http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/2704 Recent articles about Laurence Maroney en-us You want proof that NFL rookies are getting paid too much when they sign their rookie deals? Just check out the chain that Laurence Maroney was wearing at the Celtics game last night. Thu, 01 May 2008 09:19:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262151 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/262151 This article looks at historical statistics to try and determine criterions that explain which wide receivers will have breakout seasons in 2008. Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:14:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/224633 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/224633 Bruno Boys Caviglia: Hello, and welcome to the Bruno Boys first installment of the "Offseason Roundtable." Throughout the offseason, Chris Ziza and I will be giving our opinions on the happenings around the NFL and what you can make of it from a fantasy football perspective. With drafts less than 5 months away this valuable information can help you prepare for the upcoming 2008 season. Bruno Boys Ziza: Thats right Cavigs, it's never to early to start researching for the upcoming fantasy football season. It's a year round job if you want to take home your leagues championship trophy. Now let's get on with the show! ------------------- 1. What impact will WR Randy Moss resigning with the New England Patriots have on his and QB Tom Brady's value? Do you expect a similar year of production from both players in 2008? Bruno Boys Ziza: I think this helps Moss more than Brady, as I see the Patriots trying to go at least a little more into the direction of a solid running game this year. Moss remains with a team that has a solid QB that will be looking for him deep a few times a game, allowing him to remain on top of his game if he chooses to do so. As for Brady, this allows him to keep his homerun hitter, but I still see the Patriots using running back Laurence Maroney more, which all but should at least affect his fantasy football stats to some degree. Bruno Boys Caviglia: Patriots fans better praise Randy Moss for "wanting to win" and not chasing the money, because in my opinion New England's front office stiffed him financially. Regardless, when it comes to fantasy football, Moss should be able to have another stellar season in Foxboro. He might not eclipse the 23 touchdowns he had in 2007, but 1,400-1,500 receiving yards and 15+ touchdowns is likely. As for Tom Brady, the weapons surround him to continue his production, but to think he can repeat the 50 touchdown pass performance he had last season is a strech. Still, I believe Brady's 2008 totals will hover around 4,000+ passing yards and 35-40 touchdown passes, which make him worthy of an late first or early second round selection. ------------------- Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:02:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/207220 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/207220 Good article on the past success of QB's and RB's drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Written by Dallas Cowboys' beat writer, Mickey Spagnola. Of the 54 quarterbacks selected in the first round of the past 24 drafts, including supplemental and that 1984 underclassman draft, only six of them have been able to win a Super Bowl - Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Trent Dilfer, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. That's it, 11 percent, and Young and Dilfer didn't win their Super Bowls with the team they began their careers with, oddly both Tampa Bay. Let's continue now, simply looking at first-round backs and what they mean to your Super Bowl aspirations. Go back to the 58 backs selected in the first rounds between 1990-07. Only 15 of those guys have played in a Super Bowl. But five of those didn't get there with the team drafting them - Thomas Jones (his third team), Antowain Smith, Tyrone Wheatley, Faulk and Bettis. Also nine of those guys were merely complementary pieces in their team's Super Bowl run - Dexter Carter, William Floyd, Wheatley, Trung Canidate, Ron Dayne, Jones, Bettis, Cedric Benson, Laurence Maroney. Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:11:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/206378 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/206378 Well, it's been a while. I've spent the last two weeks doing my best NOT to think about football, the Super Bowl, the season, etc. And now I'm ready to reflect. I put myself in the "this is a huge failure of Schiraldi proportions" camp. I don't see a silver lining in an 18-1 season. I don't really care about the regular season. 2007 was a failure, a huge fat failure (I mean orca fat). A bigger failure than last year's disappointing loss to the Colts, bigger than losing to the Broncos the year before, and yes Sox fans, even bigger than Aaron Bleepin' Boone's walk off. But I think I'm ready to move on. Well at least that's what I'm telling myself as my mind constantly questions almost every coaching decision made in that game while I see 100 replays in a row of Asante Samuel dropping that game clinching INT. Yeah, clearly I'm not over it, but here's 19 reasons why I haven't thrown myself in front of a 'T' train since SB42 (other than the fact that I live 3,000 miles away). Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:54:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/144433 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/144433 On a cold, wintry night in Denver, eight fantasy football experts gathered for one of the first Mock Drafts of the 2008 season. They represented a wide variety of backgrounds and companies, each bringing a unique perspective to the drafting process. The league starts one quarterback, two wide receivers, two running backs, one tight end, one flex (wide receiver or running back), one kicker, and one defense. The league is scored using a standard Yahoo scoring system, with the only exception being all receptions count for one point. Now, onto the results! Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:54:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/144110 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/144110 New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick couldn't bear to watch the final second of the team's Super Bowl loss against the New York Giants. The team fell 17-14 on a Giants' score with 35 seconds remaining. Quarterback Tom Brady was under pressure all night, finishing with 266 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked five times and completed just 60% of his passes. Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:42:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/124547 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/124547 Giants 17, Patriots 14 - not a misprint, but the score of Super Bowl XLII. You can exhale now, Don Shula and Mercury Morris. As for Nick Buoniconti, well, I imagine the former Patriot and member of the '72 Dolphins might have some mixed feelings. And Amazon.com, you've got a lot of refunds to hand out! Well, unless they decide to make it '18-1: The Story of the Almost Unbeatable Patriots,' though that likely won't sell nearly as well. Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:06:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/122970 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/122970 Including, the latest SpyGate nonsense, why Gregg Easterbrook is a douchebag (I could name much more than 10 reasons why), key matchups, Andre Tippett = HOFer, Belichick's bitches and more in this fun filled Super Bowl spectacular done in the vein of Peter King's MMQB. P.S. - Sorry, I don't have an anecdote about traveling and I didn't go to Starbucks this week. I know those are two points of the column that you all love to read. Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:35:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/121550 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/121550 Disclaimer: Not safe for work, if you hate the Patriots or are a superstitious Pats fan who's afraid of a jinx. Being that I'm extremely busy this week, much of the Super Bowl coverage from The Red Zone Report is being left in the hands of my more-than-capable staff. And, instead of going and doing a regular game preview, I thought I'd seek out a top fan blogger representing each side to talk about why their team's going to take care of business on Sunday. So, thanks to John Cyr of the Evil Patriots blog, who took the time out to break down why and how the Pats are going to take home Super Bowl XLII. Oh, and if there are any quality Giants bloggers out there who'd like to give their rebuttal, I'm still looking for you. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:03:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/118445 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/118445 With only a few days left until the big show, FIO co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter takes a look at the New England/NY Giants match-up for Super Bowl XLII. Included are: Game-Time Forecast, a review of the two teams' 2007 Regular Season Meeting, a look at the present state of both teams on offense and defense, and a Game Outlook with prediction. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:12:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/118046 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/118046 Laurence Maroney and Reebok have teamed to launch a line of shoes and apparel inspired by Kool-Aid, the summer sugar-water that doubles as Maroney's nickname. I might just have to get me a pair of the grapes. "OOOOHHHH YEEEEAAAAHHHH!" Big ups to With Leather for the find. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:56:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/117839 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/117839 Chad Johnson has made it known to anyone who would listen that he wants out of Cincy and has publicly listed the Dolphins as one of the teams he would like to go to. According to Jay Glazer, Johnson approached opposing coaches this season and asked them to get him out of Cincinnati. What about NE, Belichick has proven that he can make chicken salad out of chicken sh-- and has proven that once a player leaves NE, he's only about half the player he was in NE. The Pats could trade anyone but Brady including Richard Seymour, Asante Samuel, Laurence Maroney and be as good or better with Johnson, he's probably come to NE cheap just like Moss did. I doubt the Pats do anything about Johnson but it would be interesting to see what would happen. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:22:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/114985 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/114985 Im not sure laurence maroney will stay or go at NE, but i dont think they should let him go. Hes good, young, and fast. He isnt the best, and he hasnt played alotbut just like josh beckett. He wasnt very good when he came to the red sox, but now he is starting to shine. Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:06:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/93972 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/93972 the attached article totally is all about the ABSOLUTE HILARITY that is kool aid maroney. HOWEVER, the last few games that the pats have played have been notably lacking in a certain ... randy moss way. defenders have double teamed or contained him, leaving my football games missing that punch, missing that mid game RRRRRRRRRRRANDY shout. fantasy football superstar, playoff football dud? break records and then nothing? modesty? overwhelming defense? (bs, he could make the colts cry.) come on man, you've gotta do better than that. i know we have welker and gaffney and stallworth and KOOL AID maroney (oh yeah!) but tommy b, foot brace or no, i need some randy moss tv time. i need the ridiculous celebration moments, i need the screaming when he is on a major run, i need the hilarious facial expressions. it makes football that much more entertaining (even moreso than tom coughlin, who resembled violet from willy wonka's crazed blueberry uncle.). so randy moss, i ask you, please make the super bowl become the randy moss show. that would cap off an epic season, no doubt. and it would make me dance in the awesome air moss shirt. right? right?? please bear in mind that i may possibly be the only female that owns the hilarious (and terrifying) randy moss mask. i leave you all with the awesome randy moss snowman, which i FINALLY figured out how to post (what's up, no html? laaaame). under the cut, or whatever. -bot. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:44:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81283 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81283