An Improvement in Ottawa for the Senators?

When Executive Vice-President and General Manager Brian Murray traded the prolific winger Dany Heatley this past off-season to the San Jose Sharks, it was the inevitable that a deal had to get done, but it was a must that the return involved at least two high-end NHL players that can play a top six role in Ottawa. Senators fans learned of Heatley’s fate and welcomed forwards Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo to the nation’s capital. How things would play out in the 1st quarter of the 2009-10 season was certainly in question, but I’d imagine Brian Murray and Head Coach Cory Clouston welcomed the opportunity to proceed with 23 players who wanted to play in Ottawa and not ones that wanted to jump ship.

Michalek and Cheechoo joined Alex Kovalev as the newcomers of the Ottawa Senators. Without hesitation, Head Coach Cory Clouston inserted all three of them into top-six-forward roles. As much of a no brainer as it seemed, the results are far from expectations prior to opening night. Through 24 games played, Kovalev and Cheechoo have a combined six goals to show for and are a minus 8. Michalek is a bright spot with 13 goals in 24 games played, but by no means is this guy playing his best hockey. Brian Murray mentioned all three of these high end players as candidates to shake things up on the top units, in an attempt to get forward Jason Spezza re-energized. Two goals for Spezza thus far however, dictate once again, it’s not working out quite as planned. The Senators might have a 13-7-4 record which is much improved from last season, but this is not what anyone upstairs had in mind.

The regular season began with Pascal Leclaire between the pipes for the Ottawa Senators. The significance behind this was not only did the Ottawa Senators have a potential threat in net, but the return investment from the trade that sent popular forward Antoine Vermette to the Columbus Blue Jackets at last years trade deadline was about to make his debut. The trade was another high impact move for Brian Murray, trying to solidify the goalkeeping, not only for this coming season, but the future. Coming off of season ending ankle surgery, Leclaire started by posting eight wins in 16 contests, before recently sitting out with an undisclosed lower body injury. To make matters much worse for the Senators, Leclaire was subject to a deflection of a puck off his cheek bone, sitting on the bench as he backed up his counterpart Brian Elliot. A broken cheek bone will now keep Leclaire out 4-6 weeks. Brian Elliot has taken on the #1 role with AHL journeymen Mike Brodeur as his backup. Again, Brian Murray has to be simply shaking his head.

Alexander Picard and Filip Kuba lead all Ottawa Senator Defensemen in points, though both players have a combined 3 goals to show for. Rookie D-man Matt Carkner has 2 goals in 24 games, after taking on the role as an AHL enforcer in previous seasons. Chris Phillips who is clearly Ottawa’s #1 defensemen has 7 points and is tied with Chris Campoli through 24 games. All of that being said, you can’t help but to think Brian Murray is kicking tires to try and improve this bleak blueline. You also can’t help but to wonder what it would be like to actually have an impact player on the blueline in Ottawa, such as the one they lost to the Boston Bruins via free agency years ago, AKA Zdeno Chara.

There are bright spots in Ottawa early on. Their record indicates a vast improvement from that of last season. Heatley is no longer there and a promising Milan Michalek seems to be just getting started. Pascal Leclaire will eventually be back, in the meantime, a pretty solid Brian Elliot will tend between the pipes. Alex Kovalev will eventually score some goals in crucial situations, while Jonathan Cheechoo might just flirt with the Rocket Richard trophy on a few occasions. Things aren’t all that bad in the Nation’s Capital. In fact, some might say they are much improved. If you’re a Senators fan, there is one thing you can be sure of however, Brian Murray is well aware of the list of tasks at hand.

Above the Rim: 0-17 and Counting

Will the Nets pass the Clippers and go to 0-18? The Clippers are always just assumed to be the worst no matter what record for futility you talk about, but the Nets are on the verge of taking one off of their hands. After getting crushed by the Lakers last night, 106-87, the Nets have tied the Clippers and will see if they can break the record for worst losing streak to start a season on Wednesday at home against a good Dallas Mavericks team.

Are the Nets this bad or have they just caught some bad luck? Looking at their roster, they do have some pieces in the place for the future. Point guard Devin Harris was an all-star last season when he averaged 21.3 points and 6.9 assists per game. This year, he has 15.3 points and 5.7 assists per game, but he has only played 6 games due to injuries early. Second year center Brook Lopez looks like he may join Harris as an all-star in the near future. The big man from Stanford is following up a solid rookie season by averaging 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, all leading the team. Chris Douglas-Roberts, another second year player, should be a solid starter for the Nets. This season, the wing has averaged 17.2 points, second on the team, and has added 5.3 rebounds and 1.15 steals. That gives the Nets three young, solid starters to build around. Rookie Terrence Williams has also shown that he is capable of playing in the NBA. Williams is averaging 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, mostly off the bench. Other Nets that should be contributors in the future are guard Courtney Lee and power forward Josh Boone. Lee was a rookie for the Magic last year and came to the Nets in the Vince Carter trade. Last season with Orlando, he showed that he can be a capable starter or a solid bench player for a good team in the NBA, and he is averaging 8.7 points this season for the Nets. Boone provides rebounding and physical defense in the paint, but he is probably better suited to coming off the bench. Offense is usually a bonus with Boone, but he is averaging 5.8 rebounds and .56 blocks to go with 4.6 points as both a starter and a reserve this season.

The problem with the Nets is the inexperience and inconsistency of these young players and a lack of veterans to steady the team until the young guys develop. Rafer Alston is a solid player, but he played above his head last year for Orlando. Ideally, he would be a back-up point guard and a sharp-shooter off the bench, but he has started 13 games this season. The same goes for Trenton Hassell. Hassell has been a solid bench player in this league for years, but he has started 11 of 12 games this season. While averaging 9.9 and 8.8 points per game, respectively, these two would be better utilized if they had smaller roles and could focus on that job. Another veteran, Bobby Simmons, is a decent bench player, but he has been declining for the last five seasons since winning the Most Improved Player award for the Clippers. Yi Jianlian has been a bust since day 1 in the NBA and is dead weight on the roster at this point.

The Nets could develop as the year goes on and be respectable by the end of the season, but they are probably at least a year or two away from pushing for a .500 record. In the meantime, they need to snap this losing streak and get a win under their belt. With the young team they have, that may take a lot of pressure of them and they could quickly improve. While the Nets are 0-17, they are not as bad as the record indicates. Look for them to approve throughout the season as the gain experience. With a few off-season acquisitions, this team could be a dangerous 7 or 8 seed next season.

Two Stroke Penalty For Negligence? The Happy Gilmore Decision.

I enjoy golf - for the most part. I was once decent but over the last few years my scores have increased more than K-Fat's appetite. While I used to be concerned with how things turned out after 18, I now care a lot less. If my 9-iron is reading this post he is shaking his dented head and wondering if not caring is why I snapped him over my knee. I did it because it made me feel better. The other thing that generally makes me feel better is having fun on the course and not taking the game too seriously. It is a work in progress, but, I've come a long way. The point is, the game should be fun and the older you get, the more apparent that should be. That is why I was appalled when I read the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal's decision in the case of Bezanson v. Hayter - as Encyclopedia Brown might call it, "The case of the Happy Gilmore shot".

I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to write about sports and law and today, it's time. Before I continue, I should point out once again that I am from Canada. Our legal system differs somewhat from the United States, so for our purposes, here is a quick hit in the law of negligence. This is in no way to be taken as advice. My lesson in civil negligence in four steps:

1. There is a duty of care owed from one party to another. The standard of care varies on the situation.
2. There is a breach of that duty of care.
3. Injury results.
4. The injury is caused the breach of the duty.

Got it? Good. It's important.

So, I was saying, my approach to golf now is that I should be having fun. From time to time, I have been known to swing the wrong way, hit a ball off a beer can or, more importantly, do the "Happy Gilmore". But, after reading Bezanson v. Hayter, I may end up checking my swing as I walk into my next tee shot. Why? Because the "Happy Gilmore", in Canada, now can end up in a pretty stiff penalty and there's no mulligan.

The day started like any other day, four guys, one being the bachelor soon to be wed, a golf course and, as the Judge stated, "an inventory of Baja Rosa Tequila, marijuana and Wildcat beer." Boom! By the 16th hole, the factual record states that Hayter had consumed nine beer and half a pint of tequila. Hayter put his tee shot in the bush and hit a second in the fairway. Bezanson and the others proceeded to their balls. Hayter did not.

With the three other players ahead, Hayter teed up a third ball and stepped into it - the "Happy Gilmore" shot. The ball struck Bezanson in the wrist and ricocheted into his chest. One of my favourite things in the court decision is that the "defendant maintained that he can reliably hit a "Happy Gilmore" shot". I have no idea how good of a golfer Hayter is or was. But, I do know that he had put his first shot in the trees and had admitted to having consumed nine beers and half a pint of tequila over roughly three hours (so, probably had drank more). I doubt he could reliably fasten the velcro on his glove.

Bezanson was left with permanent damage to the radial nerve or to a branch of the radial nerve. The judge found that Bezanson's current complex regional pain syndrome was directly attributable to the golf ball injury and my never fully heal. Bezanson sued Hayter.

Immediately I have a problem with this, as most people would. If you don't, you should. Negligence is an unintentional tort and it was never considered whether Hayter intended to strike or to bring harm to Hayter. Nor should it have been considered in a strictly legal sense. However, it should have been considered at least somewhat in Bezanson's contemplation of suing one of his friends - presumably a good friend. The end result was an award of $227,500.00. To me, it seems to be a shrewd and cowardly move on Bezanson's part. That is my opinion on the facts as I know them.

Basically, we have a small group of guys playing a sport, inebriated, perhaps a little outside of the normal boundaries and one gets hurt. To hold one of them liable for the resulting injury to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars is a little harsh. I can't even type what I'm thinking - we have editors. Put it this way, I have a feeling with the holiday season upon us, Bezanson shouldn't hold his breath to see if Hayter drops off a bottle of scotch - or Baja Rosa Tequila as is the case.

You just don't sue a friend in this situation. You don't. I presume there no insurance meaning Hayter pays from his pocket. In any event, Bezanson did not see it this way, there was a civil trial (and an appeal) and Hayter was held liable in negligence and ordered to pay Bezanson. Some friend. It is worth pointing out too that Bezanson had a pre-existing wrist condition (carpal tunnel syndrome) that limited him from his employment as a wood cutter.

So, my first issue was with a court action being initiated by one friend against another. That's just terrible friend etiquette. My second issue is with the Courts' decision itself.

"I am convinced that the 'Happy Gilmore' shot would have been less controllable than a normal tee shot," the trial judge wrote in his decision.

Back to my lesson on negligence. I will consider just the first two steps. I don't doubt Bezanson was injured. I don't doubt it was caused by a 100mph golf ball.

Step one - Is there a duty of care? According to the Court - Yes. In this case, I can accept and agree that there is a duty of care owed from one golfer to another on the course. However, I feel that the possibility of getting hit is an inherent risk of being on the course - not only from your playing partners, but, from everyone. The bottom line though, there is a duty of reasonable care to your playing partners.

Step two - Was there a breach? According to the Court - Yes. However, it appears the judge would have decided differently had Hayter not taken a Happy Gilmore shot. Does this make any sense? I think it sets a dangerous precedent. The breach has its roots in the danger or carelessness in taking a Happy Gilmore shot and hitting it poorly. The assumption is that hitting a Happy Gilmore shot is less controllable than a regular shot. This is not always the case. Regular shots are often hit just as poorly. I know.

Here's the thing, I have a hunch that Tiger Woods can control a Happy Gilmore shot. Picture this, I'm playing a round with Tiger, or better yet, Adam Sandler (we know he can control a "Happy Gilmore" shot!) and they take one, and strike me. Based upon the Nova Scotia precedent, am I precluded from suing them based upon their ability to 'control' the shot? What about if I get struck by just some hacker who can't control a stationary shot? Are they breaching the standard by taking a regular shot when they know there is a possibility they hit a wayward flier and strike a me? If that's the case, and right now it appears that it is, you can find my clubs on craigslist (http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/spo/1484324136.html). I clearly need to hang them up before I'm held liable for hitting somebody.

I simply think that the precedent now is too loose. In order to establish the proper standard of care, the Court will have to hear evidence on golf ability, or, more specifically, ability to hit a "Happy Gilmore" shot. Hayter tried to use his generally poor golf skills as a defence, to no avail. Happy wasn't a great 'stationary' golfer but he was a great golfer with his method. What if Happy hit somebody?

Hayter also argued the Bezanson consented implicitly to the risks of being on the golf course. The trial judge accepted this argument but stated further, "Mr. Hayter's behavior was not among the natural risks of golf to which the plaintiff can be said to have consented." The Court of Appeal judge agreed saying "Mr. Hayter's running whack, toward his playing partners ahead, deliberately abdicated control and was not an ordinary feature of the game."

I think it's pretty simple. Hitting a wayward shot is an ordinary feature of the game. No matter what stance or method was used to hit the ball, it happens. A lot. I cannot come to terms with why the method of hitting the ball or type of swing has anything to do with negligence - at least in this case. And the method of hitting ball really seems to be why the Courts found negligence. If Hayter had taken a normal swing, I cannot say with complete certainty, but it appears, the Court's would have found that getting hit was now among the "natural risks of golf".

So what are we left with? Regular swing, no negligence. Happy Gilmore swing, negligence.

Really?


Note:
Link to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal decision.
http://www.courts.ns.ca/decisions_recent/documents/2009nsca113.pdf

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury & Impact

Sleeper:
Chargers (v. Kansas City): Last time these two met the Chargers Defense racked up an amazing 23 points (ESPN default scoring). Since then the Chiefs have lost top RB Johnson and have suspended top WR Bowe. Oh, and the Chargers are on a five game win streak consisting of wins against quality opponents such as the Giants and Eagles.

Injury and Update

Bengals (v. Browns)
Keith Rivers, LB, Calf, Limited Practice
Morgan Trent, CB, Knee, Limited Practice
*Rey Maualuga, LB, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Domata Peko , DT, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Robert Geathers, DE, Hip, Limited Practice
*Tank Johnson , DT, Knee, Limited Practice
*Johnathan Joseph, CB, Foot, Limited Practice

Status: Coming off an unexpected loss to the Raiders, the Bengals will be looking for redemption this week against the Browns. This, in addition to the Browns generally horrendous play, should have fantasy owners salivating this week. However, although starting the Bengals Defense should not be only be safe, but wise, keep your eye on this situation, as for any team the possible benching of five starters would mark a drop in production.


Vikings (v. Bears)
*E.J. Henderson, LB, Knee, Full Practice
Benny Sapp , CB, Groin, Full Practice
*Antoine Winfield, CB, Foot, Limited Practice

Status: The limited play/non-play of Winfield hurts, but the Vikings are facing the Bears and their turnover machine of a quarterback. Start.

Eagles (v. Redskins)
Akeem Jordan, LB, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Asante Samuel, CB, Neck, Did Not Practice
Victor Abiamiri, DE, Knee, Full Practice
Quintin Demps, S, Ankle, Full Practice
Victor Harris, S ,Eye, Full Practice
*Mike Patterson, DT, Wrist, Full Practice
*Sheldon Brown , CB, Hamstring, Limited Practice

Status: The Eagles may be down two cornerbacks (if that), but the Redskins are a complete mess organization wise and are down Clinton Portis and possibly Ladell Betts leaving them to rely on third-string Cartwright on the ground. This should be a fantastic week for fantasy owners, especially considering Philly’s Defensive dominance in their last meeting.

Steelers (v. Ravens)
*James Farrior, LB, Not Injury Related, Did Not Practice
*Troy Polamalu, S, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Travis Kirschke, DE, Calf, Limited Practice

Status: The Steelers have demonstrated that the absence of Polamalu equals the absence of defensive consistency and domination. This, in addition to the fact that the Steelers may be starting an inexperienced third-string quarterback and will therefore probably be heavily reliant on the defense, does not bode well for fantasy owners this week.

Ravens (v. Steelers)
Matt Birk, C, Neck, Did Not Practice
*Ray Lewis, LB, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Ed Reed, S, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Terrell Suggs, LB, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Jarret Johnson, LB, Shoulder, Full Practice
*Haloti Ngata, DT, Ankle, Limited Practice

Status: Even against a mediocre Steelers team, I would be hesitant to start the Ravens. However, as mentioned above, this week the Steelers may be starting Dixon, an inexperienced third-string QB. Due to this, the Ravens offense will probably dominate time of possession and will be able to eventually wear out and exploit the Polamalu-less Steelers’ defense. Keep you eye on whether Big Ben is cleared to play.

Players Start Moving as Free Agency Begins

In case the Turkey yesterday put you to sleep, there was big MLB news as former Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez signed with the Blue Jays.  Well maybe it's not big news but until some of the bigger dominoes start to fall, this is the excitement baseball fans can look forward to this off-season.  Gonzalez is one of the first few recognizable names to move teams.  The White Sox have been busy, signing Andruw Jones and Omar Vizquel to bolster their depth (I guess they want to re-live 1999), but all has been quiet on the John Lackey-Matt Holliday-Jason Bay front.  In the spirit of Black Friday, let's examine where some of baseball's free agents could wind up.

John Lackey - The Mets have some dollars to spend and Lackey has some dollars to earn.  The biggest prize in this year's free agent class goes to Queens to become starter 1A behind Johan Santana. 

Jason Bay - San Francisco has a strong young pitching staff but is extremely short on bats.  Adding Bay could put the Giants in position to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West in 2010.

Matt Holliday - They may not offer the most money, which could be a problem for his agent, Scott Boras.  Holliday is a great fit in St. Louis and provides the Cardinals with another bat in the middle of the order to help Albert Pujols.  After a disastrous first half of the season in Oakland, I think Holliday re-signs with the Cardinals.

Orlando Hudson - You're going to think I'm nuts, but Hudson signs with the Mets.  Sure, they have some waste named Luis Castillo manning second right now and he's signed through 2011 for $6 million a year, but if the Mets want to contend they need an upgrade at second and Hudson is just the guy.

Marco Scutaro - Scutaro came out of no where to hit 35 home runs this year, surpassing his previous career high of 32.  Predominantly a shortstop, Scutaro is versatile to play any other infield position or a corner outfield position, which adds to his value.  Since Toronto signed Gonzalez, they have no need for Scutaro.  Look for him to play for the Red Sox in 2010.

Adrian Beltre - Looking to upgrade at third base, the Phillies would be an excellent fit for Beltre.  Beltre is one of the best defensive third basemen in the game and can still hit, although his days of hitting 40+ home runs are over.  Imagine that infield.  Howard/Utley/Rollins/Beltre.

Chone Figgins -The White Sox could use a lead-off hitter, but don't expect the Angels to let Figgins go without a fight. My guess is that Anaheim outbids the White Sox for his services.

Johnny Damon - If they can get him for two years, Damon will re-sign with the Yankees.  Despite Scott Boras' wishes that he signs for four years, Damon has made it abundantly clear that he wants to stay in New York, which hurts any bargaining power Boras has.  Damon will be back in New York.

Vladimir Guerrero - Vlad once had the best arm in baseball, and while he can still throw, he can barely move.  Guerrero moves out of Anaheim and goes and spends time as a DH.  He would be a great fit in Texas.

Erik Bedard - Bedard is an interesting case.  He's very talented but hasn't pitched 200 innings ever in his career, although he did pitch 196 in 2006.  Boston GM Theo Epstein has shown he likes taking flyers on pitchers (see: John Smoltz, Brad Penny) and the Red Sox could use another pitcher, so look for an incentive deal for Bedard to sign in Boston.

Jose Valverde - The Astros would like to have Valverde back and only a handful of teams are in need of a closer.  If Philadelphia loses faith in in Brad Lidge, they could be a dark horse for Valverde, otherwise, expect him to stay in Houston.

NCAA Fantasy Finals: Keep the stat-quo or make some changes?

This is it. Do or die. After blowing out my opponent by over 50 points last week, I have made it to the finals. I am competing for bragging rights, for pride, and for the (metaphorical) trophy. I am up against the team that had handed me my only loss on the season, and this being my first time making it to the finals, I am a little hesitant about making any moves on my roster. After debating with myself, I hoped there’s not much to do now but set my lineup, eat some turkey, and wait for the games to start. Or so I thought.

Eating turkey and waiting for the games to start was the easy part. Setting my lineup, not so much. Turns out my two stud QBs, Joe Webb and Kellen Moore will both face tough opponents this weekend. Moore and Boise State will face a Nevada team that is 7-0 in the WAC, and has won 8 straight games. Moore must show up big or risk losing not only the conference championship, but a BCS bid as well. On the other hand, Joe Webb tries to log one last W that would bring UAB to a bowl-eligible 6-6. This would be so much easier, if I could pick up Trevor Harris out of D-II Edinboro, who went 50 of 76 for 630yds and 7TDs (2 rushing)…in only his second game back from knee surgery. But because I couldn’t be so lucky, and because of the rushing and passing potential, I am going to stick with Webb. This should make for an interesting fantasy matchup, seeing as my opponent is starting Case Keenum, making this a battle of the top-2 fantasy players of 2009.

I had to do a bit of work on my team in other areas, seeing as both James Cleveland and Naaman Roosevelt, two of the top-15 WRs in the nation are at best questionable this weekend. Averaging over 8 receptions per game, if Cleveland is listed as injured, it will surely hurt my productivity this week. This, along with early reports stating Roosevelt will not be playing on Friday night, cause some concern. In order to quash that, I dropped Roosevelt and was somehow able to pick up Dexter McCluster from Ole Miss.

What’s great about McCluster, is the fact that he’s a RB listed as a WR, and only needs 97yds against Mississippi State in order to eclipse the 1,000yds on the season, making him the sixth-best fantasy WR in the nation. Chances are, you won’t get as lucky as I did, seeing as he is started in 90% of leagues, and owned in 94% on CBS. Starting Golden Tate and Danario Alexander, and with the addition of McCluster, my starting WRs make up three of the top-6 WRs in the nation. Hopefully this will ensure victory and year-long bragging rights.

Unfortunately, my backfield is in a similar position. Top-10 RB Bernard Pierce, who has been extremely productive averaging over 20FPts for 2009, will sit out as Temple plays Ohio for the MAC East title. Additionally, even though Darius Marshall will be back after sitting out last week with a knee injury, the Thundering Herd showed that they had plenty of depth at RB and would play the man with the hottest hand. This makes starting Marshall a risky move. In order to avoid such a risk, I dropped Pierce and picked up Frank Goodin out of Louisiana-Monroe. I have mentioned Goodin several times this season, and finally have the chance to utilize his talents, albeit in the last fantasy matchup of the season. If any of you need assistance at RB, Goodin is the way to go since he is owned in only 6% of leagues.

This is the season to be thankful, and I sure am thankful for college football, the internet, and thus, NCAA Fantasy football. Lets hope I can be thankful through the offseason. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Tampa Bay Lightning Still on Shaky Ground

Heading into this summer's NHL free agency period, it looked as if the Tampa Bay Lightning had hit rock bottom.  The media spotlight shone brightly on the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy proceedings, yet Oren Koules and Len Barrie, co-owners of the Lightning, were bickering over the direction of the cash-strapped franchise.

The team was coming off a dreadful season in which they finished second-to-last in the NHL and had major holes on the roster to fill. Perhaps realizing that another missed playoff appearance would make it very difficult to stay afloat, GM Brian Lawton went to work this offseason with Koules' checkbook in hand.  Gone were glorified pylons such as Noah Welch and Cory Murphy, and in came free agent prize defenseman Matthias Ohlund (7 years, $26.25M) in what seemed like just seconds after the free agency period opened.  Not only was Ohlund exactly what the Lightning needed to improve on perhaps the league's weakest defensive group last season, but the 33-year-old Swede was also the perfect mentor for '09 first round pick Victor Hedman who also hails from Sweden.

Prior to tonight's matchup with Toronto, Tampa finds themselves on a 4-1-2 run and tied for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-5-7 record through the first quarter of the season.  Head coach Rick Tocchet seems to be getting results from last season's disappointments. 2008 top pick Steven Stamkos has burst onto the scene and finds himself tied for the team scoring lead with 24 points.  Following a rough start under former head coach Barry Melrose last season, Tocchet made Stamkos a healthy scratch at times last spring to help him focus on his physical training.  Over the summer, Stamkos put in time with fitness-fanatic and former Lightning winger Gary Roberts:

"We did some unusual things...The toughest part was on dry land, pulling a 100-pound sled, sprinting the whole way and then turning around and going back. I was face up on the ground, gasping for air."

Stamkos added five to seven pounds of muscle or so, though, and his body fat dipped by three percentage points. He said he didn't want to add too much weight and sacrifice speed, so the body fat percentage was the real goal.

The training seems to have paid off, as Stamkos has already found the back of the net 15 times this season, three off the league lead.  Some are already calling for Hart Trophy consideration as league MVP for the 19-year-old forward.

Ryan Malone has been a direct beneficiary of Stamkos' success.  Following a disappointing 2008-09 campaign, the former-Penguins winger has 22 points in 21 games. Joe Smith at the St. Pete Times feels Malone is the team's unsung hero thusfar.  Things seem to be going great in Tampa Bay.  A far cry from the train wreck we antipicated in November 2008, right?

Not so fast.  I can't argue Malone's start hasn't been impressive; but is it really him, or the fact he's now paired with the talented Martin St. Louis and Stamkos, instead of bouncing between scoring lines and limited checking roles like last season? Malone stumbled onto a great line his final season in Pittsburgh when Evgeni Malkin helped Malone score 27 goals and land a mega-contract two summers ago. And how does one become unsung when his paycheck reads $6 million, as Malone's does this year?  He should be leading this team at that price.

While we're on the subject of millions, what about $10-million-man Vincent Lecavalier?  He's taken plenty of criticism in recent weeks (some of which is probably unwarranted), but maybe he's not the player who once scored 52 goals in a season.  In fact, since that 2006-07 season, his goal totals have dropped considerably as a result of mounting injuries.  He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in April '08 following a cheapshot by Matt Cooke.  He's had wrist surgery on both wrists due to damage to the triangular fibrocartilage complex, the most recent coming last April after playing through a season of pain.  According to the University of Michigan Health System, for athletes like Lecavalier, "the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better."

One would assume he'll snap out of it, yet it's hard to ignore that he's currently on pace for a paltry 16 goals this season.  Despite rampant trade rumors, I can't think of many teams chomping at the bit to take on an underperforming, injury risk with huge money remaining on a contract that runs through 2020.

Off the ice, it isn't all that pretty either. Despite the successful start and slashed ticket prices, attendance is still down from last season, as the Lightning rank 25th out of 30 teams. Damien Cristodero shares some of the same concerns:

Operationally, the team has been stable this season, with co-owner Oren Koules and general manager Brian Lawton running things, and co-owner Len Barrie, as per commissioner Gary Bettman, involved only in transactions worth more than $2 million.
The question is what happens when the $15 million the organization received in league revenue sharing runs out and it has to start paying more of its bills on its own?

Barrie, although claiming his day-to-day role hasn't really changed since last season, may be in no position to come to the rescue financially.  According to a report by David Shoalts at the Globe & Mail:

His financial problems with the Bear Mountain golf resort and housing development near Victoria were severe enough to scuttle his attempt to buy out fellow owner Oren Koules in late summer. Now it appears as if the problems will worsen.

In the wake of a damning report by the company’s former auditor that accused management at Bear Mountain of misappropriating funds, a source said Canada Revenue Agency is looking into the development’s finances.

Barrie, who was accused in the report and by a member of the development’s executive committee of improperly financing at least part of his share of the Lightning with Bear Mountain funds, did not respond to a request for comment.

Shoalts went on to indicate that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is content with the team's situation.  The economy is beginning to show signs of life and financing is a bit easier to come by than it was a year ago. Perhaps Koules will be able to lure in an outside investor or two.

Yet as the Phoenix Coyotes have found, not every corner of the country is out of the woods yet.  All signs point to Florida (like Arizona) still being years away from an economic and housing recovery.  How far will attendance and revenues fall if the team begins to struggle? What other skeletons are there in Barrie and Koules' closet? For now, every win silences the critics and buys the risk-taking Koules more time.  But an 18th century preacher once said, "The worst thing that can happen to a man who gambles, is to win”.

Joe Mauer: AL MVP and Beyond

A gold glove.  A batting title.  An MVP.  What a year it was for Joe Mauer.   He hit .365 with a career-high 28 home runs and a career-high 96 RBI.  In addition to leading the league in batting average, Mauer led in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.  Aside from one wayward voter, Mauer was the unanimous choice for MVP, despite being limited to 138 games.  

In a way, Joe Mauer is baseball's equivalent of LeBron James.  Both are superstars in their 20s, with MVP awards, drafted by their hometown team and both will be free agents in 2010.  The New York area basketball teams clearly have interest in LeBrown.... what about on the diamond?

FanGraphs.com lists Joe Mauer's value at $36.8 million dollars this season, based on his Wins Above Replacement converted to a dollar value.  While that probably isn't what he'll get annually in his next contract Mauer could command $25 million per year and will surely get a raise from the $12.5 million he'll make in 2010.  The Twins catcher faces the same difficult choice as LeBron: stay home, in a smaller market, for less money or take the money a big market team throws at him.  The Yankees and Red Sox could easily get into a bidding war for his services and the Mets don't have a long term solution at catcher either.  He's the face of the franchise in Minnesota and the Twins are a good team, but they won't have the financial capital to pay Mauer - even with the added revenue from Target Field, which opens next year.  So... if you're Joe Mauer... what do you do?

Fantasy Hockey Pickups: Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of Fantasy Hockey Pickups. Here are some players that you may want to consider this week to help give your lineup that extra boost to get you that win this week.

Forwards

Kristian Huselius - LW - (CLS): Kristian Huselius had 2G, 3A, 4PPP, 1SHG, 1GWG, and 12 SOG last week. Overall he has 16 points in 17 games with 7PPP and 2GWG. Huselius has been a consistent producer this year and would be a good addition to any lineup. He is available in 34% of Yahoo Leagues.

Nathan Horton - C,RW - (FLA): Nathan Horton had 2G, 3A, 1GWG and was a +3 last week. Overall he has 6G, 11A, 20PIM, and is a +2. Horton is a great fantasy player because he can provide points in all fantasy categories and also can be used as both a center and winger. He is available in 41% of Yahoo Leagues.

Maxim Afinogenov - RW - (ATL): Maxim Afinogenov had 2G, 1A, 1PPP, 6PIM, 9 SOG, and was a +4 last week. Overall he has 9G, 11A, and 7PPP. Afinogenov is on a point per game pace so far and has really gotten into a grove with Atlanta. Afinogenov is poised to have a breakout season this year and should be a strong consideration for any league. He is available in 44% of Yahoo Leagues.

James van Riemsdyk - LW - (PHI): James van Riemsdyk had 2G, 1A, 1PPP, 2GWG, and 11SOG last week. Overall he has 18 points in 17 games. van Riemsdyk is having a phenomenal rookie campaign, and if available should be strongly considered. He is available in 47% of Yahoo Leagues.

Tomas Plekanec - C - (MON): Tomas Plekanec had 1G, 4A, 8SOG, and was a +4 last week. Overall he has 22 points in 23 games with 56 SOG. Plekanec leads the Canadiens in points and has been a consistent point scorer so far this year. He is available in 49% of Yahoo Leagues.

Ryan Clowe - LW - (SJ): Ryan Clowe had 2G, 2A, 1PPP, 2PIM, and 9SOG last week. Overall he has 4G, 11A, 39PIM, and 54 SOG so far this year. Clowe is on a hot streak and seems to be getting out of a slump after a slow start this year and should be considered in deeper leagues.. He is available in 50% of Yahoo Leagues.

Stephen Weiss - C - (FLA): Stephen Weiss had 2G, 3A, 2PIM, 1PPP, and was a +2 last week. Overall he has 7G and 7A this year. Weiss is currently on a scoring streak and should be a good fill-in for an injury. He is available in 66% of Yahoo Leagues.

Jarret Stoll - C - (LA): Jarret Stoll had 2G, 1A, 2PPP, and 4PIM last week. Stoll has 7G, 11A, and 7PPP so far this year. Stoll is tied for third on the Kings for the points lead and has been able to put up some good numbers. He is available in 71% of Yahoo Leagues.

Claude Giroux - RW - (PHI): Claude Giroux had 2G, 5A, 1PPP, 7SOG, and was a +3 last week. Overall he has 3G, 12A, 30SOG, and is a +6. Giroux seems to be on a scoring streak now and could be a good consideration. He is available in 77% of Yahoo Leagues.

Defensemen

Lubomir Visnovsky - D - (EDM): Lubomir Visnovsky had 1G, 4A, 3PPP, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 5G, 11A, 9PPP, and is a +4. Visnovsky sees plenty of time on the PP and that is where most of his points have been scored this year. He is available in 30% of Yahoo Leagues.

Stephane Robidas - D - (DAL): Stephane Robidas had 2G, 3A, 3PPP, and was a +1 last week. Overall he has 14 points with 5 on the powerplay. Robidas sees plenty of time on the PP and provides good +/- points. He is available in 45% of Yahoo Leagues.

Tobias Enstrom - D - (ATL): Tobias Enstrom had 1G, 3A, 1PPP, and was a +3 last week. Overall he has 3G, 13A, and 6PPP. Enstrom has had another strong week and should be considered as an everyday starter on your blue-line. He is still available in 52% of Yahoo Leagues.

Keith Ballard - D - (FLA): Keith Ballard had 4A, 2PPP, 8PIM, and was a +4 last week. Overall he has 7A and 27 PIM. Ballard seems to be finally getting out of the slump he's had since the beginning of the year. He is available in 83% of Yahoo Leagues.

Anton Stralman - D - (CLS): Anton Stralman had 2G, 2A, 4PIM, and 3PPP. Overall he has 3G, 10A, 9PPP, and 32SOG. Stralman has already tied his total point production from last year with the Maple Leafs. He has produced well offensively, especially with assists, on the blue-line with Columbus. He is available in 90% of Yahoo Leagues.

Goalies

Brian Elliott - G - (OTT): Elliott came in to relieve Pascal Leclaire on Saturday. It is uncertain the extent of the injury Leclaire suffered so it may be wise for Leclaire owners to consider picking him up.

Notable Injuries

Arron Asham - RW - (PHI): Strained Left Oblique - IR as of 11/17. Impact: Looks to be out 2 weeks. Place him on your IR and look for a short-term replacement.

Shean Donovan - RW - (OTT): Knee - DTD as of 11/21. Impact: It is unknown how long he will be out at this time, but it looks serious and could be out for a long time.

Scott Gomez - C - (MTL): Lower Body - DTD as of 11/21. Impact: It is unclear how long he will be out at this time.

Martin Havlat - RW - (MIN): Hamstring - DTD as of 11/20. Impact: It doesn't look serious and should be back in action this week.

Niklas Kronwall - D - (DET): Sprained MCL - DTD as of 11/21. Impact: He will be out 4-8 weeks. Look for a replacement.

Pascal Leclaire - G - (OTT): Lower Body - DTD as of 11/22. Impact: His status is unknown at this time.

Jay McKee - D - (PIT): Infected Finger - DTD as of 11/17. Impact: He looks to be out 2-4 weeks.

Alexander Semin - RW - (WAS): Right Wrist Injury - IR as of 11/17. Impact: It is uncertain when he will return. Place him on your IR.

Ryan Smyth - LW - (LA): Upper Body - DTD as of 11/17. Impact: He looks to be out for about a month so look for a replacement.

Good Luck with your match-ups this week!

A Ray of Hope on Long Island?

When General Manager Garth Snow was awarded the 1st selection in the 2009 National Hockey League entry draft, London Knight’s John Tavares, it was the inevitable that they were turning the corner under the current ownership group led by Computer Associates CEO Charles Wang. Maybe, just maybe, this was the end of what has been an absolute nightmare for the Islander faithful who have witnessed a lack of direction, on-ice depth, leadership and most importantly, a true foundation.

Welcome to another 82 games for the New York Islanders, only this time, however improbable it might sound, the Islanders actually have necessary pieces to the puzzle to not only compete on a nightly basis, but to build around for right now and the future. This Hockey club might have just 8 wins in the first 23 contests, but for the most part, the first quarter of the season was about establishing a new identity.  I believe that's what they've done under Head Coach Scott Gordon. When GM Garth Snow chose superstar forward John Tavares over Swedish Defensemen Victor Hedman, you couldn’t help but think about the huge voids in the Islanders offense. You couldn’t help but think about which players would skate with Tavares.  I think it’s safe to assume, a large percentage of the Islander fan base were keen on finding out exactly that it would look like at the Nassau County Memorial Coliseum for the first 20 games.  A new beginning, or more of the same false hope?

Long Island, New York...please welcome journeyman Left Winger and Mississauga, Ontario native Matt Moulson, a former 2003 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and past member of the Los Angeles Kings organization. Moulson signed a one year contract with the Islanders on July 6th, 2009 and as far as I am concerned, has been 2nd best to John Tavares, surpassing a short list of promising talent lead by forward Kyle Okoposo. Moulson’s 10 goals are good enough for the team lead through mid-November. His 18 points are just one shy of Tavares. At this time, it’s safe to assume, Garth Snow has found his first diamond in the rough. The former Cornell University standout has been more then a pleasant surprise for the Islanders. His positive energy on and off the ice, is just an added bonus.  This is how successful teams are formed.

If you look beyond Tavares and Moulson however, it’s safe to argue that Garth Snow isn’t done building the new foundation; in fact, he is still a ways away from doing that. Forwards Kyle Okoposo and Josh Bailey are apparently part of the future, but their combined 10 goals are simply not going to cut it. Veteran forward Richard Park is currently fifth in overall points with 9, and one goal to show for. Again, that’s not going to cut it. No offense to a hard working Richard Park, but when Scott Gordon is relying on a career high 32-point getter over the course of a 16-year career, you have major problems. So far so good though for Park, but it’s not what the doctor ordered; never has been, and never will be.

Knock on wood Islander Faithful, Defensemen Mark Streit is healthy and through 23 games, is fourth on the team in scoring. The highly talented offensive defenseman was brought in as an Unrestricted Free Agent in July of 2008 and has become a quiet leader of the Islanders back end. Yet if I were you, I would ask General Manager Garth Snow where his partner is. When will the Islanders bring in an impact defenseman to compliment Streit? Jack Hillen, Andy Sutton, Brendan Witt, Radek Martinek and Bruno Gervais make up for the rest of the blueline right now, but it’s the same story every year for the majority of this group. They are not good enough on paper, which makes the on ice level of play that much worse. Signing three starting goaltenders (Dipietro, Biron, Roloson) isn't the answer to defensive shortcomings. Bottom line, Garth Snow must bring in a player to compliment Mark Streit.

A foundation is there for the Islanders, and if you have watched a good portion of their games you would agree with me. You would also agree that there are still needed assets in several areas on this squad, and simply dead Weight in others. Garth Snow needs to continue to find diamonds in the rough like Matt Moulson if Charles Wang is not going to give him the go ahead green light to make an impact trade. For the time being however, John Tavares and company will continue with the identity process, and as far as I'm concerned, it really hasn't been too bad so far.

Washington Redskins to Keep Name

Earlier this week the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Suzan Harjo v. Pro-Football, Inc., the case that could have forced the Redskins to change their name.  Back in September, Harjo petitioned the court to hear the case as the latest move in a 17 year battle by a group of Native Americans to force the football team from Washington to change its name.  Harjo and her fellow plaintiffs contend that the name "Redskins" is racially disparaging and after the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a U.S. District Court's ruling that the plaintiffs had waited too long to bring suit, Harjo appealed to the Supreme Court.  The Surpeme Court declined to hear the case without comment.

One of the more interesting elements of the Harjo case is that the federal courts have not commented on the name "Redskins", but have instead halted Harjo on the grounds that the plaintiffs waited too long to file suit.  The youngest plaintiff in Harjo, born only a year after the Redskins trademark was processed, waited nearly eight years after turning 18 to join the suit.  While this is a victory for the Redskins, there is a similar case pending in the court system that has been stalled until this one was decided.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Disastrous Teams

Author's note: I had the opportunity to speak with NFL All-Pro linebacker Karl Mecklenburg recently about his new book and his playing career which was highlighted by three trips to the Super Bowl with the Broncos and six appearances in the Pro Bowl. Along with some fascinating stories about what it's like at an NFL training camp and an honest discussion of the pressures of being a professional athlete, the Broncos great articulates how a commitment to athletics can positively shape a person in the book, Heart of a Student Athlete. Check out the book here and Mecklenburg's website here. My interview with Karl and full review of the book will be posted here next Friday.

15 and 57. That's the combined record of the last place teams across every division in the NFL through week ten. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady sure are great, but train wrecks and systemic dysfunction is far more interesting.

The jarring 15-57 mark which amounts to a .208 winning percentage is represented collectively by, brace yourself: the Redskins, Lions, Rams, Buccaneers, Bills, Browns, Titans and Raiders. Re-read that and try not to cringe. The Titans, at 3-6, seem to be the red herring of that bunch coming off an NFL best 13-3 record last year. Maybe they're just a victim of a brutal opening schedule, but to quote Bill Parcells: you are what your record says you are. That goes for the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan too, who said after the Jets week eight loss to the Dolphins: "I think our record should be better than what it is right now." Well, I think that I should be the ruler of a chocolate kingdom where there are no bills to pay, videos of kittens playing pianos repeat on loop on giant billboards across the land, and Tyra Banks is not allowed to speak. Model, but not speak.

Ryan's remarks from the same conference included this one too: "Statistically, this game isn't going to look close." He's right (you may recall that Tedd Ginn scored two special teams touchdowns that game). The Jets wrecked the Fins on the stat sheet but unfortunately Ryan is the one coaching the team and the rest of us are yelling at the TV and playing fantasy football. Statistics don't tell the whole story, or even part of the story. After all, the Chiefs aren't even among the eight division doormats that my own silly metric scooped up.

Now brace yourself again: the un-elite eight have been outscored by their opponents by a combined 712 points so far. That's over 100 touchdowns, 200+ field goals or 356 two-point conversations. In other words, $!@$!!!

By comparison, the bottom eight last year, anchored by the 0-16 Lions and the 2-14 Chiefs and Rams, combined for a .281 win percentage. The dregs of the league this year are actually outpacing them. There's also a 37 percent chance that I'll get to the point in the following paragraph.

The bad teams this year, as a whole, just feel worse. They seem utterly hopeless and usually devoid of any spirit. It's so bad in Cleveland that the team's owner, Randy Lerner, actually met with two fans (the leaders of the Browns' Dawg Pound) to discuss their concerns about the state of the team because the fans threatened to stage a protest at the beginning of their Monday Night Football "contest" earlier this week. Lerner's meeting was a nice gesture, I guess, but it's just bizarre. As for the game, it got so bad that the ESPN analysts, who sometimes inject false suspense into their MNF broadcasts--I suppose because they have to--were unabashedly critical of the mostly unwatchable Browns. It was like a terrible movie that becomes watchable only when you stop trying to like it and make fun of it instead. The Browns were shut out 16-0 by the Ravens and collected only 160 yards of total offense.

Nearby, Bills fans don't know whether to travel to the team's "home" game in Toronto against the Jets in December for fear that it might support the notion that Toronto is a better home for the Bills. Owner Ralph Wilson Jr. just fired head coach Dick Jauron who led the Bills to three consecutive 7-9 finishes and a 3-6 mark so far this year. And earlier this year, Bills management all but conceded that they brought in Terrell Owens to get some publicity and sell tickets. Isn't the point to win games?

So here's the one statistic that the geeks don't tabulate and couldn't accurately measure if they tried: just how much it must stink to be a fan of one of these awful teams right now. Many of them have been perennial losers for a while now (the Lions). Some are not accustomed to this type of thing. Whatever the case, these fans don't need algorithms or charts telling them that their teams stink. For the most part, they already know.

With that in mind, I'm throwing statistics out the window from for the remainder of this article. And that takes us back to some quotes--eight in total, one for each team, taken from a sports film--to capture a bit of humor in each of the respective disaster seasons. The fans have got to laugh because if they don't laugh, they're going to cry, or punch holes in the wall, and the value of homes in Detroit has fallen enough already.

Your NFC representatives:

Washington: Remember Danny - two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left. (Caddyshack)

Billionaire owner Daniel Snyder has thrown money at every apparent problem. I applaud his willingness to spend the money to bring in talent. But it hasn't worked, because it just doesn't work that way. Snyder may as well light his money on fire at this point. At least he has plenty of it. The reclusive Snyder actually came out and expressed remorse about the state of the dysfunction this year during the bye week, while a famous Redskin, John Riggins, has put out Youtube videos blasting Snyder and lame duck head coach Jim Zorn. Weird, right? Although to the Redskins credit, they did beat the Broncos last week.

Detroit: The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback - ME! (The Longest Yard)

Rest assured, the Lions offensive linemen already know this. If they can keep him upright, Matthew Stafford will continue to get valuable experience. Hopefully better things are ahead. If not, at least Stafford got a contract with a lot of guaranteed money.

Tampa Bay: Have you ever gotten the feeling that you aren’t completely embarrassed yet, but you glimpse tomorrow’s embarrassment? (Jerry Maguire)

Try to find two more wins on the Bucs remaining schedule: New Orleans; at Atlanta; at Carolina; New York (Jets); at Seattle; at New Orleans; Atlanta. But let's face it, who doesn't like creamscicle colored uniforms?

St. Louis: We're in hell right now gentlemen. Believe me. And we can stay here, get the (bleep) kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time. (Any Given Sunday)

That line really isn't that "funny", but how could I not include it? These Rams at least have some fight in them and gave the undefeated Saints a scare last week. Down five with 2:21 remaining, the Rams drove from their own 20 to the Saints 31 and had a shot at the end zone for a stunning 29-28 upset with time expiring.

And the representatives of the AFC:

Buffalo: You don't think as a team, you don't play as a team, you don't even LOSE as a team! (Angels in the Outfield)

Needless to say, Coach Jauron had lost the ear of the team. Maybe it's time to bring back J.P. Losman, currently the starting QB for the UFL's Las Vegas Locomotives.

Cleveland: Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one. (Slap Shot)

ESPN and the NFL need some sort of flex-scheduling for Monday Night Football to prevent another game featuring a 1-8 squad. But I'm not going to beat this one to death (if I haven't already). Tempting, but I won't. It's just a perfect storm of disaster. Somewhere in Cleveland there's a college senior writing a thesis about this Browns season. This was probably the only team in the league that didn't want to play on national television.

Tennessee: In case you haven't noticed — and, judging by the attendance, you haven't — the Indians have managed to win a few here and there and are threatening to climb out of the cellar. (Major League)

However even if the Titans win out and finish 10-6, it might not be good enough to secure a playoff spot. Probably won't happen though. In any event, as long as 86 year-old owner Bud Adams continues to wave double-barreled middle fingers from a box towards opposing teams' fans, the price of admission is worth every penny.

Oakland: This quitting thing, it's a hard habit to break once you start. (Bad News Bears)

That about sums up the 2009 Raiders. Although, the JaMarcus Russell experiment appears to be over. Somewhere, John Madden, Mike Shanahan and John Gruden are shaking their heads. Stay tuned!

Check back in here every Friday around lunchtime where Brett Smiley will fill you in on everything in the world of sports and fantasy sports from the bizarre to the practical to the relatively unimportant.

NFL Week 11 Predictions

I'd like to congratulate the Bengals on their sweep of the Steelers. I seriously doubted Cinci had what it took, but they proved something on Sunday. I am still not buying them as a Super Bowl contender, but I am close. Anyways, the Bengals are showing us they can play, but I just can't buy it. You don't go from the Bungals to Super Bowl contenders that quick. At least Marvin Lewis saved his job.

***Completely Off-Topic Rant*** I am currently watching Thursday Night Football and I gotta say, the production quality of the telecast is beyond poor. It feels like I am watching a locally televised high school football game. You would think after two or three years of televising games that it wouldn't be nearly as pathetic. I would rather a decade of Dennis Miller on MNF, this is horrible.

Speaking of coaches, I won't say whether Belichick was right or wrong, I just am glad it blew up in his face. A friend of mine pointed out that he made a similar call in Week One, which worked, but that was the Bills and this was the Colts. Whether he made the call out of fear of Manning getting the ball, trusting his defense, or his arrogance, it blew up in his face and I love it. So does 98% of the United States living outside of the Northeast. Enough Patriots hate, let's get to my NFL Week 11 Predictions.

Redskins at Dallas

The Broncos found out the hard way that even though the Skins are next to horrible, you can't over look them. Dallas won't this week. Start all of your normal characters for Dallas, but don't expect amazing numbers. As bad as the Redskins offense is, their defense is almost as good. For the Skins, Betts is startable as well as Moss, they just aren't amazing options. Dallas gets back on track, 20-10.

Browns at Lions

This one isn't quite as bad as last week's Raiders-Chiefs, but it is really close. At least there are two fantasy worthy players who have pretty good matchups. Start Megatron and Kevin Smith. For those of you in deep leagues or with some moxie, Pettigrew may be a good play this week. Sit all Browns, forever. Lions win, 24-13.

49ers at Packers

Coach Singletary and crew lost a tough one last week, and it doesn't get any easier this week. The Packers are the most frustrating team in the NFL. One week they look horrible, the next unstoppable. I am betting they play well at home. Niners have a good D so don't expect amazing numbers, but start the usual suspects for the Pack. For the Niners, VD, Gore, and Crabtree are all good options, but I wouldn't be shocked to see the Pack give them a rough time. Pack win, 23-17.

Steelers at Chiefs

My poor Steelers. It was painful to see them get swept by the Bengals, but Cinci earned it. Big Ben and crew had a rough Week 10, but the Chiefs should help with that. Sometimes offenses have bad weeks, especially when they run into a good team, it happens. Start all your normal Steelers, and bench anyone wearing red. I don't see the Chiefs doing much. Steelers win, 27-9.

Falcons at Giants

This one should be a goody. Both teams really need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The bye week could not have come at a better time for the Giants and it could not have produced better results. I see the Giants coming out strong. Start Manning, Smith, Jacobs and Bradshaw. For the Falcons, the start the normal three, but I'm not starting a Falcons back until I see how they handle the run post-Turner. Giants stay alive, 20-16.

Saints at Buccaneers

The Saints gave 'Nawlins fans a pretty big scare last week, but like all good team, they remained poised in a tough spot and held on. I expect the Buccs to play them hard, but I don't see them having any more success than the Rams. Start all the Saints, including Devery Henderson. he may finally be emerging as a decent option. For the Buccs, I think Caddy and Winslow find some room to operate, but I wouldn't want to have to depend on anyone else. Saints win big, 31-17.

Bills at Jaguars

You have to feel for Bills fans. They have to deal with TO, they have to watch Lynch underachieve, and they soon will have to drive to Toronto to watch them play. To be honest, I think everyone saw this coming. Anyways, I'll still start him this week, but that is about it for the Bills. For the Jags, its Sims-Walker and MJD. That's it. Is it possible for MJD to combine three touchdowns with 200 yards? I guess anything is possible with the Bills, even losing four Super Bowls. Jags ride MJD to victory, 23-13.

Colts at Ravens

Just when I thought the '72 Dolphins were ready to sip some champagne, Bill Belichik happens. Even with the call, Manning and crew still needed to punch it home, and they did. That is what champions do. The Ravens will provide a stiff test for the offense, but I would still start Manning, Wayne, and Addai. For the Ravens, Flacco, Rice, Mason, and Heap are all good options. Colts are soaring right now and Ravens have a short week. I'll go Colts, 27-17.

Seahawks at Vikings

Are you AP owners salivating yet? I know I am. I am officially adopting the Vikings as my NFC team this year. I know, takes a lot of skill to jump on their bandwagon, but I have AP and Favre on multiple, I can't help but love them. I'll start Favre, AP, Harvin, and Sidney Rice. For the Seahawks, I love what Dorsett brings to the table, but not against the Vikes. I am only starting Housh and Burleson this week for Seattle. Minnesota continues to roll. 24-10.

Cardinals at Rams

Rams kept it close last week against the Saints, and I expect them to put up a good fight again this week, it just won't be enough. The Cardinals love playing on the road this year, and with a weak opponent, the Cards should thrive. Start all your normal guys for the Cards, even Hightower. It looks like Wells has won the main gig, but Hightower should still be useful. For the Rams, go with SJax and Donnie Avery. Apparently, there are two Rams worth owning. Cards roll, 30-17.

Jets at Patriots

I was more than happy to predict the Jets win earlier this year against the Pats, but it won't happen again. The Jets are struggling, Sanchez looks like a rookie, and their defense has suffered some key injuries. The Pats should have no trouble scoring, I'll start the big three, but leave the running backs on the bench. For the Jets, I think Jones should find some room, and Braylon and Cotchery will be useful playing from behind. Pats get their revenge, 27-16.

Bengals at Raiders

The Bengals are rolling and the Raiders have no chance. There isn't much to think about here. Start your Bengals, bench your Raiders. Bengals win easy, 24-6.

Chargers at Broncos

This is a huge game, but I don't think it will be close. The Broncos are really struggling and are starting a backup QB. Sure, Moreno looks good but that is it. Start Marshall and Moreno, but everyone else sits. For the Bolts, it will be tough sledding this week, but I would still roll with the big four on offense. I don't see Vincent Jackson struggling two weeks in a row, despite a tough matchup. Chargers take over first place, 30-20.

**Nice run by Ricky Williams, quite impressive. Good for him.**

Eagles at Bears

This is another battle of teams who desperately need a win to keep in the playoff hunt. I just don't see it in the Bears. The offense just isn't there and the defense can't carry them anymore. I'll still start Cutler, Olson, and Forte, but the rest is just a guessing game. For the Eagles, McNabb, McCoy, Jackson, and Celek are pretty sure bets to have solid games. Celek is making a play for fantasy MVP consideration. He is a top TE and was mostly undrafted. It is that type of production that wins leagues. He'll help the Eagles stay alive this week, 24-17.

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury & Impact Week 11

Sleeper:
Arizona (v. Rams): The Cardinals are the winner of the “Who’s playing St. Louis” lottery this week. Sure, Bulger threw for an impressive 298 yards last week, but the Cardinals, who have been very respectable if you ignore the Carolina and Indy hiccups, possess a tremendous pass rush defense which could result in several sacks and turnovers.

FAIL game of the week:
Cleveland v. Detroit: Wow, this is going to be a terrible game. Somebody better get “Yakety Sax” ready to play on an extended loop. Seriously, the only thing more depressing than this matchup is the economy of each team’s respective hometown. As you can tell, I’m not expecting anything from this game. In fact, I’m just hoping that the winner of this matchup will come from the home state of the losing team of the big Ohio State-Michigan game this weekend. No, I’m not a fan of either team, I just don’t want to have an entire state erupt in riots because their NCAA and NFL teams lost to their rival state. Ok, more relevant to fantasy football, there has been some chatter this week that starting the Lions defense might be a good sleeper pick. Well, I can see that, the Lions have home field advantage and don’t play “Guess Who: Quarterbacks Edition” prior to weekly matchups while the Browns have been a virtual goldmine for fantasy owners starting their defenses against them. However, there really isn’t any indication of how this one will go; this game can be even, lopsided, high-scoring, low scoring, non-scoring, and nobody would even bat an eye.



INJURY & IMPACT

Baltimore Ravens (v. Colts)
*LB, Terrell Suggs, Knee, Out
*DL, Haloti Ngata, Ankle, Questionable
* LB, Tavares Gooden, Probable

Ok, so the Colts are undefeated, Peyton Manning has thrown for over 300 yards in every game but one (a 42-6 victory over the Rams) and 20 touchdowns this season, and the Ravens’ weakness has been a solid pass attack by their opponents. How about we sit this one out?

Minnesota Vikings (v. Seattle)
*DB, Antoine Winfield, Foot, Questionable(Limited Practice)
CB, Benny Sapp, Groin, Limited Practice

They would always fare better against a team with Winfield guarding downfield, but the reality of the situation is that Seattle it a 3 win team and those wins have come against the Rams, Jaguars and Lions. However, you might want to take into consideration that Hasselback has thrown for high yardage in several of their losses. (a.k.a. be mindful of your scoring system) Overall, expect a good, not great, fantasy number.

New England Patriots (v. Jets)
*LB, Eric Alexander, Groin, Limited Practice
DL, Jarvis Green, Knee, Did not practice
*DL, Ty Warren, Ankle, Did not practice
LB, Tully Banta-Cain, Abdomen, Did not practice
LB, Gary Guyton, Sick, Did not practice
LB, Rob Ninkovich, Knee, Did not practice
DT, Ron Brace, Ankle, Limited practice

The Patriots Defense has been scraping by thanks to their high-flying offense. However, Sanchez’s interceptions outnumber his touchdowns on the year 4:3. Why is this that important? Because to keep up with Brady and the Pat’s Offense, the Jets are going to have to throw and depending on how rookie Sanchez plays this week, that could be a very good thing for the Pat’s D. Still, don’t expect great numbers from the Patriots defense this week.


New Orleans Saints (v. Tampa Bay)
*DB, Tracy Porter, Knee, Out
*DL, Sedrick Ellis, Knee, Limited Practice
*DB, Jabari Greer, Groin, Limited Practice
*DB, Darren Sharper, Knee, Limited Practice

Saints potentially minus 3 defensive players still equals better than Tampa Bay. Start.

New York Jets (v. New England)
LB, Vernon Gholston, Hamstring, Did not practice
*S, Jim Leonhard, Thumb, Did not practice
*DE, Shaun Ellis, Knee, Limited Practice

Tom Brady was named “Comeback Man of the Year” for a reason, namely, his 2, 739 yds and 19 touchdowns this season. Even in last week’s loss he still threw for 3 TDs and 375 yards. Even if the Jets win this one, it’s not going to be a low scoring affair.


Philadelphia Eagles (v. Chicago)
*DB, Sheldon Brown, Hamstring, Limited practice
DB, Quintin Demps, Ankle, Did not practice
* LB, Akeem Jordan, Knee, Did not practice
DB, Joselio Hanson Suspension, Out

The Bears have been on a steady decline and Jay Cutler has become what we women refer to as a “hot mess” lately. (Note: Hot Mess has nothing to do with being hot) So, there is a high chance that the Eagles will have several turnovers to capitalize on this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers (v. Kansas City)
*DB, Troy Polamalu, Knee, Questionable (Did not practice)
* DL, Travis Kirschke, Calf, Limited participation in practice

Though they started out shaky, the Steelers have found their rhythm this season while Kansas City continues to struggle winning just 2 of their 9 games. Add to the mix that top receiver Bowe has been suspended for violating the league’s ban against performance enhancing drugs and it’s pretty safe to start the Steelers Defense this week even without their marquee player.

Round 1: NCAA Fantasy Playoffs

The offseason always seems to creep by at a nearly unbearable pace as we all yearn for the football season to begin. Come summertime, we start to get anxious; we start reading scouting reports, discussing Heisman probabilities, and drooling over the fantasy dream-team we hope to put together. Once Week 1 comes around, we get excited, we pull out our game-day jerseys, our lucky hats, and schedule our “honey-do” days around which games we must watch. But now, we are at that point in the season where things are coming to an end – which means the fantasy playoffs are just beginning.

If you’ve made it into the playoffs, you either (a) know what you’re doing, or (b) you’ve found some luck along the way. Even if you and lady luck have had a couple of nice "outings", you are the one who picked up players, you are the one who set your lineup, you are the one who now controls his/her own destiny. On that note, there’s not much I can suggest, other than two “rules of thumb” that I live by, if and when I make it into the playoffs.

1. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Throughout the season, I have tried to give you new players to look out for every week. As a result, my team has become synonymous with “revolving door”, dropping one just to pick up the next hottest guy. In NCAA fantasy, it is much easier to find the next big thing. But not this time of year. Stick with what works. Trust your gut.

My gut tells me Joe Webb will continue his hot streak this week against East Carolina. Even though Kellen Moore and Boise State play 3-7 Utah State, Webb’s ability to throw and run have proven to be valuable to my success.

2. Beware of the schedule
Unlike in the NFL, some schools still have Bye weeks. For example, Cincinnati, Pitt, and Idaho all have the week off. As a result, Mardy Gilyard (930yds rec, 8TDs, 135FPts), Dorin Dickerson (top fantasy TE in 2009), and Max Komar (926yds rec., 8TDs, 137FPts in 2009) will all have to be replaced.

With Gilyard on my squad, this is something I had to be aware of. I will play Golden Tate, Danario Alexander, and James Cleveland. Alexander has recorded 200yds receiving the past two weeks, and is one of the top 3 WRs in the nation along with Tate. Cleveland is stud/QB Case Keenum’s favorite target, and despite on recording 88yds last week, he will get the start. Houston plays a 2-8 Memphis squad that Joe Webb demolished with 378yds passing last week, so it looks as if Keenum and Cleveland will have a field day.

All-in-all, if you’ve made it this far, you’re doing well. Keep it up. Just make sure you don’t blow it by thinking too much and not trusting your gut, or not thinking at all by failing to pay attention to obvious factors such as a scheduling conflict. Good luck this week. I’ll let you know if I survived.

Fantasy Football Dispute No. 5299-T: SportsJudge.com Court Upholds Trade but Requires Pre-Payment of Next Year's Entry Fee

SPORTSJUDGE.COM

COURT OF FANTASY FOOTBALL

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	x	Index No. 5299-T Date Rendered: Nov. 18, 2009 League Type: Keeper Dispute: Trade Review Authoring Judge: Marc Edelman TRADE APPROVED SUBJECT TO PREPAYMENT BOND
COMMISSIONER Petitioner, - against - SEND IT IN! & JAMESON Respondent	: : : : : : : : : :
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The SportsJudge.com Court of Fantasy Football is faced here with the question of whether to uphold the trade of Wes Welker for Donald Royal and Earl Bennett. The trade was made by two teams, each seemingly out of playoff contention. The league's entry fee is $500/club.

General Rules for Upholding a Fantasy Football Trade:

The general rule of the SportsJudge.com Court of Fantasy Football is to uphold any fantasy football trade that reasonably benefits both teams. See Big Red Rockers v. Big City Bombers, Index No. 101 (August 14, 2004).

In examining whether a team derives some benefit from a trade, the standard requires the Court to consider not only the quality of the players involved, but also the context of the trade. See generally Team Anadrol v. Vegas Baby & Flathead Yankees, Index No. 955-C (Nov. 4, 2007). The surrounding context includes factors such as team rosters and the current standings. See Commissioner v. Parkstarz & Fuall, Index No. 5877-T (Nov. 12, 2009).

The Proposed Trade:

Here, the proposed trade has Send It In! (3-7, 3 games out of playoff spot) trading Wes Welker (Round 4 WR, 64 catches, 662 total yards, 4 touchdowns despite missing early weeks with injury) to Jameson (4-6, 2 games out of playoff spot) for Earl Bennett (Round 15, 35 catches, 454 total yards, 0 touchdowns) and Eddie Royal (Round 9, 27 catches, 253 total yards, 0 touchdowns).

The League's Keeper Rules:

Given both teams are near mathematical elimination, this trade must be considered in light of the possibility of these teams making further trades before the deadline, as well as league keeper rules, which state as follows:

KEEPERS

1.A franchise may keep players that were on the franchise's roster at the end of the previous year. However, in order to keep a player the franchise must give up a draft pick at least three rounds earlier than the player's draft round in the previous year. Players drafted during the first three rounds of the previous year may not be kept.

2. If a franchise wishes to keep two players at the same former draft round then the next earlier draft round must be given up. A franchise may not keep players if there is no legal draft round available. For example, in order to keep two 6th round picks the franchise would have to give up a third and a second round pick in the new draft; or for example, a franchise may not keep two players who were drafted in the fourth round during the previous year because there would only be one draft round, the first, available.

3. Each year, one (1) week before the draft, each owner will provide a list of players as keepers for the upcoming draft. Each owner may save any or all players on the current roster, except of course players drafted in the first three rounds.

4. A player who was not drafted (A free agent) the previous year is assigned a previous year draft round of 15. To keep such a player, a franchise must give up a 12th round pick. Also, the values that are assigned for each player will not change for any reason during the football season. Any drafted player that is cut during the year and picked up later in the year will still maintain their draft round value. For example, if you drafted Warrick Dunn in the 7th round and cut him early in the season and then picked him up later in the season, he will still have a draft round of seven.

Analysis:

Wes Walker's real value is in the possibility of his being re-traded before the deadline--something that will not be difficulty given his talent. In terms of keeper value, Wes Welker, pursuant to league rules, may be protected in exchange for a first round draft pick. However, that is almost certainly not going to happen given that all of the players picked in the first three rounds of the 2009 draft must return to the draft pool at the end of the season.

Bennett and Royal may have an angstrum more keeper value than Welker, but not clearly anything more. While Bennett's strong perfrormance last week might be a sign that he is beginning to click with his old college quarterback in Jay Cutler, one 93-yard game in two years in the NFL is not in itself a strong indicator of anything.

This leaves the court somewhat confused on the merits for this trade. On one hand, Send It In! might be making this trade because of the very slightly higher keeper value in Bennett and Royal. However, without knowing the parties or circumstances, or even whether Send It In!'s level of future commitement to the league, this trade could also be one of the many frauds that take place in fantasy sports called "Swap and Run." Under the "Swap and Run," a team that is already eliminated for playoff contention will trade a player with value for another player that may seem to have a very small amount of value ("token consideration" or "fake consideration" for you lawyers), but in reality just be trying to move assets off his team.

Without any further evidence, this court needs some way to ensure this trade is not a "Swap and Run" but rather that Send It In! is really optimistic about the prospects and keeping Bennett and/or Royal (or at least more excited about them as keepers than of keeping Welker).

Thus, given the low but unavoidbale risk of the "Swap and Run" taking place here, this court will protect against such a fraud by requiring Send It In! to pay a 50% nonrefundable deposit toward the 2010 season should Jameson trade Welker to a contender before the deadline.

Should either party reject this additional term, the trade would be deemed withdrawn.

Holding:

Based on the forgoing, the proposed trade is upheld. However, given the low but unavoidable risk of the "Swap and Run"fraud taking place here, this court will protect against the risk of fraud by requiring Send It In! to pay a $250 (50%) non-refundable deposit toward the 2010 season should Jameson trade Welker to a contender before the deadline.

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