Fantasy Football Update #7 (week 9) with Fantasy Basketball update 1.5

Alright it's fantasy football update time again, and I know the direction I have been going with the quotes lately has been profound (notice the R. W. Emerson from update #6), so let me throw this one at you real quick (In reference to two men who just got in a helicopter and flew away) "Nobody ever saw them again, the official word from the Army was that they crashed in the desert, which would make sense because that's what happens when you try to fly a helicopter F**ked up on acid" a perfect line from a good move The Men Who Stare At Goats...go see this!!! Ok now that we got that out of the way let's go back to profound..."Questions are a burden to others. Answers are prison for oneself." (that line comes from the great 60's TV show The Prisoner, which they have just rebooted on AMC...watch it this Sunday!). You see I get a lot of questions about fantasy sports, not just because I write this blog (which makes sense because nobody reads it why would I get questions?), but because I tend to answer things with confidence. My answers are often wrong (just look at my records...btw I am 7-2 in the mysterious 3rd league I partake in), but when I deliver those answers, I really believe they are right...so the tone is confident. Because I don't want my past answers to be a prison for oneself (follow along here) at the halfway point of the year, I'm going to do something that is hard to do, I'm gonna admit where I was wrong...this may take awhile...

But First let's break down the week briefly...summary style
Pats (League 1) 10 team, standard scoring (ESPN) Record 3-6 (7th), Points 926 (2nd)
Tom Brady (21 pts), Frank Gore (21 pts), and Cedric Benson (19 pts) lead me to a lackluster 96-84 victory...I survive having to start S Slaton (8 pts) who does nothing but convert his goal line carry, M Colston (4 pts), J Witten (4 pts), and the Pats D/ST (6 pts) all let me down. Nobody on my bench does a whole lot.
Moves-I drop Hasselbeck (QB), John Carney (K), and John Carlson (TE) for Dolphins D/ST, Zach Miller (TE), and Dan Carpenter (K)...I didn't need Matty Hasselbeck anymore and it looks like with all those hits he is taking lately, he will be joining his brother in the ESPN studios sooner than later anyway, Carlson is a matchup victim I still like him in certain games, and I think the same for Carney who I doubt kicks too many field goals against St. Louis. I'm not in love with my lineup and if Megatron (Calvin Johnson) has a good week of practice...he's in.
Week 10 lineup-subject to change)-Tom Brady (@IND), Frank Gore (CHI), M Colston (@STL), C Benson (@PIT), M Lynch (@ TEN), Z Miller (KAN), D Carpenter (TAM), Dolphins D/ST (TAM)

Dirty Dawgs (League 2) 10 team, non-standard scoring (CBS), record 4-5 (2nd), Points 656 (2nd)
In this League though Julious Jones (13 pts) did his job, and C Benson (14 pts) rolled on, I fell short in a 72-91 loss. Now my division sucks so I am still alive for even the top spot, (who I play this week) but still my good team really should be piling up more victories. G Jennings (0 pts), W Welker (2 pts), and Eagles D/ST (7 pts) all let me down, Jennings should have got in the endzone but poor clock management and some sloppy late play by the Packers (who seemed to not care that they lost to the worst team in football) really hurt Jennings, Welker did fine but in this league you have to get in the endzone, and K Brown (my kicker) missed a 42 yarder to tie the game!!!! WTF Kris! Houston had it in the grasps but once again played the Colts well and let it slip away. Nobody on my bench would have got me the win, but B Marshall (8 pts) and S Breaston (6 pts) both played well.
Moves-The trade deadline has passed, and G Jennings was my last get, I almost picked up a D/ST for this week but thought better of it. It is hard to play C Benson after watching that PIT Defense tear apart the Broncos...but he has been a reliable "every week" back and his first game against the Steelers: 75 rush yards and a TD...I'll take that again Ced-Ben
Week 10 lineup-subject to change-Brady (@IND), C Benson (@PIT), T Jones (JAC), M Lynch (@TEN), W Welker (@IND), T Gonzalez (@CAR), S Hauschka (@CLE)

Some Advice from the guy who is 3-6 and 4-5 (Mia Culpa Edition) Ok so in my Football 2009 Preview with my Fantasy Rankings (April 9, 2009)...um there may be a few things I would like to take back...Here are the top five: 5-Ok so maybe ranking T.J. Houshmandzadeh as my #9 overall WR was a little out there...but don't give me crap you thought he was gonna be good in Seattle too. 4-J Witten, he's not in my overall top 25 but when ranking TE's at the beginning of the year I basically said there is this guy, and everyone else...um actually he is currently 15th overall in TE stats and everyone else...well they are better. 3-S Slaton/C Johnson, ranked Slaton 7th on my RB's list, ahead of um...well Chris Johnson...I really didn't think C Johnson would be this good, and I actually thought LenDale White and his Tequilla free ways would steal all his TD's again...actually S Slaton now tri-splits his touches, and C Johnson only gives pity carries to Mr. White from time to time, oh well. 2-Bret Favre-is not in my top 10 QB's and though I drafted him on one team and even tried to get him on the other I really only counted on him having two good games (both against Green Bay) let me tell you how hard it is to sit this guy in fantasy-in 8 games 16 TD's 3 INT's (I know right only 3), and a rating of 106.0-that rating is 2nd to only Drew Brees...wow!1-So Ok in my Overall top 25 he was #2, he was also my #1 RB...and I have to swallow this one as maybe the worst call in my Fantasy Football "advice giving" career (which to be fair started last year), his numbers 441 rush yards in 123 carries, 3 TD's...Mr Matt Forte is behind guys like F Jackson, Ricky Williams, and Rashard Mendenhall...and if you would have told me that would be the case in April, I would let you in my league so I could beat you...it's not too soon to call this a bust year for Matt Forte, no matter what he does the rest of the way (and his schedule ain't great) he is a super dud...and for ranking him ahead of Peterson, Turner, Johnson, and D Williams I have to say I am sorry. Well then, this was good, got all that extra weight off, can't wait until the season is over and I have to admit how wrong my football season predictions are (Texans in the AFC title game...anyone??) My advice this week, write me and tell me what to do...after this segment I feel a little too queasy to give advice...thank god I lost my pride a long time ago :)

Fantasy Basketball Update 1.5
10 team, standard scoring (ESPN) 4th place
It's a little too early to be filling you in but I'll give you the quick rundown. Wade 29.9 PPG, Melo 30.2 PPG, and Shockingly Chris Kaman's 21.7 PPG have me way ahead in total points. Al Harrington, Jason Richardson, Andrea Bargnani are all playing good all around Basketball early, so I'm feeling good about my team. Trading Arenas was tough and Al Jefferson still hasn't gotten going, but I feel good about him in the future. My Young Guns (What a great movie) Roy Hibbert and Channing Frye are playing great as well. Still waiting for Blake Griffen and Devin Harris to get healthy, Russell Westbrook hurt his ankle but it shouldn't be serious...if he goes down I need a PG.
Moves-So Michael Beasley is gone for Carl Landry (just a better all around player). DeJuan Blair is gone for Roy Hibbert (he gets more minutes) and Kevin Love is gone for Channing Frye (just a cool player to watch).
Update-The update returns in full force in a few weeks, until then if you haven't yet, pick up...B Jennings (MIL), C Frye (SUNS), and R Hibbert (IND)...thank me later.

Bet on this! (just don't get mad at me)-So the mighty fall, after a great week 8, we come back to earth with a crappy week 9. We hit 2/4 of our Like em picks-(9/13 for year). Once again (although we were close to getting all three) we only bring home one of our 3 if you can stomach em picks (upsets), SDG vs NYG-(4/12 for year). On the 1 Parlay we go down in flames hitting only 1/3 on the card...The Packers don't even win let alone cover -9.5, the Pats miss it by a half a point (though some people got it at 10...good for you), and the Falcons manage a -10 cover (8/12 for year).
Like em-SFO -3 vs CHI-Yeah I tried this last week, but the San Fran Defense can handle Cutler and his INT throwing ways. NWE +3 @ IND...well what do you expect, Indy is beat up and although they will get a pass rush from Freeney it won't be enough to stop Brady. Lastly DEN -3.5 @ WAS, Vegas is giving no respect to the Broncos who will bounce back fine here.
3 if you can stomach em-CIN ML @ PIT...they did it once already, why not? SEA ML @ ARI...I don't love it but the Seahawks can stop the run and their defense can get turnovers...we all know after Warner shows us he is a 5 TD guy, he usually reminds us he can also be a 5 INT guy. Lastly take PHI ML @ SDG...Philly defense is capable of getting turnovers and SDG is basically a one dimensional team right now with the carcass of LT still getting the handoffs.
1 Parlay-Yeah so the 3 favorites with the big lines didn't work so let's go back to basics. Take the under in the Pitt vs Cin game 41.5 or the under in the TAM @ MIA game 44, SFO -3 vs CHI, and DEN -3.5 @ WAS...this one should work.

Good Luck to all in Fantasy or Reality!