1. Believe the optimism surrounding the end of the lockout. This thing is coming to an end very soon. I kind of always believed that when the NBA and NHL Finals were done, the NFL was going to have to be pretty close to a solution. I figured if they weren't, then everyone would know that we were going to have lost football in 2011. If you thought that the heat on the owners and players to resolve this thing up to this point was significant, wait until all Sportscenter has to report on is baseball.
2. Rocky McIntosh popped up in the news in The Gaffney Ledger, the local paper of his hometown. Rocky states that he would be happy to continue in the rebuilding effort undertaken by Mike Shanahan, but that he is unsure how it will all play out. Now, the word rebuild did not appear in quotes, but it was attributed to Rocky. I always find it very interesting when logical and sane people use the word, and our own general manager claims he doesn't know what the word means. Just saying.
3. I was asked on CSN's Lunchbox Live to name a Redskin I would draft in the 1st round of a Fantasy Football draft. Talk about a depressing realization. We have no Fantasy 1st-rounders. Chris Cooley is probably the only player on the roster that would be a Fantasy starter in most leagues, but he ain't going in the top rounds of any draft. On the other hand, we have a multitude of Fantasy sleepers--in many ways, our roster resembles naptime at the local preschool.
4. Fantasy sleepers on the Redskins roster (or will be soon) that will either be drafted in the last round or two or go completely undrafted: Anthony Armstrong, Leonard Hankerson, Rex Grossman, Roy Helu, Fred Davis and maybe the Redskins Defense. I am not advising that you draft these guys, but for little to no investment, you could get some value there. If Helu assumes starting duties from a potentially injured Ryan Torain, I would imagine he would have at least one MONSTER fantasy performance.
5. Regarding fantasy football and defenses: the top defenses are going to have a huge advantage in the beginning of the season, and it will carry further into the season than it typically does. NFL defenses usually seem to be a week or two ahead of offenses when the regular season campaign begins. This year, I feel like there will be a pronounced and prolonged advantage--especially among the league's top defensive units. If you play in a league like mine where defenses can score huge points, it will be smart to pluck the top teams early--certainly sooner than you would otherwise draft them. I mention the Redskins defense as a possible sleeper because of this reason and the fact that our second year under Jim Haslett can't be as bad as the first year. Can it? Please say it can't.
6. God help anyone with the name Joffrey today. That was a bush league move, man. You don't chop off the head of Ned Stark like that, you bastard. If Game of Thronestook place in modern times, Joffrey would be the kind of kid who wore a Yankees hat, a Lebron jersey and a Cowboys earring. There better be some serious whoopass coming that kid's way on this show...and soon. What is it about fictional medieval times that make people so ready and willing to devote themselves to pint-sized pricks?