Alright y'all, I'll be in Hawaii starting tommorrow morning until New Year's Eve, so i'll be gone for a bit. The good news is, the fantasy football season is over after tonight, and all of you have wrapped up your seasons. Good job to ryan liu in our Illinois Fantasy Football league, who barely got in the playoffs as the #4 seed but made the most out of the opportunity and won when it mattered the most, during playoff time.
One interesting thing about his team was that he didn't have any of Tony Romo, Randy Moss, or Tom Brady, the guys who most people won with this year. Instead, he had Adrian Peterson, which makes sense for last week when he put up 20 points but not this week when minnesota laid a dud against the giants.
Anyway, it's also a slow week for NBA action also, so hopefully i won't miss too much while i'm away. However, Scott Skiles did get fired today ( on Christmas Eve no less, that's harsh) while rumors are flying about possible deals sending jason kidd certain places as well as larry hughes and even kobe ( although phil says that's very unlikely now).
Anyway, I'll be back and update everything that goes on in the following week the best that i can, but i'll come home and then be at the rose bowl for Illinois vs. USC on Jan. 1st! Yay!
-Alright, I'm out, Merry Christmas everyone!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Universal Studios
Alright, as I'm writing this I must warn you about the levity of this post cuz i'm extremely tired after a long day of strolling on hollywood drive, going over to universal studios hollywood, then getting some good eatin' at a rockin' restaurant in Chinatown.
Some really good action that I missed in the association, though, that i feel obligated to report on.
First off: Props to my homeboy Yi JianLian, who put up a career high 29 points against the bobcats tonight. I assume millions.... and MILLIONS ( one of my favorite phrases by the rock) were watching in china, and he probably eclipsed yao ming tonight ( at least for today).
Fantasy-wise, he was gold tonight, a master 14-17 ( In roto leagues, that kinda shooting day helps more than like a 10-assist night), 10 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk, and just 2 TO's. This guy might be one of the best rookies this year, at least fantasy-wise for sure. He won't get the recognition at least in the states just yet, but if keeps posting these kind of numbers he will. Hopefully milwaukee gives him some play, that'd be nice.
D-Wade hit a game-winner to beat the jazz tonight, who are suddenly only 15-15. Wow. Did not expect that. But wade's fantasy line wasn't necessarily that great, 6-14 FG's, 3 rebs, 6 asts, 20 pts. Eh. Not bad, but the usual wade gets more stl's and blks. The thing w/ wade is he LIVES off the free throw line and can bolster ur average ( unless ur average is like 88% or something) tremendously and can offset all ur weak big men free-throw shooters, plus he doesn't hurt u with his FG% cuz he doesn't take wild three's. Also just wanted to mention Udonis Haslem having a solid season w/ the heat, something they needed w/ the loss of wade at beginning of season and now mourning for rest of season.
Pau Gasol's back, came back from injury to put up 31 points, 13 rebs, 4 asts, and a block. Rudy Gay owners were really riding rudy when pau was out, but don't worry, rudy will still be ok, just not the #1 option anymore. Iguodala w/ the last second game-winning shot there, although he went 9-21 FG on the day. His shooting really feel off w/ AI leaving.
prolly a real fun game in new jersey between nets + golden state, kidd got another ( surprise surprise ) triple ddouble while josh boone had a great night starting for the nets. The thing w/ kidd, though, he gets u the triple-double numbers, but he turns it over a lot, especially tis season and his FG% is atrocious. You win some, u lose some w/ that guy.
B-Diddy: Not so good of a night. You gotta wonder if he eventually a) wears down, or b) is afriad he might wear down and starts goin' slow on certain nights.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Some really good action that I missed in the association, though, that i feel obligated to report on.
First off: Props to my homeboy Yi JianLian, who put up a career high 29 points against the bobcats tonight. I assume millions.... and MILLIONS ( one of my favorite phrases by the rock) were watching in china, and he probably eclipsed yao ming tonight ( at least for today).
Fantasy-wise, he was gold tonight, a master 14-17 ( In roto leagues, that kinda shooting day helps more than like a 10-assist night), 10 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk, and just 2 TO's. This guy might be one of the best rookies this year, at least fantasy-wise for sure. He won't get the recognition at least in the states just yet, but if keeps posting these kind of numbers he will. Hopefully milwaukee gives him some play, that'd be nice.
D-Wade hit a game-winner to beat the jazz tonight, who are suddenly only 15-15. Wow. Did not expect that. But wade's fantasy line wasn't necessarily that great, 6-14 FG's, 3 rebs, 6 asts, 20 pts. Eh. Not bad, but the usual wade gets more stl's and blks. The thing w/ wade is he LIVES off the free throw line and can bolster ur average ( unless ur average is like 88% or something) tremendously and can offset all ur weak big men free-throw shooters, plus he doesn't hurt u with his FG% cuz he doesn't take wild three's. Also just wanted to mention Udonis Haslem having a solid season w/ the heat, something they needed w/ the loss of wade at beginning of season and now mourning for rest of season.
Pau Gasol's back, came back from injury to put up 31 points, 13 rebs, 4 asts, and a block. Rudy Gay owners were really riding rudy when pau was out, but don't worry, rudy will still be ok, just not the #1 option anymore. Iguodala w/ the last second game-winning shot there, although he went 9-21 FG on the day. His shooting really feel off w/ AI leaving.
prolly a real fun game in new jersey between nets + golden state, kidd got another ( surprise surprise ) triple ddouble while josh boone had a great night starting for the nets. The thing w/ kidd, though, he gets u the triple-double numbers, but he turns it over a lot, especially tis season and his FG% is atrocious. You win some, u lose some w/ that guy.
B-Diddy: Not so good of a night. You gotta wonder if he eventually a) wears down, or b) is afriad he might wear down and starts goin' slow on certain nights.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Friday, December 21, 2007
The good part of the vacation starts.........
Right about now. Last week after thursday's last final, i was totally DONE, finished, through with work, i just deflated myself and rid myself of almost all my responsiblities. Now, more than a week later, i find myself having really done pretty much nothing since then, which is ok, cuz.......i have three more weeks of this. And the fun part is really still coming up.
Tonight, my cousin from China's visiting, and this weekend should be a fun time because of that cuz one of the days ( either Sat. or Sun.) we're gonna spend at Disneyland , always a fun spot, and then of course the big holidays coming up, everyone's in a festive mood, and then Christmas DAY actually, we're gonna be going to hawaii. Come back on New Year's Eve, go over to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Wow. So, like i said, fun fun.
O and i got notified that my law application at USC is complete. Yipee. The law school stuff has really become less of a stresser now that i'm done with all of them, i have nothing to do..........who am i kidding, though, for me it's almost more stressful cuz now there's very little for me to do, i'm at the mercy of the adcomms, and they can call me whenver. But hopefully i'll have great news by the time i mosey on over back from the islands.
Anyway, there's a healthy slate of NBA games tonight, 20 teams in action, some mediocre games on ESPN w/ the bulls vs. celts and Mavs. vs. Clippers. There's an obvious favorite in each game but u never know, the dawgs might find it interesting.
Good game last night on TNT after lebron vs. kobe matchup was a dud, although lebron did light it up and led the cavs to a victory ( i'm somewhat of a closet lakers fan, so it didn't sit well w/ me). The nightcap was a 2OT thriller, really shouldn't have been cuz rockets were down 7 with like a minute and change to go and somehow pulled it to a tie, even had a chance to win in regulation with a yao jumper clanking, eventually succumbing in overtime.
The significant thing to report is that kenyon martin and marcus camby both went down a bit with injuries, camby looked like his was serious as he was laying down for awhile and trainers looked at him, but apparently it was alright cuz he came back into the game. I would not have suspected that with "Glass" camby and if he misses several games George Karl's gonna look silly for not taking precautions. Martin's injury seems a bit more serious but obviously not surgery-inducing.
McGrady had already missed that game, but he might miss another one on Saturday. These are constant injury concerns w/ mcgrady, martin, and camby that u gotta expect. And it's a headache when they do happen. It's a constant, "is he playing/not playing" game as well as "do i want him to play or get some rest and get healthy" dilemma. That's NEVER a problem with nowitizki, marion, or garnett. Guess that's why they're drafted so high.
Kobe returns to Philadelphia- you'd think maybe he'd want to put up a show in his hometown of Phila, but he's been bothered with some kind of flu and some nagging injuries and playing thru it, so he might hold off a lil bit. The Lakers are 15-10, so they can still afford to pace themselves a lil bit, but can't think they wanna give up these games to eastern conference teams.
Philadelphia is 10-15 and might sneak into the East 8 seed, but it doesn't matter, not like they're going anywhere, and it's basically a season to see if andre iguodala can be "the man." It's hard to see them being really good with AI2 as their go-to guy. They need somebody else or a stud big man.
Washington is just having a wasted season w/ all these injuries to gilbert, then to his backup antonio daniels, but i just checked their record and it's a healthy 13-11. Wow. Well, if they can hold it together till hibachi gets back they should be ok. They might be okay w/o him with caron butler playing at a spectacular level. To think, he once got packaged in to get kwame brown. On the flip side, Atlanta is 13-12, which is actually pretty good too. They got some decent young talent down there, w/ joe johnson, josh smith, marvin williams all having played with each other for a while now. Can they really gell enough to put together a playoff run? We'll see. I personally don't think so.
New York vs. Charlotte: Pair of garbage teams. Jamal Crawford has great numbers this year but it's for a bad team. I'm gonna ride it out this year but disregard his performance as indicative of the foul state of things w/ the Knicks.
Utah vs. Orlando- the magic have slowed down a bit after a great start, but they'll be fine and be probably a 2 or 3 seed, lose to either detroit or boston. Dwight Howard will have big year, i had him in fantasy his rookie season and he was big then, but for some reason his FT shooting has gotten worse.
Indiana vs. Minnesota- Nobody has updated Jamaal Tinsley's condition, whether he's playing tonight. W/o him, Mike Dunleavy and Jermaine O'neal had big nights last time. Tinsley is really key to playing their more up-tempo style, w/o him they go back to the post-up style w/ jermaine o'neal. Al Jefferson = certified beast. Seriously, I believe it now. He needs some help though, rashard mcCants trying to provide it w/ the 3-ball.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Tonight, my cousin from China's visiting, and this weekend should be a fun time because of that cuz one of the days ( either Sat. or Sun.) we're gonna spend at Disneyland , always a fun spot, and then of course the big holidays coming up, everyone's in a festive mood, and then Christmas DAY actually, we're gonna be going to hawaii. Come back on New Year's Eve, go over to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Wow. So, like i said, fun fun.
O and i got notified that my law application at USC is complete. Yipee. The law school stuff has really become less of a stresser now that i'm done with all of them, i have nothing to do..........who am i kidding, though, for me it's almost more stressful cuz now there's very little for me to do, i'm at the mercy of the adcomms, and they can call me whenver. But hopefully i'll have great news by the time i mosey on over back from the islands.
Anyway, there's a healthy slate of NBA games tonight, 20 teams in action, some mediocre games on ESPN w/ the bulls vs. celts and Mavs. vs. Clippers. There's an obvious favorite in each game but u never know, the dawgs might find it interesting.
Good game last night on TNT after lebron vs. kobe matchup was a dud, although lebron did light it up and led the cavs to a victory ( i'm somewhat of a closet lakers fan, so it didn't sit well w/ me). The nightcap was a 2OT thriller, really shouldn't have been cuz rockets were down 7 with like a minute and change to go and somehow pulled it to a tie, even had a chance to win in regulation with a yao jumper clanking, eventually succumbing in overtime.
The significant thing to report is that kenyon martin and marcus camby both went down a bit with injuries, camby looked like his was serious as he was laying down for awhile and trainers looked at him, but apparently it was alright cuz he came back into the game. I would not have suspected that with "Glass" camby and if he misses several games George Karl's gonna look silly for not taking precautions. Martin's injury seems a bit more serious but obviously not surgery-inducing.
McGrady had already missed that game, but he might miss another one on Saturday. These are constant injury concerns w/ mcgrady, martin, and camby that u gotta expect. And it's a headache when they do happen. It's a constant, "is he playing/not playing" game as well as "do i want him to play or get some rest and get healthy" dilemma. That's NEVER a problem with nowitizki, marion, or garnett. Guess that's why they're drafted so high.
Kobe returns to Philadelphia- you'd think maybe he'd want to put up a show in his hometown of Phila, but he's been bothered with some kind of flu and some nagging injuries and playing thru it, so he might hold off a lil bit. The Lakers are 15-10, so they can still afford to pace themselves a lil bit, but can't think they wanna give up these games to eastern conference teams.
Philadelphia is 10-15 and might sneak into the East 8 seed, but it doesn't matter, not like they're going anywhere, and it's basically a season to see if andre iguodala can be "the man." It's hard to see them being really good with AI2 as their go-to guy. They need somebody else or a stud big man.
Washington is just having a wasted season w/ all these injuries to gilbert, then to his backup antonio daniels, but i just checked their record and it's a healthy 13-11. Wow. Well, if they can hold it together till hibachi gets back they should be ok. They might be okay w/o him with caron butler playing at a spectacular level. To think, he once got packaged in to get kwame brown. On the flip side, Atlanta is 13-12, which is actually pretty good too. They got some decent young talent down there, w/ joe johnson, josh smith, marvin williams all having played with each other for a while now. Can they really gell enough to put together a playoff run? We'll see. I personally don't think so.
New York vs. Charlotte: Pair of garbage teams. Jamal Crawford has great numbers this year but it's for a bad team. I'm gonna ride it out this year but disregard his performance as indicative of the foul state of things w/ the Knicks.
Utah vs. Orlando- the magic have slowed down a bit after a great start, but they'll be fine and be probably a 2 or 3 seed, lose to either detroit or boston. Dwight Howard will have big year, i had him in fantasy his rookie season and he was big then, but for some reason his FT shooting has gotten worse.
Indiana vs. Minnesota- Nobody has updated Jamaal Tinsley's condition, whether he's playing tonight. W/o him, Mike Dunleavy and Jermaine O'neal had big nights last time. Tinsley is really key to playing their more up-tempo style, w/o him they go back to the post-up style w/ jermaine o'neal. Al Jefferson = certified beast. Seriously, I believe it now. He needs some help though, rashard mcCants trying to provide it w/ the 3-ball.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Countdown to Xmas
It's the most........wonderful time..........of the year. Yup, less than one week till Christmas. My sister was singing a little ditty earlier about christmas in july about having christmas in los angeles, where "snow and ice can be really fun, but we'd much prefer the sun." or something. There was also a smog reference somewhere in there that i "lol'ed" at.
This is also the most wonderful time of the year for a fantasy owner who's still alive in the playoffs, and as i aluded to last time, that is no longer the case for me. It's all over. No more lineup changes, no more weather checks before game time, no more injury updates. Nope. Gotta just watch other people take what's rightfully mine. Haha. But honestly, not to be one of those guys who self-handicaps, but this season i was not on my fantasy football game. Whether for lack of interest, lack of time, combo of both, or some other factor, i just did not get my act together, got in the playoffs due to good drafts, but didn't get anywhere, and especially mailed it in that first playoff game.
But anyway, for those who ARE in the playoffs still, i'm doing a little run-down based on player histories and what u should do with those players.
Guy u should have no problem starting this week in the championship game is T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who has just been a fantasy stud this season and is facing an old friend, the CLE Def, who he went for 69 yds and 2 TD's last time. The only reason i mention this is cuz TJ has been cold the last few weeks, not finding the end zone for 4 straight weeks nor getting past 70 yds, not to mention 100 yds. However, i don't care if this game is snowing at game time, the weather's horrible, or Santa Clause is on the way to ur house, don't forget to start TJ this week. Could make a huge difference. Same goes for chad johnson, carson palmer, and chris henry.
Don't forget then, in the same game, all ur browns like derek anderson, braylon edwards, kellen winslow, jamal lewis. This game went for 96 combined points last meeting. Browns need this win, but more importantly it's a rivalry game. That being said, it'll probably be an ugly 13-10 affair that makes fantasy owners wince. But prolly not.
Sometimes Defenses can win games for u because they're really explosive but also very volatile. You could very easily get 1 point from ur defense or get 19, it's very shaky. However, these plays are not shaky this week:
Green Bay at Chicago, start Green Bay D against kyle orton, man, that's 6 sacks waiting to happen.
Pittsburgh @ STL: u might think rams still have some fight left and on their home turf, but pittsburgh really needs this game, and they'll improve their shoddy defense recently and rebound. They really need to cuz cleveland doesn't look like it's gonna lose.
Minnesota vs. Washington: Like i said last time, minnesota's had 8 TD's by their D. Could do it again this week vs. Todd Collins, Washington will have white knuckles cuz it's do or die for them, but minnesota wins on its home turf.
Try to find kickers in good environments. You've prolly heard this before, but sometimes the exceptions make u wonder. Like last year, on a blustering day in buffalo, i decided rian lindell wouldn't do very well w/ the conditions, so i took him out, only to see him kick 5 FG's that day and defy air. But that's really an exception, and i made a smart play that day, it just didn't work out. Do the smart play all the time, and most of the time it will. It's also obviously a combo of factors with ur offenses. I still wouldn't stay away from mason crosby in chicago cuz green bay will still score. I would definitely go with josh scobee at home vs. oak, shaun suisham in the dome at minnesota, adam vinateri in the indy dome, ryan longwell for same reason, jeff reed in the stl dome, jason hanson in the silverdome. I'd maybe check the conditions in cincinatti or tennesee to see if they're okay, i'd still start phil dawson or shayne graham if the weather's cooperating just cuz that game stands to see fireworks.
Please start earnest graham. Man's a workhorse and has been rewarding u all year. At least a TD in 6 straight games. Such a solid sleeper.
Don't let the split carries and inconsistency fool u, u still gotta start marion barber this week. I don't care if u have 2 solid RB's otherwise. Barber's due for a big day.
Along the same lines, if u survived through tony romo's terrible day last week, don't make the mistake of thinking he'll do it again. Don't buy into that distraction with Jessica Simpson stuff. Good QB's are good no matter what. The only concern would be that thumb, but if he plays he should be fine. The panthers prolly won't have any answer for a romo-owens connection.
I would hold off on maurice jones-drew this week. Sure, they're facing one of the worst run defenses in NFL, but i'm think fragile fred gets a lot of the carries. However, if u start jones-drew it probably won't hurt too bad, he'll at least get some touches.
I would bench eli manning this week. This guy lost it for me last week, lemme tell u from one manning to another that watching him is a headache, and that's not good when ur a fantasy player. Not only that, he really stopped plaxico from being the dominant force he was in the beginning of the season, and burress really needs to be reconsidered this week, especially in prolly bad conditions in buffalo and the bills actually being semi-decent. Be careful.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
This is also the most wonderful time of the year for a fantasy owner who's still alive in the playoffs, and as i aluded to last time, that is no longer the case for me. It's all over. No more lineup changes, no more weather checks before game time, no more injury updates. Nope. Gotta just watch other people take what's rightfully mine. Haha. But honestly, not to be one of those guys who self-handicaps, but this season i was not on my fantasy football game. Whether for lack of interest, lack of time, combo of both, or some other factor, i just did not get my act together, got in the playoffs due to good drafts, but didn't get anywhere, and especially mailed it in that first playoff game.
But anyway, for those who ARE in the playoffs still, i'm doing a little run-down based on player histories and what u should do with those players.
Guy u should have no problem starting this week in the championship game is T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who has just been a fantasy stud this season and is facing an old friend, the CLE Def, who he went for 69 yds and 2 TD's last time. The only reason i mention this is cuz TJ has been cold the last few weeks, not finding the end zone for 4 straight weeks nor getting past 70 yds, not to mention 100 yds. However, i don't care if this game is snowing at game time, the weather's horrible, or Santa Clause is on the way to ur house, don't forget to start TJ this week. Could make a huge difference. Same goes for chad johnson, carson palmer, and chris henry.
Don't forget then, in the same game, all ur browns like derek anderson, braylon edwards, kellen winslow, jamal lewis. This game went for 96 combined points last meeting. Browns need this win, but more importantly it's a rivalry game. That being said, it'll probably be an ugly 13-10 affair that makes fantasy owners wince. But prolly not.
Sometimes Defenses can win games for u because they're really explosive but also very volatile. You could very easily get 1 point from ur defense or get 19, it's very shaky. However, these plays are not shaky this week:
Green Bay at Chicago, start Green Bay D against kyle orton, man, that's 6 sacks waiting to happen.
Pittsburgh @ STL: u might think rams still have some fight left and on their home turf, but pittsburgh really needs this game, and they'll improve their shoddy defense recently and rebound. They really need to cuz cleveland doesn't look like it's gonna lose.
Minnesota vs. Washington: Like i said last time, minnesota's had 8 TD's by their D. Could do it again this week vs. Todd Collins, Washington will have white knuckles cuz it's do or die for them, but minnesota wins on its home turf.
Try to find kickers in good environments. You've prolly heard this before, but sometimes the exceptions make u wonder. Like last year, on a blustering day in buffalo, i decided rian lindell wouldn't do very well w/ the conditions, so i took him out, only to see him kick 5 FG's that day and defy air. But that's really an exception, and i made a smart play that day, it just didn't work out. Do the smart play all the time, and most of the time it will. It's also obviously a combo of factors with ur offenses. I still wouldn't stay away from mason crosby in chicago cuz green bay will still score. I would definitely go with josh scobee at home vs. oak, shaun suisham in the dome at minnesota, adam vinateri in the indy dome, ryan longwell for same reason, jeff reed in the stl dome, jason hanson in the silverdome. I'd maybe check the conditions in cincinatti or tennesee to see if they're okay, i'd still start phil dawson or shayne graham if the weather's cooperating just cuz that game stands to see fireworks.
Please start earnest graham. Man's a workhorse and has been rewarding u all year. At least a TD in 6 straight games. Such a solid sleeper.
Don't let the split carries and inconsistency fool u, u still gotta start marion barber this week. I don't care if u have 2 solid RB's otherwise. Barber's due for a big day.
Along the same lines, if u survived through tony romo's terrible day last week, don't make the mistake of thinking he'll do it again. Don't buy into that distraction with Jessica Simpson stuff. Good QB's are good no matter what. The only concern would be that thumb, but if he plays he should be fine. The panthers prolly won't have any answer for a romo-owens connection.
I would hold off on maurice jones-drew this week. Sure, they're facing one of the worst run defenses in NFL, but i'm think fragile fred gets a lot of the carries. However, if u start jones-drew it probably won't hurt too bad, he'll at least get some touches.
I would bench eli manning this week. This guy lost it for me last week, lemme tell u from one manning to another that watching him is a headache, and that's not good when ur a fantasy player. Not only that, he really stopped plaxico from being the dominant force he was in the beginning of the season, and burress really needs to be reconsidered this week, especially in prolly bad conditions in buffalo and the bills actually being semi-decent. Be careful.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
fantasy fallout
Ugh- It's tuesday, and I'm really disgusted by my performance in the fantasy playoffs over the weekend. My teams were only able to muster 73 and 66 points in fantasy playoff week, respectively. A lot of fantasy stars didn't show up this week, but that's no excuse for what my teams did.
Ultimately, the 2 guys that i took in every league- Gates and Joey Galloway, really did me in. They both had something atrocious like 1 rec for 7 yards, and neither put up any fantasy points. And both were on the 2 squads i had this weekend. Not good, obviously. I mean, they both had pretty good regular seasons, did exactly what i hoped they'd do at where i drafted them ( galloway was actually a steal cuz i got him in like the 8th round), but they really failed me this weekend. They went down, and the ship ( being me) went down with them as well.
Now i guess i have a lotta reason to concentrate on fantasy basketball, but a part of me is just depressed, wants to take a break from fantasy sports for a lil bit. I'll have plenty of time for breakin' in hawaii ( Dec. 25-Dec. 31st) and on my ASB trip, but I really wanted another championship for fantasy football before i left. This is really the first season ever since i started fantasy football in 2003 that i haven't won a league at all. Very different feeling, not being energized about games going on the week of christmas. 2007= somewhat of a wasted season.
But i vow to come back next year. Don't y'all worry.
The 2 fantasy football leagues for UIUC have some good games on tap.........SeaTown Stunnas vs. ChiTown Bears, that's almost reminiscent of the NFC championship last year, ironically ( Seattle vs. Chicago). Congrats to those 2, they've had really good seasons but both won by about 2 or 3 points, which could have been avoided if i had started anybody other than joey galloway.
Today i'm just gonna post some of the preseason NBA predictions i had about the NBA. It's not really the conventional NBA predictions, as you'll see......this has more of a media-based, individual-player-type, off-the-court news predictions that'll happen this year, in top-10 form:
10.) Tim Duncan vs. Joey Crawford Part II: Just to spice up the NBA in the dog months of Jan. and Feb, David Stern inexplicably allows Joey to ref another Spurs game. AS the spurs go to the locker room for halftime, Joey asks Tim, "Wanna have a hot-dog eating contest?" Duncan interprets this as, "you're hotter than ron artest." All mayhem ensues. Stern wins prop bets for placing money on Duncan.
9.) Ron Artest disappears from the Sacramento Kings and is unheard of for many months. In early March, reports indicate that he has moved to Jamaica under the assumed name of "TruWarrior."
Just a preview of what's to come. I'll post the rest later. Hope those were at least border-line funny. I try, i try.
I think I'll ACTUALLY end by going over all the top fantasy players this year and how good they were, at least in yahoo! points. (results through Week 15)
1.) Tom Brady- 347 points. Are you kidding me? Probably the single most dominating season in the NFL ever, especially in fantasy sports. This was better than Peyton Manning's one season in 2004, better than L.T.'s season last year. Brady did this even though the yahoo! scoring system changed the passing scores to lessen the impact of QB's, but he STILL outscored the second best player by more than 80 points. Wow
2.) LT- not as good as last year, but he still did real well this year, gained tons of yardage on the ground as well as thru air, also threw in that pass TD
3.) Tony Romo- Not a bad 2nd QB with 286 points, he did a fantasy no-no by having a great fantasy regular season but then choking horrendously in the playoffs, probably ended a lot of teams' hopes this weekend, and fantasy owners will remember that for a long time.
4.) Brian Westbrook- did the inexplicable sunday by kneeling at the one instead of going in for another score, which would have given owners 6 more points to try to win. But great regular season, stayed healthy throughout it all, couldn't have asked for more from him this season, too bad i could have but didn't get him.
5.) Randy Moss- To think, he was getting taken in 3rd round last year. The whole Tom Brady- Randy Moss- Patriots offense just went ridiculous this year. Brady and Moss obvious benefactors, but not as much as their fantasy managers.
6.) Peyton Manning- quietly had a really good season, he's probably not used to being 2nd to brady in regular seasons, much less fantasy regular seasons. Only had 28 TD's, which is reflective of him not having his fav target harrison for a while and lots of injuries. This might be a trend starting next year.
7.) Adrian Peterson - The NEXT BIG THING. Proably the #1 draft pick for many next year, I'd still draft LT first, but we'll see......he needs to keep from getting hurt but he is VERY sick.
8.) Joseph Addai- Awesome breakout year this season as he was the man in INDY, carried the indy offense at times which is saying something w/ manning on that team but also makes sense cuz of aforementioned injuries to WR corps
9.) Derek Anderson- Derek WHO??? I didn't think derek anderson would have 39 fantasy points this season, much less 239. Barely fantasy relevant at the beginning of the season, he led a suddenly 3-pronged cleveland offense to legitimacy and probably the playoffs. He also did not show up in week 15, but that was more weather than skill.
Mason Crosby led the NFL in fantasy kicking w/ 145 points, out of nowhere. The kickers who actually got drafted this year ( vinateri, gould, elam, stover, those guys) didn't do very well, the top of the list were good teams who weren't that prolific w/ TD's like the patriots or colts. Crosby, Bironas, Folk all good kickers, but the list could do a complete turnaround by next season so don't draft kickers. Please.
Minnesota Defense coulda been had on waiver wire to begin year, finished #1........Bears D, Baltimore D both drafted high, neither did well. O wow minnesota D has 8 TD's this year, very Chicago Bears- D like. Watch teams that focus on turnovers and get those teams next year. ( not to state the obvious.)
Alrigth i'm out.
Fnatasize on, Robert Yan
Other Notables: Big time WR's this year, a great year to have the studs including T.O. (208 points), Edwards ( 183 points), Reggie Wayne (174 points) .
Ultimately, the 2 guys that i took in every league- Gates and Joey Galloway, really did me in. They both had something atrocious like 1 rec for 7 yards, and neither put up any fantasy points. And both were on the 2 squads i had this weekend. Not good, obviously. I mean, they both had pretty good regular seasons, did exactly what i hoped they'd do at where i drafted them ( galloway was actually a steal cuz i got him in like the 8th round), but they really failed me this weekend. They went down, and the ship ( being me) went down with them as well.
Now i guess i have a lotta reason to concentrate on fantasy basketball, but a part of me is just depressed, wants to take a break from fantasy sports for a lil bit. I'll have plenty of time for breakin' in hawaii ( Dec. 25-Dec. 31st) and on my ASB trip, but I really wanted another championship for fantasy football before i left. This is really the first season ever since i started fantasy football in 2003 that i haven't won a league at all. Very different feeling, not being energized about games going on the week of christmas. 2007= somewhat of a wasted season.
But i vow to come back next year. Don't y'all worry.
The 2 fantasy football leagues for UIUC have some good games on tap.........SeaTown Stunnas vs. ChiTown Bears, that's almost reminiscent of the NFC championship last year, ironically ( Seattle vs. Chicago). Congrats to those 2, they've had really good seasons but both won by about 2 or 3 points, which could have been avoided if i had started anybody other than joey galloway.
Today i'm just gonna post some of the preseason NBA predictions i had about the NBA. It's not really the conventional NBA predictions, as you'll see......this has more of a media-based, individual-player-type, off-the-court news predictions that'll happen this year, in top-10 form:
10.) Tim Duncan vs. Joey Crawford Part II: Just to spice up the NBA in the dog months of Jan. and Feb, David Stern inexplicably allows Joey to ref another Spurs game. AS the spurs go to the locker room for halftime, Joey asks Tim, "Wanna have a hot-dog eating contest?" Duncan interprets this as, "you're hotter than ron artest." All mayhem ensues. Stern wins prop bets for placing money on Duncan.
9.) Ron Artest disappears from the Sacramento Kings and is unheard of for many months. In early March, reports indicate that he has moved to Jamaica under the assumed name of "TruWarrior."
Just a preview of what's to come. I'll post the rest later. Hope those were at least border-line funny. I try, i try.
I think I'll ACTUALLY end by going over all the top fantasy players this year and how good they were, at least in yahoo! points. (results through Week 15)
1.) Tom Brady- 347 points. Are you kidding me? Probably the single most dominating season in the NFL ever, especially in fantasy sports. This was better than Peyton Manning's one season in 2004, better than L.T.'s season last year. Brady did this even though the yahoo! scoring system changed the passing scores to lessen the impact of QB's, but he STILL outscored the second best player by more than 80 points. Wow
2.) LT- not as good as last year, but he still did real well this year, gained tons of yardage on the ground as well as thru air, also threw in that pass TD
3.) Tony Romo- Not a bad 2nd QB with 286 points, he did a fantasy no-no by having a great fantasy regular season but then choking horrendously in the playoffs, probably ended a lot of teams' hopes this weekend, and fantasy owners will remember that for a long time.
4.) Brian Westbrook- did the inexplicable sunday by kneeling at the one instead of going in for another score, which would have given owners 6 more points to try to win. But great regular season, stayed healthy throughout it all, couldn't have asked for more from him this season, too bad i could have but didn't get him.
5.) Randy Moss- To think, he was getting taken in 3rd round last year. The whole Tom Brady- Randy Moss- Patriots offense just went ridiculous this year. Brady and Moss obvious benefactors, but not as much as their fantasy managers.
6.) Peyton Manning- quietly had a really good season, he's probably not used to being 2nd to brady in regular seasons, much less fantasy regular seasons. Only had 28 TD's, which is reflective of him not having his fav target harrison for a while and lots of injuries. This might be a trend starting next year.
7.) Adrian Peterson - The NEXT BIG THING. Proably the #1 draft pick for many next year, I'd still draft LT first, but we'll see......he needs to keep from getting hurt but he is VERY sick.
8.) Joseph Addai- Awesome breakout year this season as he was the man in INDY, carried the indy offense at times which is saying something w/ manning on that team but also makes sense cuz of aforementioned injuries to WR corps
9.) Derek Anderson- Derek WHO??? I didn't think derek anderson would have 39 fantasy points this season, much less 239. Barely fantasy relevant at the beginning of the season, he led a suddenly 3-pronged cleveland offense to legitimacy and probably the playoffs. He also did not show up in week 15, but that was more weather than skill.
Mason Crosby led the NFL in fantasy kicking w/ 145 points, out of nowhere. The kickers who actually got drafted this year ( vinateri, gould, elam, stover, those guys) didn't do very well, the top of the list were good teams who weren't that prolific w/ TD's like the patriots or colts. Crosby, Bironas, Folk all good kickers, but the list could do a complete turnaround by next season so don't draft kickers. Please.
Minnesota Defense coulda been had on waiver wire to begin year, finished #1........Bears D, Baltimore D both drafted high, neither did well. O wow minnesota D has 8 TD's this year, very Chicago Bears- D like. Watch teams that focus on turnovers and get those teams next year. ( not to state the obvious.)
Alrigth i'm out.
Fnatasize on, Robert Yan
Other Notables: Big time WR's this year, a great year to have the studs including T.O. (208 points), Edwards ( 183 points), Reggie Wayne (174 points) .
Friday, December 14, 2007
Fantasy playoff time
Wow-
I'm pumped. It's fantasy football playoff week. It's only week 15 in the NFL, and most teams still have 3 more games to go, but for fantasy managers, it all comes down to this. Last-minute lineup decisions, updates on injuries to key players, swapping guys in and out, stud waiver acquisitions, it's all come down to this. One week, do or die, win or go home, it's not, " O if i win it'll be great but even if i lose i'll still be 6-5." No, it's not like that anymore. This is game time. The season ENDS for you if you don't pick it up ( or at least ur players don't). Every single game is huge. You gotta watch out for who ur opponents are playing and root against them heavily. And in the 4th quarter, when hope is fading fast, u look like ur gonna be out.................LaDanian Tomlinson will come through with 100 yds and 2 TD's, just in that 4th quarter.
Or at least that's what happened last year for me. Last year's playoffs was really exciting for me cuz i started the season 0-4, then 1-5, basically dead in a 14-game season for fantasy, but thanks to L.T. and crew I rallied back, made the last seed in the playoffs, and beat the #1 team in week 15 of the playoffs thanks to like a sick, 77-yard TD run by L.T. or something like that. It was exhilirating. While he was running, i could feel in his steps the uplifting of my championship hopes, the toll of the season fading away as i passed into fantasy football nirvana, knowing that I would be moving to immortality.........at least, immortality for that season.
This season's a little different. No L.T. for me in this playoff season, and out of my 3 leagues i actually finished 10th out of 10 in one of them ( NOT good), but i got the #3 seed in both of the other leagues, so expecting big things. I dunno why but my record in fantasy playoff seasons has been extremely good ever since i started playing in '03: Check my yahoo! profile, nobrainer765. I dunno if it's luck or extreme planning or a combo of both, but i've been extremely clutch when i've needed it to be.
I'm gonna need a lotta luck and a lotta good performances this week, as both of my teams play teams that have randy moss on their roster, and he's facing the jets at home when bill belichek wants to just kill the jets by running up tthe score on them. Good news is, there's gonna be snow, so hopefully the weather becomes the focal point of the game and not the WR w/ the number 81.
My roommates gave me an Antonio Gates jersey, #85, for christmas. It was actually really cool cuz I hadn't expected it, and it's really my first actual jersey in my life. That's what I get for yelling, "GATES, baby" around the apartment a lot, I guess. Well, the jersey's getting put to good use on sunday when the chargers host detroit. I need him to get a big day.
It's interesting to see what players teams on playoff teams in fantasy have, and many times there's always a player that's owned universally by teams that did well. Last year anyone who had L.T. i bet made the playoffs, the year before that probably Shaun Alexander ( I rode him hard), and the year before that i'm thinking Peyton Manning. They all had career years not just for themselves but for their respective fantasy owners. For me, I had L.T. and alexander in multiple leagues ( thankfully, I admit i got kinda lucky being able to own them), but this year I do not have that luxury. This year's big stud is probably either Adrian Peterson ( at least for the 2nd half of the season) and definitely tom brady. This guy is gonna break the single-season TD record maybe this sunday, and his fantasy owners are enjoying the ride. In both of my leagues the teams that have tom brady are both #1 for the regular season, so that's saying something.
However, that's the beauty of the playoffs. That player could have had an awesome regular season, game after game of triple digit yards and multiple TD's, but one bad game and ur fantasy season is over. It's ONE game. Just like the real NFL, the best teams don't always win, and part of the reason is cuz it's ONE game. A lot of fluky things can happen in that one game. Billy Volek can have 5 TD's and close to 500 yds in a spot start in week 15. Donald Driver can have a monster 162 yd, 1 TD game. Peyton Manning can have a mediocore 1 TD, 250 yd game and take u out of the playoffs. You never kno, so you better keep watching. Cuz if you blink, u'll miss it.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
I'm pumped. It's fantasy football playoff week. It's only week 15 in the NFL, and most teams still have 3 more games to go, but for fantasy managers, it all comes down to this. Last-minute lineup decisions, updates on injuries to key players, swapping guys in and out, stud waiver acquisitions, it's all come down to this. One week, do or die, win or go home, it's not, " O if i win it'll be great but even if i lose i'll still be 6-5." No, it's not like that anymore. This is game time. The season ENDS for you if you don't pick it up ( or at least ur players don't). Every single game is huge. You gotta watch out for who ur opponents are playing and root against them heavily. And in the 4th quarter, when hope is fading fast, u look like ur gonna be out.................LaDanian Tomlinson will come through with 100 yds and 2 TD's, just in that 4th quarter.
Or at least that's what happened last year for me. Last year's playoffs was really exciting for me cuz i started the season 0-4, then 1-5, basically dead in a 14-game season for fantasy, but thanks to L.T. and crew I rallied back, made the last seed in the playoffs, and beat the #1 team in week 15 of the playoffs thanks to like a sick, 77-yard TD run by L.T. or something like that. It was exhilirating. While he was running, i could feel in his steps the uplifting of my championship hopes, the toll of the season fading away as i passed into fantasy football nirvana, knowing that I would be moving to immortality.........at least, immortality for that season.
This season's a little different. No L.T. for me in this playoff season, and out of my 3 leagues i actually finished 10th out of 10 in one of them ( NOT good), but i got the #3 seed in both of the other leagues, so expecting big things. I dunno why but my record in fantasy playoff seasons has been extremely good ever since i started playing in '03: Check my yahoo! profile, nobrainer765. I dunno if it's luck or extreme planning or a combo of both, but i've been extremely clutch when i've needed it to be.
I'm gonna need a lotta luck and a lotta good performances this week, as both of my teams play teams that have randy moss on their roster, and he's facing the jets at home when bill belichek wants to just kill the jets by running up tthe score on them. Good news is, there's gonna be snow, so hopefully the weather becomes the focal point of the game and not the WR w/ the number 81.
My roommates gave me an Antonio Gates jersey, #85, for christmas. It was actually really cool cuz I hadn't expected it, and it's really my first actual jersey in my life. That's what I get for yelling, "GATES, baby" around the apartment a lot, I guess. Well, the jersey's getting put to good use on sunday when the chargers host detroit. I need him to get a big day.
It's interesting to see what players teams on playoff teams in fantasy have, and many times there's always a player that's owned universally by teams that did well. Last year anyone who had L.T. i bet made the playoffs, the year before that probably Shaun Alexander ( I rode him hard), and the year before that i'm thinking Peyton Manning. They all had career years not just for themselves but for their respective fantasy owners. For me, I had L.T. and alexander in multiple leagues ( thankfully, I admit i got kinda lucky being able to own them), but this year I do not have that luxury. This year's big stud is probably either Adrian Peterson ( at least for the 2nd half of the season) and definitely tom brady. This guy is gonna break the single-season TD record maybe this sunday, and his fantasy owners are enjoying the ride. In both of my leagues the teams that have tom brady are both #1 for the regular season, so that's saying something.
However, that's the beauty of the playoffs. That player could have had an awesome regular season, game after game of triple digit yards and multiple TD's, but one bad game and ur fantasy season is over. It's ONE game. Just like the real NFL, the best teams don't always win, and part of the reason is cuz it's ONE game. A lot of fluky things can happen in that one game. Billy Volek can have 5 TD's and close to 500 yds in a spot start in week 15. Donald Driver can have a monster 162 yd, 1 TD game. Peyton Manning can have a mediocore 1 TD, 250 yd game and take u out of the playoffs. You never kno, so you better keep watching. Cuz if you blink, u'll miss it.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sunday football action
Last game of the regular season, Week 14.........watching Back to the Future 2, after Back to the Future 1 last night, kinda confused by the premise, never watched this movie as a kid, heard all about it, been on the ride at Universal Studios, but never saw it. Huh. Gotta catch up. Right now Marty is seeing his father George McFly's gravestone after finding out he'd died 12 years ago. This is interesting. Too bad it's finals week and i can't watch it all the way through. Commitments, man.
Anyway, some good games going on in NFL, not nearly as intriguing as the Pittsburgh- New England game later on. Remember, the bears- redskins game was on thursday, so that's done. Not exactly a fantasy feast in that game, rex grossman got hurt and walked off and jason campbell got carted off on a stretcher, and nobody else really did that much, maybe clinton portis put up like 80 yards and a TD, he always runs well against the bears.
Checkin' some o' the action around the league, the texans are putting one on the bucs, i guess bucs thought they were just gonna coast thru the rest of the season and got caught nappin'. Plus they're a little banged up, with Luke McCown starting instead of Jeff Garcia, but i mean, the texans were hurt too w/ sage rosenfels starting. O well. Andre Johnson looks back on track w/ a TD to go along with 82 yards, i'm glad i was patient on him, he looks like he's ready to contribute to a championship team. ( REmember, after this week, every single game is HUGE cuz it decides playoff games, it's u win or u go home time.
You read it here first, i said after cadillac williams got hurt ( or even before that) that earnest graham ran hard in his place, and lookee here, earnest graham is having a fine season after his backups got hurt too. Ride him for the last couple weeks.
Donovan McNabb came back today........lookin' alright, i suppose, but so far in a losing effort, eagles down 13-10 to the giants at home. Giants won a HUGE game against the bears last week, but they're not out of the woods yet. Gotta go and clinch that playoff spot for themselves. Plaxico Burress doing just that, getting 105 yds, 1 TD.
Gosh, Brian Westbrook is just a monster this year and i don't own him at all. He's dead to me. Lol. Man that sucks. Greg Jennings is a monster. 100 yds, 1 TD today. lemme rephrase that. He's a touchdown monster. That packer team is really good, it'd a fine story for the NFL if they won the Super Bowl this season and Brett Favre just retired on the spot........kinda like a jerome-bettis type exit.
San Diego getting stifled by Tennessee. Man that team is frustrating. I'm talking about San Diego. No consistency. It's hard to tell what's wron w/ that team, just that they do not bring the same energy day in and day out. Philip Rivers is just like a lost child out there right now. Tomlinson doing the best he can with 95 yds, but i'd bet that he was stifled when kyle van de bosch and that defense put 8 in the box.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Anyway, some good games going on in NFL, not nearly as intriguing as the Pittsburgh- New England game later on. Remember, the bears- redskins game was on thursday, so that's done. Not exactly a fantasy feast in that game, rex grossman got hurt and walked off and jason campbell got carted off on a stretcher, and nobody else really did that much, maybe clinton portis put up like 80 yards and a TD, he always runs well against the bears.
Checkin' some o' the action around the league, the texans are putting one on the bucs, i guess bucs thought they were just gonna coast thru the rest of the season and got caught nappin'. Plus they're a little banged up, with Luke McCown starting instead of Jeff Garcia, but i mean, the texans were hurt too w/ sage rosenfels starting. O well. Andre Johnson looks back on track w/ a TD to go along with 82 yards, i'm glad i was patient on him, he looks like he's ready to contribute to a championship team. ( REmember, after this week, every single game is HUGE cuz it decides playoff games, it's u win or u go home time.
You read it here first, i said after cadillac williams got hurt ( or even before that) that earnest graham ran hard in his place, and lookee here, earnest graham is having a fine season after his backups got hurt too. Ride him for the last couple weeks.
Donovan McNabb came back today........lookin' alright, i suppose, but so far in a losing effort, eagles down 13-10 to the giants at home. Giants won a HUGE game against the bears last week, but they're not out of the woods yet. Gotta go and clinch that playoff spot for themselves. Plaxico Burress doing just that, getting 105 yds, 1 TD.
Gosh, Brian Westbrook is just a monster this year and i don't own him at all. He's dead to me. Lol. Man that sucks. Greg Jennings is a monster. 100 yds, 1 TD today. lemme rephrase that. He's a touchdown monster. That packer team is really good, it'd a fine story for the NFL if they won the Super Bowl this season and Brett Favre just retired on the spot........kinda like a jerome-bettis type exit.
San Diego getting stifled by Tennessee. Man that team is frustrating. I'm talking about San Diego. No consistency. It's hard to tell what's wron w/ that team, just that they do not bring the same energy day in and day out. Philip Rivers is just like a lost child out there right now. Tomlinson doing the best he can with 95 yds, but i'd bet that he was stifled when kyle van de bosch and that defense put 8 in the box.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Good news and bad news
I got some good news..............and i got some bad news.
Well, I got most of my law school applications in ! Finally! My only regret is that I didn't apply a bit earlier, during the Thanksgiving break times cuz i'm pretty sure I'm going into a buzzsaw time period where every one and their sister is turning them in just about now, and with rolling admissions at some schools it'd be better if i had done it earlier.........but I had my reasons, I suppose. Now I just gotta wait. There's some proverbial nail-biting, worrying, regretting that I didn't score like 2 points better on the LSAT ( which in my case was just 2 more questions right on a 100-question test), but whatever, if I get into that dream school I've mentioned before, it'll all be worth it..........If i get waitlisted, Grrrrrrrr........
The bad news is that this semester, with all these law school apps and stuff like that i've been slacking on this posting business for sure, and I can see from my lack of posts that it's been a problem. People are just not getting the news that they deserve and the fantasy analysis that they come to this board for. So I gotta do better. Especially after finals when the fantasy playoffs get rolling and some high stakes are on the line.
Basketball season just rolling along, i'm pretty pleased with the way things are going, even though some players of mine haven't doing so hot and i made a horrendous trade to start the year by shipping away Yao Ming and Jamal Tinsley for Al Jefferson and Jermaine O'Neal. At the time of the deal, it seemed like a good idea cuz it was like 5 games into the season, but Tinsley has just blown up and is one of the league leaders in assists, and he looks like a stud in that new Indianapolis offense, while Jermaine's role has diminished. This after he sat out like 5 games for various injuries. Urgh. Not cool.
O and one of my favorite players in the league, Kevin Martin, is out for 4-6 weeks. That's bad news for the kings. They weren't gonna make the playoffs anyway, but he's their best player. John Salmons is an exciting new player, but he's a different kind of player, not close to being the shooter KevMart is and thus not the scorer.
Golden State is back to being really good and really exciting. I think the hottest ticket for NBA basketball, at least exciting NBA basketball, would be Golden State and Phoenix, those teams would just run up and down the court w/ all kinds of athleticism........and baron davis is healthy right now, which makes it all the more intriguing. I say this after watching just a ridiculously ugly Chicago-Detroit game last night.........it's like grading rough drafts for 3 hours and then flipping on the TV to see the Victoria's Secret Fashion show: a sight for sore eyes. But yea, B-diddy, Monta Ellis, Steven Jackson, and a bunch of other warriors have great numbers right now. Not what I expected.
Dwight Howard had a featured article in sports illustrated this past week and there's a good reason why. From what i've seen in highlights that guy is a beast of beasts. He makes other beasts look wimpish. Like he faced phoenix and just made amare stoudemire look small. He's a sick man. He's averaging FIFTEEN rebounds a game? That's incredible. He's really having a very improved year, as his points are up to 23PPG, his blks are up to 2.9, and his FT% is up. Orlando might be looking at a deep playoff run this year. Especially with rashard lewis on the win backing him up w/ 2.8 three's a game and jameer nelson improving from last year's bust and hedo turkoglu with inspired confidence in the middle of that game.
The #1 ranked player is yahoo! is..........Chris Paul. Yep, not Kevin Garnett, not LBJ, not the matrix, Chris Paul. This guy has been sick and even though he missed 2 games he's still ranked #1. Those 9.8 assists a game are a big reason why, but he's just become an all-around player down in New Orleans this year and he's staying healthy. Boy o boy can't believe he was drafted last 1st-round, i think the lesson learned here is for a guy who's really young and just getting better, u really need to take a chance because him and dwight howard are proving if u don't go for them they'll make u regret it.
And the #3 fantasy performer this year is Manu Ginoblli. GI-NO-BLI! I dunno if gets some kind of wierd adrenaline rush when he sits on the bench and comes out later, but he's just tearing it up in that 6th man role, being the #1 option of the 2nd team. He's averaging 21 points, which is not characteristic of him. Really love his fantasy game this year after some above-average but not spectacular seasons perviously.
Other great performers so far this season: Caron Butler, Marcus Camby ( for not getting injured), jason terry, andrei kirilenko, rudy gay, Chris Kaman, richard jefferson, and GRANT HILL! Yes, the old man is back. I had him my first year in fantasy sports when he was finishing up in orlando and he was ok, but very average. It just shows that the suns offense can revitalize u, rejuvenate u, give u open shots, let u score, make u look good.
players doing baaaaaaaad: Ben Wallace, Andre Miller, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon ( so far a lot of bulls, as u can see), jason richardson, gerald wallace, chris bosh, zach randolph. Yea even these guys aren't terribly big busts, except maybe hinrich. It just shows that this year there's been plenty of production, a lot from unexpected sources, and a lot of people are getting their stats.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Well, I got most of my law school applications in ! Finally! My only regret is that I didn't apply a bit earlier, during the Thanksgiving break times cuz i'm pretty sure I'm going into a buzzsaw time period where every one and their sister is turning them in just about now, and with rolling admissions at some schools it'd be better if i had done it earlier.........but I had my reasons, I suppose. Now I just gotta wait. There's some proverbial nail-biting, worrying, regretting that I didn't score like 2 points better on the LSAT ( which in my case was just 2 more questions right on a 100-question test), but whatever, if I get into that dream school I've mentioned before, it'll all be worth it..........If i get waitlisted, Grrrrrrrr........
The bad news is that this semester, with all these law school apps and stuff like that i've been slacking on this posting business for sure, and I can see from my lack of posts that it's been a problem. People are just not getting the news that they deserve and the fantasy analysis that they come to this board for. So I gotta do better. Especially after finals when the fantasy playoffs get rolling and some high stakes are on the line.
Basketball season just rolling along, i'm pretty pleased with the way things are going, even though some players of mine haven't doing so hot and i made a horrendous trade to start the year by shipping away Yao Ming and Jamal Tinsley for Al Jefferson and Jermaine O'Neal. At the time of the deal, it seemed like a good idea cuz it was like 5 games into the season, but Tinsley has just blown up and is one of the league leaders in assists, and he looks like a stud in that new Indianapolis offense, while Jermaine's role has diminished. This after he sat out like 5 games for various injuries. Urgh. Not cool.
O and one of my favorite players in the league, Kevin Martin, is out for 4-6 weeks. That's bad news for the kings. They weren't gonna make the playoffs anyway, but he's their best player. John Salmons is an exciting new player, but he's a different kind of player, not close to being the shooter KevMart is and thus not the scorer.
Golden State is back to being really good and really exciting. I think the hottest ticket for NBA basketball, at least exciting NBA basketball, would be Golden State and Phoenix, those teams would just run up and down the court w/ all kinds of athleticism........and baron davis is healthy right now, which makes it all the more intriguing. I say this after watching just a ridiculously ugly Chicago-Detroit game last night.........it's like grading rough drafts for 3 hours and then flipping on the TV to see the Victoria's Secret Fashion show: a sight for sore eyes. But yea, B-diddy, Monta Ellis, Steven Jackson, and a bunch of other warriors have great numbers right now. Not what I expected.
Dwight Howard had a featured article in sports illustrated this past week and there's a good reason why. From what i've seen in highlights that guy is a beast of beasts. He makes other beasts look wimpish. Like he faced phoenix and just made amare stoudemire look small. He's a sick man. He's averaging FIFTEEN rebounds a game? That's incredible. He's really having a very improved year, as his points are up to 23PPG, his blks are up to 2.9, and his FT% is up. Orlando might be looking at a deep playoff run this year. Especially with rashard lewis on the win backing him up w/ 2.8 three's a game and jameer nelson improving from last year's bust and hedo turkoglu with inspired confidence in the middle of that game.
The #1 ranked player is yahoo! is..........Chris Paul. Yep, not Kevin Garnett, not LBJ, not the matrix, Chris Paul. This guy has been sick and even though he missed 2 games he's still ranked #1. Those 9.8 assists a game are a big reason why, but he's just become an all-around player down in New Orleans this year and he's staying healthy. Boy o boy can't believe he was drafted last 1st-round, i think the lesson learned here is for a guy who's really young and just getting better, u really need to take a chance because him and dwight howard are proving if u don't go for them they'll make u regret it.
And the #3 fantasy performer this year is Manu Ginoblli. GI-NO-BLI! I dunno if gets some kind of wierd adrenaline rush when he sits on the bench and comes out later, but he's just tearing it up in that 6th man role, being the #1 option of the 2nd team. He's averaging 21 points, which is not characteristic of him. Really love his fantasy game this year after some above-average but not spectacular seasons perviously.
Other great performers so far this season: Caron Butler, Marcus Camby ( for not getting injured), jason terry, andrei kirilenko, rudy gay, Chris Kaman, richard jefferson, and GRANT HILL! Yes, the old man is back. I had him my first year in fantasy sports when he was finishing up in orlando and he was ok, but very average. It just shows that the suns offense can revitalize u, rejuvenate u, give u open shots, let u score, make u look good.
players doing baaaaaaaad: Ben Wallace, Andre Miller, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon ( so far a lot of bulls, as u can see), jason richardson, gerald wallace, chris bosh, zach randolph. Yea even these guys aren't terribly big busts, except maybe hinrich. It just shows that this year there's been plenty of production, a lot from unexpected sources, and a lot of people are getting their stats.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Monday, December 3, 2007
One Last Turkey
Yesterday was one of the more exciting days in the whole semester ( I needed one, after a long class day on thursday, doing absolutely nothing on friday, and freezing my ass off on thursday). It all culminated with "One Last Turkey", except w/o a turkey. My friend Justin had a party at his house w/ lot of thanksgiving dinner stuff served, along w/ watching the Bears- Giants game and the BCS selection show.
First time, I watched the BCS show, and I was pleased. ( Obviously, cuz the Illini got announced.) Since I live in L.A., this is gonna be a real treat on New Year's Day if i can go, and i anticipate some peeps coming over to my house before the game. It's really only a month away, and if i just get these finals done with, send in those law school applications.......
Anyway, day in fantasy. Before that, I promise that my next post is gonna be an NBA rundown, like there's gonna be some serious analysis on that post, no joke. I got a deal in my other league w/ D-wade involved, ( D-Wade is a big name in that league cuz of his assists, stls, and blks) and I'm contemplating pulling the trigger and making a splash.
But first, it's monday morning, and there's a reason they call it monday morning quarterbacking:
1.) The Bears really blew that game against the Giants yesterday. I don't think people ( at One Last Turkey at least) knew how important that game was. Win that game, the bears are 6-6, right in the middle of the playoff chase, with some good games left to try to get to 9-7 and make a playoff spot, PLUS they get a tiebreaker advantage over NYG who woulda dropped to 7-5, if they finished tied bears woulda had the advantage. And for most of that game on sunday that looked like what was gonna happen, it was a TWO-POSSESSION game w/ about 9 minutes left and i was thinking it was over, the way eli was throwing. Just writing this, I still can't believe that they lost. Honestly, this was one of the few games all season i felt any emotion for the bears, i guess i was pumped up about the denver game cuz they ( really devin hester when i say "they" ) stole that game from the broncos, but in this game they gave one right back. It's really pretty depressing. Now they're 5-7, have a terrible conference record, and are pretty much out of it if they don't win out. Pssshhh............
2.) Fantasy-wise, derrick ward really had a big day for the G-men in that game. Other guys who had a big game: Gus Ferotte was the big performer of Week 13, never thought i would say that again. I guess when ur playing the falcons it's not too difficult, especially with that WR corps. 311 yds, 3 TD's.
3.) Peyton back to his old self? 288 yds, 4 TD's, 1 INT against a real good Jacksonville D would indicate yes. However, he's w/o Marvin Harrison for a long time so watch out. This whole NFL season is really building up to an Indy- New England matchup in the AFC Championship game, but i'm not sure the colts are that good w/o harrison. Peyton has 13 INT's already this season w/ 4 games to go, already more than any of his other seasons.
4.) When he does good, i applaude. When he does bad, i criticize. Gates, baby, you sucked yesterday. 1 catch for -1 yards? Not good
5.) The Big Ben- Hines Ward connection was working yesterday to the tune of 90 yds and 2 TD's for Ward. That's the thing abut him: if he gets one TD in a game, chances are he'll get another, has a lotta multi-TD games.
6.) Big day for WR's: Andre Johnson, 116 and a score, Joey Galloway 159 yds, Braylon Edwards 149 yds and a score, T.O. from thursday had 156 and a score, Rowdy Roddy White had 146 and a score, Reggie Wayne 158 and a score. Guess teams our realy airing it out at the end of the season.
Gotta get to Real estate class.
-Fantasize on, Robert Yan
First time, I watched the BCS show, and I was pleased. ( Obviously, cuz the Illini got announced.) Since I live in L.A., this is gonna be a real treat on New Year's Day if i can go, and i anticipate some peeps coming over to my house before the game. It's really only a month away, and if i just get these finals done with, send in those law school applications.......
Anyway, day in fantasy. Before that, I promise that my next post is gonna be an NBA rundown, like there's gonna be some serious analysis on that post, no joke. I got a deal in my other league w/ D-wade involved, ( D-Wade is a big name in that league cuz of his assists, stls, and blks) and I'm contemplating pulling the trigger and making a splash.
But first, it's monday morning, and there's a reason they call it monday morning quarterbacking:
1.) The Bears really blew that game against the Giants yesterday. I don't think people ( at One Last Turkey at least) knew how important that game was. Win that game, the bears are 6-6, right in the middle of the playoff chase, with some good games left to try to get to 9-7 and make a playoff spot, PLUS they get a tiebreaker advantage over NYG who woulda dropped to 7-5, if they finished tied bears woulda had the advantage. And for most of that game on sunday that looked like what was gonna happen, it was a TWO-POSSESSION game w/ about 9 minutes left and i was thinking it was over, the way eli was throwing. Just writing this, I still can't believe that they lost. Honestly, this was one of the few games all season i felt any emotion for the bears, i guess i was pumped up about the denver game cuz they ( really devin hester when i say "they" ) stole that game from the broncos, but in this game they gave one right back. It's really pretty depressing. Now they're 5-7, have a terrible conference record, and are pretty much out of it if they don't win out. Pssshhh............
2.) Fantasy-wise, derrick ward really had a big day for the G-men in that game. Other guys who had a big game: Gus Ferotte was the big performer of Week 13, never thought i would say that again. I guess when ur playing the falcons it's not too difficult, especially with that WR corps. 311 yds, 3 TD's.
3.) Peyton back to his old self? 288 yds, 4 TD's, 1 INT against a real good Jacksonville D would indicate yes. However, he's w/o Marvin Harrison for a long time so watch out. This whole NFL season is really building up to an Indy- New England matchup in the AFC Championship game, but i'm not sure the colts are that good w/o harrison. Peyton has 13 INT's already this season w/ 4 games to go, already more than any of his other seasons.
4.) When he does good, i applaude. When he does bad, i criticize. Gates, baby, you sucked yesterday. 1 catch for -1 yards? Not good
5.) The Big Ben- Hines Ward connection was working yesterday to the tune of 90 yds and 2 TD's for Ward. That's the thing abut him: if he gets one TD in a game, chances are he'll get another, has a lotta multi-TD games.
6.) Big day for WR's: Andre Johnson, 116 and a score, Joey Galloway 159 yds, Braylon Edwards 149 yds and a score, T.O. from thursday had 156 and a score, Rowdy Roddy White had 146 and a score, Reggie Wayne 158 and a score. Guess teams our realy airing it out at the end of the season.
Gotta get to Real estate class.
-Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Saturday, December 1, 2007
First post of december
Hey y'all, after november, i've done 50 posts! Yay! That many for starting in february of this year. I'm excited!
What I'm NOT excited about, however, is my last letter of recommendation that hasn't gotten to LSAC yet, or at least hasn't been processed. I have all my applications for law school ready to go, but this 3rd letter hasn't come yet......I need to get these apps out, I had set an initial deadline to get them done during thanksgiving break, but that's passed........darn. Hopefully I'll get it next week sometime, but if worst comes to worst i have 2 letters from my ( pals) Professor Hedeman and Professor Kibbee, hopefully that'll be good enough.
Watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Only one that i haven't seen yet. Also watching West Virginia vs. Pitt in the 4th quarter, PITT IS UP BY 3 POINTS! If west virginia wins, they go to national championship game. This is unbelievable. If they lose, it'll be like the 5th time this season a #1 or #2 ranked team lost to an unranked team. And I believe the 4th time it's happened AT HOME! WTFFFF????? This is ridiculous. Does anyone in the nation wanna win the national championship. At the same time, Missouri is tied at halftime against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game. If THEY lose, they lose their chance at a national championship. Crazy.
Illini might be going to the rose bowl? I like.......i'd be right at home when they play in pasadena. Rose Bowl, here we come!
Aight, some basketball stuff, i've been the most interested in basketball for some reason in 2007 and can't find a reason not to write about it. It's not that i don't like football anymore, it's just that the glory is gone. Basketball is such a more ongoing, day-to-day obsession that makes me get up every morning. Football............how many times during the week can i change my kicker and 2nd-guess who's my 3rd WR? I suppose it doesn't hurt that i play basketball a lot now. ( And getting pretty good at it, not to be vain).
Have I touted how much of a stud Josh Smith is yet? Boy is just absolutely ridiculous, he's already had a couple games this year he's had like 5 stls, 4 blks, getting really close to a 5x5 game.
Watching NJ finally starting to pull away from philadelphia at home in a barn-burner. They didn't start vince carter today not because of injury or anything but in a (i suppose) san antonio spurs-like move where they're putting one of their best players in the 2nd team, like what the spurs do w/ manu ginoblli. GINOBLLI! I guess it'll work today cuz they'll win, but i doubt that that's gonna be a good move.
Lebron James- the more i hate on this guy, the better he gets, so I suppose I should start touting this guy's merits........although, he was in street clothes the last game ( in a cavs lost, btw) and is questionable for his next game. That team is irreplaceable without him. It's like if eric gordon had come to the illini. If they got him, they'd be a top 20 team. Now that they DON't have him, they're like a top 200 team. J/k, they won't be that bad, but i doubt they make it into NCAA tournament nor finish high in Big Ten tournament.
What is going on in this movie? I mean, I read harry potter and the chamber of secrets, a.k.a. the 2nd one, but I don't remember some of this stuff. They all mix together into one big mush. I mean, I've read all the harry potters and i appreciated them, but they're not THAT good. That might be a minority opinion, but it's mine.
Tonight is a big game for Brad Miller. His Kings face the Houston Rockets. I just need him to get rebounds, play some defense against Yao, don't get blocked, don't throw bad passes, shoot a few open 16-footers, and call it a night.
Brett Favre got injured in Thursday night's game against Dallas. That almost made me forget to write that the packers lost. Tommorrow, Giants-bears. My friend justin is inviting a bunch of us for "one last turkey," watchin the game at 3:15PM. That's a bold move on his part cuz he'll be rootin for the G-men in a room full of bears fans.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
What I'm NOT excited about, however, is my last letter of recommendation that hasn't gotten to LSAC yet, or at least hasn't been processed. I have all my applications for law school ready to go, but this 3rd letter hasn't come yet......I need to get these apps out, I had set an initial deadline to get them done during thanksgiving break, but that's passed........darn. Hopefully I'll get it next week sometime, but if worst comes to worst i have 2 letters from my ( pals) Professor Hedeman and Professor Kibbee, hopefully that'll be good enough.
Watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Only one that i haven't seen yet. Also watching West Virginia vs. Pitt in the 4th quarter, PITT IS UP BY 3 POINTS! If west virginia wins, they go to national championship game. This is unbelievable. If they lose, it'll be like the 5th time this season a #1 or #2 ranked team lost to an unranked team. And I believe the 4th time it's happened AT HOME! WTFFFF????? This is ridiculous. Does anyone in the nation wanna win the national championship. At the same time, Missouri is tied at halftime against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game. If THEY lose, they lose their chance at a national championship. Crazy.
Illini might be going to the rose bowl? I like.......i'd be right at home when they play in pasadena. Rose Bowl, here we come!
Aight, some basketball stuff, i've been the most interested in basketball for some reason in 2007 and can't find a reason not to write about it. It's not that i don't like football anymore, it's just that the glory is gone. Basketball is such a more ongoing, day-to-day obsession that makes me get up every morning. Football............how many times during the week can i change my kicker and 2nd-guess who's my 3rd WR? I suppose it doesn't hurt that i play basketball a lot now. ( And getting pretty good at it, not to be vain).
Have I touted how much of a stud Josh Smith is yet? Boy is just absolutely ridiculous, he's already had a couple games this year he's had like 5 stls, 4 blks, getting really close to a 5x5 game.
Watching NJ finally starting to pull away from philadelphia at home in a barn-burner. They didn't start vince carter today not because of injury or anything but in a (i suppose) san antonio spurs-like move where they're putting one of their best players in the 2nd team, like what the spurs do w/ manu ginoblli. GINOBLLI! I guess it'll work today cuz they'll win, but i doubt that that's gonna be a good move.
Lebron James- the more i hate on this guy, the better he gets, so I suppose I should start touting this guy's merits........although, he was in street clothes the last game ( in a cavs lost, btw) and is questionable for his next game. That team is irreplaceable without him. It's like if eric gordon had come to the illini. If they got him, they'd be a top 20 team. Now that they DON't have him, they're like a top 200 team. J/k, they won't be that bad, but i doubt they make it into NCAA tournament nor finish high in Big Ten tournament.
What is going on in this movie? I mean, I read harry potter and the chamber of secrets, a.k.a. the 2nd one, but I don't remember some of this stuff. They all mix together into one big mush. I mean, I've read all the harry potters and i appreciated them, but they're not THAT good. That might be a minority opinion, but it's mine.
Tonight is a big game for Brad Miller. His Kings face the Houston Rockets. I just need him to get rebounds, play some defense against Yao, don't get blocked, don't throw bad passes, shoot a few open 16-footers, and call it a night.
Brett Favre got injured in Thursday night's game against Dallas. That almost made me forget to write that the packers lost. Tommorrow, Giants-bears. My friend justin is inviting a bunch of us for "one last turkey," watchin the game at 3:15PM. That's a bold move on his part cuz he'll be rootin for the G-men in a room full of bears fans.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Sunday, November 25, 2007
sunday feasting
Hey guys-
Gosh, it's been a week since i've posted? Groan. Take my word for it, it hasn't been for a lack of trying. On other computers it seems like i get locked out of signing in, it happened a number of times over thanksgiving break over at my house in california. Unbelievable.
Speaking of thanksgiving break, hope everyone had a great break. I truly had one of my more memorable breaks ever, even though i didn't eat any turkey ( we were invited to a party on thanksgiving that didn't serve turkey but did serve some great food). I'm getting my sister mixed up in the spelling bee ( more about that later, but I'm optimistic), and I saw a great holiday movie, Fred Claus. I recommend it to anyone reading this, especially if u like christmas as much as I do. I have christmas music playin as i write this.
Anyway, football analysis. I was gonna do a basketball update on friday, but because of "access denied" situation i couldn't, but a lot of stuff's going down in NBA hoops, lemme assure you. However, on to football, I start with a familiar battle cry:
GATES, baby! 105 yds, 2TD's today. Game's not over. It seems whenever rivers is on, gates gets his numbers. Not suprising correlation/causation, obviously. Tomlinson, to many, is having a down year, but I feel like he's still doing what he does............at a slightly decreased pace. Last year his offense was just so dynamic that he ran free at will, this year people are clamping down on him and it's harder, but he's still putting up tough yards every game, the TD's just aren't there in abundance.
Willis McGahee has quietly put up a TD in his last 5 games. Turning into a pretty good back, too bad baltimore hasn't been winning those games. Another loss today puts them pretty much out of the playoff picture.
The Minnesota D was a fantasy superstar today, returning 3, THREE! interceptions for TD's off of eli manning. Giants fans ( like my one friend Justin) are banging their heads and praying that it's not a repeat of last year's 2nd half meltdown. Plaxico Burress, to his credit, did get on track, getting 93 and a TD. Reuben Droughns started and got a TD for them, but that is NOT who u want ur starting RB to be. Chester Taylor got another solid game.............it seems counterintuitive but should they just rest adrian peterson the rest of the season to keep him healthy or at least time-share him, get as much as they can out of taylor?
San Fran and Arizona going into OT. Larry Fitzgerald monster game, 147 yds and 2 TD's and again, game's not over. I'm not too suprised this game is so close even tho arizona's in the hunt for a playoff spot at 5-5 and san fran sucks, 49ers traditionally play cardinals tough and it's probably difficult for young team to take the niners seriously. It doesn't look like anybody in the NFC wants the last 2 wildcard spots.
Detroit lost to go to 6-5, NYG lost to go to 7-4, arizona might lose, washington lost to go to 5-6........tsk, tsk, tsk.
New Orleans might just back into a playoff spot as they are now 5-6 after demolishing the panthers on the road. Drew brees is the epitome of that team as he is pretty inconsistent from week to week, today we got Dr. Jekyll as he put up 3 TD's thru the air and ran one in. Who knows what we get next week vs. tampa bay, i'm guessing Mr. Hyde.
Steve smith just having a totally repressed season, his numbers could be so much bigger on a better team or one that has a better QB..............that's just a waste in fantasy terms.
I saw that cedric benson got carted off the field and said, o no, but really, i don't feel too bad for the bears. That's really not a big loss. They're losing today after a lot of people picked them against the broncos............bears might finally stop providing false hope if they lose today.
They're driving right now i suppose.
Uh..............jacksonville is a good team. They actually came back after a big win and delivered a big performance......all of their relevant fantasy starters posted good numbers in a thrashing of the bills.......david garrard, maurice jones-drew, fragile fred, reggie williams.
Lee Evans has the steve smith syndrome. ( see above)
Cleveland's offense is legit. And their schedule is favorable inthe last few weeks, but will the defense carry them?
Again, the 3-pronged attack of derek anderson, braylon edwards, and kellen winslow the soldier in the passing game.
Apparently new england is a 24.5 point favorites against philadelphia led by a.j. feeley tonight. That should be interesting.
Alright bears lining up for a TD attempt is this going to OT? I still for some reason want the bears to lose. I guess they're an exciting team, but they're not that good. 4th down.............
What's it going to be?
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Gosh, it's been a week since i've posted? Groan. Take my word for it, it hasn't been for a lack of trying. On other computers it seems like i get locked out of signing in, it happened a number of times over thanksgiving break over at my house in california. Unbelievable.
Speaking of thanksgiving break, hope everyone had a great break. I truly had one of my more memorable breaks ever, even though i didn't eat any turkey ( we were invited to a party on thanksgiving that didn't serve turkey but did serve some great food). I'm getting my sister mixed up in the spelling bee ( more about that later, but I'm optimistic), and I saw a great holiday movie, Fred Claus. I recommend it to anyone reading this, especially if u like christmas as much as I do. I have christmas music playin as i write this.
Anyway, football analysis. I was gonna do a basketball update on friday, but because of "access denied" situation i couldn't, but a lot of stuff's going down in NBA hoops, lemme assure you. However, on to football, I start with a familiar battle cry:
GATES, baby! 105 yds, 2TD's today. Game's not over. It seems whenever rivers is on, gates gets his numbers. Not suprising correlation/causation, obviously. Tomlinson, to many, is having a down year, but I feel like he's still doing what he does............at a slightly decreased pace. Last year his offense was just so dynamic that he ran free at will, this year people are clamping down on him and it's harder, but he's still putting up tough yards every game, the TD's just aren't there in abundance.
Willis McGahee has quietly put up a TD in his last 5 games. Turning into a pretty good back, too bad baltimore hasn't been winning those games. Another loss today puts them pretty much out of the playoff picture.
The Minnesota D was a fantasy superstar today, returning 3, THREE! interceptions for TD's off of eli manning. Giants fans ( like my one friend Justin) are banging their heads and praying that it's not a repeat of last year's 2nd half meltdown. Plaxico Burress, to his credit, did get on track, getting 93 and a TD. Reuben Droughns started and got a TD for them, but that is NOT who u want ur starting RB to be. Chester Taylor got another solid game.............it seems counterintuitive but should they just rest adrian peterson the rest of the season to keep him healthy or at least time-share him, get as much as they can out of taylor?
San Fran and Arizona going into OT. Larry Fitzgerald monster game, 147 yds and 2 TD's and again, game's not over. I'm not too suprised this game is so close even tho arizona's in the hunt for a playoff spot at 5-5 and san fran sucks, 49ers traditionally play cardinals tough and it's probably difficult for young team to take the niners seriously. It doesn't look like anybody in the NFC wants the last 2 wildcard spots.
Detroit lost to go to 6-5, NYG lost to go to 7-4, arizona might lose, washington lost to go to 5-6........tsk, tsk, tsk.
New Orleans might just back into a playoff spot as they are now 5-6 after demolishing the panthers on the road. Drew brees is the epitome of that team as he is pretty inconsistent from week to week, today we got Dr. Jekyll as he put up 3 TD's thru the air and ran one in. Who knows what we get next week vs. tampa bay, i'm guessing Mr. Hyde.
Steve smith just having a totally repressed season, his numbers could be so much bigger on a better team or one that has a better QB..............that's just a waste in fantasy terms.
I saw that cedric benson got carted off the field and said, o no, but really, i don't feel too bad for the bears. That's really not a big loss. They're losing today after a lot of people picked them against the broncos............bears might finally stop providing false hope if they lose today.
They're driving right now i suppose.
Uh..............jacksonville is a good team. They actually came back after a big win and delivered a big performance......all of their relevant fantasy starters posted good numbers in a thrashing of the bills.......david garrard, maurice jones-drew, fragile fred, reggie williams.
Lee Evans has the steve smith syndrome. ( see above)
Cleveland's offense is legit. And their schedule is favorable inthe last few weeks, but will the defense carry them?
Again, the 3-pronged attack of derek anderson, braylon edwards, and kellen winslow the soldier in the passing game.
Apparently new england is a 24.5 point favorites against philadelphia led by a.j. feeley tonight. That should be interesting.
Alright bears lining up for a TD attempt is this going to OT? I still for some reason want the bears to lose. I guess they're an exciting team, but they're not that good. 4th down.............
What's it going to be?
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sunday NFL action
Big Sunday of football today. Yahoo! expert Andy Behrens already does something like this every sunday, where he keeps a live update ( sort of) of games that go on in the NFL, tells us the highlights, makes some funny references, makes fun of Brandon Jacobs's weight or the San Francisco 49ers's ineptitude, and gives fantasy implications for each game. I hate to be a copycat, but that's some sound reporting, and i'm gonna get myself on that:
Oakland vs. Minnesota: What's significant about this game is not only chester taylor replacing adrian peterson and running all over the raiders' D ( what happened to warren sapp and ted washington in the middle of that run D?), but sebastian janikowski went FIVE of FIVE on FG attempts. Yes, 100%. THAT sebastian janikowski. He probably has the longest leg in the NFL and if anyone were ever to kick a 70-yarder he'd be the guy to do it, but he's never lived up his first-round draft selection. Today he had a long of 52, which isn't bad. But keep in mind it was in the metrodome. Philip Dawson also had a day of kicking, kicking 4 but in much more important situations, w/ a wierd game-equalizing FG as time ran out that was initially ruled no good. Good thing for Dawson's owners as that 50+ yarder was good, which set up ANOTHER 33-yarder to win the game in OT. That 8-point swing could have decided games for a lot of peeps. Enough about kickers though.
Maurice Jones-Drew has really bounced back after i wrote him off as a classic sophomore slump at about week 4- the guy is really actually a stud RB and i saw it first hand today when he just absolutely knocked OUT shawne merriman on a block, allowing David Garrard to pass to Mercedes Lewis for a JAX TD. Jax also wins by the same margin. GATES wasn't looking too hot for most of the game, just barely missing a potential TD in the first half, but did get a late TD from rivers for 54 yds, 1 TD. That'll work.
Jason Campbell is eventually gonna be a fantasy stud QB. Perhaps next year he'll be a Top 5 fantasy thrower. Today he was really on target against Dallas in mounting a late comeback but ultimately got intercepted by Terrance Newman. But w/ the WR's he's got in Washington, he's doing a heck of a job developing. Too bad Joe Gibbs shouldn't be there too long after this season.
What's this? St. Louis has won 2 in a row after 0-8 start? Well, they beat San Fran today in a 13-9 game in a battle of the uglies. I was gonna say, if u can't have a good fantasy day against SF, u can't have good fantasy days, and marc bulger and his WR's really didn't, but then i thought SF is not THAT bad of a D, it's just their offense deserves to play in Div III college ball.
The return of Andre Johnson- i alluded to it yesterday, he came back against the right team too, as NO's jason david probably has been burnt more than the glass beakers in my old chemistry classroom........geez. 8 rec, 120 yds, 1 TD for aj.......i like.
McNabb's hurt. Westbrook still going strong. Urg. I think maybe McNabb has a bounce-back year next year, MAYBE, but frankly this guy hasn't looked too good the last 2 seasons even when healthy and he hasn't bee healthy too much. Is his career in decline? Sure it's against the Dolphins, but every time i look at a PHI box score i see Westbrook w/ some sort of 100+ yardage, either by rush or by air. The sad thing is i could've drafted him or addai on draft day w/ the 6th pick. I picked Shaun Alexander.
I had the Pitt D, Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed, Pitt WR Hines WArd, and Pitt QB Big Ben all in on one team playing today, and it wasn't a bad play at all against the bad NYJ team. WEll, it didn't pay off too well, as the Steelers LOST. First of all, when u click on the box score for ur team in a situation where i'm heavily invested like this and ur team did NOT win, or they scored LESS than 28 points, u worry. And i was justified. Reed did okay, but the rest of the team's performance leads me to believe in that particular league i'm gonna be saddled w/ a loss.......
Especially since my opponent had Tom Brady. Another ho-hum, 373 yard, 5 TD, no INT day today. No words to describe what this guy is doing. No words to describe my anguish at getting no part of the New England passing game in either of my 3 leagues on draft day.
Earnest Graham 102 rush yds, 1 TD. This guy's quitely emerged as a solid replacement for Cadillac Williams- I knew he was a pretty good runner in week 3 when he came in for cadillac and ran much harder. Ahh, the power of fresh backs. O, and joey galloway got 63 yds, 1 TD. I'm picking the bucs for that division, but they got another matchup w/ the saints in 2 weeks that they should be able to win. If not, it might get messy.
Sunday was the type of day owners of any Arizona offensive player envisions having all season.......except it was against the Cincinatti Bengals, who would probably get run all over by the Illini offense right now. Juice and Mendenhall would put up at least 14 points against these jokers. But my point was, Larry Fitzgerald got 93 yds, 1 TD, Anquan boldin got 73 yds, 1 TD, edge ran for 52 and a TD................this was supposed to be a mini-version of Indy in the west, especially w/ boldin and fitzgerald. These 2 might still finish very strong, but their stock might never be as high as it was at the start of the last season, when they were both drafted early 3rd roudn.
Finally, there might be something brewing in Indy. Sure, he's got a lot of weapons banged up, especially his top gun marvin harrison, but peyton did NOT look like the peyton we kno and love today against an ordinary chiefs D, throwing 163, no TD's, 1 INT on just 50% completion rate. This after last week's 6 INT-debacle. Hmm........anyway, manning owners must be pissed. I have never in my now 4 years of fantasy football owned manning in any of my leagues, something i'm not that proud about, but this year i am cuz i would have overpaid.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Oakland vs. Minnesota: What's significant about this game is not only chester taylor replacing adrian peterson and running all over the raiders' D ( what happened to warren sapp and ted washington in the middle of that run D?), but sebastian janikowski went FIVE of FIVE on FG attempts. Yes, 100%. THAT sebastian janikowski. He probably has the longest leg in the NFL and if anyone were ever to kick a 70-yarder he'd be the guy to do it, but he's never lived up his first-round draft selection. Today he had a long of 52, which isn't bad. But keep in mind it was in the metrodome. Philip Dawson also had a day of kicking, kicking 4 but in much more important situations, w/ a wierd game-equalizing FG as time ran out that was initially ruled no good. Good thing for Dawson's owners as that 50+ yarder was good, which set up ANOTHER 33-yarder to win the game in OT. That 8-point swing could have decided games for a lot of peeps. Enough about kickers though.
Maurice Jones-Drew has really bounced back after i wrote him off as a classic sophomore slump at about week 4- the guy is really actually a stud RB and i saw it first hand today when he just absolutely knocked OUT shawne merriman on a block, allowing David Garrard to pass to Mercedes Lewis for a JAX TD. Jax also wins by the same margin. GATES wasn't looking too hot for most of the game, just barely missing a potential TD in the first half, but did get a late TD from rivers for 54 yds, 1 TD. That'll work.
Jason Campbell is eventually gonna be a fantasy stud QB. Perhaps next year he'll be a Top 5 fantasy thrower. Today he was really on target against Dallas in mounting a late comeback but ultimately got intercepted by Terrance Newman. But w/ the WR's he's got in Washington, he's doing a heck of a job developing. Too bad Joe Gibbs shouldn't be there too long after this season.
What's this? St. Louis has won 2 in a row after 0-8 start? Well, they beat San Fran today in a 13-9 game in a battle of the uglies. I was gonna say, if u can't have a good fantasy day against SF, u can't have good fantasy days, and marc bulger and his WR's really didn't, but then i thought SF is not THAT bad of a D, it's just their offense deserves to play in Div III college ball.
The return of Andre Johnson- i alluded to it yesterday, he came back against the right team too, as NO's jason david probably has been burnt more than the glass beakers in my old chemistry classroom........geez. 8 rec, 120 yds, 1 TD for aj.......i like.
McNabb's hurt. Westbrook still going strong. Urg. I think maybe McNabb has a bounce-back year next year, MAYBE, but frankly this guy hasn't looked too good the last 2 seasons even when healthy and he hasn't bee healthy too much. Is his career in decline? Sure it's against the Dolphins, but every time i look at a PHI box score i see Westbrook w/ some sort of 100+ yardage, either by rush or by air. The sad thing is i could've drafted him or addai on draft day w/ the 6th pick. I picked Shaun Alexander.
I had the Pitt D, Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed, Pitt WR Hines WArd, and Pitt QB Big Ben all in on one team playing today, and it wasn't a bad play at all against the bad NYJ team. WEll, it didn't pay off too well, as the Steelers LOST. First of all, when u click on the box score for ur team in a situation where i'm heavily invested like this and ur team did NOT win, or they scored LESS than 28 points, u worry. And i was justified. Reed did okay, but the rest of the team's performance leads me to believe in that particular league i'm gonna be saddled w/ a loss.......
Especially since my opponent had Tom Brady. Another ho-hum, 373 yard, 5 TD, no INT day today. No words to describe what this guy is doing. No words to describe my anguish at getting no part of the New England passing game in either of my 3 leagues on draft day.
Earnest Graham 102 rush yds, 1 TD. This guy's quitely emerged as a solid replacement for Cadillac Williams- I knew he was a pretty good runner in week 3 when he came in for cadillac and ran much harder. Ahh, the power of fresh backs. O, and joey galloway got 63 yds, 1 TD. I'm picking the bucs for that division, but they got another matchup w/ the saints in 2 weeks that they should be able to win. If not, it might get messy.
Sunday was the type of day owners of any Arizona offensive player envisions having all season.......except it was against the Cincinatti Bengals, who would probably get run all over by the Illini offense right now. Juice and Mendenhall would put up at least 14 points against these jokers. But my point was, Larry Fitzgerald got 93 yds, 1 TD, Anquan boldin got 73 yds, 1 TD, edge ran for 52 and a TD................this was supposed to be a mini-version of Indy in the west, especially w/ boldin and fitzgerald. These 2 might still finish very strong, but their stock might never be as high as it was at the start of the last season, when they were both drafted early 3rd roudn.
Finally, there might be something brewing in Indy. Sure, he's got a lot of weapons banged up, especially his top gun marvin harrison, but peyton did NOT look like the peyton we kno and love today against an ordinary chiefs D, throwing 163, no TD's, 1 INT on just 50% completion rate. This after last week's 6 INT-debacle. Hmm........anyway, manning owners must be pissed. I have never in my now 4 years of fantasy football owned manning in any of my leagues, something i'm not that proud about, but this year i am cuz i would have overpaid.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Saturday matchup advice
What up fellers- ( every time i say that I'm reminded of a rather energetic Kathleen from SIFE, it's wierd, but anyway.......)
I'm writing from sunny southern California, as Keith Jackson would say, where the USC Trojans march off to battle.........yea. I'm here for a week for thanksgiving break, and i was looking forward to some tanning, beachgoing, outdoors, maybe even disneyland.......and what happens as soon as i get here? My sister emily's piano recital. 3 hours. Plop. O well. Lets me get y'all ready for fantasy football action tommorrow. It's a big week as it's the first time since week3 we've had all teams in action, and even more delicious than that, thanksgiving day games on Thursday!
Lots of football action, and a short week, but first things first, what's going on Sunday.........
Speaking of return on non-bye weeks, the long-awaited return of Andre Johnson occurs this week....he was a stud the first 2 weeks and then just had a lingering injury that lingered for more than half of the season, but we'll forgive him if he blows up in the stretch run. He has a real chance to do so this week against BAD N'orleans secondary.
The return that has the whole league on notice is the patriots after a bye week..........that sick offense is gonna cause more problems the rest of the season, bills are the first victim. Dick Jauron's team might be embarrassed on national television..........i'd say the pats have a 50-50 shot at putting up 40+ points.
My man, GATES, baby, needs to shape up...........He's good, and it's really not his fault cuz philip rivers has been stinking up the joint the last 2, but he needs to get me some production.........i'm sure some of u out there have gates and are grimacing at the last 2 lines, or u have jason witten/kellen winslow and are glad u didn't spend that high pick on gates. Damn you.
I'm writing from sunny southern California, as Keith Jackson would say, where the USC Trojans march off to battle.........yea. I'm here for a week for thanksgiving break, and i was looking forward to some tanning, beachgoing, outdoors, maybe even disneyland.......and what happens as soon as i get here? My sister emily's piano recital. 3 hours. Plop. O well. Lets me get y'all ready for fantasy football action tommorrow. It's a big week as it's the first time since week3 we've had all teams in action, and even more delicious than that, thanksgiving day games on Thursday!
Lots of football action, and a short week, but first things first, what's going on Sunday.........
Speaking of return on non-bye weeks, the long-awaited return of Andre Johnson occurs this week....he was a stud the first 2 weeks and then just had a lingering injury that lingered for more than half of the season, but we'll forgive him if he blows up in the stretch run. He has a real chance to do so this week against BAD N'orleans secondary.
The return that has the whole league on notice is the patriots after a bye week..........that sick offense is gonna cause more problems the rest of the season, bills are the first victim. Dick Jauron's team might be embarrassed on national television..........i'd say the pats have a 50-50 shot at putting up 40+ points.
My man, GATES, baby, needs to shape up...........He's good, and it's really not his fault cuz philip rivers has been stinking up the joint the last 2, but he needs to get me some production.........i'm sure some of u out there have gates and are grimacing at the last 2 lines, or u have jason witten/kellen winslow and are glad u didn't spend that high pick on gates. Damn you.
Monday, November 12, 2007
I-L-L! I-N-I!
So by now everyone in the world knos that the Illini upset #1 Buckeyes at Ohio State on Saturday, but check out my last post and u'll see that there was up-to-the-minute, game-time updates on this blog as it came out, up to the key interception in the back of the end zone that preserved a 21-14 Illini lead in the 2nd half and really finished ohio state. I like how we let ohio state have the ball for just 1:30 in the 4th quarter and just ate them up on the ground, salted the game away. Ron Zook's resume now reads like this: Coached at Florida, wasn't real good, couldn't beat Florida St, came to Illinois, recruited really well, had two 2-win season, and...........see Nov. 10th win @ #1 Ohio State. Seriously, he coached a hell of a game, the first time I've seen him be better than avg. Everyone's pumped.
I live off Green St. right behind Legends, and I could hear people from my apartment yelling on Green St., it was really contagious. I imagine it was like this during the Final Four except better. O, baby! Gettin' some national attention!
In the NFL, things were a bit less exciting. At least for UIUC students like me, i imagine. It was a day of upsets, as the Rams finally got their first win AT New orleans, a team that everybody thought was on the comeback trail. They came back, alright, came back down to earth after 4 straight wins in a big way. Drew Brees struggled mightily in 1st half and basically lost it for them there, but he salvaged somethin for fantasy owners with 250+ yds and 2TD's. Eh.
BIG BEN Roethlisberger- another case of a QB just absolutely blowing up in 2nd half, didn't do too much in first, had like 6 fantasy points, then in 2nd half led the Steelers from down 21-9 to win 31-28, had a 30-yd TD run in there and some nice drives, i watched that game and i'm telling u folks, big ben is back. Get him if you can, but it's probably too late. To think, he was drafted behind Jake Delhomme this season.
Priest Holmes? Didn't live up to hype. Got the opportunities, didn't produce too much, 65 rush yds and 13 rec yards. Eh. That's the thing w/ waiver wire pickups: can't be too disappointed when they only put up 7 points.
You CAN be disappointed, however, when ur studs don't produce. Over and over again. Plax and Antonio Gates have been good for me this year ( GATES, Baby!), but the last 2 weeks for each of them have been pretty dreadful, to say the least. I watched the whole giants dallas game yesterday and didn't even kno where plax was. Gates has the excuse of having a struggling QB, but Plax just didn't get open. Or something.
Peyton Manning had SIX interceptions? He only had like what, 9 or 10 all of last year? AND the year before that? That's sick. He was missing 3 top receivers, but still, interceptions are on the QB most of the time. Who does he think he is, Marc Bulger?
Adrian Peterson went down w/ an injury? Yum. Sorry to say it, but i'm actually a little pleased about this injury, mainly because i don't own AP in any of my leagues, and i kno if healthy he'll probably tear my team apart in the playoffs or something. So hopefully he's not seriously hurt but enough to make him pack it in for the season, or at least not run so damn hard.
Alright boys. Peace.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
I live off Green St. right behind Legends, and I could hear people from my apartment yelling on Green St., it was really contagious. I imagine it was like this during the Final Four except better. O, baby! Gettin' some national attention!
In the NFL, things were a bit less exciting. At least for UIUC students like me, i imagine. It was a day of upsets, as the Rams finally got their first win AT New orleans, a team that everybody thought was on the comeback trail. They came back, alright, came back down to earth after 4 straight wins in a big way. Drew Brees struggled mightily in 1st half and basically lost it for them there, but he salvaged somethin for fantasy owners with 250+ yds and 2TD's. Eh.
BIG BEN Roethlisberger- another case of a QB just absolutely blowing up in 2nd half, didn't do too much in first, had like 6 fantasy points, then in 2nd half led the Steelers from down 21-9 to win 31-28, had a 30-yd TD run in there and some nice drives, i watched that game and i'm telling u folks, big ben is back. Get him if you can, but it's probably too late. To think, he was drafted behind Jake Delhomme this season.
Priest Holmes? Didn't live up to hype. Got the opportunities, didn't produce too much, 65 rush yds and 13 rec yards. Eh. That's the thing w/ waiver wire pickups: can't be too disappointed when they only put up 7 points.
You CAN be disappointed, however, when ur studs don't produce. Over and over again. Plax and Antonio Gates have been good for me this year ( GATES, Baby!), but the last 2 weeks for each of them have been pretty dreadful, to say the least. I watched the whole giants dallas game yesterday and didn't even kno where plax was. Gates has the excuse of having a struggling QB, but Plax just didn't get open. Or something.
Peyton Manning had SIX interceptions? He only had like what, 9 or 10 all of last year? AND the year before that? That's sick. He was missing 3 top receivers, but still, interceptions are on the QB most of the time. Who does he think he is, Marc Bulger?
Adrian Peterson went down w/ an injury? Yum. Sorry to say it, but i'm actually a little pleased about this injury, mainly because i don't own AP in any of my leagues, and i kno if healthy he'll probably tear my team apart in the playoffs or something. So hopefully he's not seriously hurt but enough to make him pack it in for the season, or at least not run so damn hard.
Alright boys. Peace.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Super Saturday
What's up, gang-
Today is one of those super saturdays in the year..........the college football season's winding down, NBA action tonight, college football early season, Robert Yan completing his law school applications...........o wait, that's not really progressing too much right now.
My roomies and I are watching the hometown boys, Fighting Illini, going to the #1 Ohio Buckeyes and leading them after the first half 21-14. TTTHHHEEE ohio state buckeyes got a TD in 2 plays to start the game, and it looked like we were in bad shape, i was ready to go the library after halftime expecting it to be a blowout, but hidey ho, whaddya know, illini are playing WELL. DAMN. Ohio state just converted 4th and 1. Very close call, good spot by the refs. Let's do it, boyz
Big night in the NBA last night, as I alluded to. Josh is purring ( one of my roommates is a big buff dude who likes food). As opposed to me, a non-buff asian dude who likes food).
LeBron looks like he might be taking his game to another level this year. Last year he had problems closin out games; last night he sure did on the road vs. the kings, really took that game over along with devin brown and really finished them. Granted, the kings are young and don't have much experience in close games, but still.........the king is reigning over the NBA. And this comin from a guy who's never been high on lebron.
I have guys who i just "like" and those who i "dislike," there are some who are in between who i'm neutral about, but most either fall between 2 categoriies. It also influences my draftin decisions.
My guys list:
Andrei Kirilenko: 10 pts, 8 rebs, 11 asts, 4 stls, 3 blks, 4 TO's. Not a bad little line for that man.
Josh Smith: 8 pts, 5 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stl, 2 blks, 4 TO's. Not too hot, but j-smoove will have awesome season.
AI2: Andre Iguodala: 26 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls, 2 TO's. Those 2 TO"s are minimized, nice to see him cutting down on mistakes w/ his new go-to status.
ILLINI INTERCEPTION IN THE BACK OF THE END ZONE!
One more my guy: Stephon Marbury, 14 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts, 5 TO's, 3 stls, bad FG%...........he's sort of an enigma, but i always seem to wind up w/ him every season for what i think is good value............he used to be like a 2nd round draft pick, and he performed like so in the 2004-2005 season, but since then he's been stinkin. Think it's gonna be somewhere in between this year, slight chance he takes over that NY team, but it's hard w/ 5 ballhawgs on the court at any time. we'll see.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Today is one of those super saturdays in the year..........the college football season's winding down, NBA action tonight, college football early season, Robert Yan completing his law school applications...........o wait, that's not really progressing too much right now.
My roomies and I are watching the hometown boys, Fighting Illini, going to the #1 Ohio Buckeyes and leading them after the first half 21-14. TTTHHHEEE ohio state buckeyes got a TD in 2 plays to start the game, and it looked like we were in bad shape, i was ready to go the library after halftime expecting it to be a blowout, but hidey ho, whaddya know, illini are playing WELL. DAMN. Ohio state just converted 4th and 1. Very close call, good spot by the refs. Let's do it, boyz
Big night in the NBA last night, as I alluded to. Josh is purring ( one of my roommates is a big buff dude who likes food). As opposed to me, a non-buff asian dude who likes food).
LeBron looks like he might be taking his game to another level this year. Last year he had problems closin out games; last night he sure did on the road vs. the kings, really took that game over along with devin brown and really finished them. Granted, the kings are young and don't have much experience in close games, but still.........the king is reigning over the NBA. And this comin from a guy who's never been high on lebron.
I have guys who i just "like" and those who i "dislike," there are some who are in between who i'm neutral about, but most either fall between 2 categoriies. It also influences my draftin decisions.
My guys list:
Andrei Kirilenko: 10 pts, 8 rebs, 11 asts, 4 stls, 3 blks, 4 TO's. Not a bad little line for that man.
Josh Smith: 8 pts, 5 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stl, 2 blks, 4 TO's. Not too hot, but j-smoove will have awesome season.
AI2: Andre Iguodala: 26 pts, 8 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls, 2 TO's. Those 2 TO"s are minimized, nice to see him cutting down on mistakes w/ his new go-to status.
ILLINI INTERCEPTION IN THE BACK OF THE END ZONE!
One more my guy: Stephon Marbury, 14 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts, 5 TO's, 3 stls, bad FG%...........he's sort of an enigma, but i always seem to wind up w/ him every season for what i think is good value............he used to be like a 2nd round draft pick, and he performed like so in the 2004-2005 season, but since then he's been stinkin. Think it's gonna be somewhere in between this year, slight chance he takes over that NY team, but it's hard w/ 5 ballhawgs on the court at any time. we'll see.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Friday, November 9, 2007
Big trade
Big trade in the NBA today.........Jermaine O'neal and Al Jefferson for Yao Ming, Bonzi Wells, and Jamaal Tinsley. Wait, what? those guys weren't on the same team in the first place? O wait, that's cuz the trade happened in my fantasy league!
I'm in a realy cool fantasy league that's on campus, Illinois Fantasy Basketball is the name I suppose, and we got 15 guys, 15 active members, really pretty sweet if you ask me.
Played some real basketball today at CRCE, the local recreational facilities. I really elevated what was a pretty puny game into a semi-decent game last year at those courts, and I really do have a legitimate shot, especially from 3-point range. Not too good off the dribble, i understand passing and stuff, and play pretty hard all the time, which helps w/ rebounds, loose balls, and stuff, so from my perspective i'm an above average player, at least for an asian ( that's not a racist comment, just an honest evaluation). I get REALLY pissed when people in a 5-on-5 game just hog the ball. O baby. Even in the NBA there's a conscious effort to get everyone involved even if it's like the L.A. lakers w/ kobe. I've really been consistent in scoring points this season as I'm more confident w/ my shot and more confident in my role on a pickup team, and hopefully that'll even pick up as i spend more time in the gym during the winter months.
Anyways, big trade today........as u may have guessed, i was on the receiving end of jefferson and o'neal. It's a unique league, so the values of players are a little different, but Yao is probably the best player in the deal, but i hedged his risk of sustaining a devastating injury by picking up jefferson and o'neal, two big guys who will probably get hurt too but actually have somewhat of a better history of injuries. Tinsley and Wells are marginal players and basicially guys i threw in there. Tinsley has potential to put up a lot of assists which is a key category in our league, but i doubt he will do enough.
The return of Priest Holmes is generating a lot of hype within the fantasy community. I really love it too, honestly. I love guys who used to be really good, former 1st-round draft picks who are ignored ( in this case, justifiably cuz priest was in retired) but come back. I have him in two leagues, and if LJ is out for the year, which rumors say he is, Priest might have one of those trademark fantasy playoff runs. That'd be sweet.
Elsewhere, Chris Henry of the Bengals, the WR, not the RB, is comin back this week vs. ravens. Given what he did in limited time last year and the Bengals always being behind, he looks like he could have some good value.
Plaxico Burress.............intriguing player, started off really hot, but a bad week and a bye later he isn't so hot of a commodity........big game against dallas this week, he could prove himself big or prove he's having another "one of those" seasons.
I have a trade on the table in fantasy football too, drew brees and jessie chatman for jon kitna and marion barber...............i was debating it, and in most seasons i'd make this trade cuz barber's actually a pretty good back, but the way brees is playing and my recent favor of QB's, ( my other QB in that league is philip rivers, not exactly trusting him just yet). Also, that team's also 2-6, which is actually making me want to do the trade just to do the trade, but of course that falls in the trap of "making a trade just to make a trade" trap. Brees is facing St. Louis this week, and being 2-6 i'd have to go undefeated pretty much to win that league, so i think i'm gonna pass on this deal. hope i don't get bit in the butt.
Someone in one of my leagues dropped the Chicago D. Part of the reason the Chicago D is really struggling this year is no TD's. That's also why they're struggling in actuality. Without those defensive TD's that swing the course of the game, they're nothing.
Alright that's all i got for tonight. Big night in the NBA. Come back w/ some analysis of it tommorrow.
I'm in a realy cool fantasy league that's on campus, Illinois Fantasy Basketball is the name I suppose, and we got 15 guys, 15 active members, really pretty sweet if you ask me.
Played some real basketball today at CRCE, the local recreational facilities. I really elevated what was a pretty puny game into a semi-decent game last year at those courts, and I really do have a legitimate shot, especially from 3-point range. Not too good off the dribble, i understand passing and stuff, and play pretty hard all the time, which helps w/ rebounds, loose balls, and stuff, so from my perspective i'm an above average player, at least for an asian ( that's not a racist comment, just an honest evaluation). I get REALLY pissed when people in a 5-on-5 game just hog the ball. O baby. Even in the NBA there's a conscious effort to get everyone involved even if it's like the L.A. lakers w/ kobe. I've really been consistent in scoring points this season as I'm more confident w/ my shot and more confident in my role on a pickup team, and hopefully that'll even pick up as i spend more time in the gym during the winter months.
Anyways, big trade today........as u may have guessed, i was on the receiving end of jefferson and o'neal. It's a unique league, so the values of players are a little different, but Yao is probably the best player in the deal, but i hedged his risk of sustaining a devastating injury by picking up jefferson and o'neal, two big guys who will probably get hurt too but actually have somewhat of a better history of injuries. Tinsley and Wells are marginal players and basicially guys i threw in there. Tinsley has potential to put up a lot of assists which is a key category in our league, but i doubt he will do enough.
The return of Priest Holmes is generating a lot of hype within the fantasy community. I really love it too, honestly. I love guys who used to be really good, former 1st-round draft picks who are ignored ( in this case, justifiably cuz priest was in retired) but come back. I have him in two leagues, and if LJ is out for the year, which rumors say he is, Priest might have one of those trademark fantasy playoff runs. That'd be sweet.
Elsewhere, Chris Henry of the Bengals, the WR, not the RB, is comin back this week vs. ravens. Given what he did in limited time last year and the Bengals always being behind, he looks like he could have some good value.
Plaxico Burress.............intriguing player, started off really hot, but a bad week and a bye later he isn't so hot of a commodity........big game against dallas this week, he could prove himself big or prove he's having another "one of those" seasons.
I have a trade on the table in fantasy football too, drew brees and jessie chatman for jon kitna and marion barber...............i was debating it, and in most seasons i'd make this trade cuz barber's actually a pretty good back, but the way brees is playing and my recent favor of QB's, ( my other QB in that league is philip rivers, not exactly trusting him just yet). Also, that team's also 2-6, which is actually making me want to do the trade just to do the trade, but of course that falls in the trap of "making a trade just to make a trade" trap. Brees is facing St. Louis this week, and being 2-6 i'd have to go undefeated pretty much to win that league, so i think i'm gonna pass on this deal. hope i don't get bit in the butt.
Someone in one of my leagues dropped the Chicago D. Part of the reason the Chicago D is really struggling this year is no TD's. That's also why they're struggling in actuality. Without those defensive TD's that swing the course of the game, they're nothing.
Alright that's all i got for tonight. Big night in the NBA. Come back w/ some analysis of it tommorrow.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
That is ABSURD!
- title quote by rick james, courtesy of the chapelle show.
Hey y'all, back on this blog, a little belated i suppose, i was home last week w/o internet access, and we were getting a little paperwork done on my car, ( or as my boston side likes to call it, my cahhhhhhh), and once again it's been a busy week. It's really interesting, i feel like i've been a lot busier and more diligent, less falling asleep and not making it to things i want to get to, and in that sense i've been satisfied so far this semester, but i KNOW my grades aren't gonna be as good as last semester's. That might be because of the classes themselves, but i dunno. If I do go to law school, this is the last semester undergrad grades should matter at all, so i wanna at least end on a good note.
I'm so excited about our ASB trip this winter. Last year, i didn't know what would go down on the trip, how group dynamics were gonna be, and i made our group start late like half an hour, but I STILL had a great time. Actually, Jan. 10th, 2007 was classified as one of my "top ten" days ever, one of the more memorable days of my entire life. There's no telling what's gonna happen this year on our trip, and I have really bonded with my group already. It's gonna be sweet. O, and yea, i like volunteering as well as working w/ children, so the work part of the trip will be covered.
On to fantasy. Watchin the bulls-pistons game on TNT. NBA on TNT! Rip Hamilton, sick floater over Tyrus Thomas, pulls pistons within 1 w/ a minute and change to go. Grrrr. If they go 0-5, it's gonna be a world of hurt. Circus trip coming too.
Tyrus Thomas is silently the only fantasy force on teh bulls right now, he's really started the season off well and looks motivated to do somethin this year. He won't be that offensive big man that the Bulls have been looking for, but he's another high energy, high skill level bulls player. And young.
The season is, also, young, and after 5 games it's really hard to tell who's gonna be good, who's be gonna be bad.........however, my motto for fantasy NBA is that it's a lot less volatile than fantasy football.......in fantasy football, adrian peterson can become the #1 fantasy player as a rookie, and shaun alexander can turn from a first round back to a bucket of crud. NBA is not like that, usually players will perform up to their averages, and the season is long enough ( 82 games) that players can have weeks that our sick to balance out bad starts. So guys like Ben Wallace, vince carter, Brad miller, jermaine o'neal, you need to be patient on. Of course, injuries threaten to put any of these guys on the shelf, but that's the NBA. Injuries are truly, truly, part of the game. You have to draft guys and consider value expecting a certain type of fragility. So injuries aside, you need to consider the "correction" factor...........a.ka. the averaging force.
Observations from early season
David West might be taking over some rebounds from tyson. I like chandler still, but west is a really quite but solid young player.
Staying with the hornets, Peja hit 10 threes in a game this week. Still don't like him. He promptly shot 2-13 the next night. I think he's one step above damon jones, don't expect too much from him except 3's.
Kevin martin is who we thought he was. He'll be the offensive centerpiece of that time, even when artest comes back. Brad miller is still looking shaky. Still soft on defense, very little blocks.
Wizards and gilbert arenas not looking good. Hibachi averaging 4 assts per game, 5 TO's. Not a good average. Definite correction candidate, barrin injury i doubt gilbert is under 25PPG, 6 ASPG, and 2 STL's. Be patient people. This man's got a contract he's playing for.
Josh Smith averaging 3.5 Stl's, 4 Blk's in early going. So sick. I don't have him in any of my leagues because the secret actually got out this year. Darn. Those defensive #'s in fantasy are huge, do not underrate them. Andrei Kirilenko and Josh Smith are posterboys for "sexy players" who put up defensive stats like none other.
G.S. vs. Dallas tonight. My prediction: Dallas is pissed this season, have been waiting all season for this game, will win.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Hey y'all, back on this blog, a little belated i suppose, i was home last week w/o internet access, and we were getting a little paperwork done on my car, ( or as my boston side likes to call it, my cahhhhhhh), and once again it's been a busy week. It's really interesting, i feel like i've been a lot busier and more diligent, less falling asleep and not making it to things i want to get to, and in that sense i've been satisfied so far this semester, but i KNOW my grades aren't gonna be as good as last semester's. That might be because of the classes themselves, but i dunno. If I do go to law school, this is the last semester undergrad grades should matter at all, so i wanna at least end on a good note.
I'm so excited about our ASB trip this winter. Last year, i didn't know what would go down on the trip, how group dynamics were gonna be, and i made our group start late like half an hour, but I STILL had a great time. Actually, Jan. 10th, 2007 was classified as one of my "top ten" days ever, one of the more memorable days of my entire life. There's no telling what's gonna happen this year on our trip, and I have really bonded with my group already. It's gonna be sweet. O, and yea, i like volunteering as well as working w/ children, so the work part of the trip will be covered.
On to fantasy. Watchin the bulls-pistons game on TNT. NBA on TNT! Rip Hamilton, sick floater over Tyrus Thomas, pulls pistons within 1 w/ a minute and change to go. Grrrr. If they go 0-5, it's gonna be a world of hurt. Circus trip coming too.
Tyrus Thomas is silently the only fantasy force on teh bulls right now, he's really started the season off well and looks motivated to do somethin this year. He won't be that offensive big man that the Bulls have been looking for, but he's another high energy, high skill level bulls player. And young.
The season is, also, young, and after 5 games it's really hard to tell who's gonna be good, who's be gonna be bad.........however, my motto for fantasy NBA is that it's a lot less volatile than fantasy football.......in fantasy football, adrian peterson can become the #1 fantasy player as a rookie, and shaun alexander can turn from a first round back to a bucket of crud. NBA is not like that, usually players will perform up to their averages, and the season is long enough ( 82 games) that players can have weeks that our sick to balance out bad starts. So guys like Ben Wallace, vince carter, Brad miller, jermaine o'neal, you need to be patient on. Of course, injuries threaten to put any of these guys on the shelf, but that's the NBA. Injuries are truly, truly, part of the game. You have to draft guys and consider value expecting a certain type of fragility. So injuries aside, you need to consider the "correction" factor...........a.ka. the averaging force.
Observations from early season
David West might be taking over some rebounds from tyson. I like chandler still, but west is a really quite but solid young player.
Staying with the hornets, Peja hit 10 threes in a game this week. Still don't like him. He promptly shot 2-13 the next night. I think he's one step above damon jones, don't expect too much from him except 3's.
Kevin martin is who we thought he was. He'll be the offensive centerpiece of that time, even when artest comes back. Brad miller is still looking shaky. Still soft on defense, very little blocks.
Wizards and gilbert arenas not looking good. Hibachi averaging 4 assts per game, 5 TO's. Not a good average. Definite correction candidate, barrin injury i doubt gilbert is under 25PPG, 6 ASPG, and 2 STL's. Be patient people. This man's got a contract he's playing for.
Josh Smith averaging 3.5 Stl's, 4 Blk's in early going. So sick. I don't have him in any of my leagues because the secret actually got out this year. Darn. Those defensive #'s in fantasy are huge, do not underrate them. Andrei Kirilenko and Josh Smith are posterboys for "sexy players" who put up defensive stats like none other.
G.S. vs. Dallas tonight. My prediction: Dallas is pissed this season, have been waiting all season for this game, will win.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Thursday, November 1, 2007
That's how we do
Hey folks-
First post in November. Checking past posts real quick, got 8 posts down in October, but remember, that was cuz I didn't start posting until like mid-month.
Playing a stock market game in fin300, doing really well in it. Started out w/ 4 million dollars, got a 20% return by now. It's pretty sweet. We also really started investing when the stock market got hot, but I still think we're doing a solid job, got some really volatile stocks mixed in w/ some slow-movers; shorted WWE stock, bought GOOG AND BIDU, which I know they're essentially the same type of company but i saw how far they could go just in a day and was tempted.
Also, I'm really suprised by Berkshire-Hathaway's progress. It takes like millions of dollars to buy their stock, but it goes up substantially just because of its sheer price.
Anyway, the game has really made me conscious of something that I've always wanted to have an awareness, in stock markets. I got a lot of stuff to learn, but at least I'm interested. That's the way I am, I guess: If I'm passionate about something, I'll really get into it, move myself to excel in it.
Fantasy Football. Kind of a slow week of football, in my opinion, with just one game that EVERYONE's looking out for, Patriots and Colts at Indianapolis. That game is probably gonna set regular season viewer rating records for CBS; people all around the country are buzzing about it, and there's no way I could see anybody NOT watching it if you like football. I think the consensus is that the Patriots are a little better right now, but I see the Colts winning for some reason. Brady's got a lotta weapons now, and the Colts secondary really needs to be stout against Moss & Co. Any way you slice it, this is gonna be a close game, and at least 60 points are gonna be scored here.
I miss playing cards. Last year in our dorm room, we had five guys basically living together, and chances were at any time at least 4 of us would be around to get a card game going, whether it was hearts, spades, euchre, go fish, B.S., etc., etc. etc. Not happening this year. My roommates either are always out or wanna use alcohol for entertainment. Not that there's anything wrong w/that, but it was definitely better for me when cards were played. I'm a REEEEEAAALLLLY competitive person.
If anyone is still getting a fantasy basketball league together, consider hoops.sports.ws. It's the website that Illinois Fantasy Basketball is using, and it's really a pretty neat system. As with other sites, it's got its problems, but it really garners a league atmosphere and has a unique head-to-head matchup configuration. O, and it's got pictures of the NBA players. Selling factor for me.
To finish, I'll state my preferences give 2 different players at this point of the season.
Joseph Addai/ Brian Westbrook: I like Addai. Still concerned that Westbrook will get hurt at some point.
Peyton Manning/Tony Romo: Some have argued for Romo cuz Peyton's not throwing as many TD's this year. I saw pshaw. Romo's a flash in the pan, can we really trust him in the fantasy playoffs? I think not.
Braylon Edwards/ Reggie Wayne: I'm almost thinking Braylon right now. He's in the middle of his breakout year, he's the undisputed #1 receiver there, and the Browns throw a lot. Plus, that team's Week 14, 15, and 16 can't get any more favorable.
Jason Witten/ Antonio Gates: GATES, baby!
LaMont Jordan/ Travis Henry: I choose death.
Roethlisberger/Favre: Legacy-wise, I take Favre. And this is a semi-bears fan talking, but I'd take roethlisberger: looks like he's reconnected w/ hines ward, they've got a nice pass game going, i like that pittsburgh team. Favre's nice, i guess. Bleh.
Laverneaus Coles/ Roy Williams: Uh, i think the lions will start to throw A LOT more, kitna's due, and williams's his big, bad target. Look out.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
First post in November. Checking past posts real quick, got 8 posts down in October, but remember, that was cuz I didn't start posting until like mid-month.
Playing a stock market game in fin300, doing really well in it. Started out w/ 4 million dollars, got a 20% return by now. It's pretty sweet. We also really started investing when the stock market got hot, but I still think we're doing a solid job, got some really volatile stocks mixed in w/ some slow-movers; shorted WWE stock, bought GOOG AND BIDU, which I know they're essentially the same type of company but i saw how far they could go just in a day and was tempted.
Also, I'm really suprised by Berkshire-Hathaway's progress. It takes like millions of dollars to buy their stock, but it goes up substantially just because of its sheer price.
Anyway, the game has really made me conscious of something that I've always wanted to have an awareness, in stock markets. I got a lot of stuff to learn, but at least I'm interested. That's the way I am, I guess: If I'm passionate about something, I'll really get into it, move myself to excel in it.
Fantasy Football. Kind of a slow week of football, in my opinion, with just one game that EVERYONE's looking out for, Patriots and Colts at Indianapolis. That game is probably gonna set regular season viewer rating records for CBS; people all around the country are buzzing about it, and there's no way I could see anybody NOT watching it if you like football. I think the consensus is that the Patriots are a little better right now, but I see the Colts winning for some reason. Brady's got a lotta weapons now, and the Colts secondary really needs to be stout against Moss & Co. Any way you slice it, this is gonna be a close game, and at least 60 points are gonna be scored here.
I miss playing cards. Last year in our dorm room, we had five guys basically living together, and chances were at any time at least 4 of us would be around to get a card game going, whether it was hearts, spades, euchre, go fish, B.S., etc., etc. etc. Not happening this year. My roommates either are always out or wanna use alcohol for entertainment. Not that there's anything wrong w/that, but it was definitely better for me when cards were played. I'm a REEEEEAAALLLLY competitive person.
If anyone is still getting a fantasy basketball league together, consider hoops.sports.ws. It's the website that Illinois Fantasy Basketball is using, and it's really a pretty neat system. As with other sites, it's got its problems, but it really garners a league atmosphere and has a unique head-to-head matchup configuration. O, and it's got pictures of the NBA players. Selling factor for me.
To finish, I'll state my preferences give 2 different players at this point of the season.
Joseph Addai/ Brian Westbrook: I like Addai. Still concerned that Westbrook will get hurt at some point.
Peyton Manning/Tony Romo: Some have argued for Romo cuz Peyton's not throwing as many TD's this year. I saw pshaw. Romo's a flash in the pan, can we really trust him in the fantasy playoffs? I think not.
Braylon Edwards/ Reggie Wayne: I'm almost thinking Braylon right now. He's in the middle of his breakout year, he's the undisputed #1 receiver there, and the Browns throw a lot. Plus, that team's Week 14, 15, and 16 can't get any more favorable.
Jason Witten/ Antonio Gates: GATES, baby!
LaMont Jordan/ Travis Henry: I choose death.
Roethlisberger/Favre: Legacy-wise, I take Favre. And this is a semi-bears fan talking, but I'd take roethlisberger: looks like he's reconnected w/ hines ward, they've got a nice pass game going, i like that pittsburgh team. Favre's nice, i guess. Bleh.
Laverneaus Coles/ Roy Williams: Uh, i think the lions will start to throw A LOT more, kitna's due, and williams's his big, bad target. Look out.
Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Dear fantasy players
This letter is being written to all of the NBA fantasy players who I have the pleasure of owning this year.
Dear team,
Thanks for listening to me. I realize in the hectic, dog-eat-dog world of the NBA it is sometimes difficult to listen to the owner and agree on issues with what I have to say. However, I'd like you all to understand where I'm coming from this year.
I'd like all of you to understand that when you play for my teams, you are expected to do a great deal. You don't have to do it all, your talents were drafted for certain expectations. For example, chris paul, I don't expect you to give me 5 or 6 rebounds a game or shoot 2.0 three-pointer. Unh-unh. you don't have to do that. All you gotta do is put up those assists, steals, shoot a good %, and keep the turnovers to a reasonable level. That's all I'm asking for. If you all performed up to your expectiations, you'd be happy, I'd be happy, ur teammates won't have to do more than their fair share, we'll all be happy. However, realistically I know not all of you will meet expectations. Some of you might even exceed expectations. Jamaal Tinsley, I sure hope that's you.
But if you don't meet my demands, here's what I want you to do: Just stay bad. Dont' have games where you show up and get my hopes up. Don't get jacked up when u play Golden State because you know you'll get a lot of chances at offense. No, if you're gonna be terrible, just go ahead and stay terrible so that I'll know you're gonna be like that the whole year and can dump you. Better, get injured. On that note, I know there are those of you out there w/ the label "injury-prone." I'm looking squarely at you, Jermaine O'Neal. Here's how I look at ur injuries: If I didn't think you guys had a reasonable shot to finish the season w/ at least 75 games, I wouldn't have drafted you. Yes, even you, Andrei Kirilenko. So I have given you a show of faith. Please reward me with it. However, if you do feel the need to sit out a few for injuries, here's what I ask of you: Don't make game-time decisions. If you feel bad, tell the coach. Sit out. Let everybody know. If you know you're gonna play, great. You don't need to say anything. But if you feel any pain at all, any contusions, heck, if your kid dropped his toy truck on your foot, let somebody know. The WORST thing that can happen is for me to check the box score or turn on the TV and see you sitting on the bench, watching like I am, with your thumb up your butt.
Most importantly, though, I just want you to know as fantasy players that you do make fantasy basketball a really fun game to play, and the game would obviously not exist without your participation and continued effort. So, for the majority of you, thanks a lot for keeping the NBA alive and let us watch you give us the fantasy jollies and for giving us a reason to watch the games ( to see how well you pad the stat sheet.) Good luck, and may you have a healthy, productive, fruit-bearing, expected season. Except for you, Mr. Brad Miller. If you don't start shaping up and playing like you should, I'm gonna gut ya. I mean cut ya. You know what I mean.
Fraternize on, players,
Your owner Robert Yan
Dear team,
Thanks for listening to me. I realize in the hectic, dog-eat-dog world of the NBA it is sometimes difficult to listen to the owner and agree on issues with what I have to say. However, I'd like you all to understand where I'm coming from this year.
I'd like all of you to understand that when you play for my teams, you are expected to do a great deal. You don't have to do it all, your talents were drafted for certain expectations. For example, chris paul, I don't expect you to give me 5 or 6 rebounds a game or shoot 2.0 three-pointer. Unh-unh. you don't have to do that. All you gotta do is put up those assists, steals, shoot a good %, and keep the turnovers to a reasonable level. That's all I'm asking for. If you all performed up to your expectiations, you'd be happy, I'd be happy, ur teammates won't have to do more than their fair share, we'll all be happy. However, realistically I know not all of you will meet expectations. Some of you might even exceed expectations. Jamaal Tinsley, I sure hope that's you.
But if you don't meet my demands, here's what I want you to do: Just stay bad. Dont' have games where you show up and get my hopes up. Don't get jacked up when u play Golden State because you know you'll get a lot of chances at offense. No, if you're gonna be terrible, just go ahead and stay terrible so that I'll know you're gonna be like that the whole year and can dump you. Better, get injured. On that note, I know there are those of you out there w/ the label "injury-prone." I'm looking squarely at you, Jermaine O'Neal. Here's how I look at ur injuries: If I didn't think you guys had a reasonable shot to finish the season w/ at least 75 games, I wouldn't have drafted you. Yes, even you, Andrei Kirilenko. So I have given you a show of faith. Please reward me with it. However, if you do feel the need to sit out a few for injuries, here's what I ask of you: Don't make game-time decisions. If you feel bad, tell the coach. Sit out. Let everybody know. If you know you're gonna play, great. You don't need to say anything. But if you feel any pain at all, any contusions, heck, if your kid dropped his toy truck on your foot, let somebody know. The WORST thing that can happen is for me to check the box score or turn on the TV and see you sitting on the bench, watching like I am, with your thumb up your butt.
Most importantly, though, I just want you to know as fantasy players that you do make fantasy basketball a really fun game to play, and the game would obviously not exist without your participation and continued effort. So, for the majority of you, thanks a lot for keeping the NBA alive and let us watch you give us the fantasy jollies and for giving us a reason to watch the games ( to see how well you pad the stat sheet.) Good luck, and may you have a healthy, productive, fruit-bearing, expected season. Except for you, Mr. Brad Miller. If you don't start shaping up and playing like you should, I'm gonna gut ya. I mean cut ya. You know what I mean.
Fraternize on, players,
Your owner Robert Yan
Sunday, October 28, 2007
What time is it? Game time!
I'm proud to say that this, the 34th ever post of fantasysportguru, will be done while watching the noon NFL games on sunday. It's actually already 45 minutes into the games, but i think it's a perfect time to update the games, get instant reflections on how players are doing.
Btw, BIG, HUGE NBA fantasy draft live today in my money league..............lot of pride on the line here, i've been playing w/ these guys for a few years now and got a lot to prove.
I'm watching Carolina vs. undefeated Indy, and Carolina's looking good. Next week is the huge, hyped-up matchup of New England and Indianaplis, ooooooo, but this week those 2 AFC teams go against some i-guess tough NFC teams, Carolina and Washington. They could be trap games for both teams, and I wouldn't be extremely shocked if both teams are no longer undefeated by next week. I'd say Indy has a better shot of getting knocked off, cuz Washington is somehow 4-2 despite not playing well at all.
That's the thing about the NFC.........there are just so many poor-middle teams that it's a crapshoot as to who's gonna win on any given week. You could just gell a little bit, get some improvements in a couple facets of games, and somehow find urself in the playoffs in the NFC. The ONLY decent teams i see in NFC are Green Bay, Dallas, NYG, and.............I really can't think of any other good teams. Seattle's not good, Tampa Bay's not good, Carolina might be good but haven't really shown it yet. Are the Bears a good team? Well, lemme let coach Denny Green answer that question:
"The Bears are who we THOUGHT they were!" ( Not very good)
Hines Ward 2 Rec TD's in the first half, baby! Woo! Finally, after a bunch of injuries and not-necessarily awesome games, he's breaking out today. Obviously, it's against Cincinatti who doesn't have a clue how to tackle, but hopefully this is a sign of things to come. My roomie and I both have the asian ( and we're both actually asian, funny, eh?) and we're looking for good things.
Cedric Benson is one of the worst fantasy busts this year, but he is also just plain bad. BAAAADDDD! If you don't watch Chicago games and u just look at the box scores, u see 51 yards on 20 carries, ur like, that was bad, but u really need to watch the games to kno how poorly he plays. Every time he runs it's like he's in slow motion, and instead of like the brandon jacobs- ron dayne type who can break a tackle on sheer ability, he raerly does that, only maybe falling forward and gettin 2 extra yards. Tops. It's not pretty. O and we wince when he's holdin the ball as well cuz he looks like he's gonna fumble. And on a not-too-seldom basis he does. It's disgusting.
Btw, BIG, HUGE NBA fantasy draft live today in my money league..............lot of pride on the line here, i've been playing w/ these guys for a few years now and got a lot to prove.
I'm watching Carolina vs. undefeated Indy, and Carolina's looking good. Next week is the huge, hyped-up matchup of New England and Indianaplis, ooooooo, but this week those 2 AFC teams go against some i-guess tough NFC teams, Carolina and Washington. They could be trap games for both teams, and I wouldn't be extremely shocked if both teams are no longer undefeated by next week. I'd say Indy has a better shot of getting knocked off, cuz Washington is somehow 4-2 despite not playing well at all.
That's the thing about the NFC.........there are just so many poor-middle teams that it's a crapshoot as to who's gonna win on any given week. You could just gell a little bit, get some improvements in a couple facets of games, and somehow find urself in the playoffs in the NFC. The ONLY decent teams i see in NFC are Green Bay, Dallas, NYG, and.............I really can't think of any other good teams. Seattle's not good, Tampa Bay's not good, Carolina might be good but haven't really shown it yet. Are the Bears a good team? Well, lemme let coach Denny Green answer that question:
"The Bears are who we THOUGHT they were!" ( Not very good)
Hines Ward 2 Rec TD's in the first half, baby! Woo! Finally, after a bunch of injuries and not-necessarily awesome games, he's breaking out today. Obviously, it's against Cincinatti who doesn't have a clue how to tackle, but hopefully this is a sign of things to come. My roomie and I both have the asian ( and we're both actually asian, funny, eh?) and we're looking for good things.
Cedric Benson is one of the worst fantasy busts this year, but he is also just plain bad. BAAAADDDD! If you don't watch Chicago games and u just look at the box scores, u see 51 yards on 20 carries, ur like, that was bad, but u really need to watch the games to kno how poorly he plays. Every time he runs it's like he's in slow motion, and instead of like the brandon jacobs- ron dayne type who can break a tackle on sheer ability, he raerly does that, only maybe falling forward and gettin 2 extra yards. Tops. It's not pretty. O and we wince when he's holdin the ball as well cuz he looks like he's gonna fumble. And on a not-too-seldom basis he does. It's disgusting.
Friday, October 26, 2007
End of longest week ever
This week was quite possibly one of the busier weeks I've ever had in my life..................I didn't expect so much stuff to pile on, but snowball it did. I've already made the list of things that I did, but I think everyone has one of those "hell weeks" where everything just happens to fall.
Had a Conversations w/ Leaders session yesterday and today. Really good one for me today w/ Lee Shapiro, he was a UIUC grad who went on to Georgetown Law and graduated from U of Chicago w/ J.D. Really intelligent guy, CEO of his own company, would love to turn into that guy some day.
Just got an email today about Sunny Skies Day Camp- not good news, I'm afraid- camp has discontinued, and much of the staff is moving over to the sister camp, Camp Kinneret. Grrrrrr. That site was really fun. Wish it woulda continued. Now I gotta really contemplate what I should do this summer before going to law school. My parents want me to get an internship/ business job. I prolly should, but being a camp counselor is so much fun!
Survivor: China getting really interesting. Last week in a twist that i thought was really unfair, ( blatantly unfair, actually), Aaron and James got moved over to Zhan Hu and promptly got outvoted by the existing Zhan Hu people, and Aaron left after Zhan Hu totally threw the immunity challenge. This week, though, Todd ( the self-possessed biggest fan of Survivor) found kidnapped James over to Fei Long and made him give him the clue to work together in a grand strategy to beat the Zhan Hu members that involved throwing the challenge, but to Todd and James's surprise, Zhan Hu instead tries HARD to win immunity this time and get it, and Fei Long loses a member in Cherea. REALLY interesting episode, actually, and things hint at a merge next episode w/ the 2nd immunity idol found. Phew. Again, wish I was on that show.
One of my life goals before turnin 30: Be on Amazing Race, Big Brother, or Survivor. Or some other great reality show ( quality ones, not like "The Next Great Pole Dancer" or something like that.
Big Brother people, have your people call my people.
Fantasy sports now. Time to play the game " He IS who we THOUGHT he was!" made popular by ESPN. I'm gonna name a player and tell you if he meets my expectations of him or if he did somethin totally different.
1.) L.T. = He IS who we THOUGHT he was! After a slow start, L.T.'s back on track and ready to go back to his scoring ways. Won't set any records this year, but look for 20 total TD's still.
2.) Wilis McGahee = He IS who we THOUGHT he was! Puts up a bunch of yards and gets a lotta carries in BAL's offense, but doesn't find end zone much because of BAL's O.
3.) Braylon Edwards= He IS who we THOUGHT he was! Broke out in 3rd year. Why didn't I draft him again?
4.) Tom Brady= NOT who i thought he was. Much better. Much much better. See Randy Moss.
5.) Maroney= NOT who i thought he was. Been sidelined by injury bugs this year, but w/ that offense, he should be getting easy carries. Fantasy beastdom was within his reach. He fumbled.
6.) Cedric Benson = He is who I thought he was. Not necessarily we. Cedric the Entertainer was a 2nd-round draft pick. I doubt even people in Chicago would take him w/ a 5th round pick if we redrafted.
7.) Dwyane Bowe = He IS who we...............we never thought anything about him cuz we don't know about him. A rookie in KC, he has freakish abilities. I woulda said Adrian Peterson here, but people knew about him. And still drafted him in like the 5th round. That includes me.
There's ur daily dose of fantasysportguru, guys. Big fantasy basketball draft tommorrow for me, even bigger live draft on sunday.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Had a Conversations w/ Leaders session yesterday and today. Really good one for me today w/ Lee Shapiro, he was a UIUC grad who went on to Georgetown Law and graduated from U of Chicago w/ J.D. Really intelligent guy, CEO of his own company, would love to turn into that guy some day.
Just got an email today about Sunny Skies Day Camp- not good news, I'm afraid- camp has discontinued, and much of the staff is moving over to the sister camp, Camp Kinneret. Grrrrrr. That site was really fun. Wish it woulda continued. Now I gotta really contemplate what I should do this summer before going to law school. My parents want me to get an internship/ business job. I prolly should, but being a camp counselor is so much fun!
Survivor: China getting really interesting. Last week in a twist that i thought was really unfair, ( blatantly unfair, actually), Aaron and James got moved over to Zhan Hu and promptly got outvoted by the existing Zhan Hu people, and Aaron left after Zhan Hu totally threw the immunity challenge. This week, though, Todd ( the self-possessed biggest fan of Survivor) found kidnapped James over to Fei Long and made him give him the clue to work together in a grand strategy to beat the Zhan Hu members that involved throwing the challenge, but to Todd and James's surprise, Zhan Hu instead tries HARD to win immunity this time and get it, and Fei Long loses a member in Cherea. REALLY interesting episode, actually, and things hint at a merge next episode w/ the 2nd immunity idol found. Phew. Again, wish I was on that show.
One of my life goals before turnin 30: Be on Amazing Race, Big Brother, or Survivor. Or some other great reality show ( quality ones, not like "The Next Great Pole Dancer" or something like that.
Big Brother people, have your people call my people.
Fantasy sports now. Time to play the game " He IS who we THOUGHT he was!" made popular by ESPN. I'm gonna name a player and tell you if he meets my expectations of him or if he did somethin totally different.
1.) L.T. = He IS who we THOUGHT he was! After a slow start, L.T.'s back on track and ready to go back to his scoring ways. Won't set any records this year, but look for 20 total TD's still.
2.) Wilis McGahee = He IS who we THOUGHT he was! Puts up a bunch of yards and gets a lotta carries in BAL's offense, but doesn't find end zone much because of BAL's O.
3.) Braylon Edwards= He IS who we THOUGHT he was! Broke out in 3rd year. Why didn't I draft him again?
4.) Tom Brady= NOT who i thought he was. Much better. Much much better. See Randy Moss.
5.) Maroney= NOT who i thought he was. Been sidelined by injury bugs this year, but w/ that offense, he should be getting easy carries. Fantasy beastdom was within his reach. He fumbled.
6.) Cedric Benson = He is who I thought he was. Not necessarily we. Cedric the Entertainer was a 2nd-round draft pick. I doubt even people in Chicago would take him w/ a 5th round pick if we redrafted.
7.) Dwyane Bowe = He IS who we...............we never thought anything about him cuz we don't know about him. A rookie in KC, he has freakish abilities. I woulda said Adrian Peterson here, but people knew about him. And still drafted him in like the 5th round. That includes me.
There's ur daily dose of fantasysportguru, guys. Big fantasy basketball draft tommorrow for me, even bigger live draft on sunday.
-Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Hot dawgs in late october
Hey y'all-
It's your favorite fantasy football commish/ afficianado/guru/nerd talking to you again. It's been a hectic week filled w/ 2 exams, 2 three-hour movie screenings ( mandatory), one paper due, and basically lots of work. I also had to run by all my LOR professors a 2nd time, which i felt bad about doing. I did squeeze in , however, 2 pretty good games of volleyball. Volleyball and I have really just found each other, i wish I would have plaeyd the sport earlier, I hate to brag but i feel like if i started freshman year of high school I woulda been a stud senior year. Coulda cut down on some of that useless busywork called homework and did me some digs, pancakes, slide attacks, and back-row hitting.
I tallied it up and basically from now until next monday or something I have 18 distinct things to do. Urgh. It just keeps going. I got law school apps to worry about, people!
Anyway, the topic of my post was hot dawgs tonight w/ my Alternative Spring Break group, a.k.a. ASB. We're going on a volunteer trip in January to Alexandria, Virginia to work with disadvantaged youths. Before we go, however, we need to fundraise a bunch of money, and tonight we're cooking hot dogs and giving it to people who "donate" to the fundraiser! Yippee!
All this on Oct. 25th. It's gonna be cold tonight. Hope not too cold.
I was trying to make a transition from hot dogs in cold weather to tailgating before football games to fantasy football, but eh. Whatever. I guess I just made the transition. Are you thinking about fantasy football now? See?
There are a lot of players I'm just sick of right now in fantasy football. They're just despicable. Atrocious. I feel embarrassed just owning them in fantasy leagues. Case in point: Shaun Alexander, or as the Yahoo! sports fantasy home page lists, "Shaun of the Dead." I think it's a great analogy in that he's like a zombie. He's not hurt or sidelined so that I can put in another player, he's just walking along like a zombie, doing mostly nothing and looking like he has dead legs. I almost value a guy who's good when in but hurt a lot higher than a guy who's never hurt but plays poorly.
Rudi Johnson. C'mon man. Kenny Watson had a sick game last week vs. Jets. That coulda been you.
Moss: I'm still upset that you waited until this year to have your breakout year. Sure, you have brady throwing to you now, but u DEFINITELY did not try that hard last year.
Kitna: What happened to you? No TD's the last 2 games? You better show me something, boy, or I'm benching you and benching you hard.
Travis Henry: Father to many illegitimates, using banned substances, and now bruised ribs? Too many rotoworld.com story update lines, not enough box score lines.
Gotta improve this week. One of the 18 things I gotta do before monday: Win.
-Fantasize on, Robert yan
It's your favorite fantasy football commish/ afficianado/guru/nerd talking to you again. It's been a hectic week filled w/ 2 exams, 2 three-hour movie screenings ( mandatory), one paper due, and basically lots of work. I also had to run by all my LOR professors a 2nd time, which i felt bad about doing. I did squeeze in , however, 2 pretty good games of volleyball. Volleyball and I have really just found each other, i wish I would have plaeyd the sport earlier, I hate to brag but i feel like if i started freshman year of high school I woulda been a stud senior year. Coulda cut down on some of that useless busywork called homework and did me some digs, pancakes, slide attacks, and back-row hitting.
I tallied it up and basically from now until next monday or something I have 18 distinct things to do. Urgh. It just keeps going. I got law school apps to worry about, people!
Anyway, the topic of my post was hot dawgs tonight w/ my Alternative Spring Break group, a.k.a. ASB. We're going on a volunteer trip in January to Alexandria, Virginia to work with disadvantaged youths. Before we go, however, we need to fundraise a bunch of money, and tonight we're cooking hot dogs and giving it to people who "donate" to the fundraiser! Yippee!
All this on Oct. 25th. It's gonna be cold tonight. Hope not too cold.
I was trying to make a transition from hot dogs in cold weather to tailgating before football games to fantasy football, but eh. Whatever. I guess I just made the transition. Are you thinking about fantasy football now? See?
There are a lot of players I'm just sick of right now in fantasy football. They're just despicable. Atrocious. I feel embarrassed just owning them in fantasy leagues. Case in point: Shaun Alexander, or as the Yahoo! sports fantasy home page lists, "Shaun of the Dead." I think it's a great analogy in that he's like a zombie. He's not hurt or sidelined so that I can put in another player, he's just walking along like a zombie, doing mostly nothing and looking like he has dead legs. I almost value a guy who's good when in but hurt a lot higher than a guy who's never hurt but plays poorly.
Rudi Johnson. C'mon man. Kenny Watson had a sick game last week vs. Jets. That coulda been you.
Moss: I'm still upset that you waited until this year to have your breakout year. Sure, you have brady throwing to you now, but u DEFINITELY did not try that hard last year.
Kitna: What happened to you? No TD's the last 2 games? You better show me something, boy, or I'm benching you and benching you hard.
Travis Henry: Father to many illegitimates, using banned substances, and now bruised ribs? Too many rotoworld.com story update lines, not enough box score lines.
Gotta improve this week. One of the 18 things I gotta do before monday: Win.
-Fantasize on, Robert yan
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Return to Normalcy
I believe the title of this particular entry listed above is a title to a movie starring Kevin Bacon, either that or a historical movement that we learned about in AP US History. Hmm.
Anyway, still deeply entrenched in a law-school-application mode, but i'm sure i'll add to the updates later. There are some big games tommorrow in the NFL, and it's important to preview them. Also, the BoSox tied the series 3-3 tonight against cleveland as J.D. Drew broke it open right in the first evening w/ a grand slam off fausto carmona, a young stud who i owned for a while and dropped..........him and ryan braun, urgggg...............Anyway, i gotta believe boston has a great chance to win Game 7 tommorrow night in the ALCS.......i'm even thinking they bring josh beckett back for a few innings in a do-or-die situation. Pretty intriguing stuff, too bad I haven't paid attention to the baseball playoffs since EVERY single divisional playoff game went the opposte way i wanted it to go.........D'backs, Rockies, Indians, and Red Sox......it was frustrating. And baseball, as Billy beane puts it ( and i think that man is a genius), is a crapshoot. Seriously, how is it that baseball has a shorter-game series than the NBA does? Too much chance involved, too much likelihood for a Florida Marlins, a St. Louis Cardinals, a 2002 Anaheim Angels.........teams like that.
Football, football, football! Stop getting off track! My roommate has a big dilemma this week where he needs to start 2 of the following 3: Wes Welker, Brandon marshall, and hines ward. Now, this is a tough decision that at first i thought was a no-brainer : Who starts wes welker? But wes had a huge game against dallas last week, and it a POROUS miami D he and tom brady are playing against, PLUS it's his former team whom he has something to prove to. Hines Ward is coming off of injury and hasn't had a big game for a while now, but I'm thinking he breaks out. But does he get covered by champ bailey? Cuz that'd contain him pretty bad. And marshall is now the #1 option for jay cutler in denver. It's a tough choice. Really it is, and i praise myself for being a fantasy football afficianado, but the truth is you can make the absolute RIGHT decision based on past performances, game conditions, opportunities, and player assessment, but once the game starts and the guy you benched puts up awesome numbers, u second-guess urself. This happens quite often, but I think in the long-term if you keep going w/ the right decision plays and going w/ all the information BEFORE the game, you'll have an overall net gain in points. Sure you'll be pissed at yourself some weeks, but long-term ( I anticipate playing fantasy football until i die) it'll pan out.
My decision: Start Hines and Marshall, hope wes welker doesn't make you wince.
Anyone notice that after Game 1, Carson Palmer has thrown 2 INT's in every game since? It's interesting cuz the Bengals have lost 5 straight in those 5 games too. That team is in some serious doo-doo. They should be okay this week tho against the equally bad Jets (1-5). T.J. Houshmandzedah is now a certified fantasy beast on that team at the expense of Ocho Cinco Chad Johnson........Chad seems to get all his points in a couple games during the season too, while T.J. is more consistent. Who woulda thunk that?
I'm licking my chops at starting LJ this week. Slurp.
Can Willis finally get a rushing TD this week in his old city of Buffalo? I say no.
Reggie Bush on turf, facing weak Atlanta D, w/ Drew Brees bouncing back, Deuce McAllister not there to take touches away. I like it.
I laugh at people who drafted Frank Gore anywhere from 4th-7th. He had one great year last year. Here's a tip: DON'T draft him high the next year! That's fantasy 101, folks.
Laurence Maroney has a real chance to prove he's not a bust by getting featured carries this week w/ Sammy Morris out. He's due.
So is torry holt and the whole St. Louis offense. Last year, Big game torry holt had a 154yd, 3TD game vs. Seattle just about at this time of the season. Bulger's back at QB. I expect big things from him tommorrow.
Anyway, still deeply entrenched in a law-school-application mode, but i'm sure i'll add to the updates later. There are some big games tommorrow in the NFL, and it's important to preview them. Also, the BoSox tied the series 3-3 tonight against cleveland as J.D. Drew broke it open right in the first evening w/ a grand slam off fausto carmona, a young stud who i owned for a while and dropped..........him and ryan braun, urgggg...............Anyway, i gotta believe boston has a great chance to win Game 7 tommorrow night in the ALCS.......i'm even thinking they bring josh beckett back for a few innings in a do-or-die situation. Pretty intriguing stuff, too bad I haven't paid attention to the baseball playoffs since EVERY single divisional playoff game went the opposte way i wanted it to go.........D'backs, Rockies, Indians, and Red Sox......it was frustrating. And baseball, as Billy beane puts it ( and i think that man is a genius), is a crapshoot. Seriously, how is it that baseball has a shorter-game series than the NBA does? Too much chance involved, too much likelihood for a Florida Marlins, a St. Louis Cardinals, a 2002 Anaheim Angels.........teams like that.
Football, football, football! Stop getting off track! My roommate has a big dilemma this week where he needs to start 2 of the following 3: Wes Welker, Brandon marshall, and hines ward. Now, this is a tough decision that at first i thought was a no-brainer : Who starts wes welker? But wes had a huge game against dallas last week, and it a POROUS miami D he and tom brady are playing against, PLUS it's his former team whom he has something to prove to. Hines Ward is coming off of injury and hasn't had a big game for a while now, but I'm thinking he breaks out. But does he get covered by champ bailey? Cuz that'd contain him pretty bad. And marshall is now the #1 option for jay cutler in denver. It's a tough choice. Really it is, and i praise myself for being a fantasy football afficianado, but the truth is you can make the absolute RIGHT decision based on past performances, game conditions, opportunities, and player assessment, but once the game starts and the guy you benched puts up awesome numbers, u second-guess urself. This happens quite often, but I think in the long-term if you keep going w/ the right decision plays and going w/ all the information BEFORE the game, you'll have an overall net gain in points. Sure you'll be pissed at yourself some weeks, but long-term ( I anticipate playing fantasy football until i die) it'll pan out.
My decision: Start Hines and Marshall, hope wes welker doesn't make you wince.
Anyone notice that after Game 1, Carson Palmer has thrown 2 INT's in every game since? It's interesting cuz the Bengals have lost 5 straight in those 5 games too. That team is in some serious doo-doo. They should be okay this week tho against the equally bad Jets (1-5). T.J. Houshmandzedah is now a certified fantasy beast on that team at the expense of Ocho Cinco Chad Johnson........Chad seems to get all his points in a couple games during the season too, while T.J. is more consistent. Who woulda thunk that?
I'm licking my chops at starting LJ this week. Slurp.
Can Willis finally get a rushing TD this week in his old city of Buffalo? I say no.
Reggie Bush on turf, facing weak Atlanta D, w/ Drew Brees bouncing back, Deuce McAllister not there to take touches away. I like it.
I laugh at people who drafted Frank Gore anywhere from 4th-7th. He had one great year last year. Here's a tip: DON'T draft him high the next year! That's fantasy 101, folks.
Laurence Maroney has a real chance to prove he's not a bust by getting featured carries this week w/ Sammy Morris out. He's due.
So is torry holt and the whole St. Louis offense. Last year, Big game torry holt had a 154yd, 3TD game vs. Seattle just about at this time of the season. Bulger's back at QB. I expect big things from him tommorrow.
Friday, October 19, 2007
On to the application
So I've got my final application #'s for LSAT: I just got my Sep. 2007, and I did just a tad worse than i expected, no biggie: 167............i was expecting like a 168, 169, which woulda been nice, but 167 is no slouch. I did really poorly in my standards, -9 in logical reasoning combined, a bunch of wrong answers were between 2 answer choices that I had narrowed it down to, and i just picked the wrong one outta those 2. I kick myself thinking if i had won the coin-flip w/ myself in just 2 of those questions, i woulda gotten 169, a really solid score. O well.
So now I'm looking at UCLA and USC, and I'm like exactly dead on UCLA's median scores from last admissions cycle: 167 median, 3.72 GPA. In that case, I'd like to say that my other factors can get me over the hump, but I suspect that my 3-year graduation, no full-time work experience will raise some eyebrows. This is a top-15 or so law school, after all. However, if I apply early decision............that might change some things. We'll see. Strangely, although USC is right behind UCLA and is a really worthy school as well, I feel much more confident that I can get into USC.
Time for the personal statement, boys.
Anyway, despite law school being the first thing I talk about in all these october postings, the one thing that I think about every day is still fantasy sports. And boy do we have a big day tommorrow: My first Fantasy NBA draft. Boy o boy, this is my fav time of year, boys and girls! I love getting great deals on players because they're undervalued, and 2 roto stars i'm targeting in 1st round: Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion. These 2 should be drafted #1 and #4 overall, instead they're going on average #4 and #8. That's unacceptable. People are drafting dwayne wade over dirk when wade is out for at least a month right at the beginning.
A note on Fan baseball, which recently concluded: Next year, do what you shoulda done this year: draft pitchers later. Not even johann santana, the only 1st-round pitcher, did his usual thing, and lotsa early-round pitchers went down like Zambrano, Oswalt. Pitchers are so very volatile and don't get that many starts to average out their stats, whereas hitters get 550 AB-600 AB every year and hit pretty much the same, at least most good hitters do. Take the sure things in the first few rounds, then there are SO many sleeper surprises later in drafts for pitchin that you'll just pluck'em up like nothing. This year there were sleepers like Tom Glavine, Josh Beckett, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum in the middle of the year, Oliver Perez to an extent........lotso lotso guys. So I'd even straight up draft 6 hitters right at the top of the draft and not even think about any pitching, then get a closer or something, wait a few rounds, pick up Aaron Harang, then wait till the end of the draft, pick up Francisco Liriano. Let's just hope he doesn't get hyped up too much over offseason and comes back in full form. Shhhhhh. Don't let this sleeper's name get too loud.
Fantasy football- We're in that stretch of the season when there are the most amount of bye teams- this week there's just 4, last week there were 6, next week they'll be six. Gotta make sure ur not losing games during these bye stretches just cuz u were lazy and didn't put in bye teams. That's just the essentials of fantasy football, guys. The playoffs are crazy, but each regular season game means a lot. Most leagues force u to make the top 1/3 of your league to make the playoffs, so you gotta fight for a winning record, at the least.
-Fantasize on, Robert Yan
So now I'm looking at UCLA and USC, and I'm like exactly dead on UCLA's median scores from last admissions cycle: 167 median, 3.72 GPA. In that case, I'd like to say that my other factors can get me over the hump, but I suspect that my 3-year graduation, no full-time work experience will raise some eyebrows. This is a top-15 or so law school, after all. However, if I apply early decision............that might change some things. We'll see. Strangely, although USC is right behind UCLA and is a really worthy school as well, I feel much more confident that I can get into USC.
Time for the personal statement, boys.
Anyway, despite law school being the first thing I talk about in all these october postings, the one thing that I think about every day is still fantasy sports. And boy do we have a big day tommorrow: My first Fantasy NBA draft. Boy o boy, this is my fav time of year, boys and girls! I love getting great deals on players because they're undervalued, and 2 roto stars i'm targeting in 1st round: Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion. These 2 should be drafted #1 and #4 overall, instead they're going on average #4 and #8. That's unacceptable. People are drafting dwayne wade over dirk when wade is out for at least a month right at the beginning.
A note on Fan baseball, which recently concluded: Next year, do what you shoulda done this year: draft pitchers later. Not even johann santana, the only 1st-round pitcher, did his usual thing, and lotsa early-round pitchers went down like Zambrano, Oswalt. Pitchers are so very volatile and don't get that many starts to average out their stats, whereas hitters get 550 AB-600 AB every year and hit pretty much the same, at least most good hitters do. Take the sure things in the first few rounds, then there are SO many sleeper surprises later in drafts for pitchin that you'll just pluck'em up like nothing. This year there were sleepers like Tom Glavine, Josh Beckett, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum in the middle of the year, Oliver Perez to an extent........lotso lotso guys. So I'd even straight up draft 6 hitters right at the top of the draft and not even think about any pitching, then get a closer or something, wait a few rounds, pick up Aaron Harang, then wait till the end of the draft, pick up Francisco Liriano. Let's just hope he doesn't get hyped up too much over offseason and comes back in full form. Shhhhhh. Don't let this sleeper's name get too loud.
Fantasy football- We're in that stretch of the season when there are the most amount of bye teams- this week there's just 4, last week there were 6, next week they'll be six. Gotta make sure ur not losing games during these bye stretches just cuz u were lazy and didn't put in bye teams. That's just the essentials of fantasy football, guys. The playoffs are crazy, but each regular season game means a lot. Most leagues force u to make the top 1/3 of your league to make the playoffs, so you gotta fight for a winning record, at the least.
-Fantasize on, Robert Yan
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Waiting.....and Waiting
O boy, this waiting for LSAT scores is really dominating my mind right now. I'm thinking about it 24/7. It's even in my dreams! Last night I dreamt I got a 168 on the test and was actually pretty content about it, emailed my professor about it, it all seemed so realistic. But then I woke up and found out it all wasn't true, and I still have like 2 days to go til those scores come out. Urgghh.......The longer this process goes, the more I try to go back in my mind and go over individual questions and the likelihood that I got them right, how many I may have missed in each section, what my worst-case score is, what my best-case score is. Right now I've set my 95% confidence interval at 165-172. I think that's fairly accurate. Let's hope I'm leaning more towards the right side of my own scale than the left side.
Anyways, I promised fantasy discussion and you're gonna get fantasy discussion. Some unfiltered, unadulterated, uninterrupted, exclusive fantasy football discussion. Where to start? Man, at the beginning of this season all the rage was about getting 2 stud RB's for your first 2 picks, and boy there are a lotta fantasy football owners out there kicking themselves for employing that strategy. I am, alas, one of those people. Shaun Alexander + Willis McGahee? Not very good. Coulda some stud QB's/WR's. Travis Henry + Rudi Johnson? One's being suspended soon, the other is on a bad team, getting older, and just playing poorly. Reggie Bush + Willie Parker? This is the only one that I feel good about, especially now that i traded Fast Willie for LJ and the Bush gets all the RB carries in the Big Easy, but still, a lotta people got smacked in the. The other culprits: ( Maurice Jones-Drew, Cedric Benson, Frank Gore, Laurence Maroney, Brandon Jacobs, and the big one, STEVEN JACKSON!) All of these backs suffer currently from lackaproduction, the symptoms of which are excessive fumbling, humbling injuries, splitting carries, and general ineptitude.
I stand corrected in Plax leading the league in Rec TD's. Well he is, but he's tied w/ Moss w/ 8. Moss has just been so sick this year. After drafting him in virtually all my leagues last year and none this year, I feel like the only guy in eighth grade not having a Pokemon cartridge.
Derek Anderson has more Td's (14) than Carson Palmer has (12). Who woulda thunk it. This guy came out of the scrap heap to put up some big numbers, mainly to his main man Braylon Edwards, another WR i passed on. Darn it! I drafted Andre Johnson big, and he was big, but for 2 games. Then injuries have sidelined him. Meanwhile, Braylon has exploded to the tune of 552 yds, 7 TD's. I imagine Braylon owners everywhere are collectively feeling sorry for me right now. Yes, I do feel the pity.
Peyton actually only has 10 pass TD's so far, but he did mix in a rush TD and Indy will still put up points. He'll be fine. Like I needed to tell you.
Every year it becomes painfully that I should draft Brian Westbrook and Marion Barber III, but I never do. Of course, all they've done is be two of the more productive backs in the league, much better than the peanut crew I listed above. If there's anyone I'd get right now, though, It'd be Joseph Addai. He's coming off injury, he's on a sick Indy offense that'll give any RB a Paul Bunyon-sized plot of running room, and the man himself is a freak athlete. If you doubt me, go back to the week4 hurtle-move that he put on a Texan defender to get into the end zone. Then come back here and digest what I just said.
This might be going against popular opinion, but I'd try to sell high on Brett Favre right now while I can. Sure the Packers have no running game and are a good offense overall, so Brett should have plenty of opportunity to do tons of damage, right? I dunno. I think for the rest of his career #4's fantasy value will never be as high ever again, and you can get a good player for him now, when at the beginning of the season u probably got Brett in the last rounds of the draft. This guy is still gonna be reckless with his interceptions. Watch out!
Fantasize on,
Robert yan
Anyways, I promised fantasy discussion and you're gonna get fantasy discussion. Some unfiltered, unadulterated, uninterrupted, exclusive fantasy football discussion. Where to start? Man, at the beginning of this season all the rage was about getting 2 stud RB's for your first 2 picks, and boy there are a lotta fantasy football owners out there kicking themselves for employing that strategy. I am, alas, one of those people. Shaun Alexander + Willis McGahee? Not very good. Coulda some stud QB's/WR's. Travis Henry + Rudi Johnson? One's being suspended soon, the other is on a bad team, getting older, and just playing poorly. Reggie Bush + Willie Parker? This is the only one that I feel good about, especially now that i traded Fast Willie for LJ and the Bush gets all the RB carries in the Big Easy, but still, a lotta people got smacked in the. The other culprits: ( Maurice Jones-Drew, Cedric Benson, Frank Gore, Laurence Maroney, Brandon Jacobs, and the big one, STEVEN JACKSON!) All of these backs suffer currently from lackaproduction, the symptoms of which are excessive fumbling, humbling injuries, splitting carries, and general ineptitude.
I stand corrected in Plax leading the league in Rec TD's. Well he is, but he's tied w/ Moss w/ 8. Moss has just been so sick this year. After drafting him in virtually all my leagues last year and none this year, I feel like the only guy in eighth grade not having a Pokemon cartridge.
Derek Anderson has more Td's (14) than Carson Palmer has (12). Who woulda thunk it. This guy came out of the scrap heap to put up some big numbers, mainly to his main man Braylon Edwards, another WR i passed on. Darn it! I drafted Andre Johnson big, and he was big, but for 2 games. Then injuries have sidelined him. Meanwhile, Braylon has exploded to the tune of 552 yds, 7 TD's. I imagine Braylon owners everywhere are collectively feeling sorry for me right now. Yes, I do feel the pity.
Peyton actually only has 10 pass TD's so far, but he did mix in a rush TD and Indy will still put up points. He'll be fine. Like I needed to tell you.
Every year it becomes painfully that I should draft Brian Westbrook and Marion Barber III, but I never do. Of course, all they've done is be two of the more productive backs in the league, much better than the peanut crew I listed above. If there's anyone I'd get right now, though, It'd be Joseph Addai. He's coming off injury, he's on a sick Indy offense that'll give any RB a Paul Bunyon-sized plot of running room, and the man himself is a freak athlete. If you doubt me, go back to the week4 hurtle-move that he put on a Texan defender to get into the end zone. Then come back here and digest what I just said.
This might be going against popular opinion, but I'd try to sell high on Brett Favre right now while I can. Sure the Packers have no running game and are a good offense overall, so Brett should have plenty of opportunity to do tons of damage, right? I dunno. I think for the rest of his career #4's fantasy value will never be as high ever again, and you can get a good player for him now, when at the beginning of the season u probably got Brett in the last rounds of the draft. This guy is still gonna be reckless with his interceptions. Watch out!
Fantasize on,
Robert yan
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Fall Semester - It's been a while
Wow, can't believe how long it's been since I've updated this blog, but here goes...........A lot of events have happened in the life of Robert Yan since June 20th ( 4 months do tend to go by rather quickly). *Note: If you came to the blog just to read on the fantasy stuff and do not give one droplet of shit about the life of Robert Yan, skip down to the good stuff. * I recommend it
I realize now that I may have been a little traumatized by my LSAT score, which came back as a 166, really below my expected total of 169, as you could see in my previous posts. Part of the reason was the June test had a really rough curve, as a -12 resulted in a 166; not to say that it was unfair, but I was definitely a little disappointed about my score, probably a lot more so back in June when I got it than I am. Wow, 172? What was I thinking? Anyway, I retook the LSAT in September and thought I did alright on it, most likely better than 166 but not by too much. In this particular test I felt didn't go as well as the June test, but I dunno if maybe that's just me trying not to be overoptimistic like last time and disappointing myself. Hopefully that's the case and not just me doing really poorly. I figure the worst I could have done was a 165 and the best maybe a 172, so average that out and get a 168, 169, that'd be pretty good in my estimation.
(O btw, I promise to get to the fantasy sports stuff. Bare with me here, I'm ramblin about my life.)
Anyway, so I think regardless of the score that comes out this friday/ saturday I will apply early decision to UCLA ( my number 1 choice), apply elsewhere to USC and Washington University , a fairely safe school in Illinois, and then some reach schools like Michigan, UC-Berkeley, Penn, and Georgetown. Crossing my fingers because I figure my "soft factors" like work experience are a bit weak, and I still need to write my personal statement.
I also need to get my grades up a bit in my current classes; I don't want to lose ground now that I'm in the home stretch. Fin300 and BA449 are my tough classes right now that might be a threat to my GPA, and I haven't done anything that's been graded yet in Fin241. Gotta suck it up!
I've become appointed webmaster of an organization on campus called "A Novel Idea," centered on discussing books we've read. I'm now treasurer for SIFE; signed up for a winter Alternative Spring Break trip to Alexandria, Virginia. Exciting!
O btw, another summer at camp passed...........more quickly than the last time, but I'd almost rate it as better than the first summer in that I knew what I was doing, felt more adequate at my job, and played a bigger role in the fun skits/ counselor activities. It wasn't as fresh and new as last year, but I found myself so comfortable with myself, all the small stuff became routine and I could just enjoy myself, have fun. The only new thing was being bus captain, and I think I did a fairly swell job, other than maybe having to motivate the other bus counselors more. That reminds me, gotta rehearse some of those songs before I lose them again, 1.) Little Bunny Foo Foo, Hopping Through the Forest..........2.) I woke up Sunday morning, I looked upon the wall.......3.) There was a great big moose, he liked to drink a lot of juice.........ahhh fun times.
Heroes. Survivor: China. The Office. Monday Night Raw. Friday Night Lights. Are the shows I am currently watching. Big Brother 8 was pretty exciting this summer with a just absolutely horrific ending for me, at least, in that Dick and Daniele Final 2. Urgghhhhh! Dick coulda been voted out twice by Eric if America just voted him out......I didn't see why he was so popular anyway just based on the show, I'm guessing America voted based on his rocker personality and CBS editing. My chances of being on Big Brother 9? 0.05%, I'd say. Then again, Daniele got on the show somehow before her 21st birthday.......What? Hey, you never know, Big Brother hasn't had Asian representation for a while!
* Btw, the "one droplet of shit" quote was from Gene Hackman in Runaway Jury, a VERY underrated movie that had a bunch of other powerhouse actors and the plot was great. Saw it for the 4th time over the weekend. *Whew. Alright now to the actual stuff. Fantasy sports. This is an awesome time for fantasy. Baseball season just ended, but we got so much stuff happening...........Middle of fantasy football season, just started fantasy hockey, and then in 2 weeks.............FANTASY BASKETBALL! Yum. A moment of silence for the fantasy baseball season. My 4 teams, coincidentally or not, finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Two of them got eliminated in the playoffs in the semifinals in the same week, a very disastrous and depressing week for me where nobody in either lineup could get a hit. It's frustrating how in head-to-head you can have a great regular season, put up sick numbers, and none of it matters when playing a one-week loser-go-home system. Ehh. I had an AWESOME fantasy baseball season though, very enjoyable, and really learned about the art of the game wheras in other seasons I concentrated more on basketball or football. Favorite players this year: Manny Corpas, Shane Victorino, Rafael Soriano, Carlos Zambrano ( although he was a huge headache), Carlos Beltran, and Garret Atkins. Those players helped me tremendously. The huge Jimmy Rollins + Adam Dunn for Carl Crawford and Carlos Zambrano deal at the beginning of the year that I made, well you can see that it didn't work out too well for me. I didn't get suckered, but it didn't have a net benefit for me. I did trade Crawford for Beltran and both did pretty good for me, first-rate stuff, but Carlos was erratic while Rollins broke out into a superstar this year and Adam belted 40.
I'll get to basketball soon. And I'll let you know who I'm drafting. But football this year, I have 3 Antonio Gates's. ( Meaning I have him in all 3 of my leagues.) Wow. So far it's worked out alrigth, but w/ the WR pushes in the league, I'm almost regretting tripling up on him so ferociously, especially when T.O., Moss, and some other guys were available at those positions. I did get Plax Buress in 2 leagues though, so that made up for it as he leads the league in Rec Td's w/ 8. EIGHT! I recently traded Willie parker for Larry Johnson and I liked the deal because first I'm a big fan of getting players who were drafted earlier than the other player, but Larry showed signs of improvement vs. CIN and KC has shown they're not THAT bad. They have an outside shot at winning their division, and KC winning = more LJ running. That's good. I say torry holt still gets his numbers by the end of the year. Big game owners, stay put. Anquan and Fitzgerald owners, you might wanna be careful. Arizona's down to Tim Rattay as their QB. I'd say if you have both dump at least one. I'm thinking Hines Ward comes back healthy this week and finishes year strong, him and Big Ben lead Pitt to division. I think Rudi Johnson might be done. Those with him or Travis Henry, dump for value ASAP!
Alright that's it for now. More good stuff comin your way soon, especially fantasy-wise cuz I know y'all rely on this blog for support. Haha. Who am I kidding.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
I realize now that I may have been a little traumatized by my LSAT score, which came back as a 166, really below my expected total of 169, as you could see in my previous posts. Part of the reason was the June test had a really rough curve, as a -12 resulted in a 166; not to say that it was unfair, but I was definitely a little disappointed about my score, probably a lot more so back in June when I got it than I am. Wow, 172? What was I thinking? Anyway, I retook the LSAT in September and thought I did alright on it, most likely better than 166 but not by too much. In this particular test I felt didn't go as well as the June test, but I dunno if maybe that's just me trying not to be overoptimistic like last time and disappointing myself. Hopefully that's the case and not just me doing really poorly. I figure the worst I could have done was a 165 and the best maybe a 172, so average that out and get a 168, 169, that'd be pretty good in my estimation.
(O btw, I promise to get to the fantasy sports stuff. Bare with me here, I'm ramblin about my life.)
Anyway, so I think regardless of the score that comes out this friday/ saturday I will apply early decision to UCLA ( my number 1 choice), apply elsewhere to USC and Washington University , a fairely safe school in Illinois, and then some reach schools like Michigan, UC-Berkeley, Penn, and Georgetown. Crossing my fingers because I figure my "soft factors" like work experience are a bit weak, and I still need to write my personal statement.
I also need to get my grades up a bit in my current classes; I don't want to lose ground now that I'm in the home stretch. Fin300 and BA449 are my tough classes right now that might be a threat to my GPA, and I haven't done anything that's been graded yet in Fin241. Gotta suck it up!
I've become appointed webmaster of an organization on campus called "A Novel Idea," centered on discussing books we've read. I'm now treasurer for SIFE; signed up for a winter Alternative Spring Break trip to Alexandria, Virginia. Exciting!
O btw, another summer at camp passed...........more quickly than the last time, but I'd almost rate it as better than the first summer in that I knew what I was doing, felt more adequate at my job, and played a bigger role in the fun skits/ counselor activities. It wasn't as fresh and new as last year, but I found myself so comfortable with myself, all the small stuff became routine and I could just enjoy myself, have fun. The only new thing was being bus captain, and I think I did a fairly swell job, other than maybe having to motivate the other bus counselors more. That reminds me, gotta rehearse some of those songs before I lose them again, 1.) Little Bunny Foo Foo, Hopping Through the Forest..........2.) I woke up Sunday morning, I looked upon the wall.......3.) There was a great big moose, he liked to drink a lot of juice.........ahhh fun times.
Heroes. Survivor: China. The Office. Monday Night Raw. Friday Night Lights. Are the shows I am currently watching. Big Brother 8 was pretty exciting this summer with a just absolutely horrific ending for me, at least, in that Dick and Daniele Final 2. Urgghhhhh! Dick coulda been voted out twice by Eric if America just voted him out......I didn't see why he was so popular anyway just based on the show, I'm guessing America voted based on his rocker personality and CBS editing. My chances of being on Big Brother 9? 0.05%, I'd say. Then again, Daniele got on the show somehow before her 21st birthday.......What? Hey, you never know, Big Brother hasn't had Asian representation for a while!
* Btw, the "one droplet of shit" quote was from Gene Hackman in Runaway Jury, a VERY underrated movie that had a bunch of other powerhouse actors and the plot was great. Saw it for the 4th time over the weekend. *Whew. Alright now to the actual stuff. Fantasy sports. This is an awesome time for fantasy. Baseball season just ended, but we got so much stuff happening...........Middle of fantasy football season, just started fantasy hockey, and then in 2 weeks.............FANTASY BASKETBALL! Yum. A moment of silence for the fantasy baseball season. My 4 teams, coincidentally or not, finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Two of them got eliminated in the playoffs in the semifinals in the same week, a very disastrous and depressing week for me where nobody in either lineup could get a hit. It's frustrating how in head-to-head you can have a great regular season, put up sick numbers, and none of it matters when playing a one-week loser-go-home system. Ehh. I had an AWESOME fantasy baseball season though, very enjoyable, and really learned about the art of the game wheras in other seasons I concentrated more on basketball or football. Favorite players this year: Manny Corpas, Shane Victorino, Rafael Soriano, Carlos Zambrano ( although he was a huge headache), Carlos Beltran, and Garret Atkins. Those players helped me tremendously. The huge Jimmy Rollins + Adam Dunn for Carl Crawford and Carlos Zambrano deal at the beginning of the year that I made, well you can see that it didn't work out too well for me. I didn't get suckered, but it didn't have a net benefit for me. I did trade Crawford for Beltran and both did pretty good for me, first-rate stuff, but Carlos was erratic while Rollins broke out into a superstar this year and Adam belted 40.
I'll get to basketball soon. And I'll let you know who I'm drafting. But football this year, I have 3 Antonio Gates's. ( Meaning I have him in all 3 of my leagues.) Wow. So far it's worked out alrigth, but w/ the WR pushes in the league, I'm almost regretting tripling up on him so ferociously, especially when T.O., Moss, and some other guys were available at those positions. I did get Plax Buress in 2 leagues though, so that made up for it as he leads the league in Rec Td's w/ 8. EIGHT! I recently traded Willie parker for Larry Johnson and I liked the deal because first I'm a big fan of getting players who were drafted earlier than the other player, but Larry showed signs of improvement vs. CIN and KC has shown they're not THAT bad. They have an outside shot at winning their division, and KC winning = more LJ running. That's good. I say torry holt still gets his numbers by the end of the year. Big game owners, stay put. Anquan and Fitzgerald owners, you might wanna be careful. Arizona's down to Tim Rattay as their QB. I'd say if you have both dump at least one. I'm thinking Hines Ward comes back healthy this week and finishes year strong, him and Big Ben lead Pitt to division. I think Rudi Johnson might be done. Those with him or Travis Henry, dump for value ASAP!
Alright that's it for now. More good stuff comin your way soon, especially fantasy-wise cuz I know y'all rely on this blog for support. Haha. Who am I kidding.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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