WBRS Sports Blog

QB: Marc Bulger (Rams) - Bulger was the fourth qb taken on our board, going in the third round. However various injuries, concussions, and poor play have led Bulger to be just the 26th highest scoring fantasy qb, behind the likes of Travarious Jackson and Joey Harrington. Now that has to leave owners with a headache
RBs: Larry Johnson (Chiefs) & Sean Alexander (Seahawks)- Two of the premier RBs of recent memory, LJ and Alexander went third and fourth (overall) respectively in our draft. But 39th and 41st in points for running backs?! - my how the mighty have fallen
WRs: Steve Smith (Panthers)- It hasn't really been his fault, after all Vinny T has started for Carolina this year. But Smith was the first wideout off the board, and just hasn't met expectations
Marvin Harrison (Colts) - He was the third receiver drafted, but Starvin' Marvin has basically only played in 3 full games this year because of injuries
Javon Walker (Broncos) - Another one who was plagued by the injury bug, 0 Tds and 22 catches is just not acceptable
TE: Todd Heap (Ravens) - Yet again, injuries rob fantasy owners of a top flight player, as Heap has just 35 fantasy pts this season
DEF: Baltimore - It has just been a dismal yr for the Ravens, who have come no where close to warranting a 6th round draft choice, as they are just the 23rd ranked fantasy defense
K: Adam Vinatieri (Colts) - They say to never draft a kicker before the last round, so the fact that Vinatieri went in the 8th round is grounds enough for a bust. But just 21st in points for kickers - now that really is a grinch

THE GIFT-GETTERS (The all-bargain team):
QB: Derek Anderson (Browns)- He's cooled off a bit as of late, but the guy wasn't even starting week one, let alone drafted by any fantasy owner. Those who were smart enough to snatch the #5 qb off waivers should be thanking their lucky stars
RBs: Ryan Grant (Packers)- Here's a guy who had just 6 total carries the first seven weeks. But since gaining the starting job after the bye week, Grant has gone off, and now is not only a top 20 back for the entire year, but he has a legit shot at 1000 yards too
Earnest Graham (Bucs)- Who needs a drive a Cadillac when you have a Graham? Tampa's rb has filled in admirably. He is the #10 back this season, and one of the biggest reasons the Bucs (and his fantasy owners)are somehow going to the playoffs this year
WRs: Randy Moss (Patriots)- The guy did go in the fourth round of our draft, but anything less than a top 5 pick for Moss is gonna put him in the bargain category when he puts up numbers like 1400 yards and 21TDs
Wes Welker (Pats)- Geeze the Pats must have some good qb huh? Welker went in the last round of our draft, and now he's still 6th in WR points despite a few subpar weeks lately. (Boy was I smart to pay attention till the end of the draft and take him)
Brandon Marshall (Broncos)- Out of the ashes of Javon Walker rose Marshall, who went even later than Welker in the last round of the draft, and is now Jay Cutler's favorite target and a top 12 fantasy wideout
TE: Jason Witten (Cowboys)- The fact that Witten has had a great year isn't surprising, but a 10th round selection, right ahead of Alex Smith, is downright shocking
DEF: Minnesota- Adrian Peterson isn't the only reason the Viks have a shot at the postseason. Their D is #2 in fantasy points. Nice work for a unit that wasn't even drafted
K: Mason Crosby (Packers) and Rob Bironas (Titans)- Crosby and Bironas are the two highest scoring kickers this year, and not surprisingly, neither was drafted. Just goes to show that you never take a kicker before the last round


So there you have it Santa - whose been naughty and whose been nice to fantasy owners this year. Now go squeeze down that chimney!




HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM WBRS SPORTS- We'll see ya in '08!

Three thoughts for you...

1) I don't know if ironic is the right word...but this is quite amazing...check out this New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/01/sports/01MCNA.html

This article, written in 2000 was written by the very same Brian McNamee who was accused of injecting Roger Clemens and others with steroids while the strength coach of the New York Yankees.

The article's title says "Don't Be So Quick to Judge All That Power" and the most ridiculous comment coming from this man has to be this one: "The suggestion that steroids are the answer to the increased strength, recovery from injury and the improved performances of today's players is just wrong. The advances in training techniques have come a long way and are continuing to undergo research and development."

Wow...so unless something about the Mitchell Report is very, very wrong or this man is very, very phony...

2) Let's discuss what Jason Stark pointed out here: http://proxy.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3157202

This really, really is a ridiculous double standard. I heard from one of my Red Sox (and Patrioits) friends that the Yankees World Series of 1996-2000 should be erased off the record books because of the Mitchell Report. I informed him that of all the players of the Yankees named, none of them were doing it during those years according to the report except maybe a few fringe players from the 2000 team...

Then I turned the table and said...OK, so what about the Patriots accomplishments with Rodney Harrison?

He said "What do you mean?"

He didn't even know...

The media seems to pick on baseball to a ridiculous degree on this issue when players like Harrison and Merriman of the Chargers get free passes...

3) How prophetic did Theo Epstein's conversation in the Mitchell report turn out to be about Gagne...?

4) This was presented as a definitive list of steroids users because one guy who worked for the Yankees and one who worked for the Mets got caught doing illegal activities and ratted people out. People say "Look! Sammy Sosa is clean because his name is not in the report!" Um....but they didn't catch anyone in Chicago...or Boston for that matter...which brings up the point that maybe Senator Mitchell wasn't the right man for the job...regardless of how "honorable" he supposedly is, he still has a job with the Red Sox...

5) Hall of Fame? If the hitter and pitcher both cheated, who has the advantage? There's people in the hall with Vaseline balls, spitballs, drug users, etc. McGwire doesn't pass Rob Neyer's test of "would he have made the Hall without PED's"? But who knows when he used them and how much they helped him out? If someone didn't fail a test (a la Palmeiro), I don't know how you can exclude them...

Thoughts???

*(Photo by Ravi Kotecha / SportsPix)

To say that Brandeis has been waiting a long time for this game would be an understatement. At a school starving for something to raise school spirit and bring everyone together, Saturday's game against Amherst is really what everyone has been waiting for. Yes, Brandeis did lose to UMass-Dartmouth in OT on Thursday, dropping their record to 7-1; and yes, Brandeis will once again be without their star forward, Steve DeLuca. But the squad has still showed a lot of grit and determination, coming from behind in almost half of their victories this season. The Judges are still #3 in the nation, and a win Saturday against top-ranked Amherst College, the defending D3 National Champion will most likely still put the Judges at the #1 spot heading into the semester break, a place the team has never ever been. Red Auerbach Arena is gonna be packed tomorrow, and the crowd will certainly be ready. But what do the Judges need to do if they are to spring the upset and hand the Lord Jeffs their first loss of the season?

One big key for the Judges will be strong play all-around on the inside. Amherst boasts four seniors who stand 6'6'' or taller, three of whom score in double figures. The Judges are going to need sophomore forward Terrell Hollins, who leads the team at both scoring and rebounding (17 and 6 respectively) to have a huge game. But Hollins has had a propensity for getting in foul trouble this year, and he needs to stay on the court for the Judges to have a chance. Senior center Stephen Hill needs to step up around Hollins, especially on the boards, to help combat the Lord Jeffs size. Also look for Judges Coach Brian Meehan to bring in sophomore Rich Magee and freshman Napoleon Lherrison for more bodies, and fouls, on the interior.

In the backcourt, there's not much else to be said about Amherst senior Andrew Olson. He's as good as it gets for the division 3 level. Think of him as a cross between Steve Nash and Jason Kidd - yes he's that good. But what the Judges do have on Amherst in the backcourt is depth. Seniors Kwame Graves-Fulgham and Joe Coppens both average in double figures. Sophomore Andre Roberson is also contributing over 10 a game off the bench, and senior Florian Rexhepi leads the squad in assists at almost 4 a contest. Also expect to see a lot of Kevin Olson, one of the Judges best shooters, especially if Coppens is hobbled by a recent injury. If the Judges are to slow down Andrew Olson, whose not 100% himself, it is going to take a total team effort to tire him out. The Judges 2-2-1 full court press will probably play a big role in that attempt.

Whatever happens tomorrow, it should be an outstanding game. The crowd is expected to be one of the largest, loudest, and rowdiest in school history, and a win would do wonders for school spirit. But will that be enough to get the Judges over the hump? It's gonna be tough. It's too bad neither team is coming into this game at full strength, because until then we won't really know who is the best in New England, and maybe the country. Tomorrow's game will go a long way to determining that - but I have a feeling we won't know for sure who is the best until both teams meet again, at full strength, sometime in late March....

it shouldn't be allowed.

That seems to be the way things work in MLB.

When Curt Schilling was traded to Boston prior to the 2004 season, his contract extension called for an option year to automatically take effect if the Red Sox won the World Series. They did, and that option was picked up. Shortly after that, MLB ruled that such provisions could no longer be in player contracts.

Now, after Schilling's last contract included a clause that called for a $1 million bonus for receiving a Cy Young vote (any Cy Young vote), the Baseball Writers' Association of America agreed that players who have bonuses attached to awards, would (effective 2013) not be eligible for that award.

The ruling is understandable, but seriously, hundreds of players have contracts that call for some sort of bonus for winning an award, why did the decision come down after another Schilling deal?

It's a conspiracy I tell you - just like the one in the NFL with the officials making the Ravens lose the game...
(That's dumb too by the way).

What impact will this "rule" have on the incentive-laden deals in baseball?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section.