Categories
FANTASY

HONEST FANTASY FOOTBALL ADVICE

I PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH !!!

If you follow me on my various Social Media channels?

YouTube – Cobe Life

Instagram – Cobesports

Twitter – Cobeness

Then you will know what my Fantasy Football philosophies are. I use a Tier based Fantasy draft value selection process. I place additional importance on Running Backs over every other position. I prefer to draft a Quarterback in the middle Rounds, and then draft a QB with upside late. I usually wait as long as possible to draft a tier two Tight End. I stock up on Players in high powered Offenses. I will draft a Defense in a weak Division over a highly ranked Defense that’s in a tough Division.

MY EXPERT LEAGUE TEAM

The Gridiron Pros League has been running for over a decade. It is a 12 Team PPR Experts League that allows you to Keep two Players to carry over into the next Season. There is no cost to your Keeper selections so it makes sense to keep whichever two Players you believe are the most valuable. All touchdowns earn the Player 6 points whether it’s a Run, Catch, or Pass.

Quarterbacks get 1pt/30yrds, -1pt/sack, -2pt/interception. There is a 5pt bonus for throwing for over 400yrds.

Rushing is scored at 1pt/10yrds. There is a 5pt bonus for rushing for over 100yrds, and an additional 5pts if they break 200yrds.

Receiving is scored at 1pt/10yrds. There is a 5pt bonus for receiving for over 100yrds, and an additional 2pts if they break 200yrds.

With that in mind here is my current roster to begin Week 5.

QB Carson Wentz – acquired via trade for Aaron Jones I drafted in the 3rd Round (gained 2020 3rd)

QB Josh Allen – Drafted

QB Baker Mayfield – Free Agent

RB Alvin Kamara – Keeper

RB Mark Ingram – Keeper

RB Chris Carson – Drafted

RB Ronald Jones – Waivers

WR Robert Woods – Drafted

WR Alshon Jeffrey – Drafted

WR Courtland Sutton – Drafted

WR DeSean Jackson – Drafted

WR A.J. Green – Drafted

TE Evan Engram – Drafted

TE Chris Herndon – Free Agent

DST L.A. Chargers – Drafted

K Eddy Pineiro – Free Agent

THINGS OF NOTE

I told my Followers to Trade Jarvis Landry, Frank Gore, or Aaron Jones at the beginning of this week. What did I do in my single most important league? I TRADED AARON JONES! Proving once again that I practice what I preach.

Usually I wait on a Tight End, and draft one of the last Tier 2 Players available. In this particular draft I ranked Evan Engram as a tier 1 Tight End. The other 3 Tier 1 Tight Ends went off the board fast. Allowing me to Draft Engram at a considerable value so I did.

The only reason I currently have three Quarterbacks is because Baker was a Free Agent. He showed some promise in his last game. I can see what he does this Week and decide what to do with him. I had space on my bench so why not.

My Wide Receivers are thin due to injury. If DeSean Jackson, or A.J. Green aren’t back soon? I will be forced to see what’s available on waivers, or make a trade. I specifically picked up Chris Herndon in Free Agency as potential Trade bait later.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NOTABLE ABSENCES ON MY ROSTER. THINGS THAT OTHER ANALYSTS WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN’T GO WITHOUT.

David Montgomery was being aggressively hyped by quite a few Fantasy Football analysts. I could have drafted him but I didn’t. The reason was simple. The hype made his price too high. You know who I got instead? Chris Carson in the fourth Round. David Montgomery’s ADP in 2019 was in the middle of the 3rd Round. Tell me which Running Back you would rather have goung into Week 5?

I don’t have a Top Tier Wide Receiver! The variance in Fantasy points from week to week with Wide Receivers is far greater than Running Backs. It’s not because they have a greater breakout potential either. Running Backs and Wide Receivers have about the same odds to breakout. The variance comes from the significantly lower floor Wide Receivers have the potential of hitting. Starting Running Backs always get touches. Touches are what create opportunities. Wide Receivers will have games with little to no touches. No touches means no opportunities. So I don’t see the need to draft high value Wide Receivers. Instead I load up on Wide Receivers in high powered Offenses. In this case the Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Rams. I also added number 1 Receivers on bad teams that I could draft really cheap. Those would be Courtland Sutton, and A.J. Green. Teams playing from behind have to throw the ball, and in those cases their number 1 Wide Receiver usually gets touches.

If you want honest Fantasy Football advice designed to help you actually win then…

FOLLOW ME !!!

Categories
GOLF

TAYLORMADE PROJECT A VS SRIXON Q-STAR TOUR

Srixon Q-Star Tour Golf Balls

About halfway through this golf season I switched from the Taylormade Project A golf ball to the Srixon Q-Star Tour ball. After a few months of play with the Q-Star Tour it’s time for a comparison.

Both balls are specifically designed for golfers that swing their Drivers at a little less than 100mph. Both balls have a 3 layer design with a Urethane cover. In other words they should be perfect for me.

The Project A has a 322 dimple pattern, and 70 compression.

The Q-Star Tour has a 338 dimple pattern, and a 72 compression.

COMPARISONS

DRIVER

Neither of these balls have proven to be the longest balls off the Tee for me. That Award belongs to the Nike RZN Red unfortunately. A ball that’s no longer in production. That being said the Srixon Q-Star Tour is slightly longer off the Tee than the Project A. Both fly relatively straight, but like any 3 piece ball will slice or hook if you hit it poorly. Both balls promote a mid to high ball flight but don’t sail too high.

Taylormade Project A 3.5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

WOODS AND HYBRIDS

Both balls performed great off my 3 Wood and Hybrid clubs. Once again the dimple patterns and ball compression promoted a high ball flight. That made long approaches into Greens less daunting. 2 piece balls rarely hold the Green off my Hybrids, but these 3 piece balls landed soft enough to attack Pins. There was almost no difference in Hybrid distance, but the Srixon Q-Star Tour did travel further off the 3 Wood. The Project A generated a little more spin so it held Greens slightly better. I was able to hold Greens with my 4 Hybrid from 180 yards out with the Project A. That’s ridiculous!

Taylormade Project A 4.5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

IRONS

Once again both balls performed great off the Irons. When attacking Greens with an Iron in hand it’s hard not to smile. I used to club down and aim for the front of Greens with 2 piece balls expecting about 5 yards of roll out. With the Taylormade Project A, and Srixon Q-Star Tour I can take aim at the flag and stick it. In fact if I opened the club face just slightly I could spin the ball back a couple yards. This allowed me to play shots to the back of Greens for the first time. The opportunities this provided me in certain situations was amazing. If ever there was an argument to switch to a premium 3 piece ball that would be it.

Taylormade Project A 5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 5 out of 5

SHORT GAME WEDGES AND PUTTER

My Short game is very consistent. I don’t have that many different shots that I use around the Greens. I prefer to use Chip and Runs whenever I can. I hit flop shots when necessary, and I occasionally hit a one hop Pitch shot. Chip and Runs are actually a little more difficult with 3 piece Urethane covered balls because they want to check up. As a result of that I was forced to hit them a little harder than what felt natural. Hitting flops over hazards or out of bunkers was a blast. Even out of the Rough I could generate a fair amount of spin. The Srixon Q-Star Tour was a little more durable which surprised me. The newest Spinskin is far more durable than the original version. Off the Putter I found the Project A to be a little more responsive. It felt a little hotter off the face which is great for me because I have a tendency to leave putts short.

Taylormade Project A 4 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

CONCLUSION

Obviously I was impressed with both balls. If you add up the scores it’s a tie, but the numbers don’t tell you everything. For me there is an obvious winner, and that’s the Srixon Q-Star Tour. If I was a naturally longer hitter than I would have chosen the Taylormade Project A. I love the amount of control, and Spin that I can generate with that ball. It’s also a pleasure to putt. The additional distance I get with the Srixon Q-Star Tour is impossible to ignore though. An extra 10 yards can make a world of difference on some doglegs, and it Spins well enough to attack Greens. In other words it’s the better ball for me.

Categories
FANTASY

NFL WEEK 1 RECAP

So Week 1 of the 2019 NFL Season is in the books. There are a lot of questions left without definitive answers, but we do know a few things.

Here is a list of what we know.

THE AFC EAST IS A JOKE

The New England Patriots will once again continue to have the easiest path to the Superbowl. The Miami Dolphins aren’t just bad. They are definitely the worst team in the entire NFL. Watching the Baltimore Ravens steamroll them to a 59-10 win reminded me of watching the Harlem Globetrotters toy with the Washington Generals as a kid. It didn’t seem fair. The only reason the Buffalo Bills get to begin the Season with a win is because they didn’t play quite as bad as the New York Jets. There was talk of Josh Rosen working on his accuracy during the Off season. It sure didn’t look like it to me. The Jets lost 17-16 after having a 16 point lead. That should about tell you how well organized that team is. Unless the Patriots are feeling charitable that’s 6 wins in the bag. Add their win against Pittsburgh and they are already 7-0 on the Season. Sounds like a pretty easy road to the Superbowl.

PATRICK MAHOMES IS STILL MVP

Mahomes continued from right where he left off. Took him less than two minutes to throw his first TD of the Season. His top playmaker Tyreek Hill got hurt early in the game, and it didn’t even slow him down a little. Instead he helped Sammy Watkins have the best game of his career. It wouldn’t surprise me if the AFC comes down to Brady vs Mahomes again.

RUNNING BACKS AREN’T OBSOLETE

The NFL has done everything possible to make it a passing league. Dalvin Cook, Austin Ekeler, Christian McCaffery, Derrick Henry, and Chris Carson proved that a strong running game can still compete. McCaffery and Cook accounted for the majority of their team’s offense. You can make it almost impossible to hit a Quarterback, increase the catch window to four times the size it used to be, make it illegal to tackle Wide Receivers if they can’t see you, and only allow Quarterbacks to be tackled between the shoulders and thighs provided they still have the ball – aren’t in the process of passing – and you don’t land on top of them with your full weight. You still can’t deny the strength of gaining 4 yards at a time while the clock keeps running.

ROOKIE COACHES ARE CLUELESS

Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid Offense looked completely out of sorts. It took a Matt Patricia decision to play prevent Defense and stop pressuring Kyler Murray to let them execute. Matt Patricia isn’t a Rookie Head Coach but he might as well be. Freddie Kitchens coaching in his first Season opener looked like a total nube. Absolutely poor play calling, as well as an inability to keep his team under control resulted in two Player ejections. The majority of veteran coaches that switched teams failed to win as well.

THE FOUR TEAMS TO BEAT

There were two teams in the AFC, and two teams in the NFC that appeared to be significantly ahead of the rest. In the AFC it was the Kansas City Chiefs, and the New England Patriots. In the NFC we were treated to what could be the game of the year when we got to watch the top two teams go head to head on Monday night. The New Orleans Saints, and the Houston Texans looked amazing.

THE SECRET TO WINNING AT DAILY FANTASY FOOTBALL IS TO PLAY AS MANY PLAYERS AS YOU CAN AGAINST MIAMI.

YOU ARE WELCOME

Categories
FANTASY

2019 FANTASY FOOTBALL STEALS

Every Season there are a few Players that get overlooked for any number of reasons. These are the Players that could prove to be the reason you make the playoffs. After completing a number of drafts it has become obvious to me who they are.

Josh Gordon

Everyone knows who Josh Gordon is. When he is playing at his top level he is one of the most talented Wide Receivers in the league. Of course there is the extensive list of off field issues which have led to multiple suspensions.

The league agreed to reinstate him in early August. This was late enough in the off season to limit the amount of chatter about his fantasy impact on the New England Patriots. Josh Gordon is the best WR1 Tom Brady has had the pleasure to throw to since Randy Moss. It took a few games for the Brady to Gordon connection to start working. Once they got their timing down though Josh Gordon became a serious weapon. With Gronk gone Brady needs a reliable endzone target and Gordon will be it. It wouldn’t surprise me if he finishes as a high WR2 in fantasy but he isn’t being drafted as such.

A.J. Green

Here is another Player slipping till later in drafts that could potentially take the right fantasy football team to the championship. A.J. Green has dealt with injuries the last couple of Seasons. He will begin this Season on the sidelines with an ankle injury. He is likely to miss the first 4 games of the Season. He is being drafted in some leagues like even when he returns he will perform like a Flex starter. When A.J. Green is on the field he is a WR1 in Fantasy Football. He is still one of the most difficult Players to defend in the NFL. If you find yourself in the Playoffs and are fortunate enough to be able to start A.J. Green in your Flex spot. Trust me when I tell you that your opponent will feel like things don’t look fair.

Aaron Jones

Will Aaron Jones gets the increased workload that everyone hopes he will get in the new Green Bay Packers Offense? If he does he could finish as a Top 5 Fantasy Football Running Back. With Ty Montgomery gone his number of touches should increase. What everyone in the Fantasy Football community seems to be afraid of is whether new coach Matt LaFleur will make him the featured back, or have him split carries with Jamaal Williams. Even if they do split carries, where Aaron Jones is going in drafts still makes him a high upside RB2 that you can get quite late. In two of the most competitive leagues I’m in I was able to draft him as my RB3. If he gives me RB2 production that’s a steal. If he becomes the featured RB and finishes the Season with RB1 numbers that’s a League winner!

Cooper Kupp

Classic case of Fantasy Football Managers being seriously afraid of Players coming back from injury. The days of torn ACLs ending careers is far gone. Modern medicine has made recovery times shorter, and allowed Players to return with the same ability they had before the injury.

Before Cooper Kupp tore his ACL he was averaging 5 catches for 70 yards and almost a touchdown per game. In PPR that’s 18pts/game. I’ll take that as my 7th Round pick where I got him in a draft last night. Brandin Cooks, and Robert Woods are going much earlier in drafts but don’t provide better upside. When I drafted Cooper Kupp last night I already had Julio Jones, and Tyler Lockett as my Starters. I picked up Dante Pettis, and Mike Williams later as backups. If Cooper picks up where he left off I’m laughing. If he doesn’t it won’t hurt me.

It’s about Value

I’ve said it again and again. Every Player is draftable for the right price. When a total bargain is staring you in the face don’t pass it up. It doesn’t matter what the so called “experts” say. When you find yourself in the League final send them a screenshot with a roster full of Players they told you to avoid.

Categories
FANTASY

2019 FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT BARGAINS

Average Draft Positions are Flawed

Anyone that makes there picks based entirely upon Average Draft Position is practically guaranteed to lose. If you have played Fantasy Football for more than 1 season then you should already know that I am right. Then why is it that 90% of the “fantasy football experts” base their analysis on ADP? Then every one of you that tunes into their YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Website uses their findings to plan your draft around.

Last season Patrick Mahomes was the top QB but his ADP was around 100th overall. George Kittle finished the season as the number 2 TE but in most leagues he wasn’t being drafted until after the 10th round! In my most competitive league which has been running for over a decade, both Players went way before their Average Draft Position. The Managers have learned in that League that if you see something special in a Player, and you want him on your roster. You have to ignore that Player’s ADP because he could go 3 Rounds earlier easily.

If you really think about it, and look at how we arrive at Average Draft Positions. The Average Draft Position of each Player is determined by calculating where they have been drafted most often in a huge number of mock drafts. This immediately creates two problems. The first is that in every real draft there is 1 winner, and 11 losers in a 12 team league. Yet Average Draft Position is determined by all 12 participants. Obviously the majority of the selections were poor, or absolute crap. The second issue with Mock Drafts in particular is that they provide you with a ranking or grade at the end of it. That grade is based on the projections (educated guess) made by the creator of the software. Well if their educated guesses were correct you could simply win every draft by allowing your website of choice to Auto Draft for you. I think everyone knows that auto drafting rarely works out well.

What Average Draft Position has successfully done is create opportunities for savvy Managers to take advantage of Players who have been incorrectly projected by the software creators, and therefore drafted later by the legions of poor mock drafters.

Veteran Fantasy Gold

There are 4 players in this category that have the ability, situation, and opportunity to provide you with an advantage over your opponents. All 4 of them are going in the 8th Round of drafts or later, and in some cases aren’t even being drafted at all in some leagues.

Adrian Peterson

Undeniably one of the best to ever play the position, and despite his age still puts up fantasy relevant numbers. Last Season he had over 1000 rushing yards, another 200 yards through the air, and 8 total touchdowns. Those are RB2 numbers, and last season he wasn’t even drafted in most leagues. So much for ADP. Sure Derrius Guice is back, but you can’t expect Washington to just drop a full workload in his lap. Not to mention there’s no guarantee that Guice will remain healthy all season. My guess is that at worst Adrian Peterson splits carries with Guice this season. That would make him a viable flex starter, and a serviceable backup in case your roster gets diminished by injury. If Guice isn’t 100% then Adrian Peterson becomes an RB2 once again. It never hurts to have a couple of those on the roster.

Tom Brady

Brady has been going undrafted a lot this season, and that shouldn’t be the case. I’m not telling you to make him your stating QB. Draft him as a backup to begin the season, and he’s also a great spot starter against weaker teams. His numbers weren’t spectacular last season, but they weren’t bad either. Everyone keeps harping on about the loss of Gronk but I actually prefer his targets available to him this season. Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Josh Gordon, Demaryius Thomas, James White, and Sony Michel. If the majority of those players stay healthy, and out of trouble that’s ridiculous! Now given those names I know that’s a big IF. What are you really risking though if you select Brady in the late rounds of your draft. You know what the best part is? The Patriots have a history of running up the score against weaker teams. Teams like the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. It’s no wonder they get to the playoffs with relative ease every single season.

Larry Fitzgerald & DeSean Jackson

I listed these 2 veterans together because they are in similar situations. Both of them are playing for a team they feel incredibly comfortable with. Both have the ability to completely take over a game when given the opportunity. Both have to adjust to an offense they weren’t in last season. The best part is that both are being overshadowed by other players on their team in drafts. Christian Kirk is being drafted way before Larry Fitzgerald in most drafts. I understand the upside with Christian Kirk but sometimes a high floor is what’s needed, and Fitzgerald gives you that. With a new QB, Offense, and Head Coach you might want to feed one of the most sure-handed receivers in history the ball. Just saying.

With Carson Wentz coming back from injury the Philadelphia Eagles will do whatever they can to keep him healthy. One such way is to keep Defenses honest. I expect a balanced attack between Run and Pass. The only way you can maintain that balance and win games is to have success at both. Last season that wasn’t the case so the Eagles addressed it in the off season. To improve their run game they brought in Jordan Howard, and drafted Miles Sanders. To prevent defenses from stacking the box they brought back DeSean Jackson. You want to limit the pressure on Wentz, and provide him with a deep target to take the top off defenses. There’s no better way than adding someone like DeSean Jackson. He will play a similar role for Wentz that Hill plays for Mahomes, and you saw how that worked out.

Opportunity is knocking

Two more players that find themselves in advantageous situations are Dede Westbrook, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Dede Westbrook had a decent season in his second year with Jacksonville. He finished with 66 catches for 717 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Not bad numbers considering Blake Bortles was under center having a down season. About the only thing worse than Blake Bortles having a down season is Nathan Peterman having one. With the off season acquisition of superbowl MVP Nick Foles things are bound to improve. How much will they improve is the real question< and so far the majority of drafters out there don’t expect much. I would expect a 20% improvement at least, with far more opportunities in the red zone. It wouldn’t surprise me if he finished the season with around 900 yards and 8 touchdowns. His ceiling is significantly higher though. I’ll draft him with confidence.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling could very well be Aaron Rodgers number 2 target this season. That should be enough to peak your interest right there. He has looked unstoppable in the preseason. Granted it is the preseason but that’s a good indicator that he’s feeling completely confident entering the season. Aaron Rodgers also seems especially motivated this year. The entire NFC should be worried about that. If you can remember the break out seasons that Randall Cobb had as Aaron Rodgers number 2. Then you know what is possible for Marquez this season. 1000 yards and double digit touchdowns aren’t out of the question.

YOU CAN TRUST ADP IF YOU WANT – BUT IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WINNING – I SUGGEST THAT YOU DON’T !!!

Categories
GOLF

CAN YOU PLAY TOO MUCH GOLF?

Yes and No

Golfing has obviously become a large part of what I do. Whether it’s researching new equipment, new technology, keeping up with the PGA & LPGA, practicing, or playing. Every day I’m doing something golf related. When it comes to playing, I play a lot. Sounds like heaven to some of you I’m sure. Well over the last couple of years I’ve realized something. It is possible to play too much golf. I’ve personally experienced what it can do, and seen the affects of too much golf on others.

There needs to be a Balance

Before I get into the explanation of things, this really only applies to people who are serious about improving at golf. If your goal is just to go out with friends and have fun? Then playing as much as possible if you enjoy it is fine. Now if you are more like me, and are serious about improving your game then there needs to be a balance.

The balance that I’m referring to is between the amount you play, and the amount you practice. There are a number of ways to improve your game, but the most effective means is through practice. Don’t get me wrong, playing does help you improve as well. For the most part though improving while playing requires success. Hitting a great Bunker shot is a perfect example. Generally speaking the majority of golfers take a little extra time to prepare for a bunker shot. You make sure your stance is perfect, and you aren’t allowed to ground your club so you take extra time to insure your setup is right. Then when you are sure everything is perfect you take your shot. When it works you know exactly why. What happens when things don’t work out on the course? You have done everything you believed you were supposed to do, and the end result is a total failure. Do you elect to do things differently the next time? Of course not! You convince yourself that maybe your timing was a little off, or you were a tad too close to the ball, or you lifted your head just before impact, or any number of excuses. The reality is that unless you get really lucky, you probably won’t fix the issue before the end of the Round. You know where you could have fixed it though? You could have fixed it out on the Range, or at your favourite practice area.

Where failure is fine

It doesn’t really bother me all that much when I hit a terrible shot during practice. It’s not going to affect my handicap. It isn’t that embarrassing. It provides me with a sense of what not to do. The last two Rounds of golf I played I was slicing quite a few of my drives. This is nothing new for me, but earlier in the season I had almost completely fixed my slice. Unfortunately after the first Round of golf I wasn’t able to get out to the Practice Range. I knew at the beginning of the second Round of golf that I was probably going to struggle with my driver, and struggle I did. I hit about 7 drives that Round, and not one of them found the fairway. You know why they didn’t? They didn’t because nobody wants to try something totally different during a Round. I’d rather miss the fairway by 5 yards, than completely shank my drive to the middle of nowhere, or even worse hit it 5 yards total by almost whiffing. If I was at the Range I would just try different setups, and swings until I figured out what was working. Then once I hit a few consecutively good shots I could go play my next Round with confidence.

Confidence is key

You have probably heard me say that confidence is the most important thing in golf so many times that you’re sick of it. Well it is! When people ask me how far I hit my Driver I give them two answers. I hit it around 250 yards at the Range, and around 220 yards on the course. Why two answers you ask? It’s simple. At the Range there’s nothing to worry about except how far you hit it, so you swing freely. Out on the course there’s hazards, rough, your score, strangers watching, and the understanding that if you hit a bad shot that you can’t just hit another one. So when I’m out on the course I generally don’t swing as hard, and that goes for most beginners. In fact I generally hit every club in my bag about 5 to 10 yards shorter out on the course.

So what’s the right amount?

Play as much as you would like, provided you practice at least half as often as you play. If something is off with your game then practice more often until you get it right. That way you won’t develop bad habits that are hard to break. Personally I try to practice more than I play, but with the Canadian golf season being so short it’s difficult at times. There are plenty of ways to make practice fun, so find what works for you and stick to it.

Categories
Uncategorized

2019 NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPERS

Players that could breakout in 2019

This list is in no particular order. These are just a few Players that I believe find themselves in a perfect situation to have a great Fantasy Season. Each one of these Players should outperform their Average Draft Position barring injury.

Andy Isabella

Arizona Cardinals – Wide Receiver

This selection goes against one of my basic rules in Fantasy Football. Stay away from Rookie Wide Receivers! In this particular case I don’t see the risk involved to be nearly as high. First of all the Arizona Cardinals will begin the Season with a new Head Coach, running an entirely new Offense, with a Rookie Quarterback. This negates any chance for preexisting Receiver preference. The Offense being run is essentially a College Football Air Raid Offense, which Andy Isabella should be more familiar with. This particular Offense relies on getting the ball out quick, and utilizes a lot of underneath routes where Andy Isabella truly shines. All of that adds up to what could be an amazing rookie season for Isabella.

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens – Quarterback

Despite only starting 8 games last Season, Lamar Jackson proved that he could be a valuable Fantasy Football Quarterback. What was most impressive about his performance, was that it appeared as though the playbook was limited to just a few set plays. A lot of what he accomplished was through pure athleticism! Now imagine what he can do with a full off season dedicated to helping him succeed as the starting Quarterback. With his mobility he could finish the Season as the Ravens’ number one rusher. You know that means Fantasy gold. I see him as a late Round bargain that could become your weekly starting Quarterback.

Mike Williams

LA Chargers – Wide Receiver

There’s no denying that Mike Williams has the size (6’4″ 220lbs) and big play ability (10 TDs in 2018) to dominate in the NFL. For some reason though I’ve seen quite a few drafts that have him going much later than you would expect. I have seen him fall into the 6th or 7th Round in 12 team leagues. On what should continue to be a high powered offense with Philip Rivers at the helm. Mike Williams should continue to have a lot of opportunity. Especially in the Red zone where Keenan Allen usually draws dounle coverage. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Mike Williams finishes the Season with more Touchdowns than Keenan Allen, who is being drafted much earlier.

Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos – Wide Receiver

If you have followed me long enough then you will know that I’m a Denver Broncos fan. So you might jump to the conclusion that my selection of Courtland Sutton is a touch biased. It isn’t and I’ll explain why. Courtland Sutton will be receiving passes from a proven Quarterback for the first time. I’m not a huge fan of Flacco but he is a veteran starter with a Superbowl ring. Courtland Sutton will begin the Season on top of the Denver Broncos depth chart. He began last Season as the third option. Unlike other Players that suddenly find themselves as the number one target in the off season, Courtland Sutton got a taste of what it’s like last Season, and performed well. The Denver Broncos are the only team in the AFC West that are seen as a Defensive powerhouse. I like the Chargers Defense for Fantasy but in reality they allow too many big plays. Courtland Sutton looks poised to have a breakout season.

Marlon Mack

Indianapolis Colts – Running Back

Marlon Mack appears to be on paper a slam dunk pick at Running Back. The Indianapolis Colts look like a lock to make the AFC Championship. Not only do they possess a high scoring Offense, but their young Defense is dominant as well. Marlon Mack had a lot of competition last Season, and proved he was the starter. He improved in every statistical category. The Colts should be playing with a lead in the majority of games. This could lead to an increased workload for Marlon Mack which means more fantasy points. If I can get Marlon Mack as my RB2 I’ll be thrilled.

Jared Cook

New Orleans Saints – Tight End

Quite a few Fantasy Football analysts would argue that last Season was Jared Cook’s breakout Season. 896 yards with 6 touchdowns for a Tight End is excellent. So far this Season Jared Cook is being drafted as though last Season was an anomaly. There is reason to believe that his numbers this year could be better. He leaves Oakland, and goes to New Orleans. That’s an upgrade. He will now be catching passes from Drew Brees instead of Derek Carr. That’s also an upgrade. He will be catching passes in the Superdome instead of Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. That’s definitely an upgrade. Jared Cook has the potential for a very high ceiling this Season.

Kirk Cousins

Minnesota Vikings – Quarterback

Kirk Cousins was on my list of potential breakout Players last Season. I targeted him in all of my drafts, and didn’t get him in a single one. Did he breakout? No not really, but he did have a good fantasy Season. He is now in a position to have a great Fantasy Season. With a full Season and off season of preparation he should know the Offense perfectly. He should be totally in sync with his two star Wide Receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. With Dalvin Cook back his completion percentage is guaranteed to improve, and it should yield some very easy passes for touchdowns as well. Vikings are also in win now mode so Cousins’ is expected to perform.

Let me know if there is another Player that needs to be added to this list in the comments.

Categories
GOLF

GOLF ONGOING REVIEW UPDATES 2019

The value of ongoing reviews

When I started the ongoing review format last season I wasn’t sure how effective it would be. The results were staggering to say the least. Products I originally assumed wouldn’t stand the test of time actually did. In fact I am still using some of them. I also learned that first impressions are more about personal bias, or effective marketing than actual fact. Kudos to the successful marketing departments out there.

This season has been no different. Some of my early impressions haven’t been correct, and time has shown the occasional flaw I wouldn’t have noticed in a traditional review. So after four months of testing, which is around the halfway mark for my ongoing reviews. Here are a few updates on the products I’ve been putting to the test.

Taylormade Project A Golf balls

If you would like a complete review on the Project A golf balls check my previous blog post. The ongoing review of the Taylormade Project A golf balls has come to an end because I actually began testing them last October. Simply put the Taylormade Project A isn’t for me. I’m not saying it’s a bad golf ball. Quite the contrary actually. It Spins well off the Irons, and Wedges. It is one of the best balls I’ve ever tested on the greens to putt with. Where the Project A is lacking is distance. In the simulator it constantly came up with slower ball speeds than other balls I had tested. It was obvious on the course as well where I would be short off the tee or on long approach shots. If I was a naturally long hitter than the Project A would be perfect but I’m not.

My first impressions of the Project A were great! I loved the Spin I was seeing in the simulator, and it felt so good off the Putter. It’s why I chose to do an ongoing review in the firsat place. It took a couple of months out on the course to realize that distance was going to be a serious issue for me.

Swing Caddie SC200

I can tell you that my initial impressions of the Swing Caddie SC200 were fueled by excitement for the product. First and foremost the Swing Caddie SC200 does what it’s supposed to do. It is an accurate portable launch monitor. I’ve tested it right alongside a brand new GC Hawk by foresight and it was within a yard in acuuracy. Now I will say that the accuracy was poor on total miss hits. The Swing Caddie is much better at reading swing speed and ball speed, but fails at trajectory. Of course total miss hits are easy for almost any golfer to notice so just ignore those numbers and move on. Where the Swing Caddie SC200 really shines is in the hitting bay. Hitting into a net gets boring real quick without some sort of launch monitor tech. I’ve spent up to 4 hours swinging in a hitting bay with the Swing Caddie. The more swings you take, the more data it compiles. This is a feature I wasn’t originally interested in, but have come to rely on as the season progresses. The SC200 tracks your average swing distance with each club. As you improve the numbers will improve. You will also become aware of weaknesses in your game that you maybe weren’t aware of.

There have been a few flaws with the Swing Caddie SC200 that you should be aware of. The SC200 needs to be positioned on a surface that’s level with the hitting surface. Sounds simple but it can be a pain at times. Most of the Ranges in Canada only have mats to hit off of early in the season. This means that I have to bring something for the Swing Caddie to sit on in order to raise it up to the correct level. If it isn’t just right it can provide you with incorrect distances. The remote that comes with it is relatively easy to use, but I have found myself having to be within a foot of the screen to get it to work sometimes. Otherwise I have enjoyed my time with the Swing Caddie SC200 thus far.

Arccos 360

The Arccos 360 Golf Performance Tracking system might be the product we were most excited to test. Manny a Cobe Life contributor installed it on to his complete set of clubs, and we couldn’t wait to see how it worked.

The first impressions were poor because 4 of the sensors that came with the kit were faulty. Fortunately Arccos replaced them quickly through their customer service department. Out on the course the Arccos 360 system does what it’s supposed to do most of the time. You need to keep monitoring what the Arccos 360 system is successfully registering. Now at first we thought it was entirely the Arccos 360 system’s fault but there is a certain amount of user error you should be aware of. We noticed after a few rounds that some of the shots weren’t being recorded. Well the Arccos 360 system doesn’t know when you’ve duffed one. If you completely flub a shot and end up walking only a few feet forward to take your next shot. The Arccos 360 assumes the previous shot was just a practice swing. Even shots that you might have considered successful chips can be missed if they traveled more upwards than outwards, and your next shot is with the same club. So you need to be aware of these situations. Another habit you need to develop is remembering to hit your gimme putts. Something Manny wasn’t used to, and it’s best to hit them firmly to ensure that they register.

What we have been most impressed with is the club suggestion system when out on the course. The Arccos 360 doesn’t just suggest the appropriate club based on distance. It factors in your successful shot percentage with each club as well. In a situation where you would normally choose to hit Driver off the tee, it might suggest you choose a 4 Hybrid instead because your chances of finding the fairway are greatly increased with that club, and your approach percentages are almost the same with either your wedge or 7 iron.

Ping G SFT Driver

When it came to selecting which Driver I would be doing an ongoing review of, first impressions were important. I did some extensive testing in the simulator of a number of different Drivers before selecting the Ping G SFT.

So did I choose correctly? The jury is still out on that one. The first question on everyone’s mind is, does the Straight Flight Technology actually work? I can confidently say that it does. Will it straighten out a swing that’s way over the top with a club face totally open to path? Hell no. What it will do is make closing the club face easier, and create a sweet spot slightly closer to the heel of the club where most Beginners tend to hit it. There are times when my swing is just atrocious, and I can’t blame the club for that. When my swing is working though I’ve never hit it that straight with any other Driver.

One issue I’ve had is generating a decent smash factor to increase ball speed. Now I know that part of the issue has been the balls I was using, but even with practice balls in the simulator my Smash Factor has been relatively low. I’m sure part of it has been me, but so far the Ping G SFT does not appear to have a Hot face.

Winn JumboLite Grip

If you follow me on cobesports on Instagram then you will know how excited I was when I first tested the Winn JumboLite grip on my putting mat at home. It felt like sinking putts was going to be automatic when I hit the course. I will say that my putting has improved. It just hasn’t improved as much as I expected it would. Brand new the grip felt absolutely perfect, but after a few months it’s already lost some of it’s cushion in the hands. It’s obvious that this grip has some durability issues because already the rubber on the butt end is beginning to peel, and the grip itself is getting a touch hard in spots. For someone who golfs maybe once a month it’s fine but for an addict like myself durability is a concern. This is the first “jumbo grip” I’ve used, and I won’t be going back to regular sized grips. The next grip I choose won’t be as large, but it will be made of a more durable material. A soft grip is nice in the hands, but as the wear sets in the feel changes. That is something you don’t want to have to deal with when putting.

I don’t mind the look.

Acer XK Chipper

The Acer XK Chipper, or Flipper as they call it because of the increased loft didn’t impress me much out of the box. Be honest would you be impressed? First of all it’s made by Acer. This is a company known for making inexpensive computers, not golf equipment. I’d Tag them on social media but it appears as though they don’t have a golfing social media account. It’s not particularly impressive to look at, and the build quality is about as plain as can be. Still after last season I felt it was time to test a Chipper, and quite frankly I’m glad I did. Using the Acer XK took a bit of practice, but so does any new club. Once I got a feel for it, my results with it have constantly improved. Would I suggest it to anyone having troubles around the greens? Yes, a resounding yes, but it does have a few limitations.

Keep in mind that this is a $60 club so you shouldn’t expect it to be perfect. What the Acer XK lacks the most is Feel. It doesn’t have a Milled face, or a special insert that took years of R&D to design. It’s just plain old steel with 5 horizontal lines across the face. The reason I’m constantly improving with this club is because it takes a lot of use to get used to how hard you need to hit it. Correct weight is achieved through muscle memory not feel. If Spin is your goal then this isn’t the right club for you. I’ve managed to make the odd Chip check up a bit, but for the most part using a Chipper is about rolling it all the way to the hole. It’s so easy to use that I honestly don’t care if I miss the green. In fact sometimes it’s better to come up short than leave myself a long putt with lots of break. With the Acer XK chipper I can fly some of the break and leave myself an easier roll to the hole.

Ongoing Reviews are the best indication

I can tell you that if I only spent a day with some of these products my conclusions would be very different. Even a week would have yielded different results. The only reviews that genuinely inform you of a products worth are ongoing reviews. Anyone who says different is flat out lying, ignorant to the fact, or biased through marketing.

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Categories
GOLF

TAYLORMADE PROJECT A GOLF BALL REVIEW

What I have learned in 8 months

When I review a product I don’t just spend an hour or two in the simulator, at the range, or play a Round of golf on the course. I continue to test the product through my ongoing reviews until there is no doubt left in my mind about my conclusions. There are so many variables that come into play when you evaluate a product with a very small sample size. I don’t care if you are a 20+ Handicap golfer or Rory McIlroy. Every golfer has good days and bad days with their swing. If I tested a Driver one time in the Simulator on a good swing day. I might conclude that particular Driver is the best I’ve ever tested. The same is true for a Ball test. Without testing products on an ongoing basis it’s impossible to differentiate between what the product is responsible for and what your swing is responsible for. Tour

I’ve spent the last 8 months playing the Project A ball which theoretically should be the right ball for me. The A in Project A stands for Amateur. The ball has a Tour ball type of design with 3 layers including a Urethane cover. What separates it from the ProV1, TP5, and Tour B balls is the Compression. The Taylormade Project A has a lower Compression than the top Tour balls so slower swing speed Players can properly compress the ball at impact. According to Taylormade the Project A’s design should “combine to increase Driver and Long Iron distance while maintaining excellent greenside control and feel”.

Do I agree with Taylormade’s claims about the Poject A? Well to be honest I do and I don’t.

DRIVER RESULTS

Over the last 8 months I’ve switched from the Cobra Fly-Z Driver to the Ping G SFT Driver so my results are derived from a combination of shots taken with both. Having a slightly lower compression than the top Tour balls had me excited about the distances I should expect to see off the tee. My swing speed with the Driver fluctuates between 92 and 98 mph. I don’t consistently make center face contact so smash factor and ball speed can vary. There is one thing I’m very good at with both Drivers, and that’s knowing when I hit one perfectly. fortunately both Drivers provide a lot of feedback. Whether it was in the Simulator, at the Range, or on the course when I really smashed one the results were the same. The Smash Factor was a little bit lower than expected resulting in a slightly lower ball speed than what I’ve seen with some other balls I’ve tested. Carry and Total distances were an average of 5 to 8 yards shorter than the longest balls I’ve tested. Off center hits resulted in an even greater drop off.

Unfortunately for a Beginner like myself the Project A didn’t provide me with an advantage Off the Tee with the Driver. It isn’t the shortest ball by any means but it wasn’t particularly long either. Dispersion was decent. I have a tendency to hit a Fade to a Slice and I was able to find the Fairway the majority of the time. Of course the lack of distance is partially responsible for allowing me to hold some of those Fairways.

WOOD & HYBRID RESULTS

i play more Hybrid clubs in my bag than the majority of golfers. I have a 3, 4, 5, and 6 Hybrid. I also play with a 3 Wood. How well I score on the course has a lot to do with how well I hit my Hybrids that day. The 3 Wood doesn’t get used much except occasionally off the tee or as the set up shot on a long Par 5. The 3 Wood is more about total distance whereas the Hybrids are about accuracy.

My results with the Project A provided excellent accuracy with my Hybrids, but not much distance with the 3 Wood. This was an acceptable compromise for me because it meant that even long approaches into Greens could find the dance floor and have me putting for Birdie. I was impressed with the amount of Spin I could generate with my Hybrids. The Project A was easy to control, and did a good job of cutting through the wind on those very gusty days.

IRON & WEDGE RESULTS

If you haven’t already done the math my longest Iron is a 7 so these are the scoring clubs in my bag. I also play with a 52 degree Attack Wedge, 56 degree Sand Wedge, and a 60 degree Lob Wedge or Chipper. These are the clubs in my bag that I really expected the Project A ball to shine. With a Urethane outer shell you would expect the Project A to spin like crazy.

Well, I was not disappointed! I used to be really impressed with 2 yards of roll out when I attacked the Pin with my Pitching Wedge. Now I fully expect to stick it on the Carry number. Just last week I used my 9 Iron to attack a 105 yard Par 3 that was about 30 feet downhill. Normally that would be far too much club for me. Pin was in the front of the Green, and the Green runs downhill from back to front. I gripped down about an inch on the grip which would add a little bit of Spin and took aim at the center of the Green. I struck the Project A clean and hit my target. the Spin quickly brought the ball back toward the Pin almost 4 yards and left me with a 5 footer for Birdie.

You know I sunk it. Otherwise why even tell the story. The real beauty of that shot is that I called it before I made it. My cousin Greg was there and questioned my 9 Iron choice. With total confidence I told him that I was going to aim at the center of the Green and Spin it back. 8 months playing with the Taylormade Project A ball taught me that I could do it. Something I’ve never done with any other ball.

Wedge control can be too good at times. My Wedge game consists of three shots. I can hit a Flop shot from 25 to 50 yards out. I can Chip and Run from 15 yards and in. I can hit a decent Chipper shot from 25 yards and in. With the Project A my Flop shots are beautiful to watch. My Chip and Runs have a tendency to come up short because the check up to much. The Chipper shots are fairly accurate because the Project A rolls quite well on Greens. I used to hit the majority of my greenside shots as Chip and Runs but the Project A made that a little too difficult. As a result my Putting has had to improve because my distance to the hole has increased.

PUTTER RESULTS

Last but not least the flat stick. I’ve said it many times, if I can’t accurately Putt a ball it doesn’t matter how great it is at everything else, I can’t play it. Fortunately I can Putt a Project A or I would have never done an ongoing review on it.

I’ve putted balls with Surlyn, Lothane, and Urethane covers. I can confidently say that there is a difference. The advantage goes to the Urethane cover if, and only if you are confident with your putting stroke. I’ve noticed that the energy you put into the stroke is proportionate to the result you get from most Urethane balls. This might sound like a generalization that you could say about any golf ball, but I promise you that it isn’t. I’m sure that you’ve come across reviews of balls that others have said “felt like putting a marshmallow”. I’ve experienced it, and maybe some of you have as well. Those balls reduce the the energy transferred from your putt. Some balls have been described as “clicky or hot off the face”. Those balls increase the energy transferred from your putt. These shouldn’t be seen as negatives because depending on your stroke it might be perfect for you. When I first began playing seriously I wasn’t very confident on the Greens. I favoured a “hot off the face” ball because I tended to decelerate during the putting stroke. I’ve spent a lot of time working on my putting stroke since then. I know have a very pure stroke , and want a ball that travels at exactly the same pace of my swing. I’m happ to say that the Project A does exactly that.

It ranks at the very top of accurate balls I’ve putted . There are other balls that I’ve putted just as well, but none better. On the Greens the Project A is a perfect fit for me, and probably anyone with a confident putting stroke.

DURABILITY

The Taylormade Project A is a relatively durable ball. The outer layer does get noticeably scuffed from full Wedge shots, but I’ve found this to be the case for most second tier (just below tour level) golf balls. Considering that this ball is aimed at Beginners looking to improve their games, it’s unlikely that you will go through a full Round with one ball anyways. On average I go through a sleeve of balls each round on a full size golf course so a few minor cuts or scuff marks won’t bother me too much. On a short course where you expect to hit a lot of Wedges or short Irons it can be an issue which is too bad. Those are the courses where the Taylormade Project A’s abilities would shine but you would require quite a few balls to get through the round.

CONCLUSION

Obviously the good outweighs the bad when it comes to the Taylormade Project A golf ball, but will it be my ball of choice going forward…

No it won’t

You are probably wondering why. Especially after that spin back birdie story I told. The answer is simpler than you may have thought. The Taylormade Project A retails at $45 Canadian. I have routinely seen it go on sale for between $35 and $40 over the last year. At $40 Canadian for a dozen I honestly expect more from a golf ball. As great as the control may be off the Irons, and how pleasurable it is to Putt. It’s difficult to justify the price when I routinely find myself as the shortest off the tee. If the Taylormade Project A was $30 per dozen it would have stayed in the bag. Although I have played quite well with it. I can’t help but think a ball with a little more distance, and little less spin would benefit me more.

If you already hit a relatively long ball, than switching to the Project A might be the right move for you. For shorter hitters like myself it just magnifies that particular weakness. At the price, it just isn’t worth it for me.

Categories
GOLF

ACER XK FLIPPER CHIPPER – ON THE COURSE FIRST IMPRESSIONS – ONGOING REVIEW

Have I seen a difference?

First of all it’s important to note why the Acer XK Flipper Chipper is in my bag in the first place. I am a strong believer in high percentage golf. What I mean by that is hitting the shots that you are most likely to succeed in executing. These are not necessarily the shots that could lead to you shooting the lowest score. They are the shots that will prevent you from having massive numbers on your scorecard though. In simpler terms I would rather hit the shot that guarantees me a Par or Bogey, than the shot that could get me Birdie but makes Triple Bogey a possibility.

You got it? I hope so. Now lets move on.

Last season I hit a lot of low percentage shots with my 60 degree Lob Wedge. Quite often what should have been an easy Par turned into a Double Bogey because of a bladed or duffed 60 Degree Wedge. One of my last Rounds of the year had an additional 6 strokes due to poorly struck Lob wedges. That was enough for me. If I’m going to successfully break 90 on a regular basis I would need to take that club out of the bag. So I did and the opportunity to test a Chipper style club arose. Why I chose the Acer XK Flipper is simple. It had the most loft and with the 60 degree gone I would need a club that I could pop over hazards short distances.

To answer my original question, YES I have seen a difference!

Overall utility

Lets begin with the number of poor shots. I’ve easily used the Chipper around 50 times on the course at this point and I’ve hit four poor shots. I’m not talking about shots that sent the ball into a hazard or skipping across the green to no man’s land. This is just poor contact where it didn’t travel nearly as far as I had hoped, or I clipped it and it went left instead of straight. Four out of fifty, so 8%. My poor contact rate with the 60 degree Lob Wedge was greater than 30%. Keep in mind that a bladed Lob Wedge usually meant serious trouble. Poor contact with the Acer XK just means you will have to hit it again. To be fair at least two of those poor shots with the Acer XK Flipper happened because I was testing to see what’s possible with the club.

Which brings me to how versatile the club has proven to be thus far. I’ve used it successfully from up to 35 yards out, and stuck it to within 8 feet of the Pin. I’ve used it to not only clear greenside bunkers, but to get out of them as well. One area the Acer XK Chipper has really excelled that I hadn’t considered before is punching out of the woods. A sliced or hooked Tee shot into the woods can leave you with some really awkward lies. The tight putting stroke you use with a Chipper makes dealing with some of those lies much easier. The heavy head goes right through the assorted rough you will find in the woods. Distance control is also far easier in those situations. Something I did expect the Acer XK to be great at is chipping from just off the green no matter the lie. I haven’t sunk one yet but I’ve come within inches of doing so multiple times. Instead of trying to land it close with a Wedge. Now I’m trying to sink it with the Chipper.

Control and Feel

I wish everything I had to say about the Acer XK Flipper Chipper was positive but alas it isn’t. When it comes to control and feel there are some negatives. It’s not all negative mind you but there is one particular area that’s lacking. SPIN. If you were wondering if you can generate spin with a Chipper. Well the answer is yes you can. You just can’t generate much of it. I have been able to generate enough spin to make a couple of the shots I’ve made with the Acer XK Chipper check up a bit. Would I rely on its ability to do so? No way! This brings up my first real concern. If you are chipping to a Pin that’s downhill than don’t expect to slow down the ball with backspin. Hopefully you hole it, or be prepared to watch it roll on by. Now fortunately controlling the height of your chip, or the speed of your chip is very easy. If you can lag putt than you can control distance with a Chipper. I control the height of my chip by simply changing the position of the ball in my stance. It took me one hour at the practice area at Centennial Park Golf Club to get a feel for it.

So sure there are some shots that you definitely can’t manufacture with a Chipper, but do yourself a favour and don’t try to hit them. Focus on what the Chipper can do, and you’ll probably shave strokes off your Round if you are a Beginner.