Anthony Stalter
Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
Send questions or comments for Bullz-Eye sports columnist Anthony Stalter to astalter@bullz-eye.com.
15 reasons to love the 2008 MLB season (06/26/2008)
Baseball fans endured a tough offseason with the release of the Mitchell Report and having to put up with the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee trial. But as Anthony writes, there's already a different feel in baseball and lists 15 reasons to love the 2008 MLB Season, including no Barry Bonds.
10 baseball fights worth the price of admission (06/20/2008)
With all the fighting that has taken place on the diamond lately, Anthony decided to have a little fun by choosing 10 cage matches he'd like to see go down between MLB teammates. Check out which teammates Anthony pitted against each other, as well as who he chose for his "Classic Battle."
DVD Review & Film Discussion: "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" (06/13/2008)
Anthony recently checked out the documentary "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" and came away with a new perspective on the world of steroids. In his latest column, Anthony provides a review and discussion of the film, as well as a one-on-one interview with director Chris Bell.
Baseball's top young position players, Vol. II (06/06/2008)
Last week, Anthony ranked baseball's top pitchers 24 years old and younger. This week, Anthony takes the same approach with position players. Did he settle on Hanley Ramirez or Jose Reyes at short? Which three players filled Anthony's outfield? Read on to find out.
Baseball's best young guns, Vol. II (05/30/2008)
The Yankees are prepping young pitching sensation Joba Chamberlain for the starting rotation, while the Dodgers' 20-year-old stud Clayton Kershaw is fresh off his major league debut. Where do Joba and Kershaw rank among baseball's young guns? Anthony takes a closer look.
10 ways to improve the NFL (05/23/2008)
NFL owners unanimously decided to opt out of the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement recently, which means a potential lockout could be looming. Anthony says the league and its owners should stop worrying about profits and suggests 10 ways to improve the NFL.
The good, the bad and the ugly from baseball's first month and a half (05/16/2008)
It's still early in the 2008 MLB Season, but Anthony notes that there was still plenty to take away from the first month and half of action. In his latest column, he highlights the good (the Diamondbacks), the bad (the Tigers) and the ugly (Barry Zito) from baseball's first quarter.
You know the sports world's in trouble when... (05/09/2008)
The sports world has definitely seen better days – just look at some of the recent headlines for proof. That's why Anthony decided to tap into his inner Jeff Foxworthy for his "You know the sports world’s in trouble when..." piece. He takes aim at Roger Clemens, Cedric Benson and other easy targets.
Forget about draft day reaches and value. Can the kid play? (05/02/2008)
Anthony is just as guilty as any football fan for using the terms "reach" and "value" when it comes to the NFL draft, but he writes that fans should be less concerned with what round players were drafted and focus more on whether or not the guy can actually play.
Grading the top 10: Which position is the safest? (04/25/2008)
With a little help from numbers guy John Paulsen, Anthony attempts to figure out which positions are the safest bets when picking prospects in the top 10 of the NFL draft. What does that mean for this year's supposedly high-risk top 10?
Final 2008 NFL Mock Draft (04/22/2008)
The NFL Draft is just hours away. We know who the Dolphins are going to take #1, but who will draft Darren McFadden? How long will Matt Ryan have to wait to hear his name called? Anthony Stalter attempts to answer those questions with his final NFL Mock Draft.
Seventh round steals (04/11/2008)
By the time the NFL draft enters the seventh round, most football fans have long since changed the channel. But Anthony Stalter writes that there are still plenty of gems at the back end of the draft and lists the 10 best seventh round picks from the past 10 drafts. Some names may surprise you.
Hamilton worth pulling for (04/04/2008)
Anthony isn't a Rangers fan and he doesn't know Josh Hamilton personally, but he's still pulling for the Texas outfielder this season. A former #1 pick whose drug addiction led to an indefinite suspension, Hamilton's comeback is one of the best stories in baseball.
The All-Athlete (minus football players) Gridiron Team (03/21/2008)
LeBron as a running back? George Forman as a defensive tackle? Albert Pujols rushing the passer! Believe it. Anthony has put together a football team constructed purely of athletes from the NBA, MLB and even NASCAR. See if your favorite players made his All-Athlete Gridiron Team.
Here's to you...Mr. Annoying Sports Guy (03/14/2008)
It's a relatively dead time in sports, but that won't stop Anthony from having a little fun. With the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials as his inspiration, Anthony pays tribute to five annoying sports guys, including Mr. Wear Jeans to a Pickup Football Game Guy.
Time to come clean (03/11/2008)
Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan has publicly said that baseball turned its back on the steroids issue. Anthony agrees and, like many fans, he wants the league to finally come clean, admit they screwed up and not only get a strong testing policy in place, but make sure it's effective too.
NFL Free Agency Primer (02/29/2008)
The NFL's free agency period kicked off Friday and Anthony is geeked that another offseason is upon us. Are Michael Turner and Lance Briggs worth the big bucks? Who's a sleeper in a brutal quarterback class? Anthony lists the studs, duds and sleeper free agents for every position.
Scouting the Combine: 10 players who could improve or damage their draft stock (02/22/2008)
The NFL Scouting Combine was once an afterthought for fans, but that's not the case now that the NFL Draft has become an offseason event. With the combine running this weekend, Anthony looks at five prospects who have the most to gain from a good showing, and five with the most to lose.
Roger Clemens vs. Brian McNamee: The Untold Story (02/15/2008)
Anthony doesn't know who to believe in the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee dispute, but he managed to get his hands on some interesting dialogue between the Rocket and his former trainer. Wondering who's telling the truth? Anthony's findings may help you decide.
The comparison must die (02/08/2008)
Now that Eli has a Super Bowl ring of his own, is he as good as his brother? Does it matter? Sports fans love tossing out comparisons, but Anthony says it's gotten to the point where many fans are too busy drawing comparisons to enjoy historical moments like the Giants' upset over the Pats.
Early look at the 2008 NFL Draft prospects (02/01/2008)
Anthony feels it's a bit absurd to do a mock draft before the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean he's above taking a look at some of the draft's more intriguing prospects. Guys like Glenn Dorsey, Matt Ryan and Kevin Smith head Anthony's list of the studs, risks and sleepers of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Is Pete Carroll just a tease? (01/25/2008)
Each year, NFL teams try to lure Pete Carroll away from USC by offering him a boatload of money and complete control of their team. Anthony says those teams are nuts for putting their franchise's future at risk just to get with the equivalent of the hot chick on the exercise bike at the gym.
Stop the crying; the matchups are fine (01/18/2008)
So we won't see a Patriots-Colts grudge match this weekend, and we missed out on a Packers-Cowboys clash? Boo hoo. Anthony says we should just be grateful that a computer didn't pick Sunday's AFC and NFC Championship games. Besides, the Chargers and Giants may surprise.
The Bucs' and Titans' dilemma, and other playoff musings (01/11/2008)
After watching the Titans and Bucs flounder in their opening-round playoff losses, Anthony says it's clear Vince Young and Jeff Garcia aren't gunslingers who can lead their teams back from an early deficit. Looking ahead to this week's games, Anthony wonders if Marvin Harrison's return will help or hurt the Colts.
Mr. Optimism and Mr. Pessimism break down the playoffs (01/04/2008)
Sure, the Patriots went 16-0 but will they finish the job and hoist the Lombardi Trophy? After ranking the 12 playoff teams, Anthony asked Mr. Optimism and Mr. Pessimism to size up each team's chances. One likes what he sees, one doesn't. Whose arguments are more compelling?
From losers in '07 to competitors in '08 (12/25/2007)
Bummed because your team only won three games this season? Anthony has some good news. Teams like the Bucs, Browns and Redskins rebounded from poor 2006 seasons and Anthony says your team could be next, if they follow his four keys to improving a morbid franchise.
Dear NFL GMs: Leave NFL coaching to NFL coaches (12/18/2007)
Bobby Petrino certainly wasn't the first NFL head coach to run back to the college game with his tail between his legs, but why do so many college coaches fail in the pros? Anthony takes a closer look while offering up a bit of advice for NFL owners and GMs: leave NFL coaching to NFL coaches.
Lions' collapse reeks of Millen (12/11/2007)
The Detroit Lions haven't won a game since Nov. 4. In the five games since that victory, Detroit has been outscored 154-94, a freefall that's pretty much dropped the Lions out of the playoff picture. Who's to blame? Anthony looks at Matt Millen's draft record to find the culprit.
The BCS gets what it wants (again) (12/04/2007)
In a truly chaotic college football season, the BCS got exactly what it wanted: a marquee matchup between two big schools for the National Championship game. And while Ohio State/LSU isn't the game everyone wanted, Anthony says it'll likely be enough to keep BCS apologists happy.
The Browns' dilemma (11/27/2007)
The Cleveland Browns have a problem, and for the first time in years, it has nothing to do with their record. In fact, Anthony says, it's actually a good problem to have: too much depth at quarterback. And now the Browns may have to decide to trade either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.
Week 11 NFL Power Rankings: Postseason Contender/Pretender Edition (11/20/2007)
We're 11 weeks into the NFL season and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. Anthony's latest NFL Power Rankings breaks down all 32 teams to see which ones are true playoff contenders, which are pretenders and which ones are already looking forward to next April's draft.
College football needs a playoff more than ever (11/13/2007)
College football fans have been clamoring for a playoff system for years, arguing that it's the only fair way to declare a national champion. With teams playing musical chairs atop the rankings this season, Anthony says a playoff system is needed now more than ever.
The Calvin Johnson draft? Maybe not (11/06/2007)
Think back to last April when so-called experts were saying the 2007 NFL Draft class lacked elite prospects outside of star receiver Calvin Johnson. Anthony says it only took nine weeks of the NFL season for Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis and a host of other rookies to prove the critics wrong.
Belichick is on a mission (10/30/2007)
If you haven't noticed, Bill Belichick is on a mission. After getting fined by the NFL and beat up by the media and fans in the wake of "Spygate," Anthony says Belichick and his Patriots have responded by destroying their competition each Sunday and assaulting the record books.
The Sox double standard (10/23/2007)
Are the Red Sox the new Yankees? Anthony says so. With their 2004 World Series win and a gaudy payroll, the Sox are no longer playing the lovable losers role, which has Anthony wondering why the same people who criticize the Yankees for "buying their team" choose to give Boston a free pass.
Voters should stop playing musical chairs with polls (10/16/2007)
It's been the year of the upset in college football, and the rankings have reflected that. Each week, a new group of teams charge up the rankings as a host of others plummet thanks to a crippling loss. Anthony says change is needed to end this game of musical chairs.
A chat with Jaguars linebacker Justin Durant (10/10/2007)
How much different is the NFL than the college game? Anthony chatted with Jacksonville rookie Justin Durant about life in the NFL, his first pro start, small school football and whether or not he's related to Sonics rookie Kevin Durant.
NFL Power Rankings: Week 5 (10/09/2007)
After five weeks of the NFL season, one thing is for sure: parity is king. The unbeaten Patriots and Colts sit atop Anthony's NFL Power Rankings, but after that there are a lot of similarly flawed teams with similar records, including the Chargers, the Bears and the Broncos.
Fans suffer when media is restricted (10/02/2007)
Are you a Texas A&M fan looking for info on your team? All head coach Dennis Franchione needs is $1200 and you'll be privy to injury reports and player assessments not even available to the media. Of course, Anthony says fans should have access to this information already.
Bonds selfish to the end (09/25/2007)
Barry Bonds' career with the Giants is over. How do we know? Why, Bonds told us himself on his website, of course. What, you thought the slugger would let the Giants break the news at some press conference? Anthony says Bonds did it the only way he knows how: selfishly, and with all eyes on him.
Contenders with problems (09/18/2007)
We may only be two weeks into the NFL season, but Anthony says it's already clear that five supposed contenders have some major problems to iron out if they want to reach the playoffs. At the top of that list, the punchless (and winless) Saints and the defensively challenged Bengals.
10 Week 1 surprises (09/11/2007)
The first week of the NFL season is in the books, and while Anthony realizes his 10 Week 1 surprises may not matter much in a month, that won't stop him from praising the Bears' D for bottling up LT and the Colts D for completely shutting down the Saints. We had a Chris Chambers sighting too.
A chat with the Rams' Todd Johnson (09/07/2007)
Few people had a better view of Devin Hester's opening kick return TD in last year's Super Bowl than former Bears safety Todd Johnson. Now with the Rams, Johnson chatted with Anthony about his Super Bowl memories, his new team's chances this year and why LT is so tough to tackle.
College Football Preview (08/31/2007)
Preseason college football rankings mean squat, unless your team owns the top spot. So instead of issuing his own rankings heading into the first weekend of action, Anthony's College Football Preview breaks down the AP's top-15 teams to see who has the best shot to compete for the title.
Barkley had it right all along (08/24/2007)
Anthony promises that this will be the last column he ever devotes to Michael Vick, but if there's one thing we should've learned from the Vick mess, it's that Charles Barkley was right all along: athletes should not be role models for our kids. That responsibility belongs to Mom and Dad.
Most intriguing NFC team-by-team position battles (08/17/2007)
After diving into the AFC last week, Anthony returns with a look at the NFC's most intriguing position battles, complete with predicted winners. Among the group: the three-man competition at wide receiver in San Fran, the Giants' starting left tackle job, and Tatum Bell vs. Kevin Jones in Detroit.
Most intriguing AFC team-by-team position battles (08/10/2007)
He's already given you updates from organized team activities and the 10 most compelling training camp stories, so this week Anthony looks at the most intriguing AFC position battles. On his watchlist: the starting corner job in Indy and Reche Caldwell vs. Donte Stallworth in New England.
Oh, what could have been (08/03/2007)
How did your team do at the trade deadline? If you're a Braves or Red Sox fan, you're probably pretty happy right now. But Anthony says you can find analysis on all the trades somewhere else. He'd rather look at how past deals involving Grady Sizemore, Hanley Ramirez and Brad Penny played out.
The 10 most compelling training camp storylines (07/27/2007)
Sure, everybody's talking about dogfighting and Pacman, but those are just two of Anthony's 10 compelling storylines as we head into the start of training camp. Will Larry Johnson hold out? Is Jake the Snake really done? Can the Rams re-sign Marc Bulger? Anthony takes a look.
Ten major players in baseball's trade sweepstakes (07/20/2007)
You don't need to root for a winner to have an interest in baseball's July 31st trade deadline. Anthony lists the 10 major players -- five buyers and five sellers -- in baseball's trade sweepstakes, including the New York Mets (buyers) and Cincinnati Reds (sellers).
Vick scandal requires a wake-up call (07/13/2007)
Somewhat surprisingly, Michael Vick was not named in documents filed by investigators looking into the QB's involvement in an alleged dogfighting ring. So now what? Anthony says, for starters, that it's time for a wake-up call for Vick's apologists, his critics and, more importantly, the media.
Admit it, fans: We love the villain (07/06/2007)
It's generally understood that just about every red-blooded sports fan hates Barry Bonds. So why, then, is Bonds the starting left fielder in next week's All Star Game? Anthony says it's time to fess up: sports fans love villains, whether it's Bonds, the Yankees or even Tom Brady's Patriots.
Rookie QBs: To play or not to play? (06/29/2007)
Word out of Browns camp is that Brady Quinn has a chance to start this year, which raises the age old question: should rookie quarterbacks line up behind center or carry a clipboard? Anthony looks to past examples like Peyton Manning, Daunte Culpepper and Tim Couch for answers.
Upshaw needs to take care of his era (06/22/2007)
As a player, Gene Upshaw was a Hall of Famer. As the head of the NFL Players Association, Upshaw is public enemy #1 for many former and current players. Anthony spoke with former Lions linebacker Richard "Dirt" Jordan about how Upshaw has abandoned many of the players he played with.
NFC's good, bad and ugly from OTA's (06/15/2007)
After checking in on the AFC last week, Anthony Stalter moves on to the good, bad and ugly offseason news from NFC teams. Among the updates: Donovan McNabb's recovery from knee surgery and Calvin Johnson wowing the Lions with his work ethic. Any guesses on the ugly news for the Falcons?
AFC's good, bad and ugly from OTA's (06/08/2007)
As NBA and NHL fans prepare to crown a new champ and baseball season starts to heat up, what do NFL fans have to look forward to? News from training camps, of course! Anthony Stalter checks in with the good, bad and ugly AFC update, including news that'll have LJ's fantasy owners smiling.
Baseball's best young position players (06/06/2007)
Two weeks ago, Anthony touted baseball's best young guns, the top 24-and-under pitchers in the game. This week, Anthony moves on to the position players, fielding a lineup blessed with average, speed and plenty of power. With Jose Reyes setting the table, this team could play with anyone.
Baseball's best young guns (05/25/2007)
Francisco Liriano took the baseball world by storm last year at the age of 22, becoming the biggest sensation in the game before injuring his elbow. With Liriano on the shelf, who are the must-see young starters in the game? Anthony ranks baseball's best pitchers under the age of 25.
Yankees are saying something with Clemens deal: "We're in trouble" (05/11/2007)
Anthony wishes he could find a deal as sweet as the one Roger Clemens got from the Yankees and Astros the past two seasons. Since there's no chance of that happening, Anthony instead looks at the message the Yankees are sending by meeting the Rocket's demands: "We're in trouble."
Ten draft day moves that may dramatically affect the '07 season (05/04/2007)
While most NFL Draftniks say it takes at least three years to rate a team's draft, Anthony's not waiting. He's got 10 draft day moves -- five good and five not so good -- that could affect the 2007 season. Where did Cleveland's selection of Brady Quinn and New England's trade for Randy Moss rank?
Final NFL Mock Draft (04/26/2007)
After months of speculation and rumor mongering, the NFL Draft is upon us. Anthony Stalter's latest mock draft doesn't have many changes at the top but he does predict several draft-day trades.
Squashing 10 pre-draft rumors (04/20/2007)
Anthony enjoys draft rumors and speculation as much as the next guy -- he's done four versions of his NFL Mock Draft, after all -- but he has to draw a line somewhere. With the draft just about a week away, Anthony squashes 10 pre-draft rumors, including a couple involving Calvin Johnson.
NFL Mock Draft #4 (04/13/2007)
With two weeks to go before the NFL Draft, Anthony's latest mock draft is loaded with analysis, projections and, of course, plenty of speculation. Will the Raiders settle on JaMarcus Russell with the top pick? Who's trading up or moving down? Check out Anthony's latest first-round projections.
What are the five best yearly events in sports? (04/06/2007)
Baseball's Opening Day is great, but how does it stack up against the Super Bowl and March Madness on the list of the greatest annual sports events? Anthony ranks out his list of the best sporting events while also tabbing the biggest annual letdowns.
NFL Mock Draft #3 (03/29/2007)
With free agency at a standstill and all kinds of rumors floating around, this may be the toughest time to predict how the first round of the NFL Draft will shake out. That won't stop Anthony from trying, though. His latest NFL Mock Draft calls for several trades and a purple jersey for Brady Quinn.
Accountability counts...even for pro athletes (03/23/2007)
So did you hear that Titans defensive back Pacman Jones is in trouble with the law? Yes, again. The Tennessee star has a brilliant career laid out in front of him but Anthony says his refusal to take accountability for his actions could wipe it all out. And in that regard, Pacman's not alone.
NFL Mock Draft #2 (03/09/2007)
With the combine behind us and free agency in full swing, the NFL Draft picture has gotten much clearer. Is JaMarcus Russell still the Raiders' likely choice at #1? Who's looking to trade up or move down? Anthony reassesses his original predictions in his latest NFL Mock Draft.
In search of the next...Jeff Garcia?! (03/02/2007)
Free agency kicked off Friday, and teams are on the lookout for this season's Jeff Garcia, the undervalued veteran who will provide plenty of bang for the buck. Anthony ignores big names like Adalius Thomas in his search for this year's free agent bargains and busts.
NFL Mock Draft #1 (02/16/2007)
Yes, it's too early for mock drafts, and no, Anthony doesn't care. See who he has going #1 and how far Brady Quinn falls.
Gasp! You mean it's not all about the quarterback? (01/31/2007)
It takes more than a great quarterback to win a Super Bowl. In fact, history has shown you often don't even need a particularly good quarterback to win the big one. So why is everyone so focused on Peyton Manning's ringless fingers and Rex Grossman's erratic play?