Archive for March, 2010

So I Like Pitchers? or Let Me Tell You About My Fantasy Drafts

By | March 31, 2010 | Baseball, Fantasy Sports | 5 Comments

Last year I joined one of my husband’s fantasy baseball leagues and deemed the exercise worthy of repetition this season. What’s not to love? Fantasy baseball leagues allow one to to talk smack to friends in a sanctioned environment and then take their money, all while spending even more time than usual on the interwebs. Win.

dan-haren

This year I’m in three leagues. Last year, my draft strategy for the White Russians was pick hot dudes (Dan Haren), Iowans (Casey Blake), and people with interesting names or stories (Prince Fielder is a vegetarian, y’all, and Tim Lincecum is a fascinating freak of nature), and I did pretty well. This year, I actually, you know, did a little research. When I say “research”, I mean, I asked my husband to print out copies of his rankings spreadsheets for me. Why reinvent the wheel when I’m legally bound to someone who spends hours analyzing projections? My management style: efficiency.

While I’m satisfied with my teams, I’ll not know just how good they are until the season begins and things get crackin’, but here are my highlights.

  • My pitching staff is ON FIYAH in the Minors.  It’s a shallow league, which makes it incredibly easy to have a good-looking team, but I’ve got Zack Greinke and Felix Hernandez starting, and (wait for it) Jonathan Broxton, Mariano Rivera, and Francisco Rodriguez in the bullpen. I’ve got saves covered. I’ve also got Matt Garza in all three leagues. I had him last year, a mediocre 8-12 record, but I think he’s ready to take it to the next level and could break out this year.
  • In my Twitter league, I’m also looking to my pitching staff: hometown hero Chris Carpenter is a stalwart for the Cardinals and easy to cheer for when I’m at Busch Stadium. I also snagged my baseball boyfriend Dan Haren, whom I’ve followed since his stint here in St Louis. What can I say? I’m into tall, dark, long-haired dudes who look sleepy all the time. Here’s hoping Arizona’s hitters help Haren out a bit this season. I’ve also got Broxton and Garza in those leagues, and Haren’s teammate Chad Qualls, Arizona’s closer, in the bullpen.
  • Sleeper pick: Minnesota’s Michael Cuddyer. I’ve got him in two leagues. First off, he hit .429 for the Twins in the playoffs against the Yankees last year. He can fill in at first or outfield, and he’s leading the majors in spring training hitting (.513). Plus, the Twins are going to have an exciting season with the inaugural season of the new Target Field. Worst case scenario, he’ll be a versatile, reliable bench player. Best case scenario: Twins rally around out-for-the-season Joe Nathan, win the pennant in a brand-new stadium, and Cuddyer is a solid contributor at the plate.

The work is hard and the season is long, but I think 2010 may just be the year the White Russians bring home their first (virtual) hardware.

[Photo]

Top Kicker Elam to Retire Where He Began

By | March 31, 2010 | Football | 3 Comments

Back in 1993, not even the Broncos knew what they had in Jason Elam.

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2001/11/14/sports/artb.jpg

Seventeen seasons later we all know.

Today, the Denver Broncos awarded a one day contract to the former player so he could retire from the NFL as a Bronco. His last two seasons were spent in Atlanta.

Over his career, Elam has: three Pro Bowl nods, three times named to the All-Pro second team and was the 2001 Special Teams Player of the year. He also holds NFL records for the longest field goal at 63 yards (shared with Tom Dempsey,)  the most points scored for a team, best extra point conversion percentage (.995) , most consecutive seasons with at least 100 points (15), most seasons with at least 100 points (15), fastest to 300 field goals, fastest to 1,600 and 1,700 points. He was the first player in history to score 200+ points on three teams (Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs.) He has two Super Bowl rings.

Only John Elway has won more games as a Bronco than Elam. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen even thinks that he should be considered for the Hall of Fame.

And with a record like that? He should be a shoo-in.

[photo]

[stats source]

Hockey Coach Goes Ape Shit (VIDEO!)

By | March 30, 2010 | Hockey, Unsportmanlike Conduct | 8 Comments

Jim Playfair, the coach of the Abbotsford Heat (an AHL team) totally lost his shit during a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs after one of his players was kicked out of the game.

I have very little to add, but this is some good television – or internet in your case.

My favorite part is when he starts tearing off his clothes.

Who says the minors are boring? Not I.

[source]

Donovan McNabb… To Be A Raider?

By | March 30, 2010 | Football | 2 Comments

So, I guess Donovan McNabb is being shopped around and several teams are interested.  Blah blah blah millions of dollars, draft pick chess, phone calls, probably some e-mails and one or two “you can’t handle the truth!”s  are resulting in ESPN reporting that Oakland is the most desperate and closest to having appropriately greased the gears of commerce to acquire Donovan McNabb.

This would indicate the blah blah blah millions of dollars of JaMarcus Russell isn’t working out as the Raiders had hoped, their hopes having been for him  to complete a pass or two, some time last season, during any game of his choosing.  I thought it was fair.

There’s no question McNabb has an arm. And legs.  And an ample supply of Chunky Soup. But what about his ticker?

1dmcnabb

I’d like to take you back in time to the Super Bowl, Eagles vs. Patriots, when McNabb moved with all the urgency of me getting out of bed on Sunday or other days like Wednesday or the rest of the weekdays.  With a chance to win (a small one, but a chance) and under two minutes to play,  McNabb walked around as if he was at a picnic, beer in one hand, football in the other and wondering why no one has yet  sliced up and served the picnic pie.

I’d have been angrier if I didn’t want the Eagles to lose all of the time.  And now… Mike… Vick? Oy. (That’s Jewish for “I hate everything.”  We had to shorten it, obviously.) My Falcon heart aches.

Nothing’s official, but sources close to the deal tell ESPN they think it’s going to happen.  If it does, I’m sure McNabb will take over and the Raiders passing game will improve, much as it would if you replaced Russell with a can opener or a sock puppet.  But is McNabb the answer?  Maybe, but probably not.

McNabb reportedly has told Andy Reid that he would like to stay with the Eagles, but if he has to be traded, he’d prefer to go to a winning team, specifically mentioning the Vikings.  (Or the Colts. Or the Patriots. Or The Saints. Or the Lakers.)  And I think that makes sense, because who wants to be like Kurt Warner and take a team from obscurity to the Super Bowl?  There is no Emilio Estevez/Mighty Ducks in Donovan McNabb, and that saddens me. Not really.

Donovan McNabb has all the skills and then some.  But at the end of the day, when it’s on the line and you care enough to send the very best, will McNabb ever be a Hallmark card?

I don’t even know what that means, but I like it.  If you figure out the answer, let me know. I’ll be as curious as anyone.

[Source]

Joey Porter Arrested

By | March 28, 2010 | Football, Unsportmanlike Conduct | 2 Comments
Joey Porter

Joey Porter

Legally, this past week has been a mixed one for sports. Gilbert Arenas received his sentence on Friday for bringing guns into the locker room. The Ben Roethlisberger case continues to twist and turn. And early Saturday morning, Cardinals’ linebacker Joey Porter was arrested.

On the upside, it sounds like Porter’s offenses aren’t too terrible. He was arrested outside of a Taco Bell on suspicion of drunk driving (is there really any denying this? I’ve never found myself sober at a Taco Bell in the wee hours of the morning) and has been accused of assaulting a police offer and resisting arrest. Certainly, stupid offenses. Bad Porter.

However, the details of the incident made me giggle. Initial reports stated that Porter first refused to show the officer his driver’s license and tried to roll up his window when he asked to leave the car. Then, when the officer reached to unlock the door Porter slapped his hand.

The whole thing just sounds so…petulant. Unfortunately, Porter did not think to cooperate right away, more officers were called and guns drawn. No word yet on what the Cardinals think about this incident, *checks watch* eight days after signing Porter.

Hopefully, it won’t blow up. I really like Porter and I think that this was a genuine mistake. However, drunk driving is pretty serious and it would behoove him to condemn such behavior.

[Source]

Blog Widget by LinkWithin
← Older Entries