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      Favre-Childress spat: Big deal or blown out of proportion?

      December 23, 2009 /

      Here’s some shocking news: The media likes to blow things out of proportion sometimes. I’ll wait for you to pick your ass off the floor before I continue.

      On Sunday night in Carolina, Brett Favre got mad at Brad Childress for wanting to take him out of the game in the third quarter when the Vikings still held a lead. Not 24 hours later, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Childress “unleashed an expletive-laden outburst toward” Favre after the team’s loss to the Panthers. On Monday and through Tuesday, ESPN started reporting that the pair has argued several times throughout the season, including spats about Brett changing the plays in the huddle and regarding audibles.

      But is this a situation where the media is blowing things out of proportion or is there a serious problem brewing in Minnesota?

      Continue reading »

      NFL

      Decade Debate: Saddest Franchises

      December 23, 2009 /

      The “informal” defnition of sad is “pathetically inadequate or unfashionable.” In sports, a sad franchise is one that has failed repeatedly to have any type of sustainable success. As part of our ongoing Decade Debate series, we chose the saddest franchise for the NFL, NBA and MLB, along with a DIShonorable mention. The criteria is simple: perennial failure. (Bonus points if the team has an out of control payroll and still loses.)

      NFL

      Detroit Lions
      42-116 (.269), zero playoff apperances
      Lion fans have been suffering a slow death since 2001. That was the year that William Clay Ford, Sr. made the worst hire in the history of mankind, appointing Matt Millen as the team’s GM and president. With Millen steering the ship, the franchise sank to the bottom of NFL purgatory and hasn’t been seen since. The misery started early in the decade when they became the only team in NFL history not to win on the road for three consecutive seasons (2001-2003). The streak of 24 games finally ended with a 20-16 win over the Bears in September of 2004, but by that time the Lions already had ownership of the horrendous record. Of course, the road steak would have been fine if it were the worst thing that the Lions owned this decade. But in 2008, the team did the unthinkable by becoming the first 0-16 team in NFL history. The only good thing that came out of their 0-16 losing streak was that Millen was finally fired, but the damage was already done. Over Millen’s seven seasons as the team’s GM and president, the Lions owned the NFL’s worst winning percentage at 31-81 (.277). They had just one winning season this decade (2001, one year before Millen’s tenure), have had seven different head coaches and one 0-16 season. Perhaps what’s worse than the 0-16 season, the road streak and all the head coaching changes, is that Millen left the team so devoid of talent that they once again had to rebuild from nothing this past offseason. A monkey could have crapped in his hand and threw it against a wall and picked out better prospects this past decade than Millen did. (Let’s hold a moment of silence for fans that actually bought Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, Kevin Jones and Mike Williams jerseys over the years.) Good luck pointing out a group of fans that have suffered more this decade than Lions fans. It’s shocking they’re not extinct by now. — Anthony Stalter

      DIShonorable Mention:

      Cleveland Browns
      55-103 (.348), one playoff appearance
      When it comes to the NFL, nobody touches the Lions as the saddest franchise this past decade, but the Browns come damn close. In 2000, Cleveland finished with a 3-13 record, but that’s not what infuriated fans the most. It was the fact that the Baltimore Ravens (the former Cleveland Browns) won the Super Bowl that year. Imagine rooting for a team for several years and seeing it get to the Super Bowl, yet as a completely different franchise. Talk about a kick to the marbles. Two years later in 2002, the Browns finished with a 9-7 record and made the postseason under head coach Butch Davis. But in the first round, they blew a 33-21 lead in under six minutes to lose to the Steelers, 36-33. It would be the last time the Browns would make the playoffs this decade, even though they finished with a 10-6 record in 2007 (they missed the postseason because of tie breakers). What’s worse, being a Lion fan and having zero expectations year after year, or being a Browns fan and seeing whatever little expectations you have crushed like a bug under a boot? — Anthony Stalter

      Continue reading »

      MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL

      Yankees acquire Vazquez from Braves for Cabrera

      December 22, 2009 /

      The Yankees acquired starter Javier Vazquez and left-hander Boone Logan from the Braves in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera, left-hander Mike Dunn and right-hander Arodys Vizcaino.

      Vazquez is coming off a solid season in Atlanta, posting a 15-10 record with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. In his first stint with the Yankees, he recorded a 14-10 record and a 4.91 ERA in 32 starts in 2004. He’ll join a starting rotation that already boasts CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettite.

      Braves fans were probably expecting more in return for Vazquez than Carbera, but the 25-year old has plenty of promise. He hit .274 last season with 13 home runs, 28 doubles and 68 RBI in 485 at-bats. He’ll take over the starting left field position in Atlanta and might see a boost in his offensive production switching the National League.

      The question now is what will the Yankees do with their outfield? They acquired Curtis Granderson to play center, but traded away Cabrera, lost Hideki Matsui to free agency and thus far, have shown little interest in bringing back Johnny Damon. If they don’t re-sign Xavier Nady, then the Bombers will be left with Granderson and Nick Swisher as regulars, but who will play left?

      I’m wondering if this was a precursor to the Yankees making a strong bid for Matt Holliday or Jason Bay.

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      OGA’s Christmas List

      December 22, 2009 /

      We’ve partnered with the fine folks over at On Goal Analysis to provide quality NHL content throughout the season. Here’s an excerpt from a post by Michael Pryor.

      It’s my turn in line and I would like to think I have been pretty good this year. So I thought I’d ask for three things this Christmas to help grow my favorite sport.

      First, please restructure the NHL schedule. This is a specific request, so here’s what I mean:

      1. Go to 84 regular-season games.

      2. Each year, give us an inter-Conference home-and-home set so we can see every team in our building at least once. (That’s 30 games.)

      3. Give us three games each of inter-Divisional play in our conference scheduled any way you want to make the season’s scheduling problems easier. (Our total is now 60 games.)

      4. And give us six, intra-Divisional games in three-games-in-one-week sets. Do one set in the NOV/DEC timeframe to give us weekly rivalries (like a Red Wings’ “Blackhawk Week,” or an Islanders’ “Rangers Week”) in the Thanksgiving/Christmas period to build NHL excitement going into the Winter Classic(s). Then end the season with the other set of rivalry weeks so everyone feels like they have played some playoff series regardless of whether or not they get to compete for the Stanley Cup. (And that makes 84 games.)

      This present gives us all of the stars in our building every year and two stretches in the regular season feeling like playoffs. (We will love our Hockey even more and come to games even more often!)

      Read the rest of the post over at the OGA blog.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NHL

      Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW): Week 16

      December 22, 2009 /

      The strategy behind DTBWW is that each week, you pick up a defense that is playing against a bad offense (preferably at home). And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. To see how this approach performed last season, click here.

      Last week, I recommended three DTBWW picks. Let’s see how they fared…

      #1 Cardinals: 24 PA (0) + 2 SK + 2 INT + 1 FR = 5 fantasy points
      #2 Seahawks: 24 PA (0) + 1 INT = 1 fp
      #3 Texans: 13 PA (4) + 3 SK + 1 INT + 1 FR = 9 fp

      The Cardinals were a big disappointment given their matchup with the Lions and the Seahawks were a no-show against the Bucs at home. At least Houston had a nice day.

      On the season, my top pick is averaging 9.3 fantasy points per game, my #2 pick is averaging 9.5 fp and my #3 pick is averaging 6.9. On the whole, DTBWW is averaging 8.6 fp, which equates to DT3 numbers. Not bad.

      Let’s take a look at this week’s picks. Keep in mind that to be eligible for DTBWW, a defense must be available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues. (Note: If you already have the Cards, hold onto them this week — they have a great matchup against the Rams.)

      Pick #1: San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)
      The 49ers are averaging 13.3 fp at home this season, and 15.3 over the last three (versus CHI, JAX and ARI). They should make mincemeat of the Lions.

      Pick #2: Indianapolis Colts (vs. NYJ)
      The Colts have averaged 7.8 points per game over the last four weeks and with turnover-happy Mark Sanchez coming to town, they should have a nice day.

      Pick #3: Dallas Cowboys (vs. WAS)
      Dallas is playing pretty good defense of late. They have gone for 8+ in six of their last nine games, and the Redskins are a pretty nice matchup.

      Bonus pick: Falcons (vs. Bills)


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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