2010 fantasy recap, week 3

The Phillies clinched their fourth consecutive NL East crown on Monday in Washington (the third time they've clinched the division against the Natinals). The members of this dynasty should be household names, but how many Phillies have actually been on the field for the final out of all four clinching games? And can you name them?

Here's a quick look at the Phillies starting lineup for most of this year, to get you started:

C Carlos Ruiz, 1B Ryan Howard, 2B Chase Utley, SS Jimmy Rollins, 3B Placido Polanco, RF Jason Werth, CF Shane Victorino, LF Raul Ibanez.

Answer later in the post...

QB: Mike Vick, 38.64 pts – sitting on my bench
RB: Adrian Peterson, 35.50 pts – started by Jeff
WR: Austin Collie, 35.40 pts – started by Heidi
TE: Dustin Keller, 24.53 pts – sitting on Jim’s bench
K: Dan Carpenter, 14.00 pts – sitting on the wire
DEF: Seattle, 29.00 pts – sitting on the wire
D: Brandon Siler, 10.50 pts – sitting on the wire

Lots of top players on the waiver wire this week (well, there were until Paul grabbed the Seattle D) and Mike Vick is available to anyone for a trade. I just can’t stomach starting that guy. I'm not sure how any responsible coach can...


"RB means running backwards" edition

3rd place: Devin Moore, 0.32 pts – sitting on the wire
2nd place: Toby Gerhart, -0.30 pts – sitting on the wire
1st place: Chris Ivory, -0.70 pts – sitting on the wire

Pretty good week for defenses, though. Not a single one ended up with negative points. That's the first time no defense out of all 32 teams has lost points since ... c'mon, even I don't keep track of that.

** Both Iowa and Michigan State scored 45 points in their respective wins on Saturday, both impressive totals but only good enough to be tied for fourth place in the Big Ten's offensive performances this weekend. Michigan scored 65 points, Wisconsin scored 70, and Ohio State scored 73 points.

** Speaking of Ohio State, in their win QB Terrell Pryor racked up 224 passing yards and 4 TDs, 104 rushing yards and 1 TD, and 20 receiving yards and 1 TD. That's an impressive 56.7 points for those of you in college football fantasy leagues.

** Delaware won their Saturday match-up against Richmond 34-13 to move to 4-0, but surrendered a TD late in the second quarter of the win. It was the first they'd given up all year, and it made them the last college team in the country -- FBS, FCS, D-II and D-III -- to give up their first six-pointer of the year.

** Next week the 7th-ranked Hens will take on the 3rd-ranked Dukes of James Madison in an FCS showdown game. The Dukes upset Virginia Tech (that Virginia Tech, ranked 13th in the FBS at the time) two weeks ago.


Until further notice, the stupidest thing I hear every week is that gawd-forsaken Dodge Caravan commercial which states "it literally gave birth to all other minivans." That commercial literally makes my ears bleed motor oil. Literally. My doctor at Jiffy Lube is completely baffled. On the plus side, the medical tests only cost $19.99 a visit.

However, the stupidest football thing I heard this week came from the Maryland Racial Slurs radio crew, when Sonny Jurgensen had this exchange with sideline reporter Rick 'Doc' Walker:

Doc: I just don't understand why the Redskins are throwing their simplest defensive packages at the Rams today. Sonny, what do you think?
Sonny: Why are you asking me?
Doc: Well, aren't you watching the defense?
Sonny: I'm not in charge of the defense. I'm up here in the booth. You're the one on the sideline.

You wouldn't think you'd have to remind a Hall of Fame quarterback that reporters don't usually call plays, or remind a radio analyst that it's his job to analyze games. But you apparently don't listen to Washington DC radio.


Former Eagles QB returns to Philly next weekend for the first time as an opponent in Lincoln Financial Field. Here's the latest odds on what his welcome will be, according to bodog.com:

** McNabb gets cheered: 4 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets booed: 2 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets no crowd reaction: 11 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets pelted with bottles: 5 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets awarded the key to the city: 20 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets introduced, Vick gets booed: 3 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets pelted with pieces of Kevin Kolb: 25 to 1 odds
** McNabb gets named the Eagles starting QB: 10 to 1 odds
** McNabb throws up: 3 to 1 odds

Only three Phillies have been on the field for all four clinching outs: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino.

Ibanez was signed in 2008, Polanco in 2009. Victorino was actually playing RF in 2007 with Aaron Rowand in CF and Pat Burrell in LF (and Werth on the bench the whole game). C Carlos Ruiz started the game in 2007, but was replaced by C Chris Coste in the 7th (and therefore wasn't on-field for the final out). And SS Jimmy Rollins didn't play in the clincher this week.

And the pitchers? Brett Myers was on the mound for the final out in 2007, Brad Lidge in 2008 and 2009, and Roy Halladay this year.

One of the main storylines this season has been that the Super Bowl will be played in Texas this year, after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spent billions to build a new stadium in Dallas and thousands more to rebuild his own face. Sports writers have been salivating over the chance of seeing the Cowboys play in the big game at home, but no one has looked at the larger issue of what putting the biggest game of the year in Texas really means to the fans. I present to you the obvious but letter-hidden answer:

Dallas hosts the Super Bowl this season
** Assess: Bastards put show into hellhole **

I think that's a pretty accurate assessment.

Click on the image below to make it bigger.

In order from the top, that's a former Awesome Cup Champion, a former Awesome Cup Champion, the reigning Awesome Cup Champion, a two-time Awesome Cup Champion, and Mrs. Awesome. That's a lot of awesome for one set of standings.

** Again I ask: If the wildcat offense was so important all last year, and if Andy Reid insisted that it wasn't disruptive to his quarterbacks, why didn't we see Kevin Kolb take one out of every six snaps in Sunday's Eagles game?

** You have to applaud the Jets integrity. After WR Braylon Edwards was busted for DUI this week, they made him sit on the bench during Sunday night's primetime game ... until the Jets fell behind. Then they immediately put him on the field and tossed him a 67-yard TD pass. Nothing says standing by your morals like ditching them as soon as you get in trouble.

** By the way, Texans RB Arian Foster is still on pace to rush for an NFL-record 2,165 yards this season (406 yards through three games). I'm just saying...

** Bye weeks start this week, kids. Don't forget to get those rosters in order, because the Andy Reid blown call of the week is still lurking out there.