season together. With one very successful campaign under their belt, the expectation is they will be even better. This should be another huge plus for the offense.

Tight End

The subtraction of Jeremy Shockey has to be one of the biggest blows of the off-season. No one can ever doubt his talent as one of the top tight ends in all of football. No one could question his passion for the game, and desire to perform well and win. But, he carried with him a very selfish and volatile personality. Like a ticking time bomb, it was inevitable that at some point something would go wrong, and it did.

We will probably never know the true story, but let’s concede that the answer usually lies some where in between. What we do know is sometime between the time he suffered his season-ending broken leg and the end of the Super Bowl, something went drastically awry and drove a wedge between his relationship with the organization.

Management claimed that Shockey was being too sensitive, too emotional and unprofessional about trivial things. Shockey claimed the Giants showed him a lack of respect both on and off the field, starting with rumors that they did not want him on the sidelines during the Super Bowl. There was also other chatter that they proved they could win without him. The fact is they did prove that they could win without him. So, if that is what was bothering him, he for sure let his ego get in the way of his professionalism.

By the time the college draft rolled around in April, the relationship became almost completely severed, as Shockey demanded a trade. The Giants held off on pulling the trigger simply because they still wanted him, and who could blame them. But, that show of good faith did not change Shockey’s attitude as he continued to show his dismay during off-season workouts and training camps. The situation began to negatively impact the team and General Manager Jerry Reese stepped in. He realized that Shockey’s behavior and attitude would be cancerous to the defending Super Bowl Champions. So, he granted him his wish and traded him to the New Orleans Saints. Even though they will miss his talents on the field, the potential negative impact he could have had on the team is a wash.

Replacing him will be second year man Kevin Boss. Kevin proved he does have the ability to make big plays, as he did throughout the end of the season and in the Super Bowl. He helped confirm that they can win with him in the starting role vs. Shockey. The only questions that remain are his ability to perform over the long haul and his ability to block well. As much as Shockey did not like the role of a blocker, he was damned good at it and played a key part in establishing the Giants running game. The hunch here is that Boss will make it a point to improve as much as possible.

In the end, this is a wash as the positives of losing a bad attitude and already winning without Shockey, completely wash out the negative of losing his performance on the field.

Running Backs

The three headed monster of Brandon Jacobs (1,009 yards & 4 TD’s), Ahmad Bradshaw (190 carries and 1 TD) and Derrick Ward (602 yards & 3 TD), is like no other in the league. Either of these backs could be starters on many NFL teams.

Brandon will once again carry the majority of the workload. But, Bradshaw as he proved late last season, adds a much-needed new dimension to the offense. His speed and ability to break tackles, compliments Jacobs well as they once again provide a Thunder and Lightening running attack.

Derrick Ward is the perfect back for either Jacobs or Bradshaw. He can effectively run inside the tackles and get to the outside when needed. His six hundred plus yards in limited action last season proved that.  

The only question is health. But to be honest, even if one of these guys goes down, it probably won’t matter because all three are that talented.

Let’s not forget the stellar blocking of full back Madison Hedgecock. Without his bulky two hundred and sixty-six pound body leading the way, the yards would be much tougher to come by.

This unit has the ability to gain over two thousand yards on the ground. As long as they can match last year’s performance the Giants will be in good shape. There are no additions or subtractions here, just a need for them to stay healthy.

Receivers

Plaxico Burress returns as the bonafide number one go-to-guy and perhaps the unheralded MVP. Over the past few years he has helped to completely change the face of the offense. Unfortunately, he still may not be one-hundred-percent physically, but he claims he will be ready to roll.

Amani Toomer comes back for his twelfth season as the number two-man, and does so as the all-time Giants receiver, an honor he achieved last season.

Closing in on him are the returning Steven Smith, Sinorice Moss and this year’s second round draft choice Mario Manningham. This corps can only get better which is bad news for defenses. If all of these guys remain healthy there could very well be too many weapons for defenses to stop. This unit has the potential of being another huge addition to an already successful offense.

Offense Overall

From the looks of things, the offense is a plus three over last year, even with the loss of Jeremy Shockey. They have an improved Eli, a returning and improving, cohesive offensive line, and a much-improved receiving corps. On offense, the Giants should be better than last year.

Defensive Line

The retirement of Michael Strahan should not have been a surprise to anyone, after almost calling it quits last year. The Giants have been preparing for this for three years now, starting with the emergence of Osi Umenyiora a few years ago and then Justin Tuck last season.

The facet of Strahan’s game, which will be the most difficult to replace, is his leadership. This could be a huge subtraction for this team. Michael was without a doubt the leader of not only the defense but the entire team. He led by example and with his vocal prowess. He commanded respect and got it. He earned his stripes becoming one of the greatest Giant defenders of all-time and one of the best defensive ends in NFL history.

The Giant most players will look to fill this role, especially on defense, will be Antonio Pierce. He has been a quiet leader of this team for the past three seasons. Now he will have to be more vocal. No one can really replace Strahan, but someone has to step up and lead the way. Being the middle linebacker and defensive captain, Antonio should easily transition into this role. But, the question remains can he?

Without a doubt the most devastating blow to the team is the recent, unexpected loss of Osi Umenyiora for the entire season. A perennial pro-bowler with thirty-three and a half sacks over the last three seasons, including a Giants record of six in one game against the Eagles, the Giants were looking for him to step up to another level in replacing the physical presence and performance of Strahan. That is no longer a possibility.

The loss of Strahan’s leadership and Umenyiora’s talent is a double subtraction for the Giants. It’s hard enough replacing one pro-bowler, but two is nearly impossible.

The weight of the world is on Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka. Justin was slotted to take Strahan’s starting spot and most expect him to do it well as he truly began to blossom last year. But, now Kiwanuka has been switched from outside linebacker, back to his original position of defensive end to replace Osi. The question here is can he admirably fill in for his fallen comrade? If he can, he could very well turn around the loss of Umenyiora. If not, the Giants could really be in trouble on the defensive line.

Linebackers

Antonio Pierce in the middle is a stud. There is no question about that. There may be other middle linebackers with a more physical presence, but he is among the best middle linebackers in the game. The question here is where do they go from here?

Moving Mathias Kiwanuka from outside linebacker to defensive end to replace Osi is a first critical loss for this unit. They also lost Kawika Mitchell to free agency, so that is a second subtraction. This means two-thirds of last year’s starting three linebackers are now gone.

The subtraction of Mitchell brought the addition of free agent outside linebacker Danny Clark, who has been a solid player for eight seasons, most recently with the Houston Texans. He will start on one side of Antonio Pierce.

The big problem is who replaces Kiwanuka? The man in the spotlight is third year linebacker Gerris Wilkinson. Gerris does have some starting experience as he helped fill in for Kiwanuka last year after Mathias broke his leg. Giving the unit depth is four-year veteran Chase Blackburn, second year man Zak De Ossie and this year’s fourth round draft choice Brian Kehl.

If no can step up to Kiwanuka’s level, this is yet another huge loss for the Giants.

Secondary

One of the Giants top defensive backs from the past three seasons, Gibril Wilson, has departed via the free agency, creating a potential huge hole in the secondary. However, the Giants organization has been hard at work for over three years to improve and stabilize what has been their weakest link during that time.

The subtraction of Wilson brought in quite a few additions. First, the Giants signed twelve-year veteran Sammy Knight (formally of the Jaguars and Chiefs) and his forty-two career interceptions. Next they drafted highly touted cornerback Kenny Philips of Miami (FL) in the first round. Then, a few rounds later they took cornerback Terrell Thomas of USC.

These three critical additions, combined with second year rising star Aaron Ross, the leadership of Sam Madison and other key contributors like James Butler, Kevin Dockery, Michael Johnson, R.W. McQuarters, Geoffrey Pope and Corey Webster puts the defensive backs in a position to be drastically better than last year. The secondary took a huge step up a year ago and the expectation is they will continue to improve. This is a very big addition to a unit that was in the bottom tier of the league just a few short years ago.

Defense Overall

The losses of Strahan and Umenyiora are absolutely huge in both on field performance and leadership. The moves made to fill those gaping holes wound up negatively impacting the linebacker corps. So it’s almost like a triple subtraction.

However, there is huge potential for success in the secondary. Their improvements could help minimize the decrease in talent and leadership on the defensive line.

In the end, the defense will probably not be as good as last year, with the loss of both Strahan and Umenyiora being too much to bear.

Three Keys to Repeating

1. Eli needs to be as good if not better than he was at the end of last year, and the entire offense needs to be flat out better. They must be more productive and more consistent taking pressure and playing time away from the defense. Time of possession is key. The longer they have the ball, the less time a weakened defensive unit needs to be on the field.
2. Defensive Coordinator John Spagnuola will need to devise yet another scheme to get the most out of his two new defensive ends and his two new outside linebackers. Last year he masterminded a new successful system that the players brought into and ran with all the way to the Lombardi Trophy. He will have to do it again this year. 
3. If Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and a new linebacker unit can make up for the loss of Strahan and Umenyiora, this team can once again go a long way in the play-offs.

Conclusion and Prediction

Regardless of all the negatives, this team has completely jelled as a unit and has stuck together, especially since the departure of Jeremy Shockey.

They are still a very talented, well-coached, and well-run team.

You cannot put a value on what kind of positive effect last year’s success has had on their psyche. Their confidence is sky high and rightly so.

They have made some key additions to balance out the losses and to improve in critical areas that needed help.

They once again have very few believers, as most experts do not think they will be as good as last year. This is a role they love and seem to thrive in.

With that said, the Giants should improve on last year’s 10-6 record to at least 11-5. As far as getting back to the Super Bowl, the prediction here is the Giants make it back to the NFC Championship Game. There are just too many open questions to take it any further than that. However, if the additions override the subtractions, they do have the potential to win a second straight Super Bowl.

The New York Giants. Well the emergence of Eli Manning was a pleasant result for them at seasons end and carried them thru the playoffs. Also Eli came up huge in the Super Bowl with his gutsy play. The mighty Patriots took the lead despite the Giants handling them on defense. But with time running out Eli gave everything he had to lead the Giants to a win. Yes the miraculous catch by David Tyree was pivatol but it also was Eli's ability to escape a certain sack that made that catch possible.

So assuming he's all growed up now the office should be the usual methodical no thrills Giants ball control offense. I personally like shipping Shockey out of town. He was just a big mouth who was only interested in himself it seems. Boss is a more well rounded tight end. Which means he knows how to block. Shockey was willing to block but he oftened was out of position. They better hope some of the young Wide outs continue to get better though. You need more than just Burress.

But the Giants still have a very good to great defense which will continue to be their bread and butter.

The Dallas Cowboys. Plenty of talent here. I am not sure Romo is the leader they need. But they have a better backfield combo now. Defense should be better. So a healthy Cowboy team will fight for the division. The defensive line has the potential to be great. As stated on paper the Cowboys look like you can pencil them down for the division but they don't have the cohesion of a contendor yet.

The Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are in a strange situation. If the planets align themselves correctly they could have a great year. But the are in thin ice. Last year their biggest drop off was the defensive aggressiveness and physicality. They did not give up many points but the lack of offense which happens to all teams made it that they needed a stifling defense. The defense should be more aggressive this year. Special teams was abismal last year so any improvement there will help. DeSean Jackson on returns will help. McNabb being healthy is paramount though. Also the Eagles need more touchdowns and less field goals. The red zone offense was non-existent. Overall if everything goes well, the Eagles could challenge.

The Washington Redskins. A playoff team last year. But also a Joe Gibbs team that was very inspired after the tragic loss of Sean Taylor. New coach and a still young Jason Cambell is a question mark. Clinto Portis is a must stay healthy player also. Their defense is potentially pretty solid so they can make the playoffs again. Division title I don't see it. But not impossible if Cambell settles in to a solid QB like I believe he is.

Let's get it going!

The man is clearly one of the most prolific passers in NFL history. Sure to be in the Hall of Fame. Plays with an unbridled spirit. But the same ego that drove him above the "pack" is making him look like a fool.

Now let me state up front that him at QB is probably better than Aaron Rodgers his predecessor. But that was just as evident before he "retired" as it is now. So why the rush to make the phony retirement announcement?

He has recently been saying that he was basically forced into a decision. Okay aside from the fraction of percent of believability, who is buying that? The man (Favre) has called the shots in Green Bay for the last 10 years. Just look at the evidence. No matter what condition he was in or what the team was doing he was going to play. Two years ago when the team stunk to high heaven and they had no shot at the playoffs then coach Mike Sherman had the option of letting the second year Rodgers play in the second half of the remaining 5 - 6 games that year. And why didn't he? Because who was going to tell King Favre he was sitting down some?

The Packers could have preserved his starting streak and still found out what Rodgers could do. It was a perfect situation. You had your legend QB in place and you had the chance to see if you had your future guy.

Then consider the last couple of off seasons when Favre had no problem taking his time to decide if he wanted to play. If the Packers were going to force him to retire or rush his decision last year (2007)would have been the year to do it. They were coming off a terrible season. A season which many teams would have seriously considered going with youth.

Then what is with the narcissist leaking of his desire to return? At first when the media kept reporting that people doubted he retired, Favre insisted he was retired. Then suddenly a story appeared reporting Favre had made a phone call to Coach Mike McCarthy saying he had the itch to play.

Okay other than the media making that story up how do you know someone makes a phone call and know what that person says in a phone conversation? I doubt the media has CIA phone taps on McCarthy's or Favre's phone. And the Packers clearly do not want the circus events that follow these suggestions. They have a new QB's fragile ego to protect. They wanted Favre to stay or go. Not both.

Then the even odder story that Favre text messages the Packers General Manager Ted Thompson, to get a feel for what the Packers think about him coming back. Okay again who knows this stuff? How does the media get wind of Thompson's cell phone text messages? Thompson was on vacation for one and secondly to reiterate, he does not want this to be a public story. But Brett does!

Who sends a text message about something this important? A seventh grader? Hey Brett you don't get it. Don't be a baby. You're the idiot that quit. So just shut up and go away or shut up and show up ready to play. Do you really think that if you're playing as well as you're capable of that they will keep you as a back-up? You really are a dope if you believe that.

The less attention you bring to this the easier it will be to get what you want. If you're in shape and playing well then you're going to start. Yes they could trade you but they would never do that if you still can win.

And you're really delusional if you think you can just go anywhere and play. In July? You're great but it is highly doubtful that you will learn an offense in 2 months. Of course on a side note a team like Chicago could throw you in there guessing and it would better than the stiff they presently have. See also Baltimore or Miami.

So even in those scenarios if you show up and prove your ready one of those teams may gladly give something for you. And going somewhere in early August won't be any different than going there tomorrow (July).

So shut up you egomaniac and play or go home!

1. Good Grip

   In order to throw a spiral you need to have a good grip. A good grip is having a good handle on the football. What my grip consists of are: my middle finger is between the 2nd and 3rd lace from your body, my thumb and pointer finger off the laces, and a small pocket of air between my arch of my hand.

2. Arm Motion

   Your throwing arm should come straight forward and down while having the elbow break an imaginary glass in front of you. Your non throwing arm should be swung down and back. It should break an imaginary glass close to the back of your side. While doing all this your upper body should be doing all of the moving. All the twisting that needs to be done is in the hips and in your abs. When you are twisting your hips around when you pass. Your hips need to be pointing at your target as if you were going to pee on it.

3. Footwork

   You will need to accomplish correct and fast footwork if you ever want to become a successful quarterback. Three main drop backs are the 3, 5, and 7 step drop back. For the 3 step drop your steps should be like this big, small, small. For the 5 step drop your steps should be like this big, small, big, small, small. For the 7 step drop your steps should be like this big, small, big, small, big, small, small. After all this drop backs you need to then point your front foot towards your target. You also need to be as fast as you possible can when you drop-back.

4. Confidence

   This is the biggest part of having a perfect pass, confidence. Without believing you can throw a perfect pass all of the rest of the steps are meaningless. You need to practice these steps everyday to help build your confidence, and all ways have fun when you're practicing. Find some friends to play pass with while you practice these steps. If you believe, you will achieve.

If you follow those simple 4 steps you will throw perfect passes every time. Just remember nothing will improve without practicing. So find some friends had have fun practicing these steps.

Chelsea medical staff will be busy working on getting John Terry and Didier Drogba ready for the showdown, after they both picked up injures in the disappointing 1-1 draw with Bolton on the final day of the season. While others may be worrying about Terry's fitness, he is confident of leading out his side on Wednesday night.

"My elbow is all right," said Terry. "There is just a bit of strapping in case I fall and jar it. The last couple of days it has been getting better and hopefully I am going to train without the strapping."

Drogba also played down fears he or Terry will miss the crunch match

"I have spoken to him [Terry] - he will play in Moscow. No-one wants to miss this gigantic match, the match of our careers. That's the case for me anyway," Drogba told L'Equipe, "I took a blow to my knee that was operated on back in December, and it hurt at the time. I put ice on it immediately. But there is nothing serious. I will be at training this week."

In contrary, with no injury concerns in the north side of England, Sir Alex Ferguson's biggest obstacle is which eleven to field and the seven accompanying substitutes. When asked about the selection headache Ferguson was apologetic over the size and talent of his squad.

"I think picking the team will be easier than picking the substitutes. I'm going to have to leave some fantastic players out of the squad completely next week, which I won't enjoy doing. It's got to be done and I don't know when I'm going to pick that moment. I'm going to have to speak to them. It's not something I'm looking forward to. But, on the other hand, it's a fantastic position for us to be in, having 26 fit players."

With the whole of Europe focused on English football for the night, the pressure is set to fall on Manchester United's prize asset, Christiano Ronaldo. After more speculation of a record braking summer move to Real Madrid, critics of Ronaldo are expecting a big performance in the final, after claims that he fails to make an impressions on the big stage. The PFA, and Football Writers Player of the Year for the second year running, has added to rumours of a move to Spain in the summer, after neither confirming or denying the speculation

"I have said 1,000 times, I am very happy here. I want to stay in Manchester. This is my role but the future - nobody knows. Only God knows. I have said 10,000 times I have a dream to play in Spain, but sometimes dreams do not come true. I still dream, I still dream. I am happy at Manchester United, but the future? You never know.”

With 41 goals to his name this term, Ronaldo will be hopeful of adding to his record braking tally and securing a third European success for Manchester United.

Both sides are likely to play 4-5-1 formations from the start, changing to 4-3-3 when attacking. The game is likely to be won in the midfield area where Chelsea could have a team selection headache of their own, with Lampard, Ballack, Essien, Joe Cole, Obi Mikel, and Malouda, among others looking to be part of the five man midfield. Manchester United could stay with the squad and tactics that got them to Moscow, by playing Rooney as part of a five man midfield, opting to play Ronaldo through the middle up front.

No matter how the teams line up nerves will be high on Wednesday night. Chelsea will be playing in their first Champions League final, pressure is mounting on Avram Grant to bring the trophy back to Stamford Bridge to secure his job for next term. With only two European cups in their history, it's well documented that Sir Alex feels Manchester United are capable of winning more European titles, and will be hoping to put things right in Russia.

The match could prove to be a disappointing affair for the neutrals early on, with both sides certain to start cautiously. However overall promises to be of the highest caliber and the perfect way to show piece what is surely the greatest league in the world at this moment in time.

1. Miami Dolphins - Chris Long, DE, Virginia

   After a terrific combine, Chris Long all but locked up his position as the No. 1 overall selection. With Bill Parcells as the new GM, and Tony Sporano as the new head coach, you can bet Miami will be looking to switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive scheme. With Jason Taylor already there as a perfect 3-4 OLB, the Dolphins will need a bigger DE to go in and play next to the newly acquired Jason Ferguson, and Chris Long will fit perfectly. At 6'3" and 272 lbs. Long should be able to live up to the hype and inevitable comparisons drawn by his last name.

2. St. Louis Rams - Jake Long, OT, Michigan

   This is a very tough decision to make for the Rams, having to decide which line is worse. Their D-Line anchored a defense that ended up ranked 31st in points allowed, 21st in yards allowed, and 21st and 20th in pass and rush yards allowed, respectively. While the O-Line had the misfortune of representing an offense ranked 28th in points per game, 24th in yards per game, and an astounding 25th in rush yards per game at a mere 95.4. Granted, former Titan Jacob Bell will help with that, but one guard can only do so much. I have them going with Jake Long here because Orlando Pace is nearing the end of his career, and there are certain players you just can't pass up. A franchise LT is one of them, and the Rams get theirs here.

3. Atlanta Falcons - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

   After releasing Rod Coleman, the Falcons left a 300-pound gap in their D-Line. For a while there may have been an argument for Darren McFadden at this juncture, but with the signing of Michael Turner, the need at RB has been taken care of. Dorsey has been quoted as saying he "would love to be a bird." and the Falcons should be jumping at the opportunity to grab someone that actually WANTS to be a part of this team.

4. Oakland Raiders - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

   While the Raiders did in fact re-sign Justin Fargas, Al Davis has made it no secret over the past few years that he loves to draft speedy, flashy players. McFadden is perfect for Davis, and would help a miserable offense last year that ranked 23rd in the league in total points scored, despite ranking sixth in rush offense. Sedrick Ellis was also in consideration here, but after the monster contract that the Raiders gave Tommy Kelly, it seems apparent that they are confident in the players they already have on that line.

5. Kansas City Chiefs - Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State

   The Chiefs missed out on their man Jake Long, but Clady is one hell of a consolation prize. At 6'6" and 317 lbs., Clady is not going to be bullied by anyone on the line of scrimmage. The Chiefs have been desperately searching for their new LT since Willie Roaf retired, and I can say without a shred of doubt in my mind that Kyle Turley is not, nor will he ever be, the answer to their troubles on that side. Clady goes here, and is instantly welcomed by both the fans and whoever plays QB for the Chiefs next season.

6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State

   Eric Mangini found one of his 3-4 OLBs in former Arizona Cardinal Calvin Pace, and adds another stud and freak athlete on the other side in Ohio State's Vernon Gholston. A terrific speed rusher, Gholston ran a 4.6 40-yard dash. Gholston is too perfect for the Jets' defensive transition, and will easily get on Eric Mangini's good side if he can produce half as well in the pros as he showed he could in college.

7. New England Patriots - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida

   Asante Samuel and Randall Gay both bolted in free agency. Need I say more? The Pats are extremely lucky to be picking this high even after losing their draft pick due to "spygate." San Francisco should be kicking themselves in the butt for making this trade last year.

8. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

   With Brian Billick gone, the Kyle Boller era can finally come to an end. With Steve McNair's whopping two TDs and four interceptions last season, to say that he didn't produce is an understatement. The man was terrific in his prime, but is no longer fit to be a starting QB in the league, and all Ravens fans know it. Matt Ryan can easily be Baltimore's new franchise QB, holding down the spot for a solid decade. New coach Jim Harbaugh should be thanking his lucky stars that Ryan fell this far.

9. Cincinatti Bengals - Keith Rivers, OLB, Southern Cal

   Dhanni Jones. Seriously? Dhanni Jones? Well, either way, with Landon Johnson likely to leave in free agency the Bengals will need to address the OLB spot and Rivers is the best of this year's class. With so many question on defense, the Bengals should take the best defensive player available-as long as he's not a CB. The choice here is between Rivers and Sedrick Ellis, and with the Bengals landing DT Dewayne Roberston from the Jets, the scale tips in Rivers' favor.

10. New Orleans Saints - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

    The Saints need help desperately in the secondary after watching Jason David get constantly burned in almost every game last year. Talib should help improve a pass defense ranked No. 30 in the league. This may be between Talib and Leodis McKelvin of Troy, whose stock is absolutely soaring, along with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

11. Buffalo Bills - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State

    The Bills relied on Jabari Greer as a starting CB last season. Not a good choice. Buffalo was a mere one spot ahead of New Orleans in pass defense, finishing 29th overall. DRC is a physical specimen at 6'2" and 185lbs. He can help shore up a poor pass defense AND run defense, as the Bills Cover-2 scheme relies on CBs being able to come up and tackle in the run support game. DRC's frame will help him fill the role Buffalo is looking for. It's a competition between him and Talib at this spot, and whomever is still available should be picked.

12. Denver Broncos - Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern Cal

    Wow, talk about a steal. Ellis should be a top-10 pick, but he is simply stuck at a position that not many teams need right now. Denver, however, needs help at almost every defensive position, and Ellis is the best player available. Denver took a gamble drafting Marcus Thomas last year, and it didn't pay off. Denver thought the troubled DT could shape up and resolve his character issues, but he proved them wrong. Thomas was just arrested this week when police found him with cocaine and a handgun in his pickup truck at a traffic stop. Ellis should help shore up this position, and comes with much less baggage.

13. Carolina Panthers - Dan Connor, OLB, Penn State

    With the release of Dan Morgan, the Panthers need a new LB, and Connor's versatility makes him worthy of a top-15 pick. Morgan was constantly injured and should be replaced by the man who broke all of Paul Posluszny's records at "Linebacker-U". Connor can play all of the LB positions, which is what makes him able to fit so well with any team that takes him. Carolina gets a solid talent and blue-collar worker here. Before his awful combine to go along with a woeful junior year, Kenny Phillips was in consideration at this spot.

14. Chicago Bears - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

    When a team signs two QBs, they're usually still looking for one. Orton is a solid backup and Grossman has proven what could've happened if Ryan Leaf had the support from the Chargers that the Bears are giving Grossman. Brohm is a superb talent, and can easily step in as the number-one guy in Chicago. Look for OTs like Jeff Otah of Pittsburgh and Chris Williams of Vanderbilt to also garner strong consideration here.

15. Detroit Lions - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

    Detroit's secondary has been a mess ever since Dre' Bly left, and with a talent like McKelvin still on the board here, the Lions would be fools not to take him. Now that I've said that, they probably will take another receiver. All that aside, Leodis McKelvin would come in and instantly start for a team that finished ranked 31st against the pass. He's a perfect fit here.

16. Arizona Cardinals - Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon

    The Cardinals might want to look at a OLB here, but with Connor and Rivers already off the board, the Cards decide to draft the heir apparent to Edgerrin James. Stewart had a breakout season for the Ducks in 2007, setting the school record for single-season rushing yards with 1,772 to go along with 11 TDs. Weighing in at 235 lbs. on a 5'10" frame, he is a load to take down, and is very reminiscent of Maurice Jones-Drew.

17. Minnesota Vikings - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida

    The Vikings have tried desperately over the past few years to add a speed rusher off the edge, but all their trials have failed. With neither Kenechi Udeze or Erasmus James panning out, the Vikings find themselves stuck with a need at DE yet again. Harvery is the real deal, and will greatly improve this Vikings D that has two monster run stuffer inside with Pat and Kevin Williams. It's a battle between Harvey and the rising Philip Merling from Clemson for this spot, look for the Vikings to make one of them the start to a new era... They hope.

18. Houston Texans - Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt

    The Texans have had a pretty poor O-Line for a while now, and Chris Williams has been soaring up draft boards lately. The Texans also signed former Cowboy CB Jaques Reeves to a $20 million deal to shore up their secondary. Don't get me wrong, I think it was an awful signing, but like it or not the Texans front office is now going to be so smitten with themselves that they won't recognize CB as a need in the first round. Williams should come in and can start at either tackle position, and the Texans would be lucky to have him.

19. Philadelphia Eagles - DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal

    The Eagles missed out on Randy Moss, and so must go to the draft to find their new prime-time receiver. Jackson has speed flying out the wazoo, and could off-set Reggie Brown very nicely. He would also help in Philadelphia's return game, and can simply be described as "electric". Eagles fans will love to watch this guy.

20. Tampa Bay Bucs - Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma

    After missing out on Calvin Johnson last year, the Bucs get a guy who is nothing to laugh at in Malcolm Kelly. Kelly is 6'4" and runs a 4.4 forty, which is very impressive. He will be privileged to be tutored by Joey Galloway, and would provide a great dimension to Tampa Bay's offense. Look for Rashard Mendenhall to be considered here as well.

21. Washington Redskin - Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn

    Calais Campbell was originally going to be my pick here, but after showing up to the NFL combine weighing in at a massive 303 lbs and running a 5.04 forty, he seems like he's just trying to lose himself money. Every Big Mac he eats is another $100k off his signing bonus. Oh well. Thanks to his slip up, Groves gets the nod here. After a great senior year and a satisfactory combine, Groves sealed his place as a late first rounder, and can help improve on Washington's meager 33 sacks this past season.

22. Dallas Cowboys - Limas Sweed, WR, Texas

    It's almost too perfect. Terrell Owens gets his own prodigy, and Jerry Jones gets to draft a hometown Texas kid to play in Big D. Everyone's happy! Sweed is a huge receiver who can run pretty well for his size, and should recover from his wrist injury in time to fully participate in work outs with whoever drafts him. He would be a great fit with T.O. and Terry Glenn.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh

    This move allows Pittsburgh to move current RT Willie Colon inside to guard, where he is better suited to play. Colon could replace the departed Alan Faneca, and Otah has tremendous potential and could help anchor the right side of Pittsburgh's line for the next decade.

24. Tennessee Titans - Branden Albert, G, Virginia

    It is definitely a questionable call for me to put a guard in round one this year, but this pick makes a lot of sense for Tennessee. After free agent Jacob Bell bolted to the Rams this past week, the Titans find themselves with a gaping hole to fill on the O-Line. Albert is the best guard in this draft class and can easily take over where Bell previously played.

25. Seattle Seahawks - Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State

    D.J. Hackett hasn't signed with a new team yet, but it's pretty clear that he will, and Seattle will need to fill that void. While RB may be a pressing need with Shaun Alexander going from 29 to 50 instantly, the Seahawks put themselves in the same position the Texans did. They signed an underachiever to hopefully fill their need by bringing T.J. Duckett on board. With Duckett and Alexander as their main backs, Seattle will need to throw the ball a LOT, and at 6'2", Devin Thomas can go get it.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars - Philip Merling, DE, Clemson

    The Jaguars get the best DE on the board to replace Bobby McCray, who bolted for New Orleans in free agency. Merling has been skyrocketing up draft boards recently, and is a great fit down in Jacksonville.

27. San Diego Chargers - Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona

    Look for the Chargers to trade out of this spot, since they don't pick again until round five, and will need to stock up on as many picks as they can. Should they stay here, Cason is the pick. San Diego let Drayton Florence leave in free agency, and they now need to put someone decent on the other side for when teams throw away from Antonio Cromartie. Cason would give the Bolts a very formidable corner tandem, and he is the pick here.

28. Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn

    Patrick Lee can come in for the Cowboys and replace Jaques Reeves, and eventually take over for either Anthony Henry or Terrence Newman, who both have had injury-riddled careers and both will be on the wrong side of 30 when the season starts. Great value pick here for the 'Boys, assuming they don't make a move for Darren McFadden or trade down with this pick.

29. San Francisco 49ers - Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan

    The 49ers finished dead last in points per game, total yards per game, and pass yards per game last season. Simply pathetic. Darrell Jackson, their big pickup form Seattle, finished behind Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and Arnaz Battle for receptions on the 49ers team. Needless to say, their pass game needs help. They took a step in the run game signing DeShaun Foster to back up Frank Gore, but the still need a go-to receiver and while Super Mario's slow 40 time hurt his draft stock, his sheer playmaking ability is too much to ignore. He will definitely help San Francisco's dreadful passing game.

30. Green Bay Packers - Reggie Smith, CB/S, Oklahoma

    Green Bay's secondary got abused by New York in the playoffs, and while Al Harris and Charles Woodson are both solid corners, they are both also on the wrong side of Reggie Smith could come in and play the nickel right away, or possibly replace Atari Bigby at safety, who was responsible for more penalties than anyone else on the Packer team. Either way, Reggie Smith would instantly help this already solid defense.

31. New England Patriots - Steven Spielberg, Camera Man

    The Patriots aren't going to get caught again, so they bring in a professional here. Look for Spielberg to demand a huge contract.

32. New York Giants - Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

    New York signed Sammy Knight to try to help fill the void left by Gibril Wilson, but I still think they need to upgrade at FS, and Kenny Phillips is the best safety in this draft. Phillips slips all the way to the bottom of round one after being a possible top-10 pick going into the season, but he can still definitely help the Giants' secondary and is a good fit here.

Well that about wraps it up. Feel free to tell me what you think about your team's pick.