General
My New Hero: Joel Pineiro
January 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Man. I need to get throwing again. WANTED “Mid-30s junkballer. Must be willing to be lit up like a Christmas tree on every fifth day and prove that the PEDs epidemic is past. It’s a result of bad pitching. It’s … LEFTY preferred.” OK, so I haven’t seen that in the want ads anytime recently. But, I just wish I could turn back the sands of time and roll back to my youth. I would have kept working on locating my low-speed junk that barely registered on the dunk tanks at school carnivals. In all seriousness, I just shook my head when I saw the dollar amount associated with Joel Pineiro’s... [Read the full story]
The Watercooler
Off the Top of My Head
December 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Get ready for a barrage of statistical nuggets to help you dominate your league and all of your in-office water cooler conversations. Wait … are there still water coolers in offices? In this area of the SwollenDome world, I’m going to load you up with some whimsical stat breaks, liner notes and tidbits to get you fired up for the next games on the schedule. On Friday, I’ll load up this page with a bucket of statistical nuggets to take you into the long holiday weekend and throw out at your fellow owners in the draft room. I’m adding value … ALL DAY LONG. Read More →
For My Entertainment
Gran Torino
December 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment
You’ll need the subtitles for early dialogue involving Clint Eastwood (”Walt”), who grumbles his way through the opening. Eastwood plays a widower in a changing neighborhood, trying to come to grips with mortality and sins of his past. He rebuffs the offers of confession from the parish priest, who was told to look after him by his wife. Eastwood’s views on religion might make a few bristle, and his racially-charged utterances certainly make you queasy at first. As the film progresses, he begins to wrestle the demons within related to his service in the Korean War and his... [Read the full story]
Fantasy Man-Crush
The OCNN: The Sports Journalism Version of The nWo
February 3, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Say what you will about Chad Ochocinco. Call him brazen, brash, bold, cocky or any of 1,000 descriptors. You cannot deny that the man is entertaining and, ultimately, good for business in the NFL. His mouth gets him in trouble at times, but he’s yet to appear in the blotter other than his fines from the Commissioner. He celebrates his love of the game and of the camera. Ochocinco is unconventional, but he reminds you that this is a game. I understand marketing and branding and the corporate machine that is the NFL. There’s a corporate image to be protected. Keeping sponsors, advertisers... [Read the full story]
Participation Trophy
Media Day: Did You Learn Anything?
February 3, 2010 · Leave a Comment
As expected, media day came and went with nary a blip on the sports landscape. A collective yawn could have emanated from the group of players as the same questions were asked … and asked … and asked ad nausea. Sure, there were a few oddball questions, a minor security skirmish and more references to the Kardashians than should have been allowed in the prescribed session time. The throng of international media obviously gravitated to Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who gave you what you expect from Peyton Manning. “They’re a talented defense. They can obviously score points.”... [Read the full story]
Fist Bumps
Signing Day: Has The Ink Dried?
February 3, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Rabid fantasy players who have ventured into the college game eagerly awaited National Signing Day. It was a nice break from the nothingness of NFL Media Day and the umpteenth breakdown of Dwight Freeney’s style and his injury. Did we really expect to learn anything new? Of course, we did see the next evolution of the “Ocho Cinco News Network” with Chris Cooley, Ray Rice and Darnell Dockett getting into the mix. Signing day didn’t reveal too many surprises. The usual suspects ranked among the top performers and inked the best classes. The SEC was well-represented, and Urban... [Read the full story]
Latest Columns
Harmon’s 2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers
I know. I know. You’ve barely pushed yourself away from the computer after experiencing the thrill of victory or agony of defeat for the 2009 season. You’re still wondering about the injuries, sit-downs and highs and lows that made you a champion or an also-ran. Still, I’m calling on you to start building a picture...
[Continue reading: Harmon’s 2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers]Fantasy MVPs: Favre finds success
The 2009 NFL season provided more than a few chills, spills and thrills along the way. We entered the year with grand expectations at tailback, and conventional wisdom kept the draft board running back-heavy in the opening rounds. That age-old strategy just might fall to the wayside in 2010 given the number of pass-happy...
[Continue reading: Fantasy MVPs: Favre finds success]2009 surprises: Meachem becomes a star
Los Angeles The 2009 season offered more twists and turns than any psychological thriller concocted in Hollywood. Fantasy owners and fans navigated through a myriad of injuries and varied circumstances, including, but not limited to, coaching changes, suspensions, trades, releases and frequent trips on the quarterback...
[Continue reading: 2009 surprises: Meachem becomes a star]Read More Posts From Latest Columns »
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