College Basketball Winners and Whiners

What’s better than the opening of the NCAA Tournament?  Not only does it signal the beginning of the best event on the sports calendar, it brings to a close the four days of whining we are forced to endure annually from the coaches that feel their teams were unfairly excluded.  Here’s a thought, guys.  Beat someone.

For the second year in a row, Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg is telling anyone who’ll listen that his Hokies got the short end of the stick.  He counters the argument that his non-league schedule included a few high schools by pointing out that his squad had a better record than NCAA-bound Wake Forest and even beat the Deacons head to head.  That’s fine.  However, with the Big Dance on the line, they got knocked out of the ACC tournament by Miami; the worst team in the league.  So, spare us all, coach.  You had your shot and blew it.  Don’t expect the Selection Committee to clean up your mess.

As for the Tourney, itself, I have to agree with ESPN’s Jay Bilas, who points out that the field is flooded with weak, at-large teams.  While that should make for an interesting first round, it will, ultimately, allow the heavyweights to advance with little resistance.  I like Wisconsin, Duke, Kansas and Pittsburgh to make the trip to Indianapolis.  Given my history, however, you’d be wise to eliminate all four from your brackets.

New York Yankees’ Rotation Upside Down

I get a kick out of the idea that Javier Vasquez, one of the game’ top ten pitchers over the last decade, will somehow be the fourth starter in the Yankee rotation. Bombers’ fans take issue with the fact that he was the losing pitcher in Game 7 of their epic collapse at the hands of the Red Sox in 2004.  What they forget is that Vasquez garnered an All Star bid off of his first half performance and pitched through shoulder pain for much of the second half of that season.  The thought that either A.J. Burnett or Andy Pettitte is better than the righthander acquired from the Braves is laughable.  Sit back and enjoy this guy, Yankee fans, as he and C.C. Sabathia will give you the best one-two punch in all of baseball.

“I Know You Are But What Am I?”

Caught the YouTube video of the dust-up between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras at a charity tennis match last week.  After watching each become furious with the other over comments dealing with how they walked and spent their money, I got a good laugh wondering what NHL or NFL players might think of the little, snippy, hissy fits thrown by both.  Another reason, I guess, that I wouldn’t watch tennis on a bet.

New York Giants To Play Inaugural Game

When I saw that the Jets had lost a coin flip with the Giants that determined which of the two would open their new stadium I thought immediately of The Honeymooners.  In the episode where Ralph and Norton share the cost of a new television, the TV ends up in the Kramdens’ apartment as the result of a coin flip in which Ralph tells Ed, “Heads I win, tails you lose.”  As if the Jets ever had a chance of hosting the first game.

Speaking of Gang Green, GM Mike Tannenbaum deserves kudos for signing LaDainian Tomlinson.  While LT is clearly on the decline, he’ll be a mentor for Shonn Greene while giving the Jets some insurance against the possible departure of Leon Washington.

Some have wondered why Thomas Jones was released, given that Tomlinson received similar money.  They are two very different backs.  Jones would have been competing for a starting job with Greene; a runner of identical style, while Tomlinson comes in as the backup and gives the offense more versatility.  Loyal Cheap Seaters know that it’s not often I’ve got good things to say about the Jetsies but, this time, they got it right.

High School Basketball Has Room For Compassion

It’s the toughest thing a high school coach has to do.  Despite all of his competitive instincts and the months spent prodding and cajoling his team to strive for excellence, when it comes to an elimination game, he must recognize and concede to defeat before his players do; especially the seniors.  It is his shoulder they’ll need to lean on when they make the heartbreaking realization that their season has run its course; that the daily routine of practice and bonding with teammates has suddenly been taken away.  It’s all the more poignant when it occurs at the end of a long playoff run; standing in stark contrast to the success already gained.  It’s where Steve Oliver, rookie basketball coach at Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn, found himself last Saturday as his girls trailed badly in the semi finals of the NY State Catholic Championship.

After garnering the first New York City B title in school history, Oliver’s Bonnies were paired with Sacred Heart of Valley Stream, LI;  a sharp shooting opponent whose size would be very difficult for Fontbonne to handle under the best of circumstances.  That they would also have to overcome the loss of their point guard and lead defender to a knee injury in the first two minutes made the task nearly impossible.  For Oliver, he would not only be forced to juggle his remaining players but also his emotions, as the injured star was his daughter, Jill.

With its top scorer, Katie Henderson, now handling the ball, Oliver’s squad struggled to find good shots against the Sacred Heart zone.  Worse, without Jill Oliver,  the Bonnies had to abandon the aggressive man to man defense that had become their trademark throughout the championship run.  Taylor Higgins took full advantage as she dropped a number of three point bombs in leading the Long Island school with 21 points.

With three minutes left, the Fontbonne players had still made no concession to the game’s outcome.  Despite their fatigue, they continued to dive on loose balls and press from end to end;  but their coach had seen enough.  He removed his seniors, each of whom received a warm ovation, and then the rest of the starters that had played most of the contest.  “I wanted to speak to each of the seniors; to thank them”, he said after the game.  He also wanted to remind them of the great season they’d had.  “Tremendous year. The girls gave me everything they had.”  He’d also given them everything he had, and, as he carried his injured daughter out of the gym, it was obvious that she wasn’t the only Bonnie in good hands.

St. John’s Basketball May Be Out of the Norm

If this is where it ends for St. John’s Head Coach Norm Roberts, if yesterday’s loss to Marquette; his 100th, is the one from which he is not permitted to return, he need only to look in his own backyard as the reason he was unable to return St. John’s to the upper echelon of college basketball.

Charged with cleaning up the scandal ridden mess left by his predecessor, Mike Jarvis, Roberts has been every bit the classy, gentlemanly face Red Storm administrators had hoped when he was hired.  Despite their lack of success, his teams have been the kind of hard working, blue collar squads appreciated by coaches everywhere.  What they lacked, however, was that star player to put them over the top. The player that bails you out on a bad day.  The player that brings your school recognition with a successful NBA career.  The player that draws the media to practice and the fans to Madison Square Garden.  The player that, sadly, toils in High School gyms throughout the Metropolitan area but hasn’t decided to bring his game to Queens.  Having gone his entire tenure without recruiting a player that went on the the NBA, Roberts may have had his fate sealed last month, when just 3,500 showed up at the Garden on the night the Johnnies honored the 1985 Final Four squad led by Chris Mullin; the most recognizable player in their history.

Sadly, while Roberts has been unable to lure any of the city’s prep school stars to his program; something that was the foundation of the success of Lou Carnesecca, the situation has been made worse by the fact that many of these cagers enroll at rival Big East schools.  How difficult must it be for a Johnnies fan to watch West Virginia run the Red Storm out of the gym with five area starters?  Or endure a litany of Big East Champions led by New York point guards?  For some reason, Roberts has either been unable or unwilling to tap into the talent pools of the city’s prep leagues and now,  it has likely cost him his job.

Roberts is a guy you pull for; a guy who paid his dues while working his way up to his dream job.  However, in the big money world of college basketball, that isn’t always enough.  Despite the fact that St. John’s basketball program is one of the nation’s most successful, there is now an entire generation of young basketball fans that has never seen a Johnnies squad ranked in the Top 25.  Who’d a thunk?

New York Mets Still Have Medical Issues

Since word broke about Jose Reyes and his overactive thyroid, speculation that his condition may be a result of HGH use has run rampant.  While that’s simply a function of the current state of baseball; where each injury is now scrutinized for its possible link to some performance enhancing drug, it also serves to add another sorry chapter to the relationship between the Mets’ medical staff and its players.

Last year, Reyes played his last game in May; a result of a hamstring injury that eventually needed surgery.  You wouldn’t have known that to read the preliminary medical reports that initially had the shortstop listed as day to day with a calf injury.  Reyes then injured the hamstring during rehab; a setback from which he’d never return, despite reports from team doctors to the contrary.  Teammate Carlos Beltran, continued to play with a bone bruise in his leg last season because he was advised that his condition could not worsen.  A month later, Beltran went on the DL because the bruise, had in fact, doubled in size.  Beltran finally underwent surgery in January; a procedure the Mets knew nothing of, and will miss the start of the season.

You have to wonder how it’s possible that an organization could be as uninformed about such high priced commodities as its own players.  Yet, here was Reyes, making a trip to Canada that the Mets may or may not have known about, to the blood-spinning doctor now in trouble up to his stethoscope over his distribution of HGH.  “If we stay healthy…” is the motto of every club during Spring Training as they gear up for Opening Day.  In the Mets’ case, however, that “if” is seemingly much larger, thanks to a medical staff that can’t seem to get on the same page as the players.

The NBA Has Left the Building

Last Saturday, I thought I was taking my son, Tim, to his first professional basketball game.   However, after sitting through the silliness that was Knicks-Nets, I realize that I still owe him an NBA game.

Sports Heroes are Everywhere; If You Know Where To Look

There were seven minutes left in the CUNY Women’s Basketball quarterfinal when the College of Staten Island suddenly found itself in a battle.  What had looked to be an easy win was now in jeopardy as visiting York had whittled a twenty two point deficit down to ten and taken hold of the momentum of the game.  Then CSI senior guard Mallory Ameneiros, with five of her ten teammates on the bench in street clothes, decided that this was not to be her last college game.  It was a decision she’d made twice before, but this time, it was made on the court; not in a doctor’s office.

Ameneiros, a basketball lifer, had enjoyed a stellar career at St. Peter’s Girls High School; one of the city’s best programs, before coming to CSI.   A point guard with terrific court sense and a feathery jump shot, she missed most of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee  in December and undergoing reconstructive surgery in January.  Despite the severity of the injury, an exhaustive rehab stint had her ready for the team’s opener on November 18th; the first game of what would be her final season.  Or so she thought.

Early in that game, Ameneiros tore the ACL once again as well as the medial meniscus in the same knee.  Devastasted, she resigned herself to the fact that her college basketball career had ended and, as a team captain, set about the business of supporting her coaches and younger teammates.  “We missed her terribly”, said CSI assistant coach Tim Shanahan.  “We were now without a true point guard and forced to shift players out of position.  Worst of all, though, was losing Mallory’s leadership on the floor.”  What the CSI women didn’t know at the time, however, was that Amaneiros’ injury would be the first of many that would gradually pare the roster down over the course of the year.  By mid-season, the Dolphins, who somehow remained near the top of the standings, were dressing just eight players.  Then their captain visited her doctor.

Assured that she could do no further damage to the knee and that pain management would be her biggest issue, Ameneiros informed her stunned coaches that, in fact, she still had some basketball left to play.  And, on January 13th, less than two months after the injury, she returned to the CSI lineup, albeit cautiously.  “My doctor warned me that I won’t be able to be the player I once was. I’ll go to do something on the court that I know I’m capable of doing but my knee won’t allow me to.  I’ve had to just come to grips with it, but its still hard.”  She played sparingly at first, as she and her coaches tried to figure out how much she could handle.  That plan went out the window when two more women went down for the season, sending CSI into its first round playoff game against York with an active roster of just six.

A solid first half that saw the Dolphins build a sizable lead gave way to a second stanza that was less than impressive.  As York crept closer, there was a sense that CSI was running out of gas; that the fast pace and depleted roster would be too much to overcome.  Enter Ameneiros.  “I knew I wanted to attack. I figured I would attack and get fouled  and be able to build the lead further and further.  My coaches also told me to keep driving because they weren’t really pressuring the ball or playing help defense. So that’s why I drove to the basket every chance I got.”   The plan worked to perfection as Ameneiros hit all ten of her foul shots over those final seven minutes and carried her teammates into the next round.

That CSI fell to Baruch in the semi finals is a minor detail when compared to the lasting impression left by Ameneiros on her coaches and teammates.  “We came to CSI at the same time”, said Shanahan, “so, I’ve seen how much she’s grown.”   “To see how Mallory supports her teammates, works with our younger players and provides such leadership, it makes you so happy that she was able to come back because you know what it meant to her.”  “She’s a wonderful person who’s become one of my favorite players.”  As for Mallory, the last month of her college basketball career is something she’ll treasure forever. “Every game I played after I tore my knee the second time was a game I never thought I’d get back. I’m really grateful that my doctor cleared me to come back and give it a shot. I was well aware that at any given moment I might not have been able to physically push any more, so that’s why I took advantage of every second I was on the court.”  A fortunate thing, I guess, for everyone associated with the women’s basketball program at the College of Staten Island.  It’s an old saying among athletes that there’s nothing better than being called a “great teammate”.  Try and find someone who won’t say that about Mallory Ameneiros.

New York Yankees Look to Resign Shortstop
With the Yankees welcoming pitchers and catchers to Tampa this week, the issue of Derek Jeter’s contract situation is sure to dominate the early part of camp. With the longtime Yankee and favorite son entering the last season of his contract, many are wondering how both Jeter and the front office will handle the upcoming negotiations.

While many feel that the Yankees are squarely behind the eight ball in any talks; Jeter being their most popular player since DiMaggio, it’s also true that the shortstop isn’t dealing from a position of complete strength either.

Jeter has been the face of the franchise since his arrival in 1996; a handsome, clutch, superstar athlete with an uncanny sense of his public persona. He plays hard all the time, never puts himself in a compromising position off the field and, oh by the way, has been a central figure on five World Champions. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer who’s been with one team for his entire career; a rarity in this transient era borne of free agency. The Yankees must consider not only his incredible resume while discussing a contract, but the backlash from fans devastated by the departure of their hero.

However, despite a Yankee career among the greatest ever, Jeter doesn’t hold all the cards, either. He’s a 36 year old shortstop with diminishing range and a below average arm who’s shown absolutely no willingness to move to another position; as evidenced by the fact that he’s got the best shortstop in the history of the game playing next to him at third base. While he means everything to the Yankees and their fans, his sterling career is irrelevant to any other free agent suitors. Will a franchise that considers itself one player away from a title decide that an aging shortstop demanding better than $15 million a year fits the bill? He may have five World Series rings but hasn’t won any for the Dodgers, Mariners,White Sox or any other club that might give Jeter leverage against the Yankees and inflate his price.

In actuality, this will more than likely turn into so much training camp fodder as both sides will likely get a deal done. It’s a miniscule minority that can picture Derek Jeter in anything but pinstripes, but one that may grow without concessions from both sides of any contract talks.

High Noon For New York Knicks

Today marks the NBA trading deadline and with it, the final stage of Knicks’ GM Donnie Walsh’s renovation plan. From the time he arrived in New York to clean up the mess left by Isiah Thomas, Walsh has been focused on clearing enough space under the salary cap to pursue two maxium-contract free agents. The last piece of that puzzle dumping Jared Jefferies and the $7 million that would be owed to him next year; a deal that was close as of this morning.

The Knicks have been a laughingstock over the last decade, largely due to a lack of direction as to how the franchise should be revitalized. When Walsh came aboard, all of that changed, as the new president started cleansing the organization of the ridiculous contracts handed out by Thomas. However, while the thought of LeBron James and/or Dwyane Wade in blue and orange might have Spike Lee dreaming about a title, Walsh has puit all of his eggs in one basket. What if neither of the aforementioned stars come to New York? What does Walsh tell the fans paying top dollar to watch semi-pro basketball?

The fact is that the Knicks would be much further along in this rebuilding process had they put more of an emphasis on building through the draft than simply standing in front of the Garden with a big bag of money and their fingers crossed, hoping to entice someone else’s star player. How bright would there future be with a core of Danilo Galinnari, David Lee and Brandon Jennings, the player they passed on for the hapless Jordan Hill?  Add to that core the 2010 lottery pick that’s been traded away and you’re talking a playoff squad with much more potential to attract a free agent than the current unit.  But, alas, not only will the Knicks be without their 2010 first-rounder, but it looks like Walsh will have to part with the 2011 pick as well in order to move Jefferies.

Given the nearly impossible situation Walsh inherited, he may have felt the course he chose was the only viable one. Fair enough. As one of the NBA’s most respected executives, he certainly deserves the benefit of the doubt. However, if he can’t convince James or Wade to sign with the Knicks, he may have to start working on an exit strategy instead.

New York Jets Suddenly Not “Same Old”

This time it was different.  The Jets loss to the Colts in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game just didn’t feel as bad as the litany of playoff debacles that have dotted the team’s history.  There was no fumble on the opening kickoff or a roughing the passer call with a win virtually sealed.  There was neither mud nor A.J. Duhe.  The Head Coach was not so frightened as to forget that a quarterback sack stops the clock or paranoid enough to claim that he received a crank phone call from Al Davis.  Even the blown lead was different; surrendered not to turnovers, as was the case at Mile High Stadium in ’98, but to a good, old fashioned, butt-kicking at the hands of one of the greatest to ever play his position.  What felt so different was that, this time, the other guys were just better.

Peyton Manning took everything the Jets and Rex Ryan could throw at him over most of the first half.  He was sacked a few times, hit a few more and even stood up at the goal line.  But, once he’d seen the Jets’ entire repertoire and figured it out as only he can, Manning began to methodically pick them apart.  That the Jets shut down All-Pro receivers Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark mattered little to the league MVP as he simply turned to Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie in order to send Gang Green home.  Each had a touchdown and numerous catches of pinpoint passes with Jet defenders draped all over them.  You got the feeling that Indy could pull a couple of athletic looking guys out of the stands and Manning would find a way to get them the ball.  Late in the game, CBS posted a graphic that was a testament to Manning’s greatness.  In the four playoff games that saw two Colt receivers gain 100 yards, as Garcon and Collie did, Indianapolis was 4-0.  Amazingly, Manning had accomplished the feat with eight different receivers.  On this day, the better man won.

Difficult as I may find it to be optimistic about the Jets, there is every reason to view this season as a starting point for bigger and better things.  In 1986, as the Giants ran over the rest of the league on their way to their first Super Bowl title, many players cited the previous year’s playoff loss to Chicago as the starting point of their championship run.  In losing to the best team in the league, they had gained an insight as to how far they had to go to be the best.   These Jets may have had the same epiphany. The postseason provided invaluable experience to Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene emerged as a potential star and Darrelle Revis established himself as the best defender in the game.  The core of the team is made up of young studs; all with less than five years experience, the Patriots looked old, slow, injured and disinterested on the road and in the playoffs and, through Rex Ryan, they finally have an identity.  More importantly, they’ve seen how good the best is and what it will take to beat them.  The Jets have a chance to be one of the elite teams in the league for a few years; something that could rarely, if ever, be said about them before.  That may be a tough concept for seasoned fans to swallow considering how often they’ve had their hopes dashed in the past.  It certainly is for me. However, even the most cynical fan has to agree, these weren’t the “Same Old Jets”.

Brett Favre Throws Another One Away

The most unbelievable thing I’ve heard in a long time came from Brett Favre, just minutes after throwing another Super Bowl trip to the other team.  Asked why he didn’t simply run the ball at the end of the NFC Championship tilt in New Orleans and allow the Vikes to set up a field goal, Favre said he didn’t even know how many yards he needed.  Twenty years in the league and he didn’t know?  C’mon, Brett. That’s a play that gets a rookie chewed out in his first training camp.  He didn’t need any yards, actually, as Ryan Longwell would have attempted the game winner even if Favre had taken a knee on the third down play.  Instead, he mindlessly threw a floater across the field and sent the Saints to Miami.  Worse, with their wounds still fresh, the Minnesota faithful now have to deal with the off season retirement dance that the self-centered Favre has made so famous.  Yeah, this one’s going to leave a mark.

Holy Sheets! New York Mets Lose Out On Another Pitcher

While there are many Mets fans ready to picket Omar Minaya’s office at CitiField over the team’s failure to bring in a pitcher this winter, it’s worth noting that the same type of hysteria led to the terrible contract given to Oliver Perez last year. Lack of depth in the starting rotation is certainly the Mets biggest problem but, an acquisition just for acquisition’s sake is not the answer.  Once John Lackey signed with Boston, the prudent plan was patience.  Joel Pineiro is, most likely, a product of Dave Duncan’s Kool-Aid in St. Louis as he struggled mightily before becoming a Card. Jon Garland is the type of high ERA/low strikeout guy already populating the roster and Ben Sheets is too risky at $10 million, even for just a year.  The fact is, Kelvim Escobar, signed early in the off season and returning from elbow surgery, is no more of a risk than any of these guys but with a much bigger upside.  Once Escobar was on board, Sheets was too expensive.  I’m as pessimistic about the Amazins’ staff as anyone, but can’t see the logic in paying up for guys likely to provide little, if any, improvement over those already in the fold.

“Got a Feeling 21 is Gonna Be A Good Year…”

Happy 21st Birthday to one of my all-time favorite athletes, Danny Mayrose.

Football Gods Still Smiling On New York Jets

Shonn Greene had just crossed the goal line at the end of a bruising fifty-one yard run that had given the Jets a stunning 17-7 lead over San Diego with seven minutes left in their Divisional Round playoff game on Sunday.  As Greene was being mobbed by his teammates and my sons and I were jumping all over the living room, the phone rang.  It was my dad, a well-meaning yet naive Giant fan, calling to congratulate us on a big win.  I picked up the phone, horrified, and said, “Are you crazy?  You can’t call me now.  Do you have any idea how much disaster the Jets can pack into seven minutes?”  And, sure enough, Rex Ryan immediately suffered his only brain cramp of the day; electing to squib the kickoff and hand the ball to the Chargers on the New York side of the field.  There wasn’t a fan over thirty that didn’t believe we were about to be treated to another Jet horror show.

It was then, however, that Gang Green entered the Bizarro World, one where the opponent melts down and the good guys triumph.  Instead of Mark Gastineau roughing the passer, it was Vincent Jackson kicking the challenge flag.  While he may have looked like Doug Brien, it was actually Nate Kaeding, the league’s best kicker, who doomed the Chargers with two missed field goals.  And, finally, Norv Turner’s tragic decision to on-side kick with two minutes remaining was right out of Joe Walton’s coaching manual.  As Jets fans, we’d seen each of these gaffes before but, always, they were committed by our side.  Had the football gods decided we’d finally had enough?  Maybe.  But it’s very possible that the smash mouth brand of football being played by the Jets is exactly the style that brings about such good fortune.  Whatever it is, you have to admit they rate somewhat more of a puncher’s chance against Peyton Manning and Co. this week.

There’s no arguing that, since a Week 15 loss to the Falcons, Lady Luck has been wearing green.  The ton of help necessary to make the playoffs was provided by a multitude of teams.  The first round matchup with the Bengals was the best they could’ve drawn, as was San Diego in the second round.  Their cause has been aided immensely by five missed field goals over the first two games and, much like their matchup with the Chargers, they’ll face a team in Indianapolis with an inferior running game.  Could it be that the stars have finally aligned in their favor?   I don’t know.  But, as long as they continue to dominate their opponent with the league’s best ground attack and the NFL‘s top defensive unit forces the Colts off their game plan, their Super Bowl trip to Miami will have nothing to do with luck.  Though, just in case, I’ll be wearing the same clothes I wore the last two weeks.

Fantasy Baseball Pre-Season Draft Prep

Happy New Year.  Now that we’re just about a month from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, it’s time to stop whining about that one point loss in your Fantasy Football championship game and turn your attention to the National Pastime.  It’s been three months since you put a lid on last season and you’ve got some catching up to do because you can bet there’s at least one geek in your league who’s already started.  What follows is a list of resources that are Moonlight favorites and will lay the groundwork for a successful season.

Fantasy Baseball Websites-

If your league uses CBSSportsline, you already have access to a valuable tool that will cost you nothing.  You’ll find positional rankings, a top 300, mock drafts and, most importantly, player profiles that are updated whenever there is news.  Yahoo Fantasy Sports and ESPN are also very good but not on a par with CBS.  Another Moonlight staple is Ron Shandler’s BASEBALLHQ.com.  Shandler is the preeminent Fantasy numbers guru who has been publishing analyses since 1986 and serves as an adviser to the St. Louis Cardinals.  There is even a free weekly newsletter available that will provide you with anything from draft strategies to sleeper picks from now until the end of August.  The last I’d recommend is MockDraftCentral.com where you can enroll and participate in mock drafts that will give you an invaluable insight as to how other owners are evaluating players.  The free access is limited but still very helpful.

Fantasy Baseball Periodicals-

I’ve yet to find a more comprehensive preview magazine than The Sporting News Fantasy Baseball Preview.  On the newsstands last week, it provides in-depth analysis of every Major Leaguer, Minor League prospects, Mock Drafts and Fantasy Baseball Draft strategies.  Positional rankings,three year stat lines and player projections are also included.  Fantasy Sports Fantasy Baseball Preview is another terrific resource.  Originally named Fantasy Baseball, the magazine has always had its roots in our favorite sport. It was there that I first read about theories like “the 27 year old breakout” and others that helped put a few dollars in my pocket. If  you’d like to dig a little deeper into the pocket as well as the statistics, it’s back to Shandler for his Fantasy Baseball Forecaster.  Packed with in depth statistical overviews such as batting average on balls in play and percentage of runners left stranded by pitchers, it is a mathematician’s dream.  I won’t kid you about understanding all of Shandler’s strategies or equations but I annually find a ton of information exclusive to the Forecaster.  And let’s not forget the Thursday online edition of the Brooklyn Eagle, and FantasySportsDirt.com where I trust many of you turn for guidance.

Fantasy Baseball Broadcasts

With the merger of Sirius and XM, all satellite radio subscribers have access to MLB Home Plate.  (Sirius 210 and XM 175).  Their Fantasy Baseball coverage leaves much to be desired, with just one hour dedicated weekly, but The Power Alley, hosted by Seth Everett, is full of late breaking news and transactions while being an entertaining listen.  The Fantasy Focus hosted by Jeff Erickson of Rotowire.com. is on Blogspot Radio along with a number of Fantasy Baseball podcasts.  Erickson’s show is an invaluable source of info regarding injuries, trades and scouting.  The daily Hot Stove Report on MLB Network is a must watch, as well, especially when Harold Reynolds is on the panel.

Wagstaff Eliminated From McGee Survivor League

It’s been two weeks since our beloved Professor was sent packing and he still hasn’t gotten over it.  The dreams he had of collecting the grand prize of Christmas booty have been dashed, by in-laws no less. The pain became worse when the elimination process spilled over to his birthday.  Then, the sweetest competitor left in the competition actually sought out some old classmates of the Prof and dished some more dirt.  It’s been quite a humbling experience.

The Staten Island Division has now been decimated while just one remains from the Holmdel and Long Island loops.  The Midwest Division is alive and well heading into the semi final round, each hoping to collect a Christmas gift from the rest of the league.  Good luck to all but, keep it down on the ferry, will ya, Jen?

Fantasy Football News and Notes

Thought it was very cool last week when Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew, after taking a knee on the one yard line in order to run down the clock in the fourth quarter, apologized to his Fantasy Football owners…RB Steve Slaton will be back in the Texans’ starting lineup on Monday night vs. Tennessee…Eagles RB Brian Westbrook will miss up to three weeks with his second concussion in a month.  If he has people that love him, however, he’ll sit the rest of the year…Denver QB Kyle Orton missed a lot of practice time with a sprained ankle and is doubtful for Sunday…Michael Turner, listed by the Falcons as doubtful for Sunday, probably won’t go…Washington RB Clinton Portis is still out with a concussion…Bengal RB Cedric Benson missed the entire week of practice with a hip injury and won’t play Sunday… A bum hip has Colts’ DE Dwight Freeney doubtful at Baltimore…Saints’ RB Reggie Bush is out with a knee injury…Troy Polamalu will not be in the Steelers’ secondary in Kansas City.

Fantasy Football Stars-

How often do the Texans get to show their stuff to a national audience?  That’ll happen Monday night and WR  Andre Johnson should take full advantage.  He and QB Matt Schaub are probably the deadliest passing duo in the league this side of Brady-Moss and not many know it.  Look for Johnson to make life miserable for the Tennessee defense.

Fantasy Football Stiffs -

Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez was the beneficiary of the team’s hot start and Tom Brady’s rust when Gang Green knocked off the Patriots in Week 2 at the Meadowlands.  That won’t happen today as a ticked off Patriots’ defense will be bringing schemes the rookie has never seen.  If you lose points for QB turnovers, you’ll want to sit Sanchez.

Fantasy Football Sleepers-

RB Larry Johnson was signed by the Bengals this week after a month of turmoil inn Kansas City caused by his insensitive remarks about gays cost him his job.  Desperate for a new start and working with fresh legs, he should pur up solid numbers as Cedric Benson’s replacement in Cincinnati.

Fantasy Football Slippers-

Broncos’ WR Brandon Marshall could see his numbers drop vs. San Diego if QB Kyle Orton can’t go.  Back-up QB Chris Simms does not have Orton’s arm and will likely work the underneath routes; costing Marshall and his owners valuable YDS and scoring opportunities.