Category: News (Page 152 of 199)

Fantasy Quick-Hitters: Pierre, Jamal, Santana and more

September 19, 2009 / John Paulsen

Saints beat writer Jeff Duncan speculates that Pierre Thomas’s injury is worse than the team is letting on. Duncan says that HC Sean Payton comes from the Belichick school of releasing injury information to the media. If Thomas doesn’t play, Mike Bell is a decent start even though the Eagles are pretty good defensively. Philly gave up 72 rushing yards to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and the Saints have a much better passing attack than Carolina does. This should keep the Eagles off balance and open up some running lanes. Assuming Thomas sits, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bell had 80-90 yards rushing and a TD in Week 2.

Jamal Lewis probable to start. Rookie James Davis is still questionable with a shoulder injury, so Lewis should be a serviceable start against the Broncos, who gave up 108 total yards and a TD to Cedric Benson last week.

Redskins’ beat writer thinks the team will take more shots downfield in Week 2. This would be good news for Santana Moss, who is a big-play receiver. The Giants smothered him in Week 1, but he should have an easier time getting open against a sketchy Rams defense.

HC Haley wants to get the running game on track. Well, of course he does. But it’s good to hear that Haley isn’t ignoring the problem. The Raiders really struggled against the run last season, but played better in Week 1 against the Chargers, so we’re not sure LJ is a sure bet for a good game. He’s startable if you’re in a pinch, however.

Matt Schaub is close to 100 percent. The Titans gave up a lot of yards through the air to Ben Roethlisberger last week, so there is a possibility that Schaub could have a bounce-back game this week. I’m not excited about his prospects, but he’s not a terrible start.

HC McDaniels plans to spread the ball around. He doesn’t want to name a WR1 because he doesn’t want to get into the habit of forcing the ball to a guy that’s double-teamed. In Week 1, Marshall led the way with seven targets, while Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley had four targets apiece. Expect Marshall and Royal to lead the team in targets this season.

Fantasy Football, News

Delonte West arrested

September 19, 2009 / John Paulsen

The Baltimore Sun describes the strange scene…

Cavaliers guard Delonte West was arrested after officers pulled him over for speeding on a motorcycle while carrying two loaded handguns and a loaded shotgun in a guitar case strapped to his back

ESPN adds that West left the Cavaliers’ training camp last summer to seek help for a mood disorder that dates back to childhood. At that point he was in therapy and on medication.

West has always been quirky, but driving around (on a motorcycle, no less) carrying loaded weapons across state lines is troublesome.

West recently blitzed the blogosphere with his freestyle rap while waiting for his order in the parking lot of a KFC. (Video after the jump.)

NBA, News

Cleveland Cavaliers Delonte West Delonte West arrested Delonte West gun charges Delonte West video

Gilbert Arenas wants protection…from himself

September 17, 2009 / John Paulsen

Gilbert Arenas said he’s doing great with his knee rehab, but criticized the Wizards for — get this — letting him play when he said that he could play.

“If you have a kid that loves basketball, that eats, sleeps, drinks and thinks basketball and all he knows is basketball and he gets hurt and he’s your franchise player, you need to hold him back from himself,” Arenas told the newspaper. “If I’m saying I feel good and you know it’s supposed to take six months, instead of letting me at four months run … they should have held me back. Rather than saying, ‘Let’s let this guy do what he wants and use him to sell tickets’ — sometimes you have to protect players from themselves. I don’t feel like I got that type of protection. But, I don’t judge them for that. Some things just happen. I told them I felt OK because I wanted to play, and they did what they did.”

Man, that takes balls, doesn’t it? Sometimes you have to protect players from themselves. Give me a break.

Athletes come back early from injuries all the time. Sometimes it backfires and sometimes it doesn’t. If Arenas told the team he was ready to go, it’s not the Wizards’ fault that he wasn’t. It’s his fault.

Had the team pressured Arenas to get back on the court, then this criticism would be justified. But for Arenas to blame the Wizards for his mistake is pure projection.

NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

Gilbert Arenas Washington Wizards

MJ’s strange HOF speech

September 14, 2009 / John Paulsen

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wasn’t impressed with Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame induction speech.

This wasn’t a Hall of Fame induction speech, but a bully tripping nerds with lunch trays in the school cafeteria. He had a responsibility to his standing in history, to players past and present, and he let everyone down. This was a night to leave behind the petty grievances and past slights – real and imagined. This was a night to be gracious, to be generous with praise and credit.
Jordan wandered through an unfocused and uninspired speech at Symphony Hall, disparaging people who had little to do with his career, like Jeff Van Gundy and Bryon Russell. He ignored people who had so much to do with it, like his personal trainer, Tim Grover. This had been a moving and inspirational night for the NBA – one of its best ceremonies ever – and five minutes into Jordan’s speech it began to spiral into something else. Something unworthy of Jordan’s stature, something beneath him.
When basketball wanted to celebrate Jordan as the greatest player ever, wanted to honor him for changing basketball everywhere, he was petty and punitive. Yes, there was some wink-wink teasing with his beloved Dean Smith, but make no mistake: Jordan revealed himself to be strangely bitter. You won, Michael. You won it all. Yet he keeps chasing something that he’ll never catch, and sometimes, well, it all seems so hollow for him.

You can see the speech for yourself after the jump.

NBA, News, Video

Michael Jordan

Fantasy Quick-Hitters: Berrian, Bush and more

September 13, 2009 / John Paulsen

Boldin looks like a game-time decision. I’m not feeling good about his prospects, so I’d look elsewhere if I had to make a decision now. Steve Breaston is dinged up but should play. Jerheme Urban is a sneaky start if Boldin can’t go. If you can wait until the late games to decide, then it’s worthwhile to start Boldin if he can play.

Wes Welker listed as questionable for Monday night. He practiced in a limited fashion this week and the feeling seems to be that he’s going to play. It’s a tough call, especially considering how guarded the Pats are about injuries. But the fact that he practiced is a good sign. He should be out there Monday night.

Moreno and Orton are ready to go against the Bengals. Both are mediocre starts coming off of injuries. Cincinnati’s defense should be a little better than advertised.

It looks like Bernard Berrian will play. I wouldn’t start him this week unless you’re desperate for WR help. He and Favre haven’t had much time to gel and the Browns defense is better than advertised. (But Berrian just needs to hit on one of those fly routes to have a decent fantasy day.)

Per Scout.com, Mike Bell to get more carries than Reggie Bush. A source told Scout.com that Bush may not be totally healthy and may mainly be used in passing situations. Bush is still startable in PPR leagues, but I’d look elsewhere in standard leagues.

Matt Cassel is out per ESPN.
Brodie Croyle should get the start and he faces a brutal matchup against the Ravens. Stay away.

Check back for more updates as kickoff gets closer. I’ll be on Twitter all day (“FantasyTips“) assuming my internet connection holds up.