That was the most despicable display of football NFL fans have had to endure in prime time in quite awhile. Five interceptions. Two lost fumbles, while four others were recovered by their own team. And the New York Giants — once one of the NFL’s rushing powerhouses — has yet to have 100 yards rushing in a single game this season. How is that even possible?
Read on to see why the fall of the NFC East is so disheartening
My wife is an avid fantasy football nut. I’m not talking about a woman who plays fantasy football. No, her entire Sunday is ruined if her team underperforms.
I have played in fantasy football leagues for close to 20 years, so to say I haven’t played in a league or two with a female in it would be a flat out lie. But today, it is a different game. Not only are there female-only fantasy football leagues, women are winning co-ed leagues with ease. I talk shop with Dan and Loraine — a couple in the same fantasy football league — weekly, and quite honestly, Loraine probably has one of the sicker keeper fantasy teams I have ever seen.
I decided it was time to see what makes these ladies tick, so I sat down with four of the most competitive female fantasy footballers I know in today’s random thoughts.
Keep reading to find out about the female takeover of fantasy sports
The Sportsbook Jesus is back for his weekly Sunday projections. 10-2 over the past two weeks. When you are ready to start building a bank roll, start reading. Without further ado I present to you SBJ.
2015 SNF/MNF OVERALL RECORD
Public: 13-20 (2-4)
The House: 20-13 (4-2)
Sportsbook Jesus: 21-12 (5-1)
Another 5-1 week, folks. My Sportsbook Jesus is 10-2 the past two weeks. The only person you are hurting by not listening to my NFL odds man is yourself. And your lonely wallet. Your lonely, lonely wallet. Without further ado, I give you the best FREE picks on the intraweb courtesy of SBJ.
THE NFL RUNDOWN WITH THE SPORTSBOOK JESUS
See where SBJ went right in Week 5 as he preps you for Week 6!
Oh, Thursday Night Football. It really brings out the worst from good teams on such a short week of preparation. Last night, the Atlanta Falcons headed to NOLA on a five game winning streak and — aside from Devonta Freeman — played a terrible game. Why can’t they solve the riddle of The Benz?
It’s time for the Falcons to find another gear in today’s random thoughts.
Let me tell you a little something about The Wayniac and fantasy football. For every genius play I pull, somewhere down the line I am still an idiot.
I was nearly perfect this week. I told you to start Eli Manning (who dropped 32 points), Devonta Freeman (who dropped 33 points), and Willie Snead (who dropped 21 points). I also reminded you that you drafted Antonio Gates to start and not to hesitate in getting him in your lineup this week, and hopefully he rewarded your starting team with his 30 points and not your bench. My Packers defense start was the top netting fantasy defense in several formats, so that helped as well. A perfect 5-for-5 in starts.
My Latavius Murray sit was right on as he wound up getting benched, as was my Owen Daniels sit who didn’t even secure one target. The Wayniac, however, bought the stats. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, I looked at the Raiders NFL worst defense against tight ends, and dropped Gary Barnidge to roll the dice with OD against the hapless Raiders. The Wayniac went against The Wayniac, and watched a goose egg from OD (which I originally projected) while Barnidge dropped nearly 30 points.
I also went against myself in the case of Josh McCown. I told you to sit him. However, my QB situation in one league is in complete disarray. Andrew Luck is my starter and Derek Carr is my backup. Luck was ruled out and there was no way (and rightfully so) was I starting Saucy T’s sit of the week in Carr (which he was correct on as well). So I picked up Kirk Cousins, but when DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed we declared inactive I dropped him for Jay Cutler. When Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal were declared inactive, I dropped Cutler and picked up the top QB available… Mr. Josh McCown. He would be the number one scoring QB on the week and lead my team to a 212-point performance, third best in league history (incidentally, yours truly is number one AND number two as well — insert pat on back here).
We all make mistakes. I usually keep mine to one, so hopefully you took the other 90% of my picks to heart and won a few games this week.
The Cowboys, Raiders, Bucs and Rams are on byes. Luck, Julio Jones and a bevy of other superstars are highly questionable. Who do you turn to this week?
Who’s my experts have as Week 6 Start ems and sit ems? Keep reading to find out!
Shaquille O’Neal recently posted quite an interesting NBA Meme on his Instagram page. To say it has me wondering is an understatement.
That’s a doozie, huh? First of all, it would be nearly impossible to come across a definitive correct answer, because everyone would have many reasons as to why their generation was the best. It is also an unfair assessment because the generations are so different, not only in play but simple physical makeup.
With all due respect, I think it’s pretty easy to knock the 2010s out of the equation. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have become injury concerns in their mid-20s when the other superstars above them took their games to new levels at the same age. I love Anthony Davis‘s game, but come on, are we going to put a three year veteran into a round robin tournament against 25 of the greatest players in NBA history? Again, no offense to Stephen Curry, but we need to see more before I am convinced that Shaq wouldn’t crumple him up into a little ball and dunk him when he drove the lane. The one thing the 2010s have going for them is James Harden has the unquestioned greatest beard of all time. For that, they are winners.
The rest? I am so torn. The 80s and 90s were my generation of basketball. Watching Magic Johnson and Larry Bird hand the proverbial torch over to Michael Jordan and Sir Charles Barkley was one of the greatest eras in NBA history. The Dream Team? Come on, now. I have said it before and I will say it again. The Dream Team is one of — if not the — greatest sports moments in American history, and because they were a world wide phenomenon, they took it to a whole new level.
I am going to say something that will be met with a lot of unpopular opinion. I think one transaction could propel the 2000s to another level. There is no denying that Allen Iverson is one of the greatest scorers of his generation, but that starting five has THE two greatest scorers of their generation in LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Tim Duncan — the greatest know-your-role player in NBA history — would probably score five points a night in that rotation, and he wouldn’t care at all.
I think Iverson would clash with those mega-stars. I think Jason Kidd would take that team to another level. Kidd was never known as a scorer, in fact, there were many times you didn’t want him shooting the ball. What Kidd did was make everyone around him better. If he took my beloved New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals (where he was taken down by three of his would be teammates on this 2000s roster), he could take this starting five to the top. Remember how good Kenyon Martin was after he left the Nets? How bout Richard Jefferson? Keith Van Horn? Yea, I thought so. Shaq would love posting up in the paint knowing that J-Kidd was looking to deal him the ball 80% of the time.
I would also send Sir Charles to the 80s starting five and drop Kevin McHale. I mean no offense to the Hall of Famer, but McHale was a sixth man — arguably the best sixth man — for the bulk of his career. Plus, McHale’s best year in the 80s was worse than Barkley’s best two. Barkley was also the best offensive rebounder in the 80s, leading the league three years in a row while annually racking up over 900 boards a season.
Sir Charles replacement on the 90s squad isn’t as easy as you would think, but I think it comes down to The Worm or the best wingman in NBA history. Dennis Rodman was one of the greatest defenders of his generation and we all know about his prowess on both the offensive and defensive glass. Plus, he was at my wedding… kind of.
That being said, The Mailman and The Dream should have little problem clogging the middle up by themselves. I think that’s why I would go with Scottie Pippen. The Worm would be a solid sixth man on that squad, and that makes him like McHale… an innocent bystander. Pippen, although he didn’t always like it, was able to play alongside the greatest basketball player in NBA history (remember that time I debated between Bron and MJ?) and flourish as a wingman. He would do it admirably with these guys.
Now the unfair part for me is that I never watched the 60s and 70s teams live. I saw Dr. J play for much of the 80s and I also so Kareem play half his career and win the bulk of his championships on my little TV in my bedroom growing up. I can look at the numbers all day long, but you will wind up in the never ending “it was a different Era debate”.
It’s a legitimate debate. Bill Russell, one of the greatest centers of all time was 6 foot 10 (and that’s generous) and 215 pounds. Patrick Ewing? 7 foot, 240. The Dream? 7 foot, 255. Shaq Diesel? 7 foot 1, 325? How would little Bill matchup with those guys?
The same can be said about Wilt Chamberlain. He was a monster playing in an era where he was simply overpowering everyone else on the court. Does that take away from his greatness? Absolutely not, he had immense talent and is without question one of the greatest players to take the court, but those numbers could be a bit inflated due to his mere physical presence. There is no coincidence that Russell and Chamberlain were seemingly in every NBA Finals in the 1960s.
When you look at the 70s, I can say with certainty that due to pure athleticism that Dr. J’s game would translate even today. I mean he did hang in the 80s for eight seasons. But again, the 70s had Wes Unseld dominating at center standing at a towering 6 foot 7. He would be a number three in today’s game, and could he transition to that? Who knows?
So I have to eliminate the 60s and 70s from contention. And no matter how much I gloat about growing up in the greatest era of basketball with The Dream Team and Magic and Bird and Sir Charles and MJ, I think the winner in this hypothetical championship is the 2000s (with my addition of J-Kidd, probably even without him).
You can argue all day long about where Shaq stands amongst the greatest centers in NBA lore, but you CAN NOT argue against the fact that he was the most dominant center ever. The guy did EVERYTHING. MVP, Finals MVPs, All Star Game MVPs, scoring titles. Who would want to drive that lane?
And even if MJ is the greatest basketball player of all time — or at least of what I have seen — Bron is not far behind, and he is still adding to his lore. Not far behind Bron is that Kobe kid, and even though he and Bron are not the most likable players in NBA history, they would dominate on the floor together.
Now, I will say this. Based on pure likability, if you make the trade and slide Sir Charles on to that 80s team, win or lose, I could watch that team all day long. While Larry let his play do the talking, there is no denying that Magic, Moses (RIP big man), Zeke and Sir Charles are four of the most entertaining players in history. I think that would be your championship game and the 2000s would walk away victorious.
But what do I know? It is a never ending debate. Did I get it right? Don’t be afraid to let me know your thoughts!
Just a quick post tonight. I am sure much of the Wayniac Nation was watching, but man, you got to love what’s going on in Chicago!
Go crazy Cubs fans, you have been waiting a long time for this.
A day after the MLB mark for home runs in a single day of playoff baseball was set, the Cubs used three more home runs — including one shot by Kyle Schwarber that hasn’t landed yet and a go ahead blast into orbit by the suddenly awoken giant Anthony Rizzo — boosted the Cubs into the NLCS for the first time since 2003.
It’s amazing to me that this was the first playoff series that was clinched at Wrigley Field. I know the Cubs have been the lovable losers of the MLB for over 100 years, but Wrigley Field and its hallowed ivy walls are legendary. I can’t even imagine what is going on for those thousands of fans that are on hand to witness that this evening.
What about Joe Maddon? If there was any doubt that this guy is the best manager in baseball, it was erased tonight. No other manager could go to his bullpen and replace Trevor Cahill with Fernando Rodney and THEN bring in Clayton Richard to close out the inning. Are you kidding me? All three of those guys were kicked to the curb by their respective teams midseason, and Maddon used them effectively to win the deciding game against the St. Louis Cardinals, MLB’s only 100-win team in 2015.
What a series. Now sit back and watch Clayton Kershaw and Steven Matz in what is sure to be a great pitcher’s duel to see who’s next on the Cubbies chopping block. Man, I love the MLB Postseason!
What a day for sports, huh? Four baseball games and one pretty entertaining fourth quarter of Monday Night Football. Throw in the coaching whirlwind at the NCAA’s USCs and it was the day sports enthusiasts live to see.
We learned a lot this weekend in the NFL. One thing we learned is that the once vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense is not what they used to be, even on their home turf. We already knew, but were unfortunately reminded, that Jamaal Charles is paper thin. Oh, and we also learned that no matter how much you make fun of Joe Flacco‘s contract, Matthew Stafford is getting benched while making his ludicrous amount of money. The Lions are in bad shape, and Stafford appears to be in a serious decline.
We also learned that there are some really, really good teams in the NFL this season. Six teams remained undefeated after this weekend. Which of the six are going to be there come January when the playoffs start?
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