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      Brian Burke: Goodbye Anaheim, Hello Toronto?

      October 24, 2008 /

      The arrival of Anaheim Ducks general manger Brian Burke in Toronto this week fueled speculation that he in line to become the next general manger of the Toronto Maple Leafs. His situation is unique; Burke is completing the final year of a four-year contract and can become a free agent at the end of the season.

      Duck ownership has offered a contract extension and Burke hopes to have a decision for them by Christmas. The hold-up is all on Burke’s end, as he has some family concerns that need to be addressed before accepting any job offer in the NHL.

      The media has speculated that Burke is pondering a move back to the East Coast to be closer to his four children from a previous marriage. Burke’s other concern is his current wife’s broadcast career. They live in Southern California with their children and are trying to find balance between their respective careers.

      Toronto’s reaction is “no comment” to all of the rumors. They will interview everyone that is available next spring and hope to hire the best candidate to lead them back to the playoffs. Veteran NHL executive Cliff Fletcher is the current interim head of hockey operations for the Maple Leafs until a permanent replacement can be found.

      When asked if his situation is a distraction to the Ducks, Burke responded that his situation is no different than a player playing out their contract to become an unrestricted free agent and it shouldn’t be a distraction because he has communicated the team on all issues pertaining to his contract.

      NHL

      Unnamed source: Deuce McAllister part of ‘rash of positive steroid tests’

      October 24, 2008 /

      Josina Anderson of My Fox Colorado cites a NFL source that claims there has been a “rash of positive tests” under the steroid policy and at least two New Orleans Saints players (Deuce McAllister and Will Smith) have been named.

      Deuce McAllisterMcAllister and Smith are in a group of players that have tested positive specifically for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Some of the players in the group of six to ten tested positive for a different substance.

      “Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide,” said the league source. “The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly.”

      Experts at the Mayo Clinic describe Bumetanide as a drug belonging to a group of medicines called loop diuretics or “water pills.” Its uses include the treatment of fluid retention and swelling caused by medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.
      However, the source told Anderson that Bumetanide has another use which makes it one of the NFL’s banned substances.

      “[Bumetanide] can also mask the use of other drugs or steroids.”

      The source also suggested some of the players may not have known Bumetanide is on the NFL’s list of banned substances.

      “I don’t think many of them are attempting to cheat, or even know it is on the list. We are talking big guys who have likely never seen a steroid in their life. My understanding of the steroid policy is that it was intended to catch cheaters or people using performance enhancing substances to gain a competitive edge. These guys don’t fall into that category,” said the source.

      Regardless, all of the players in this group of positive tests, including McAllister and Smith, are subject to a suspension pending an appeal to the league. Under the NFL’s steroid policy, a player’s first positive test results in a four-game suspension.

      When there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. But I urge everyone to take this information with a grain of salt considering Anderson’s NFL source is unnamed. The media has a tendency to take a story like this and run with it before all the facts come out. There’s no sense in assuming anything until the league comes out with a statement (if it even does).

      Still, this is damning news for a Saints team trying to prepare for a game in London this Sunday. (Not too mention a Saints team without Reggie Bush.)

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Love ‘Em & Leave ‘Em: Week 8

      October 24, 2008 /

      Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.

      The “love ‘em” players are listed in the order that I’d start them this week.

      LOVE ‘EM

      QB: Jason Campbell (@ DET) has a tantalizing matchup with the Lions, who are 31st in the league in pass defense. The only worry here is that the Redskins sit on a lead after getting a couple of Clinton Portis touchdowns…Trent Edwards (@ MIA) has a nice matchup with a Miami defense that has yielded an average of 236 yards and 1.5 pass TD per game. Those sound like good expectations for Edwards, who has been very consistent this season…Jake Delhomme (vs. ARI) is probably in for a shootout against the Cardinals, who have given up an average of 220 yards and 2.0 pass TD per game…J.T. O’Sullivan (vs. SEA) has a good matchup at home against a struggling Seahawks defense that has yielded an average of 242 yards and 1.7 pass TD per game…Whoever starts for the Browns – be it Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn – they have a nice matchup against the Jags, who are 23rd in the league in passing yards allowed. They have also given up 1.8 pass TD per game…Looking for a scrub to start? Tyler Thigpen (@ NYJ) and Jeff Garcia (@ DAL) have decent matchups.

      RB: Even though he’s a little gimpy, get Willis McGahee (vs. OAK) in your lineups this week. He has a terrific matchup with a Raiders defense that is 24th against the rush, allowing 136 yards and 1.5 rush TD per game…Thomas Jones (vs. KC) plays a Chiefs rush defense that is dead last in the league. They are giving up a staggering 207 rush yards and 2.0 rush TD per game…Steve Slaton has a great matchup with the Bengals, who are 27th against the rush and have allowed 1.7 rush TD per game…You can start LenDale White and Chris Johnson (vs. IND) this week against the Colts, who are solid against the pass, but brutal against the rush (154 yards, 1.0 rush TD per game)…For the desperate, Cedric Benson appears to be the starter in Cincy, and he has a nice matchup with the Texans, who have yielded 1.8 rush TD per game.

      WR: DeSean Jackson (vs. ATL) was named a starter this week (even though Reggie Brown should be back) so look for him to have a nice game against the Falcons, who are 26th in the league against the pass…Steve Smith is an obvious start, but Muhsin Muhammad (@ ARI) should also be in fantasy lineups as he’s facing a shaky Arizona secondary…Chris Chambers should be back, and that hurts the value of Vincent Jackson, but you can probably start both players against the Saints, who are 21st in the league against the pass…Kevin Curtis (vs. ATL) is also a sneaky good start for the Eagles…Santana Moss is a must start against the Lions, but also think about starting Antwaan Randle El. Again, the only worry is that the Redskins sit on a lead…Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce (vs. SEA) are capable fill ins if you are hurting at receiver. The Seahawks are 29th against the pass.

      LEAVE ‘EM

      QB: Matt Ryan (@ PHI) has had a nice season for a rookie, but I wouldn’t use him this week against the Eagles’ blitzing defense that is 10th in the league against the pass…Brad (a.k.a. “Bad”) Johnson faces a tough test at home against a Bucs defense that is playing good football…The Browns are actually quite good against the pass (7th in yards, just 0.8 pass TD per game), so I’d probably leave David Garrard on the bench this week despite his good play recently…If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, be sure not to start Kerry Collins (vs. IND) or Dan Orlovsky (vs. WAS), as they both have tough matchups against pretty stingy secondaries.

      RB: Edgerrin James (vs. CAR) has a rough matchup with the Panthers, who have allowed just 0.4 rush TD per game. With Tim Hightower vulturing most of the goal line carries, Edge is a poor bet to score this week…Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden (@ BAL) should be benched this week against the Ravens, who have yielded a staggeringly low 67 yards rushing per game this season…Kevin Smith (vs. WAS) has looked better than Rudi Johnson, but neither guy should be in lineups this week against the 7th-ranked Redskins rush defense.

      WR: Derrick Mason (vs. OAK) has been pretty productive of late, especially in PPR leagues, but if you have a better option, you may want to use it as the Raiders secondary is improving. Nnamdi Asomugha held Jerricho Cotchery to just one catch for zero yards last week…I’d still start Calvin Johnson, but Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald should probably stay on the pine against a pretty good Redskins pass defense that has yielded just 192 pass yards and 1.0 TD per game…It’s tough to bench Marvin Harrison because he tore up a great Baltimore defense a couple of weeks ago, but this week he faces the 5th best pass defense in the league (179 pass yards, 0.2 pass TD per game).

      DTBWW

      Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense, usually playing at home against a bad offense. And each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

      I would grab NE, NYJ and WAS before either of these teams, but they aren’t available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues. This week’s picks:

      SF (vs. SEA)
      HOU (vs. CIN) (Yes, I’m going back to the Texans well again. Wish me luck.)

      Last week’s picks:

      Texans: 21 PA + 2 SK = 2 fantasy points
      Dolphins: 27 PA + 3 SK + 1 FR = 4 fantasy points

      (It was a rough week for DTBWW.)

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Convict sends letter to recruit urging him to attend Notre Dame

      October 24, 2008 /

      Charlie WeisIt’s been right in front of their faces the whole time and they never knew it. College coaches had the greatest recruiting weapon at their disposal and didn’t even know it.

      Convicts. Convicts? Convicts.

      High school know-it-all doesn’t want to attend your program? Don’t send over more coaches or a big-named player – send letters from someone doing 5 to 10 in a maximum-security prison.

      Charlie Weis knows what I’m talking about.

      The recruiting process, as it has evolved over the years, is no longer an intimate courting between college coaches and high school prospects.

      A couple recruits in Arizona — including Devon Kennard, son of former Wolf Pack player Derek Kennard — received multi-page letters from an inmate in the California State Penitentiary system urging them to choose Notre Dame.

      Could you imagine being one of the top high school prospects in the nation and you get a letter from an inmate urging you to choose a particular school? I don’t know about anyone else, but my ass would be going to that school. I’m not going to be the one getting shanked by some convicts in a back alley somewhere because I didn’t choose to play for their favorite college football team. No sir.

      College Football

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