Overall: 51-51-1.
Ravens -3 Broncos (win)
Bears -13 Browns (win)
Texans -3.5 Bills (win)
Pack -3 Vikes (loss)
Colts -13 Niners (loss)
Dolphins +3.5 Jets (win)
Lions -4 Rams (loss)
Seattle +9.5 Cowboys (loss)
Raiders +16.5 Chargers (win)
Jags +3 Titans (I do not understand this line) (but obviously I should have, loss)
Cards -10 Panthers (loss)
Eagles +1 Giants (win)
Saints -10 Falcons (loss)
6-7
57-58-1
Matt Stairs
A thought struck me as I watched game one tonight (unsurprising result, thinking that Lee would win game one is why I liked Yanks in 7 instead of 6. Burnett wins game 2, Phils take 2 of 3 at home, and then the Yanks take the last two for the chip) I wondered if this was the first ever Series where I was older than every member of both active rosters.
That's sort of a thing, right? The first Series of my memory was '77; I had just turned 7; and that Yanks/Dodgers Series is really the first sporting event that I vividly recall watching. The '76 Series may have been held during WWII as far as I'm concerned; it was solely a matter to be read about and seen via highlight - but whenever I see a clip from that '77 Series, I know I lived in that moment. Those are very different sensations. My girlfriend was born near the end of '78, and occasionally I'll say something like "you have no memory of Reagan getting shot do you?" - which staggers me; to her, it's not much different than seeing the Zapruder film, which really isn't much different from seeing artists renderings of Crispus Attucks - entirely belonging to history. But to me - I watched it by myself on my living room couch. Fisk's homer in '75 might as well be Ruth's called shot to me, but I remember Reggie burning down the Bronx.
32 years later - I'm watching the Yankees again, but older than every man on the field.
I can't say I've ever thought about this before; last year I was 38 - but Jamie Moyer (disabled this post season) was pitching for the Phils, and he's significantly older than I am. The Sox won in '07; Schilling is older than I am. In '06 it was the Cards - and Jim Edmonds is several months older than I am. Chicago won in '05, but Il Duque was still with the club - and there's not really need to go back any further than that, as I was still 34 in 2004, so young and firm. With my majestic jawline and ability to stay awake past eleven at night (so sleepy I get! I worked all day and ate a big carbohydrate filled meal and watched my stories and am so sleepy!).
But now I'm a newly minted 39 year old and Jamie Moyer's not on the post-season roster.
But Matt Stairs is. 41 year old Matt Stairs. Holla! I get to be 7 years old one more year, sitting in my grandparents living room, watching Reggie hit those 3 bombs in game six. One more year I get to be on scholarship. One more year of safety. One more year before I have to put childish things aside.
Thanks, Matt Stairs. Keep playing.
Yanks in 7
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
What? You want reasons? I don't in any sense of the word have time for that.
But Yanks in 7.
Friday I'll get the weekly picks out. By end of tomorrow, I hopefully will have the Survivor Series 2k8 build finished at the other place.
Yanks in 7 (but they might lose tonight). Go, be in peace.
(as I sort of anticipated in a couple of posts, the Yanks lost the first game; the only surprise for me actually is one that aids NYY - that was Lee pitching the ninth - in a series where your plan going in is to pitch Cliff Lee 3 times, maybe he doesn't go back out there with a 6-0 lead. Just sayin'.)
But Yanks in 7.
Friday I'll get the weekly picks out. By end of tomorrow, I hopefully will have the Survivor Series 2k8 build finished at the other place.
Yanks in 7 (but they might lose tonight). Go, be in peace.
(as I sort of anticipated in a couple of posts, the Yanks lost the first game; the only surprise for me actually is one that aids NYY - that was Lee pitching the ninth - in a series where your plan going in is to pitch Cliff Lee 3 times, maybe he doesn't go back out there with a 6-0 lead. Just sayin'.)
50 Best Players in the NBA 2009-2010
Sunday, October 25, 2009
What did we ever do on Sundays before NFL RedZone?
Okay, so, recently, I offered the following picks for the upcoming NBA season; as part of that preparation (and preparation for my upcoming fantasy seasons; last year I won 2 titles in my 3 leagues; I'm only playing 2 leagues this year, we'll see how it goes) I've compiled this list - the 50 best players in the NBA. Right Now! Or rather, I'm projecting through this season. I'm speaking to you from the future. From beyond the grave! My chief, by far and away, main measures are Hollinger's PER and Pelton's WARP numbers; I look at some plus/minus as well.
With that - the 50 best players in the NBA:
1. LeBron James SF-1
2. Chris Paul PG-1
(neck and neck, close enough that if you flip-flopped them, no one should protest; it's not that King James isn't every single drop as good as you think he is; it's that CP3 is better than advertised).
3. Dwayne Wade SG-1
4. Dwight Howard C-1
(clearly the 3rd and 4th best players in the league; there's not really a good argument that 1 and 2 aren't 1 and 2, regardless of the order, and not really a good argument that 3 and 4 aren't 3 and 4 and in this order).
5. Tim Duncan PF-1
(the starting PF on my all time NBA team is still, in 2010, the starting PF on my current NBA team)
6. Kobe Bryant SG-2
7. Chris Bosh PF-2
8. Dirk Nowitzki PF-3
(5-8 really is a your mileage may vary situation: Dirk was my top pick in both fantasy leagues; I picked 7th in both 12 team drafts, which made me grumpy)
9. Al Jefferson C-2
10. Kevin Durant SF-2
11. Deron Williams PG-2
(same shakeup is possible at 9-11; Jefferson's coming back from injury, so this is an optimistic view of his return)
12. Pau Gasol PF-4
13. Brandon Roy SG-3
14. Amare Stoudemire PF-5
(this can also be re-ordered in any way you prefer; I had a choice in both fantasy leagues of Dirk/Amare, and with the Suns re-installation of their hyperkinetic offense, that might have made Amare a better choice; had he center eligibility in my leagues I would have picked him)
15. Tony Parker PG-3
16. Manu Ginobli SG-4
(add good complements in Jefferson/McDyess/Blair and that's why the Spurs are right there with the Lakers to come out of the West).
17. Andrew Bynum C3
(Yao's gone or he would have been above this spot; Duncan and Amare are also really centers, but listed at the 4 here, so this shouldn't be as startling as it is. I had Bynum/Biedrins decisions to make in both fantasy leagues, I went with my GSW guy. If Bynum can't stay healthy again, this ranking is error.)
18. Rajon Rondo PG-4
19. Jose Calderon PG-5
20. Steve Nash PG-6
21. Chauncy Billups PG-7
(Again, any reordering you like can be done; this group is jammed together; I went with youth).
22. Kevin Garnett PF-6
23. Carmelo Anthony SF-3
24. Josh Smith SF-4
25. Andre Iguodala SG-5
(KG is hard to slot given the injury, the mileage, and the ability to reduce his usage with both Sheed and Big Baby on the Boston bench; I've got JSmooth on both fantasy teams and the only AI left on this list on one; Smith's the only Hawk in the top 50, both Johnson and Horford are close.
26. Danny Granger SF-5
27. Devin Harris PG-8
28. Andres Biedrins C4
(GSW!)
29. Blake Griffin PF-7
(the only rookie on the list; no others would be close)(oops)
30. Marcus Camby C-5
(back to back Clips; that's me getting cute like I do)
31. Brook Lopez C-6
32. Jason Kidd PG-9
(hasn't retained all of his value, like crazy Duncan, but still enough to go here)
33. Gerald Wallace SF-6
34. David Lee PF-8
(only Knick; Nate's close)
35. Emeka Okafor C7
36. LaMarcus Aldridge PF9
37. Vince Carter SG6
38. Kevin Martin SG-7
39. Kevin Love C-8
(Love's out a month and a half with the hand, I'm factoring that in; I was a huge Love fan in college; thinking that the deal swapping him for my guy Mayo was error; I was right, Mayo had a good rookie year but is overrated while Love really came on late; I'd like to see Rubio wind up in Minnesota with Love and Jefferson on the frontline. Superfun.)
40. Greg Oden C-9
(Oden's not Durant, but he's pretty good, no matter what Bill Simmons says).
41. Paul Pierce SF-7
42. Ramon Sessions PG-10
43. Jameer Nelson PG-11
44. Shaquille O'Neal C-10
45. Paul Millsap PF 10
46. Carlos Boozer PF11
47. David West PF12
48. Antawn Jamison SF 8
49. Gilbert Arenas PG12
50. Anthony Randolph PF13
(GSW! If he ever gets to play. I hate Don Nelson. And Brian Sabean. Which is how everything I write until he gets fired should end; even if I'm in the middle of some lefty screed, I should conclude with my dislike for Brian Sabean, as pronounced as his dislike for on base percentage.)
Okay, so, recently, I offered the following picks for the upcoming NBA season; as part of that preparation (and preparation for my upcoming fantasy seasons; last year I won 2 titles in my 3 leagues; I'm only playing 2 leagues this year, we'll see how it goes) I've compiled this list - the 50 best players in the NBA. Right Now! Or rather, I'm projecting through this season. I'm speaking to you from the future. From beyond the grave! My chief, by far and away, main measures are Hollinger's PER and Pelton's WARP numbers; I look at some plus/minus as well.
With that - the 50 best players in the NBA:
1. LeBron James SF-1
2. Chris Paul PG-1
(neck and neck, close enough that if you flip-flopped them, no one should protest; it's not that King James isn't every single drop as good as you think he is; it's that CP3 is better than advertised).
3. Dwayne Wade SG-1
4. Dwight Howard C-1
(clearly the 3rd and 4th best players in the league; there's not really a good argument that 1 and 2 aren't 1 and 2, regardless of the order, and not really a good argument that 3 and 4 aren't 3 and 4 and in this order).
5. Tim Duncan PF-1
(the starting PF on my all time NBA team is still, in 2010, the starting PF on my current NBA team)
6. Kobe Bryant SG-2
7. Chris Bosh PF-2
8. Dirk Nowitzki PF-3
(5-8 really is a your mileage may vary situation: Dirk was my top pick in both fantasy leagues; I picked 7th in both 12 team drafts, which made me grumpy)
9. Al Jefferson C-2
10. Kevin Durant SF-2
11. Deron Williams PG-2
(same shakeup is possible at 9-11; Jefferson's coming back from injury, so this is an optimistic view of his return)
12. Pau Gasol PF-4
13. Brandon Roy SG-3
14. Amare Stoudemire PF-5
(this can also be re-ordered in any way you prefer; I had a choice in both fantasy leagues of Dirk/Amare, and with the Suns re-installation of their hyperkinetic offense, that might have made Amare a better choice; had he center eligibility in my leagues I would have picked him)
15. Tony Parker PG-3
16. Manu Ginobli SG-4
(add good complements in Jefferson/McDyess/Blair and that's why the Spurs are right there with the Lakers to come out of the West).
17. Andrew Bynum C3
(Yao's gone or he would have been above this spot; Duncan and Amare are also really centers, but listed at the 4 here, so this shouldn't be as startling as it is. I had Bynum/Biedrins decisions to make in both fantasy leagues, I went with my GSW guy. If Bynum can't stay healthy again, this ranking is error.)
18. Rajon Rondo PG-4
19. Jose Calderon PG-5
20. Steve Nash PG-6
21. Chauncy Billups PG-7
(Again, any reordering you like can be done; this group is jammed together; I went with youth).
22. Kevin Garnett PF-6
23. Carmelo Anthony SF-3
24. Josh Smith SF-4
25. Andre Iguodala SG-5
(KG is hard to slot given the injury, the mileage, and the ability to reduce his usage with both Sheed and Big Baby on the Boston bench; I've got JSmooth on both fantasy teams and the only AI left on this list on one; Smith's the only Hawk in the top 50, both Johnson and Horford are close.
26. Danny Granger SF-5
27. Devin Harris PG-8
28. Andres Biedrins C4
(GSW!)
29. Blake Griffin PF-7
(the only rookie on the list; no others would be close)(oops)
30. Marcus Camby C-5
(back to back Clips; that's me getting cute like I do)
31. Brook Lopez C-6
32. Jason Kidd PG-9
(hasn't retained all of his value, like crazy Duncan, but still enough to go here)
33. Gerald Wallace SF-6
34. David Lee PF-8
(only Knick; Nate's close)
35. Emeka Okafor C7
36. LaMarcus Aldridge PF9
37. Vince Carter SG6
38. Kevin Martin SG-7
39. Kevin Love C-8
(Love's out a month and a half with the hand, I'm factoring that in; I was a huge Love fan in college; thinking that the deal swapping him for my guy Mayo was error; I was right, Mayo had a good rookie year but is overrated while Love really came on late; I'd like to see Rubio wind up in Minnesota with Love and Jefferson on the frontline. Superfun.)
40. Greg Oden C-9
(Oden's not Durant, but he's pretty good, no matter what Bill Simmons says).
41. Paul Pierce SF-7
42. Ramon Sessions PG-10
43. Jameer Nelson PG-11
44. Shaquille O'Neal C-10
45. Paul Millsap PF 10
46. Carlos Boozer PF11
47. David West PF12
48. Antawn Jamison SF 8
49. Gilbert Arenas PG12
50. Anthony Randolph PF13
(GSW! If he ever gets to play. I hate Don Nelson. And Brian Sabean. Which is how everything I write until he gets fired should end; even if I'm in the middle of some lefty screed, I should conclude with my dislike for Brian Sabean, as pronounced as his dislike for on base percentage.)
The Weekly 10 - Week 8 College Football Picks
Friday, October 23, 2009
Overall: 47-23
Locks: 7-0
Lines are tight this week; last week I mentioned I was picking nearly 20 games despite only releasing the 10 for the blog (went fine, thanks). I indicated I might enlarge this from ten to a higher number, but that will not happen with these lines. This is one of those weeks where if I can go 5-5 and win my lock, I'll feel successful.
Northern Illinois -11 Miami (loss)
Purdue -10 Illinois (push - the first one of the year, which is weird)
Idaho +15.5 Nevada (loss)
Arizona -7.5 UCLA (win)
Cincinnati -18 Louisville (win)
Iowa +1.5 Michigan St. (win)
Boise St. -24 Hawaii (win)
North Texas +21 Troy (loss)
Miami -4.5 Clemson (loss)
Lock: TCU -2.5 BYU (win)
Week: 5-4-1
Overall: 52-27-1
Locks: 8-0
Locks: 7-0
Lines are tight this week; last week I mentioned I was picking nearly 20 games despite only releasing the 10 for the blog (went fine, thanks). I indicated I might enlarge this from ten to a higher number, but that will not happen with these lines. This is one of those weeks where if I can go 5-5 and win my lock, I'll feel successful.
Northern Illinois -11 Miami (loss)
Purdue -10 Illinois (push - the first one of the year, which is weird)
Idaho +15.5 Nevada (loss)
Arizona -7.5 UCLA (win)
Cincinnati -18 Louisville (win)
Iowa +1.5 Michigan St. (win)
Boise St. -24 Hawaii (win)
North Texas +21 Troy (loss)
Miami -4.5 Clemson (loss)
Lock: TCU -2.5 BYU (win)
Week: 5-4-1
Overall: 52-27-1
Locks: 8-0
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