As a fantasy football owner who is in the male 25-44 demographic group, watching "The League" is a hoot. I can't wait to tune in Thursday at 10:30 p.m. on the FX Channel to watch the Season 1 finale, when the episode will center around their fantasy football championship week.
Culled from the show's web site, here's a synopsis of what the show is about:
"Set against the backdrop of a fantasy football league, The League, FX's new original comedy, is about friendship, marriage, parenting, and growing up ... or refusing to grow up. Fantasy football provides an outlet for good-natured competition and camaraderie between friends and colleagues, but that's not always the case. Deception, trickeration, one-upmanship and a win-at-all costs mentality are prevalent in the world of fantasy football and it's no different in The League. The emotional tentacles of fantasy football extend to personal relationships, marriages and the workplace, all fertile ground for comedy."
If you haven't checked out the show before, you can view the previous five episodes online. You don't even need to be a fantasy football geek to appreciate "The League. Even my wife can't watch an episode without laughing hysterically at least once.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Goalie pickups of the week
If you have to play two goalies per week, you might want to keep an eye on Brian Boucher. Another Brian (Elliott) could be a decent short-term pickup.
The Rhode Island native has the potential to take over as the Flyers' No. 1 goalie. He was signed in the offseason to serve as insurance if Ray Emery flamed out in his return to the NHL. Not only has Emery disappointed, but so hasn't virtually the entire Philly team, which was considered to be a Stanley Cup contender. Now a new coach (Peter Laviolette) is in town, and that could kick-start a talent-laden team that sits 12th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.
Reports that Emery has been trying to play through an injury -- and poorly, I might add -- opens the door for Boucher to take over. Boucher sports a 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage, albeit in only 7 out of the Flyers' 26 games. He's given up 3 goals in each of his last two games, but prior to that he had yielded only 5 goals in 4 games.
He's not an option in my keeper league, as the 32-year-old doesn't figure to be a full-time starter past this season -- even if he can capture the job in Philadelphia. But in my other 12-team league, he's starting for me this week, given the continued struggles of Tim Thomas and Steve Mason.
The Flyers have a favorable schedule, with the Canadiens, Islanders, Senators and Devils on top (the middle two games are at home). Those teams' rank in goals per game this year: 29th, 23rd, 14th and 20th. Boucher is slated to get that start tonight at Montreal; it'll be a good sign if Laviolette goes back to him the following night against the Isle.
As for Elliott, he should still draw the majority of the starts for the Senators with Pascal Leclaire still out.
Ottawa's schedule is a favorable one over the next two weeks. This week, the Sens face Montreal, Philadelphia (10th in goals per game) and Carolina (last).
Next Ottawa faces Toronto, Buffalo, New Jersey and Minnesota; those four teams neatly rank 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st in goals per game. Coach Cory Clouston would be wise to start Elliott against the Sabres and Wild; Elliott is 4-0 with a 2.18 GAA at home.
The Rhode Island native has the potential to take over as the Flyers' No. 1 goalie. He was signed in the offseason to serve as insurance if Ray Emery flamed out in his return to the NHL. Not only has Emery disappointed, but so hasn't virtually the entire Philly team, which was considered to be a Stanley Cup contender. Now a new coach (Peter Laviolette) is in town, and that could kick-start a talent-laden team that sits 12th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.
Reports that Emery has been trying to play through an injury -- and poorly, I might add -- opens the door for Boucher to take over. Boucher sports a 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage, albeit in only 7 out of the Flyers' 26 games. He's given up 3 goals in each of his last two games, but prior to that he had yielded only 5 goals in 4 games.
He's not an option in my keeper league, as the 32-year-old doesn't figure to be a full-time starter past this season -- even if he can capture the job in Philadelphia. But in my other 12-team league, he's starting for me this week, given the continued struggles of Tim Thomas and Steve Mason.
The Flyers have a favorable schedule, with the Canadiens, Islanders, Senators and Devils on top (the middle two games are at home). Those teams' rank in goals per game this year: 29th, 23rd, 14th and 20th. Boucher is slated to get that start tonight at Montreal; it'll be a good sign if Laviolette goes back to him the following night against the Isle.
As for Elliott, he should still draw the majority of the starts for the Senators with Pascal Leclaire still out.
Ottawa's schedule is a favorable one over the next two weeks. This week, the Sens face Montreal, Philadelphia (10th in goals per game) and Carolina (last).
Next Ottawa faces Toronto, Buffalo, New Jersey and Minnesota; those four teams neatly rank 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st in goals per game. Coach Cory Clouston would be wise to start Elliott against the Sabres and Wild; Elliott is 4-0 with a 2.18 GAA at home.
Friday, December 4, 2009
World Cup small talk for the casual fan
Now that the draw for one of the world's largest and most popular sporting spectacle is done, what do you -- the non-soccer fan -- need to know about the World Cup?
More people than you think care about this tournament. Basically anybody who speaks English with an accent or has an ethnic-sounding last name has some rooting interest; and if they're not a fan, you can bet someone close to them is.
Given that most readers aren't hard-core followers, here are some nuggets for the watercooler:
How did the U.S. fare? Two words: Great draw. England is in the same group, but we avoided tough 'name' teams with Algeria and Slovenia, both of whom had to win a two-leg playoff in order to get the 32-team World Cup finals. Winning the group could mean a nice path to the semifinals.
What about those cheaters? Ah yes, the French. A missed handball call allowed France to score a goal that vanquished the Irish in their playoffs. Bad karma did not prevent the French from getting a favorable draw, one that includes the weak host nation (South Africa).
What about the `Group of Death'? This is the term used to describe the most difficult group of four teams; there are eight in the tournament. The consensus is that Group G is this year's winner. Brazil, always a perennial tournament favorite and top-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, was drawn with a talented Portugal team and Ivory Coast, arguably the best African side. The third-place team in this group was a good bet to advance to the second round (the two teams in group play move on) in any other group.
For the serious soccer fan, there will be more analysis as the start of the tournament draws closer in June.
More people than you think care about this tournament. Basically anybody who speaks English with an accent or has an ethnic-sounding last name has some rooting interest; and if they're not a fan, you can bet someone close to them is.
Given that most readers aren't hard-core followers, here are some nuggets for the watercooler:
How did the U.S. fare? Two words: Great draw. England is in the same group, but we avoided tough 'name' teams with Algeria and Slovenia, both of whom had to win a two-leg playoff in order to get the 32-team World Cup finals. Winning the group could mean a nice path to the semifinals.
What about those cheaters? Ah yes, the French. A missed handball call allowed France to score a goal that vanquished the Irish in their playoffs. Bad karma did not prevent the French from getting a favorable draw, one that includes the weak host nation (South Africa).
What about the `Group of Death'? This is the term used to describe the most difficult group of four teams; there are eight in the tournament. The consensus is that Group G is this year's winner. Brazil, always a perennial tournament favorite and top-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, was drawn with a talented Portugal team and Ivory Coast, arguably the best African side. The third-place team in this group was a good bet to advance to the second round (the two teams in group play move on) in any other group.
For the serious soccer fan, there will be more analysis as the start of the tournament draws closer in June.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Is it time to sell low?
As the owner of Tim Thomas and Steve Mason, I'm one frustrated fantasy hockey owner. When your second- and fifth-round draft picks are flops after the first two months, it can explain a lot of your struggles.
Recently I had to evaluate how low I was on that duo when a fellow owner was looking for a goalie. I was trying to peddle Brian Elliott, who will be the Senators' starter after a freak injury to Pascal Leclaire. While I didn't expect Doug (who also owns Leclaire) to bite on trading John-Michael Liles, who just came back from an injury, straight up for Elliott, I didn't expect that he'd inquire about Thomas or S.Mason.
Our 12-team league scoring system has evolved over the last 15 years to the point where goalie losses are not penalized; at least we haven't eliminated goalies entirely (it was actually discussed, albeit briefly) or gone to starting only one. Not surprisingly goalies have been among league's leading scorers the last several years, and thus my draft strategy involving Thomas and S.Mason.
Understand that my team is mired in last place, both in record (1-7) and points scored. If I have any chance of getting into the playoffs (there is, after all, two-thirds of the season left), I'll need strong goaltending. So I decided to keep the upside of my goalies over improving my defense corps; Doug, to his credit, was willing to discuss Liles and Sergei Gonchar. Maybe if he could have included a decent goalie in the deal (Jon Quick is the other goalie on my roster), I would have considered the proposal further.
In general it's hard to sell low, with getting proper value being the most difficult thing to gauge. As I've posted previously, try to stick with your studs and give them a chance to come through. Here's hoping I'm right in this case.
Recently I had to evaluate how low I was on that duo when a fellow owner was looking for a goalie. I was trying to peddle Brian Elliott, who will be the Senators' starter after a freak injury to Pascal Leclaire. While I didn't expect Doug (who also owns Leclaire) to bite on trading John-Michael Liles, who just came back from an injury, straight up for Elliott, I didn't expect that he'd inquire about Thomas or S.Mason.
Our 12-team league scoring system has evolved over the last 15 years to the point where goalie losses are not penalized; at least we haven't eliminated goalies entirely (it was actually discussed, albeit briefly) or gone to starting only one. Not surprisingly goalies have been among league's leading scorers the last several years, and thus my draft strategy involving Thomas and S.Mason.
Understand that my team is mired in last place, both in record (1-7) and points scored. If I have any chance of getting into the playoffs (there is, after all, two-thirds of the season left), I'll need strong goaltending. So I decided to keep the upside of my goalies over improving my defense corps; Doug, to his credit, was willing to discuss Liles and Sergei Gonchar. Maybe if he could have included a decent goalie in the deal (Jon Quick is the other goalie on my roster), I would have considered the proposal further.
In general it's hard to sell low, with getting proper value being the most difficult thing to gauge. As I've posted previously, try to stick with your studs and give them a chance to come through. Here's hoping I'm right in this case.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving scores
Final scores, with my picks in bold:
Abington 20, Whitman-Hanson 0
Archbishop Williams 14, Cardinal Spellman 10: One game I'm happy to lose. Little-known fact: Cardinals coach Ron St. George's daughter, Shivonne, helped lead Archies to a state hoop title.
BC High 28, Catholic Memorial 17: Xaverian won, so there went the Eagles' chances for a share of the Catholic Conference.
Braintree 10, Milton 7
Bridgewater-Raynham 29, Randolph 7: Here's a suggestion: the Blue Devils should play nearby Holbrook/Avon on Thanksgiving ... now that'd be a competitive game for both.
Bristol-Plymouth 20, Blue Hills 6
Duxbury 17, Marshfield 7: Gee, the Rams have problems stopping a team in a spread formation ... again.
East Bridgewater 28, Rockland 7: Justin DeAndrade did look good in the one game I saw him.
Hanover 37, Norwell 22: Too much Brett Wheeler. Norwell's Achilles' heel was slowing down big-play backs.
Hingham 30, Scituate 7: Those Harbormen play some tough 'D' under their coordinator, WNEC Athletic Hall of Famer Brian Kelliher.
Hull 15, Cohasset 7: Good for coach Jerry McGrath. Dan Shea was one of the better players I saw in the South Shore League this year.
North Quincy 21, Quincy 6: Finally, the streak is over. Nice job by coordinator Dom Barbuto's defense.
Plymouth South 14, Plymouth North 12
Silver Lake 15, Pembroke 0
Southeastern 14, South Shore Votech 8
Walpole 37, Weymouth 18: Too much Ryan Izzo.
I'm glad I wasn't in an office pool this year; surely 8-8 would not have won.
Abington 20, Whitman-Hanson 0
Archbishop Williams 14, Cardinal Spellman 10: One game I'm happy to lose. Little-known fact: Cardinals coach Ron St. George's daughter, Shivonne, helped lead Archies to a state hoop title.
BC High 28, Catholic Memorial 17: Xaverian won, so there went the Eagles' chances for a share of the Catholic Conference.
Braintree 10, Milton 7
Bridgewater-Raynham 29, Randolph 7: Here's a suggestion: the Blue Devils should play nearby Holbrook/Avon on Thanksgiving ... now that'd be a competitive game for both.
Bristol-Plymouth 20, Blue Hills 6
Duxbury 17, Marshfield 7: Gee, the Rams have problems stopping a team in a spread formation ... again.
East Bridgewater 28, Rockland 7: Justin DeAndrade did look good in the one game I saw him.
Hanover 37, Norwell 22: Too much Brett Wheeler. Norwell's Achilles' heel was slowing down big-play backs.
Hingham 30, Scituate 7: Those Harbormen play some tough 'D' under their coordinator, WNEC Athletic Hall of Famer Brian Kelliher.
Hull 15, Cohasset 7: Good for coach Jerry McGrath. Dan Shea was one of the better players I saw in the South Shore League this year.
North Quincy 21, Quincy 6: Finally, the streak is over. Nice job by coordinator Dom Barbuto's defense.
Plymouth South 14, Plymouth North 12
Silver Lake 15, Pembroke 0
Southeastern 14, South Shore Votech 8
Walpole 37, Weymouth 18: Too much Ryan Izzo.
I'm glad I wasn't in an office pool this year; surely 8-8 would not have won.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thanksgiving football
For the last several years, the sports department has had an office pick'em to help pass the time during our deadline-crazed Friday nights. While I won my fair share of Friday Night Frenzys, I never won the one for the Thanksgiving games. Let's see how I fare in forecasting tomorrow's games (winners in bold):
Archbishop Williams at Cardinal Spellman: I'd love to go with Bill Kinsherf's team, but Archies isn't trending the right way. The Bishops are 0-4 in league play, while the Cardinals are 3-1 against those same teams.
Braintree at Milton: Good reporting from my successor as the high school sports coordinator, Eric McHugh, about All-Scholastic Joe Donovan being able to return from injury. He should provide the difference like he did in last year's game.
North Quincy at Quincy: Last year North had the better record and frankly choked. It's been a disappointing season for both, but I like the Red Raiders to finally break their skid.
Hanover at Norwell: Look for the Clippers to come up with a big play or two in a close game.
Weymouth at Walpole: I'd like the Wildcats more if they were at home, but at least my hometown pick is justified by the return of P.J. Bonarrigo to bolster an already strong running attack.
Hingham at Scituate: The Sailors won't lack motivation, coming off their crushing OT loss to Duxbury and with the Harbormen winning the last six in this series.
Marshfield at Duxbury: Lots of intrigue in this game, with both meeting in next Tuesday's EMass D2A playoff game. In some years Marshfield's torn-up field has hampered their run-based offense; that won't be the case on Duxbury's artificial turf.
Rockland at East Bridgewater: I witnessed the Vikings' porous defense against Norwell, and I've got to believe the playoff-bound Bulldogs will take advantage.
Whitman-Hanson at Abington: The Green Wave seniors missed the playoffs; they surely won't want to be the first AHS team to lose on Thanksgiving in a while.
Bridgewater-Raynham at Randolph: The Blue Devils have got to find a more appropriate opponent; the Trojans are one of the biggest schools in the area.
Silver Lake at Pembroke: Not even the presence of Bob Bancroft can turn the Titans around in this series ... though give him a few years.
Plymouth North at Plymouth South: When in doubt, I don't pick against a Bill Burkhead team.
BC High at Catholic Memorial: I like the fact that the Eagles have fared better among their common opponents.
Cohasset at Hull: The Pirates have beaten one team with a winning record; that won't do against the playoff-bound Skippers.
South Shore Votech at Southeastern: The Vikings haven't had the horses to thrive in their wishbone-run attack.
Bristol-Plymouth at Blue Hills: The host Warriors have won three straight, but the playoff-bound Craftsmen are markedly better than those foes.
For more on these games, check out the Ledger's Thanksgiving special section on the newsstands Wednesday. Happy Thanksgiving!
Archbishop Williams at Cardinal Spellman: I'd love to go with Bill Kinsherf's team, but Archies isn't trending the right way. The Bishops are 0-4 in league play, while the Cardinals are 3-1 against those same teams.
Braintree at Milton: Good reporting from my successor as the high school sports coordinator, Eric McHugh, about All-Scholastic Joe Donovan being able to return from injury. He should provide the difference like he did in last year's game.
North Quincy at Quincy: Last year North had the better record and frankly choked. It's been a disappointing season for both, but I like the Red Raiders to finally break their skid.
Hanover at Norwell: Look for the Clippers to come up with a big play or two in a close game.
Weymouth at Walpole: I'd like the Wildcats more if they were at home, but at least my hometown pick is justified by the return of P.J. Bonarrigo to bolster an already strong running attack.
Hingham at Scituate: The Sailors won't lack motivation, coming off their crushing OT loss to Duxbury and with the Harbormen winning the last six in this series.
Marshfield at Duxbury: Lots of intrigue in this game, with both meeting in next Tuesday's EMass D2A playoff game. In some years Marshfield's torn-up field has hampered their run-based offense; that won't be the case on Duxbury's artificial turf.
Rockland at East Bridgewater: I witnessed the Vikings' porous defense against Norwell, and I've got to believe the playoff-bound Bulldogs will take advantage.
Whitman-Hanson at Abington: The Green Wave seniors missed the playoffs; they surely won't want to be the first AHS team to lose on Thanksgiving in a while.
Bridgewater-Raynham at Randolph: The Blue Devils have got to find a more appropriate opponent; the Trojans are one of the biggest schools in the area.
Silver Lake at Pembroke: Not even the presence of Bob Bancroft can turn the Titans around in this series ... though give him a few years.
Plymouth North at Plymouth South: When in doubt, I don't pick against a Bill Burkhead team.
BC High at Catholic Memorial: I like the fact that the Eagles have fared better among their common opponents.
Cohasset at Hull: The Pirates have beaten one team with a winning record; that won't do against the playoff-bound Skippers.
South Shore Votech at Southeastern: The Vikings haven't had the horses to thrive in their wishbone-run attack.
Bristol-Plymouth at Blue Hills: The host Warriors have won three straight, but the playoff-bound Craftsmen are markedly better than those foes.
For more on these games, check out the Ledger's Thanksgiving special section on the newsstands Wednesday. Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Factor in the matchups
There are times when you should pick up a guy who's going to be a starter, but most of the time you're adding guys who might help you over the long term.
Last week it was guys like Bernard Scott, Jason Snelling and Justin Forsett who were the hot pickups. This week it'll be Rock Cartwright, but outside the Redskins' new top RB, it's slim pickings. What should you do? Try targeting guys who might help you in the fantasy playoffs, which starts Week 14 for most leagues.
Again, this will depend on how deep your league is. For me, I looked at the matchups and saw Brandon Pettigrew has some nice matchups. Of course the Lions' tight end did virtually nothing in a favorable matchup against the Vikings, but did come through last week against the Browns. The Cardinals' defense is another nice play in the final few weeks. The Vikings and Seahawks will be facing some weaker-than-average defenses.
So definitely factor the remaining matchups as your trade deadline approaches. For those in keeper leagues and might be out of the playoff spot, consider trading for next year. Good luck ...
Last week it was guys like Bernard Scott, Jason Snelling and Justin Forsett who were the hot pickups. This week it'll be Rock Cartwright, but outside the Redskins' new top RB, it's slim pickings. What should you do? Try targeting guys who might help you in the fantasy playoffs, which starts Week 14 for most leagues.
Again, this will depend on how deep your league is. For me, I looked at the matchups and saw Brandon Pettigrew has some nice matchups. Of course the Lions' tight end did virtually nothing in a favorable matchup against the Vikings, but did come through last week against the Browns. The Cardinals' defense is another nice play in the final few weeks. The Vikings and Seahawks will be facing some weaker-than-average defenses.
So definitely factor the remaining matchups as your trade deadline approaches. For those in keeper leagues and might be out of the playoff spot, consider trading for next year. Good luck ...
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