Week 13 BYE for the Blog...but heres a mini update!

No Picks this week as we lick our wounds from another 0-3 underdog week...the rest of the picks went fine and I nailed my two college picks, but as always when you have a tough week it's always good to hold your roll and observe for a week. A 139-88 strong victory leaves me in a tie for first at 8-2...it's gonna be a photo finish in my CBS league. Update returns next week!

Good luck to all in Fantasy and Reality!

Fantasy Football Update #9 2010 (Week 10)

Fantasy Football Update #9 (Week 10) and My Picks

I didn’t pass 90 points again in week 9, but 85 was good enough to beat a 56 effort from my opponent. With the majority of my BYE players finished I just have to hope for health and this thing will go as planned. I face the only team ahead of me in the standings in week 10 as my 7-2 Dawgs face off against the 8-1 Boston Ball Breakers for first place. I love it when it gets exciting.

Week 10 lineup (subject to change)-QB Tom Brady, RB Ray Rice, RB Knowshon Moreno, WR Roddy White, Jeremy Maclin, TE Brandon Pettigrew, Dan Carpenter, and The Eagles D/ST (though I have an active claim for Tampa Bay out there currently).

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 10)

2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks.

2010 stats-53% (12 for 23) on the Like em bets, 42% (10 for 24) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 64% (16 for 25) on the Parlay to try picks.

It’s never easy to lose your centerpiece game (NWE -4 ½ @ CLE), but we still went 2 out of 3 in the Like em picks and salvaged some of our week 9 roll. The NFL lacks a rock solid great team, but we could use this new “Any Given Sunday” NFL to our advantage, let’s look for some value.

Like em-I’m locking in Over 44 in the DET @ BUF, these two teams can score, and I don’t think the Lions lose a lot whole of firepower with Shaun Hill at QB. I’m in the Brett Favre camp now that he has become the head coach of the Vikings and starts a streak that puts them back in contention…take old man Favre and MIN -1 @ CHI and look for turnovers to make that game go real ugly, but help it go Over that 40 ½ number. Lastly I really like TEN -1 ½ @ MIA, I think without Parcells around, that team loses a bit of its common sense, benching Henne won’t solve the problems of that team, it needs to run more and hold the ball longer to protect its defensive issues. The fins thoughts on making the playoffs will end this week.

3 If you can stomach em-0 for 3 last week and even our bonus pick let us down, that’s ok we bet and learn so that means we have to get off the Dolphins bandwagon…is there any room on the Browns wagon? Week 10, I know the Bills are due to win there first game, and by no means do I think they are the worst team in football…that said I highly doubt that defense will hold the Lions down, even in Buffalo…I like DET +ML @ BUF. It is hard to admit when your wrong sometimes, but I was wrong about overlooking a streaking Browns team, they won’t be able to run against the Jets, but they won’t have to with Colt McCoy vying to show all the scouts why he is better than the overrated Mark Sanchise…this kid is a player and I love it when guys have chips on their shoulder. Take CLE +ML vs. NYJ this week. Lastly take lowly ARI +ML vs. SEA and hold your breath, SEA has obviously gotten tired of the Pete Carroll rah rah rah stuff and is now looking around and wondering where all the talent is, and even though ARI is awful SEA certainly can’t be a road team that is favored yet…they just don’t deserve that. (Look people who know me and are going to scream that I won’t put the Pats in here as they are a 4 ½ point underdog @ PIT…all I can say I am a fan of them, I will most likely play it myself…but watching last week I can’t suggest to you that you should.)

Parlay to try-I’ll take Over 45 with DAL @ NYG and give Jason Garrett a chance to get some offense, though I don’t know how he will do it…shouldn’t matter as the Giants are good for 30+ on their own. Take MIN +ML @ CHI as I’m not worried about this game at all for some reason. Lastly put on Over 42 in the PHI @ WAS game on Monday night, it is the right number but I’m an optimist and can see good things happening to make your parlay a winner if you get this far (but hedge if it’s worth it!)

2 to win in College Football-(3-3-1 in 2010)-We return to college football with a couple of picks I really like this week. Take Boston College -3 @ Duke, as BC has really started to play more responsible football and is looking to salvage a 500% record. Another road play that shouldn’t scare you is BYU -7 @ Colorado State, BYU won’t be that far from home and they travel well, they should cover easy. Don’t even think about betting Notre Dame +6 and try to avoid donating money to the Penn St. @ Ohio St. game. Let’s see if we can get back on track.

Results will be posted after Week 10

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Fantasy Football Update #8 2010 (Week 9)

Fantasy Football Update #8 and My Picks

I escaped week 8 with a 81 to 55 win, but my 6-2 record has a twinge of luck to it as I know 81 won’t get me wins very often. With Roddy White back I hope to go north of 100 again…though the latest on Antonio Gates has me worried again.

Week 9 lineup (subject to change)-QB Tom Brady, RB Ray Rice, WR Roddy White, Jeremy Maclin, WR Johnny Knox, TE Brandon Pettigrew (but I still hope Gates), Dan Carpenter (how bout this guy 2 weeks with 5 Field Goals), and The Saints D/ST.

I feel much better this week especially since my competition is rolling with Matty “ICE” Ryan who throws to my guy Roddy White, but without Gates who really is Mr. Consistent I know there is a chance I lose.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 9)

2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks.

2010 stats-55% (11 for 20) on the Like em bets, 47% (10 for 21) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 63% (14 for 22) on the Parlay to try picks.

If you went with my Like em’s you went 2 out 3 and made some cash, if you rolled with my Stomach em picks you might have done a little better than even, and if you rolled with my Parlay you are justifiably mad at me. Let’s try to learn from our mistakes and get back to winning on all fronts.

Like em-They are still flawed but N.O. should cover the -7 @ CAR as Carolina is just waiting for their new coach, and their current coach is waiting for Wade Phillips to leave the Cowboys. I like Over 45 in the TAM @ ATL game as I expect an exciting 4^th quarter in that game. Lastly the Vegas money smells an upset in Cleveland, but the Vegas money isn’t right all the time, take NWE – 4 ½ @ CLE.

3 If you can stomach em-Only 1 out of 3 in week 8 should give me pause, but after crunching the numbers I just can’t stop myself…this is a great week for the mighty upset, so grab your roll and take some sharp calculated chances. Starting with MIA +185 @ BAL, look this is my least favorite but the value is right and everyone knows -5 is the “Vegas zone” (and if you don’t already you should be listening to the B.S. Report) which basically means Vegas trusts BAL about as far as they can throw them. The next two are a tad crazy but if you want to play Hold Em you gotta roll with the Highs and Lows, Take DET +185 vs. NYJ and then get even nuttier by taking SEA +260! Vs. NYG…one of these home dogs has to turn out. Lastly, and don’t laugh…take DAL +275 @ GNB…yeah I know I’m nuts, but something tells me Dallas actually shocks the Pack for one of their few wins this season.

Parlay to try-Take NWE – 4 ½ @ CLE, then take Over 46 ½ in TNDY @ PHI game, and then lastly go with the old man…and um Derek Anderson? Take Over 42 in the ARI @ MIN game.

2 to win in College Football-(3-3-1 in 2010)-Ok so we have a very mediocre college record so far so I am going to take this week off so I can re-assess the College landscape and come back firing!

Results will be posted after Week 9

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

DVD Review #47 (Get Him to the Greek 2010)

Get Him to the Greek (2010) Russell Brand, Jonah Hill Directed By Nicholas Stoller

Some movies are exactly as advertised and some movies go places that you might never expect…Oddly Get Him to the Greek was advertised as a raunch out comedy full of sex and drugs…but it doesn’t take all that long to figure out that this film written by Nicholas Stoller & Jason Segal (both from the Apatow tree that brought us the genius that is Superbad) is much more than just a straight comedy, it actually has a few messages that are surprisingly poignant and shockingly kinda touching. Unfortunately those moments feel pretty out of place in this film. Unlike Knocked Up or Superbad where those moments fit in seamlessly, Get Him to the Greek just takes sharp turns that aren’t meant to be funny and they take you by surprise in a downer way. Though I did appreciate where the film went, it frankly just didn’t fit quite right…sometimes random works, but mix random with raunch and heavy, things just get convoluted and nonsensical. All that said Russell Brand does a nice job with his popular Aldous Snow character (made famous in Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Jonah Hill makes you laugh. I wouldn’t run to the Redbox or anything, but if your favorite show is on reruns this week, why not rent Get Him to the Greek for some laughs.

Get Him to the Greek is the continuing story of rocker Aldous Snow (played perfectly by Russell brand) who after a tragic fall from stardom (with an awesomely racist song called African Child) is convinced to do an anniversary concert at the Greek Theater. Tasked with picking up drunk, drug addicted, and generally unruly Aldous from his London home and bringing him to L.A. is Aaron green (played well by Jonah Hill). As you may imagine things like making flight times and being sober are not in the cards for a rocker, so getting him from one place to another ends up being a pretty hilarious task. There are lots of cameos that will keep you entertained along the ride to include a funny performance from P Diddy and a sweet little role for Mad Men’s own Elisabeth Moss (as Aaron’s Girlfriend who greenlights a threesome!). The movie though funny, does stray from straight comedy as it touches on some serious issues and even may get some emotion out of you (though not many of you, most of you will ask “why did this stop being funny?”. It all just felt a bit messy though in the end, and the original music was less than awesome. Get Him to the Greek isn’t a standout comedy, but it does the job and contains some funny memorable lines that you will take with you. Watch it but don’t rush.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) I will give a solid 6.0 on the Shawshank Scale for being both funny and unpredictable…but in the end I did want a bit more funny…right then, cheerio. (Man I miss the British accent in my daily life).

Fantasy Football Update #7 2010 (Week 8)

Fantasy Football Update #8 and Week 8 Preview + My Picks

NFL

People are likening the NFL these days to reality TV, they say things like “this is the best reality TV you can find” well except for blurred out hot tub boobies and catfights I suppose they are right…(did I forget to mention the near fatal encouragement of overdrinking…(”hey my producer just bought us another bottle!”). I feel sorry that some of the biggest storylines this year have been reality TV-esque. I actually mostly hate reality TV, I don’t like seeing un-redeeming people sell out for fame, but that’s just me, I understand the entertainment value I suppose. So in week 8 of the NFL season, with a sport I love, I find myself slightly turned off by the Randy Moss/TomBrady hair catfight story or the Penis Pics Brett Favre story…you see the center of any sport is the game itself…we have too many sideline reporters too many sideline stories. Smart people who love the game just want it to be about the game, if we want to see people make bad decisions and do disappointing things, we can just look in the mirror and save some cash on the NFL package, come on NFL clean it up, and ESPN lay off the stuff that is just more fit for TMZ. Thankfully while my disappointment in this stuff lingers I have the NBA starting and the World Series still going (though it should be over by now MLB…baseball has to finish sooner!). Ok now let’s break down some fantasy and make some picks!

A stunning upset 105-97 loss to an Underdog StinkN Pete team has sent my Dirty Dawgs to a more modest 5-2 record entering in what is my worst “talent is on the bye” week. I was shocked to lose last week and blame it solely on the fact that I thought (TE) Antonio Gates wouldn’t play so I put (TE) Ben Watson in and he totally flat-lined with 1 point on one catch for 18 yds. Oh well we live and learn; now my mediocre and underdog bye week lineup must step up!

Week 8 lineup (subject to change)-QB T Brady, RB Ryan Torain, RB Knowshon Moreno, WR Deion Branch, WR Jabar Gaffney, TE A Gates, K MIA Dan Carpenter, D/ST Chiefs.

Without Roddy White, Ray Rice, Jeremy Maclin, and Johnny Knox this week I need the Broncos (with Moreno and Gaffney) to step up which seems unlikely because they are going all the way to England…I expect to lose, but anything’s possible!

Some advice from the guy who is 5-2-Most people plan and draft considering the BYE weeks, but some don’t it is time to take advantage of those who don’t, especially in those leagues where you have roster requirements (like must have 2 kickers and so on…). Trade Kickers and D/ST for good upside value if you can afford it. I was recently offered RB J Stewart of Carolina in one of my leagues…for the Dallas Kicker…seriously? Keep your eyes out and don’t be afraid of sending out offers.

Keep an eye on-Brandon Pettigrew (TE) for Detroit, he is a guy that plays well with Matt Stafford (QB) who I also like. This may sound crazy but I like the upside in the next few weeks of the Texans D/ST who after this week play the Chargers at home, then the Jaguars on the road, I think they are getting healthy and will start to gel finally. I’ve been on LeGarrette Blount (RB) now for awhile as a guy to stash away on your bench, well I think it may be time for him to start as a FLEX now, he is clearly the best talent at that postion on TB. He is no sleeper but if you have invested a roster spot on Felix Jones (RB) of Dallas it may finally payoff off for you with Romo out (nobody ever looked happier to break their collarbone ever…he was giddy that he was sidelined after that game) Dallas should run a heck of a lot more. Also I want to ask for permission to get back on the Matt Moore (QB) bus if there is still a seat on it, I think he is solid and am looking forward to seeing get another shot.

Good luck this week…it is brutal with all the byes so expect the unexpected and slot those high upside guys in and cross your fingers!

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 8)

2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks.

2010 stats-52% (9 for 17) on the Like em bets, 50% (9 for 18) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 68% (13 for 19) on the Parlay to try picks.

With another 2 out of 3 underdog take in Week 6 we took Week 7 off to watch a little baseball (and if you liked the Giants and Rangers like I did…you maybe even cashed in on that), but now its time to get serious in Week 8, teams get defined, and things get tough.

Like em-People seem to be having a hard time defining the Dolphins thus far, you can count me as one of those people, but luckily I have defined the Bengals…not good, I’ll take MIA +1 ½ @ CIN, Now I hate to beat a dead horse but those people who picked on me for dogging on the Chargers…where are you now? Look Norv Turner is a total moron and nobody wastes talent like he does, plus anybody been watching this guy Kenny Britt lately? I like TEN +3 ½ @ SDG. Lastly with Jeff Fisher coaching against Norv Turner I expect garbage time points galore for the Chargers so this one (TEN @ SDG) goes Over 44 1/2 .

3 If you can stomach em-I’m 8 weeks into 3 If you can stomach em and still at 50%...this has never happened before, I look to keep it rolling in with these picks: Look I killed Tampa Bay in my preseason column (Football Preview 2010) but I may have to eat my words, Josh Freeman and the guys have some swagger, I’ll take TB +ML @ AZ this week. I would love to bet the Packers against the Jets but I’m holding back as I would love to stay above 50% for another week, so let me give you CAR +ML @ STL instead, the Panthers have too good a coach to just pack it in and in the beginning of the year I really did like Matt Moore…I mean sort of. Lastly and those who read me regularly (and there aren’t many of you!) know where I may go with this one…oh yes my favorite team to bet ML against…the Indy Colts, they have looked beat up, and very pedestrian thus far…mediocrity continues as the Texans outright beat them on Monday Night…seriously take HOU +ML @ IND, The Texans are coming around this year!

Parlay to try-Roll with Over 42 in the SEA @ OAK game as these two teams will be at 30 before halftime, then tack on Over 45 in the WAS @ DET game, and finally add HOU +5 ½ @ IND on Monday night…and you should maybe hedge that if you make it that far…just a thought.

2 to win in College Football-(3-3-1 in 2010)-Ok so we have a very mediocre college record so far so I am going to take this week off so I can re-assess the College landscape and come back firing!

Results will be posted after Week 8

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

On a bye

We had a great week 6 time to enjoy are winnings and take a bye week so we can go to capital grille and have a nice ribeye steak...Good luck to all in Fantasy and Reality!

Fantasy Football Update #6 2010 (Week 6)

Fantasy Football Update #6 and Week 6 Preview + My Picks

I had a monster 154-72 win with my Dirty Dawgs Fantasy Football team this week which has me sitting comfortably at 4-1 on the year.

Week 6 lineup (subject to change)-QB T Brady, RB Ray Rice, RB R Torain, RB B Jackson, WR R White, TE A Gates, K Cowboys, D/ST Saints.

Decided to go three RB’s and just hope one is good and one breaks out, with White and Gates playing so well I feel I’m able to take a risk like this, that said I may change my mind and put Knox, Crabtree, or Maclin in place of B Jackson by kickoff.

Some advice from the guy who is 4-1-TRIM THE FAT Ok so you know who is strong on your team and some of us are lucky enough to have a surplus of talent, but not all that talent will fit on your starting roster so I highly suggest starting the process of trimming the fat on your roster to get the playoff starting lineup you want. Depth is good, but if you can move some of it for guys with great playoff schedules then you are doing your team a favor. Recently in a deep Keeper League I am in, I made a move to trade for TE J. Finley even though I know he is most likely out for the season…look keeper leagues play by different rules and if you have a chance to go grab somebody like Finley so you can keep him and build around him next year, I am always going to say go for it…Good Players always play to win, but good franchise players always play to win while keeping an eye on the future.

Keep an eye on-Deion Branch is a guy I think deeper leagues should add, Brady loves him and he is going to get the ball. Ryan Torain who is owned widely now, is still a guy I want to push on you, this guy is “the guy” for Skins so he will be good, and I believe a #2 Fantasy RB by years end. Lastly sleeper WR’s come and go, but I have a feeling a star is born in Washington with WR Anthony Armstrong.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 6)

2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks.

2010 stats-57% (8 for 14) on the Like em bets, 46% (7 for 15) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 66% (10 for 15) on the Parlay to try picks.

A decent week for us in week going 6-5-1 overall in our picks, and even though we went (yet again) 2 out 3 on our parlay (3-teamer), we still cashed in on 1 underdog and 2 strong Like Em bets. (Things we learned-I really believed the Bills behind Ryan Fitzy would be able to get a win at home against the Jags, but that Bills D is just horrible.) This is another tough week for NFL gamblers…let’s see what we got.

Like em-NWE -3 vs. BAL, look some people out there think the Ravens are the class of the NFL, but the class of the NFL made the Hoody cool again a few years back, and let’s not disrespect Brady’s 22 home win streak and Belichick’s 7-0 record after the bye. It is a tough week and I flirted with the idea of going with the Dolphins +4 vs the Packers, but I’d rather give my Saints one more chance to cover so take NO -4 @ TB. The Last lock seems to be easy so be cautious here, take Over 45 in the SDG @ STL game, I would have thought for sure it would be more like 47.5-49.

3 If you can stomach em-So KC did some good things against the Colts but couldn’t seal the deal in week 5, no problem Jason Campbell and the Raiderzzzz saved the day delivering on a ML bet. I want to go crazy this week right off the bat and give you one of my MORAL HIGH GROUND PICKS…take CLE ML @ PITT just because we don’t think sexual assault is cool and maybe the gods give Colt McCoy a little good fortune in this game. For the less ballsy players give Chad Henne and Fins some respect by saying screw you to the +4 and take MIA ML @ GNB, The Packers are beat up and Aaron Rodgers is concussed…I think the Fins steal this one. Lastly I wanted to take Denver because I believe in the Broncos passing attack and I think the Jets can get spread out and give up big yards in the air, but I am going to go for a bigger payout in the bye week refreshed Seahawks…so try SEA ML @ CHI and hope to god that Jay Cutler is being Jay Cutler and throwing to the Seattle defense early and often.

Parlay to try-2 out of 3 again on the Parlay so let’s try something different. Take Over 42 in the ATL @ PHI game, then add on Over 41.5 in the OAK @ SF game, while rolling large on the Over 44 in the DET @ NYG game, and finishing up (and hedge this if it works out to this point) with the Over 45 in the TEN @ JAC game…who doesn’t like rooting for points !

2 to win in College Football-(2-2-1 in 2010)-Tough to pick this week but I think Under 53 ½ in the Iowa @ Mich game is likely and I really think NEV (Wolf Pack) -6 ½ shouldn’t have any problem with Hawaii even on the road.

Bonus 2 Team Teaser-(for those who get into the finer points of gambling) Take PITTSBURGH +4 {-2 to start}@ SYRACUSE and Take NEVADA -1 {-7 to start}@ HAWAII for a -110 @ Team Tease…then thank me later.

Results will be posted after Week 6

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

My Football Picks! (Week 5)

A sneaky 74-72 win for me in week 4 catapults my team to a solid 3-1 record despite not having great weeks out of Brady and Rice. Taking the week off (just like my Pats) from Fantasy Yakety Yak to catch up on sleep but didn’t want to deprive the many fans (um 9) from my picks…enjoy.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 5)-2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks. 2010 stats-55% (6 for 11) on the Like em bets, 41% (5 for 12) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 66% (8 for 12) on the Parlay to try picks.

A good week for us in week 4 going 6-9 overall in our picks, and even though we went (yet again) 2 out 3 on our parlay (3-teamer), we still cashed in on 2 underdogs and 2 strong Like Em bets. (Things we learned-Really misjudged the Seattle offense and St. Louis Defense as I suggested Over 39 in that game, we live and learn each week). After a good week it’s my custom to take some chances, so let’s hit it out of the park.

Like em-I’ll take ATL -3 @ CLE The Browns got their win and those who think they can string wins together with that roster are nuts, though they are better than awful they ain’t good. KC +7 ½ @ INDY, look they are coming off a bye and will hang with a bad Indy defense, I’ll take more than a TD. Lastly fool me once…um…you gotta fool me more than once, I’ll take Over 42 in the STL @ DET game, maybe Seattle let me down, but the Lions, I’ll take my chances (but if it doesn’t work out I’m off this bandwagon).

3 If you can stomach em-Some great Dogs this week, we went 2/3 last week…let’s take some chances. Let’s start slow taking BUF +ML vs. JAC, Ryan Fitzy can throw, and we know the Jags love to let people throw…the Bills get a clean win this week. Now we step it up a notch with OAK +ML vs. SDG, I love M Bush RB for the Raiders and we all know how I feel about Norv “sleeps through the first 6 weeks” Turner…I could see a 27-24 home upset by the RAAIIIDERZZZ! Lastly I can’t help myself here, take KC +ML (and coming off the bye) @ INDY for a big winner! Frankly I can’t justify this one, I hate the Colts and Love Crennel and Big Fat, but lovable Charlie Weiss, so just bet it and root for Matty Cassel Magic!

Parlay to try-We are due to snag a 3 teamer so let’s try to be smart about this one, The Over 42 in the DET vs. STL game (STL can’t screw us twice in a row can they?), Over 41 in the BUF vs. JAC game, and lastly close it up with a NO -7 @ ARI play.

3 to win in College Football (1 for 2 in 2010 50%)-I’m going to take a chance on Mich St. +4 ½ @ MICH, I just think the Rich Rodriguez show can be sorted out by good coaches. I’ll continue on with my Notre Dame goes on a streak now theory with ND -6 vs. PITT. Lastly I really like Auburn -6 ½ vs. Kentucky, even on the road the great coached Auburn knows how to take care of business.

Results will be posted after Week 5

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Movie Review #47 (The Social Network)

The Social Network (2010) Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield Directed by David Fincher

“You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies” is the tagline for David Fincher’s (Fight Club, Zodiac, Benjamin Button, and Seven…all good BTW) latest film and it is quite fitting. The Social Network is the story of the Facebook creators and their long complicated road to the billionaire club…but that’s not really what it’s about, it’s really about you wanting to be liked…you post something clever on Facebook and you sit at your computer looking at something else occasionally refreshing to see if anyone has commented or laughed at your clever post…you get so happy when they do and you crave more…you (and by “you” I mean all of us) want to be liked, Mark Zuckerberg (Creator) really wanted to be liked, accept in your very early 20’s sometimes when that’s your goal, you do stupid things attempting to attain that goal. This film brilliantly depicts a man that loves to be an a**hole, but no matter how stone he is, underneath he really just wants to be liked (no spoilers but the beginning and ending scenes really spell it out for you). Fincher and Sorkin really do an excellent job telling the story they want to tell, making it both entertaining and frankly quite educational. I really liked this movie, now I am bias considering how much I love Sorkin (who wrote my favorite TV Show of all time in The West Wing), and how much I respect the filmmaking abilities of David Fincher. Even considering my bias though, I am hard pressed to find another movie that is quite as smart as this one in this year’s bag of crap that Hollywood has lit on fire and threw on our front porch so far this year. This film will be very near the top of Best of the Year list and I’m grateful for finally seeing a film that is both intelligent and entertaining…we need more…please Hollywood…no more Transformers and Katherine Heigl!

The Social Network is the story of Mark Zuckerberg (played brilliantly by fine young actor Jesse Eisenberg who was great in last year’s Adventureland) who is the main founder of Internet juggernaut Facebook. When you invent something like Facebook you are “inspired” by many things (in this case a girl, an idea, and exclusivity are few of them), but once your monster is created some of those people that inspired you on your way are going to want a piece of the pie…and frankly they probably deserve it. The most important relationship of the film is with Mark and his best friend and partner Eduardo Saverin (played by the next Spiderman Andrew Garfield) who is painfully and slowly pushed out of the company over time. The most entertaining character however (and after he is introduced he dominates the film…which I think is ok even though the storytelling gets a tad hazy after he is introduced) is Napster founder Sean Parker (played well by Justin Timberlake P.S. go Youtube “history of rap” with him and Jimmy Fallon…BRILLIANT!), he really gets things moving in a direction where conflict is inevitable. Sorkin isn’t trying to hide any of the messages (or cautionary tales) in this film in nuance or clever dialogue, he actually makes a brilliant move by opening the movie with one major conflict and then all but spelling out another when Lawyer Marylin Delpy (played solidly by Rashida Jones) delivers one of the best lines of the film, Sorkin doesn’t want us to decide for ourselves about these guys, he wants to tell us what it must have been like to be a 24 year old billionaire. This film is great on so many levels and I do believe it has some rewatchabilty factor to it, I highly recommend it and think it is a shoe-in for a Best Picture nod. Now stop checking your old girlfriends relationship status and go see this movie!

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) “If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you’d have invented Facebook” classic Sorkin, The Social Network is so well done and so clever. I don’t care how much of it is accurate, I care how much could have been, and how simple the conflicts are…this film is a very good 8.0 on the scale and could with time move even higher.

Food For Thought: Fincher is doing the American version of the very popular book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo out in 2011, which I am really excited about, while Sorkin is wrapping up the film version (which he wrote) of the great baseball book, Moneyball also coming out in 2011. For Jesse Eisenberg there is an odd comedy called 30 Minutes or Less coming out next year about a pizza guy being kidnapped and as mentioned before Andrew Garfield will be the next version of Peter Parker in the latest incarnation of Spiderman, that’s aiming for 2012.

Fantasy Football Update #4 2010 (Week 4)

A very workman like 128-84 victory in week 3 for the Dirty Dawgs. Even though I didn’t get any production from my running backs (Portis 4 pts, Rice 8 pts), I still put up very solid numbers getting value from every other position.

Dirty Dawgs (CBS) 10 Team League/Mostly Standard Scoring/6 Playoff spots (5^th Pick)

Current Record 2-1

Week 3 Lineup (Subject to change):

QB-Tom Brady (@MIA)-Brady on Monday Night @ the Dolphins worries me a bit, but I still think he gets over 250 (yds) and at least 2 TD’s.

RB-Brandon Jackson (DET)-This will be a down to the wire call for me as it’s starting to look like Rice will start (@PIT), but it’s the Steelers and he doesn’t sound like he’s a 100% healthy. My RB situation after losing R Grant and K Moreno early is going to be a work in progress all year. All I can say in defense of this move is that B-Jax last 100 yd game came in 2008…against guess who?…the Lions.

WR-Roddy White (SF)-He has been great every week for me and I could really use a big day again from him as my roster is thin this week. I am hoping for a 2 TD day, but I expect at least one TD.

WR-Jeremy Maclin (WAS)-After his 2 TD day last week its hard for me to bench him, he seems to really have connected with QB M Vick. I got him as a value pick late in this years draft, and he’s been invaluable to this team thus far.

WR-Johnny Knox (@NYG)-He is Cutler’s go to guy so far, and he is explosive and capable of big plays as he averages 23.5 yds per catch thus far. My RB’s are all hurting right now so he is in there as a fill in, but I hope he plays like a starter.

TE-Antonio Gates (@SEA)-Just another 109 yds and a TD last week for Mr. Gates who without Vincent Jackson on that offense is the go to guy.

K-Jay Feeley (@SD)-I have no idea what Feeley will do here…I hate kickers, seriously hate them.

D/ST-Saints (CAR)-I really try to get the right defense in there at the right time, I can’t think of a better defense (the opportunistic Saints D) against a really bad offense (the lost in the sauce Panthers with a rookie QB)…maybe Defense will get me the win this week?

Some advice from the guy who is 2-1-Here come the bye weeks which means 2 things, guys who don’t normally start find themselves in your lineup, and guys who have glaring needs for the immediate matchup are more likely to trade to fill in the gaps…so my advice is no matter how much people get offended by trade offers they deem not worthy, just keep cranking out offers and staying active looking for the right trade.

Keep an eye on-Ben Jarvis Green Ellis, LaGarrette Blount, and Ryan Torain. 3 RB’s that I think will all be getting much more work than they are right now in the next coming weeks…ok that’s it for this week as I need more room to do my betting section.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 4)-2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 58% on the Parlay to try picks. 2010 stats-44% (4 for 9) on the Like em bets, 33% (3 for 9) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 66% (6 for 9) on the Parlay to try picks.

Like em-The Packers screwed us out of a perfect week last week so I’m staying away from them this week, instead try the Pats -1 @ MIA as they go into the bye looking strong. Take Over 39 with SEA @ STL as both these teams are young and big play friendly. Lastly, though I like Ryan Fitzpatrick I don’t like him being hurried around the pocket by the Jets Defense so take NYJ -5 ½ @ BUF.

3 If you can stomach em-Coming into this last game Sebastian Janikowski had made 19 straight FG’s…he missed 3 including a game winner…that was hard to stomach. Look Pit can’t keep this up forever and BAL could use a win I like BAL +ML @ PIT. I may be looking at this wrong but I am rolling with McNabb in his return game…Reid might let him win this one…go for WAS +ML @ PHI. I don’t love this game but you guys would kill me if I went with the Bronco or 49ers again so here we go: take Cutler and his Bears +ML @ NYG, even though it’s a must win for the Giants.

Parlay to try-HOU -3 @ OAK, Over 39 in the SEA @ STL game, and seal it up with NYJ -5 ½ @ BUF.

2 to win in College Football-Take the Irish ND +1.5 @ BC…they are due for a win after a tough run and BC is my team, I watch them, they won’t be able to handle this well coached team. I’d love to tell you to take Penn St. +7 @ Iowa but I know better this is about winning and if you want to win take Arkansas St. -6.5 vs. Louisville.

Results will be posted after Week 4

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Fantasy Football Update #3 2010 (Week 3)

Well I guess in a way I deserved to lose this week, as I was rooting for the 49ers to cover, that said if they had failed to tie the game my Dirty Dawgs Fantasy team would be a strong 2-0 right now…oh well that’s fantasy.

Dirty Dawgs (CBS) 10 Team League/Mostly Standard Scoring/6 Playoff spots (5^th Pick)

Current Record 1-1

Week 2 Lineup (Subject to change):

QB-Tom Brady (BUF)- Look if Ray Rice was going to lay another egg I needed Brady to actually produce something in the 2^nd half of the Jets game…he didn’t and I lost. About mid 3^rd quarter all I could think about was where is my Pats Hoodie and get a freaking haircut! Brady can make up for it this week by pummeling the Bills at home…which he will.

RB-Ray Rice (CLE)- Rice was supposed to carry me, 87 RuYards and 30 RecYards wasn’t quite good enough, but I’m still not worried about him really. Now if he doesn’t dominate the Browns at home…then I’m worried.

RB-Clinton Portis (@STL)- I went Jerome Harrison over Portis last week and it cost me, it was probably because I was rooting for Harrison to do well as he was one of my big sleeper picks, but that sentiment ends now as Portis vs the Rams awful defense is a week I have to pencil him in for double digit fantasy points.

RB-Knowshon Moreno (IND)- Look he hasn’t been bad so far this year, but he hasn’t been that great either, I figure that the Colts vs Broncos game will actually be a close one, and I don’t really like the Colts run defense, so here we go Knowshon you get a start.

WR-Roddy White (@NO)-Anybody else think Roddy White is a legit top 3 WR in the NFL? How about anybody else think that the Falcons can beat the Saints in New Orleans?

TE-Antonio Gates (@SEA)-THIS IS WHY YOU DRAFT GATES EARLY…I hope if you drafted Tony Gonzalez or Chris Cooley and thought meh that’s good enough, you have learned your lesson.

K-David Buehler (@HOU)-The Cowboys can’t find the endzone…well at least I know their kicker will be useful.

D/ST-Eagles D/ST (@JAC)-This Defense isn’t good, but they do have playmakers and they are going up against JAC who just threw a million INT’s last week…I think it is a smart start.

Some advice from the guy who is 1-1-Make adjustments as quickly as you can, look if you had Pierre Thomas he is bumped up a notch…if you don’t have him, you may want to consider going out and getting him now that Bush is out. There are a lot of players that benefit from injuries and QB switches that you may recognize but others don’t. Remember Michael Vick and TE A. Crumpler?…now consider Brent Celek? How about Sammy Morris (in a deeper league) from New England, because someone has to play the Kevin Faulk roll? These are guys you can “buy low” on and get away with.

Keep an eye on-Demaryius Thomas (WR DEN) I was really on board with Jabar Gaffney (there were lots of us that were), but right now this guy looks legit. I thought about Louis Murphy (WR OAK) in a few drafts but just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on him, now I think if you have room he might be worth it, Bruce Gradkowski is a fan favorite and I think will unseat Campbell and that should be good news for Murphy. I’m just not buying Hester but give me a week and I may reconsider. Deep Sleeper Alert! Ok don’t laugh…I think Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB BUF) is ownable in 2 Quarterback leagues…they play the Pats who have a hard time with the pass this week, and maybe the Harvard boy gets on a roll after that…call me crazy but I like him WAY better than Trent Edwards.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 3)-2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 31% on the Parlay to try pick. 2010 stats-33% (2 for 6) on the Like em bets, 33% (2 for 6) on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 66% (4 for 6) on the Parlay to try picks.

Like em-Cincy -3 @ CAR at first glance this would appear to be a game John Fox and his Panthers would win, but take a closer look at that Bengal defense and that Notre Dame QB…yeah I think this is a lock. I love Over 42 in the NE vs. BUF game…look the Pats will score…and sadly so will the Bills as the Pats Defense is WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE! Finally the Packers -3 @ the Bears is one I can’t lay off of, I don’t care what they say about Martz and Cutler…he throws 2 picks in this game!

3 If you can stomach em-So last week didn’t go so well, who knew the 49ers were going to hand it to the Saints? Let’s try some more reasonable upsets this week…well maybe one crazy one. Take Oakland +ML @ AZ as I still see almost nothing good in Glendale. Give some props to Atlanta +ML @ New Orleans as I don’t see the Saints going 3-0, though I do think they will ultimately win that division. I was so tempted to go Detroit @ Vikings but my senses won’t let me so how about an equally crazy one…Denver +ML vs. Indy…I hate Indy so it may be blinding me, but even taking that into consideration I still could see this a Bronco victory.

Parlay to try-I want to try Tenn +3 @ NYG, Over 42 in the Pats vs. Bills game, and seal it with the 49ers -3 (I will regret this) @ KC in what will be a huge test for fragile minded Alex Smith in a LOUD stadium.

***BONUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS***It’s one week early (I like to go week 5 on College before betting) but I will throw you two games I like this week, Penn St. -15 vs. Temple is a lock and I’ll take the +4 with BYU at home vs Nevada.

Results will be posted after Week 3

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Movie Review #46 (The Town)

The Town (2010) Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner Directed by Ben Affleck

The problem with raised expectations is that they can hijack your experience, but I couldn’t help it with this film, all of my go to critics praised it. I’m not going to say I was disappointed because it was a very entertaining piece of work from Affleck, however I was hoping for another Oscar contender (like 7.5 or higher on the scale…so few of those so far this year) and The Town is just not good enough to qualify for that kind of praise. That said The Town is a good solid heist film that is easy to watch and especially enjoyable if your fascinated by the Boston accent (which Affleck uses to the full degree saying things like Dungaroos and Arbitrary…great Boston words). I blame only myself for expecting more.

The Town is the story of Doug MacRay a 2^nd generation Irish bank robber in “the town” of Charlestown Mass. After a robbery in which he takes a Bank Manager hostage, he gets a spot of the Moral Shakes and wants to reconsider his life choices (of course he does). Around that same time he actually falls for this Bank Manager (played very well by the lovely Rebecca Hall). This romance doesn’t sit well with the rest of his long time crew, especially the crazy James Coughlin (played by the brilliant Jeremy Renner) who is doubly pissed because he wants Doug to be with his sister (who is played by a very strung out looking and often annoying Blake Lively). Doug tries hard to change his ways and leave it all in the rearview but Fergie Colm (played by a turnipy looking Pete Postlethwaite) uses Doug’s new romance as leverage to convince him to do one more job…any guess where this job takes place?…hmm…Affleck…Boston…um…try Fenway Park…over the top?…yes…enjoyable to watch?…yes it is. The cop who is on the chase for the crew is FBI agent Frawley (played well by Mad Men Vet John Hamm) he has the best line of the film toward the end. The film makes some of the same mistakes as Public Enemies (2009) did, lots of character, look, and feel…but little substance, and the romance is simply unbelievable. All that said it is a really fun movie, and though it isn’t the intelligent fall movie I was hoping for (more like a fun summer heist film) I still highly recommend it…I just hope there is more to come from the fall films.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Don’t Paarrk your Armored Carr in the Harvard Yard if you don’t want it to be jacked! Listen I love Boston and they even mention my actual hometown of Nashua in the film…so I would be thrown to the wolves if I didn’t give it at least a 7.0 on the scale.

Food For Thought: Next up for Affleck is a Terrence Malick directed Untitled Romance co starring Javier Bardem and Rachel McAdams. For Jeremy Renner there is Mission Impossible 4 coming in 2011.

Fantasy Football Update #2 2010 (Week 2)

A stunning 95-78 opening week victory for my Dirty Dawgs, it was seriously exhausting watching all that football after such a long layoff…(in all honesty I fell asleep from shear boredom watching that Cowboys Redskins game). When it was all over I popped a bottle of wine and detoxed from football with Rubicon and Mad Men two good AMC shows that you should be watching…alright let’s break it down.

Dirty Dawgs (CBS) 10 Team League/Mostly Standard Scoring/6 Playoff spots (5^th Pick)

Current Record 1-0

Week 2 Lineup (Subject to change):

QB-Tom Brady (@Jets)-Looks like the 16-0 Brady from 3 years ago may be back…I’ll temper my expectations against the solid Jets Pass Defense.

RB-Ray Rice (@CIN)-It was a bad matchup (Jets) and 43 RuYards and 19 RecYards is pretty bad for a first round pick but I won’t complain given that I won anyway. Cincy’s run defense is pretty good but Rice has a history of good games against them…I need him to carry me this week.

RB-Brandon Jackson (BUF)-Losing Ryan Grant was a huge blow to my team and the idea of starting 3 RB’s every week is pretty much a thing of the past for me (unless Jackson shows up big) but at least I was able to grab his back up…now it’s time to see what Brandon Jackson can do, against Buffalo you couldn’t ask for a better starting opponent.

RB-Jerome Harrison (KC)-Last week I ended up benching Crabtree at the last minute for Jerome Harrison who would have had a good game but Peyton Hillis vultured some carries away from my man, he still put up 52 RuYards in only 9 carries and something tells me Delhomme won’t be allowed to throw late in this game after last week, so he gets another chance in my starting roster…BTW last year KC was the team he put up 200+ RuYards against.

WR-Roddy White (ARI)- I drafted him to be my #1 receiver so you know I liked him, but even I was shocked to see how often Matty Ice threw to him, 13 catches and 111 yards is gonna be just fine every week…maybe throw a TD in there every once in awhile.

TE-Antonio Gates (JAC)-Going into Monday Night I needed 2 points to win, Gates gave me 14 and that’s why you draft him as high as you do.

K-David Buehler (CHI)-Last week Feeley let me down a bit (5 pts) so this week I decided to give the Cowboys offense a chance to score some points…this could be ugly. (P.S. Why does Jason Garrett get paid so much for being one of the worst offensive coordinators in the league?).

D/ST-Eagles D/ST (@DET)-I was tempted to stick with the Saints who did a nice job against the Viking last week, but I couldn’t sit the Eagles D/ST against Shaun Hill and the Lions, though I still think the Lions can do some damage, I am just rooting for turnovers.

Some advice from the guy who is 1-0-If you haven’t learned your lesson yet, you should now know to draft your stud RB’s backups…they seriously come in handy when someone does a “Ryan-Grant” on you. Stick with your guys through week 1, if you own Gore, Rice, Spiller, or even Matthews don’t just give up on your guy…one week does not make a bust. Look TE’s are the only way you can really pull off the 3 RB/1 WR starting roster…that stud TE acts as your 2^nd WR and allows you to roll the dice on a RB that is guaranteed touches. I have always been pro drafting a QB early and pro drafting a TE early…they add such balance to your roster. If he stays healthy Gates will be more valuable to my team then Ryan Grant would have…now let’s see how my theory plays out. Lastly it is never too early to start making adjustments toward your playoffs. If you know your team is good and you really think you will get into the playoffs then start trading guys toward those guys you want in weeks 14, 15, and 16…it’s never too early to trade.

Keep an eye on-Nate Washington who put up 88 yards and a TD in week 1, maybe he is what we thought Kenny Britt would be. Austin Collie, now Manning threw like 4,000 times but it is hard to ignore 163 receiving yards and a TD…I would grab him if your roster permits. Denver WR’s, i.e. Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney…look this team is going to throw the ball a la Patriots grab these guys now!

The Rest of my Leagues-I went 0-3 in my other 3 leagues and though I put up good numbers in all of them it wasn’t good enough. I am making adjustments and hoping for a rebound in all 3.

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 2)-2009 stats-66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 If you can stomach em underdog picks, and 31% on the Parlay to try pick. 2010 stats-33% on the Like em bets, 66% on the 3 If you can stomach em bets, and 66% on the Parlay to try picks.

Like em-I like Over 41 in the Eagles @ Lions game, the Lions can still score and the Eagles will score on defense…maybe more than once. I’ll take the Vikings -4 vs. the Dolphins, the Fins really showed me nothing in week 1 and they won’t be able to run on the Vikings. Finally the Patriots -1 ½ @ the Jets have to be a lock…the Jets are in disarray and Mr. Belicheck is coming to town.

3 If you can stomach em-In the Manning vs. Manning bowl I will go with lil bro Eli and his Giants +ML @ Colts, Don’t laugh but I’m not walking away from the 49ers +ML who just might pull off an upset Monday night vs the Saints, finally I was tempted by the Cowboys/Bears game but then I remembered Cutler and Martz and how much they suck so for the big payday upset why not try to ride out this Norv Turner is an idiot thing and bet on the Jaguars +ML to roll out a 2-0 start after beating the Chargers in San Diego. (I did go 2 out of 3 last week so I took some more risk on this week).

Parlay to try-Patriots -1 ½ @ Jets, Over 42 ½ in the Bills @ Packers game, and actually the Raiders -3 ½ vs. the Rams. 2 out of 3 on my 3 teamer last week won’t cut it but don’t give up on me yet!

Results will be posted after Week 2

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Fantasy Football Update #1 2010 (Week 1)

Alright so I have drafted all my teams and though I did basically try to stick with the guys I liked, I did try two different methods and found myself in one rather precarious must-trade situation. This year I have chosen to basically chronicle my “work” league. This league is veteran heavy one and has a fairly shallow bench. We just got them to finally switch to standard scoring, but there is no INT or Fumble deductions and Pasing TD’s are 6 points. This league allows one keeper. Let’s break down my draft.

Dirty Dawgs (CBS) 10 Team League (5^th Pick)

Keeper: QB Tom Brady-I had to give a first and third round pick last year to get him and he didn’t quite live up to expectations. I still finished third and I have every reason to think that he will get better this year given his new TE’s, Moss’s contract year, and the fact that this team may be in some shootouts with that young and injured Defense they have.

First Pick: RB Ray Rice-With most of the big dogs kept (Peterson, Gore, Johnson) how I ended up with Rice in the five spot is beyond my understanding…even crazier I had the choice between him and Turner…people love QB’s in this league and at this draft you have to expect the unexpected…every time I draft for this league I just wait to hear name that I believe somebody reached on and then I pounce on the value that was left behind…this year I rolled into a high value guy in Ray Rice…I expect great things.

Second Pick: WR Roddy White-Again with (Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, and Randy Moss) kept, I felt the need to grab White as fast as I could, I have him in several leagues and actually think he will be a worthy #1. Atlanta plays CAR, SEA, and NO during this leagues playoff weeks so that makes me happy.

Third Pick: RB Ryan Grant-I am not a huge Ryan Grant guy, apparently nobody else is either, I have him in another league where he was left for dead…at this range I had to take him as a #2 to Rice I think he will be fine. (Though I did get his handcuff and may look to trade the pair).

Fourth Pick: TE Antonio Gates-If you read my blog you know I value TE’s, plus in this league (as most leagues) once you pick one TE they all go…so I popped the TE cherry this year with Gates. With Vincent Jackson in limbo and the Charger defense looking bad, I think Gates will be as good as ever.

Fifth Pick: WR Michael Crabtree-There is some risk here having him as my #2 WR, he may not be ready for that, but I had a long list of value wideouts I knew I was going to grab later in the draft. He is capable of 1000 yards and 8+ TD’s.

Sixth Pick: RB Knowshon Moreno-He fell to a spot I had to take him at, though I don’t love him and was unable to get his backup in Buckhalter, but at this spot I think the upside is worth the risk. As a #3 he makes me feel better about Grant knowing this guy can slot in there if Grant doesn’t produce. He gets TD’s but did not post a 100+ yard game last year…let’s hope that changes.

Next 5 Picks: (RB) Jerome Harrsion, (RB) Clinton Portis, (WR) Jeremy Maclin, (WR) Jabar Gaffney, and (WR) Johnny Knox. I went right after depth at both the WR and RB…I may have made a mistake not taking a better TE backup considering the injury risk with Gates, but I can always make a move.

The Rest: (QB) Alex Smith, (RB) Brandon Jackson, (WR) T.J. Housmandzadeh, (TE) Tony Scheffler, (K) Dallas, (K) Arizona, Eagles D/ST, and Saints D/ST. I couldn’t help but draft T.J. Housh even after learning about his cut from the Seahawks…he will go somewhere and play, and if he doesn’t I can live with cutting him.

Week 1 Lineup (Subject to change):

QB-Tom Brady (vs CIN)-That Cincy defense should be good and they will run on the Pats, but nobody benches the “Golden Boy” in week 1.

RB-Ray Rice (@NYJ)-Another bad matchup for me, but I can’t bench him, I like him for a TD and we can never get a handle on team defense until 2 or 3 weeks in.

RB-Ryan Grant (@PHI)-I am tempted to go Jerome Harrison here, but for now I will just hope Grant squirms into the endzone against that Philly Run D.

WR-Roddy White (@PIT)-Yet another bad matchup for me against the good Steeler Defense, but I like the guy as a #1 WR and he will start every week for me.

WR-Michael Crabtree (@SEA)-I don’t know what to make of Seattle right now, they may end up being a solid team, but that much change is never good for a defense…Crabtree has a big week 1.

TE-Antonio Gates (@KC)-Can my team be carried by a TE in week 1?...I hope so.

K-Jay Feeley (@STL)-I’m going Feeley over Dallas’s Buehler because of that St. Louis defense which is bad.

D/ST-Saints (vs MIN)-They lost Sharper…now I’m concerned, but Farve may be a bit pass happy in week one…I’ll roll the dice and see if they can recreate that turnover magic from a year ago.

Some advice before the season starts-It’s a long season, I generally always play the matchups during the season, but in week one you want to stretch your muscles and play your top guys. It is afterall one week and if you lose there is time to correct things. Remember defenses that get drafted early in drafts are never as good as you think they will be…(in fact none of the defenses that were drafted in the top 5 finished in the top 10 at seasons end) so don’t go crazy with the analyzing defense, we aren’t sure what we are dealing with just yet. Start your top guys in week 1!

Keep an eye on-Good guys on bad teams…Johnny Knox is a guy finally getting some love in drafts, but there are other guys you can grab that will pad your depth. Try grabbing Mohomed Massaquoi or Kenny Britt, then go get their QB’s in Vince Young and Jake Delhomme so you can pair them up if they get hot for your main QB’s bye week.

Tale of a draft-In one league I was drafting in the 6^th spot and their was 10 guys kept including all the good runners, so even though I had kept (QB) Tom Brady, I went ahead and drafted the best guy on the board, (QB) Peyton Manning-now it was a risky thing to do (and it did make people mad) but I started working right away on a trade. I thought I would be able to offer another pick to get Frank Gore (the guy I wanted) but still did okay settling for WR Roddy White and a 6^th round pick (turned into {RB} P Thomas) for Manning and a 13^th round pick. I didn’t get the guy I wanted, but the decision did give me a nice WR duo in that league in Calvin Johnson and Roddy White…now I have to figure out which one of my mediocre RB’s will turn out (Best, Thomas, Bush, Bush, Williams, Portis, and Forsett).

Bet on this, but don’t get mad at me-(Week 1)-Since the start of this feature (week 3 last year) we have picked pretty well. 66% on the Like em bets, 26% on the 3 if you can stomach em underdog picks, and 31% on the Parlay to try pick.

Like em-Saints (-4) vs Vikings-Everybody wants a little action on the first game, I know the Vikes want revenge but Favre just got there and the Vikes lost their best WR. 49ers (-3) @ Seahawks-Start believing now the 49ers are a good team, this should be a lock. Over 47 ½ Packers @ Eagles-The Packers can score, but so can the Eagles, who have the better defense overall, but Kolb is young and will turn the ball over so I expect a shootout of sorts and if you take the 47 ½ you should be well over half way there at halftime.

3 If you can stomach em-Chiefs (ML +200) vs Chargers-The Chiefs have a new toy in Thomas Jones and Matty Cassel is a gamer, let’s not forget how bad the poorly coached Chargers play in the early stages of season-One name-Norv Tuner…see what I’m saying?…make some cheese on this one. Texans (ML +115) vs Colts-I don’t love this one, but last year this team should’ve beat them twice…ok at least once, one of these years they are going to stick it to the Colts…I say this is that year. Lions (ML +220) @ Bears-Another one of my sleeper teams is going to be an offensive force…and let me remind you how bad the Bears have looked so far and that Cutler (now with Mike Martz) will take even longer to release the ball from his hands…I think “A Boy Named Suh” might catch up to him a few times.

Parlay to try-Dolphins (-3) @ Bills, 49ers (-3) @ Seahawks, and I’ll avoid taking an Over/Under by taking the Browns (+3) @ Bucs…even though it’s ill advised to go with three road teams on a Parlay.

Results will be posted after Week 1

Good Luck in all Fantasy and Reality!

Movie Review #45 (The Switch)

The Switch (2010) Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston Directed by Gordon & Speck

How many times are we going to ride the “Friends that never realize they should be together” train in the movies? At least with The Switch we get the clever twist of one jealous friend switching his “Man-chowder” with the donor “Man-chowder”…pretty funny. This movie isn’t a work of art, but it is sweet and at times unexpectedly dark. The Switch goes places you may not think it will go, it also goes places we all know it will go…and maybe a bit too often, so I will concede that it is at times a bit generic. The film is funny and I am both a Bateman and Aniston fan so I do tend to root for them. I also can’t help but like Jeff Goldblum, even if he just shows up in films to be Jeff Goldblum, so The Switch is a film I will recommend.

The Switch is story of Kassie (played by a nice Jennifer Anistiony, Jenifer Aniston) a single woman who thinks the time has come for her to have a baby, and it shouldn’t matter that she hasn’t found the right guy yet. Her BFF Wally (played very well by Jason Bateman) thinks differently…probably because he really likes Kassie, but for some strange “goofy movie” reason can’t get himself to tell her. On a night where Kassie is having a “Baby” party he gets wasted, blacks out, and secretly switches the donor “stuff” with his own “stuff”. Kassie moves away and years go by, eventually Kassie moves back and introduces her old friend Wally to her new son Sebastian, now 6 years old (played just like a little Jason Bateman by Thomas Robinson). It becomes pretty clear that this is Wally’s son, at least to Wally and the rest of the movie is really about him churning up the courage to tell Kassie what he did. The best scenes in the film are the ones where Wally and Sebastian are together. They are a spitting image of one and other. The films “tiddy” ending and obvious plot turns are a bit lazy, but if you like Batman and Robinson together, you will like the movie. Juliette Louis and Jeff Goldblum both provide a little comedy and a surprisingly solid performance by the often annoying Patrick Wilson (you know him as the annoying good looking bad guy in well…everything) is charming as well.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) It’s not Best Picture Worthy, but The Switch is a sweet and likable comedy that is not going to have you asking for your money back. It gets a very nice 7.0 on the scale as I am feeling generous tonight and I really want to see Jason Bateman do well…so support him and see this film!

Food For Thought: Next up for Bateman is a film called Paul about two geeks who find an Alien and of course in 2012 the Arrested Development movie will arrive! Anistons next is Just Go with It that co stars Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman.

Movie Review #44 (Eat Pray Love)

Eat Pray Love (2010) Julia Roberts, Richard Jenkins Directed by Ryan Murphy

It is hard for me to quantify this film as a man. I can tell you watching this from a man’s point of view and from a woman’s will be a very different experience…and not all films are like that. This film whether you want it to or not, is a journey your going on, so be prepared to examine your own life because you will, first while watching this film and frankly again after its over (I came down from this film with a bottle of wine and some In & Out because I was too lazy to make pasta). The film is based on the Elizabeth Gilbert memoir which I did not read, but know the basics. Julia Roberts stars as Liz in a wonderfully empowering female role (you don’t see many films that put a woman out there as this film does) and she is brilliant in it. If I have beef with the film it is that it is not as honest as the book was (I had questions about the character and went home to get those answered by double checking the book, and the film lacks clarity I assume to protect Liz’s likabilty…which even with those emissions it does not, I often found myself not liking or believing her character, but that was why it felt so real…people are like that), but I understand to a degree why that was done…though you will probably sense as I did that the whole story isn’t always being told (art imitates life in this one very well). It is a really powerful film that is hard to watch if you have things in your own life that when you reflect on them, they make you emotional…which let’s be honest is us all.

Eat Pray Love Is the story of Liz Gilbert (Oscar worthy performance by Julia Roberts) a writer who has a divorce, and then a failed relationship hit her hard, so she follows the advice of an old medicine man Ketut (played adorably by Hadi Subiyanto) and goes on a year long journey to Rome (where she Eats), India (where she prays), and finally Bali (where she returns to Ketut and ultimately loves). The locations of this film are flat gorgeous, and the food and wine shots make you want to go to dinner when it’s over. The film itself is excellent, for me it isn’t carried by Julia and her character Liz, it is carried by those people she meets on they way…all men…and all so important to the journey. The standout performance in the film belongs to the excellent Richard Jenkins who plays an ex-alcoholic who has lost his family and is searching for forgiveness of himself in India…it is the best relationship of the film. Two others that are excellent are Billy Crudup (her ex husband) and Javier Bardem (a love interest). I highly recommend this film to everyone; it probably is cheaper than a therapy session and provides the same service…just drink some wine afterward! {Look I didn’t cry and I’m a cryer sometimes but if you are going to cry the two scenes to get something in your eye are the one where they flashback to the wedding dance between Crudup and Roberts, and the one with Jenkins telling Julia why he is in India…tough.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) “Sometimes losing balance for love is part of living a balanced life” It is quotes like that which make this film memorable, I’m not sure about it’s rewatchability (depends how much wine I have in me and if I want to reexamine my life choices) but I know a powerful film when I see one…a Best Picture worthy 7.5 on the scale.

Food For Thought: After the film I enjoyed a bottle of Trader Joe’s Petite Reserve Pinot Noir which was very good, and if I had it my way I would have gone with Tomatoes and asparagus covered with fresh mozeralla and olive oil…but I went In & Out instead. Next up for Queen Julia Roberts is a film called Larry Crowne co starring Tom Hanks.