You ever have that one friend who you try and get out to do stuff but when you call he’s always got a cold or not feeling well or just not up to it? You know the one. You spend all this time with them in a bunch of different settings but they’re always ‘sick’ or ‘hurt’ when you try to get them out. ‘Are they a hypochondriac?’, you ask yourself. ‘Do they need more vitamin C in their diet?’, you muse. ‘Are they just feeling embarrassed after a BBC porn marathon?’, you giggle to yourself. You just don’t know but you don’t trust it’s really a health issue. So you start asking them to go do things less and less and eventually…well it’s not that you hate the guy/girl but you’re not really friends with them anymore either. So you start hanging out with other people in those social settings and slowly move away from spending time with them. I bring this awkward analogy to the table to talk with you about Hakeem Nicks. Per my private sources (i.e. the search function on twitter), the wideout coach Kevin Gilbride – and honestly most of the staff/ownership – are getting a bit fed up with the always nicked up Nicks. Per this twitter guy, Gilbride’s quoted as saying ‘I think he needs to… practice. He knows it. He and I talk about it all the time and he knows it’. Now Nicks is no Allen Iverson, but with another DTD next to his name as he recovers from a groin injury, I’m feeling more and more confident in my Hakeem Nicks Overrated post earlier this summer. Practice is there for continuity, it’s there to make for a solid understanding of how to approach the season as a team. Anyone who doesn’t think in some part not having Nicks ready to go on time last year didn’t throw things off is lying to themselves. But as I hate to be a downer for everyone, I’m gonna find the silver lining and guide you in that direction…in the next player blurb! But before I do that, I want to remind you to kiss your mother, tell her that you love her and to join/create an RCL. Don’t know how? Well here’s a guide to all that is our Razzball Commenter Leagues that you’ve always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. But enough shameless promotion, on with the show. Firstly, I’m gonna miss the opening preseason game so you won’t get notes on that. By the time I reach my grandma’s house, I’ll have been on the road close to 10 hours so mea culpa if I’m not up for watching/get access. Only so much a man can do. Secondly, let’s continue on with our training camp notes for 2013 Fantasy Football…
Rueben Randle – Words out of training camp have been pretty glowing about Randle so far. I’ve heard quite a few ‘the’s’ as well as ‘and’s’ and the occasional ‘he’. Of course, the more important headlines about him have been he’s ‘posterizing the NYG secondary’ which – if history holds true – doesn’t mean THAT much but the reality is I’m avoiding Nicks in drafts and getting plenty of Randle shares this year.
Michael Vick – Looking more and more like the frontrunner for the job as he starts taking the majority of 1st team reps. Tune in next week when I say the exact opposite in favor of Foles! I’m kidding, of course…at least I think I am.
Kevin Kolb – Slipped on some wet rubber mats, hurting his knee and is listed as DTD which stands for ‘Destined To Disappoint’. I’ve been behind Kolb getting the starting job but if you’re getting hurt on stuff we wear for protection, there’s no helping this man.
Stevie Johnson – Out with a strained hammy. Said Johnson, ‘Every training camp I’ve had, I’ve had an injury. But when the season starts I’ll be ready to go’. In other words, he doesn’t like participating in training camps…reality is, he’ll be fine come draft day. Any man who still plays through a fractured vertebrae gets a pass in my book. Plus he plans to be a dirty little slot for those Bills so count me as on board.
DeAndre Hopkins – Getting plenty of praise so far in Texas with Kubiak throwing out words like ‘tremendous’ and ‘exceptional’. Throw in ‘exciting’ and ‘new’ and you’ll sound like every new Apple product unveiling ever there, Gary. In truth, though I worry a bit about ball distribution with Foster in the backfield and Schaub the one check pony under center, Hopkins is sounding like a bench/WR3 draftee that should be on many teams this year.
Rashard Mendenhall – Resting up as he battles knee tendinitis. Yes, the surgically repaired knee. Yes, that’s a bad sign. Hopefully it’s just as they say it is and he’ll be back in on Monday which to you is today but to me is two days away. As I’ve already drafted him earlier in July, I hope I’m right about Monday. Hey, maybe I can change the future by typing it? Rashard will be good to go and rush for 2K yards this year. Never hurts to try…here’s where I’d tell you about Ryan Williams and his injury if he were relevant. Trust me, he’s not. Rashard barely is.
