December 31, 2013

My top 13 Sports Stories from 2013

click here for my Top 12 stories from 2012





13. Gronk Injury Drama

Rob Gronkowski...possibly the most dominant player in the NFL. When healthy.   

Unfortunately, it's obvious now that Gronk is a big time injury prone player. He's too big, and plays too hard to stay healthy. In the Winter and Spring of  2013, Gronk had multiple back and arm surgeries. He was only expected to miss the first couple games of the season, but didn't make his debut until Week 7. He played 6 very good games before suffering a concussion and torn ACL/MCL. At age 24, Gronk will now have had four surgeries on his forearm, two on his back, one on his ankle, and one on his knee. 

Honestly If I'm the Patriots, I consider making Gronk the first ever "playoffs only" player. He can't stay healthy for a long stretch of time, and the Pats never have him healthy for a playoff run. The Pats waltz their way to an easy division title every single year, they don't need Gronk in the regular season!! 









12. Lance Fraudstrong 

The worst people in sports are the liars... the athletes who sit there and swear by everything they are clean... just to be proven dirty. Rafael Palmeiro. Ryan Braun. and now the biggest fraud of them all.... Lance Fraudstrong.

For over a decade Cycling federations around the world accused Fraudstrong of doping, cheating, and bribing his way to 7 Tour de France titles. He vehemently denied it all and even TOOK LEGAL ACTION against those who testified (truthfully) against him. Finally, after mountains of evidence and testimony, Fraudstrong admitted to doping and basically/hopefully fell off the face of the earth.

PS- I still faithfully wear my "Livestrong" bracelet, as I have for over 10 years now. I don't associate this with Lance whatsoever.




11.Super Bowl black out

Last year during the "Harbough Bowl" there was an electrical blackout. John's Ravens and Jim's 49ers were forced to deal with a 40  minute delay in the 3rd Quarter.

Jacoby Jones came out and returned the 2nd half kickoff 108 yards for a TD... It was an awesome play (longest in Super Bowl History). A few minutes into the responding 49ers drive, the lights went out:



Of course Ray Lewis and other Ravens Lunatics all thought this was NOT an accident, that the outage was done by someone in attempt to slow down the Ravens. Even if that was the case, Joe Flacco capped off his perfect playoffs (11 TDs, 0 INTs) and the Ravens won the Super Bowl.




10. Lebron James/ Heat win



I'm not a big NBA or basketball fan, but I LOVE when Lebron James wins, because, like me, Haters fuel Lebron James. Irrational hate to the max. Especially here in Boston, people go CRAZY about hating Lebron James. Well guess what? He's the man and you all suck. Kiss the rings. Scoreboard. Lebron won his 2nd consecutive ring this year, collecting another Finals MVP in the process. Scored 37 points in Game 7... and this was after his triple-double in an OT road victory against the Spurs. IN case you celtcis fans were counting, since he's been in the league that's 2 titles for Lebron and 1 for the Celtics. Just sayin.

Not 1, Not 2, Not 3....








9. Thornton suspension/hockey issues

In early December, Shawn Thornton was involved in an ugly incident at the Garden. Here are my detailed thoughts on that specific issue. Overall, it just bothers me that Thornton got a 15 game suspension.... the league is making an example of of someone who has SET the right example for a decade. Makes no sense.

There's has been increasing discussion around the idea of eliminating fighting from the NHL. As someone who has a good understanding of the game and a working brain, I am obviously very strongly against getting rid of fighting in hockey. Yes, I enjoy it from an entertainment standpoint, but beyond that there is a use for fighting in the game. People who don't play hockey don't really understand that allowing fighting keeps players accountable on the ice. There is an unwritten "code" that the professionals abide by, and when it is broken, there is accountability. Very simply put, if Brooks Orpik had fought Shawn Thornton when (appropriately) challenged, he wouldn't have gotten knocked out. Check out the poll below taken from NHL players in the past 3 years.







8. Pats lose to Ravens in AFC Championship Game 

Last January the Pats lost to the Ravens in the AFC Championship... at Home. This was a devastating loss for a few different reasons.

-Aqib Talib left this game early... not good for the Pats.

-Ray Lewis' last game... or so we thought. This ended up being Ray's 2nd to last game

-The Pats got shutout in the 2nd half. Up 13-7 at halftime, everyone felt good about the Pats chances to win the game. Through the years, the Pats have gotten stronger as game wear on. This year, however, the Pats got dominated int he 2nd half. The Ravens scored 3 TDs and the Pats had no response whatsoever.

-Ridley, true to himself, put a HUGE ball on the ground in the 2nd half. He was knocked out by Patriot killer Bernard Pollard.

-WesWelker scored a TD this game... his last as a Patriot. He finished with 8/117/1.

The final score of the game was 28-13 and the Ravens of course went on to win the Super Bowl.







7. Chris Peterson leaves Boise State

Boise State Football had it's worst season since I became a fan in the late 90s.... they finished the season at 8-5.

The 38-6 road loss in Week 1 to Washington should have been a clue... this was NOT our year. A 1 point loss in Fresno, coupled with a surprising road loss to BYU pretty much ended the significant bowl talk for BSU. Of course, even in a down year, the Broncos were invited to the Hawaii Bowl, but proceeded to get crushed by Oregon State.

Two players most worth mentioning are RB Jay Ajayi and DL Demarcus Lawrence. Ajayi is a TRAIN. He doesn't run quite as hard north and south as Doug Martin did, but he is clearly more talented in open space. Ajayi is a JR next year, and wrapped up his sophomore campaign with over 1400 yards and 18 TDs. He averaged 5.7 YPC this year. Lawrence is a monster on the defensive side of the ball... mark my words here... he's a legit NFL talent.

The biggest news out of Boise State this year, however, is the departure of Chris Peterson. Personally I HATE the way he left... seemed to go out in the middle of the night. Very weird. I have a friend/mentor in Boise who posted this on facebook, basically summing up what my thoughts and feelings were:

(Non Boise State fans scroll on)

"Let me start by saying that I have always been very Pro-Coach Pete and am certainly thankful for how he has played a major part of putting Boise State football on the map, therefore being a major contributor to many of my best relationships. The next part of my post may not be received well because it doesn't blindly fall at his feet as we are directed to do by "real" Bronco fans. I'm sorry but being a true fan doesn't mean that you have to sit idly by when things don't go well. I contend a fan who truly cares SHOULD be upset when a kicker misses a chip shot FG realistically ending so many championship dreams or when the ICONIC leader of your team leaves "QUICKLY and QUIETLY." This last part just doesn't sit well with me. In the past, BSU coaches like Koetter and Hawkins have left, striking while the proverbial iron is hot. At the tops of their games. Leaving the cupboard far from bare, allowing the next coach to step in and build upon, if not shatter their previous successes. We all bemoaned Koetter leaving wondering how this goofy Hawkins guy could keep the ball rolling. Then everyone stepped up financially, supporting building whatever facility we could and to raise salaries so we could, "fingers crossed," keep Coach Hawk at any cost. Hawk started to hear the grumbles and left a team that became Fiesta Bowl champs the very next year. Coach Pete built on those successes over the next 8 years and fans kept reaching into their wallets to help finance new construction and his $2.3 million contract. Did he finally succumb to the grumbles himself???

But Coach Pete never left while the "iron was hot." We were led to believe he was different. Ole Miss? Haha Stanford? Nope. USC? Not a good fit. But unfortunately Coach Pete's real legacy is that while he is and was a great coach and ambassador for doing things the right way, he flat our refused to appease the very people who sacrificed their own finances to truly help build Bronco Nation. What??!! Yes, when the Broncos needed to pour it on opponents for style points, he refused even though it was BSU's best chance at playing for a National Championship. When Kellen needed a few extra yards or TDs to win a Heisman, Pete refused to play him in the 3rd quarter of games when we were ahead by just enough. Then in 2nd halves when Southwick came in he never got to throw the ball or truly run the offense, leading to him not being ready to step in against the likes of Michigan State and our team has not reached expectations for 2 straight years. Pete and his coaches didn't cash in their chips on big time recruits after Top 5 and Top 10 finishes instead offering free rides to small, slow receivers, projects and undersized defensive players. Somewhere along the line we were able to recruit NFL talent and a lot of it prior to the Top 5 success but in the past four years couldn't when we'd built BSU into America's darling??? Every fan saw just how thin and bare the cupboard truly is when BSU had a few injuries this year. No offense to the guy I was in the elevator with at the hotel before the BYU game but you look like the kid who used to get stuffed in his locker, not the chiseled athlete you lined up against the next night at LES. Whose fault is that???

If Coach Pete had left for Stanford or USC or even Notre Dame a few years ago no one would have blamed him. But now while the ship is sinking... lets face it with our schedule BSU shouldn't be going 8-4 and a TRUE fan does demand excellence when excellence is more than attainable and mediocracy is achieved. This is where people who don't know what a required BAA membership is pound their chest and cry foul. Tennessee Martin? Southern Miss? We can only beat chumps with our current talent. And lets face it, SD State and Fresno are barely more than chumps. All the good will from the Kellen years are gone.

Coach Pete, I'm reading lots of open letters that express their gratitude. It is well deserved, no question. I too am thankful. But here is my open letter to you. I APPLAUD Coach Pete for everything he has done, but I can't believe that you couldn't even make a statement. How about a THANKS to the people who gave the money to make the facilities happen? How about a THANKS to the people who shelled out $200 a ticket to help make your family rich? How about a PUBLIC THANKS to the BSU President who had your back at every step, shouting from every mountain top even when it made him look like a fool? How about a THANKS to all the people, whether they gave or not, who blindly fall at your feet singing your praises while you leave them in your dust without so much as looking in the rearview mirror? I THOUGHT YOU WERE DIFFERENT.

Coach Pete, if you are different than every other Coach Nutt in the country who leaves in the middle of the night, then take your ample resources (which have now been significantly increased by a new rabid fan base) and TAKE OUT A FULL PAGE AD in the STATESMAN thanking the very people who ARE BRONCO NATION. Don't leave "quickly, and quietly." Be different."






6. Great Season on PGA Tour

The PGA produce 4 different major winners this year, a 5th player that won the FedEx Cup, and none of that includes Tiger Woods, who blew away the field with 5 wins in 2013.

-Adam Scott and his long putter took home the Green Jacket in April (in OT)

-Justin Rose won his first major at the US Open

-Phil Mickelson won his first British Open in impressive fashion, finishing as the only player under par

-Big Daddy Duff  chewed his way to the PGA Championship

-One of my faves, Henrik Stenson, beat everyone at the end of the FedEx Playoffs winning TPC Boston and the Tour Championship for the $10 Million prize.

-USA beat down Europe in the Presidents Cup

... it was an AWESOME year in the PGA. I love the way the tour is headed... Its not Tiger vs the field anymore. It's Tiger, then about a dozen or so major threats, and THEN the field.







5. Welker/Amendola Saga 


Back on March  when Wes Welker left for the Broncos, people were outraged (myself included.)

The Welker saga had actually started many years previous... the Pats made a few minor attempts to sign Welker to a multi-year deal-  that never happened so they started using the franchise tag on him. Players, while they get rich off of it, generally don't like the franchise tag. It means they aren't getting a long term contract with lots of guaranteed money. Welker made BANK  under the franchise tag... but with his impending free agency... the Pats offered him about half the annual salary for a 2 year deal. Basically a slap in the face to their 2nd most consistent offensive player.

Welker moved on to Denver, and helped Peyton and the Broncos offense set all sorts of records. Of course Welker's season got cut short due to a concussion..

The Pats brought in Amendola to "replace" Welker... then actually gave this injury prone player a 5 year deal, with a higher average annual salary.

It's safe to say that letting Welker walk was a mistake. While it's true the Julien Edelman basically put up the exact same stats as Welker would have (100+ catches, 1000+ yards), it's also true the Patriots could have had both Edelman AND Welker tearing it up this year. They made a mistake letting him walk.







4. Tyler Seguin gets traded

4th of July, the last thing I want to think about is the NHL (after losing the cup a couple weeks earlier) and what happens? Superstar Tyler Seguin gets traded. 

There are the people who say the Bruins gave up early on the kid, that they sold low, and it was a mistake to let an elite talent like Seguin leave the team.

Then there are people like me who actually watch the Bruins who were happy with the trade. Listen, I love Tyler. I was at the draft party in Fanuil hall when the Bruins picked him. I've blogged about him many times. We probably don't win the Cup without Seguin in 2011. BUT...

-The guy doesn't fit Claude's system (and Claude is here to stay! yay!)
-He has a shitty work ethic (Apparently he went out in Toronto like every night DURING the playoffs)
-He has a restricting contract (The Bruins strength is depth, not star power)

It was nice to get Loui Eriksson in return for Seguin, but as of this writing the real take was Reilly Smith!!!! Can you believe this guy LEADS THE BRUINS IN GOALS THIS SEASON????

While playing alongside Bergeron and Marchand, Smith has tallied 14 goals and 12 assists. That's awfully "Tyler Seguin" like of him... at only 5.5 million dollars less...

Also... I cant not mention this... Tyler Seguin's priorities are all fucked up. When asked by the Dallas Media what his advice for a young person coming to the Bruins would be, he laughed and said "Get Married." Clown.





3. Aaron Hernandez arrested 

I went back and forth about even putting this clown on this list.... BUT ultimately I have to. The Hernandez saga dominated the Summer headlines... and the fall out from losing him on the field was significant.

I always loved Aaron Hernandez as a player. He won me a fantasy football championship last year. I saw him score on MNF from the 2nd row vs the Texans. He always had a great attitude and was a cool player to root for.

BUT that was all a trick. Hernandez is a dirt bag murderer. It's beyond me that someone like him can have SO MUCH and still turn back to his old lifestyle. Grow up bro, you could have been a legend here. Now you're in jail for the rest of your life. No second chance. Good call.





2. Sox win the World Series/Boston Marathon

Worst to first. You hear that saying a lot, but rarely does it ever actually ring true.

The 2012 Red Sox finished 69-93 in last place of the AL East. During the off season, UMass alum Ben Cherington was able to convince the idiotic Dodgers to trade for Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford AND Adrian GOnzalez... freeing up the necessary space for Cherington to re build the Red Sox.

In comes Johnny Gomes, Jarod Saltalamcacchia, and Mike Napoli. and the rest, they say, is history.

The Sox ended up taking down the Rays, Tigers, and Cardinals en route to another title. David Ortiz, the only member of all 3 Sox Championship teams, hit a mind numbing .733 in the world series. He of course won the MVP (and should seriously be considered for best Red Sox player of all time.) Koji Uehara took over as closer in June, and never looked back. Historic season for both of these guys.

Of course, what made this year even more special, were the events at the Boston Marathon. No one in Boston will EVER forget Papi taking that mic and letting the world know "This is OUR Fucking City."  I'm legit getting chills just writing that. Ortiz and the rest of the Sox all knew this title they won  was for the city, and no one else. Ortiz even said at one point almost every single game there was some sort of Marathon remembrance/ ceremony... so basically this whole season was dedicated to the city of Boston. It was what my friends and I like to call a "God Season".... basically no matter what the Sox were winning the world Series. And they followed through big time and produced the city's 8th parade in the past 11 years.






1. Bruins lose in the Stanley Cup Final

This was, by far, the biggest sports story in 2013 for me. The Bruins proved to the world that "Bruins Hockey" works, is here to stay, and that this young core of talent we have can and likely will deliver multiple deep runs. The 2013 Bruins team reminded me of what the Red Wings have been in the past decade- a team you KNOW is going to be fighting for the Conference crown every year. Simply making the playoffs or even just winning a round or two is no longer acceptable here... the bar has been set high, to Stanley Cup level.

This Stanley Cup run was highlighted by the Game 7 comeback in Round 1 against the Leafs. Click here to me reminded of that magic. If you didn't think Patrice Bergeron was a shoe-in to have his number eventually retired by the organization, his playoff performance this year erased all doubts. Not only did he score the game toeing and series winning goals in Game 7 vs the leafs, he battled through so many injuries that he left game 7 and went straight to hospital where he stayed for a few days.

Don't ever forget Gregory Campbell... blocking a shot that broke his leg only to finish his shift like a true hockey player. (Still one of my favorite stories is that Clay Buchholz got a hang nail a couple days after Campbell broke his leg, and despite being medically cleared, Buchholz didn't return to the Sox until late September, by that time Campbell had already resumed skating!!)

After the comeback, the Bruins steamrolled the Rangers in 5 Games... aka Krug's coming out party.

Next up in the ECF: Jarome Iginla and the Penguins. This is when the Bruins really proved to people they were for real. Sweep City. Crosby, Malkin, and Iginla combine for 0 goals. Tuukka Rask is a God.

Then the Blackhawks. The two best teams facing off. A great series that went from looking like it was going to 7 games, to being over in just 16 second. Heart break city. Another team lifting the Cup on our home ice- something I NEVER want to see again.

But you know what? this team has seen it all. They've been together for a long time, they know what it takes to win a Cup, and the 2013 Bruins came THIS close... but despite a loss they affirmed what we all thought was happening... the beginning of a long string of deep playoff runs. I expect another deep run and possible Cup in 2014!


My Aunt and Uncle in the first row watching the Cup clinching goal



December 30, 2013

Football Bet Scoreboard 2013


Now that the season is over, lets tally up the bets I made "on the board"


Bets with Adam:

Adam: Fred Jackson scores more than 108.5 points weeks 3-16 in The Dirty D
James: Fred Jackson scores less than 108.5 points (He had 31 through 2 weeks)
Bet: TBD
Winner: Adam (170) 


Adam: Garrett Graham scores more points than Colby Fleener, Weeks 5-16
James: Fleener over Graham
Bet: Loser drafts a Kicker in the 1st round next year (The Dirty D)
Winner: James   (94-86)


Adam: Cordarrelle Patterson outscores Andre Brown in Week 15
Bet: $5
James: Andre Brown
Winner: Adam  (15-5) 


Week 17 Fantasy Football Challenge
Adam owes James $5

Total: Adam drafts a kicker 1st round, James owes Adam "TBD" for the F Jax bet. 




Bets with Dan:
James: Wes Welker has 95 catches or less
Dan: Wes Welker has 96 catches or more
Bet: $5
Winner: James (73)

Dan says there will be a prop bet in the NFL sometime during the 2013 season having to do with yes/no blackout (electrical) during a game. James says this will not be a prop bet available.
Bet: $10
Winner: TBD 

James: Percy Harvin will outscore Wes Welker Weeks 1-16
Dan: Welker will outscore Percy
Bet: TBD
Winner: Dan (203-2)

James: Zach Ertz will outscore Fauria in Week 7
Dan: Fauria over Ertz
Bet: $5
Winner: James (6-2)





Bets with Jeremy:

James: Wes Welker has 95 catches or less
Jeremy: Wes Welker has 96 catches or more
Bet: $10
Winner: James (73)

James: Chris Givens scores more total points than Emmanuel Sanders in "The League"
Jeremy: Emmanuel Sanders scores more total points than Chris Givens in "The League"
Bet: $5
Winner: Jeremy (148-72)

James: Josh Gordon scores more total points than Emmanuel Sanders in "The League"
Jeremy: Emmanuel Sanders scores more total points than Josh Gordon in "The League"
Bet: $5
Winner: James (270-148)

Jeremy: Moreno finishes with most fantasy points out of Denver RBs in "The League"
James: Any other RB wins
Bet: $5
Winner: Jeremy 

James: Alshon Jeffery scores more total points than Ryan Broyles in "The League"
Jeremy: Ryan Broyles scores more total points than Alshon Jeffery in "The League"
Bet: $5
Winner: James 

James: Boise State has a better season than Fresno State
Jeremy: Fresno State has a better season than Boise State
Bet: $10
Winner: Jeremy 

James: Doug Martin WILL finish as a top 5 RB in The League
Jeremy: Doug Martin will finish outside the top 5
Bet: $5
Winner: Jeremy 

James: Red Sox will advance to World Series
Jeremy: Tigers will advanced to World Serries
Bet: $5
Winner: James

James: Red Sox will win World Series
Jeremy: Cardinals will win World Series
Bet: $5
Winner: James

James: Pats win week 7
Jeremy: Jets win week 7
Bet: $5
Winner: Jeremy


James: Josh McClown outscores Matt Ryan in Week 11
Jeremy: Ryan over McClown
Bet: 1 Beer
Winner: Jeremy (14.6-12.5)


Sooooo after all that I think Jeremy and I are even on $ but I owe him 1 Beer.



Bets with Wilson:

James: Jordan Cameron scores more total points than Antonio Gates in "The League"
Wilson: Antonio Gates scores more total points than Jordan Cameron in "The League"
Bet: 1 Beer
Winner: James (173-123)

James: Randall Cobb scores more total points than Jordy Nelson in "The League"
Wilson: Jordy Nelson scores more points than Randall Cobb in "The League"
Bet: $5
Winner: Wilson (Not close)

James: Michael Floyd scores more total points than Andre Roberts in full PPR
Wilson: Andre Roberts scores more points than Floyd  in full PPR
Bet: $5
Winner: James (Not close)

Even on $, and Wilson owes me 1 Beer



Bets with #PlayoffMike:


Mike says: Foster, Charles, McCoy, AP, Martin will be the top 5 scoring RBs. If Martin finishes outside the top 5 Mike loses the bet automatically.
James says: At least one other running back will finish in top 5, and will beat Martin
Bet: $5
Winner: James 



Bets with Sean:

Sean: A Pinch Better -5 Week 1 vs Tahiti Loungers
James: Tahiti Loungers +5 vs A Pinch Better
Bet: $5


Result: I won our matchup 136-121.


Sean: The Field 
James: Tahiti Loungers or Team Ice Cream will win the Dirty D
Bet: $20
Winner: James 


Week 10 
Sean: Buffalo -6.5
James: Pittsburgh +6.5
Bet: $5
Winner: James (Pitt won 23-10)



Easiest $30 I've ever won.


December 29, 2013

Week 17 Fantasy Challenge Scoreboard


Final Score:

Team James   274
Team Beck    225
Team Abe      208
Team Jeremy 195
Team Adam  171



QBs:
Beckerman  78
Abe   64
James   52
Jeremy   30
Adam   22


RBs:
Jeremy    69
James   50
Abe    45
Beck   36
Adam     36


WRs:
James   77
Adam   67
Abe    56
Jeremy   54
Beck   31

TEs:
Beck   32
James   31
Abe   21
Adam   16
Jeremy   9

D/STs:
James   39
Jeremy   22
Beck    21
Abe    9
Adam   8

Ks:
Beck   27
James   25
Adam   22
Abe   13
Jeremy   11





Team Abe
QB- Peyton Manning   26
QB- Philip Rivers    19
QB- Andy Dalton     19
RB- LeSean McCoy     22
RB- Demarco Murray      11
RB- Gio Bernard    12
WR- Demaryius Thomas   31
WR- Keenan Allen    13
WR- Nate Burleson   11
WR- Danny Amendola     1
TE- Greg Olsen  16
TE- Joseph Fauria   5
DST- Chicago    5
DST- San Diego     4
K- Stephen Hauschka     9
K- Robbie Gould     4

Total:    208



Team Jeremy
QB- Andrew Luck    15
QB- Big Ben     7
QB- Tom Brady     8
RB- Matt Forte     37
RB- Marshawn Lynch    16
RB- Leveon Bell    16
WR- Brandon Marshall    19
WR- Pierre Garcon       11
WR- Antonio Brown     17
WR- Vincent Jackson    7
TE- Black Unicorn    2
TE- Ryan Griffin    7
DST- Pittsburgh     13
DST- San Francisco   9
K- Blair Walsh     2
K- Justin Tucker     9

Total:    195




Team James
QB- Nick Foles     16
QB- Kam Newton    18
QB- Aaron Rodgers    18
RB- Chris Johnson      24
RB- Reggie Bush    17
RB- Joique Bell      9
WR- Dez Bryant     23
WR- Andre Johnson     10
WR- Jordy Nelson     32
WR- Marques Colston     12
TE- Jimmy Graham     18
TE- Vernon Davis      13
DST- Seattle      18
DST- Carolina      21
K- Matt Prater     12
K- Phil Dawson       13

Total:    274




Team Adam
QB- Matthew Stafford     12
QB- Russell Wilson      10
QB- Kirk Cousins       0
RB- Jamaal Charles      0
RB- Knoshon Moreno      17
RB- Ryan Mathews       19
WR- Josh Gordon         15
WR- AJ Green       16
WR- Julian Edelman     17
WR- Larry Fitz      19
TE- Julius Thomas     8
TE- Charles Clay      8
DST- Miami       4
DST- Arizona    4
K- Dan Carpenter       10
K- Dan Bailey     12

Total:    171



Team Beckerman
QB- Drew Brees       39
QB- Jay Cutler     15
QB- Colin Kaepernick     24
RB- Eddie Lacy     15
RB-Alfred Morris     8
RB- Shane Vereen      13
WR- Alshon Jeffery       9
WR- DeSean Jackson     5
WR- Eric Decker       12
WR- Michael Crabtree      5
TE- Jason Witten    27
TE- Delanie Walker      5
DST- New England       13
DST- Indy       8
K- Adam Vinatieri      12
K- Stephen Gostkowski   15

Total:     225



December 27, 2013

Week 17 Fantasy Challenge


2nd annual Week 17 Fantasy challenge


5 teams
16 roster spots
Dirty D scoring settings (PPR and bonuses)

Abe-Jeremy-James-Adam-Beckerman



Draft Results -

Abe- LeSean Mccoy
Jeremy- Matt Forte
James- Jimmy Graham
Adam- Josh Gordon
Beck- Drew Brees
Beck- Eddie Lacy
Adam- Jamaal Charles
James- Nick Foles
Jeremy- Marshawn Lynch
Abe- Peyton Manning
Abe- DeMarco Murray
Jeremy- Brandon Marshall
James- Dez Bryant
Adam- AJ Green
Beck- DeSean Jackson
Beck- Alshon Jeffrey
Adam- Knoshon Moreno
James- Kam Newton
Jeremy- Pierre Garcon
Abe- Demaryius Thomas
Abe- Philip Rivers 
Jeremy- Leveon Bell
James- Vernon Davis
Adam- Julius Thomas
Beck- Eric Decker
Beck- Jason Witten
Adam- Julian "Elite" Edelman
James- Andre Johnson
Jeremy- Antonio Brown
Abe- Keenan Allen
Abe- Greg Olsen 
Jeremy- Andrew Luck
James- Aaron Rodgers
Adam- Matthew Stafford
Beck- Jay Cutler
Beck- Alfred Morris
Adam- Ryan Mathews
James- Seattle D/ST
Jeremy- Vincent Jackson
Abe- Gio Bernard 
Abe- Nate Burleson 
Jeremy- Big Ben
James- Jordy Nelson
Adam- Russell Wilson
Beck- Shane Vereen
Beck- Michael Crabtree
Adam- Charles Clay
James- Carolina D/ST
Jeremy- Tom Brady
Abe- Andy Dalton 
Abe- Danny Amendola 
Jeremy- Black Unicorn
James- Marques Colston
Adam- Kirk Cousins
Beck- New England D/ST
Beck- Delanie Walker
Adam- Larry Fitzgerald
James- Matt Prater
Jeremy- San Fran D/ST
Abe- San Diego D/ST
Abe- Steven Hauschka 
Jeremy- Ryan Griffin
James- Phil Dawson
Adam- Dan Carpenter
Beck- Indy D/ST
Beck- Adam Vinatieri
Adam- Arizona D/ST
James- CJ Loser K
Jeremy- Pittsburgh D/ST
Abe- Chicago D/ST
Abe- Robbie Gould 
Jeremy- Justin Tucker
James- Reggie Bush
Adam- Dan Bailey
Beck- Colin Kaepernick
Beck- Stephen Gostkowski
Adam- Miami D/ST
James- Jonique Bell
Jeremy- Blair Walsh
Abe- Joseph Fauria 



By team:


Team Abe
QB- Peyton Manning
QB- Philip Rivers
QB- Andy Dalton
RB- LeSean McCoy
RB- Demarco Murray
RB- Gio Bernard
WR- Demaryius Thomas
WR- Keenan Allen
WR- Nate Burleson
WR- Danny Amendola
TE- Greg Olsen
TE- Joseph Fauria
DST- Chicago
DST- San Diego
K- Stephen Hauschka
K- Robbie Gould


Team Jeremy
QB- Andrew Luck
QB- Big Ben
QB- Tom Brady
RB- Matt Forte
RB- Marshawn Lynch
RB- Leveon Bell
WR- Brandon Marshall
WR- Pierre Garcon
WR- Antonio Brown
WR- Vincent Jackson
TE- Black Unicorn
TE- Robert Griffin
DST- Pittsburgh
DST- San Francisco
K- Blair Walsh
K- Justin Tucker


Team James
QB- Nick Foles
QB- Kam Newton
QB- Aaron Rodgers
RB- Chris Johnson
RB- Reggie Bush
RB- Joique Bell
WR- Dez Bryant
WR- Andre Johnson
WR- Jordy Nelson
WR- Marques Colston
TE- Jimmy Graham
TE- Vernon Davis
DST- Seattle
DST- Carolina
K- Matt Prater
K- Phil Dawson 


Team Adam
QB- Matthew Stafford
QB- Russell Wilson
QB- Kirk Cousins
RB- Jamaal Charles
RB- Knoshon Moreno
RB- Ryan Mathews
WR- Josh Gordon
WR- AJ Green
WR- Julian Edelman
WR- Larry Fitz
TE- Julius Thomas
TE- Charles Clay
DST- Miami
DST- Arizona
K- Dan Carpenter
K- Dan Bailey 


Team Beckerman
QB- Drew Brees
QB- Jay Cutler
QB- Colin Kaepernick
RB- Eddie Lacy
RB-Alfred Morris
RB- Shane Vereen
WR- Alshon Jeffery
WR- DeSean Jackson
WR- Eric Decker
WR- Michael Crabtree
TE- Jason Witten
TE- Delanie Walker
DST- New England
DST- Indy
K- Adam Vinatieri
K- Stephen Gostkowski 




December 26, 2013

2013 Dirty D Recap


The fantasy football Gods awarded me with my 3rd "D" after beating Adam and Team Ice Cream last Sunday.

Here's the final tally:



Some notes:

-Andy Dalton won me this championship. He was the 2nd best QB in Week 16, proving that a fantasy title CAN be won with a QBBC.

Over the past 4 weeks, here are the QB scoring leaders:

1. Peyton 126
2. Foles 99
3. Dalton 91
4. Brady 82
5. Tannehill 75

And here are the QBs I used (With Rodgers on my bench)

Week 13- Dalton 9
Week 14- Flacco 19
Week 15- Tannehill 26
Week 16- Dalton 33

That's 87 points. QBBC baby!


-Aaron Rodgers never played 1 week for me this year. I took a gamble trading for him back in November... he never came back. This mostly effected Jordy Nelson, who was a completely different fantasy receiver before and after Rodgers went down. Next year, I expect Nelson to come at a discount in drafts. He's a top 10 fantasy WR with Rodgers at the helm. Sticking with the Pack, Eddie Lacy was a stud all year. Easily the best trade I made this season, (K Thompkins for Lacy) I was paid off in a big time in Week 16 with a 2 TD performance from Lacy. AND he left the game early.

-My team actually scored the most points in Weeks 14, 15, AND 16. That means no matter who I played in any week, I would have won the D. This normally isn't the case, but it was this year, and I am happy knowing that I clearly had the best team at the end of the season. Over those 3 weeks my team averaged 172 points per week. In Week 15, I set a new franchise record (and 2nd highest score in League history) with 203 points. And it feels great because through all 33 weeks I had to spot start guys like Rod Streater, Jordan Todman, and of course my QBBC. I definitely earned/deserve this D.

-Congrats to Jenna and her team Eat More Chicken for 3rd place. No #sophomoreslump here!

-Jamaal Charles obv was a monster contributor to this title. You can even argue that I actually won the big trade with Adam where I got Rodgers and Charles, simply because Charles was such a beast down the stretch.

-I swung and missed on Rueben Randle. I love the guy's talent but he didn't come through for me. Next year I expect a rebound from Eli and the Giants so Randle will be on my radar.

-Adam has ALWAYS loved Reggie Bush. BUT... that was before Reggie cost Adam a "D."  Bush fumbled in the first half and dropped a big pass in the 2nd half, and was benched for Joique Bell for most of the game. Joique actually had a career high in carries, and even the 3rd string RB came in for a TD over Bush in the second half.... Not that anyone would have ever suggested this move... but if Adam had ever played Joique over Bush, he would have won  the matchup 142-134. Ouchy.

-Ryan Mathews is a beast. If you've been burned by him in the past, ( I have!) You should probably get over it and seriously think about drafting this guy next year. He's young, talented, and maybe he found a way to stay healthy. Finished as the #16 RB in our league this year, and keep in mind there was a long stretch where Woodhead was stealing all of the playing time.

-Streaming Defenses is King. I ended up rolling with the KC defense in Week 16... and they screwed me over by scoring just 3 points. I was THIS close to playing the Rams DST or the Lions DST, both of which scored much much better. To be fair, Adams streaming defense, the Browns, actually only scored 2 points. The Jets somehow played a great home game and didn't turn the ball over. Still... at the beginning of the week, Adam had the chance to gram the Lions or Rams off waivers, but passed. Lets take my annual look at how my streaming defenses fared vs the top units in the league.

Top defenses in the league:

KC- 228 points
Seattle- 208
Carolina- 203
SF- 187
AZ- 183

And a week by week breakdown of how my streaming D worked:

Week 1- Tampa Bay 13 points
Week 2- Carolina 7 points
Week 3- Minnesota 9 points
Week 4- Baltimore 10 points
Week 5- St. Louis 18 points
Week 6- NY Jets 8 points
Week 7- San Diego 16 points
Week 8- New Orleans 14 points
Week 9- New Orleans 4 points
Week 10- AZ 13 points
Week 11- Houston 6 points
Week 12- Houston 10 points
Week 13- Miami 18 points
Week 14- KC 28 points
Week 15- KC 18 points
Week 16- KC 3 points

That's a total of 195 points, which would be the 4th highest on the list. I do realize that KC in week 14 kinda of throws this off a bit... but I think the point is proven once again. If you don't draft an elite defense (which you will have to spend a 7th or 8th round pick on) you are much better off going with streaming defenses.

Also, The KC and Carolina defenses were both available after the draft. I even used Carolina in Week 2 and then dropped them. So when you are drafting next year... I will once again suggest on waiting for a Defense. Instead, use the draft pick to select someone like... I don't know... Josh Gordon?

-I didn't own Josh Gordon in this league, but I HAVE to mention him. He finished our league AHEAD OF CALVIN JOHNSON. Oh, and did anyone forget Gordon was suspended for the first 2 games? Yea that right. That makes Gordon the #1 WR in fantasy this year, and it's not even that close. I owned Gordon on 4 of my 5 teams... and the only team I DIDN'T own him on, I won the championship. Crazy fantasy football...

-I also have to mention Jimmy Graham here. I took a chance on him with an early draft pick... something I've never really done before... and it paid of in a huge way. Graham carried my team the first half of the season, and although his pace was slowed down in the 2nd half... he still finished so far ahead of the #2 TE that Graham should DEFINITELY be a 1st round pick next year in PPR drafts... and you can probably make a case for him as the #1 overall pick. He finished 90 points ahead of the #2 TE (Julius Thomas).. outscoring him 295-205. That's a MONSTER advantage.

Now that 2013 is in the books... lets go back and look at the draft. Here are the top 15 picks in my opinion:

Jamaal Charles #5 overall,  Team Ice Cream
Jimmy Graham #17 overall, Tahiti Loungers
Peyton Manning #37 overall, Victorious Secret
Pierre Garcon, #43 overall, Team Ice Cream
DeMarco Murray, #46 overall, A Pinch Better
Eric Decker #54 overall, Team Ice Cream
DeSean Jackson, #67 overall, Team Ice Cream
Antonio Brown, #68 overall, Boston Patriots
Ryan Mathews, #69 overall, The Godfather
Josh Gordon, #96 overall, Angry Pirates
Jordan Cameron, #98 overall, the rental guys
Fred Jackson, #118 overall, A Pinch Better
Alshon Jeffery, #128 overall, Tahiti Loungers
Julien Edelman, #142 overall, A Pinch Better
Knowshon Moreno, #147 overall, A Pinch Better

Looking back now, its clear that Adam (Team Ice Cream) and Sean (A Pinch Better) probably had the 2 best drafts.

Here are the best in-season pick ups IMO:

Julius Thomas, Week 1, Boston Patriots
Andre Brown, Week 2, Tahiti Loungers
Andre Ellington, Week 3, Tahiti Loungers
Philip Rivers, Week 3, Boston Patriots
KC Defense, Week 3, Team Ice Cream
Alshon Jeffery, Week 5, Comeback Story
Garrett Graham, Week 6, The Godfather
Zac Stacy, Week 6, the rental guys
Keenan Allen, Week 6, Team Ice Cream
Terrance Williams, Week 6, Comeback Story
Jordan Reed, Week 6, Comeback Story
Michael Floyd, Week 6, the rental guys
Jarret Boykin, Week 7, the rental guys
Nick Foles, Week 10, A Pinch Better
Rashad Jennings, Week 10, The Crossing Guards
Riley Cooper, Week 10, A1 Providers
Julie Edelman, Week 11, The Godather
Josh McCown, Week 11, A1 Providers
Cordarrelle Patterson, Week 13, Team Ice Cream
Phil Dawson, Week 14, Tahiti Loungers

Look at the names on that list. From pick-ups alone you could possibly be starting:

QB- Philip Rivers
WR- Keenan Allen
WR- Alshon Jeffery
RB- Zac Stacy
RB- Rashad Jennings
TE- Jordan Reed
Flex- Julien Edelman
KC Defense
Justin Tucker

That's a nasty lineup. Point here: Makes moves people. Jenna, Kait, and C Bunny all should have been more active on the wire. Jenna's team would have won the ship (like Kait in 2011) if she paid a little bit more attention/ was more active.

 Here are the final 2013 scoring averages Weeks 1-16 (the number that goes in the record books) for every team:

Tahiti Loungers- 134.9
Eat More Chicken- 130
Team Ice Cream- 129.5
Boston Patriots- 127.5
The Crossing Guards- 127
A Pinch Better- 121.7
Angry Pirates- 115.9
the rental guys- 112
Victorious Secret- 111.9
The Godfather- 110.6
Comeback Story- 106.3
A1 Providers- 104.9


And here are the updated all time standings (2009-2013):






December 20, 2013

Breaking Down the 2013 Dirty D 'Ship

Player by Player Breakdown Tahiti Loungers vs Team Ice Cream 2013 Dirty D Championship




QBs- Andy Dalton vs. Drew Brees

Brees and Dalton have played for both mine and Adam’s team this year. Brees is obviously the stud… a bonafide fantasy superstar. Dalton? He’s purely a matchup QB…. And a pretty good one at that if you spot start him at the right time (at home vs a bad opponent.) Check out these splits (8 road games, 5 home games):

Road #s- 27 TDs, 16 INTs, 87.6 rating
Home #s- 14 TDs, 5 INTs, 98.9 rating

Road fantasy output:  15-5-26-28-8-14-9-19   (17.25 average)
Home fantasy output: 16-13-8-33-11-30  (18.50 average)

I actually thought the fantasy numbers would have a wider gap. The 11 and 8 point showings at home came against the Pats (when they had a good defense) and the Browns.

Anyway, I expect that 18.5 point average at home to be the floor for Dalton this week. Coming into town is the Minnesota Vikings, who have recently yielded:

Week 15- Nick Foles- 39 fantasy points
Week 14- Joe Flacco- 19 points
Week 13- Josh McClown- 24 points
Week 12-  GB QBs- 25 points

Overall this is the second worst passing defense. Last week they couldn’t stop DeSean Jackson (10/195/1), so I’m not sure how they have any chance of  stopping AJ Green this week.  Plus it helps that the Vikings are somehow scoring points on offense to keep the games competitive and high scoring.

Overall I expect AT LEAST something along the lines of 300 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, and 15 rushing yards. That’s 21 fantasy points. I’d be pretty happy  with that, if Dalton gets me 20+ that’s all I can really hope for with my QBBC.

As for Brees…. Well, he’s Drew Brees. I am not inside Adam’s head so I can only assume he is taking the “start your studs” mentality this weekend. Its obv very tough to ever sit Drew Brees… but I’m going to lay something out to you real quick.

Road fantasy output:  14-19-16-21-19-7-21  (16.7 average)
Home fantasy output: 22-33-38-35-33-16-30 (34.28 average)

Huge, huge gap there. Brees is twice the fantasy QB at home as he is on the road, having not scored over 21 points yet this season outside the dome.  What’s worse for Brees owners is that this week’s game- on the road in Carolina- is against a tough defense. The Carolina defense has been stellar vs QBs this year, giving up the 2nd least points to opposing QBS.  The most they have given up all year, though? Brees 2 weeks ago in the dome (30). The most they have given up at home? Russell Wilson Week 1 with 16 points. They gave up 13 to Brady a few weeks ago on MNF. This defense is for real.

So that seems like it may create a situation where Brees owners may think about looking elsewhere. I own Brees in a different league I am playing for the Championship in, and I am starting him (Over Cousins and Cutler.)  Adam’s other choices are Kirk Cousins and Ryan Fitzpatrick… although I think he mostly picked up those cats to “block” me. Cousins may be a tempting play this week after lighting up the Falcons last week… but at the end of the day he’s still Kirk Cousins.  Hard to trust in his 3rd career start, even if he IS going against the worst passing defense in the league.

So anyway I assume Adam will stick with Brees (who I traded him, by the way) and here my prediction for him:

280 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT. That translates to 17 fantasy points. That’s right in line with Brees’ road average, and would be the 3rd highest amount of points scored against Carolina this year.






WR1- Jordy Nelson vs Desean Jackson


Aaron Rodgers not playing this week means a massive downgrade to Jordy Nelson. With Rodgers at the helm, Nelson is a mid rage WR1. Without him, Nelson is merely a WR2.  

Jordy avg fantasy points with AR:  21.42
Jordy avg fantasy points without AR:  10.42

That’s a massive difference. I only started Jordy last week because of the great matchup (and he rewarded me with his first TD since Rodgers went down.) Ideally he would be on my bench but I have been throttled with injuries to star players in the past few weeks. Welker got that concussion and is out. Victor Cruz also went down with injury.  Ultimately, compared to my options, Jordy is my best WR play this week. I believe in this guys talent… and I think stupid Matt Flynn is getting better game by game. The Packers offense has a little bit of mojo going and with this Jordy Nelson play, I am banking on a TD. Im not going to project the TD but my best guess is Jordy ends up with a 5 for 70 type afternoon vs Ike Taylor. If he scores a TD that’s gravy, but officially Im only projecting 12 points from Jordy.


DeSean Jackson…possibly the best “big play” receiver in the NFL. He’s so freaking fast. He’s 5th in the NFL in yardage but only 21st in targets… what does that mean? They take deep shots to this guy and he’s pretty good at catching them. He’s #2 in the NFL on plays that go for 25 yards or more.

So yes, this guy is scary to face. This week the Eagles are playing Chicago… a team that is TERRIBLE vs the run. So I expect a heavy dose of LeSean Mccoy…. That’s means one of two things for D Jax. If Chicago sells out to stop the run, D Jax is going to have a field day with single coverage. Multiple long TDs. Pleas God do not let this be the case! Hopefully it goes the other way… with the Bears concentrating on shutting the passing game/big plays down and making the Eagles beat them on the ground.  Regardless, its pretty scary to see D Jax on the other side of my matchup. He HAS scored single digits in 4 different games this year… but coming off a monster 41 point performance I doubt we see a dud. I’m projecting a 6/120/1 game. 26 fantasy points.





WR2- Ruben Randle vs Pierre Garcon


Another WR matchup blood bath in Adam’s favor. Let’s take a looksie at Garcon and his Week 16 outlook:

A.      He’s facing off against the Cowboys, the worst passing D in the league
B.      He will have Kirk Cousins passing to him again… a guy who’s willing to take shots deep. Last week Garcon dropped 7/129/1, his best game since Week 10.

Garcon has yet to have a game where he catches less than 5 passes. He has a great matchup. Projecting him for anything less than 8/120/1 is just dangerous. 28 fantasy points.


Rueben Randle is the guy I’m (most likely) gambling on this week. I love this guy’s talent. I had him rostered for most of the year as a back up for Cruz. I dropped him a few weeks ago when the Giants offense went in the toilet. Speaking of the Giants offense… so gross. They just got shut out at home by Seattle. Eli threw 5 INTS. Gross city.

HOWEVER- the Lions defense (and secondary) are not near as imposing as the Seahawks. I am somewhat concerned loser Eli will be under a ton of pressure all game, but it may only take a few catches for Randle to make a big play. He has 6 TDs on the year compared to 4 for Cruz and 0 for Nicks.  I’m rolling the dice on this gut call and going with Randle over guys like Andre Caldwell, Rod Streater, and Marvin Jones. Don’t let me down Rueben!  Projection: 5/75/1,   18 fantasy points.






RB1- Jamaal Charles vs Reggie Bush

Phew. Thank God we are done with the WR projections. I’m feeling like shit right now. What the best medicine for my shitty WRs? How about my bomb RBs? Charles is in a league of his own this year. He has SIXTY more points than the #2 RB (Mccoy). Last week’s  5 TD heroic effort proved that Charles probably has the highest ceiling for any RB. He just makes plays and doesn’t go down. His #1 concern coming into the year was durability.. well he has 311 touches already and is only improving.

Although he is matchup proof, this week Indy comes to town having only yielded two 100 yard rushers all year. Marshawn Lynch in Week 5 and Ryan Mathews Week 6. Charles, however, is a swiss army knife. If your stopping the run, he’ll catch dump offs all day. Guy can’t be stopped. For this week I am projecting 88 rushing yards, 5 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD.  That’s 25 fantasy points.


Reggie Bush has also been a stud all year, when healthy. He’s missed some time but none of it matters now, he’s healthy entering the last week. The Lions are playing the Giants, and Bush should feast per usual. The Giants have given up a rushing TD in 3 straight games, and opponent RBs are averaging 5 catches against. Ass in the fact that this is a must win for the Lions and they are at home… you get a very nice play here for Adam. My only hope is that Joique Bell steals the goal line looks and plays well enough to command snaps.  Projecting Reggie at 80 rush yards, 6 catches, 55 receiving yards, 1 TD which equals 25 points.  (Adam would certainly be happy with Bush cancelling out Charles, which is how I have it projected.





 RB2-  Eddie Lacy vs. Ryan Mathews


Ryan Mathews has been a nice surprise for his owners this year, especially as of late. Earlier in the season Danny Woodhead was stealing all the playing time, but the Chargers coaches love Mathews and are determined to make it work with him. He’s stayed healthy and been very solid. On the schedule this week is Oakland, who just surrendered 65 fantasy points to Jamaal Charles last week. Needless to say, Mathews is probably drooling at this matchup. I don’t see how he doesn’t continue his production of 20+ point games. Projecting him at 130 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 20 yards. Another 25 point projection.

Eddie Lacy is a beast. Just your typical big bodied downhill punishing runner. Without Rodgers playing his upside is limited… the Steelers are just going to load the box and try to stop this guy. He can definitely be slowed down between the 20s, but near the goal line he’s an animal. He also has a nice pair of mitts out of the backfield. Ill project Lacy at 110 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 catches for 25 yards. That’s  22 fantasy points.






TE- Jimmy Graham vs Greg Olsen


Last week I put up a franchise high in points, with a lowly 4 spot from the stud Jimmy Graham. He’s actually been pretty containable over the past 6 weeks, averaging just 10 fantasy points per game. With a tough matchup vs. Carolina… I expect Brees to lean pretty heavily on his favorite target. A big bounce back week is expected from Jimmy, and this is something I will likely need if I want to win the D. Projecting Graham for 7/90/1 which translates to 22 fantasy points.

It looks like Adam will be rolling with Greg Olsen, so our Tight Ends will be facing off vs each other. Olsen put up a nice 8/40 line vs the Saints 2 weeks ago… and Kam Newton has shown trust in his TE target this year. The Saints will have a hard time covering Olsen, so the hope here is that he is contained on the field and doesn’t get into the end zone. Ill project G-Reg for 7/60 and no TD. That’s 13 points.




 Flex- Jordan Todman vs Andre Brown


***This just in. When looking for a pic of Todman (right)  I found the one above from the MIAA Super Bowls in 2007. Jordan Todman is from Dartmouth, MA!!!! Crazy. Never knew that. I guess that explains why he went to UConn****


This guys are in very, very similar situations this week. Jordan Todman could end up being my hero this year. The speedy JAX backup got the start for injured MJD last week, and rewarded me with 18 fantasy points. He didn’t get into the endzone, but he looked good and flashed skill. The Jags receiving core is a mess, so they figure to lean on Todman this week. Through shear workload (and talent) alone, Todman should be able to find some room to run vs Tennessee, the 2nd worst defensive unit. The rest of the offense sucks so expectations should be tempered.  Projecting 90 rush yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 30 yards,  21 fantasy points.

Andre Brown has been a horse since he returned. You basically have to throw out last weeks dud… the entire offense had no chance vs Seattle. The Lions run defense IS pretty good, so I don’t expect Andre Brown to go buck wild, but again, like Todman, through workload and talent alone Brown will produce some fantasy points.   Projecting 95 rush yards, 3 catches, 25 yards. 14 points.




Defense-  KC/DET/STL vs CLE

I haven’t decided what D/ST to roll with yet. Here are my options:

KC- These guys have delivered all year, except for a 3 week window when they played Denver twice and SD. KC at home is nice… but I have my concerns. Andrew Luck and the Colts just don’t turn the ball over. And I think this game could be high scoring. To play the KC defense I would have to bank on a TD which I don’t know if I can do. This unit is very very good, though, so even in a “bad” matchup vs Indy, they are still a  top 5 option.

Detroit- Detroit is playing Eli and the Giants at home. Nuff said.

St Louis- The Rams are really good at home. And their D/ST has blown up this year. Tavon Austin probably isn’t playing so the return TD threat is essentially nil, but at home vs TB this is a pretty safe play.

Adams rolling with the Cleveland defense, playing against the mighty Jets. Cleveland crushed it last weekend, an 18 point effort vs the Bears. I doubt they score 2 TDs again this week, but I have to project them for at least 15 points because they are playing the Jets. Whichever defense I end up going with, I will project them for the same amount.





Kicker- Phil Dawson vs Matt Prater

Normally I would give Adam an advantage here, but this week it should be pretty even. Prater scores more at home (this week he is on the road) and the SF offense has been extra bad at finishing drives recently. I still think Denver has the potential to score at will so Prater is the preferred guy, but its close. Ill project Prater for 14 and Dawson for 12.



So here is my prediction:

Tahiti Loungers
Dalton- 21
Nelson- 12
Randle- 18
Charles- 25
Lacy- 22
Graham- 22
Todman- 21
Defense- 15
Dawson- 12

Total:  168


Team Ice Cream
Brees- 17
Jackson- 26
Garcon- 28
Bush- 25
Mathews- 25
Olsen- 13
Brown- 14
Cleveland- 15
Prater- 14

Total: 177



So there you have it. 

My official prediction is a Team Ice Cream win 177-168.



While its almost guaranteed I am way too high in my projections, I think what the biggest takeaway here is the fact that these 2 teams should produce a very,. very close matchup. It’s going to come down to who’s studs perform better…there’s a dozen or so players involved that could easily go OFF. There's always a chance you will be disappointed too… like I said last week Jimmy Graham had 4 points. Inexplicable. That shit happens sometimes. So no matter what the result, I am proud of both of these teams for competing down to wire this year. Both teams deserve to with the D. That being said, fuck off Adam, Tahiti Repeati !!!!!! LETS GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!