Friday, December 30, 2011

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #61 – The year in entertainment

By Rick Morris

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests these days. We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #61 features a roundtable with Lounge Dignitaries Simon Applebaum and Lloyd Carroll about the year in entertainment.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #60 – Fantasy Football Week 17

By Rick Morris

Here is the 60th mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE: THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER. We bring you your lineup recommendations for Week 17 of fantasy football.

NFL Week 17 picks

By Rick Morris

Overall picks last week: 6-9-1 overall

Overall picks for the season: 113-118-9 overall

Three Big Picks of the Week last week: 1-2

Three Big Picks of the Week for the season: 25-20-3

1,000-Star Gold Plated Lock of the Millennium for last week: 0-1

1,000-Star Gold Plated Lock of the Millennium for the season: 8-7-1

1,000-Star Gold Plated Lock of the Millennium for this week: Baltimore -2 over Cincinnati

Other two picks for Three Big Picks of the Week: New York Giants -3 over Dallas and Pittsburgh -7 over Cleveland

Other picks:

Philadelphia -8 ½ over Washington

Atlanta -11 ½ over Tampa Bay

San Francisco -10 ½ over St. Louis

Minnesota -1 ½ over Chicago

Green Bay +3 over Detroit

Carolina +8 over New Orleans

Tennessee -2 ½ over Houston

Jacksonville -3 ½ over Indianapolis

New York Jets +3 over Miami

Buffalo +10 over New England

Oakland -3 over San Diego

Denver -3 over Kansas City

Arizona -3 over Seattle

Kyle Ross NFL Week 17 rankings

By Kyle Ross (posted by Rick Morris)

NOTE: Week 16 rankings in parentheses.

Big change at the BOTTOM

Tier I

1. Packers (1)

Tier II

2. Saints (2)

3. Patriots (3)

4. Ravens (4)

5. 49ers (5)

6. Steelers (6)

TIER III

7. Falcons (8) ……In my defense, I dropped the Texans big and had to keep them in front of Detroit, whom they beat on the road.

8. Lions (10)

9. Eagles (14)

10. Giants (13)

11. Cowboys (9)

12. Jets (12)

13. Texans (7)

14. Broncos (11)

15. Raiders (19)

16. Bengals (16)

17. Chargers (15)

18. Titans (21)

TIER IV

19. Panthers (23)

20. Seahawks (17)

21. Cardinals (18)

22. Bears (20)

23. Dolphins (22)

24. Bills (26)

25. Chiefs (24)

TIER V

26. Redskins (25)

27. Jaguars (27)

28. Vikings (30)

29. Browns (29)

30. Bucs (28)

31. Colts (32)

32. Rams (31)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

NFL Week 17 power rankings

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Week 16 rankings in parentheses.

TOP TIER

1 Green Bay (1)

2 New Orleans (2)

SECOND TIER

3 New England (3)

4 San Francisco (4)

5 Baltimore (5)

6 Pittsburgh (6)

THIRD TIER

7 Detroit (8)

8 Atlanta (7)

9 Houston (10)

FOURTH TIER

10 New York Giants (14)

11 New York Jets (9)

12 Cincinnati (16)

13 Oakland (15)

14 Dallas (11)

15 Tennessee (18)

16 Philadelphia (20)

17 San Diego (13)

18 Denver (12)

19 Arizona (19)

20 Kansas City (17)

21 Carolina (24)

22 Chicago (22)

23 Miami (23)

24 Seattle (21)

25 Buffalo (26)

FIFTH TIER

26 Washington (25)

27 Jacksonville (27)

28 Minnesota (29)

29 Cleveland (28)

30 Tampa Bay (30)

31 St. Louis (31)

32 Indianapolis (32)

BIGGEST RISERS: Cincinnati, New York Giants and Philadelphia (4 spots), Carolina and Tennessee (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Denver (6 spots), San Diego (4 spots), Dallas and Kansas City and Seattle (3 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1 AFC North 52

2 NFC North 58

3 NFC South 61

4 AFC East 62

5 NFC East 66

6 AFC West 68

7 NFC West 78

8 AFC South 83

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 NFC 253

2 AFC 265

Kyle Ross Version 2.0 NBA predictions

By Kyle Ross (posted by Rick Morris)

Atlantic

New York (3)

Boston (4)

Philadelphia (7)

New Jersey

Toronto

Central

Chicago (2)

Indiana (6)

Milwaukee

Detroit

Cleveland

Southeast

Miami (1)

Orlando (5)

Atlanta (8)

Washington

Charlotte

Southwest

San Antonio (2)

Dallas (5)

Memphis (6)

Houston

New Orleans

Northwest

Oklahoma City (1)

Denver (7)

Portland (8)

Minnesota

Utah

Pacific

Lakers (3)

Clippers (4)

Golden State

Sacramento

Phoenix

Eastern Conf: Miami over Chicago (seven games)

Western Conf: OKC over somebody

Finals: Miami over OKC (five games)

Kyle Ross Version 2.0 NBA power rankings

By Kyle Ross (posted by Rick Morris)

The Dimes

1. Miami

2. Chicago

3. Oklahoma City

I’d definitely f&%# ‘em

4. New York

5. San Antonio

6. LA Lakers

7. LA Clippers

8. Dallas

9. Boston

Cute

10. Memphis

11. Denver

12. Orlando

13. Portland

14. Indiana

15. Philadelphia

16. Houston

17. Atlanta

18. Milwaukee

After a Few Drinks

19. New Jersey

20. Minnesota

21. Golden State

22. Sacramento

23. Phoenix

24. Utah

25. Washington

Not With Your D&#%

26. Detroit

27. Cleveland

28. Toronto

29. New Orleans

30. Charlotte

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas!

By Rick Morris

It’s the greatest day of the year. Merry Christmas, everyone! There’s only one way to celebrate in style and that’s with a little Run-DMC … and Charlie Brown!

NBA Version 2.0 preseason predictions

By Rick Morris

NOTES: Last year’s record is in parentheses. Version 1.0 predictions are in in FANTASY HOOPS DRAFTOLOGY 2011.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

X-Boston 40-26 (56-26)

Y-New York 36-30 (42-40)

Y-Toronto 29-39 (22-60)

Philadelphia 28-38 (41-41)

New Jersey 24-42 (24-58)

CENTRAL DIVISION

X-Chicago 46-20 (62-20)

Y-Indiana 35-31 (37-45)

Milwaukee 24-42 (35-47)

Cleveland 18-48 (19-63)

Detroit 16-40 (30-52)

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

X-Miami 50-16 (58-24)

Y-Orlando 41-25 (52-30)

Y-Atlanta 39-29 (44-38)

Charlotte 26-40 (34-48)

Washington 24-42 (23-59)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

NORTHWEST DIVISION

X-Oklahoma City 44-22 (55-27)

Y-Portland 37-29 (48-34)

Y-Denver 35-31 (50-32)

Utah 31-35 (39-43)

Minnesota 30-36 (17-65)

PACIFIC DIVISION

X-LA Lakers 41-25 (57-25)

Y-LA Clippers 40-26 (32-50)

Golden State 32-34 (36-46)

Phoenix 28-38 (40-42)

Sacramento 14-52 (24-58)

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

X-Dallas 42-24 (57-25)

Y-Memphis 39-29 (46-36)

Y-San Antonio 36-30 (61-21)

Houston 32-34 (43-39)

New Orleans 30-36 (46-36)

PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

Miami over Toronto in 4

Chicago over Indiana in 6

Boston over New York in 7

Orlando over Atlanta in 7

Oklahoma City over Denver in 5

Dallas over San Antonio in 5

LA Lakers over Portland in 6

LA Clippers over Memphis in 7

SECOND ROUND

Miami over Orlando in 6

Chicago over Boston in 5

Oklahoma City over LA Clippers in 7

Dallas over LA Lakers in 7

CONFERENCE FINALS

Miami over Chicago in 6

Oklahoma City over Dallas in 7

NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City over Miami in 6

NBA Version 2.0 preseason power rankings

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Version 1.0 power rankings are in FANTASY HOOPS DRAFTOLOGY 2011.

FIRST TIER

1 Miami

2 Oklahoma City

3 Dallas

4 Chicago

5 LA Lakers

SECOND TIER

6 LA Clippers

7 Memphis

8 Orlando

9 Boston

10 Atlanta

THIRD TIER

11 Portland

12 New York

13 San Antonio

14 Denver

15 Indiana

16 Golden State

17 Houston

18 Utah

19 Minnesota

20 New Orleans

21 Toronto

22 Phoenix

23 Philadelphia

FOURTH TIER

24 Charlotte

25 New Jersey

26 Washington

27 Milwaukee

FIFTH TIER

28 Cleveland

29 Detroit

30 Sacramento