NFL Top 200: 150-101

Let's get to the next installment of the NFL's Top 200, with #'s 150-101.

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150.) Terell Thomas, CB, NYG

The Giants have a secondary with basically revolving doors all over the place. Corey Webster is the more known quantity, but Terell was the better player. Thomas was great on third down, and great in run support from the cornerback position. He got better as the year went on which is unlike most Giants. Terell Thomas has a bright future ahead.


149.) Chris Long, DE, STL

Howie's boy had done little since being drafted #2 in 2008. Well, that all changed in 2010. Long piled up 8.5 sacks, and was second in the league in hurries as per Football Outsiders numbers. Chris Long was always said to have had a relentless motor. That was his big thing coming out of college, that he'll be the next "Jared Allen" and in 2010, he mostly was.


148.) Sam Bradford, QB, STL

I don't like to put two players on the same team back-to-back. Not sure why, but anyway, Sam Bradford is probably ranked too low, but that's only because he secretly was way overhyped last year. Out of the recent good rookie QB's, only Mark Sanchez put up worse stats in his first year. I realize most of those guys (Roethlisberger, Flacco, Ryan) had better pieces around him, but Bradford was a bit overhyped. I think he's a future star, but that's quite a far bit away.


147.) Michael Griffin, S, TEN

Michael Griffin was a machine this year. He still has a tendency to get beat deep, but man was he great in 2010. He had the picks. He had an insane amount of tackles (which I should note for Griffin and everyone else, tackles should be taken with a grain of salt) for a safety. He had over 10 passes defended. The Titans pass defense fell off at the end of the year, but it wasn't Griffin's fault.


146.) Zach Miller, TE, OAK

I really underranked Zach Miller, who I should have realized was putting up pro bowl numbers with JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski throwing to him, but he was more consistent in 2010 with Campbell throwing to him. Miller's drops went down, and he was a better target in the red zone. Also, his blocking has improved. For a team that has been so mediocre, Al Davis has drafted his fair share of really good players.


145.) Tony Romo, QB, DAL

Yeah, after further review, he belonged on the list. I couldn't justify putting Carson and Sam Bradford on this and not having Romo. I will say that he was quietly not great before he got hurt. He threw 7 picks in 6 games, and his yards per completion was under 11 (which is not good for a good QB). With Dez healthy now he should get better, but Romo's 31. He's peaked. Thankfully, that peak can be pretty high.


144.) Cliff Avril, DE, DET

Yes, he benfitted from Ndamukong Suh being next to him, but Avril was great in 2010. He had 8.5 sacks, but also had 23 more hurries and pressures. He was the Lions best DE, and really you could make the case that he made Suh's life easier. Avril has been a great rotational DE for a couple years, and he finally took his game to that next level.


143.) Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL

I'll admit that since Flacco likes to throw deep more he's not really in the best offense for his skill, but you can make the case that Anquan, in year one away from Fitz (year 1 of his overall career was also without Fitz), had his second worst year. It shows just how good he is that he can stay on the list, but his catches fell off, his yards fell off, and it wasn't like he was hurt. Strange year.


142.) DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR

DeAngelo, much like Romo, didn't have a great year before he got hurt, but before the game that he eventually got hurt in he was averaging 4.7 ypc. DeAngelo suffered from his o-line dropping off a bit and nagging injuries. I expect him to rebound really well in 2011, especially if he leaves Carolina, which he probably will to major bank.


141.) Aubrayo Franklin, NT, SF

Aubrayo Franklin is a true NT. He doesn't get sacks and barely gets tackled, but other than Wilfork, there is no NT who is double teamed as much as Franklin. Also, most of the time that he does make plays they are for big losses and big plays. He's really unblockable. In my time writing about him right now, I realize I probably underranked him.


140.) Brent Grimes, CB, ATL

By football outsiders "stop rate" statistic, Brent Grimes was the 3rd best corner. By their yards per pass statistic, Grimes was the 4th best corner. As you can see, Grimes ranks well with the statheads. He was the Falcons only good player in their secondary, and that presence alone made them a top-half pass defense. Good, good player.


139.) Matt Forte, RB, CHI

He had a very similar year to Peyton Hillis, except for the fact that he was better to less fanfare. Matt Forte had a career best 4.5 ypc, and an insane for a running back 10.7 yards per catch receiving on 50 catches. Matt Forte did all of this behind an o-line that is average at best. Jay Cutler doesn't have great receivers, but he has a star at running back.


138.) Marcedes Lewis, TE, JAX

Marcedes Lewis was always a tease, a physically gifted tall tight end. He was a tease no more in 2010, dropping barely any passes and hauling in 10 tds. Marcedes Lewis was a true tight end. He was a great security blanket for Garrard and the best red zone presence of any tight end in the NFL.


137.) Brandon Albert, G, KC

KC has a long line of great lineman over the last 20 years, and Albert is probably the most unknown and underrated. Albert's bruising interior rush blocking really paved the way for Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, who produced the league's best rushing attack. Branden Albert was one of Carl Peterson last best draft picks.


136.) Brandon Marshall, WR, MIA

Much like Boldin, Marshall wasn't the same player in a new situation. Boldin went from Warner to Flacco. Marshall's drop in QB play wasn't as bad (Orton to Henne), but his drop off was more precipitous. His yards per game went down. His catches per game was down. His TDs went way down. Marshall also had four huge games and then a bunch of middling ones.


135.) Charles Johnson, DE, CAR

Through nine games, Charles Johnson was not anything special. The next seven, Charles Johnson made a great Julius Peppers impression, with 8 sacks and 15 pressures. Charles Johnson wasn't the guy who was supposed to replace Peppers (Everrette Brown was) but he's the guy who has done it.


134.) Curtis Lofton, MLB, ATL

Lofton didn't really get any better in 2010 which is why he took basically a 30 spot drop. That said, that level was already pretty high. Curtis Lofton was a prototyplical 4-3 MLB. He's a steady player who's become this generations Jeremiah Trotter. He'll make all the plays he should make, but probably never rise to that all-pro level.


133.) Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, NYG

Not sure how he usurped Jacobs' starting role (in a weird role reversal, Bradshaw had the heavier workload while Jacobs had the better ypc), but it worked really well in the 2010. Bradshaw carried the workload and quietly had a huge year, getting into the end zone 8 times and his receiving really improved. He has to work on his fumbles though.


132.) LaMarr Houston, OLB, OAK

Rolando McClain was supposed to be the star (and he wasn't bad), but LaMarr Houston became it. LaMarr Houston supplied great pressure rushing up the middle, but more than that was the best run stopper the Raiders have had in a long, long time. Almost all of his run stops were close to the line, showing that he was great at plugging up gaps. He's a true player.


131.) Jeff Saturday, C, IND

Jeff Saturday isn't the run blocker he once was, and his pass blocking has dropped off a bit, but Saturday is still one of the more cerebral and better centers in the NFL. The Indy line has had tremendous upheaval the past couple years and Saturday has been able to keep it in check.


130.) Barry Cofield, DT, NYG

Cofield had a monster year at DT. His 40 tackles as a defensive tackle are amazing, as he's mostly used to suck on blockers. Cofield was active in pass rush as well. He's due for a monster contract for 2011. It took him a while to really get going but Cofield has finally become the player he was supposed to after the Giants drafted him in 2006.


129.) Stanford Routt, CB, OAK

Stanford Routt is the reason why I'm not too scared that Nnamdi is gone from Oakland. Stanford Routt was rated the number three cornerback in the NFL in both success rate in Football Outsiders' rankings and yards per pass. Routt also covered a lot of the better receivers since the Raiders kept Nnamdi on one side. Routt has a bright future.


128.) Steven Jackson, RB, STL

In reality, Steven Jackson didn't have a great year by his standard. It was his lowest yards per game since his second season and the first time in his career his yards per carry was under 4. Either way, for just being a solid player year after year and finally having a good team again, he merits a spot. Steven Jackson faced more 8 man boxes than ever and still ran hard each week. I hope for his sake he's still playing great when Bradfor matures into a playoff QB.


127.) Jason Babin, DE, TEN

Jason Babin had a great 2010 for the Titans, racking up 12.5 sacks countless more pressures and led the NFL in QB hits. That said, he's really a one year wonder. I will say this, Jeff Fisher and Jim Washburn had a great ability to coach up d-lineman. Washburn is gone to Philly, but Munchak was one of his guys so Babin should continue to play really good in the future.


126.) Sebastian Vollmer, T, NE

One year is a fluke. Two years is a trend. Vollmer was a stud again in 2010 and is all set to take over the left side (I'm assuming - although they might give that to Nate Solder). He was a bit overhyped as a rookie as he was often given help, but he was left one on one a lot in 2010 and pass blocked great. One of Belichick's best finds in recent years in the draft.


125.) Josh Freeman, QB, TB

I couldn't have been more wrong about Josh Freeman when I intially saw him play. His first year was not very good, but then again, that was with a bad team with no targets and a new coaching staff. One year of continuity, and Freeman was great. His amazingly low interception rate probably isn't sustainable, but he's great at never putting the ball in risk.


124.) Tyson Clabo, T, ATL

Tyson Clabo again played all 16 games and again played them all well. I'm not sure why the Falcons don't play him on the left side and insist to play him on the right, but he's great at pass blocking anyway. Clabo graded the road which led to a nice resurgence for Michael Turner. Tyson Clabo is criminally underrated, and if he played LT, he would be top-100.


123.) Marques Colston, WR, NO

Colston had an odd year. In a lot of ways, he was worse than in 2009, as his yards per catch fell by nearly three yards and his TDs fell. Then again, he was better in that he had fewer drops and more yards per game. Marques Colston is still a great possession receiver and works well with Drew Brees. He's quietly putting up one of the better resumes of any WR in the NFL.


122.) Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT

Mendenhall's yards per carry fell, but every other part of his game got better. He got more durable as well as better in the red zone. Mendenhall also became better at blitz pickup, making him impossible to leave off of the field. Mendenhall also has the great distinction of being the most randomly placed player to keep his place, going from 123 in 2010 to 122.


121.) Antoine Cason, CB, SD

The Chargers defense was surprisingly really good in 2010 and Cason was a big part of that surprise. It took Cason three years to develop, but man did he develop in year three, with great coverage week after week. He was among the league leaders in pass defeats as well as yards allowed per pass. Cason also defended 17 passes and 57 tackles from the CB position. Great, great year.


120.) Sidney Rice, WR, MIN

Hard to really talk about his 2010 as he was injured for most of it and then had to deal with the corpse of Brett Favre and then Joe Webb. Rice didn't have a great year, obviously, but still was explosive when he got healthy, having a 16.5 yards per catch. Since this isn't a one year list, I still like Rice overall. He should become a Free Agent, and a rich one.


119.) Stephen Tulloch, MLB, TEN

Guess who quietly was among the top-5 in tackles in the NFL? Stephen Tulloch was long in the shadow of his similarly-sounding teammate Keith Bullock. It's safe to say he should be making a name for him self by now. Stephen Tolluch has been as consistent as any LB in the NFL during his career, and at 25, he's just starting to peak.


118.) Jay Cutler, QB, CHI

Jay Cutler has no offensive line early in 2010. He has no great receiver. He has an offensive coordinator who leaves his lineman on an island. Knowing all of this, Jay Cutler had a pretty good year. He was good in clutch situations. He was totally unfairly excoriated for his MCL injury in the 2010 NFC Championship game and I hope that that doesn't become a lasting adjective for him.


117.) Eric Weddle, S, SD

Just like his secondary-mate Antoine Cason, Weddle was a past first round pick yet to do anything of note. Well, that is over. Weddle was great in 2010, playing great run support from the safety position and even improving his coverage. Weddle is now the premier SS in free agency, and honestly, one of the better SS in the league. There is no player I want more to be a Colt.


116.) Kyle Williams, NT, BUF

Kyle Williams just gets better and better each year. This was also the first year that Williams was put at the nose (the Bills used to play a 4-3), and he was downright dominant at times, with 5.5 sacks and 54 tackles from the nose. Williams was a very deserving 2nd team all-pro in 2010 with Buffalo and is the anchor to Buffalo's defense.


115.) Osi Umenyiora, DE, NYG

I think there is this sentiment that Osi is past his prime and had a bad year in 2010. Totally wrong. Osi Umenyiora was more of a rotational pass rusher, but he put up 11.5 sacks. Two years off his ACL injury, Umenyiora seems fully healthy. I hope he solves his spat with the Giants, because its fun to see all those talented DEs that the Giants have run down QBs.


114.) Michael Turner, RB, ATL

After suffering the "Curse of 370" in 2009, Turner rebounded with a nice 2010. He was insanely durable, rarely missing series, and still was a force in the red zone. Turner really has to improve his pass catching abilities. I don't know what it is but his reception numbers are laughable. Maybe Matt Ryan just never wants to throw him the ball.


113.) DeMeco Ryans, MLB, HOU

I know he only played 6 games and wasn't at his peak when he did play, but there is no way I can drop him more than this. DeMeco Ryans has proved over his career that he is a tackling machine and his presence in the lineup usually improves the Texans run defense tremendously. Plus, without him, the Texans defense went to holy hell.


112.) Elvis Dumervil, OLB, DEN

I basically should get him off the list as well. Dumervil missed all of 2010 with an ACL, but it felt unfair to Wally Pipp him out of the Top 200. You can measure his ability in that without him rushing off the edge, Denver's pass defense was comically bad. He'll be moving to a new position in 2010 as a DE in John Fox's 4-3, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts.


111.) D'Brickshaw Ferguson, T, NYJ

I think Brick gets a little overhyped by the media, but he did have a great 2010. D'Brickshaw's blocking on Mark Sanchez's blind side kept the Sanchize mostly upright, and the Jets were one of the best teams running around LT in the NFL. Other than Mangold, with the rest of the line really green or really old, it will be up to him to keep the continuity.


110.) Antoine Bethea, S, IND

Just like defensive mate Brackett, Bethea's play was down a little from 2009 (for nearly every member of the 2010 Colts this is true). However, it isn't age but mostly the fact that he had to play with 20 different SS and CBs through the year. Bethea was a rock, keeping the unit respectable. God Knows what the Colts defense would be if Bethea were to ever get hurt.


109.) Todd Harremens, G, PHI

For some reason he doesn't get the publicity, but while his higher profile LT fell apart in the WIdl Card game, Harremens played solidly then and all season. The Eagles had the best run game in the NFL in 2010, and that wasn't solely because of Michael Vick. Harremens continues to be one of the better nameless guards in the NFL.


108.) Daryl Smith, OLB, JAX

Daryl Smith led the league in "defeats" in 2010, as per Football Outsiders. Defeats are plays made on defense that result in negative yardage for the opposition, or a turnover or a failed third down conversion. Daryl Smith, again, was the best in the league at this in 2010, and he's been a good player for a couple of years now.


107.) Miles Austin, WR, DAL

Without Romo throwing him the ball, Austin took a bit of a step back. Pretty much all of Austin's numbers' dropped in 2010, which should be noted was partly due to the fact that more and more teams were learning how to defend him in his new #1 WR role in 2010. That said, he's still a top flight pass catcher, and his numbers when Romo was there were just as good as they were in 2009.


106.) Andrew Whitworth, T, CIN

Not much went right for Cincinnati in 2010, but Whitworth continues to be a surprisingly consistent, quality pass blocker for Palmer's blind side. The Bengals have a black hole of crap at interior line, but at least Palmer doesn't have to worry too much about the blind side OLB's killing him.


105.) Matt Ryan, QB, ATL

Matt Ryan definitely improved in Year 3, and his 4th quarter play was commendable. That said, I don't know where to really rank him. At times, I really see a lot of Peyton Manning in him, the way he commands the line of scrimmage, audibles and has a great feel for the position. However, he doesn't seem to have the tools that Manning has. His ypa and ypc are really low for a top flight QB. It might be a function of having just one legitimate WR target.


104.) Charles Godfrey, S, CAR

If you are surprised by the number of Carolina Panthers players on the list, all fresh off of a 2-14 campaign, then I should tell you this. The 2010 Panthers were one of the more talented 2-14 teams ever. Godfrey had a great year, picking off 5 passes and making 69 tackles in his first year of playing SS. He's played just three years, so he could get better.


103.) Shaun Phillips, OLB, SD

The man who used to be the 2nd best "Shau(w)n(e)" on his team, Phillips finally did great on his own registering 11.5 sacks (a career high) and playing better when dropping into coverage. Merriman could never really play coverage when he dropped, but Phillips is quite good at it. He's 29, so he's probably peaked, but I would say he's passed Merriman's career at this point.


102.) Charles Tillman, CB, CHI

It's absolutely stunning that Tillman has never made a pro bowl, as he's been a very good player for a number of years. 2010 was his best season since 2006. He was really active defending passes and played really good zone coverage. Tillman was also great at coming up and snuffing out run plays. The Bears defense is talented, but Tillman is still one of their best players.


101.) Ben Grubbs, G, BAL

Another nameless man at a nameless position, 4th year pro Ben Grubbs was awesome in 2010, playing great blocking against Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfork and many more in the AFC in 2010. He's actually been a really strong player for the Ravens for years, and it's time this man, just like the one at 102, makes a pro bowl. Someone's paving holes for Ray Rice, and he's the best lineman the Ravens have (yes, better than Blind Side himself, Oher).


Coming up next, 100-76.

Re-Review: Arrested Development 2-01 = The One Where Michael Leaves

"The One Where Michael Leaves". Just the title alone was a joke, jabbing Friends for having each episode titled "The One Where/With/When". The episode starts with Michael and son George Michael leaving for Arizona ("Pheonix, Arizona" as Michael immediately says cutting off Ron Howard's narration). Michael states that the best part of their intended move is not working with the family, but George Michael reminds him that Michael's family motto is "Family First." Michael, of course, says it was but that that wasn't a family. That they were "a bunch of greedy, selfish people who have our nose, and Aunt Lindsay" which gets George Michael excited that maybe Meabe isn't related to her, but Michael quashes that fear with a beautiful dead-pan of "[her nose] is not her real nose. I have a picture of her in a swimming cap that makes her look like a Falcon." And end scene. It was a really simple scene, a moment between father and son. But like any moment between father and son in Arrested Development, it contained incestuous thoughts and obliviousness. The perfect start to a perfect season.

We go back to the car where Michael drives proudly, thinking his family will weep for his loss, but George Michael chimes in with "Well, maybe they think we are headed home. Actually, that's what I thought we were doing until I heard about all that Phoenix stuff." Michael then calls home to ask for Michael to see if they know he's gone, but Lucille just shouts Michael and puts the phone down. Michael then drives back home, and in keeping with perfect detail, the second they enter the condo, the phone is loudly off the hook. After this relatively mundane start, AD begins then to turn up the heat. Michael attempts to give a dramatic speech about betrayal and that he and his son are leaving and cutting the cord, but it keeps getting interrupted. First Buster blows Lucille's rape horn (after Lucille gets defensive about needing her rape horn, Buster whispers "Yeah, like someone would want to "r" her". Then Lucille puts on the blender right as the speech is about the reach its climax, and gives a look only she is capable of giving. The acting in Arrested Development is really unbelievably good. In this case, it is not even the delivery of their lines. They all respond well and act well without speaking. These looks that Lucille gives are a perfect example.

We then cut over to another scene (with the sound of the blender constant in the background - again, no detail was ever forgotten), where Maebe tells George Michael if he feels bad that he's leaving his girlfriend 'Bland' (the first in a long, long line of mistaken names for Ann), a girl so nameless that "under her picture in the school yearbook it says not pictured." George Michael defends Blands honor by saying "they printed a retraction in the Spring Supplement." What show would ever have lines like this, think of something as absurd as a Spring Supplement to a high school yearbook. After George Michael tells Maebe that he's sad he can't go to the school "Get Out to Vote Assembly" (which of course, was postponed to after the election because a foreign exchange student parked to close to the gym), Annyong (in one of his few S2 appearances) claims that he'll play Uncle Sam, which is better than his current part of "ordering the strike against Pearl Harbor." That scene finally ends with Michael and Lucille leaving the kitchen with martini that she just blended in hand.

Michael then goes on another classic Michael Bluth rant about all the things he won't be giving to his family anymore, like someone to watch over Buster who won't kill him (to which Buster shouts "I'll kill them first"), or someone to give advice to GOB about how to get out of a mistake, and then to Lindsay marital advice about a husband who might be a (insert horn, as before Michael says "Gay", Tobias blows the rape horn). In this speech, George Michael was scolded for telling the family the location where they are moving. Remember this bit for later. On the way to Phoenix, Michael is stopped by the police who tell him that his father has been caught. Ron Howard interjects that "Michael knew if he went back, he would say something hurtful", and then it cuts to Michael saying "We're going back." I've never seen a show use the narrator as well as Arrested Development. The narrator was the source of just as many jokes (or in this case, the device used to begin the joke) as any of the other characters. The show cuts back to a scene where the police catch Oscar Bluth, George Bluth's hippy twin brother who had an affair with Lucille that he wants to rekindle. After Buster catches Oscar and Lucille kissing, he exclaims, "Oh, I thought my father was here." This then starts a long running gag of Oscar trying to hint to Buster that he is his father (which is true), as he replies "Did they?" in a tone that just spelled, "Your father is here." What makes the running bit work is this ridiculous music they pair Oscar's comment with, which follows the bit around throughout the seasons. The music was also used as a catalyst for many jokes. It happens two seconds later, where after Lucille says that Oscar can't stay with them, Buster says that "[Lucille] has always wanted me to have a father figure." Cut to Oscar, again with music, nodding "Yes, a father figure." These scenes never end, and never stop being funny.

Michael then meets Barry Zuckerkorn at the jail. Michael then tells Barry that they are leaving, and after George Michael tells Barry that he can't say where too, Michael says "No, we can tell Barry, we are going to Phoenix." To which Barry replies "Oh, I wish you hadn't said Phoenix." This little joke that played off of his earlier indignation of George Michael revealing their destination of Phoenix is a perfect scene to just explain how crazy Michael Bluth really is. Creator Mitch Hurwitz later said that Michael may have been the craziest character of all in that he can't see past the zaniness of everyone around him. Here is a perfect example. He doesn't realize his family won't give two shits about where he is going too, but he tries to hide it from them. Michael then returns to the Bluth home to post bail using the company checkbook (a nice callback to the original foundation of the show, that George Bluth was in prison for using company money). He walks into the living room where Lindsay is "excercising" by deep breathing while sitting on the couch. It cuts to a scene of Lindsay walking into the master bedroom to see Tobias sitting on the bed watching the exact same deep breathing excercising tape. After both Lindsay and Tobias realize they can't become sexually active again, they have a deep heart to heart, which contains a nice nugget where Tobias is seen laying on the bed swinging his legs behind him like a teenage girl. They then agree to an open marraige, to which Tobias cries out "We can hammer out the details later, but right now we have a daughter to tell.... Maebe, we're having a FAMILY MEETING!!". The scene ends with Lindsay telling Michael that GOB is now heading the company.

The scene cuts to the office where in Michael's old office GOB is playing pool and continually hitting the wall with his backswing of the pool cue. After each time, he tells his worker to smash the wall in that spot with a hammer, for no real apparent reason. GOB also tells Michael that his desk is now the massage table in the breakroom. When Michael tells GOB that he needs to be approved by the board, GOB replies that he already has which cuts to a scene where he in front of the board does a magic trick where he turns a one hundred dollar bill into one hundred pennies, and when the trick works, GOB is in his giddy look while the GOB magic music plays (another running soundtrack). Michael, in perfect Michael form, says "why wouldn't they trust you, you've already lost them 99 dollars." After Michael tells GOB that he thought GOB might need him, GOB gets indignant and says "I need you. I should call the guys in to hear this." and then proceeds to not be able to use the intercom, which ends in him, as it should be, needing Michael. Arrested Development did such a great job of juxtaposing a spoken line with an immediate action that relayed the rest of the joke. More than half of their jokes, I would say, were unspoken.

Tobias walks the boardwalk glumly after realizing that his wife will have more success in their open marriage (with a song of "When I'm down, so down; staring at the ground. I'm blue, so blue; Man, I'm blue), he sees a flier for "The Blue Man Group" which he mistakes to be a group for depressed men. This is the beginning of one of the most fruitful arcs in show history. Back in the condo, Lucille realizes that Michael came back out of need, that he was "The Boy who cried Phoenix" and assures him that the police won't be able to tie the homes in Iraq to George Bluth, and then reassures him with two ridiculous winks. Michael replies "Man, the jury's gonna love you," and before walking out, sees Annyong in full Uncle Sam regalia saying 'I Want You', and gives one last quip before leaving that "Man, the jury might actually like that." Going back to Lucille. This part was really evidence that she really was the most aware of everything. She was a bad person, but she also understood the dynamics of the group far more than Michael did, as she realized immediately why Michael came back home from Phoenix.

We cut back to the office where in attempt to nail a picture to the wall, GOB uses a sledgehammer (another callback to a season 1 gag where none of the Bluth family can successfully use a hammer - more on this next episode). After breaking the wall, GOB finds a briefcase with a signed agreement between George Bluth and "S. Hussein". Before we get back, we quickly cut to Tobias grinning with glee at the Blue Man Show's concert. Then it cuts to the penthouse, where Lucille watches the news where after the lead story that "You may be living in one of Saddam's mini-palaces", there is story that there was a seal attack, the first of many hidden foreshadowings to Buster losing his hand in a seal attack. On the way to the office, Lucille is stopped by Michael Moore. In the only true bit of referencing in this episode, Michael Moore asks Lucille if she was willing to sign Buster up for the ARMY , full Fahrenheit 911 style, to which Lucille says yes. The beginning of another great fountain of jokes for S2.

Michael is back at the house, trying to find the checkbook by, of course, breaking the walls with the sledgehammer, and he breaks a wall that reveals Tobias in the bathroom in full blue paint. "Are You Crazy!!" Tobias asks. "Are you Blue?" Michael retorts, to which Tobias says "only in color, Michael, only in color." Tobias then has a heart to heart with Michael, saying how he needs help, that "he's carrying a sledgehammer, and has blue paint on his......." He then realizes that he was the cause of the blue paint, not only on Michael's shirt but around the house. For the rest of the first half on S2 there will be blue paint all over the house in random places. On walls, on faucets, on plates; blue paint will become a running feature of the Bluth house. As Michael gets ready to leave to ask for money, Tobias says "I have to leave for an audition." Michael can't believe Tobias hasn't actually gotten the part, but Tobias replies sadly, "I just blew myself." The first of about 200 double entendre's in S2. We cut to Tobias walking to his audition at dusk, perfectly blending in with the blue sky (another thing that was so Arrested Development. What made the show is great is most shows wouldn't even think of half these things, be this creative. What show would have a member of the Blue Man Group?). He is then run over by, of all people, Barry Zuckerkorn.

Michael then meets the rest of the family in the hospital where he makes a speech about how people are too proud to ask for help, to say "I need you." To which each member of the family replies "I need you" one by one. Buster starts with "Mom volunteered me for the ARMY, just because the fat man said so." GOB continues with "I know too much. I've got the thingy. Half in Enlgish, half in squiggly". The doctor then arrives. The doctor is known to be a very literal man, as in he earlier said about George that "we lost him" when they lost him in that he escaped. Now, he's saying that Tobias "looks to be dead", to which GOB cries out, "The little guy. We lost the little guy. The tears just aren't coming" (the tear part was a callback to when George was reported to be 'lost' and he cried out for the loss of the 'Big Bear'). Michael wants reassurance, and the doctor replies "it just looks like he's dead. He's got like blue paint on him or something." which cues angry reactions from the whole family, the funniest being Lidnsay's "This Fucking Doctor" with the fucking bleeped out. The uses of curses in Arrested Development was always brilliant. In keeping with the realist setting of the show, they were always used like how any normal man would use the word, in times of agitation. Every bleep was expertly placed, always funny, always great.

The cops then come to take Michael, and GOB reassures him that they have the proof, they have George's signed contract with Saddam, "Hussein" as Buster slowly whispers. GOB then realizes that the briefcase is missing, which we would notice if we paid attention to the background that Oscar slowly takes the briefcase out of GOB's hands when hugging him. Annyong then blurts out that someone stole his Uncle Sam wig, which then we realize that Oscar was in fact George with the Uncle Sam wig, and that he's again on the lamb. Everything comes full circle, as Arrested Development is able to incorporate a seemingly irrelevant bit (the Uncle Sam part in the "Get Out to Vote" play) into the main arc. A nice way to wrap up a nice episode. The episode then finishes like all others, with fake "Next time on Arrested Development" scenes. The first uses the literal doctor who says to Lindsay "you are really looking hot" when she has a fever of 104. That leads to a scene where she's in the hospital, and hidden behind is Tobias, ears still Blue, in the cot next to her. The first episode was more just development and setting the season in place. It really gets going in the third episode. The second one is mostly a standalone, as far as any standalone can be in Arrested Development. When we get going though, it doesn't stop. From now on, I'll talk less about the summary, and more about my thoughts, but I wanted to let people get a good feel for what the show is. From now on, it gets tougher and more interesting. In the words of Bart Scott, Can't Wait.


Next Up: 2-02 - The One Where They Build a House

NFL Top 200: 200-151

Here we go, the Top 200 begins with players 200-151.

TO

200.) Justin Tryon, CB, IND

Let's start with a shocker. Football Outsiders identified him as a Top-20 "prospect" before 2010, and then like clockwork, Bill Polian traded a 7th round pick for him. By the end of the year, his performance was better than both Jacob Lacey and Kelvin Hayden. Tryon excels in man coverage which helps the Colts as they start to transition to more and more man coverage than their zone. He's a smart, talented player who will just get better.


199.) James Farrior, MLB, PIT

From the young to the old. Farrior is the ageless warrior, the only link on the LB line from the Super Bowl XL champs to the Super Bowl XLV runner-ups. All four of the starting LB corp of Pittsburgh is on the list and Farrior is first. He's still as steady and smart as ever, and easily the better run defender between him and Timmons. Age will inevitably catch up to good old James though.


198.) Jonathan Goodwin, C, NO

The other really well represented unit is the interior of the Saints o-line, with all three being on the list. Goodwin was really good at times last year against some good nose tackles and defensive tackles. That said, he was a little penalty prone. Goodwin might not be the road grader that the man to his left and right on the line are, but he's great at staying on point with Drew Brees.


197.) Jason Peters, T, PHI

Jason Peters has really been up and down since he was traded from Buffalo in what was supposed to be an acquisition that made the Eagles' o-line a great unit. That hasn't exactly happened, but Peters was great late in 2010. Blocking for Michael Vick was hard, but Peters made it look easy going against the likes of Ray Edwards, Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware.


196.) Steve Hutchinson, G, MIN

The age is starting to make Hutchinson a little erattic and easier to beat, but he's still technically great. Adrian Peterson had a really nice year despite facing 8-in-the-box constantly which has a lot to do with the o-line, and Hutchinson is always a part of that. Hutchinson is a hall-of-famer in my mind, and his play of late is about where a hall-of-famer nearing the end should be at.


195.) Shaun Ellis, DT, NYJ

He had a monster game against the Patriots which was some sweet revenge for years of having the "Belichick for Ellis trade" jokes (the Jets used the 1st round pick they got for BB on Ellis), but until then, he had a solid, but not spectacular year. Shaun Ellis' run stopping was spotty, but the pass rush he provided was, as always, good.


194.) Sheldon Brown, S, CLE

One of the more obscure players to make it back to the list, Sheldon Brown had a nice year again in Cleveland giving great support to a team who was in the bottom half of giving up 20+ yard plays against the pass. He didn't pick off as many passes, but was an integral part to one of the good young pass defenses in the league. Philly probably wishes they had him back.


193.) Brandon Pettigrew, TE, DET

If the Matt Stafford to Brandon Pettigrew connection is better than the Shaun Hill to Brandon Pettigrew connection, than this guy could fly up the ladder of NFL TEs. Pettigrew had one of the quieter 70 catch, 700 yard seasons by a tight end in recent memory. Now, a lot of those were empty yards put up late in losses, but Pettigrew was essential the to Lions pass offense staying above average with Shaun Hill at the helm.


192.) DJ Williams, MLB, DEN

The Broncos defense had a horrendous year in 2010, but DJ Williams was definitely not to blame for that. His 99 tackle, 5.5 sack season also included 10 pass defenses. DJ Williams is an older player who is on the downside, but it is great to see one of the most consistently underrated MLBs in the mid-decade still relevant and playing at a high level.


191.) Rashean Mathis, CB, JAX

He was once a top-5 CB in the NFL, and although that player is gone, Mathis had a really nice year in 2010. He was a tackling machine as a CB and played and held down some of the better WRs in the league like Kenny Britt and Austin Collie (Andre Johnson killed him, although that isn't a huge surprise). The Jaguars are building a nice defense, and Mathis is the elder statesman in that up and coming unit.


190.) Michael Roos, T, TEN

Here's the first member of the Top 200 that stayed on the list but made a precipitous fall, from 86 to 190. Michael Roos' play fell off, and so did Chris Johnson and eventually the Titans. Roos was still great in pass blocking which is at times difficult with VY behind him, but his run blocking needs to get better. He's still a Top-200 player, but his hold is tenuous as best.


189.) Steve Johnson, WR, BUF

He had a great year. Just to jog your memories, Steve Johnson put up 82 catches for 1073 yards and 10 tds in Buffalo. He also had an infamous drop against Pittsbrugh in overtime, but let's hope that isn't what people remember him for. I would have him higher, but I would like to see him do it again, especially with coordinators having another year to scheme for him. Steve Johnson is a hell of an athlete though.


188.) Phil Loadholt, T, MIN

Here's another member of the Vikings o-line on the list, and the most maddening. His blocking definitely improved from his rookie 2009 season, but his penalties went up even more, as did his mental mistakes. He had some clear missed blocks where he looked lost, but mostly was great when he got people engaged. He just needs to clean up the mistakes and learn more.


187.) Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ

This is probably my first controversial pick, but I really considered not putting him on the list. Mark Sanchez is a maddening player. He was great against New England in the divisional playoffs. He was wild against Indy. Sanchez was horrible in the first half against the Steelers and then was great in the second half. That inconsistently really defines him, a guy who still had just 17 tds and 13 ints, with a 75 rating and 55% completions, the statistics of a guy who could easily not be on the Top 200.


186.) Leonard Davis, G, DAL

Leonard Davis became again who we thought he was. He used to be a good to great player who had penalty problems, and then he became great for a couple years. In 2011, the old Leonard emerged even before Romo got injured. Davis run blocking really fell, but his pass blocking was great, which is odd for a guard. Overall, he can be one hundred spots higher, but can also be off the list.


185.) Carson Palmer, QB, CIN

Quietly had a nice year among amazing upheaval. The run game in Cincy fell back to earth and he had two squabbling, loud-mouth receivers the whole time. The real Palmer showed up in the games that they didn't play, when he put up back-to-back-to-back good games without Owens and Ocho. If the Bengals grant him his wish, he can do well in the right situation (Minnesota?).


184.) Nick Hardwick, C, SD

Hardwick was once the premier center in the AFC, and returned to close to that level in 2010 when he was one of the better pass-blocking centers, doing a great job against players like Glenn Dorsey, Vince Wilfork, and others. Hardwick doesn't have many more years left, but one of the last holdovers from the LT era still makes the Chargers line gel.


183.) Jason Jones, DT, TEN

Jason Jones still isn't Albert Haynesworth 2006-2008 and will never be, but he's doing his damnest to make a good impression. Jones' sack humbers dropped again, but his tackle numbers overall went way up. He was a much more active and driven lineman in 2010, and he's just 24 years old. Let's see how he does without Jeff Fisher and his never-ending motivational abilities.


182.) Owen Daniels, TE, HOU

Year one back from the ACL injury was a success. He stayed healthy, didn't drop balls (what made Welker fall off the list coming back from the same injury) and by the end of the year he was back to normal. His last four games projected out to a full season put him at a 88 catch, 1084 yard, 8 td pace which is about where he was pre-injury. Matt Schaub will love having his security blanket back.


181.) Matt Shaughnessy, DE, OAK

The Raiders d-line is really something special. When they are on, they are the best d-line in the NFL. They are on about 10 times a year, and hopefully that will go up. Shaughnessy put up 7 sacks, but was also a penetrating machine, racking up pressures and tackles from a DE spot. He'll probably get even more playing time in 2011 and probably come close to the 10 sack mark. Shaughnessy is the star from the oft-panned 2009 DHB draft.


180.) Ryan Kalil, C, CAR

The Panthers became the worst team in the league, but their o-line is still above average which will really help Cam Newton's development. Kalil was still a good center at both run and pass blocking and the Panthers were really good running around him. He's probably peaked at this point, but that still makes him in the top-10 of NFL centers.


179.) Levi Brown, T, ARZ

The Cardinals o-line sucks, but if Levi Brown wasn't there it would be absolutely awful and challenging for the league's worst. Levi Brown's pass blocking gets better each year. His run blocking took a step backward in 2010, but then again, so did his running back and QB, who's anemic play forced the Cards into many 8-in the box situations.


178.) Heath Miller, TE, PIT

Heath Miller's receiving numbers took a large step down, but if you look deeper, he was fine. Miller had a career-high ypc, and his blocking is still the best for any TE, and that even includes the man known as Jason Witten. Heath Miller was one-on-one blocking Clay Matthews in the Super Bowl and doing fine.


177.) Joe Haden, CB, CLE

The second member of the Browns secondary to be on the list is the rookie Mr. Haden. Joe Haden really came on at the end of his rookie season. The reason he's not ranked higher, something I legitimately considered doing, is rookie corners that have good seasons are notorious for dropping off in their sophomore seasons, like Antonio Cromartie. I don't think Haden's one of those, but you never know with those Florida players.


176.) Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE

Most people would have Hillis higher but his year was no way as good as his Madden-Cover-Winning publicity made it out to seem. Hillis had a nice 4.4 ypr, and cuaght 61 balls, but he has three good lineman in front of him. Hillis is a good player, a very good one, but he's not a pro-bowler, and I'm legitimately afraid of society that everyone is fine with him getting the cover of Madden.


175.) Eric Berry, S, KC

Rookie safeties are like rookie corners. I don't know if he'll stay as good as he was as a rookie, but Eric Berry was a stud in college and he's still just that. He has two good corners in front of him, so he'll always have opportunities to make plays. Berry really showed the same instinctiveness in his first year that he always showed in Tennessee. The guy is a future star.


174.) Brandon Lloyd, WR, DEN

Let's talk about arguably the greatest "Where the hell was this ability four years ago!!" year ever. Brandon Lloyd beat his old career high by 29 catches (77 vs 48), 715 yards (1448 vs 733) and 5 tds (11 vs 6). He did all of this at the age of 29, so let's just say that I am a little skeptical of Brandon Lloyd's ability to do this again, especially if Tim Tebow's the one throwing him the ball.


173.) Dustin Keller, TE, NYJ

Dustin Keller disappeared for a part of the 2009 season but then reappeared in the 2009 playoff run. He built off that production for 2010, and became a star player for Mark Sanchez. His 12.5 ypc was great for a TE with a previous career high of 11.6. He scored 5 tds which again was a career list. His blocking also seemed to improve in 2010. Big things are ahead.


172.) Antonio Garay, NT, SD

He was a bit player before 2010, and then he was a pro-bowl player in 2010. Antonio Garay was a force at the nose, with 5.5 sacks and 37 tackles. Garay was a force against the rest of the NFL, abusing centers like Jeff Saturday and Dan Koppen. Garay is already 31 so he probably has peaked, but this is a good reward for a player who was a journeyman until this year.


171.) Calvin Pace, OLB, NYJ

Calvin Pace finally put together the complete package in 2010. He was always a great pass rusher, but in 2010 he improved his coverage ass a drop back linebacker and got better against the run. Calvin Pace is the only real true pass rusher the Jets have and they count on him a little too much, but at least now he has the versatility to drop and play the run.


170.) Chris Clemons, DE, SEA

Chris Clemons was a rotational pass rusher for years. That was until he met the Seahawks and Pete Carroll. Clemons exploded with 11 sacks, scores more pressures and even four passes defended. Chris Clemons probably won't reach those heights again, but older players have gone to Seattle and found the fount of youth. It might happen with Clemons as well.


169.) Lawrence Timmons, MLB, PIT

Lawrence Timmons might have seen like a disappointment, but a lot of the plays he did make were huge. He was among the leaders in tackles for loss and his pass defense when dropping took another step up, racking up pass defenses. Timmons was also a tackling machine, leading the Steelers. Lawrence Timmons will probably never be the pass rushing force I thought he would end up being, but that doesn't make him an underachieving player.


168.) Ronde Barber, CB, TB

The ageless wonder at QB is still going on strong. His twin brother is thinking of a comeback and it might be because Ronde is probably the Barber with the better career now. Barber is going to be 36 this season, so his time is coming, but he is easily still a top flight Tampa-2 corner. He's four sacks away from joining the 30/30 club (30 sacks and 30 interceptions). It is doubtful he'll get those sacks in his career, but he'll have to rest with being a borderline hall of famer.


167.) Duane Brown, T, HOU

Duane Brown was suspended four games for PED use, but unlike other notable suspendee's including his own teammate (Brian Cushing), his play didn't come close to falling off after the suspension. Brown was just as good after it ended, holding his own against Ford, Freeney, Kampman, Cole and others. Duane Brown also improved as a run blocker. He wasn't someone built off of PED use.


166.) Brian Orakpo, OLB, WAS

Orakpo was no one year wonder in Washington. Sure, his numbers did fall off a bit but that is to be expected after a sensational rookie year. What did improve was the other areas of his game. Orakpo was a guy too in love with getting sacks and rushing at all costs in 2009, while he slowed down and played better against the run in 2010. Orakpo is the rare bright spot in Washington.


165.) Chris Harris, S, CHI

The Bears defense was really good in 2010, and part of that was Chris Harris returning. Harris left after 2006 to Carolina, and three playoff-less years later, Harris returned. He picked off five passes, was great in deep coverage, and was the back line for the league's best cover-2 defense. Chris Harris is still just 28 so will have to be key as the Bears inevitably have to replace Charles Tillman.


164.) Josh Sitton, G, GB

The Packers improvement in their o-line in 2010 was a big part of their run to a Super Bowl title, and Josh Sitton was the best player on that line. He started every game for the second straight season, and this time he did it with playing good each week. He held the Williams wall at bay. He was good against Suh. He was the steadiest member of the o-line all year long.


163.) Joselio Hanson, CB, PHI

The reason I don't think the Eagles need Nnamdi is because they have Joselio Hanson. He was great in coverage all year, being in the top-10 in fewest yards given up per pass play. Hanson has the cover skills that would make Asante jealous and Nnamdi proud. The Eagles need safety play. Their corner play, if Hanson keeps this up, will be fine.


162.) Rey Maualuga, OLB, CIN

Keith Rivers really regressed in 2010, but Maualuga stepped it up in his second season. The 23 year old was great dropping into zone coverage and played the run quickly and effectively. Maualuga played 2010 the way people envisioned him playing in the NFL, making sure that the third member of the USC Class of 2009 LB trio would make his mark as well.


161.) Paul Soliai, NT, MIA

Along with Garay, there was no better great nameless player at the NFL's top position for unknowns. His work at the dirty nose was great. He was amazing at stopping the run, clogging the middle of the Dolphins defense. His two men around him didn't do their job, but Soliai definitely played good enough to make that defense work. He should improve his rush penetration to take his game to the next level.


160.) Ron Bartell, CB, STL

On the league's most unknown team, Ron Bartell was the defensive star in the secondary. He didn't have an interception, but played lockdown corner all year long in Steve Spagnuolo's defense, up among the league leader's in fewest yards allowed per pass and highest success rate on pass defense (yup, this is the beginning of me breaking out the FO stats). Bartell took a while to get going but that sometimes happens with corners.


159.) Kenny Britt, WR, TEN

Kenny Britt seems like a doofus knucklehead as he's been arrested about 450 times since the lockout began, but his play is absolutely undeniable. He only played 12 games due to injury, but put up 9 touchdowns in those games while averaging 18.5 ypc. Kenny Britt was easily VY's most trusted target and it will be interesting to see how he plays with Jake Locker in the future.


158.) David Harris, MLB, NYJ

The Jets defense is really good. David Harris is another member of that unit in the top 200, and he's someone who's importance to the Jets is really underrated. His rank dropped from 2010 largely because he just wasn't as active as he was last year. He seemed to be a half step late to most plays. Some of it was probably by design, as he dropped more than in years past.


157.) Leon Hall, CB, CIN

He's next up in the list of people who took a big fall. Leon Hall's play regressed quite a bit in 2010, but some of that might have to do with the fact that the Bengals' pass rush was totally anemic and made guys like Hall and Joseph cover for longer. Leon Hall is still young and could easily rebound with a really good 2011.


156.) Kris Dielman, G, SD

Much like his interior linemmate Hardwick, Dielman had a really good year in 2010. Honestly, he was among my biggest snubs of 2010, so I had to include him on the 2011 list. Dielman was nasty on the interior and really the only member of the Chargers o-line not to be embarrassed by the Raiders d-line in their matchups.


155.) Oshiomogo Atogwe, S, STL

OJ Atogwe probably should have gone out on FA last year. He didn't have a bad year, but I think people are starting to realize that the reason he makes so many plays is that the rest of the Rams defense really isn't that good. He makes a lot of plays well down the field. That said, he is still a quality player and a leader of that defense.


154.) Gary Brackett, MLB, IND

I love Gary Brackett because he's a Colt, because he went to Rutgers and because he has been invaluable for the Colts for years. That said, I cannot deny the fact that Brackett just looked half a step slower in 2010. That doesn't make him a bad player, but one who isn't what he was before. Brackett is still very fast for a LB and an extremely smart player, but to think he will revert to one of the best 4-3 MLBs is probably a stretch now.


153.) Mike Patterson, DT, PHI

The Eagles have a gem in Mike Patterson, a player who is just absolutely solid all the time. He's never going to be Vince Wilfork or even Tommie Harris in his prime, but Mike Patterson rarely has bad games. He's rarely dominated by an o-line. He has missed just one game in his NFL career. Pat Burrell was for years a good player for the Phillies, but always a bit underappreciated with stars like Utley and Howard next to him. Patterson is that player for the Eagles.


152.) Geno Hayes, MLB, TB

Probably after Clemens and Tryon, Geno Hayes is the biggest 'What the Fuck?' in the first 50. Get used to him, as he's one of the best 4-3 OLBs in the game. He was a playmaking machine for the Bucs in 2011, making stops and almost all the available plays. Hayes was always around the ball, always active and could do everything. He's a star on the rise.


151.) Israel Idonije, DE, CHI

The second of 6 players on the Bears defense, Idonije exploded in 2010. He was always a good situational pass rusher for the last two years, which is why I trust him to keep this up more than Chris Clemons. He was a force in 2010, benefitting from Julius Peppers' presence opposite him, Idonije constantly caused pressure and forced four fumbles. Pass rushers can often play effectively well into their mid 30s, so the fact that he's already 30 won't stop him in the future.


Next up, 150-101.

NFL Top 200: Those Gone from 2010

Just like I did last year, I did my fully subjectively-objective ranking of the Top 200 players in the NFL right now. They are ranked with a mix of recent past performance (so more than just 2010, and really, if they were playing at the time, back to about 2008), future expected performance, importance to team and greatness at position. Anyway, before we get to the rankings, in which I will reveal 50 each day for the next four days, I will start with those who left the list from 2010.



Gone from 2010:

55.) Randy Moss - so I guess receivers can fall off the map just like running backs.

56.) Tony Romo - injured, and didn't play particularly well when healthy, as Jon Kitna basically ably replaced him.

63.) Antwan Odom - steroids built the man, and basically tore him down as well also.

65.) Steve Smith (CAR) - again, receivers can fall off the map easily.

66.) Karlos Dansby - one of the many Miami players who went into an abyss in 2010.

70.) Donovan McNabb - benched for Rex Grossman??

72.) Jonathan Joseph - Cincinnati had a disaster in 2010, and he was a big part of it.

74.) Jared Gaither - injured and oddly shoved into Jim Harbaugh's dog-house will do that to you.

76.) Will Smith - production slipped as age really started to show.

77.) Brett Favre - retired. Plus, he was horrible in 2010.

79.) Wes Welker - never came close to his pre-ACL injury production and started dropping passes like crazy.

81.) Jeff Otah - fell apart in 2010 which really hurt Carolina's chances.

83.) Aaron Smith - another injury plagued year, and Steelers have essentially moved on.

84.) Domata Peko - another man MIA for Cincinnati in 2010.

85.) Darren Sharper - never recovered from injury and was a shell of himself.

87.) Eric Wright - was passed in depth chart completely by Joe Haden.

88.) Chad Ochocinco - he should just change his name back to Johnson.

91.) Nick Barnett - injured and passed over in Green Bay's LB corp.

92.) Aaron Kampman - never fully adjusted after leaving Green Bay.

93.) Shawntea Spencer - play dropped completely. I overrated him after one good year.

94.) Andre Gurode - was dominated by many d-lineman in 2010.

96.) Jarius Byrd - those 9 interceptions seem like a long, long time ago.

98.) Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie - he should learn to not follow his brother's footsteps into overratedness.

102.) Stewart Bradley - I feel bad for the guy, but he has to come back from that ACL injury.

106.) Kris Jenkins - at this point, the Jets probably won't need him to be healthy.

109.) Bobbie Williams - still good, but didn't have as much obvious production.

112.) Quentin Mikell - the pass defense is Philly is probably more due to the CBs.

113.) Albert Haynesworth - well, isn't it obvious.

114.) Cullen Jenkins - he won a title, but it probably is time for him to go before people realize he was average.

115.) Jonathan Stewart - just like the rest of the Panthers, he had a down, down year in 2010.

118.) Mike Jenkins - Dallas's defense was absolutely pathetic in 2010, and he was a big part.

121.) Champ Bailey - Denver's defense was worse, and he was a big part.

122.) Joshua Cribbs - He's not Devin Hester and will never be.

125.) Tony Brown - passed over by more talented d-line teammates.

126.) Barrett Ruud - had an average year at best.

127.) Tony Gonzalez - best days are definitely gone.

131.) Cedric Benson - Still a nice back, but not top-200 worthy.

133.) Kenny Phillips - hard for anyone in the Giants plethora of a secondary to really stand out.

135.) Ray Edwards - fell off a little, which is bad heading into free agency.

136.) Vontae Davis - Miami needs him to get better.

138.) London Fletcher - he's past his prime.

142.) Jarret Johnson - had a really disappointing year after thought to have stepped out of Ray's shadow.

143.) Calais Campbell - Arizona needed him to step up, and he didn't.

146.) Steve Smith (NYG) - let's see if he can stay healthy.

147.) Travelle Wharton - another reason why Carolina went 2-14.

148.) Winston Justice - fell off in Philly, which killed them against Green Bay.

149.) Matt Birk - age really starting to catch up with him.

150.) Tanard Jackson - got injured and never showed what he did in 2009.

151.) Bob Sanders - pain's me beyond belief to do this.

152.) John Carlson - would have thought he would raise his game. Was wrong.

153.) Brandon Flowers - after a great start to the year, really fell off.

155.) Ricky Williams - the Ricky rebound is about re-done.

156.) Tommie Harris - benched mid year and now on free agent scrap-heap.

157.) Joe Staley - part of the reason SF never got it going.

159.) Jason Campbell - didn't get worse, but just a ridiculous, awful ranking by me in 2010.

160.) Alex Smith - read: Campbell, Jason, and take away the "didn't get worse" part.

161.) Felix Jones - I think the hysteria over him has to end.

163.) John Henderson - one of my hardest cuts, but did it because of age.

164.) Keith Rivers - stagnated while LB-mate got better.

165.) Jermichael Finley - still not truly buying the hype, and needs to come back from ACL.

167.) Bart Scott - really showed age at the end of the year.

168.) Aaron Ross - Prince Akamura might shove him off the team.

170.) Leigh Bodden - needs to return healthy from ACL injury.

171.) Corey Williams - injury concerns and he doesn't have a natural place on the line anymore.

174.) Chris Houston - got displaced in Detroit, but is still best player in that secondary.

179.) Frank Gore - really slipped off in 2010.

180.) Ryan Clark - part of the reason the Steelers pass defense failed late in the year.

182.) Fred Jackson - caught up in the muddle in the Buffalo back-field.

185.) Jammal Brown - failed in Washington, so maybe Sean Payton knew what he was doing letting him go.

186.) Anthony Gonzalez - rooting for him to come back, but I can't justify faith in him anymore.

187.) Chris Williams - Mike Tice didn't really help him rise his game.

190.) Jacob Ford - he fell off, but if you add a "y" at the end of the first name, then that guy almost made the list.

191.) Chad Henne - he isn't what I thought he was.

192.) Zac Diles - can't believe I ever thought he was that good.

193.) Jim Loehnard - Rex Ryan can say whatever he wants, but they replaced him rather seamlessly.

197.) Randy Starks - didn't rise in Miami's 3-4.

198.) Clint Session - never rose as a player.

200.) Hines Ward - continues to show his age as a player.


Next up, players 200-151.

How I've Come to Like Roger Federer

I hated Roger Federer. I hated him about as much as you can hate an athlete. Probably Bill Belichick is the only man in sports who I hated as much (yes, both are partly out of a fear/respect I have for the brilliance of each). I hated the way Roger played (his one-handed backhand basically a way of Federer sucking up to the old-timers). I hated the way he dressed (a belt and white sports-jacket and sports-khakis when coming on court in Wimbledon?). I hated the way he was really cocky and arrogant ("I was a treat to watch today" he once said). More than anything, I hated the way that no one else seemed to really hate him for those reasons, especially the tennis media, who all collectively decided to name him the Greatest Player ever before he even eclipsed Sampras' mark of 14 Slam titles. I hated Roger Federer about as much as I liked Rafael Nadal.

I no longer hate that man. I actually like him now. Roger Federer has become one of the most interesting figures in individual sports, a robot turned romantic. Roger Federer, much like his friend Tiger Woods, is seeing his kingdom being taken over, albeit in slightly different ways. There is no man out there close to Tiger's 14 major wins, but there are youngsters all over that can hit with him any day. Federer's kingdom is much closer to being overthrown, with Rafael Nadal closing in on his 16 majors not to mention the ever-increasingly one-sided personal rivalry, which has gone from 13-7 to 17-8 in over a year. However, in his slow decline from inhuman to very much human, Federer has become a sypathetic lovable figure - the man trying to hold on to what he had.

The moment I truly realized that I had become something of a Federer supporter (I should make it clear that I still wanted Nadal to beat Federer in the French Open Final, as I will in any match between the two) was in his match with Djokovic, the unbeatable man. I had always been a fan of Djokovic (again, I will always want Nadal to beat him), as I thought he was unfairly criticized for not winning titles when he simply wasn't as talented as Federer and Nadal from 2007-2010. I liked seeing Djokovic running away in Australia, and then sweeping the American Masters events. That said, his undefeated run through the clay season made me terrified. I'm not scared and fearful of Djokovic eventually taking #1 for 2011, mainly because it is inevitable and he has little chance of keeping it in 2012. I was scared of Djokovic winning the French. It was time for that streak to stop, for him to taste defeat for the first time since last thanksgiving. And Federer was the perfect man to do it.

Six months is a long time in tennis. Six months earlier Djokovic was the man who fought and clawed his way to upset Roger Federer in a dramatic incredible US Open Semifinal, twice firing winners when Federer held match point (the climax of a year of many match-point chokes by Federer). Djokovic ruined a dream US Open final between Nadal and Federer, ending my hopes of Nadal not only winning the career slam, but the 'Beat-Federer-At-Every-Slam-Final' Slam. Six months later, it was Federer fighting to a huge upset over Djokovic at the French Open ruining what was the new dream final between Nadal and Djokovic. Federer was the man who played spoiler, something unimaginable two years earlier, when Federer was winning the summer French Open-Wimbledon double and he was in full dick mode. Federer was now the lovable underdog, the man everyone thought was done. There was no perfect player to finally end Djokovic's run, as Nadal said, "The best player of the history" beat "The best player of today."

When Federer finally finished off Djokovic, he wagged his finger, telling us all "that's for thinking I couldn't beat this punk" and let off a roar, a celebration that seemed so geniune. I used to hate Federer that he fell down after winning the umpteenth major title (he does this without even attempting to cry, which seperates him from Nadal who tears up every time he wins a major). I used to hate that Federer's celebrations seemed choreographed and fake. He used to put on jackets and coats, courtesy of Nike, that made him look more like a preppy tween in a yacht club than an athlete fresh off winning a physical battle. This reaction seemed totally real, about how any man would react in that situation. He was 0-5 in 2011 against Djokovic and Nadal. He had lost two straight semifinals to Novak Djokovic, including a three-set loss that was nowhere near as close as the score indicated in Australia. He was a huge underdog. It was a serious surprise to everyone that Federer ended the streak that easily. He was the third man in the trivalry. However, he was finally able to remind us that it is indeed a trivalry, that he is capable of running with the younger Djokovic and Nadal (well, not Nadal). Federer gave us one more amazing moment, and finally one that seemed truly special.

Roger Federer is the Greatest Player of the Open Era (you could easily make a case that Rod Laver was more dominant, winning 10 majors despite not being able to compete for 5 years of his prime). Roger Federer has put up numbers and streaks that won't be topped. Nadal may beat his 16 slams. Some guy may one day win 5 straight US Opens like Federer, or three majors in a year three times. However, those players will have to be amazingly special. The one record that probably will never be topped is the 23 straight semifinals at majors. In comparison, Nadal's longest streak is 5. All that understood, it took me until Federer became the underdog, old and tired, to make me truly appreciate him.



It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I no longer fear Roger Federer (I love how I'm talking like I am the one playing him). I am confident Rafael Nadal will win all their big meetings in best-of-5 matches (he's won the last four). I am no longer scared off the specter of Roger Federer the G.O.A.T. He's not that guy anymore. He has to fight to make a final to beat a guy who used to fight to beat him. Roger Federer has become someone who was questioned about his ability, about his age, about his future. He always said that people count him out too soon. Of course, the media and him have had this rodeo for three years, but back then Federer was 27. He's now nearing 30. He's now way behind Nadal and despite his win in Rolland Garros, Djokovic in the rankings. After all the revelry, he still did not win the French Open and played amazing tennis to win just a set in the final. He's now the fighter, the underdog, the man who wants one more crack at the crown.

Roger Federer is still arrogant. He still thinks he is better now than he is. He is still a worse player currently than Nadal and Djokovic. He easily could never win another major (in that vein, I don't want him to win another). However, seeing Roger Federer have to work hard and drag and claw his way in attempt to do so is captivating, is interesting, is enjoyable. Watching Roger Federer now is fun. He still has that level that no one can still match, but that level only lasts for four or five games at a time before "old" Federer (as in age) returns, with an error filled backhand and misplaced serve. Those four or five games are something to cherish, something to behold, to remember that no matter how many matches in a row Novak Djokovic wins, and no matter how many people eventually pass him in the rankings, Roger Federer is the best of all time. I like him now, but mainly because I like the fact that that version of Roger Federer is retired. The more interesting, captivating and geniune version is here to stay.

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Before we depart, I would like to touch upon two other tennis topics.


1.) Novak Djokovic's streak was so underappreciated. While it was going on, especially in the French Open, it was a big deal, but the second Federer beat him, he returned to the backseat. There was no talk of "How amazing was that 43 match winning streak!!", it was just "Federer's back!!!!". Novak Djokovic arrived early in a shallow part of tennis history where Nadal was winning the clay events and Federer was winning everything else (2006-2007). In that time, Djokovic made five consecutive semifinals at slams, becoming the youngest man to reach the semis in all four majors (in comparison, Andy Murray just accomplished that). He won a slam. Then he seemed to plateau for three years, still making deep runs in almost every slam (Quarterfinal or better in 15 of 17 slams). He could beat everyone but Federer and Nadal consistently. He was continually battered and slammed by the media for not winning more, while strangely the media loved Andy Murray who even before this years Australian Open had achieved about half of what Djokovic had. Last year's US Open semi was the turning point. He always played Federer close but often lost close set after close set. Finally, he fought back and won the late games in the 5th set. He eventually lost to Rafael Nadal in a US Open final of extremely high level tennis. That set it off.

Djokovic's run was incredible. He won seven events before June. He won a major and four Masters titles, which is a good career (Andy Roddick in his career has won one major and five masters titles). More than that, Djokovic killed Federer each time they met (Australia, Dubai and Indian Wells without dropping a set), and even more impressively beat Nadal each time (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome - all in finals). Djokovic was 0-9 against Nadal in finals before 2011. He's now 4-9. He was 0-9 against Nadal on clay, and he's now 2-9, becoming the first man to beat Nadal on clay twice in one season, and the second to beat him twice on clay, period. Novak Djokovic grew up. His shots become better, sure, but he was always technically about perfect in every way except for his serve. What changed is his confidence. He believed he could beat Nadal and Federer and soon he believed he couldn't lose. His streak was snapped by the man who owns much of the other streaks in the history of the sport and it took a great effort to beat him. 43 matches gave him just one major, but I feel like Novak is still here to stay.



2.) Finally, there is Rafa. He didn't play well early in the tournament. What does a not-as-good Rafa still accomplish in the French Open: He wins the title with dropping just three sets, two in tiebreaks in the 1st round to Isner when he was serving out of his gourd. Rafael Nadal is basically what Federer used to be. He's now a man who everyone tries to find fault with, tries to find ways and explanations of why he will lose. I used to do it with Federer. Federer twice had to go five sets early in majors that he eventually won, much like Nadal. For Rafa, the tournament starts in the quarterfinals, and it was true here too, as he played B- tennis until the quarters and then eviscerated Soderling and Murray and beat Federer with Federer playing about as good as he can on clay. After all the smoke and clay settled, Rafael Nadal was the man holding the trophy, again. He will always be the man holding the trophy in Paris until someone beats him.

Thank You Sports Gods!!!

Before the finals started, I wrote that I hoped the Sports God's wouldn't bestow a championship on LeBron and company, validating their soulless hijacking of the league and that ridiculous behavior as a legitimate way of building a championship. The Sports God's haven't been great to me in the past year. The Colts were more injured than anything. The Astros are the worst team in baseball. The Devils missed the playoffs for the first time in ever. Barcelona was granted second and third life with asinine refereeing decisions against Arsenal and Real Madrid. Nothing had really gone right, but this made up for almost all of it. They did not let the Heat win, and almost as importantly (and assuredly something that will get undercovered), they let a deserving team in the Mavs win.

The Mavericks were the essence of a great team. They had one great player, but eight other average to good ones. They didn't have a bad player, save for Peja who got benched this series but was great in the Lakers series. They were constructed about as well as any team since the 2003-2005 Spurs teams before Ginobili and Parker became all-star caliber players. What was more, they brilliantly put together a team with many veteran players who had never won a ring, who had spent countless years slogging on good teams but never winning it all, and that provided a great amount of collective motivation to finally unload a pack of monkey's off their collective backs.

Of course there was Dirk, the superstar who was unfairly punished for basically having two bad playoff series in his career (2006 Finals and 2007 1st round). Dirk has been an amazing player for years, and I used to hate him for being so good back in the mid 2000s. He's easily the best international player ever (depending if you consider the African-born but American-collegiate Hakeem Olajuwon). He's probably top-25 all time (although I threw up a little when someone said that a Duncan comparison for best-forward was in play). After Dirk, though, were many players who like him had never won a title. There was Jason Kidd, who twice made the finals as the best player on his team, but lost to teams that had some of the best players of all time in their prime, in Shaq in 2002 and Duncan in 2003. There was Shawn Marion, who was a major cog on three title-worthy Suns teams from 2004-2005 to 2006-2007, but each time lost to Duncan's Spurs and ironically the 2006 Mavs. There was Peja Stojakovic, who before yesterday, went to bed each night thinking about the shot he missed that could have won the 2002 Western Conference Finals before the Kings lost in overtime. There was Jason Terry, who with Manu Ginobili, has been the best 6th man for a decade, living off the memory of missing a shot that would have tied the game in Game 6 in 2006. Finally, there was coach Rick Carlisle, who despite taking two prior teams to the conference finals, had never made the NBA Finals and unceremoniously fired despite a career winning percentage around .600. The Mavs were constructed like a team should: 12 men tied together with one goal - winning their first title.

The Mavericks also had the benefit of having a great, great ability to get hot. Their defense carried them for the first two games, which they were lucky to split 2-2. Then, as would eventually happen, they got hot and started nailing threes (after 69% in game 5, they "cooled" to 50% in Game 6). The Mavericks never backed down from the Heat, like the Celtics and Bulls seemed to do. They never relented. They new they would get their points in the 4th quarter, but they also knew that the Heat couldn't get theirs. Keep the game close in the 4th and pull it out. It's a oft-used cliche in basketball and football, but I've never seen it used better than the Mavs did. The Mavs and Heat both knew that sooner or later, the Mavs would make their run. In Game 3, after blowing a late 7 point lead, the Heat didn't fall apart, but in Game 2 and Game 4 they did, with the Heat twice going over 7 minutes with just one field goal, while the Mavs hit everything in sight. This had been a problem for the Heat all year long. They struggled mightily to close games, something that changed against Boston and Chicago, but Dallas was just too much offensively.

Of course, I would be remiss to not touch upon the Heat. In all honesty, the Heat got what they deserved in a way. James, Wade and Bosh must have known that because of their three salaries, the rest of the team would be less than great. You could easily make the argument that although players #2-#3 in Miami were a lot better than #2-#3 on Cleveland, Cleveland had the better roster after that. James and Wade also knew that they would have too sacrifice playing their game all the time, which came to a head in the Finals. The Heat are still a great team, and those three players are all still great (or very good in Bosh's case). That said, Dwyane Wade is already 29. Bosh is already 27. James in 26, and has been playing since he was 18. These aren't young guys. The younger nucleus resides in OKC and Chicago, if not Memphis and Portland. The Heat will not run away with any titles. If they do win one, they will have to earn it. Many people have said that this was the best chance for another team to beat the Heat as the Heat will have to learn how to play with each other. However, you could easily make the case that this was the best year for the Heat to win a title, a year where teams wouldn't really know how to play them defensively, and in a time where OKC and Chicago are a couple years away and Boston and LA are a couple years too late. They just didn't realize Dallas was at the perfect place.

As for Mr. James, well, you can right of any MJ comparisons. FOREVER. LeBron James as a player is 2-8 in NBA Finals games. I don't like quoting win-loss records for individual players, but in the NBA it is fine, since one player can win a title if he gets the help needed (Duncan, Hakeem, Nowitzki). Again, LeBron is 2-8 in Finals games (I will say that the 2007 Cavs were immensely overmatched in 2007 against the Spurs). Jordan was 24-11. Jordan never lost a finals. Kobe lost two, but also won 5. Duncan never lost a title. LeBron's 0-2. Worse was that LeBron shied away from being the man in this series, even after Dwyane Wade injured his hip and never returned to the level he was in Games 1-3. LeBron passed the ball away like it was poisoned, like it was an object he wanted no part of. LeBron wanted to win titles easily, and it showed as when he needed to put in the effort (and not huge effort, mind you, as he was being guarded by an old Shawn Marion and an older Jason Kidd), he couldn't do it. LeBron might be the most talented NBA player ever, but he's not the best, just like Randy Moss in the NFL. LeBron gave up any hope of him being the true heir to Michael Jordan, unless he wins the next six titles. (By the way, I'm not going to talk about LeBron's ridiculous "the haters go back to living their problem-filled lives" comments, but I'll say that they are in line with someone who's insecure about their own ability and truly don't understand why they are hated).

It was a long strange year for the NBA. One with dizzying highs, but rooted in a terrible low, when three players hijacked a league. It looked like they had rigged the league and basically colluded to win the next eight titles. In the end, it was a forgotten team that won the title, a team that basically all of ESPN's supposed experts picked to lose to Portland for no reason whatsoever other than the fact that Dirk choked five years earlier. The Mavericks were 57-25. They were one game worse than the Heat in the regular season, and swept the Heat. Was this really a surprise, that a deep team filled with hungry, talented veterans could beat a team with 2.75 stars and little else? One statistic to leave you with, one that really defined this season. When Nowitzkti played, the Mavericks were 55-17 in the regular season, and 16-5 in the postseason. They were the best team, and they deserved to be.

Re-Review: Arrested Development Season 2 Intro

So, before I start with the recap, I have to start with an update. Yes, I am putting the recap of Desperate Housewives Season 1 on hold, but I will get back to it (unlike my ill-fated 'Top 5 NFL Teams of the 2000s" which died as soon as I realized I would have to wax poetic about the Steelers and Patriots). I realized that doing a full 22-episode season of a one-hour dramedy is a little too ambitious for a first time reviewer, so I decided to hone my chops with a half-hour comedy, albeit one dense and layered enough to still make it challenging to perfectly encapsulate. Arrested Development has already been covered twice on this blog in excruciating detail. First, I wrote about it when I named it "The Best Sitcom of the 2000s", and then again when I compared its characters to the major players in the NFL's lockout. I've said on numerous occasions that I consider it the best sitcom I've ever seen. That doesn't mean it is the funniest (still Seinfeld, in terms of pure laughs and enjoyment), but it is the best, and definitely the most carefully, and deliberately written. It is a joy to watch, and unlike a lot of other good sitcoms, it is infinitely rewatchable (unlike my new pet Community, which really becomes slow and stale on multiple viewings). So here we go, a re-review of Arrested Development's Season 2, an 18-episode run of brilliance in comedy.

I picked Season 2 partly because 'The A.V. Club' is already doing a re-review of Season 1, and they do that sort of thing for money (in other words, a lot better than me), and partly because I am more fond of Season 2, a season with a better running plot, an extra character (although we lose Annyong), and just a little more spunk and layers than Season 1. To set the table for those who don't know, Season 2 begins with George Bluth escaping from the hospital after faking a heart attack, and Michael finally deciding to move away from the family. For those who really don't know, the show is about a rich family who's father and with him who's wealth gets taken away after they defrauded their investors, as well as making deals to build houses for Saddam, as in "Hussein" (as Buster lets us know). Son Michael is hardworking and takes over the Bluth Real Estate Company. His older brother GOB is a failing magician. His twin sister Lindsay is a failing socialite married to a chronically dissarayed, and failing actor Tobias, who also is a walking double entendre. Their younger brother, Buster, is a scared, nervous momma's boy. Michael's son Goerge Michael is in love with both his cousin, and an unwelcome, ordinary girl named Ann Paul Veal. The cousin in question is Meabe (pronounced 'Maybe'), and is the rebellious, scheming daughter of Lindsay. Of course, it is complete with their mother, Lucille who is as biting and caustic as any tv character ever. They all make up their happy little family, along with Uncle Oscar, who is George's haired twin brother, who happens to have an affair with Lucille. Yup, it is that kind of family. Anyway, That's the Bluth Family.

Season 1's main plot was about the arrest and incarceration of George Bluth, but the running theme was everyone was looking for something that they can't have. GOB was looking for a way back into the magic business, but kept screwing up (like losing magnate Earl Milford in his Aztec Tomb trick, or using unregistered help to perform his 'saw a lady in half trick'). Michael is looking for love after losing his wife to cancer, and only found it in the form of GOB's Columbian girlfriend Marta. Lucille is looking for a way to be rich again, but keeps getting her luxuries stripped away, like being relegated to pool-only members of the country club. Lindsay looks for a way out of her marraige, but is bound by her daughter to stay with Tobias. Tobias looks to be an actor, but instead all he gets is reserve-understudy to the Blue Man Group. No one is happy, but it makes for a whole lot of funny. Season 2 is more about reconnecting with what was lost, and that makes for a more interesting season in my mind.

Anyway, Season 2 of Arrested Development is about as good as the show got (although there was a brief 4-episode stretch in Season 3 where the show basically said "Fuck You" to FOX after realizing it was doomed, and let itself go, and the quality in that stretch was amazing). It was a tightly packaged season, that actually responded well to having its order cut-back from 22 to 18 episodes which allowed for a even-more packed finish. Having George Michael and Maebe one year older (and the actors themselves much more confident in their roles and abilities) allowed them to become just as important as the adults. It also amped up the self-referential and inter-textual humor, which made it more dissectable than its comparatively straight Season 1 (again, a lot like how Community ramped up its stylistic experimentation and meta-humor in Season 2 of its run, although Arrested did it and it improved the show - I'm not so sure Community got better, just more creative). I'll start probably tomorrow with "The One Where Michael Leaves", an episode where the title alone is a reference to Friends' persistence in starting each episode name with "The One Where/Which/When/With. It will also be the one time where this really isn't as much revisiting a show as it is writing down what I think about the show when watching it, since I've pretty much seen the show enough times to know the episodes line-by-line. But like in any watching of Arrested Development, I guarantee I'll unearth a couple jokes I missed the previous 10 times along the way.

MLB Season Ramblings Ver. 1

So, while the hockey Stanley Cup Finals and NBA Finals go on concurrently on alternating nights, I'll take this time to do the only thing that makes sense: talk about the MLB Season that is about 2/5 of the way through.

= The Brewers are back!!!! Them forcing the Phillies to 7 in the NLCS was my second most daring prediction preseason (after the one to come later - the one that really made me look stupid, moreso than picking against the Packers in the title game and Super Bowl). My reason for picking them was that loaded offense and the addition of Zack Grienke and Shaun Marcum. Well, 2-3 on that one. Greinke has been a disappointment, but is getting stronger each start. Marcum is the big surprise. He has been amazing so far. Either way, the offense has been great, with both Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder putting up huge stats (not a surprise at all). Both have an OPS+ over 160. The Brewers, in my opinion, will pass the Cardinals for good come the all-star break.

= The other big prediction was the White Sox winning the world series. In my defense, they are 18-11 in their last 29 games, which is probably more close to their actual ability than their 11-22 record in the 33 before that. The White Sox aren't that far away from an Indians team that seems to have already fallen back to earth. I'm probably not going to see that prediction vindicated, but their offense has been better of late.

= The AL East is still really, really good. I think the Yankees are actually overachieving in a way. Sure, Texeira and A-Rod haven't had their usual great years, but A-Rod might never have those types of years again. He is 36. He's past his prime, and that's also why I think he might not reach Bonds' record. Their pitching is still relying on getting good production from Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. Come on! That has a lower chance of lasting than Justin Bieber of staying relevant in 2020. The Red Sox are still my pick to win that division, and the Blue Jays are still lying around, just 4.5 games back. Should be fun.

= By the way, at what point does this Mariano Rivera thing end. The guy is 41, and you can make a case that his last 10 years were better than the first ten. I mean, over the last 9 years, he had one year with an ERA over 3, and then eight with an ERA under TWO!!! This is absolutely insane at this point. Fuck Jeter. Mariano is easily the greatest Yankee of this past generation of Yankee greatness.

= The two people that the Astros cast aside last year are both performing well. I guess the Phillies are trying to limit innings, because they've used Oswalt like he was 21, but he's still pitching great, with a 2.70 ERA, a 143 ERA+, and a higher than normal BABIP. His K rate is down, but Oswalt has been money for the Phillies, and has more than outpitched Cliff Lee this season. On the other side, Lance Berkman leads the fucking NL in SLG, OPS and OPS+ this season. Now, he's hurt, and his great start probably won't last anyway, but his resurgence has made me smile.

= What else has made me smile is that Albert Pujols has finally stopped being an automaton with the inability to play anything less than superhuman. Sure, he recently had back-to-back walk-off home runs, but he's still hitting below .280, and more than that he's OBP-ing .353 (his previous season low was .394). He's slugging .473 (previous low is .561). His OPS+ is 132, while his previous low is 151. Albert Pujols is still a very good to great player, but in my opinion, this is a harbinger of a slow decline for Pujols, something that honestly strengthens his "I never took steroids" stance.

= Derek Jeter has a 79 OPS+........................................................................................................... And that makes him the second worst major player on the team............................................ That is all. Actually, I will add this. If Derek Jeter gets a higher percentage of 1st ballot hall of fame votes than Mariano Rivera, the BBWAA should no longer vote for the hall of fame.

= The Diamondbacks make no sense. Their best hitter has an OPS+ of 126, but then again, only one of their regulars is worse than 100. They have only one starting pitcher with an ERA+ over 100 (Ian Kennedy, who is ironically much better at this point than Phil Hughes), but also have three bullpen guys above 240. I don't think they have the lasting power to keep up with the Giants, and the Rockies will make their annual run, but for a team that just four years ago had the best record in the NL and a host of young players, the Diamondbacks sudden rise seems a lot more real than the Padres last year.

= I love the Rangers. They make no sense. Nellie Cruz is having an off year. Josh Hamilton was hurt for 30 games. Mitch Moreland is their best hitter. That all said, they are #2 in batting, #4 in OBP and #2 in SLG in the AL. Then, they are #5 in pitching even though their best two pitchers are youngsters CJ Wilson and Matt Harrison. The Rangers are really a great organization, and remind me a lot of the Angels in the middle of the decade, with the team just good, even though everyone seems to be playing just okay to good.

= Then, there is that other team in Houston. To end this rambling baseball column, I'll talk about my team, the one who was recently sold to a guy who's debt envies the McCourts, and the team who just promoted a still too green Jordan Lyles probably just to sell tickets. The worst thing is I am sure that Hunter Pence will be traded midseason. He's been one of the most consistently good players in baseball. Did you know that Pence has the same career OPS+ as Robinson Cano, the man that the national media fellates daily. He's having a great year. Hunter Pence is the only reason to even think of the Astros at this point, and I'm really sure he'll be a Giant by August.


Baseball is just a grind, and there is still about 100 games to go for each team, which makes me love it all the more. So much is gone, so much is there to digest, and there is still so much left. It never ends, it's eternal, and that's why it is great.