May I make a suggestion? Yes I may.

With fantasy football season in full swing, I thought I’d drop some knowledge and basic tips for all you fantasy football virgins out there. The draft isn’t only the most fun part of playing fantasy football, it’s the most important, so here are a few suggestions to help you draft smart.

- Know when teams have a bye week: The last thing you want is a team filled with players who have the same bye week. Use strategy when selecting your back-ups, especially your QB, to make sure they’re available to play when your other players are off. With this said, don’t pick too many players who are on the same team, or you could end up with getting a serious beat down during they're week off.

- Know who’s injured or suspended: On the day of your draft check out each teams injury report to see what impact players could miss time. If you don’t check, it’s more than likely that the dicks in your league won’t tell you.

- Do your homework, but not too much homework: Spending time researching the upcoming season is good, but spending too much time reading different guides and different websites will only confuse you. I've seen some sites with DeAngelo Williams going as high as 3rd, while other’s have him as low as 14. Man up, and go with your gut when picking your team. A small percentage of these 'experts' actually offer substantial advice. Last year no one predicted Steve Slaton, Matt Forte or Williams to be top fantasy players, but they were. The point is, go with who you like, not with some jackass’s predictions that probably won’t pan out.

- Pick your kicker last: Anyone who picks a kicker before the last round is an idiot. Why? Because the top 10 kickers last season were only separated by only 20 points, which is less than a point difference per game. Try to grab a guy who has a late buy week so you can hold on him for a while.

- Play mind games with other’s in your league: Try to talk up players who the ‘experts’ may like, but you think will have a poor season. For example, say this to a dumbass that you’re drafting against. – “I think Joseph Addai will have a big comeback this year, and has a good chance of leading the league in rushing.” This may entice the dumbass to pick him well before we should get drafted, thus improving your chances of getting a player you want.

- Aim for players with a high upside: Use the later rounds to go after guys who aren’t superstars, but have the potential to be. Every superstar has one breakout season. Snagging a guy like Ted Ginn Jr. or Rashard Mendenhall in the late rounds has a low risk, high reward probability.

That’s it! Remember to have fun and try to pick a well balanced team. Good luck, and make sure to check back during the season for more fantasy advice!
~Joe Osborne

Brief Hiatus

Due to several reasons (jury duty, tropical storm, surgery, training for the Beijing Olympics, car troubles, my night shift as a grave digger at a cemetery, loitering at pet stores, posing nude for art classes, and heavily anticipating the debut of the new Beverly Hills 90210 series) I haven't been contributing as often as I would like to this blog. As soon as things calm down I will be back writing articles, but in the meantime feel free to browse my archives, and if need you can contact me at osbornejt@hotmail.com. Keep on Trucking Homeys!!

Back From The Dead

It appears NHL fans will get the competitive Stanley Cup Finals they expected as the Penguins returned to form on Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings. After miserable performances that saw the Pens go scoreless in the first two games of the series, they were able to put everything together in front of the hometown crowd.

With the exception of several moments in the first period, the Penguins played at a tremendous pace throughout the game, especially early in the third period. They finally got the monkey off their back when Sydney Crosby scored the team’s first goal of the series at 17:25 of the first. Crosby was at it again early in the second, scoring a power play goal.

The game was never out of hand, as the Red Wings kept it close. Johan Franzen padded his playoff leading goal total with a power play marker close to the end of the second period. A third period goal by Penguins forward Adam Hall made it 3-1 for the Pens, but the Wings once again narrowed the gap with a goal six minutes later by Mikael Samuelsson.

Marc-Andre Fleury kept the Penguins in the game by making highlight reel saves throughout the game. He ended the game with 32 saves.

Most importantly for the Penguins, they’re right back in the series, and their superstars appear to have finally awaken. Marian Hossa assisted on both of Crosby’s goals, while Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar both had spirited performances with a combined seven shots on net. Brooks Orpik chipped in by keeping the fans out of their seats with bone crushing body checks at key points of the game.

Although the Penguins won the game there’s still plenty of work to do as they were out-shot 34 to 24. At times throughout the game they had trouble getting the puck out of their end, and they had a difficult time containing Johan Franzen, who had six shots on net.

Scoring the first goal of the game in these playoffs has been huge for the Pens. They’re now 11-0 when they score first, along with a perfect 9-0 record on home ice. Pittsburgh will have a chance to even up the series on Saturday night, before the series shifts back to Detroit for game five.
-Joe Osborne

UFC 84: Ill Will Preview

The UFC returns to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Saturday night with UFC 84: Ill Will. The event features three big time fights, including one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the lightweight division, as well as Tito Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC. The event also features an under card with lots of recognizable faces. Here’s everything you need to know about UFC 84.

Thiago Silva (11-0) vs. Antonio Mendes (14-2): For those who don’t know who Thiago Silva is, you should take notice because this guy is on a serious roll. His resume includes an undefeated record and first round knockouts of James Irvin and Houston Alexander. Ten of his eleven victories have actually come by way of some type of knockout. His opponent is a fellow Brazilian with zero octagon experience. His experience includes fights for various promotions all around the world, and he was won his 12 fights in a variety of ways.
Verdict: Silva by TKO in the First Round. The good times will continue to roll for Silva. He’s only had one fight go to a decision, and Saturday night will be no different as he continues to climb the light heavyweight ladder.

Tito Ortiz (16-5-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (12-0): Ortiz has more fights in the UFC than any other fighter. He has also ran his mouth more than any other fighter, and that’s probably the reason why this will be his final fight inside the octagon. With Ortiz on the way out, the UFC will look to guys like Machida to be the future of the light heavyweight division. Ortiz’s abilities are well known. He’s a great wrestler, and he’s relentless if he gets on top of his opponent. His conditioning was questioned following his last fight with Rashad Evans, but he claims to be in the best possible shape for this fight. Machida is an unknown among casual MMA fans, but his skills are very impressive. He’s one of the only top tier mixed martial artist to use karate as his primary weapon, but he has been accused of being a boring fight with three of his four UFC fights going to a decision.
Verdict: Ortiz by unanimous decision. With all he’s done in this sport and in the UFC, it’s hard to imagine Tito not putting everything he has into this fight. Expect Tito’s strength and superb wrestling skills to make the difference.

Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) vs. Keith Jardine (13-4-1): So Jardine beat Chuck Liddell, and Liddell beat Silva, so Jardine should be able to beat Silva, right? Not necessarily. Liddell and Silva are different types of fighters, and Jardine should find that out on Saturday night. Silva is as ferocious as they get, while Jardine is someone of a counter striker who can slowly chop an opponent down with brutal leg kicks. Jardine is trying to cement his legacy in MMA, and he should be next in line for a title shot should he get by Silva. Silva on the other hand is on the worst losing streak of his career with three straight loses, but still remains a fan favorite due to putting on incredibly courageous performances.
Verdict: Silva by TKO in the Second Round. Jardine has never fought someone as vicious as Silva, and he’ll have to wait to get a title shot. A win opens up a lot of opportunities for Silva.

BJ Penn (12-4-1) vs. Sean Sherk (35-2-1): If you want a fight with some bad blood or ‘Ill Will’, this fight has it. Penn and Sherk really dislike each other. Penn hates Sherk because he was accused and tested positive for steroids, and Sherk hates Penn for going over board with cheap shots about his suspected steroid use. All drama aside, these are two of the best fighters in the UFC, not just this division. Before his suspension Sherk was in many people’s pound for pound top ten rankings, while Penn is finally doing a great job at living up to his expectations. Sherk is a dynamic wrestler with world class conditioning. His only loses come to Georges St. Pierre, and Matt Hughes at 170 pounds. The one knock one Sherk is that he doesn’t necessarily finish a whole lot of fights, and at times he can be boring. Penn has been reborn since re-entering the 155 pound division. His biggest flaw in the past was cardio. His body couldn’t keep up with what he was capable of doing, however things are different for him now as he’s changed his whole outlook to fighting. He was extremely dominant in his last two fights, but things could be different against the strength of the ‘muscle shark’. This fight could easily go either way. Expect lots of rolling around, as well as exciting stand up exchanges.
Verdict: Penn by third round submission. In the past Sherk has relied too heavily on take downs, and it may get him in trouble with Penn. Expect Penn to exploit Sherk into gaining better position, ultimately leading to a submission win.

The card also features several intriguing fights involving Rameau Sokoudjou AKA the African Assassin, Rich Clementi, as well as Jon ‘The War Machine’ Koppenhaver who was part of a fight of the year candidate at the Ultimate Fighter Finale in December.

UFC 84 kicks off what should be a big couple of weeks for Mixed Martial Arts. The following week is the debut of Elite XC ‘Primetime’ on CBS, and the weekend after that is UFC 85: Bedlam from London. It should be a great night of fights, and a great night for sports as game one of the Stanley Cup Finals will also be on. Enjoy the event, and feel free to let me know who you think will win and how.

Me and the Prime Minister

So here's the lowdown. I was at the Canada vs. Finland World Hockey Championship Game in Halifax last week, and who do I notice sitting two sections over. Non other than Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald. A friend and I (who happened to have more than a few beers into us) decided to go over to greet our nation's leader. The original plan was to be a bit of a smart ass and say something stupid, but when I entered his presence I chickened out. I did however give him a 'cool guy' handshake, which seemed to surprise him. He then gazed deep into my soul with his wolf like blue eyes and asked me where I was from. Meeting famous people is hilarious, mainly because it's unexpected. It was a cool experience, but I hope to meet more famous people in the near future or possibly by the end of the month.

NHL Fan to Host Stanley Cup Finals Gathering

The NHL Finals begin Saturday and fans everywhere will be gathering in sports bars, and in rec rooms to cheer on their favorite teams. Things will be no different in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where NHL fan Todd Blanchard has invited several friends over to watch game one. “It’s a gathering, not a party”, said Blanchard, who rents a one bedroom basement apartment. “If you go around claiming it’s a party, everyone in the city will show up, but if you label it as a gathering, people will assume it’s an invite only type of thing.”

Blanchard’s last sports themed gathering was a self proclaimed disaster. “The last time I had friends over to watch sports was game three of the 2005 World Series between the White Sox and Astros. What a debacle it turned out to be when my friend Carl surprised everyone by bringing his girlfriend. She just sat there and said nothing all night, and worst of all she wasn’t even invited.” Blanchard says it’s still up in the air as to whether or not Carl will be invited this time around. “I’m still undecided. For all I know he’ll end up showing up with a car full of people, and there won’t be enough chairs.”

To try to avert word of the get-together, Blanchard has formed a top secret e-mail invite list, as well as a facebook group where only invited people can join. “So far, it’s me, my dad, and my friends Danny and Peter. My place only has room for around six people, and I want everyone to be more than comfortable.”

Blanchard has also created a short list of strict rules his invitees must follow if they hope to watch the game in his recently renovated apartment. “If you’re gonna bring beer, make sure it’s cans. Bottles are a pain in the ass to clean up. I guess cans are just easier to get rid of.” Watching the game at Blanchard’s won’t be free however, as he says they’ll be a small charge for attending the gathering. “I still haven’t decided how much I’ll charge. I guess I’ll figure out how much my cable bill is, and do the math depending on how many people show. Plus it cost money to heat the water if people are gonna be washing their hands. I’m not made of money.”

The toughest part of the planning process so far for Blanchard has been deciding between classic Lays BBQ chips or the other type of BBQ chips Lays makes. At present time, no one has responded to Blanchard’s invite.

Did Ryan Braun Get Ripped Off?

On May 15th the Milwaukee Brewers signed third baseman Ryan Braun to a historic 8 year, $45 million dollar contract. The deal is the largest in the history of the team, and a pretty significant amount for a player with only one year of big league experience. $45 million dollars is nothing to sneeze at, but compared to the other top third basemen in baseball, the contract doesn’t make sense. His numbers are in line with the other top third basemen in the league, so why isn’t his contract?

To put Braun’s contract into perspective, here are a combination of his numbers from this season and last season compared to the other top dogs at his position. (Stats up to date as of 5/18/08)

Ryan Braun: .313 batting average, 45 home runs, 128 RBI’s, 197 hits, 16 stolen bases.
Aramis Ramirez: .295 batting average, 32 home runs, 128 RBI’s, 197 hits, 1 stolen bases.
Chipper Jones: .374 batting average, 40 home runs, 134 RBI’s, 236 hits, 5 stolen bases.
David Wright: .302 batting average, 38 home runs, 141 RBI’s, 239 hits, 40 stolen bases.
Miguel Cabrera: .295 batting average, 41 home runs, 143 RBI’s, 230 hits, 3 stolen bases.
Alex Rodriguez: .300 batting average, 58 home runs, 167 RBI’s, 209 hits, 25 stolen bases.

Looking at these numbers from this and last season, it’s obvious that Braun is among the top players at his position. Now let’s see how their contracts measure up.

Ryan Braun: $45 million over 8 years for an average of 5.625 million a season.
Aramis Ramirez: $42 million over 4 years for an average of 10.5 million a season.
Chipper Jones: $37 million over 3 seasons for an average of 12.33 million a season.
David Wright: $55 million over 6 seasons for an average of 9.17 million a season.
Miguel Cabrera: $152 million over 8 years for an average of 19 million a season.
Alex Rodriguez: $252 million over 10 years for an average of 25.2 million a season.

First let me say that A-Rod and Miguel Cabrera are getting paid a foolish amount of money. Good for them I guess. Comparing Braun’s new contract to that of the other players, it’s obvious that he’s being largely underpaid. David Wright is the closest player to Braun on this list in terms of pay scale and he’ll average $3.6 million dollars a season more. How does that make sense? There are two sides to the argument though. Braun is now guaranteed $45 million dollars, which is something most of us can only dream about. His career could completely fall off, he could become extremely injury prone, and be totally forgotten about and he’s still guaranteed $45 million dollars. But, he could have decided to wait it out for another season or two, continue playing the way he is, and probably receive a contract for almost double the amount of money than the one he just signed.

Most likely Braun’s numbers will stay consistent, and they may even get better. He’s established himself as the teams best player, and one of the best third basemen in the league, but a few years from know we may be saying he’s the most underpaid player in the league.
~Joe Osborne