A-Bomb by A-Rod ends it in the 15th

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Ho hum, it was just another marathon (5:33) game between the Yankees and Red Sox. Not really, at least for the Sox. Did you stay up and watch the entire game? This one was a big loss for the Red Sox for several reasons. The Sox are now 4.5 games behind the Yankees and 4 in the loss column. The Sox desperately needed to win this game and not waste a very nice pitching performance by Josh Beckett. a 15 inning game was the last thing a tired Boston bullpen needed with two more games to play in this pivotal series.

By no means is the season over for the Boston Red Sox, but they are in a serious slide right now. Their timely hitting has been so god awful, especially over the past two games in the Bronx. I now AJ Burnett was dealing last night, but he also walked 6 batters. You'd think a team would be able to play a little small ball and try to manufacture a run, but that's just not what the Red Sox do. The positive from this game is how well the bullpen did pitch, with the exception of Junichi Tazawa's big league debut. I will not blame him though because it can't be easy to make your debut in an extra inning game, in the biggest rivalry in baseball, in Yankee Stadium. I will wit hold judgement until I see him pitch again.

After losing the first two games of the season, the Red Sox now must take the remaining two games of the series.

Fantasy Football: Strong picks for top 4 TE's

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The tight end position has been oftentimes overlooked, but not here. If you can land one of the top tight end targets in the draft -- but don't reach in straight drafts -- it's just like having another top-of-the-line wide receiver, production-wise, on your club. These top pick tight ends can even win you a week if they blow up for multiple scores and over 100 yards receiving. 

While the tight end class if pretty deep, it does feature four outstanding players that head the class and guys that are can't miss pass-catchers.

If you get one of the top four, your championship chances go up that much more. Take a look at the Fan Fanatic Sports top 20 at the tight end position.

TOP 20

1. Tony Gonzalez -- Falcons

Eventual Hall of Famer Gonzalez finally got his wish to play for a contender when he was traded to Atlanta from Kansas City. Gonzalez is an absolute beast in the passing game, averaging 89 catches, 1,043 yards and 7 touchdowns in the last three years. Last year, he was the lone bright spot for the Chiefs with 1,058 yards, 96 receptions and 10 TDs. Gonzalez might not catch as many passes this season with the Falcons because of how many weapons they have, but there's not questioning that second-year QB Matt Ryan will now another go-to target in Gonzalez. He might be 33 and that might scare owners away, thinking he's going to decline, but Touchdown Tony just keeps getting better. He's the safest TE pick you can make.

2. Jason Witten -- Cowboys

Dallas QB just loves throwing the ball to Witten, even forcing it in when there's no room to fit a quarter. But that connection has shown chemistry and in fantasy football, that equals production and confidence. Witten had a down year with 81 catches for 952 yards and 4 TDs -- still a highly-productive year in my book. Remember Romo missed time last year and Witten was bruised and battered, so with better health expect the numbers to rise. But without Terrell Owens on the outside to take pressure off of Witten being double-covered, could Witten be a marked man this season? He's so talented, but I'm a little concerned that Dallas' wideouts won't be good enough to keep the heat off of Witten. I'd still draft him high, however.

3. Antonio Gates -- Chargers

Gates is sooooo good, but his numbers dipped last year (60 receptions, 704 yards, 8 TDs), and that should be a minor concern. Notice I said, minor, because even if Gates puts up those numbers again, you can't be upset at all. Gates, who scored nine touchdowns in 2006 and 07, is still a can't-miss TE on draft day. Plus the Chargers just love slinging the ball with Phillip Rivers, and we know he's got mojo with Gates. Fantasy bonus!!!

4. Dallas Clark -- Colts

Speaking of another TE that's got chemistry with his QB, that's Clark. The 6-foot-3, 252-pounder former first-round pick had a monster year in 2008 with 77 catches for 848 yards and 6 TDs. He found the end zone 11 times in 207. Besides WR Reggie Wayne, Clark is a constant threat to score, especially in the red zone. And with Marvin Harrison now gone, expect Clark to get even more looks, considering Peyton Manning has the utmost confidence in his tight end. Clark is the fourth and final top-tier TE to get on draft day.

5. Kellen Winslow -- Buccaneers

Winslow is a soldier, well, that's what he says. He's show flashes of brilliance (1,106 yards, 5 TDs in 2007 with the Browns), but Winslow just needs to shut his pie hole and play ball because he gushes with untapped potential. My question is: Why did the Browns trade him away if he's so good? Anyway, Winslow gets a new address and new start with Tampa Bay. The Bucs have issues as QB, but Winslow is a great check-down guy, and he could haul in over 80 passes if those QBs just get him the darn ball. Winslow has the talent, but the Bucs do not. He might just have to get his numbers during garbage time. Fantasy owners don't care, either, they only care about the points.

6. Greg Olsen -- Bears

Olsen has to be thankful that he's now got a quarterback that he knows will fire around the rock like a high schooler toying with middle school players. Jay Cutler is not at the helm and he's as reckless with the ball as Brett Favre, but we all know Cutler loves to throw the fastball and often. Olsen could be in for a gigantic year, considering he had a decent season in 2008(574 yards, 5 TDs) with Kyle Orton playing don't-make-a-mistake-football. Olsen should be on your rader, he could be a nice pick that produces big time in his third year in the NFL.

7. Chris Cooley -- Redskins

Cooly had a great year with 83 catches and 849 yards, but it was also lousy considering he only caught one TD pass. What? Yes, one TD. That's just not acceptable. Isn't this the same Cooley that had 8 TDs in 2007 and 6 in 2006? Yup, same guy. Don't think Cooley is in store for another one-TD season, he's just too talented not to score at least 5 times. But what should bother everyone is the QB in Jason Campbell. If he shows improvement, the Washington offense shouldn't have a problem with scoring points, and that means more fantasy production across the board.

8. Owen Daniels -- Texans

Isn't it amazing that some owners still don't know who Daniels is? I know he plays for the Texans and there's not too much to write home away with them, but this guy is good. While he's not flashy, he's still worthy of a starting spot on a roster, he's no fantasy backup in my book. Daniels had 70 catches for 862 yards and 2 TDs last year. We'd like to see the TDs rise (he had 5 in 2006), but he's still a guy that people will sleep on on draft day. Don't be that guy!

9. John Carlson -- Seahawks

It was a down season for Seattle, but don't blame Carlson for it. The rookie had 55 catches for 627 yards and 5 TDs, pretty impressive for the Notre Dame product. Carlson prospered since Seattle's WR corp was banged up, so temper expectations slightly with improved health for the weapons on the outside. 

10. Jeremy Shockey -- Saints

J-Shock missed four games with various leg injuries, but he still managed to haul in 50 passes for 483 yards, but he didn't score. In New Orleans' offense, the balls do fly around but everyone enjoys a piece of the piece. In fantasy world, that means no one really has unbelievable stats. Shockey, when healthy, is still a threat, but he's not option No. 1 or even No. 2 in the Saints offense. But if he can rise up in the red zone, Shockey can make owners smile with 5-plus TDs. He'll come cheap on draft day, and the payout might be well worth it.

11. Visanthe Shiancoe -- Vikings

12. Zach Miller -- Raiders

13. Dustin Keller -- Jets

14. Heath Miller -- Steelers

15. Tony Scheffler -- Broncos

16. Bo Scaife -- Titans

17. Vernon Davis -- 49ers

18. Kevin Boss -- Giants

19. Brent Celek -- Eagles

20. Todd Heap -- Ravens

WATCH OUT FOR

Greg Olsen -- Bears

Chris Cooley -- Redskins

Owen Daniels -- Texans

Vernon Davis -- 49ers

BE WARY OF

Anthony Fassano -- Dolphins

Randy McMichael -- Rams

Benjamin Watson -- Patriots

Brent Celek -- Eagles

WORTH A FLYER

Todd Heap -- Ravens

Brandon Pittigrew -- Lions

Martellus Bennett -- Cowboys

Chase Coffman -- Bengals

(Coming tomorrow: Kicker rankings by Jim Ingram)

Pats bolster D with Burgess

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Hello Derrick Burgess, and welcome to your best shot for a Super Bowl Ring. The Pats got exactly what they need yesterday when they traded "undisclosed draft picks" for DE Derrick Burgess of the Oakland Raiders. Will he play defensive end? No, he most likely will not. He will, however, be a good pass rusher from the outside linebacker position and add depth to the front 7.

While he doesn't add youth to the defense, he does add the experience and versatility that Bill Belichick loves from any player on his roster. It should also help that he's going to be heavily motivated and rejuvenated playing for a winning organization and the Super Bowl favorite New England Patriots. Burgess has spent the past four seasons in futility out in Oakland and returns to a winning franchise for the first time since leaving the Eagles in 2005.

Now don't get me wrong. He's not going to be amazing, but he is a better option at this point than both Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable or Tully Banta-Cain. I like Woods, but he's not a starter in my mind. I am intrigued by Crable, but needs to stay healthy and really doesn't have any experience. Tully Banta-Cain should be worried about being cut at this point with the addition of Burgess. Burgess does add proven pass rushing ability to a position they sorely need it from. Adalius Thomas is still a very good player as long as he's healthy.

This move does make me feel better about the defense though. The defensive secondary doesn't bother me so much because I think the front 7 will be very good and allow the secondary to mask some of their weaknesses. I guess we'll start to see next week when they Pats open up the preseason.

Pedroia's plunking could be just the spark

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Unknot those panties about at least one thing, Red Sox Nation. Dustin Pedroia getting hit on the shoulder in the eighth inning by Mark Melancon was not intentional. Trust me.

The New York Yankees were already up, 13-4. It doesn’t matter that Pedroia had hit a home run earlier in the game. The Yankees were up, 13-4. It doesn’t matter that Melancon threw a pitch over Pedroia’s head. The Yankees were up, 13-4. Note that Melancon struggled after Pedroia, too, throwing a 57 foot fastball to Victor Martinez. And, please, don’t forget, the Yankees were up, 13-4.

I can understand Pedroia’s reaction to the whole situation. He hit a homer earlier in the game and a pitch earlier in the at-bat flew high over his head. He then got plunked high on his left bicep.

I give major credit to Jorge Posada for walking Pedroia down the first-base line to keep him in check. The view inside the Red Sox dugout didn’t look too friendly when NESN scanned — especially the sour look on Kevin Youkilis’ face. (Or, maybe he was just upset he was pulled for a defensive replacement late in the game. He was, after all, playing left field.)

Let’s remember one thing, though. Say it with me, now, “The Yankees were up, 13-4.”

I was surrounded by Red Sox fans when the incident happened, and someone said, “It’ll be interesting to see who the Sox hit.”

Really? Because, home-plate umpire Derryl Cousins had warned both dugouts immediately after the hit by pitch.

No way was anyone going to get tossed in a 13-4 game and risk Terry Francona getting tossed and, subsequently, fined by Major League Baseball.

Obviously, Josh Beckett is going to handle things tonight. The only question is, who is he going to hit?

Derek Jeter seems logical. He’s the same spark-plug for that team that Pedroia is for the Red Sox. However, even with warnings handed out, A.J. Burnett would certainly hit someone in return. No way would he let someone hit the captain without retaliating, right?

This is when things will get interesting.

The Red Sox need a spark — badly.

Question is, can Chad Fairchild — tonight's home-plate umpire — justify throwing out Beckett after the inevitable hit by pitch? If so, Tito would certainly get tossed, too.

That would certainly be just the spark the Red Sox need.

Tough Titan: Training Camping in Tennessee

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Ryan Durand is smacking helmets with the defense, studying his playbook inside and out and trying to do what is expected of him with the Tennessee Titans.

Yes, that's Training Camp at its finest, especially for a rookie 7th-round draft pick.

Durand, who played at Syracuse University, is right in the heat of the battle with the rest of the Titans in a long and grueling camp.

But the No. 1 goal is to stick with the big club.

That's Durand's only focus right now.

"My mindset is to go and practice as hard as I can," said Durand in a telephone interview late Wednesday night. "With the opportunities I get, I've got to show the coaches I have what it takes."

It's quite a long day -- every day -- when Training Camp starts. According to Durand, he wakes up around 7 a.m., he's in the weight room by 8 and it's all football for the rest of the day with various meetings, practices -- and lunch and dinner breaks in between -- and then the day ends around 9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. 

"It's a lot of stuff, but it hasn't been that bad," said Durand, who is practicing at both left and right guard. "We do have four weeks left so they're not trying to dump the entire playbook on us right now."

Durand and rest of the Titans who have under four years of service in the league are mandated to stay in the team hotel in Nashville, which is two miles from the complex, for the entire camp. 

So what does he do during his down time?

"I look at my playbook a little bit and I try to relax," Durand said. "I talk to family members, friends and my girlfriend."

Durand will get his first taste of the National Football League when the Titans play their first preseason game this Sunday at 8 p.m. on NBC against the Buffalo Bills in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

"It's going to be very neat," Durand said. "It'll probably  be a breath of fresh air considering how intense our practices are."

Durand and the rest of the Titans will also visit the Hall of Fame, which will be inducting the 2009 class of Bob Hayes, Rod Woodson, Randall McDaniel, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas and Ralph Wilson on Saturday.

"I'm going to try to take it all in," said Durand about his visit inside the HOF. "I realize how special it is; It'll give me motivation, I guess."

Not that Durand needs any added motivation.

Fantasy Football: Larry Fitzgerald on top at reciever

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

We move on to wide receiver spot this morning. If you play in a league where you get points per reception, than the wide receiver position is at least as important as the running back, if not more so. The main league I play in adding reception points last year, and people learned quickly how valuable certain receivers are.

The Top 20:

1. Larry Fitzgerald - Cardinals

Big Fitz is the most complete wide receiver in the NFL. 96 catches, 1400+ yards and 12 touchdowns is about a normal year for Larry, but he did set all sorts of records in the playoffs. It also helps to have Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston on the same field to help reduce single coverage. He should put up another solid year.

2. Andre Johnson - Texans

Did you realize that he led the NFL in catches (115) and and receiving yards (1,575) last season? If you know football, than yes, but if you're just a casual fan that plays fantasy football you need to take notice. He's the go to guy on that team and finally put together a complete fantasy season for the first time. I'm sure having a legitimate receiver, like Kevin Walter, on the others side has helped.

3. Randy Moss - Patriots

A lot of people have Calvin Johnson at #3, but the return of Tom Brady increases Moss's value and production this season. Wes Welker will certainly get his balls, and so will Joey Galloway, but it's been shown that Brady loves to stretch the field with Moss. Look for him to get 15+ td's and 1,200 yards.

4. Calvin Johnson - Lions

I did not put him at #4 because of his quarterback situation. The third year receiver has clearly shown it doesn't matter who's throwing the ball to him. After struggling in his rookie season, he burst out with a 1,300 yard season with 12 touchdowns. He may not increase much on those numbers, but look for him to grab more than 78 receptions. If you play in a reception league, this alone will increase his value

5. Steve Smith - Panthers

Despite missing two games last season, Smith still put up 1,421 yards on 78 catches. If he plays 116 games, and averages 5.5 catches per game like last year, he should get his total up to 89 catches. That could get him over the 1,600 yard mark for the season. Hopefully Jake Delhomme's arm can hold up and can consistently feed him the ball.

6. Roddy White - Falcons

Rowdy Roddy will continue his improvement this season along with Matt Ryan. The two have had great chemistry from the get go, so White should improve on his touchdowns this season after getting 7 in 08'. He's shown improvement in each of his first four years, but it'll be hard to improve on 88 catches and 1,300 yards.

7. Greg Jennings - Packers

If you read my QB ratings then you know I think Aaron Rodgers is going to have a huge year. The same should hold true for Jennings. He's clearly Rodgers favorite target after amassing 80 catches, 1,292 yards and 9 touchdowns. I expect him to at least hold those numbers making him a top 10 fantasy wide receiver.

8. Anquan Boldin - Cardinals

It's hard to imagine one team having two receivers in the top 10, but the Cardinals had it last year, and they'll have it this year as well. After a hot start, Boldin missed 4 games and still had 89 catches, 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's about as motivated as a player could be to put up even better numbers this year, and Kurt Warner has never had a problem spreading the love.

9. Brandon Marshall - Broncos

Speaking of players who have motivation to put up another great season, Marshall is an incredibly talented player who just needs to keep his head straight. I actually think Kyle Orton will play pretty well this season, and Marshall and Eddy Royal will certainly help him out. He's missing some practice time right now, but expect him to be good to go by week 1.

10. TJ Houshmandzedah - Seahawks

Now that TJ is the undisputed #1 receiver on his team, watch out for a big season from him. Matt Hasselback is healthy and must be salivating to throw the ball to a receiver that can actually catch the ball and stay healthy (we hope). While he did catch 94 balls last year, he had a down year in yards (904) and touchdowns (4). Look for drastic increases this season.

11. Reggie Wayne - Colts

12. Marques Colston - Saints

13. Vincent Jackson - Chargers

14. Dwayne Bowe - Chiefs

15. Wes Welker - Patriots

16. Terrell Owens - Bills

17. Roy Williams - Cowboys

18. Braylon Edwards - Browns

19. Lee Evans - Bills

20. Chad Ochocinco - Bengals

Watch Out For:

Kevin Walter

Earl Bennett

Donnie Avery

Torry Holt

Be Wary Of:

Antonio Bryant

Michael Crabtree

Roy Williams

Worth a Flyer:

Deion Branch

Devin Hester

Josh Morgan

(Stay tuned for the Tight End rankings tomorrow by Chad Garner)

Boston College: The biggest inferiority complex in college sports

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

In dating a so-called Superfan, who was also a member of the Boston College marching and pep bands, I have come to learn one very real fact: the Eagles only truly hate teams that are better than they are. All of the so-called "rivalries" the school has in its major sports, whether it be football, basketball or hockey, are mostly one-sided, based more on envy than anything.

To ask a Superfan about one of their rivals is to learn that every team the Eagles have a rivalry with sucks, despite what any number of national championships or any other statistics might lead you to believe. Boston College is the greatest athletic program to grace God's green earth. Everyone else should be insanely jealous and Superfans just can't figure out why no one actually is.

Well, here it is, spelled out plain and simple for all you Boston College fans. In the great scheme of things, you really aren't that good now and you really have very little history of ever being very good.

Let's start with football.

Boston College fans want you to think that the series with Notre Dame is an age-old tradition dating back to the early days of college football which they have dominated for the past decade. In truth, in the eyes of Golden Domers, Boston College takes a back seat to USC, Michigan, Michigan State and some would even argue Navy. In reality, the "Holy War" series has only lasted 18 games and the only thing that makes it truly notable is the fact that these are the two only Catholic universities playing Division 1 football at the bowl championship level. The two teams first met in 1975, but did not play each other regularly until the 1990's. Even the Eagles' series with Notre Dame hockey has a greater history in terms of games played and longevity. It's true that from 2000-2008, the Eagles have held a 6-1 advantage, but even with that, the series is still tied, 9-9.

Eagles fans like to point to their recent head-to-head dominance as evidence that Boston College is a better program than Notre Dame, overlooking the fact that Notre Dame holds 11 national championships (or 13, depending on who you ask) to Boston College's zero. For those keeping score, no team has as many national titles as the Fighting Irish.

Boston College also likes to mention recent bowl success over the last decade, but since the BCS's inception in the 1998-1999 season, the Irish have been to three BCS bowls, something Boston College has never done. They have gone to distinguished bowls such as the Meineke Car Care Bowl, MPC Computers Bowl and the Continental Tire Bowl, however.

Notre Dame boasts 178 All-Americans to Boston College's 10 and seven Heisman Trophy winners to the Eagles' Doug Flutie. Ten Irish have gone on to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Two Eagles have that distinction.

Notre Dame football has only had 11 losing seasons in 102 years. Boston College football has had 23 in 74 years, over 30 percent. Bottom line, a nine-win season at Boston College is considered a success. A nine-win season at Notre Dame is a disappointment.

In hockey, the Superfan's obsession with Boston University can at least be legitmized by the two teams' close proximity. Both even share the same branch of the Green Line. Because of this, the rivalry actually has longevity. But that's about where the conversation ends.

While the half-full student section at Conte Forum likes to chant "Sucks to BU," nothing could be further from the truth. First off, in head-to-head play, the Terriers lead the all-time series 123-106-17. Boston College holds the edge in Hockey East tournament and regular season titles, but seeing as both teams played in the ECAC beforehand, BU holds more combined titles. In all, the Terriers have won 14 regular-season league titles to BC's 11, while winning 12 conference tournaments to the Eagles' 10.

Boston University has also dominated the bragging rights in Boston, having won the Beanpot 29 times. That's right. BU has won more Beanpot finals than Boston College has participated in.

But with all that, the most striking number is this: BU also holds the edge where it counts the most, having won five national championships, while Boston College has only won three.

The most pathetic "rivalries" of them all might fall in the realm of basketball, however. The Eagles don't have any real heated rivalries with any out-of-conference teams. UMass is a fabricated series without much conscequence and Notre Dame holds some sentimentality because of BC's Big East days and the simple fact that it's a team from South Bend.

But at this point, Superfans concentrate most of their hatred on natural in-conference "rivals" with whom they really have no business being in the same conversation.

With three national championships, Duke has as many titles as Boston College has Elite Eight appearances. Boston College has never advanced past that point, something Duke has done 14 times. The Blue Devils have won 21 conference tournament titles as well as 21 regular season titles, compared to BC's three and four, respectively. And yes, those numbers for BC are combined between both the Big East and the ACC.

As if that wasn't good enough, Superfans also like to spit venom at North Carolina, who surpasses Duke in the number of national championships (5), final four appearances (22), conference tournament championships (25) and regular-season titles (34).

So can these really be considered rivalries or sad expressions of feelings of inadequacy. There are plenty of good - but not great - athletic programs all around the country and most of them realize exactly what they are. Why is it that Boston College fans can't figure it out?