evv98

This week is a big one in my pay league. I have a chance to drive a stake into the playoff heart of the one guy in the league that seems to have my number and is the biggest ass in the league (and the commissioner). In the eight years I have been in the league we have played 12 times in the regular season and playoffs, and I am 3-9 all-time despite having the better team my fair share of times. This year he is 4-7 and tied for the last playoff spot (8th of 12 teams) and I am 7-4, sitting in 3rd (with a loss to him in Week 1). I would love nothing more than to knock him out of that playoff spot this week. So my big decision this week is at WR, again. Pick three from this group in a non-PPR league. DeSean Jackson (Phi) vs CHI...He is really a must play every week. Steve Johnson (Buf) vs PIT...He would be an auto start most weeks but is facing the Steelers. Randy Moss (Ten) vs HOU...He has killed me and it makes me want to vomit to start him, but he is facing the putrid Houston pass defense. Vince Jackson (SD) vs IND...I have no idea what to expect, but should move in as the #1 or #2 guy on the most prolific pass offense. Lance Moore (NO) vs DAL...He isn't really an option against the others, IMO.

Rivers is such a stud this year. I was a little worried that he wouldn't get me enough points to overcome my team's 25 point deficit, but he had done so midway through the third quarter. We will still maintain the #3 seed, with a real chance at being #2 before it is all over.

I am liking where my pay league team is going. The team is currently in 4th at 6-4 and is the second highest scoring team in the league (just five points from the leader). The Good: Kyle Orton...has a gravy playoff schedule. Arian Foster...Tough schedule, but the Texans love to get into shootouts and he is so involved in the running and passing games so it doesn't really matter. Frank Gore...Has Sea, SD and StL in the playoffs. My team will be tough to beat if he keeps pace as a top 4-5 RB. DeSean Jackson...Has a tough schedule the last two weeks, but he and Vick hit one big pass play every week. The Bad: Tight end...I haven't scored more than 12 points on any given week. I currently have Shiancoe. I missed out on Tamme by five minutes when Clark went down. I have also has Winslow at times. There isn't much out there right now in free agency. RB depth...If either Foster or Gore goes down I am screwed. My backups are Portis and Stewart, though Stewart has done well in the past and should be the undisputed #1 guy in Carolina when he comes back, for what that's worth. The Unknown: My other receivers...Randy Moss has an excellent playoff schedule but will that only mean better games for his teammates?...Steve Johnson has been a nice surprise but the weather is bound to affect the Bills passing game...Vincent Jackson is the wildcard, who knows what to expect?...Devone Bess is good for 6-8 points about every week but is no candidate to explode...Lance Moore is hit-or-miss, all-or-nothing. Pittsburgh Defense...Is the recent drop off an aberration or a look at things to come. They do have Cin, NYJ and Car in the playoffs which is a pretty good schedule. Randy Moss has absolutely killed me this year. Two of my losses were by one and two points when Randy got shutout. I nearly lost last week when he only scored two points. I may end up replacing him in the lineup with Jackson when he returns.

Thoughts on Randy Moss for this week? I have Moss vs Mia, Bess vs Ten, D Jackson vs Wash and S Johnson vs Det. I have to start three. Jackson and Johnson are no-brainers at this point. It comes down to an almost sure 5-10 from Bess vs all-or-nothing from Moss. I also have a choice at QB. Fitzpatrick vs Det or Orton vs KC.

Larry Doyle. Leon Durham is 4th.

Romo is so soft. Favre would have kept playing.

No. It doesn't matter if the ball hits the ground as long as the receiver controls the ball which he did. The ball never moved. Ah ok. Didn't know the exact rule. In that case, not sure how they overturned it. I thought the officiating was unusually poor throughout the league yesterday, including the replay officials. There were several calls overturned that I thought had no reason to be overturned, and several more upheld that appeared to be blatantly wrong. And then there was the call at the end of the Pittsburgh-Miami game. How do you not establish who had possession of the ball in the endzone when it is obvious that there will be a replay review of the play? Its not like there had to be a coaches challenge to review the play.

Dumb, dumb, dumb. Both losses this year can be handed directly to special teams. A missed extra point, a botched field goal, a long kickoff return set up by a stupid offsides penalty and then the fake punt. Oh well, lets ruin Michigan State's national championship hopes next week.

The loss to Iowa State will certainly knock Texas down to second or third next week.

Pick three for a non-PPR league: Randy Moss, Min vs GB Devone Bess, Mia vs Pit Lance Moore, NO vs Cle Mike Sims-Walker vs KC Steve Johnson, Buf vs Bal Free Agent options at this point include Hester, A. Armstrong, Amendola, Tate, Avant, and Houshmandzadeh. While he has been hit-or-miss, losing DJax really hurts.

Yankee fans I know That second person might wanna seek help or something I say let him do it. He's a Yankees fan and won't be missed.

If Tolzien can afford the turnovers, they have a legitimate chance. Iowa's secondary is a big problem. Michigan/Arizona has exposed it. They had Iowa on the ropes last year until Tolzien had a disastrous 2nd half. Wisconsin is in the same position as Michigan State is. Win at Iowa, and the Rose Bowl is practically yours (as they have @Purdue, Indiana, @ Michigan, Northwestern to end the season). The same position except for the additional loss, to Michigan State.

Thankfully I would lose that bet. I guess the game is still in doubt but I wouldn't mind him sitting out the rest of it. Defense is Iowa's strength but I would rather have Stanzi than not have him at this point. Plus Iowa is going to win this game. Eastern Illinois looks terrible at least according to FBS standards. Agreed. I would also like to see Vandenberg get a few series under his belt.

Thankfully I would lose that bet.

I would bet that Stanzi blew out his knee the way he went down.

I am in as the Cheeseheads.

There isn't a team that would agree to be the sacrificial lamb fifth team in the AL-Northeast.

I would be interested if there is an opening.

He went on the DL with ruptured suck. Will Cashner be available for today's game? His suck is just fine.

Wait, Joan Cusack got married?

What a joke that whole series was. I was there the night before when Zambrano went crazy, gave up 3 HR and hit Edmonds twice. Just another part of a bad year. Today was brutal. My ONE game a year that I dont have to work and they do that. Grabow is horrible and we still cant get the big hits when we need it. Oh yeah and that Pujols guys is pretty good to He woulda hit four if he weren't completely washed up.

The stadium just got lights 22 years ago and now you want cell reception and internet? I am not expecting either until around 2030.

This sounds all too familiar. At least Kentucky won't have a Final Four appearance to forfeit. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5231161

Would you trade Castro for Oswalt straight up? At this point I wouldn't trade Castro for anyone not named Pujols, H. Ramirez, Howard, Lincecum, or Halladay. There are probably a few more, but Oswalt isn't one of them. I'd seriously consider it, especially depending on how willing Houston was to pay part of his contract or kick back another piece or two in exchange for Castro. If the trade was Oswalt for Castro straight up, I'd probably say no. I just don't see why you'd do that. Oswalt is a very good pitcher, but he'll be 33 this year and the most you'd get from him is two more seasons. I just don't think I'd give the potential for 10+ very good to great years of Castro/Cashner/etc for a couple more seasons of very good, but high priced Oswalt. You can never say never. If the Cubs were just one piece away from being a serious World Series contender, and that one piece was an All-Star caliber starting pitcher, then the deal would have to be considered. It would be like the Brewer/Sabathia deal except you would have three cracks at the World Series with Oswalt instead of just one. With the construction of the current Cub squad though, you would have to pass on the deal.

Stanley Cup preview?