FanHouse Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith seemed to kick quarterback Jake Delhomme when he was down -- and benched -- last Sunday after committing five turnovers in a hideous 38-10, Week 1 loss to Philadelphia.

This week, Smith called into the WFNZ radio show of former Panthers teammate Frank Garcia to clarify what happened when the receiver seemed to offer some misguided love to his mentally wounded quarterback. Smith said this week's trip to Atlanta to face the 1-0 Falcons seemed a good time to clear the air, prompting the call-in to the show:

"I called in because it just got me. Got under my skin a little bit," Smith said. "Got a little local buzz or national buzz over me being mic'd up last week and what I said to Jake. It is very interesting that some of the YouTubes and some of the people have taken it like (that)."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Tommie Hill hadn't been in the end zone with a football since his senior year of high school, when he blocked a punt for a touchdown. But with time ticking down in the fourth quarter of a tied preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Monday night, the Giants' rookie defensive end out of Colorado State found his way back. Hill's fumble recovery and subsequent 18-yard rumble to paydirt as time expired made the Giants winners in their first preseason game of the year and, more importantly, spared everybody from the inexplicably pointless experience that is preseason overtime.

"I ought to be able to get a dinner out of it," Hill joked. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

It's not easy trading for studs. It almost never works out, just because most fantasy owners are so reluctant to give up a player that they invested so heavily in. We constantly talk about keeping emotion out of fantasy, but if you stuck four months worth of enjoyment into your first round pick (which everyone does), you either want to ride out his wave of success or wait for him to bounce back, regardless of whether or not he's actually going to.

Ergo, therefore, hencewith and whatnot, it's just easier to trade for guys that aren't considered studs. Like my friend DeShaun Foster, who I drafted all over the place (you won't be getting him if we share leagues) because of the Panthers' new blocking scheme and his being incredibly undervalued.


Hitting the Hip (Buy Low)

DeShaun Foster, RB, CAR - Foster has never done well against the Tampa Bay Bucs. Remember to mention that when you're making an offer to his owner. But he did look absolutely superb against the Falcons and he is getting the Saints this week, which should mean another big game for the unheralded starter. Besides, who's gonna take care of the offense for the 'Cats, Mr. Mittens? DeAngelo Williams has done nothing to really engender himself to the coaching staff, Foster has responded well to the zone blocking schemes, even posting a sickner 5.0 yards per carry on the season. That's right. An even Five, son. Bet you weren't aware of that. And I bet other owners weren't aware either. Go get him, homey.

Keyshawn Johnson is Roger Dorn. Dorn was an aging athlete, past his prime, but still a very good player and a key contributor. When Jake Taylor went to visit him to discuss that grounder that Riker hit in the 9th, Dorn, as you might recall, couldn't decide if he wanted to go "oriental" or "sante fe" with that particular room.

Keyshawn Johnson can relate. There's a huge article in yesterday's LA Times about Keyshawn's being an aesthete; a "person who has or professes to have refined sensitivity toward the beauties of art or nature." I had to look that one up. Thank you, dictionary.com. An athlete and an aesthete. Nifty.

"When you're an athlete, most people think you don't know or care anything about design," Johnson says. "That's like saying all actors are on drugs and crazy."

To tell the truth, I didn't expect this of Keyshawn Johnson, but it's not because he's an athlete. It's because I don't know anyone that into design. I mean, we all have our likes and dislikes, but ... I don't know anyone who, like Keyshawn, subscribes to Casa Vogue. I don't know anyone who spends "hours at Hennessy + Ingalls in Santa Monica looking at architecture books like some weirdo."

Whatever floats his boat. If most of my days were spent partaking of a violent, nasty activity ... maybe I'd need the world of interior design, too. I'm sure all kinds of players have some unusual hobbies. For all I know, Willis McGahee watches six hours of Paula Dean on the Food Network every day. Perhaps Shawne Merriman bakes french pastries to take his mind off of things.

So I ran across SI.com's "Top 10 QB-WR Tandems In the NFL" article today online. As I started to read from 10 to 1 there was no doubt in my mind about who would be pictured in the #1 slot. It would be Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. They did just pass Steve Young and Jerry Rice as #1 on the all-time list didn't they? Maybe I was dreaming that? Wait...no I wasn't. Actually, SI.com even quotes it for me...

Harrison and Manning snapped Steve Young and Jerry Rice's NFL mark of 85 TDs by a QB-WR tandem back on Oct. 17, 2005, against the Rams. The two know each other inside-out at this point and continue to be one of the most feared duos in the NFL.

However, to my surprise, the Manning and Harrison duo was not #1, nor was it even #2!. They came in 3rd place. Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith took 2nd. Keep in mind that they have only had one great year together. 1st place was Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson. Once again, only one great year together.

I guess SI.com thinks that one year of success in Cinci and Carolina trumps the 7 straight years of 1000+ yards and 10+ TDs from the "tandem" in Indianapolis. Laughable!