Saturday, September 5, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Daytime Emmy Awards
A beautiful 30something is afraid that her looks have tarnished. Suitors no longer clamor for her attention the way they once did. Eventually, however, as her mid-life crises raged on, she was rescued from the throes of obscurity by a knight in shining armor.
Sadly, it's not a melodramatic storyline from one of daytime's eight remaining soap operas. It's the story of the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, the highest honor bestowed upon daytime entertainment.
For much of the year, the talk wasn't about who would win a Daytime Emmy, but rather if there would be a Daytime Emmy telecast. Because of economic reasons, CBS opted out of broadcasting this year's awards ceremony. ABC had a chance to step in, but it, too, passed. Even SOAPnet, the all-things-soaps cable channel, declined.
One of the big winners last night, Christian LeBlanc from Y&R
Rather than being relegated to someone's living room, Associated Television International stepped in with a new vision for the Daytime Emmy telecast. That vision included something that seemed improbable just five years ago: for the first time in its history, the Daytime Emmys would not broadcast on one of the three major networks.
The Emmy ceremony was also shifted from the posh Kodak Theater in Hollywood to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. In perhaps an unintentional and ironic bit of symbolism, the Orpheum, once one of four vibrant venues built during the height of 1920s vaudeville, sits on the same street as three other shuttered theaters.
Though the mood may have been more somber than in years past, daytime's bright stars -- from the world of soaps, children's television, talk shows, court shows, and game shows -- turned out to honor those nominated as the best in daytime television. The event was hosted by Grammy winner Vanessa Williams, who on the surface has no ties to daytime television, but who says she watches talk shows and court shows in her dressing room, and admits to having been a regular viewer of soaps "way back in the day."
As the term "changes" repeatedly linked itself to all Emmy discussion, the night also saw its share of surprises. There were five first-time winners, some exuberant exclamations from the stage, and seemingly overdue recognition for a daytime drama series that is believed to be the most-watched program in the world.
Sadly, it's not a melodramatic storyline from one of daytime's eight remaining soap operas. It's the story of the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, the highest honor bestowed upon daytime entertainment.
For much of the year, the talk wasn't about who would win a Daytime Emmy, but rather if there would be a Daytime Emmy telecast. Because of economic reasons, CBS opted out of broadcasting this year's awards ceremony. ABC had a chance to step in, but it, too, passed. Even SOAPnet, the all-things-soaps cable channel, declined.
One of the big winners last night, Christian LeBlanc from Y&R
Rather than being relegated to someone's living room, Associated Television International stepped in with a new vision for the Daytime Emmy telecast. That vision included something that seemed improbable just five years ago: for the first time in its history, the Daytime Emmys would not broadcast on one of the three major networks.
The Emmy ceremony was also shifted from the posh Kodak Theater in Hollywood to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. In perhaps an unintentional and ironic bit of symbolism, the Orpheum, once one of four vibrant venues built during the height of 1920s vaudeville, sits on the same street as three other shuttered theaters.
Though the mood may have been more somber than in years past, daytime's bright stars -- from the world of soaps, children's television, talk shows, court shows, and game shows -- turned out to honor those nominated as the best in daytime television. The event was hosted by Grammy winner Vanessa Williams, who on the surface has no ties to daytime television, but who says she watches talk shows and court shows in her dressing room, and admits to having been a regular viewer of soaps "way back in the day."
As the term "changes" repeatedly linked itself to all Emmy discussion, the night also saw its share of surprises. There were five first-time winners, some exuberant exclamations from the stage, and seemingly overdue recognition for a daytime drama series that is believed to be the most-watched program in the world.
Game Time Decisions
Preseason game 3 notes
Brian Swaw
Preseason game 3 notes
18 teams played their all-important 3rd preseason game this past weekend. Here are a few of our observations of player performances and fantasy impact:
•Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was pulled from last night's game after just 3 plays with a leg injury. He was sacked by Seahawks DT Brandon Mebane and fell awkwardly. X-rays came back negative, but no further updates have been given. Don't expect to hear much about it either. Chiefs GM Scott Pioli comes from the Bill Belichick camp.
•Browns QBs Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson split reps with the 1st-team offense for the first 3 quarters of last night's game against the Titans. Quinn finished 11 of 15 for 128 yards and a TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards. Meanwhile, Anderson completed 7 of 11 passes for 77 yards. Both guys played well, but looked for HC Eric Mangini to name Quinn his starter early this week.
•Lions RB Kevin Smith rushed 8 times for 50 yards and added 3 catches for 33 yards in just 1 quarter of action yesterday afternoon against the Colts. Smith looked powerful, breaking tackles and pushing piles for a few extra yards. It looks like Detroit's offense will revolve around Smith, not Calvin Johnson. Smith continues to be undervalued with an ADP in the late 3rd round
•Giants RB Brandon Jacobs left the game to get an x-ray on his arm but returned shortly after. He finished the night with 6 carries for 24 yards, plus an 8-yard TD reception. Just a little reminder that this guy is injury-prone. But he's got top-5 upside if he can play a full 16-game season.
•Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck's 1st pass of the night was picked off by CB Brandon Flowers and returned for a TD. But Hass proceeded to shred the Chiefs secondary. He finished the night 19 of 25 for 216 yards and 2 TDs in just over 1 half of action. His TDs went to WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and TE John Carlson. Hasselbeck has looked excellent this preseason. And more importantly, he's looked healthy. He's a borderline QB1.
•Colts TE Dallas Clark caught 6 passes for 63 yards and a TD in just over 1 half of action this yesterday. To say Clark and QB Peyton Manning were on the same page would be a serious understatement. Clark is the #2 option in one of the best passing games in the NFL
•Panthers WR Steve Smith appeared in his 1st preseason game of 2009 last night against the Ravens. He finished with 2 catches for 37 yards and looked 100% healthy. Smith was targeted 4 times. He can be safely drafted as a WR1.
•Lions QBs Daunte Culpepper and Matt Stafford played equally well in the team's 3rd preseason game yesterday afternoon. Culpepper got the start and finished 7 of 12 for 67 yards and 1 TD on 2 drives. Stafford played 4 series and completed 13 of 19 attempts for 160 yards and 1 INT. We wouldn't be surprised if the Lions waited until after their final preseason game before naming a starter.
•Ravens RB Ray Rice struggled a bit on the ground last night against the Panthers. He rushed 10 times for just 32 yards. But he also caught 8 balls for 67 yards. Most of the receptions came on check-downs, and Rice did an excellent job picking up chunks of yardage after the catch. Baltimore is definitely gearing up to make Rice the focal point of its offense. However, it's worth noting that RBs LeRon McClain and Willis McGahee combined for 4 carries inside the Panthers' 10, while Rice didn't receive any.
•Raiders RB Darren McFadden had an uneventful afternoon against the Saints. He rushed 3 times for 0 yards and caught 3 balls for 21 yards. The Raiders were smoked 45-7, and the offense never got in rhythm. We're just hoping this performance drops McFaddens's ADP a bit. We still love him as a RB2
Brian Swaw
Preseason game 3 notes
18 teams played their all-important 3rd preseason game this past weekend. Here are a few of our observations of player performances and fantasy impact:
•Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was pulled from last night's game after just 3 plays with a leg injury. He was sacked by Seahawks DT Brandon Mebane and fell awkwardly. X-rays came back negative, but no further updates have been given. Don't expect to hear much about it either. Chiefs GM Scott Pioli comes from the Bill Belichick camp.
•Browns QBs Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson split reps with the 1st-team offense for the first 3 quarters of last night's game against the Titans. Quinn finished 11 of 15 for 128 yards and a TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards. Meanwhile, Anderson completed 7 of 11 passes for 77 yards. Both guys played well, but looked for HC Eric Mangini to name Quinn his starter early this week.
•Lions RB Kevin Smith rushed 8 times for 50 yards and added 3 catches for 33 yards in just 1 quarter of action yesterday afternoon against the Colts. Smith looked powerful, breaking tackles and pushing piles for a few extra yards. It looks like Detroit's offense will revolve around Smith, not Calvin Johnson. Smith continues to be undervalued with an ADP in the late 3rd round
•Giants RB Brandon Jacobs left the game to get an x-ray on his arm but returned shortly after. He finished the night with 6 carries for 24 yards, plus an 8-yard TD reception. Just a little reminder that this guy is injury-prone. But he's got top-5 upside if he can play a full 16-game season.
•Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck's 1st pass of the night was picked off by CB Brandon Flowers and returned for a TD. But Hass proceeded to shred the Chiefs secondary. He finished the night 19 of 25 for 216 yards and 2 TDs in just over 1 half of action. His TDs went to WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and TE John Carlson. Hasselbeck has looked excellent this preseason. And more importantly, he's looked healthy. He's a borderline QB1.
•Colts TE Dallas Clark caught 6 passes for 63 yards and a TD in just over 1 half of action this yesterday. To say Clark and QB Peyton Manning were on the same page would be a serious understatement. Clark is the #2 option in one of the best passing games in the NFL
•Panthers WR Steve Smith appeared in his 1st preseason game of 2009 last night against the Ravens. He finished with 2 catches for 37 yards and looked 100% healthy. Smith was targeted 4 times. He can be safely drafted as a WR1.
•Lions QBs Daunte Culpepper and Matt Stafford played equally well in the team's 3rd preseason game yesterday afternoon. Culpepper got the start and finished 7 of 12 for 67 yards and 1 TD on 2 drives. Stafford played 4 series and completed 13 of 19 attempts for 160 yards and 1 INT. We wouldn't be surprised if the Lions waited until after their final preseason game before naming a starter.
•Ravens RB Ray Rice struggled a bit on the ground last night against the Panthers. He rushed 10 times for just 32 yards. But he also caught 8 balls for 67 yards. Most of the receptions came on check-downs, and Rice did an excellent job picking up chunks of yardage after the catch. Baltimore is definitely gearing up to make Rice the focal point of its offense. However, it's worth noting that RBs LeRon McClain and Willis McGahee combined for 4 carries inside the Panthers' 10, while Rice didn't receive any.
•Raiders RB Darren McFadden had an uneventful afternoon against the Saints. He rushed 3 times for 0 yards and caught 3 balls for 21 yards. The Raiders were smoked 45-7, and the offense never got in rhythm. We're just hoping this performance drops McFaddens's ADP a bit. We still love him as a RB2
Monday, August 24, 2009
Simms Injured Leg
08/24/2009 4:26 PM -
“Broncos quarterback Chris Simms sustained a lower-leg injury during Saturday’s preseason game against the Seahawks. The severity of the injury is yet to be disclosed.”
SOURCE: ROTOTIMES
Related Posts
Simms/Orton To Compete 04/03/2009
Situation Could Be Simms’ Gain? 03/22/2009
Simms Signs With Denver 03/05/2009
Cowboys Could Go After Simms 02/03/2009
Ravens Looking At Simms? 08/31/2008
Friday, August 21, 2009
eCouchCoach
1. Tom Brady, NE—The knee is healthy and Brady is hungry, making him my top fantasy QB. With a more than capable group of receivers, Brady will eclipse the 4,000 yard mark and should lead the NFL in TD passes.
2. Peyton Manning, IND—Consistency is the name of the game when drafting the quarterback high and over the last decade, no player has been more consistent than Manning. He may not be the top fantasy QB, but you won't kick yourself for the pick.
3. Drew Brees, NO—The Saints will still be hurling the ball down the field this year, but the tougher schedule puts Brees' TD-to-INT ratio in jeopardy. He is the top fantasy QB for some, but he's not as flawless as you may think.
4. Aaron Rodgers, GB—Rodgers has no problem adjusting to life as a starter and now that he has a rhythm with his receivers the good times will keep rolling. Even though he faced plenty of passing situations, Rodgers found a way to keep his INT numbers down.
5. Kurt Warner, ARI—If Warner is the starter in Arizona for 16 games he is a fabulous pick. There are plenty of weapons around him and Warner does a great job of getting the ball out of his hands.
6. Donovan McNabb, PHI—The Eagles' Super Bowl hopes are resting on the shoulders of McNabb. Philly's line is stronger and the receivers are deeper, every year owners sleep on McNabb and every year he makes teams pay.
2. Peyton Manning, IND—Consistency is the name of the game when drafting the quarterback high and over the last decade, no player has been more consistent than Manning. He may not be the top fantasy QB, but you won't kick yourself for the pick.
3. Drew Brees, NO—The Saints will still be hurling the ball down the field this year, but the tougher schedule puts Brees' TD-to-INT ratio in jeopardy. He is the top fantasy QB for some, but he's not as flawless as you may think.
4. Aaron Rodgers, GB—Rodgers has no problem adjusting to life as a starter and now that he has a rhythm with his receivers the good times will keep rolling. Even though he faced plenty of passing situations, Rodgers found a way to keep his INT numbers down.
5. Kurt Warner, ARI—If Warner is the starter in Arizona for 16 games he is a fabulous pick. There are plenty of weapons around him and Warner does a great job of getting the ball out of his hands.
6. Donovan McNabb, PHI—The Eagles' Super Bowl hopes are resting on the shoulders of McNabb. Philly's line is stronger and the receivers are deeper, every year owners sleep on McNabb and every year he makes teams pay.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Fantasy Baseball Advice
Dead Weight: Hitters
By Cary James, Fantasy Baseball Cafe Regular
Hello again! Today we return to the hitters who are making you hate that you paid good money for draft guides. Luck is 50% of fantasy sports, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Notice, this isn’t a Buy/Sell guide per se, but a document of human suffering. I will then increase the level of suffering by including two players regularly available in most leagues that have been playing better than your second-round bust. Let the fun begin!
Dead Weight
C: Russell Martin (LAD)
No power, not enough steals, and he’s barely hitting for average. And here’s a painfully fun game brought to you by hindsight.
Catcher A: 48 runs / 3 HR / 33 RBI / 9 SB / .261 BA
Catcher B: 52 runs / 9 HR / 53 RBI / 5 SB / .277 BA
Isn’t it awful to know that the first line is Russell and the second is some scrubby catcher picked up on waivers? And you passed up on solid 4-category OFs or stud pitchers to draft a catching equivalent to Ivan Rodriguez? Oh yeah, I went there.
Replace him with…
Kurt Suzuki (OAK)
Yup, he is Catcher B in the last example. Not much else to report, but…*yawn*…boy is it hard to write about catchers. Did you know I drafted Ramon Hernandez too early in my draft, but was able to replace him with Brandon Inge in a pinch? Anywho, expect middling numbers from Suzuki through the rest of the season, probably a .270 average with about 15 runs/ribbies to the end. Mixed leaguers can do better, but AL-only players are holding him close their hearts.
Miguel Olivo (KC)
In need of power and willing to sacrifice batting average? Sounds like a Royals catcher to me! John Buck wasn’t hitting 15 homers with .200 average, so Olivo has taken over gracefully, bashing 16 homers and even hitting .240! However, Brayan Pena has been taking away his at-bats, making Olivo a spot-start at best. Plus, his peripherals for a terrible hitting team like the Royals are terrifically awful. Guess what? He’s still ranked higher than Russell Martin for the season. Brutal.
By Cary James, Fantasy Baseball Cafe Regular
Hello again! Today we return to the hitters who are making you hate that you paid good money for draft guides. Luck is 50% of fantasy sports, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Notice, this isn’t a Buy/Sell guide per se, but a document of human suffering. I will then increase the level of suffering by including two players regularly available in most leagues that have been playing better than your second-round bust. Let the fun begin!
Dead Weight
C: Russell Martin (LAD)
No power, not enough steals, and he’s barely hitting for average. And here’s a painfully fun game brought to you by hindsight.
Catcher A: 48 runs / 3 HR / 33 RBI / 9 SB / .261 BA
Catcher B: 52 runs / 9 HR / 53 RBI / 5 SB / .277 BA
Isn’t it awful to know that the first line is Russell and the second is some scrubby catcher picked up on waivers? And you passed up on solid 4-category OFs or stud pitchers to draft a catching equivalent to Ivan Rodriguez? Oh yeah, I went there.
Replace him with…
Kurt Suzuki (OAK)
Yup, he is Catcher B in the last example. Not much else to report, but…*yawn*…boy is it hard to write about catchers. Did you know I drafted Ramon Hernandez too early in my draft, but was able to replace him with Brandon Inge in a pinch? Anywho, expect middling numbers from Suzuki through the rest of the season, probably a .270 average with about 15 runs/ribbies to the end. Mixed leaguers can do better, but AL-only players are holding him close their hearts.
Miguel Olivo (KC)
In need of power and willing to sacrifice batting average? Sounds like a Royals catcher to me! John Buck wasn’t hitting 15 homers with .200 average, so Olivo has taken over gracefully, bashing 16 homers and even hitting .240! However, Brayan Pena has been taking away his at-bats, making Olivo a spot-start at best. Plus, his peripherals for a terrible hitting team like the Royals are terrifically awful. Guess what? He’s still ranked higher than Russell Martin for the season. Brutal.
SOFA League Experts
Yours truly recently completed another experts league draft known as SOFA (Site Owners Football Association), which includes nine other very knowledgeable websites from around the internet. The first thing that crossed my mind is “Greg, you had better do an outstanding job or Craig (Davis) will come calling.” I always get a bit nervous with these type of leagues since I, by myself, am representing an entire site. But, aside from MFL crashing for a good hour, I believe I had one of the better drafts I have had in awhile. Plus, it helped that it was a 10-teamer, rather than the usual 12-14. My big money local league is a 10′er, so I have been practicing for one of these for quite some time. Below are the breakdowns of rounds and what I think of the players that I had drafted.
ROUND 1
1.01 - Adrian Peterson, Rotoworld
1.02 - LaDainian Tomlinson, KFFL
1.03 - Matt Forte, Fantasyfootball.com
1.04 - Maurice Jones-Drew, Rotoexperts
1.05 - Chris Johnson, Fantasy Insights
1.06 - Steven Jackson, Fantasy Guru
1.07 - Andre Johnson, Footballguys.com
1.08 - Larry Fitzgerald, Sports Weekly
1.09 - DeAngelo Williams, Sports Grumblings
1.10 - Frank Gore, The Huddle
This really wasn’t much of a surprise. I had pegged Forte as a top-5 talent all offseason. The signing of QB Jay Cutler won’t change that.
ROUND 2
2.01 - Randy Moss, The Huddle
2.02 - Steve Slaton, Sports Grumblings
2.03 - Michael Turner, Sports Weekly
2.04 - Calvin Johnson, Footballguys
2.05 - Greg Jennings, Fantasy Guru
2.06. - Reggie Wayne, Fantasy Insights
2.07 - Marion Barber, Rotoexperts
2.08 - Brian Westbrook, Fantasyfootball.com
2.09 - Clinton Portis, KFFL
2.10 - Marques Colston, Rotoworld
ROUND 1
1.01 - Adrian Peterson, Rotoworld
1.02 - LaDainian Tomlinson, KFFL
1.03 - Matt Forte, Fantasyfootball.com
1.04 - Maurice Jones-Drew, Rotoexperts
1.05 - Chris Johnson, Fantasy Insights
1.06 - Steven Jackson, Fantasy Guru
1.07 - Andre Johnson, Footballguys.com
1.08 - Larry Fitzgerald, Sports Weekly
1.09 - DeAngelo Williams, Sports Grumblings
1.10 - Frank Gore, The Huddle
This really wasn’t much of a surprise. I had pegged Forte as a top-5 talent all offseason. The signing of QB Jay Cutler won’t change that.
ROUND 2
2.01 - Randy Moss, The Huddle
2.02 - Steve Slaton, Sports Grumblings
2.03 - Michael Turner, Sports Weekly
2.04 - Calvin Johnson, Footballguys
2.05 - Greg Jennings, Fantasy Guru
2.06. - Reggie Wayne, Fantasy Insights
2.07 - Marion Barber, Rotoexperts
2.08 - Brian Westbrook, Fantasyfootball.com
2.09 - Clinton Portis, KFFL
2.10 - Marques Colston, Rotoworld
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