Monday, July 30, 2012

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #158 – 2012 fantasy football overview


By Rick Morris
Here is the 158th mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we offer our overview for the 2012 fantasy football season, serialized from our FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTOLOGY 2012 guide.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #157 – Dan Lauria


By Rick Morris
As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries 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 #157 features a discussion with a great actor, Dan Lauria.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #156 – Ross Valory


By Rick Morris
As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries 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 #156 features a discussion with longtime Journey bassist Ross Valory.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #155 – 2012 Olympics fantasy preview


By Rick Morris
Here is the 155th mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we offer our preview of the 2012 Summer Olympics for fantasy purposes.  Our draft board and suggested league guidelines can be downloaded here.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #154 – George Veras


By Rick Morris
As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries 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 #154 features a discussion with Pro Football Hall of Fame President/CEO George Veras as we preview the upcoming annual induction ceremonies and, beyond that, the institution’s 50th anniversary.

Lounge on YouTube: Kenny Albert


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: big-time sportscaster Kenny Albert.

Lounge on YouTube: Kenny Albert


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: big-time sportscaster Kenny Albert.

Lounge on YouTube: Harvey Schiller


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: longtime sports executive Harvey Schiller.

Lounge on YouTube: Jim Peterik


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: Survivor founding member Jim Peterik.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

20 Questions for Breaking Bad Season 5


By Rick Morris

With the start of Breaking Bad Season 5 (previewed by us here), many questions are lingering as the show starts what will be its third and final arc.  Seasons 5 and 6, following the pre-Gus and Gus eras of the program, will take the series to its final conclusion, likely Walt’s day of reckoning with both Jesse and Hank.

As such, here are 20 questions to be answered by the show’s creative team in the final 16 episodes of the series.  The answers to these questions, when provided, will reveal the final direction that Vince Gilligan is steering this franchise.  These questions are separated into different categories.

1 LOOSE ENDS

1A With Gus’s death, will the DEA know immediately that Hank and his family are out of danger, or will the protection linger?

1B Will anything from Gale’s notebook tie into the new discoveries the Feds will be making about Gus’s network and the superlab?

1C With Hank’s suspicions about Gus and a superlab now proven correct, what will the DEA forensics people discover about the chain of people involved in Gus’s operation as they comb the chicken store and whatever remains of the superlab site.

1D Presumably, Mike will be wiping Gus’s laptop and records – are there any other henchmen still wandering around?

1E With Mike’s illicit income having dried up, what will his relationship with the meth cookers be given that he respects Jesse and dislikes Walt (and will blame him, justifiably, for his employer’s death)?

1F Does Gus have any additional cartel or Chilean connections that will come back into play?

1G Will Ted’s death or IRS problems end up coming back into play?

2 CHEKHOV’S GUN

2A Since Walt and Jesse don’t socialize, will Walt end up pitching the incriminating poison plant that’s in his backyard?

2B Could Mike’s end up causing Jesse to be suspicious of Walt’s complicity in Jane’s death?

2C Having been referenced twice already, will Saul’s resource who is able to “erase people from the grid” come back into play?

3 HANK & WALT

3A To what extent will Hank recover enough to come back to work and start chasing Heisenberg full-time?

3B What will be the mechanism to make Hank realize that Walt is Heisenberg?

4 STORYLINES AMONG DIFFERENT CHARACTERS

4A Where will Walt/Heisenberg’s newfound willingness to risk innocent people (his elderly next-door neighbor, Brock) take him?

4B How much more alienated from Walt will Skyler be know that she knows beyond a doubt that “Walt is the one who knocks?”

4C With a chance to have a normal family life with Andrea and Brock, what will it take to get Jesse cooking again?

4D Will Brock’s ingestion of poison lead Jesse to question his role in poisoning so many other people – including children?

4E If Jesse moves into a normal family life with Andrea and Brock, might his own family come back into the picture?

4F Will Walt Jr. or any of his friends end up coming into contact with the blue meth?

A RETURN TO COOKING
AND THE LOGISTICS

5A With the cancer possibly returning at some point and the nest egg wiped out by Skyler rescuing Ted from the IRS, will Walt feel that he’s received a second chance to run a meth operation, this time on a big scale?

5B Is it as obvious as it seems that the White family car wash will be the perfect front – from the chemicals passing through there to the space available – to set up at least a mini-superlab?

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #153 – Fantasy football overvalued & undervalued


By Rick Morris
Here is the 153rd mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we take our first look at the 2012 fantasy football season with a look at the overvalued and undervalued players of this year.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #152 – Breaking Bad Season 5 Preview


By Rick Morris
As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries 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 #152 features our preview of Breaking Bad Season 5 with FDH Lounge Dignitary Nate Noy.

MLB power rankings for mid-July


By Rick Morris

NOTE: Start of July rankings are in parentheses.

TOP TIER
1 NY Yankees (2)
2 Texas (1)
SECOND TIER
3 Washington (3)
4 Chicago White Sox (9)
5 Cincinnati (12)
6 Pittsburgh (15)
7 LA Angels (5)
8 Atlanta (13)
9 LA Dodgers (7)
10 St. Louis (16)
11 San Francisco (4)
12 NY Mets (6)
13 Tampa Bay (11)
14 Baltimore (8)
15 Detroit (18)
16 Boston (10)
17 Toronto (14)
18 Cleveland (17)
19 Oakland (22)
THIRD TIER
20 Miami (19)
21 Arizona (20)
22 Milwaukee (23)
FOURTH TIER
23 Philadelphia (21)
24 Chicago Cubs (30)
25 Seattle (25)
26 Minnesota (26)
27 Kansas City (24)
28 San Diego (29)
29 Colorado (28)
30 Houston (27)

BIGGEST RISERS: LA Angels (10 spots), Pittsburgh (9 spots), Cincinnati (7 spots), Chicago Cubs and St. Louis (6 spots), Atlanta and Chicago White Sox (5 spots), Detroit, Houston, Kansas City and Oakland (3 spots)
BIGGEST FALLERS: San Francisco (7 spots), Baltimore, Boston and New York Mets (6 spots), Toronto (3 spots)
RANKINGS BY DIVISION – AVERAGE PER TEAM OF 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST
1 AL EAST 12.2
2 NL EAST 13.2
3 AL WEST 13.25
4 NL CENTRAL 16.17
5 AL CENTRAL 18
6 NL WEST 19.6
RANKINGS PER LEAGUE
1 AL 43.45
2 NL 48.97

End of an error at Penn State


By Steve Kallas (posted by Rick Morris)

Well, you certainly didn’t believe that former federal judge Louis Freeh’s investigation was going to be helpful to Joe Paterno, Penn State and various other higher-ups at Penn State.  But this report is devastating to virtually all parties.  It’s permanently stained Joe Paterno’s legacy, it’s devastated the reputation of Penn State and it could lead to new and/or additional criminal charges against the (living) former Penn State higher-ups.  And the civil lawsuits that will be coming (or have already been filed) – well, the price to settle those just went way up

WHAT WAS THE MOST DEVASTATING PART OF THE REPORT?

The overall conclusion of Judge Freeh’s (former judges, like former Presidents of the United States, are often called Judge or President, respectively) report is devastating in and of itself: “Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky’s child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State.”

While the Paterno family, through JoePa’s son Jay, an attorney (and a former Penn State assistant), has tried to mount a rebuttal, they have a virtually impossible hill to climb.   For example, post-report, the family issued this statement: “The idea that any sane, responsible adult would knowingly cover up for a child predator is impossible to accept.”

Unfortunately, the report and the evidence it uncovered points to the conclusion that this is exactly what happened:  from Joe Paterno to the former President Graham Spanier to the former Athletic Director Tim Curley to the former head of campus police, Gary Schultz.

With respect to the 1998 “incident,” where Jerry Sandusky admitted (with detectives in the next room) to a mother of a young boy that he had done inappropriate things with the woman’s son, it was hard to believe that Joe Paterno didn’t know about this (see Kallas Remarks, 1/18/12).  Based on an e-mail from Curley to Schultz, Joe Paterno clearly knew about the incident he claimed to have known nothing about.  And, with respect to both the 1998 and 2002 incidents of sexual molestation, e-mails show that, not only did Joe Paterno know about the situations, but he also seems to have tried to (successfully) influence other higher-ups to bury the information and not report Sandusky to authorities.

Joe Paterno’s case has already been lost in the court of public opinion.

ABANDON SHIP!

One of Joe Paterno’s biggest supporters, Phil Knight, the Nike founder, who gave an almost embarrassing, defiant, very pro-Paterno statement at JoePa’s memorial service, quickly abandoned ship once the report came out.  Nike announced that it would change the name of the Joe Paterno Child Development Center, a child-care center at Nike headquarters in Oregon.

Knight said, “It appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences.  I missed that Joe missed that.”

You think?

WHAT NEXT?

While there will be a lot of attempted legal defenses in the civil cases coming down the pike, Penn State (and any other defendants) would be smart to do whatever it can to settle these cases quickly.  However, if even one of these victims (although one would think they would all like to settle quickly and avoid a trial) decides to make a public spectacle of the whole thing, all of the parties and the institution of Penn State will be (correctly) raked over the coals – again.

More criminal charges, more civil lawsuits, more defendants and more bad publicity are all on the horizon.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Top 30 players in MLB


By Rick Morris

NOTE: These players are ranked based not merely on how they have produced this year, but also the past year or two.  These are not fantasy rankings, but are based on overall play.  Numbers in parentheses indicate where the players ranked on our 2011 rankings, with the ones who fell out of those rankings listed at the bottom.

TOP TIER
1 Josh Hamilton (18)
2 Matt Kemp (9)
3 Justin Verlander (7)
4 Joey Votto (4)
5 Clayton Kershaw (NA)
6 Ryan Braun (3)
7 Jered Weaver (15)
8 Carlos Gonzalez (16)
9 Matt Cain (28)
10 Andrew McCutchen (NA)
11 Miguel Cabrera (19)
12 Stephen Strasburg (NA)
13 Craig Kimbrel (NA)
SECOND TIER
14 Albert Pujols (5)
15 Troy Tulowitzki (10)
16 Chris Sale (NA)
17 Johnny Cueto (NA)
18 Prince Fielder (22)
19 RA Dickey (NA)
20 Adrian Beltre (NA)
21 Carlos Beltran (NA)
22 Cole Hamels (30)
23 Cliff Lee (12)
24 Gio Gonzalez (NA)
25 Jose Bautista (2)
26 Paul Konerko (23)
27 Robinson Cano (27)
28 Roy Halladay (1)
29 Adrian Gonzalez (14)
30 Mike Trout (NA)

Tim Lincecum (6)
Josh Johnson (8)
Felix Hernandez (11)
Mariano Rivera (13)
Dan Haren (17)
Josh Beckett (20)
CC Sabathia (21)
Justin Upton (24)
Jacoby Ellsbury (25)
Hanley Ramirez (26)
Curtis Granderson (29)

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #151 – 2012 MLB midseason review


By Rick Morris
As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries 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 #151 features a conversation with Evan Roberts of WFAN and FDH Lounge Dignitary Steve Kallas reviewing the first half of the 2012 MLB season.

Like him or not, Reggie Jackson totally right about A-Rod


By Steve Kallas (posted by Rick Morris)

So, how does it work today?  You can speak your mind, but only to a point?  You can “tell it like it is,” but you better not bite the hand that feeds you?  While there are often different versions of the truth, there are just times when the truth is the truth is the truth.

This is one of them.

WHAT DID REGGIE JACKSON SAY?

Jackson, talking to Sports Illustrated said, “Al’s a real good friend.  But I think there are real questions about his numbers.  As much as I like him, what he admitted about his usage does cloud some of his numbers.”

Well, truer words were never spoken. 

As you know, A-Rod admitted using steroids for his three-year stint in Texas.  His numbers, even for A-Rod, were astronomical.  He played on a bad team and, even in the wear-me-down heat in Texas, put up a staggering three-year total of 156 home runs and 395 RBIs (that’s a seasonal average of 52 home runs and 132 RBIs).  He won a joke MVP in 2003 (his team was terrible, but once in awhile the writers lose their minds and mistake the V in MVP for outstanding rather than valuable – see Ernie Banks and Andre Dawson, to name two others).

When A-Rod did admit his steroid use, he essentially blamed it on the “pressure” of that gigantic contract he signed with then-owner Tom Hicks and the Texas Rangers.  But when you really break that down, what does that mean?  Does it mean he actually stopped using steroids when he left the anonymity of Texas for the bright lights of Broadway?

Do you really believe that?

THE PROBLEM FOR A-ROD

The problem for A-Rod is the problem for every guy who admits to steroid use.  Why would anyone believe the time frame that A-Rod limited his admission of use of steroids to (in this case, three years in Texas)?  But, even if we take him at his word, 156 is a lot of home runs and, indeed, tainted or “cloud” or “real questions” are good words to describe A-Rod’s problems.

Where will the Hall of Fame voters go on A-Rod?  Well, we will probably find out when we get to the Hall of Fame voting on Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.  While A-Rod will not have the legal issues that Bonds and Clemens had (and have), Bonds (for sure – 3 MVPs before he ever took a steroid according to Game of Shadows) and Clemens (arguably) had Hall of Fame careers before steroids came on the scene.  A-Rod? Well, he certainly didn’t do enough in seven seasons in Seattle (no MVPs, for example) to warrant Hall of Fame consideration in his career before he took steroids.

BACK TO REGGIE

A guy who could rarely contain himself either during or after his playing career, Reggie has now been banished by the Yankees until the time is “right” for his return.
But all he did, with respect to A-Rod, is tell the truth.  If somebody asked A-Rod if his Texas numbers are “questionable” or “cloud” his achievements in Texas, one would have to think that A-Rod would, to some degree, agree with that statement.  How could he not?

But the truth often hurts, and, while it is hurting Reggie now, it will probably hurt A-Rod in the future.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PLAYERS REGGIE SPOKE ABOUT?

Very interesting as well.  There are no doubt many players in the Hall of Fame who don’t belong there.  This writer is a firm believer of the old adage “If you have to think about whether a guy is a Hall of Famer or not, then he’s not.”  Baseball (and other sports) should have long ago limited induction to one player per year (that way, you would never have the debate “Does he belong or not?”).

You could certainly debate whether Phil Niekro or Bert Blyleven or Don Sutton should be in the Hall of Fame.  Right or wrong in terms of whether he should be in, Jackson didn’t have the class to leave Gary Carter out of the discussion (after all, the man just died).

Jim Rice is another interesting Hall of Famer.  But if you go back far enough, you know first-hand that Jim Rice (not Reggie Jackson) was the most feared hitter in the AL (and arguably baseball) beginning in the late ‘70s. In this writer’s eyes, Rice was a lock Hall of Famer (and this is being written by a lifelong Yankee fan).  But you heard many stories about how the writers hated Rice and, as often happens, he suffered because of some writers’ personal vendetta against him.

SO, WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US?

Well, it leaves Reggie Jackson on the outside looking in, but only temporarily.  He can speak the truth and play the fool, all in a couple of paragraphs in SI (for “Where Are They Now,” by the way.  How funny is that?)

It leaves the Yankees with another (temporary) small distraction (after all, how many players feel the way Reggie does, but just would never admit it publicly?).
But it leaves A-Rod with the biggest problem of all.  With his skills already deteriorating, he may or may not get to the Bonds “record.”  Hopefully, he doesn’t get to the Aaron record.

Because that would be a shame.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #150 – Top 15 guest clips


By Rick Morris
Here is Mini-Episode #150 of THE FDH LOUNGE, our celebration of this milestone in our history.  To mark the occasion, we present our Top 15 clips of guest conversations from the Mini-Episodes.

Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #149 – NBA Draft recap


By Rick Morris
Here is the 149th mini-episode of THE FDH LOUNGE with THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER.  In this one, we recap the 2012 NBA Draft.

Lounge on YouTube: SummerSlam History Part 1C


By Rick Morris
Here is Mini-Episode #148 of THE FDH LOUNGE, Part 1C of our History of SummerSlam anthology with FDH Lounge Dignitary Kyle Ross.  This installment covers SummerSlam 1991-92.

Lounge on YouTube: SummerSlam History Part 1B


By Rick Morris
Here is Mini-Episode #147 of THE FDH LOUNGE, Part 1B of our History of SummerSlam anthology with FDH Lounge Dignitary Kyle Ross.  This installment covers SummerSlam 1989-90.

Lounge on YouTube: SummerSlam History Part 1A


By Rick Morris
Here is Mini-Episode #146 of THE FDH LOUNGE, Part 1A of our History of SummerSlam anthology with FDH Lounge Dignitary Kyle Ross.  This installment covers SummerSlam 1988.

Lounge on YouTube: Kenny Albert


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: Fox Sports broadcaster Kenny Albert.

Lounge on YouTube: Kenny Albert


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: Fox Sports broadcaster Kenny Albert.

Lounge on YouTube: Harvey Schiller


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: longtime sports executive Harvey Schiller.

Lounge on YouTube: Jim Peterik


By Rick Morris
Now that we’ve fully established The FDH Lounge YouTube channel, we’ll be uploading classic segments from the history of our program.  When we do, we’ll embed them here.
Up next: Survivor founding member Jim Peterik.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

2012 NBA Draft winners and losers


By Rick Morris
NOTE: Lists are compiled by whether or not teams filled their needs in a significant way.
WINNERS
1 New Orleans: Unibrow AND Austin Rivers to go with Eric Gordon?  Sick.  The only question is whether Rivers and Gordon can play any significant minutes on the court together.
2 Golden State: Harrison Barnes is just what the doctor ordered at SF.  And big ol’ Festus in the pivot won’t hurt, either.
3 Sacramento: Their roster is still a mess and they need to move some more Wanna-Be Alpha Dogs to get more clarity, but Thomas Robinson does provide them a needed upgrade at PF.
4 Houston: They didn’t make the big-package move they targeted, but the pieces obtained improve the rotation tremendously.
5T Detroit: Andre Drummond is high-risk, high-reward.  He’s either going to be Eddy Curry or Dwight Howard (can you believe Curry’s now the one with a ring?), but Superman upside at 9 is pretty good.
5T Boston: Those two big men in that spot? Super.
5T Chicago: Marquis Teague keeps the spot warm for Derrick Rose.  Unbelievable.
5T Oklahoma City: The rich get unbelievably richer as Top 5-upside Perry Jones III comes to OKC.
5T Miami: Like the Thunder, the Heat never should have been able to have Arnett Moultrie drop to them.
LOSERS
1 Charlotte: No offense to MKG, who may become an All-Star, but this horrible team is counting on alpha-male offense from their pick from Day One and that’s not his game right now.  He will be exposed and his learning curve may be decimated.  In the right protective surroundings, he could grow into an excellent player.  Let us hope that this atmosphere doesn’t strangle his career in the cradle.
2 Cleveland: If you want Granville errrr Dion Waiters, then trade down and leverage some value in the process.  Trading all their remaining picks for a low-upside body in the pivot wasn’t great value either.
3 Portland: They had two lottery picks and didn’t maximize either for value.
4 Dallas: While Cleveland was foolish to part with their picks to get #17, the Mavs would have been better off keeping it.  Dirk’s only got a few big-time years left and the team must be aggressive in upgrading their rotation around him.
5 Orlando: Andrew Nicholson doesn’t provide the help at either wing position that the Magic needed.