...With fantasy drafts looming just over the horizon, for most of us this is a time of last-minute web-site perusing and web-site scouring in hopes of cooking up that special lineup that will get us a coveted fantasy football championship. In the search for that magical recipe, we all need one key ingredient: a good, strong defense. Take a minute and peruse this portion of our fantasy cookbook that will let you in on the top five fantasy defenses that should slide under the radar in most drafts this summer.

5. arizona Cardinals: Year after year we look to this team to be a fantasy defense standout, but like rice pudding without raisins, they seem to be missing that one necessary bit of pizzazz that moves them from average dessert to dining delicacy. This season, we think Denny Green's finally getting it right. He focused more on defense in the draft this season, spending first and third round picks on cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric Green, which should help round out a now solid secondary that actually has the depth to incorporate productive nickel and dime schemes. With third and fifth round picks used to bulk up a linebacking core that needed a little help, the Cards have properly rounded out a defense that has always had a strong defensive line. A look in at the numbers reveals that arizona allowed just 20.1 points per game in 2004, good for 12th in the league, while only allowing 35 touchdowns (T-9th in NFL). At 9th in passing defense (189.8 yd/gm) they force teams to pound the ball, which always eats up clock and lowers point totals, which are necessities for any fantasy defense. Overall, the Cards were right in the middle of the pack in turnovers, 30, with 15 picks and 15 fumble recoveries. However, they had a turnover differential of just +1. This typifies the missing link for the Cardinals in the recent past -- they've lacked a strong offense to help keep the defense rested and off the field. But, it's hard to have an offense when you don't have a good quarterback or running back. Finally, Denny Green has seen the light and has drafted a quality running back in J.J. Arrington to compliment a quarterback, Kurt Warner, who can actually get the ball to his top flight receivers. To boot, this team held on to Josh McCown, which gives them the option of now one of the best back-ups in the league. Expect a top 10-15 defense out of the Cardinals, who might now have the tools to get it done in the NFC-West.

4. Miami Dolphins: No matter how bad their record, never count this team out as having a bad defense. They are like the atlanta Braves of the football world , as whoever they put out there on defense knows how to get the job done. Despite a troublesome 4-12 record last season, the Dolphins quietly allowed just 22.1 points per contest. Digging a bit deeper, one might realize this number would have been still lower had the Dolphins not thrown 8 interception...more

Goal Setting: Pops Proves Its Never Too Late

...

Pops first set the goal in high school, but when he graduated he thought he wasnt mature enough to pursue it so he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

He dreamed about it as a member of the 82nd Airborne as he became an Army Ranger. Later, in the first Gulf war, he thought about his goal again, as he also did during his service in the Kosovo conflict. For 20 years, through his Army career, a war, marriage and six children, Pops kept the dream and the goal alive.

Never mind that he was considered far too old to pursue his dream, Pops just couldnt let go.

When he retired from the Army at 39, he decided it was finally time to do something about the goal hed set so many years before. He moved his family to Columbia, South Carolina and e...more

Matt Leinart

...

A native of Santa Ana, California, Matthew Leinart was born in May 1983. No stranger to the sport of football, Leinart was the quarterback of his Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. Later attending the University of southern California, he quickly joined the Trojans football team, whom he led to two national championship titles. During his junior year at the University, Leinart was named the recipient of the coveted Heisman Trophy. That same year, he was shined about again as being presented with the inaugural manning Award for college quarterbacks. In 2005, Leinart was once again nominated for a possible Heism...more

McCarthy a Brutal Hire for the Packers!

...Sometimes I just don't get it !!!

As offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers last year, Mike McCarthy's offense finished 32nd and dead last in the NFL. How bad was it ??? That offense finished 32nd in passing, 22nd in rushing, and was 30th overal in points going eight games of a sixteen game schedule without an offensive touchdown.

As quarterback coach of the Packers during Ray Rhodes short-lived and ill-fated 1999 regime, McCarthy guided Bret Favre to his second worst season as a professional with the future HOFer throwing 24 pics to just 23 touchdowns. Favre's 74.7 QB rating was was only supraceeded by his 1993 sopomore season rating of 72.2 and this year's train-wreck of 70.9 yet this week Mike McCarthy was brought back to Green Bay and hired as the 14th Head Coach in arguably the most storied franchise in NFL history.

The Pac...more

Wholesale Yoga Mats