Brad VanFossan's Los Angeles Dodgers friend's fan blogs

I'm going to predict every NFL game this year and keep track of my record, maybe I can help some of you gambling junkies win some money.  I'm going to shoot for a winning percentage of .700.  Here goes:

 Pittsburgh over Tennessee

Atlanta over Miami

Philadelphia over Carolina

Cincinnati over Denver

Baltimore over Kansas City

Cleveland over Minnesota

Indianapolis over Jacksonville

Dallas over Tampa Bay

New Orleans over Detroit

Houston over NY Jets

S.F. over Arizona

Seattle over St. Louis

NY Giants over Washington

New England over Buffalo

Green Bay over Chicago

Continue reading "Week 1 NFL Predictions"

...this offseason:

-The Indians have already traded better players so why not?

-The Indians are not going to contend next year (repeat in 2011, 12, 13, 14....etc.)

-You can't build your team around a guy who strikes out too much and hits .260 when he's healthy.

-Trade him while other GM's still feel he has a tremendous upside and before they have a few more years to see his batting average and extra base hits decline as they have since 2006.

-Grady's Ladies have got to go.

-There would never be a chance of another Surfing Sizemore bobblehead.  Hard to imagine a kid who grew up in Washington state did much surfing.

-There would never be a chance of another Sizemore fleece blanket, paving the way for just a plain Snuggie giveaway, which is all we've really ever wanted as fans.

Continue reading "The Case for Trading Grady Sizemore"

and possibly in all of sports radio and media.

-He doesn't care if you like him or not.

-He doesn't take too many phone calls.  Yes, even your calls "Mr. Intellectual, Soccer guy" usually are uncessary.  Too many calls from mouth breathing booger eaters can only bring the show down.

 -He doesn't conduct too many interviews, and the ones he does, the people will at least talk and have something interesting to say.  Too many interviews to me is lazy and no one wants to hear cliches everyday, and for the most part, a lot of coaches and athletes are boring.

-His stock is rising.  Like all good, sucessful and ambitious people in life, he has branched out into bigger things.  His show SportsNation is an example of that.  I think alot of listeners are taken aback by his brash tell it like it is style because they feel insecure about the boring and ambition-less lives they lead.  Life's true 'playas' get it.

Continue reading "Why Colin Cowherd is the best thing going on ESPN radio..."

But I haven’t wrote in awhile and I’m bored, so I figured why the hell not? Today is that 20% chance the Indians have at winning one out of every five games they play. That means Cliff Lee is on the hill. Tonight he opposes Blue Jays rookie lefthander Brett Cecil. I’m not sure what the Indians record is right now, but I can assure you I’m doing them a service by not mentioning it.

Some things that caught my script “I”:

-I had to catch the first inning in the car and thought it was interesting that Tom Hamilton said one thing that’s certain is Marco Scutaro will have a big series since he is a former Indian farmhand, referencing the big series had by Franklin Gutierrez and Russell Branyan in the Seattle series. I thought it was a nice little jab at the Indians inept front office.

Continue reading "I really don’t even like this team anymore…"

I'm sorry to say it, but that's the reality of things.  Even if the Indians are able to resign Victor.  At this point I'm already thinking of Cliff Lee in terms of being on another team, whether it's before July 31, 2009 or by July 31, 2010 is the only uncertainty as far as he goes.  And as far as Victor, I highly doubt he'll be around either.  Sure, he's saying all the right things, but the guy wants to win, and money wins over sentiment always, at least in sports, and sadly, in real life for the most part.  Plus, remember Jim Thome, and CC, where as CC never did say he wanted to stay, he pretty much said the right things without flat out saying he was leaving.  Victor is doing the same thing, just in broken English.  The guy deserves better than to stay on this grease fire of a team anyway.  He deserves a shot to win while he's still in his prime.  I wouldn't blame him one bit if he left.

Continue reading "Enjoy Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez while you can, as the ever unpopular rebuild looms."

Well since I’ve last wrote, Mark Shapiro has said Eric Wedge’s job is safe at least for this year, so I’m not going to continue to beat a dead horse calling for Wedge’s head anymore. What I do think is funny is that a guy who is equally if not more responsible for the unraveling of this team is saying someone else’s job is safe for now, like he isn’t living on borrowed time himself. Sometimes I wonder if Larry Dolan really cares or what kind of trance Shapiro has him under. If he is under one, I’d like to get my hands on some of that elixir Mark has been giving him. Tonight it’s Jeremy Sowers vs. Mark Buehrle in Chicago for the now infamous 8:11 start time. Here are some things that caught my script “I”:

-Jeremy Sowers is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball…in the first inning.

Continue reading "Konerko dialed in at US Cellular. White Sox 10, Indians 6."

July 3, 2009

I thought I would try to watch an Indians game again, well at least more than a couple innings even if it got to the usual 6-1 opponent lead by the third inning. So far as I’m writing this the Indians bats have come alive and they are leading 8-3, but it’s wayyyyyy early. There is still that thing called the bullpen waiting in the wings. I’m guessing win or lose the Indians and A’s players will want to escape from Progressive Field like smooth criminals before the MJ tribute fireworks show starts.

Here are some things that caught my script, and after this season, black and blue “I”:

-There is still some incentive to watch Indians games. STO is giving away Browns tickets during the Oakland series.

-It’s weird to see Jason Giambi on this A’s team. He’s not the star he once was but in my opinion he’s literally and figuratively too big for a small market team like Oakland, he looks out of place.

Continue reading "Indians are a good Bad on MJ fireworks tribute night."

I recently had a chance to talk sports, working in sports, and even a little Arod with 710 ESPN Seattle’s Liz Mathews. Liz is “The Professor” John Clayton’s producer on The John Clayton show on 710 ESPN Seattle, an avid Seattle Seahawk fan, and she practices law. Liz was nice enough to take the time to answer every question I had for her, and did a great job in doing so.

I got a chance to stream John’s show this past Saturday, and I can honestly say I thought it was very good. My readers know I tell it like it is, so I wouldn’t just say this. Not only was the NFL insight great, but it was very cool to hear John talk about baseball and other sports as well. And not to mention the great music Liz plays coming in and out of the breaks! Overall, the show is very well done, informative, easy to listen to, and fun! Without further ado, here are the questions I had for Liz and her answers:

Continue reading "My interview with 710 ESPN Seattle's, and The John Clayton Show's producer Liz Mathews"

Cleveland Indians vs. Cincinnati Reds

June 28, 2009 - Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio

David Huff vs. Micah Owings

Watching the Indians lately is liking going into something knowing in advance it’s going to give you a migraine but you continue with it anyway. With aspirin in hand, I’m ready to watch game three of the “Ohio Cup”. I haven’t heard of a worse cup since the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State. Today is game one without Mark DeRosa, who was acquired from the Cubs in the off season for three pitchers, then later traded to the Cardinals for a pitcher and a player to be named later? Makes sense when pitching has been the weakest part of your club right?

Some things that caught my script “I”:

Continue reading "Cincinnati Reds leave town with the Ohio Cup! Please take Wedge and Shapiro too!"

Indians vs. Reds

Friday June 26, 2009

Progressive Field - Cleveland, Ohio

Jeremy Sowers vs. Aaron Harang

Interleague foes have led to interleague woes for the Tribe this year. Coming into tonight’s game vs. Cincinnati, the Indians are 4-11 vs. National League opponents. One good thing going into tonight, this Reds lineup doesn’t look the least intimidating on paper, minus Joey Votto, it’s nothing to write home about. Then again, neither is ours!

Some things that caught my script “I” during the game, today, or from recent happenings:

-If you’ve gotten a negative vibe in my writing lately, you’re correct. I really don’t have too much good to say about the Indians and I probably won’t until there are upper and field level management changes, but I will still give credit where credit is due to individual players and I still want to see this team win games.

Continue reading "Reds have the effect of a bad meal, Indians get the runs, win 9-2"