The Recycle Bin

Thank goodness this one came to a merciful close; Houston has been shipped to Detroit.

Cornerback Chris Houston was traded to the Detroit Lions for a sixth round pick on Monday, the team confirmed.

Also, as part of the deal, the Falcons will move up to the second pick overall in the fifth round and Detroit will pick 18th in fifth round

Houston may have had some decent speed and athletic ability, but he was never a decent option; a nickel back at best.

Perhaps better news is that the Falcons should give a few compensatory picks.

The Falcons are also expected to receive at least two compensatory picks during the league’s meeting later this month in Orlando. Teams are awarded compensatory picks for the players they lose during free agency in the previous year. The Falcons lost linebacker Keith Brooking, linebacker Michael Boley, cornerback Domonique Foxworth and defensive tackle Grady Jackson last season.

Hopefully Brooking is worth something; he did have a decent year. Boley and Foxworth are sure to be worth two picks, but I doubt the Falcons will receive squat for big ol’ Grady.

At points yesterday the Atlanta race was not very interesting, especially as my favorite drivers fell out of contention thanks to poor setups with Goodyear tires. Then shit rained from the sky. Oh wait; that wait that was Brad Keselowski after Carl Edwards intentionally wrecked him, presumably as payback from earlier in the race and maybe as pent up frustration from other Keselowski run-ins.

Tom Bowles of SI’s Inside NASCAR, sums things up as “just racing” …

Which brings me to my third and final point: what Edwards did was no different than what any other driver has done through the years in retaliating for a wreck that took him out of contention. There was no intent to injure, and both drivers understand what happened and why. When the smoke clears, people need to realize this incident was “just one of those racin’ deals” and move on.

I agree with Bowles on his previous point; NASCAR has a tough call here. They said the boys could take care of things on the track. Edwards serves up the first test for this new hands-off stance.

My first reaction was to suspend Edwards. I really think payback should have come at a future race, not later in the day when Edwards was obviously hot headed, and ultimately reckless. I am still thinking things over because at some point someone else will be killed, which would be a damn shame, especially if my kids are watching with me.

The complete failure of US F1 is rather sad; however it is almost pathetic that the team is even talking about a 2011 entry. So many questions, two of which I will ponder now – what really happened and how did it fall apart so (seemingly) suddenly?

US F1 principal owner Ken Anderson is either a fool or delusional; maybe both. Does Mr. Anderson really think that he will just pick up the pieces, and start racing in 2011? At this point why would anyone give any money to this rag-tag startup? It looks like Mr. Anderson singlehandedly destroyed any hopes of an F1 future in the US.

What really happened? I honestly have no idea. Clearly the team was not ready regardless of how the new 2010 rules were going to play out, and more importantly Mr. Anderson and company must not have secured the necessary financial backing for this sort of undertaking.

Disappointing at best, and maybe best described as really downright disheartening to this F1 fan that really wanted to see a F1 racing future in America.

The Falcons are working out final terms of a six-year contract with Houston Texan CB Dunta Robinson.

We’ve known this was coming most of the day and it comes soon after the Falcons prevented Brian Williams from becoming a free agent by giving him a contract extension. Suddenly, the Atlanta secondary looks a lot better than it did at the end of last season.

I do not know much about Robinson; everything I have read indicates that he is a number one coverage DB, which is a great need for the Falcons.

The Falcons are hoping the return of defensive tackle Peria Jerry will help improve their pass rush. The signing of Robinson clearly is designed to improve the coverage.

Last season, he covered the opponent’s best receiver and played on both the right and left sides of the field.

Solidifying the corners, along with the return of Jerry should provide the Falcons with an instant improvement on the defensive side of the ball. Getting Robinson now gives the Falcons a lot of different directions to go with their first two picks (first and third rounds). They can continue to work the defense with additions to the d-line or LB corps. I would love to see the Falcons go defense with the first two picks, and look for value pickups along the o-line (specifically concentrating on the C spot) and WR and RB depth with their later picks.

According to the AJC, the Falcons have tendered several offers to their unrestricted free agents.

The team has made tender offers to right tackle Tyson Clabo, right guard Harvey Dahl, running back Jerious Norwood, punter Michael Koenen and offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka, according to their representatives.

Clabo, Norwood and Dahl all have four accrued NFL seasons and received first round tenders. With the first round tender their salary for 2010 will be $2.521 million or 110 percent of their 2009 salary, whichever is greater.

I doubt anyone will take any of these guys in exchange for a first round pick, but if they do, it is really a win-win situation for Atlanta. They either get to keep some decent players, or they get high draft picks in return. Seems like a joke because no one is going to give up a first round pick for a change of pace back (Norwood) or a second round pick for a punter (Koenen).

According to Racer, Team US F1 has closed its doors, which probably comes to no surprise to anyone following the team’s recent troubles.

Against the backdrop of weeks of uncertainty about the future of the American team, which had been struggling to get a car ready for the start of the season, sources have revealed team personnel have now been informed they are no longer required as the operation was not continuing.

It’s unfortunate. I never expected the upstart to be a front running; I did expect Team US F1 to put together a decent package, finish some races, and build some US enthusiasm for F1. Chasing after foreign drivers with serious sponsorship backing would have ultimately limited any appeal to US racing fans, or those just curious about this form of auto racing. I think Americans would have backed a true US based F1 team effort, but alas, it looked rather doomed from the start.

First up, the Falcons secured the 19th position in the 2010 draft; Texans get the 20th spot via coin toss. In the middle of the draft one spot may not matter a whole lot, but with the loss of their 2nd round pick, I think every spot does in fact matter.

NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks has put together his latest mock draft, which has the Falcons taking a linebacker.

19. Atlanta Falcons
Navorro Bowman, LB, Penn State

Mike Smith needs a playmaker at the weak-side linebacker spot, and Bowman’s athleticism makes him a perfect fit in the Falcons’ scheme.

I do not know much about Bowman; I think it is critical for the Falcons to get help on the d-line and in the secondary. If DT Peria Jerry is expected to make a full recovery, the Falcons could go in a different direction, but I think the first pick has to be an impact player on defense that can start right away.

The official Falcons site has an article with some quotes from GM Thomas Dimitroff and Head Coach Mike Smith. Nothing really earth shattering, but worth a read during the long buildup to the draft.

The weather this weekend has been absolutely wonderful – upper 60s and blue skies on Saturday and Sunday. We spent most of our free time outdoors – throwing footballs, practicing soccer, riding bikes, going on long walks, and cleaning up the year. You get the picture. It would have been a perfect weekend for shooting the airguns – the R1, R1 Carbine, R7, and the Marauder – however I never had the chance. Not that I am complaining that there were always kids in my shooting range; maybe next weekend.

Auto Club 500 Fontana
I am watching the closing stages of the race [50 laps left] as I write this entry; rain looms. I only watched the opening laps and this last part of the race. As mentioned above, the weather is too nice to stay inside. Fontana has never been one of my favorite tracks; just wish some of my drivers (Gordon, JPM, Junior, Smoke) where closer to the front. On the occasional look-ins, Gordon has been up front some, but it looks like he has a wounded engine.

Gaming Update
Are you kidding? With this weather? When I was not working on the site upgrade Friday and Saturday night, I was not in front of the TV. I did get in a couple of hours of White Knight Chronicles: International, which I continue to find a lot of fun. From a mechanics point of view, it is actually more interesting as you gain more skill points and build combinations.

Heavy Rain is coming on Tuesday (Feb. 23), followed by MLB 10: The Show (Mar. 2), and Final Fantasy XIII (Mar. 9). Needless to say, I have no idea how I will get in all these games, but I am going to try.

I am considering eBay’ing Madden 10 because I have not played it in a week, football season is over, and I would like to capitalize on something to put towards Madden 11. This is always a challenge – trying to hit the perfect moment to still get something for the game before the upcoming version makes the current version worthless. I am not sure if I am ready to throw Madden 10 away; it’s the best Madden in years and Madden Ultimate Team is a lot of fun. However I have not played it in two weeks, and with a slew of incoming games, my Madden opportunities are probably slim.

I’m actually having the same debate with FIFA 10. Unlike Madden, I have not gotten my money’s worth out of FIFA. The World Cup version will be here in April. I need to do some research to see what sort of gameplay upgrades the new version would offer over FIFA 10. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

More Site Stuffs – Green is Back!
I know I am biased; I love the new theme. I think it is the perfect complement to the original Calvert Games brand, without being overly done. It has taken a long time [calendar and actual weekend work] to get it back to this point. I think it was worth the effort.

As I mentioned yesterday, I still have some maintenance I need to do before I put a ribbon on this puppy and call it clean. I continued to polish the site today, and I have a few other items I would like to touch-up this week. I would also like to add in a few more plugins and widgets; nothing too over the top … just enough to make the site a more dynamic experience.

I missed this article from Racer last week. According to FIA president Jean Todt, the new F1 challengers do not have to show up for the first three races of the 2010 season.

Despite both teams insisting they are on course to make the first race, US F1 and Campos continue to be surrounded by speculation that financial issues will leave them unable to get their cars and outfits ready for the season opener in Bahrain on March 14. Although, under old rules, absence from a single race would result in the teams losing their privileges, F1 commercial rights manager Bernie Ecclestone and Todt have now confirmed that provisions are in place for competitors to miss a total of three races without penalty. This means that US F1 and Campos have theoretically got until the Chinese Grand Prix on April 18 to get their cars ready for action before they would officially fall off the roster.

So now the waiting begins. Will US F1 gracefully bow out given the chance?

Another interesting aspect of the story was Todt’s challenge for F1 to pull its pants up and get on with facing reality.

“We need to cut costs, improve the show and draw investors,” he said. “F1 must understand that the world has changed. How can you explain that an F1 car needs 80 liters of fuel to cover 100 kilometers?

Why not be the pinnacle of motorsports, by doing something impressive? I think this is a great point. F1 teams can achieve innovation, technological breakthroughs, and brand marketing by concentrating on some of the basics.

BTW, where is the next great F1 console title? I miss the yearly releases from back in the PlayStation days.

I have been posting and posting and posting, for a long time. Maybe too long; maybe not long enough. For better or worse, I have thrown up daily content for something akin to 7+ months, which is a pretty nice achievement, but I am going to have to end this run sooner or later. But not today.

I considered not posting today. It would have been a good day to end my streak because the 6 hour marathon called the 2010 Daytona 500 was rather draining. So it would have been easily excusable. The Daytona 500 had a great ending, so I figured I had to at least go down swinging. Congrats to Jamie McMurray.

Sunday Gaming
I got in some quality time with Out of the Park Baseball 10 (recently joined an online league), and of course continued my assault on the surprising good White Knight Chronicles: International.

It has been a long time coming, but at last it comes down to the field of play. You just know that both teams are praying that a Eugene Robinson Super Bowl XXXIII incident does not affect their team. Thanks again JA!

The Colts are favored by 5 (some lines have them higher), and I think they will pull this one off along the lines of 34-23. Yes, the Saints have a high powered offense, and they will blitz like crazy, but the Saints do not have the same caliber defense as the Jets. Peyton Manning will not be rattled, and while the loss of DE Dwight Freeney looms big, the Colts have a sturdy enough defense that they will overcome him loss.If this sort of thing matters to you, both teams have done well recently against the spread…

New Orleans:
* NO are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games on grass.

Indianapolis:
* IND are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games on grass.
* IND are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* IND are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 playoff games.

Except for the Indiana, and some small pockets of Falcons fans, I think the whole country is pulling for the Saints. I hope they go to bed disappointed!

Pat Yasinskas (NFC South Blog at ESPN) has posted some comments from an interview with Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff.

Dimitroff did say the Falcons will continue to try to build mostly through the draft.

“What I can tell you is that the draft will continued to be need based for us,” Dimitroff said. “And I can tell you it won’t be as lopsided as it was last year when we only took one offensive player or the year before when we kind of focused on offense.”

Dimitroff also said that injured players Harry Douglas, Brian Williams, Peria Jerry and William Moore are all progressing well in rehabilitation.

There are several interesting nuggets of information. First, I think we all knew that the Falcons would continue to build through the draft. No surprises. It sounds like the Falcons will split offensive and defensive needs in the draft, but I think they should focus heavily on defense. Second, the rehab update is good news. I am not sure if Brian Williams can return as the best d-back in the secondary, but if Peria Jerry is fully recovered, the secondary will get better instantly. If Harry Douglas regains his speed, that will be a major coup for the Falcons. It is almost like the walking wounded will be key draft picks, which will help since the Falcons without a second round pick.

I have always maintained that ranking signing classes was a crap shoot. You never know how an eighteen year old is going to react in his first year away from home, family, and his sweetheart. Of course you also do not know what happens when kids start “hanging” with the wrong crowd. The real world is just a different situation for some of these kids.

I am not at all surprised to see that Georgia pulled in a mediocre (by their standard) recruiting class. That is what happens in the midst of uncertainty, but hopefully this is just a bump in the road towards ultimate success. It has been a long time since 1980!

“Recruiting is about relationships built, and we knew when we went through a process like we did with our coaching changes, that some relationships were broken,” coach Mark Richt said. “It put a strain on some young men, and we know that some of them changed their minds and didn’t stick with their commitment.”

Still, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham got some nice pieces to play with as he revamps the defense. Freakish athletes such as Jakar Hamilton and Alec Ogletree could contribute quickly and several defensive linemen were added. On offense, the list is short on superstar recruits after missing out on receivers Da’Rick Rogers and Christian Green.

Let’s judge this class in 3-4 years, after the flunkouts, legal issues, and homesickness are resolved. It is one thing to say that the Dawgs now suck – such is the dejection of a 16th overall rivals.com class – but it’s another thing to see how these boys actually produce a few years down the road.

I thought this was a great article – kotaku talks about the impact of the 1994 MLB Player’s Strike on five replacement players that crossed picket lines and have been forever banished from the MLBPA.

Although these replacements later made full major league rosters, some of them contributing memorably, they are forever denied membership in the Major League Baseball Players Association, and thus their likenesses can never be used in any MLBPA licensed merchandise.

I never thought about this before; these players cannot show up in MLB licensed videogames. Baseball fans and videogame enthusiasts should give the article a read.

When I turned off the TV last night around 10PM, the #02 (1st) and the #99 (6th) were doing well. JPM was blazing a trail around Daytona and Jimmy Johnson drove a solid drive recovering from a spin and longish pit stop that left him battling from 11th place. Imagine my disappointment this morning to see that Montoya’s team was out, and Johnson’s team was in 6th after suffering mechanical issues.

So now my attention turns to GT, and the TRG #71 that happens to include Bobby Labonte. I have always liked Bobby because we both hail from Corpus Christi, in the great state of Texas. The #71 is currently leading the GT class, so at least I have something to cheer for over the next 8 or so hours.