Fantasy Drafthelp: NFL Week 8

Here’s a few standard preface notes:

^ Notwithstanding the claims of any website to be your “home for Sunday morning injury report news,” nothing beats Google News – nothing. Entering a player name into this search engine trumps any other means of gathering information because it culls the data from an unbelievably wide variety of sources.

^ Especially earlier in the season, it’s always good to refer to a strong baseline of where players should have been drafted – and nothing beats FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTOLOGY 2010.

^ Unless there are any injury questions, we never discuss “gimme” players. Such core players should be started week in and week out unless there is any question surrounding their playing status. Winning teams only need to worry about “playing the matchups” with one, two or (at the most, during bye weeks) three spots in the lineup. With a full slate of games, and players drafted in a certain order for a multiplicity of reasons, we especially don’t advocate much juggling for the first two weeks of the season. Some websites promise you a crystal ball for how to manage high-risk, high-reward juggling during the season. We don’t. We play the percentages. That approach may be boring, but it’s highly effective and much more intellectually honest in what we promise you.

^ By the way, here are your core players who should not be benched if healthy or available (players listed in their order on our draft board):

QB: Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Tony Romo

RB: Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, Frank Gore, Steven Jackson, Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Mathews, Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, Shonn Greene, Matt Forte, Beanie Wells, Cedric Benson, Jonathan Stewart, LeSean McCoy, Ronnie Brown

WR: Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, Roddy White, Miles Austin, Greg Jennings, DeSean Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin, Marques Colston, Steve Smith (Carolina), Chad Ochocinco, Calvin Johnson, Steve Smith (NY Giants), Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree, Donald Driver, Vincent Jackson

TE: Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, Brent Celek, Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, Jermichael Finley

^ Here are the players who have been added to the list this season:

QB: none

RB: none, Arian Foster

WR: Wes Welker, Terrell Owens

TE: none

^ Here are the players who have been removed from that list this season:

QB: none

RB: Ryan Grant

WR: Pierre Garcon, Mike Wallace

TE: none

^ Links for each game take you to the NFL.com home page for each game, with stats and analysis.

^ All times listed are EDT.

^ Teams listed as “All-In” have a combination of all of the above players and any marginal players reaching a status where QB/RB1/RB2/WR1/WR2/TE all should be played. Teams listed as “All-Out” should have only the above “locks” for their team in a fantasy lineup, with all marginal players being benched.

^ All advice is relative, because there are exceptions to every rule. There are no marginal players who absolutely should be played or benched, but the ones we refer to here should be in the vast majority of circumstances.

^ Of the non-gimme players we like this week, the stronger plays are the ones in all caps.

Week 8

Sun. Oct. 31

Packers at Jets, 1:00 PM All-out on marginal Packers, TE Keller

Broncos at 49ers, 1:00 PM QB Orton, WR Lloyd, all-out on marginal 49ers

Jaguars at Cowboys, 1:00 PM TE Lewis, RB F Jones, WR R Williams

Dolphins at Bengals, 1:00 PM All-out on marginal Dolphins and Bengals

Panthers at Rams, 1:00 PM All-out on marginal Panthers and Rams

Redskins at Lions, 1:00 PM QB McNabb, WR S Moss, TE Cooley, RB J Best

Bills at Chiefs, 1:00 PM WR Evans, WR S Johnson, RB T Jones

Titans at Chargers, 4:05 PM WR Britt, all-out on marginal Chargers

Vikings at Patriots, 4:15 PM TE SHIANCOE, all-out on marginal Patriots

Seahawks at Raiders, 4:15 PM RB Lynch, RB McFadden

Buccaneers at Cardinals, 4:15 PM QB Freeman, WR Breaston

Steelers at Saints, 8:20 PM QB Roethlisberger, WR Wallace, WR Ward, WR L Moore, TE Shockey

Mon. Nov. 01

Texans at Colts, 8:30 PM WR Walter, WR Garcon

Byes: ATL, BAL, CHI, CLE, NYG, PHI

By Rick Morris with No comments

Brad Richard's Slap Shot Can Break Glass

During last night's Kings/Stars affair, Stars forward Brad Richard's decided to test Kings goaltender Johnathan Quick with a slapshot in the third period.

Sadly, the shot completely missed the net and the trajectory of the puck ended up going towards the stands, then it ended up going straight through the glass board behind Quick:



(Courtesy of Sportress of Blogitude)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Hakim Warrick's Nasty Dunk On Paul Millsap

On a rather light night in the world of sports, Phoenix Suns forward Hakim Warrick decided to wake us up.

In the third quarter of the Suns affair vs. Utah Jazz, Warrick took a pass from Steve Nash and nearly destroyed the rim:

By Ben Chew with No comments

Tyrus Thomas Can Dance Dance Revolution

Sometimes we need a reminder that NBA players are just like us, so when Charlotte Bobcat Tyrus Thomas hits the arcade for some Dance Dance Revolution, it's rather noteworthy.

Did I say noteworthy? Okay, I just trying to enhance this post:



(Courtesy of Ball Don't Lie and That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Texas Sports Reporter Marvels At San Francisco Weed Smokers

If you were to take a little bit of culture clash, San Francisco, CA and Dallas, Texas are pretty much two different coins.

Dallas NBC 5 sports reporter Newy Scruggs (Yep, that's his real name kids!) was doing a story outside of AT&T/Pac Bell/SBC Park and caught the scent of some San Franciscans smoking the weed:



(Courtesy of Out of Bounds)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Blake Griffin Brings the Thunder, One Handed Put-Back Jam

While the #1 overall pick for this year's NBA draft John Wall will play tonight, we got to see the debut of 2009 #1 pick in Blake Griffin last night.

After ending his night with 20 points and 14 rebounds, let's just say that Mr. Griffin didn't disappoint us one bit and this jam might be on the Clippers highlight film for awhile:



(Courtesy of The Big Lead)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Awesome Soccer Celebration, Real Sociedad Celebrates Goal in Car

After pouring through numerous e-mails, I somehow missed this rather awesome soccer clip but one thing learned in the blogging game, it is never too late to post a clip.

After Real Sociedad Antoine Griezmann scored a goal against Deportivo La Coruna, he invited his teammates to help him celebrate the goal in a car that was on the sidelines:



That's pretty awesome but if he busted out the Batman mobile, I would have fainted with laughter.

(Courtesy of Dirty Tackle)

By Ben Chew with No comments

The 2010 World Series Matchup: Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants

Wait…is that title right? Did it just say the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants for the World Series?

The Texas Rangers? The team that never won a playoff series before the 2010 playoffs, let alone ever been to a World Series? The same team that finished 10 games out of first place in the AL West last season?

Against the San Francisco Giants? The same Giants team that had to win the last game of the season to make it into the playoffs? The same franchise who has yet to ever win a World Series since moving to San Francisco.

Take in the moment to say the names of the teams battling it out for baseball’s richest prize one more time. Now pinch yourself while you are at it and close your mouth after it dropped from astonishment.

All done?

Good.

This is no dream (or a nightmare if you are from New York or Philadelphia) nor is it a typo of any sort. This isn’t the usual showcase of high-powered or high costing rosters like the Phillies or Cardinals against one of the AL East teams (like it has been in the past two years). The two under dog teams from both championship series were able to shock the world by knocking their supposed “overpowering” counterparts down to size and out of the postseason.

This title match brings a refreshing look to baseball; two franchises with payrolls below $100 million (Giants are ranked 10th and Rangers are ranked 27th according to CBSSports.com) and fresh faces that are irrelevant in comparison to the bigger names of the sport. Baseball titles aren’t even a familiarity for the areas both teams play for. The Spurs, Cowboys and 49ers are the teams that usually have parades for winning their sport’s championships in Texas and San Francisco history.

While the firepower of big faces aren’t featured and both teams are in realms of baseball they rarely (or in Texas’ case never) reach this point, the unusual match up will spark a new and creative twist to the finale of the playoffs. Although boredom with very little interest is the forecast most baseball experts have for this series, there is plenty of potential to make this a very special World Series.

Here are some key points to watch after the first pitch is thrown by Rangers ace Cliff Lee on Wednesday:

- Texas Wants The High Road, San Francisco Wants The Low Road

If there is one word to define the Texas team, it has to be explosive. The team will look to put up big numbers on the board with the variety of hitters they feature.

The Rangers’ hitters can make a great pitch look bad with one swing. Speedster Elvis Andrus opens up a line up that follows with an abundance of smart and powerful hitters. Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero, and Nelson Cruz all hit over .300 in the ALCS and each hit at least 20 home runs in the regular season.

The key for the Rangers will be to keep the score high and making sure that the games turn into an offensive match up. If the scores can get over the five run mark, advantage will swing in their favor.

For the Giants, the key word will be subtle.

There is subtlety in their formula on winning games, they just appear to make it happen and go with what is working for them at that moment. They are lead, of course, by their rotation of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez, who all have kept opponents batting below .200 against them in the playoffs.

Keeping the score on the low end will be most important for the Giants. In all three playoff losses, they have given up more than four runs. In five of their seven wins, they have scored three runs or less.

Whichever road the games and the series drive towards will feature which team has the edge in the series.

- Ron Washington vs Bruce Bochy

With two teams that feature a lengthy roster of players who have never been to the World Series, a big key factor will fall into the hands of the managers.

Both Ron Washington and Bruce Bochy have made the necessary changes and requirements throughout the playoffs to make their team successful. The Rangers could have opted for their ace Lee in the sixth game of the series, but Washington kept his faith in Colby Lewis and they won. Bochy had a quick counter for each move both Bobby Cox and Charlie Manuel made that prevailed for him in the end.

The two teams have lineups that are interchangeable, which means having the right alterations and match ups will be important for both teams. With inexperience and unfamiliarity of the World Series the focus on both sides, the teams will look to their managers to make the right calls to be successful.

- DH An Issue For Both Sides

Most teams in baseball look at the position of DH as a luxury, a way to add more bang for your buck in a lineup with the pitcher only focusing upon pitching. This series takes the issue of DH in a different direction.

Texas will have to figure out what to do with Guerrero when game one starts in San Francisco. Although he has played in the outfield historically as well as this season (seventeen games in right and one in left), he is not the great defensive player he once was. His start in the outfield will also mean that David Murphy will most likely sit on the bench.

The Giants will also have to deal with who to place in the DH position once the series shifts to Texas. One option would be to place Pat Burrell in the spot and start Nate Schierholtz in the outfield in his place for defense. They could also hit Aubrey Huff at DH and put Travis Ishikawa at first base for defense. Pablo Sandoval is also a possible solution to be the DH.

The changes both teams make when the series move venues could be a big catalyst in the series.

When the series kicks off, everyone will be on edge to see which one of these underdogs will come out on top. Neither team wants to be the favorite and both will try their best to stay in the shadows of the media attention hoping to creep out only after the champagne is popped (or Ginger Ale in Texas’ case).

Regardless of the attention or focus on the odds, the Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants will be a Cinderella-on-both-sides series that appears to assure the public of fireworks and drama until the end.

Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants for the World Series…a sentence that still appears bizarre to read in the papers no matter how many times it’s been printed.

By Norcal JW with No comments

Michelle Beadle's Spoof of Lebron's New Nike Commercial

For those of you that haven't seen Lebron James new Nike Commercial, a quick view of it can be seen at this link.

Of course, ESPN's Michelle Beadle had to do her own version of it and just like her, it's rather awesome:



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Two Fan Made World Series Celebration Music Videos

Like I have noted previously on this blog, I am not a huge fan of these fan-made music videos in support of some superfans favorite team going into a championship game.

However, since some of them can be rather entertaining, we post them here anyway. So, here is one called, "The Giants Win The Pennant" and the other called, "Rangers World Series Fight Song":

By Ben Chew with No comments

Texas Rangers Might Be "Doin The Claw" For A World Series Title

Tonight is the first game of the World Series and the Texas Rangers might have a chance to claim their first ever World Series title.

One of the playoffs songs that has been sweeping the Ranger Nation is called, "The Claw" by Randy Phillips and Canton Jones.

Essentially, "The Claw" is gesture made after a nice defensive play or big offensive hit by a Ranger player and to be honest, "Do The Claw" just sounds cool:

By Ben Chew with 2 comments

Oklahoma State's Locker Room, Cribs Style

Considering that huge bounties of money are poured into college athletics, I'm surprised that we don't get to see more tours of these rather fine facilities.

Oklahoma State freshmen basketball players Mike Cobbins, Brian Williams and Markel Brown take us on a tour that shows some of the new renovations.

Dare I say, they are straight pimpin' yo!:



(Courtesy of Bob's Blitz)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Chris Bosh, Meter Maid and Rather Awesome Lover

With the NBA season just a few mere hours away, people will be gathering around their television sets to watch the Boston Celtics take on Miami Thrice...I mean the Miami Heat.

However, Chris Bosh will have to put his job on hold if someone outside the arena is double-parked, because he is Chris Justice:



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Charles Barkley on The Late Show With David Letterman

Last night, Charles Barkley dropped by the Late Show with David Letterman to talk about a myriad of things including the start of the NBA season.

So it would go that the major topic for discussion was Brett Favre's recent cellphone troubles:



(Courtesy of That NBA Lottery Pick)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Chain Gang Member Gets Knocked Out by Saints Punt Coverage

For those of you mothers out there who think that being a member of the chain gang in the NFL would be a safe job for your son, don't watch this video.

During yesterday's Saints-Browns affair, Saints special-teamer Courtney Roby collided with chain gang member Al Nastasi who after the hit was taken off the field in a cart and transported to Ochsner hospital.

The good news, Nastasi is being listed in stable condition:



(Courtesy of Eiznem.org)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Johnathan Byrd Ends Shriners Tournament With Hole in One

For those who were too encapsulated in the weekend that was NFL football or college football, you may missed a rather amazing end to a golf tournament.

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open in Las Vegas went to a playoff between three golfers. One of those golfers was Johnathan Byrd who set up at the 17th looking to end the tournament.

He did just that a few seconds later:



Postscript: This is believed to be the first ever PGA-sanctioned tournament to end with a play-off winning hole in one.

By Ben Chew with No comments

Canadian High School Football Brawl Channels Ron Artest

Some of you might have seen this clip already but for those who haven't, you clearly missed out.

This comes from the Ontario Football Conference semi-final game between Hamilton and St. Leonard when some Hamilton fans got into an altercation with some players from St. Leonard's:



Postscript: Hamilton fought their way to the eventual title with a win over the Ottawa Sooners.

(Courtesy of NESW Sports)

By Ben Chew with No comments

New York Yankees' Joe Girardi is the Most Underappreciated Manager in Baseball

“I get no respect, I tell ya.” – Rodney Dangerfield

In the aftermath of his team’s loss in the American League Championship Series, it wouldn’t be shocking to discover these are the words that sum up the feelings of New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

And who can fault him?

Not surprisingly, even before the obituary had been written on the Yankees’ season, the blame game in the Big Apple was already in full swing. But unlike the popular reality television series Survivor, no one was receiving immunity from having a finger pointed in their direction.

However, what is especially interesting to note is the growing contingent of fans who are placing all of the blame for New York’s shortened postseason squarely on Joe Girardi’s shoulders. This throng is also comprised of the same critics who do not want to see Girardi return as the Yankees’ manager next year.

When Alex Rodriguez struck out looking in Game 6 of the ALCS, the 46-year-old Girardi officially completed the final year of a three-year, $7.5 million contract with New York.

During this brief period, Girardi won a total of 287 regular season games, placing him fourth on the list of former Yankee players who became the manager of the team. In addition, Girardi guided New York to two playoff appearances (2009, 2010), an American League East Division Title (2009), an AL pennant (2009) and a World Series Championship (2009).

By any standard, this would be considered a successful three-year run for any manager in Major League Baseball.

Bobby Cox managed the Atlanta Braves for a quarter of a century (1978-1981, 1990-2010). This span saw the Braves win 2,149 games, 14 division titles and five National League pennants.

But in twenty-five years, Cox won as many World Series Championships as Girardi has in three seasons with the Yankees. Yet Cox was a beloved figure in Atlanta when he retired and the outcry for his replacement was never as loud as it is for Girardi’s despite winning equally as many championships in twenty-two more seasons.

After fifteen seasons as the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tony LaRussa added 1,318 victories, seven division titles and two NL pennants to his impressive résumé.

Nevertheless, in only two seasons in the role of New York’s skipper, Girardi won as many rings as LaRussa has during his entire reign in the “Show-Me State”.

In spite of the lack of championship hardware, LaRussa was asked to return to the Cardinals for a 16th season, an offer he gladly accepted.

Meanwhile, Girardi is left to wonder whether the Yankees will place an offer on the table for his return commensurate with the success he had managing the ball club.

Bearing this in mind, it certainly appears Girardi will continue to be subjected to tremendous criticism from New York fans due to the Yankees’ failure to win back-to-back World Series Championships.

Therefore, it can only be inferred that averaging 96 victories per season and winning a World Series Championship over a three-year period isn’t enough as manager of the Bronx Bombers.

Another inference that can be made is Yankees fans have become so drunk with success that any year ending without a World Series Championship is sufficient justification for heads to roll.

Either way, the bottom line is Girardi has done more than enough to warrant another contract with New York, at a higher salary, and Yankees’ fans need to come to the stark realization that Girardi is one of the major reasons a nearly decade-long championship drought came to an end last year.

Truthfully, the operative question going into the offseason shouldn’t be whether New York wants Joe Girardi back, but whether Girardi wants to come back to the Yankees.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a light moment featuring the usually stoic Joe Girardi.

By RMM with 1 comment

SNL Parodies Brett Favre Wrangler Commercials: "Open Fly Jeans"

It was only a matter of time that Brett Favre's recent issue with cellphone pictures would make it to the premier comedy sketch show, "Saturday Night Live".

Watch Jason Sudekis do his best Brett Favre impression and the rest of the sketch is pretty much self-explanatory:

By Ben Chew with No comments

Top Five Reasons New York Yankees Lost ALCS

For all the discussion about how Cliff Lee could decide the American League Championship Series in a potential Game 7, it turned out the Texas Rangers needed only one start from their starting ace to dethrone the New York Yankees and clinch the AL pennant for the first time in franchise history.

And as the Yankees attempt to pick up the pieces from a failed quest to win their 28th World Series Championship, they should be able to point to a myriad of reasons why a season in which they finished with the second-best record in the American League ended in disappointment.

This on-going analysis should also result in the identification of five main reasons New York is entering an off-season full of uncertainty much sooner than they could have possibly imagined. Ultimately though, any which way the pie is sliced, the Bronx Bombers were humbled by a team that could have destiny on their side in this year’s postseason.

5. David Robertson’s inability to hold close games

In the 61 innings he was called upon during the regular season, Yankees right-handed reliever David Robertson held 14 games and amassed 71 strikeouts. Robertson’s numbers included an ERA of 3.82 and a WHIP of 1.50.

But among New York’s relievers in the ALCS, the Rangers roughed up Robertson more than any other to the tune of six earned runs on eight hits in only two innings. Robertson finished the series with a dismal ERA of 20.25 and a WHIP of 3.38.

Robertson’s unreliability allowed Texas to blow open close games in Game 3 and Game 6 to expand deficits from which the Yankees were unable to recover.

Game 3 saw the Rangers turn a 3-0 contest into a 8-0 blowout with Robertson on the mound while in Game 6, outfielder Nelson Cruz belted a two-out, two-run home run off Robertson to give the Rangers a 5-1 lead and propel them into the World Series.

4. Power outage of Alex Rodriguez & Mark Teixeira

For a duo that combined for 63 home runs and 233 RBI’s, to say that Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira failed to come through in the ALCS would be a gross understatement.

In 21 plate appearances, Rodriguez managed to come up with only four hits and 2 RBI’s to finish with an anemic batting average of .190. Meanwhile, Teixeira didn’t register a single hit in his 14 at-bats prior to bowing out of the series with a hamstring injury in Game 4.

The lack of production from the Yankees’ corner infielders left AL MVP candidate Robinson Cano to carry the offensive load for the team, which he did with flying colors. However, Cano’s power display needed to be supplemented by similar efforts from Rodriguez and Teixeira for New York to have a shot at winning the series.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, the power went off somewhere between the end of the American League Divisional Series and the beginning of the ALCS and they’re still waiting for it to come back on.

3. Ineffectiveness of Phil Hughes

Phil Hughes won an impressive 18 games in the regular season for New York but he also had an unusually high 4.19 ERA, which translates to having a significant amount of run support during his starts. But as evidenced in the ALCS, when the run support wasn’t as robust, Hughes’ shortcomings became increasingly glaring.

Hughes was the loser of Game 2 and Game 6 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, where he gave up eleven earned runs on fourteen hits and walked seven while only striking out six. Hughes’ ERA in his two starts was 11.42.

When the #2 starter puts up those kinds of numbers in a best-of-seven series, chances are his team isn’t advancing to the next round. This holds true for any team in baseball; even the New York Yankees.

2. Colby Lewis outshines Cliff Lee

Of all the starters on the Rangers’ pitching staff, Colby Lewis was arguably the last one who would have been expected to shine the brightest against the Yankees. Nevertheless, it was Lewis who channeled his inner Cliff Lee to shut down New York’s vaunted offense in Game 2 and Game 6.

Thus, the same Colby Lewis who finished with a 12-13 record and an ERA of 3.72 this season went 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA on the biggest stage of his career. More importantly, Lewis’ performances keyed Texas to a critical victory in Game 2 to even the series and a win in Game 6 to clinch the pennant.

He may have not been a household name prior to the ALCS but, as far as the Yankees are concerned, Colby Lewis is a name that will not soon be forgotten.

1. The Rangers were the better team

As hard as it might be for Yankees fans to admit, the Rangers outhit, outhustled and outpitched New York throughout a series that could have just as easily been a sweep as opposed to a six-game affair.

Texas scored twice as many runs (38-19), their batting average was more than a hundred points higher (.304 vs. .201) and their pitching staff’s ERA was nearly three points lower (2.76 vs. 6.58) compared to the Yankees.

So, in essence, the ALCS really wasn’t as close as the six-game outcome would make it appear. Simply put, the Rangers wanted it more.

And that may very well be the toughest reason for the Yankees and their fans to accept of them all.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special pictorial/video recap of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.

By RMM with No comments

Fantasy Drafthelp: NFL Week 7

Here’s a few standard preface notes:

^ Notwithstanding the claims of any website to be your “home for Sunday morning injury report news,” nothing beats Google News – nothing. Entering a player name into this search engine trumps any other means of gathering information because it culls the data from an unbelievably wide variety of sources.

^ Especially earlier in the season, it’s always good to refer to a strong baseline of where players should have been drafted – and nothing beats FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTOLOGY 2010.

^ Unless there are any injury questions, we never discuss “gimme” players. Such core players should be started week in and week out unless there is any question surrounding their playing status. Winning teams only need to worry about “playing the matchups” with one, two or (at the most, during bye weeks) three spots in the lineup. With a full slate of games, and players drafted in a certain order for a multiplicity of reasons, we especially don’t advocate much juggling for the first two weeks of the season. Some websites promise you a crystal ball for how to manage high-risk, high-reward juggling during the season. We don’t. We play the percentages. That approach may be boring, but it’s highly effective and much more intellectually honest in what we promise you.

^ By the way, here are your core players who should not be benched if healthy or available (players listed in their order on our draft board):

QB: Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Tony Romo

RB: Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew, Frank Gore, Steven Jackson, Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Mathews, Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, Shonn Greene, Matt Forte, Beanie Wells, Cedric Benson, Jonathan Stewart, LeSean McCoy, Ronnie Brown

WR: Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, Roddy White, Miles Austin, Greg Jennings, DeSean Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin, Marques Colston, Steve Smith (Carolina), Chad Ochocinco, Calvin Johnson, Steve Smith (NY Giants), Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree, Donald Driver, Vincent Jackson

TE: Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, Brent Celek, Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, Jermichael Finley

^ Here are the players who have been added to the list this season:

QB: none

RB: none

WR: Wes Welker

TE: none

^ Here are the players who have been removed from that list this season:

QB: none

RB: Ryan Grant

WR: Pierre Garcon, Mike Wallace

TE: none

^ Links for each game take you to the NFL.com home page for each game, with stats and analysis.

^ All times listed are EDT.

^ Teams listed as “All-In” have a combination of all of the above players and any marginal players reaching a status where QB/RB1/RB2/WR1/WR2/TE all should be played. Teams listed as “All-Out” should have only the above “locks” for their team in a fantasy lineup, with all marginal players being benched.

^ All advice is relative, because there are exceptions to every rule. There are no marginal players who absolutely should be played or benched, but the ones we refer to here should be in the vast majority of circumstances.

^ Of the non-gimme players we like this week, the stronger plays are the ones in all caps.

Week 7

Sun. Oct. 24

Eagles at Titans, 1:00 PM QB Kolb, WR Maclin, all-out on marginal Titans

Bengals at Falcons, 1:00 PM All-in on marginal Bengals, QB Ryan

Browns at Saints, 1:00 PM RB Hillis, RB Ivory, WR Moore

Steelers at Dolphins, 1:00 PM QB Roethlisberger, WR Ward, WR Wallace, QB Henne

Rams at Buccaneers, 1:00 PM QB Bradford, QB Freeman

49ers at Panthers, 1:00 PM WR Crabtree, all-out on marginal Panthers

Redskins at Bears, 1:00 PM QB McNabb, WR Moss, QB CUTLER

Jaguars at Chiefs, 1:00 PM TE Lewis, QB CASSEL, RB T Jones

Bills at Ravens, 1:00 PM All-out on marginal Bills, QB Flacco, WR Mason

Cardinals at Seahawks, 4:05 PM QB M Hall, QB Hasselbeck, RB Lynch, WR M Williams

Raiders at Broncos, 4:15 PM RB M Bush, QB ORTON, WR Gaffney, WR Lloyd, WR D Thomas

Patriots at Chargers, 4:15 PM RB Green-Ellis, TE A Hernandez, WR Crayton

Vikings at Packers, 8:20 PM TE Shiancoe, all-out on marginal Packers

Mon. Oct. 25

Giants at Cowboys, 8:30 PM QB E Manning, RB Bradshaw, RB Jacobs, WR R Williams

Byes: DET, HOU, IND, NYJ

By Rick Morris with No comments

No Love For The West In Baseball

An East vs West rivalry isn’t only a connection to the 1990s Hip-Hop era anymore.

Baseball is in the thick of the battle between the two sides.

The Texas Rangers currently lead the New York Yankees with a 3-2 series lead and a return home for the final two games. The San Francisco Giants took two of three at home and head back to Philadelphia with a 3-2 lead over the Phillies.

The Rangers and Giants were supposed to be minor pests for the juggernaut Yankees and Phillies; everyone picked both teams from the West to be easily stomped and flattened by the East like Gombas from the Super Mario Bros. video games. The real challenge was not in the Championship Series, but the World Series with New York and Philadelphia facing off like the Clash of the Titans.

Now, after being labeled as the 2010 “runner up” before the series even started, it is the so-called incomplete teams of the Rangers and Giants who are standing tall. With the ALCS and NLCS heading into the home stretch, the underdogs of both leagues appear to be just a single W away from advancing to the World Series.

Despite being on top now, the attention and credit being given to both teams remains the same from the start of the playoffs. The attention the Yankees and Phillies are receiving is nothing new to the teams from the East, most of the country are quite unfamiliar with the likes of Michael Young, Aubrey Huff, Ian Kinsler and Matt Cain.

Why is it that the country is so oblivious to players and teams from the West?

Networks, like ESPN, have programs that focus little upon the teams out West. Not only that, but media outlets and analysts describe these teams as if they are inferior or insignificant compared to those in the East.

At the start of the series, many experts picked the Phillies over the Giants, which is understandable in comparison to overall talent. According to the Yahoo! Sports website on predictions for the series, their four experts picked the Phillies to win with split decisions on the series going five or six games long. Three of those same four experts also believed the Yankees would defeat the Rangers.

The Yahoo! Analysts were not the only ones who believed the series belonged to the East. All ten of the ESPN experts asked to make predictions on the NLCS unanimously agreed that the Phillies would be the winner with only three asserting it would go seven games. On the other side for the ALCS, of the eight experts who were asked to pick winners, six assumed the Yankees would win with only two believing the series going the distance.

Despite the little belief most of the media had with the teams from the West, the current situation of both series are not producing any changes.

Following the game four win for the Giants, ESPN Analyst John Kruk continued to give them no love on the television show Baseball Tonight by explaining that the Phillies are losing the series rather than San Francisco winning it.

Although the Phillies are not living up to the expectations bestowed upon them since the start of the season, the Giants are going above and beyond their ability to win games with no credit given to them.

After getting the game winning run in game four, Aubrey Huff explains to the media how the whole nation is finally seeing what his team can do now that their games are showing coast-to-coast on FOX.

“It seems like all the baseball talk is all East Coast,” Huff says according to an AP article posted by Yahoo! Sports. “Everybody watching tonight saw exactly how we’ve played all year.”

The little exposure and attention that baseball teams out West are currently receiving is not a new phenomenon. The idea of an East Coast bias for sports through the media has been a hot topic for a number of years.

San Diego Padres Closer Heath Bell discussed his feelings about ESPN focusing upon teams in the East rather than the franchises out West.

"I saw John Kruk on 'Baseball Tonight,' and he said, 'They're playing real well, but I don't believe in them.’” Bell states according to the MLB Fanhouse website. “And I saw ESPN's promo for tonight's game. They mention the Mets are opening Citi Field, they mentioned the starting time, but nowhere did they mention the Padres.”

Although the West is never given their kudos or attention by most of the media covering baseball, the Rangers and Giants are making the case that changes for equal coverage needs to occur. Both teams deserve credit for their accomplishments regardless of the outcome and for making it obvious that the teams nearest to the Pacific Ocean are no longer pushovers.

The great play of San Francisco and Texas brings up the question the West has been asking for years from the baseball analysts and media: where is the love?

By Norcal JW with No comments

Yankees' Greatest Failure Must Become Rallying Cry in ALCS

When the final out was recorded in a 19-8 trouncing to put the New York Yankees up 3-0 in the 2004 American League Championship Series, the ‘Curse of the Bambino’ appeared to be alive and well.

In the history of Major League Baseball, no team had ever rallied from a three-game deficit to win a postseason series.

However, after two extra-inning, game-winning walk-off hits by David Ortiz, a pitching performance for the ages from Curt Schilling, and a Johnny Damon grand slam in the decisive game at Yankee Stadium, the Boston Red Sox proudly joined the National Hockey League’s 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1975 New York Islanders in the annals of professional sports.

And although the Yankees didn’t find themselves in a 0-3 predicament, it certainly could be argued the situation was equally as grim when they took the field for Game 5 of the 2010 ALCS against the Texas Rangers. The three previous contests saw the Rangers outscore New York, 25-5, to place the defending World Series Champions on the brink of elimination.

But behind CC Sabathia’s best outing of this year’s postseason and timely hitting from Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano, the Yankees pushed the series back to Texas with a convincing 7-2 victory.

As a result, Phil Hughes, who got roughed up for seven earned runs in four innings in Game 2, will take the mound Friday evening in an attempt to save New York’s season and force a deciding Game 7 against the virtually unhittable Cliff Lee.

Much like the Red Sox in 2004 though, the Yankees’ mentality should essentially boil down to one pitch, one at-bat, one inning and, most importantly, one game at a time.

As daunting as the prospect is of facing Lee again, Texas’ left-handed ace shouldn’t be a thought or the subject of any conversation in New York’s locker room because Game 6 presents enough of a challenge of its own.

The immediate task at hand for the Bronx Bombers is two-fold, getting to Rangers Game 6 starter Colby Lewis early and often enough to boost the confidence of Phil Hughes; which is exactly what Texas did for Lewis in Game 2 when they staked him to a five-run lead in the first three innings.

This allowed Lewis to settle into a groove and pitch confidently enough to hold the Yankees to only two runs on six hits before the Rangers bullpen shut the door.

Meanwhile, whether New York’s offense gives him a cushion to work with or not, the goal for the 24-year-old Hughes is to work six solid innings in serving as the bridge to Kerry Wood and Mariano Rivera.

The Game 2 debacle should already be in Hughes’ rearview mirror and he should step on the mound assured his repertoire can win the Yankees one more game; especially considering the fact he finished tied for fourth in the American League in victories with 18.

Another point to consider is that all the pressure is on Texas to close out the series at home, where they have gone 1-3 in the postseason.

In addition, the Rangers will feel the tremendous weight of an entire state on their shoulders as they attempt to clinch the AL pennant for the first time in franchise history.

On the other hand, New York has 40 AL pennants and 27 World Series Championships to show for all the pressure-packed playoff games they have participated in over the course of their 97-year history, and this year’s team is as battle-tested as the rest.

Therefore, ‘the moment’ will not have the impact on New York as it does on the Rangers.

The Yankees took the first step toward an improbable comeback in Game 5, just as the Red Sox did in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. And as evidenced by their age-old rivals, once a team begins building a little momentum it can become the impetus to leaving a lasting impression in professional sports lore.

This is the hope New York can cling to entering Game 6 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and where lessons can be gleaned from the greatest failure in team history.

If the Boston Red Sox can come back from a three-game deficit against a team that historically owned them then anything is possible, including a Game 6 victory to knot the series and a triumph over Cliff Lee in a game to decide the AL pennant.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special pictorial/video recap of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

By RMM with 1 comment

Michelle Beadle's Birthday Suprise!

This weekend will be the birthday of ESPN SportsNation anchor and all around hottie, Michelle Beadle.

So, since SportsNation will be off for Beadle's B-Day, they decided to give her a rather nice gift or dare I say two gifts:



Happy B-Day Michelle!

By Ben Chew with No comments

Matt Hasselbeck's Appearance On South Park Episode, "Insheeption"

Last night, South Park debuted a new episode called, "Insheeption" which parodied the movie Inception and A&E show, "Hoarders.

During the episode, the parody Inception characters are called into get the gang out of the dream state and they brought a little help from one Seattle Seahawk quarterback, to note Hasselbeck didn't voice the character:

Insheeption
Tags: SOUTH
PARKStan Marsh,Mr. Mackey,more...

The real question that everyone seems to be pondering, "Why did they use Matt Hasselbeck?" Well, outside the name, Seattle faced the Denver Broncos in week two of the NFL season and maybe Trey/Matt had a little bit of brainstorming while watching the Broncos game.

By Ben Chew with No comments

The NFL's Greatest Missed Tackles DVD On Sale Now!

During last night's edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live, JK brought up the recent change in the NFL rulebook to devastating hits and helmet to helmet collisions.

So obviously with these new rule changes, the NFL marketing team will have to adapt to it as well and I will be waiting by my phone to pick up the DVD shown here:

By Ben Chew with No comments

Nice, New Brett Favre Wrangler Jeans Commercial

Recently the whole Brett Favre took a picture of his tallywacker with a cellphone camera and sent it to former Jets employee Jenn Sterger has made it's rounds to the nth degree.

So it was only fitting that late night host Jimmy Kimmel decided to make fun of it in a brand-new faux commercial making fun of Favre's misdeeds:

By Ben Chew with 1 comment

Is It A Question Of Can Or Will With The NFL’s Control Over Big Hits?

Players on the defensive side of football live for one instinct after the ball is hiked; hit the person with the ball as hard as you can.

That impulse isn’t new to the sport; the big hit is not only what players look for, but what fans tune in to watch for. That’s been the foundation of football and what the league is built upon.

Granted, these days the NFL has cut down on the bone-jarring hits that laid the groundwork the sport grew upon. No longer can players clothesline, horse-collar tackle, or throw their forearms to an opponent’s head like the old NFL Films showcase on ESPN.

The belief is that today the NFL is safer and more protective of its players today by categorizing what a legal tackle is. Although the league is better suited in protecting its players today than in the past, there is still a high level of concern in regards to big hits on the field.

With the alterations made in the rule book on legalizing tackles, two big questions remain on both sides regarding the issue of regulating hits: can the NFL find a way to control big hits on players and will the NFL want to control big hits on players?

Over the past few years, the NFL has changed the rules on hitting on the field in hopes of saving their players from season (and sometimes career ending) injuries and long-term health issues. The concern regarding players and concussions is one of the biggest reasons why the sport began policing hits over the last decade.

Until recently, the problem with concussions was merely a subject football officials danced around and players understood little about. According to a New York Times article, players who show any significant signs of concussion must now be cleared by brain-injury experts unaffiliated with the team and cannot return to a game or practice after such an injury occurs.

Along with concerns over concussions, the NFL has worked hard to make players safer on the field and changed its rules on hitting after the 2009 season.

The NFL decided to change the rules so that defenders can no longer deliver their shoulder or forearms to their opponent’s helmet when that offensive player is in the act of catching the ball, a report in the Washington Post clarifies. The report also goes on to explain that players on offense also may not deliver a helmet, shoulder or forearm as a blindside block to a defender’s head.

Despite the changes, the NFL appears to have more work cut out for them given how the league has just finished the first six weeks of the season.

Along with a long list of notable injuries players have sustained, the biggest notable injury of the season appears to be Atlanta Falcons CB Dunta Robinson letting himself loose head-on into Philadelphia Eagles WR DeSean Jackson’s helmet area in the second quarter. Both players were diagnosed with concussions, with Jackson suffering memory loss with no recollection of the hit.

While it appears unclear if the changes for tackling in the NFL can improve safety precautions in the league, the answer may tilt more in the vicinity of will for the league’s officials.

Will, as in, will the NFL look to ensure that tackling is cleaned up to allow players to remain safe in the league?

Big hits are a big draw to the NFL like car crashes are for NASCAR; fans tune in or attend the races in hopes to see a huge, smoldering wreckage between cars. It’s the same for NFL fans who want to see the destruction of bodies slamming hard into one another.

Seeing players nearly decapitate one another or flip players upside down in the air like a WWE wrestling move brings out “oohs” and “aahs” through fan’s lips. The appeal not only raises interest in the fans, but money the fans will throw to purchase tickets and advertisers pay to continue to produce the game on television.

The league understands that big hits are the biggest draw to the league; if they wanted players to be absolutely safe, they would force them to play with flags around their waist or rule that touching the players with two hands is enough for a tackle.

Although there is nothing constituting that the league is in favor of more big hits in the league, the recent changes on tackling and problems with injuries make it clear that the league needs continue to improve regulating tackles. The safety and lives of the players will always be in the hands of the league.

Only time will tell if the league can find a way to regulate tackling while keeping the body-rocking hits that keep the fans coming back to the NFL wanting more.

By Norcal JW with No comments

The Duke Basketball Rap Circa 2010, Playerz!

Like I have noted previously, I'm not a huge fan of fan-made music videos supporting their favorite team or sport.

However, when someone drops a rather crazy rhyme about Duke Basketball, I'm pretty sure that it was worth a mention on this site at least:



Geez, the season hasn't even begun yet and we already have a rather annoying anthem.

(Courtesy of Sportress of Blogitude)

By Ben Chew with No comments

High School QB Throws Screen Pass and Scores The Touchdown Himself

One thing that I do know about high school football is that the odds of a quarterback throwing a screen pass to himself is pretty slim.

Well, Joe Sobucki of the Girard Yellow Jackets in Pennslyvania pulled off that feat with a little help from wide receiver Anthony Stewart:



(Courtesy of Bob's Blitz)

By Ben Chew with No comments

The Yankees Can’t Afford To Lose Another Game In ALCS

After putting on a pitching clinic in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee upped his postseason record to 3-0 in three starts against the New York Yankees over the past two years. Oh, by the way, this unblemished record includes an ERA of 1.88, 26 strikeouts and only four walks.

So as a result of Lee’s continued dominance in the playoffs, Texas took a 2-1 lead in the series, recaptured home-field advantage from the Yankees and are in a position where they need only one more victory to guarantee that Lee will take the mound again in a potential Game 7.

Therefore, it can’t be understated that every game is a must-win for the Bronx Bombers for the duration of the ALCS. New York can ill afford to face Cliff Lee again, in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, with their season on the line.

But with A.J. Burnett going in Game 4, CC Sabathia in Game 5 and Phil Hughes in Game 6, the Yankees are playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette against the best hitting lineup in the regular season and the postseason. Burnett, Hughes and even Sabathia, a leading candidate for the AL Cy Young Award, are all question marks going into their respective starts, which doesn’t bode well for a team in dire need of three consecutive wins.

In last year’s postseason, Sabathia was the anchor of New York’s starting rotation as he posted a record of 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA, 32 strikeouts and only nine walks in five starts. However, if Sabathia was considered Dr. Jekyll in 2009, he has become the equivalent of Mr. Hyde in this year’s playoffs. Sabathia, a 21-game winner during the regular season, has gone 1-0 in two starts, his ERA has ballooned to 7.20 and he has only eight strikeouts compared to seven walks during this postseason.

Meanwhile, after shutting down the Minnesota Twins for seven innings in the American League Divisional Series, Hughes got lit up for seven earned runs in four innings of work against the Rangers in Game 2 of the ALCS. And if New York extends the series to a sixth game, the 24-year-old Hughes will have the assignment of saving his team’s season on the field where he was shellacked less than a week ago.

As for the Yankees’ most enigmatic starter, after a season in which he went 10-15 with an ERA of 5.26, Burnett was left out of the rotation for the ALDS. Nevertheless, Burnett has been called upon to make a critical and necessary start in Game 4 of the ALCS in order to give the remaining starters their normal rest.

Bearing this in mind, Burnett, Sabathia and Hughes must either throw the game of their careers or the Yankees’ offense must be prolific enough to negate any sub-par performances from the aforementioned starters. There is simply no other option at this stage of the season with Cliff Lee waiting in the wings to pitch one game to decide the American League pennant.

The Yankees are extremely fortunate to be down only one game in the ALCS because Texas has outplayed them for the better part of 25 out of the 27 innings that have been played. But if New York loses another game in the series, their good fortune will come to an abrupt end.

Although the Rangers are two victories away from winning the AL pennant, the defending World Series Champions must treat every game like an elimination game, beginning with Game 4 at Yankee Stadium Tuesday evening.

Otherwise, the Yankees will have no choice but to tip their caps to Cliff Lee and call him their daddy when the ALCS is over.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a recap of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

By RMM with No comments

Bill Self as Vanilla Ice, Seriously!

The one thing that I love about college basketball is the midnight madness tradition where players and coaches give the fans a rather interesting show.

The Kansas Jayhawks have their own called, "Late Night at The Phog" and this year's edition was rather impressive.

Head coach Bill Self decided to pull out all the stops and did a rather interesting parody of rapper Vanilla Ice:



(Courtesy of Searching For Billy Delin)

By Ben Chew with No comments

Rutgers Defensive Tackle Eric LeGrand Injures Spinal Cord vs. Army

The one thing that we tend to forget about football is that one hit can change the fortunes of any player.

Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was covering a kick against Army when he was hit and fell to the turf with a spinal cord injury:



LeGrand is currently in the ICU at the Hackensack University Medical Center and at this point, he is unable to move anything below his neck.

We wish him and his family well in this trying time and hopefully he'll be able to walk again.

By Ben Chew with No comments

Desean Jackson's World Gets Rocked By Dunta Robinson

During the Atlanta Falcons/Philadelphia Eagles week six affair, Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson took a nasty hit from Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson.

The hit itself was so hard that Jackson was diagnosed with a severe concussion and experienced some memory loss from the hit:

By Ben Chew with No comments

PBR Makes History With Bull Bucking Showcase In Times Square

As reported here, for the first time in their history, Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) hosted an event in New York City’s Times Square that served as the prologue to the crowning of their 17th World Champion in Las Vegas next week.

The special prelude event, dubbed the “Built Ford Tough Road to Vegas presented by Cooper Tires”, took place live in Times Square and featured the world’s top ten bull riders locking horns with the fiercest bucking bulls in PBR.

And in a performance that gave him tremendous confidence going into the 2010 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, NM) covered Skyhawk Cut A Rug (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) to emerge victorious and move up two spots in the 2010 Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) standings.

Briscoe was one of only four riders to cover their bulls, joining second-ranked J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, NC), fourth-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO) and sixth-ranked Mike Lee (Decatur, TX) in putting on successful Broadway showings.

But with a score of 87.00 for his eight-second moment in the sun, it was the 23-year-old Briscoe who was the star of the show. And for his effort, Briscoe earned an additional 200 bonus points to move him past Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, BZ) and McKennon Wimberly (Cool, TX), from tenth to eighth, in the BFTS standings.

“It means everything,” Briscoe said when asked what it meant to perform on a grand stage like New York City’s Times Square. “This is where a bull rider wants to be at, on this level. It don’t get any better or bigger than this.”

As for the amount of confidence winning the event gave him going into the World Finals, the five-year PBR veteran did not mince words. “A lot,” Briscoe beamed. “I’m looking forward to the Finals. I’m actually set higher than I’ve ever set going into the Finals and feel that I have a shot.”

Although covers of Flying J Saddles (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls), Bird Creek (Jeff Robinson/Leon Frakes) and Chicken Lickin (Jeff Robinson/Scruggs/Rockin RA3) did not alter their respective places in the standings, J.B. Mauney, Valdiron de Oliveira and Mike Lee all gained ground on top-ranked Austin Meier (Kinta, OK). Meier’s attempted ride of Mac-Nett’s El Presidente (Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls) ended in a questionable disqualification for illegal touching.

2010 Built Ford Tough Series Standings

1. Austin Meier – 10,891.75

2. J.B. Mauney – 10,650.50

3. Renato Nunes (Buritama, BZ) – 9,591.00

4. Valdiron de Oliveira – 9,391.75

5. Ryan McConnel (Colgate, OK) – 8,216.75

6. Mike Lee – 8,147.50

7. Robson Palmero (Rio Branco, BZ) – 7,544.00

8. Travis Briscoe – 6,858.75

9. McKennon Wimberly – 6,756.25

10. Guilherme Marchi – 6,575.00

Conspicuous by their absences due to injuries were third-ranked Renato Nunes and tenth-ranked Guilherme Marchi, who were replaced by Silvano Alves (Pilar, BZ), the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, and Shane Proctor (Grand Coulee, WA), the winner of the 2010 NYC Invitational in January. However, Nunes and Marchi will return to compete in the World Finals.

The “Built Ford Tough Road to Vegas presented by Cooper Tires” will be broadcast following the NFL on CBS at either 3PM ET or 5PM ET (Please note that some local listings are calling the broadcast the ‘Road to Vegas’ on CBS).

The telecast will also feature the announcement of the finalists for 2010 World Champion Bull and a preview of the World Finals where the winner will receive the coveted PBR Championship Buckle and a $1 million bonus in the single richest bull riding event in the world.

The 2010 PBR World Finals begin Wednesday, October 20 and continue through Sunday, October 24, with bull riding beginning at 6PM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 11:30AM on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, online at www.unlvtickets.com and by telephone at 866-PBR-SHOW.

The 2010 PBR World Finals will be televised on VERSUS at 9PM ET on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and on NBC at 4PM ET on Sunday. For more information on the World Finals, please visit www.pbr.com/competition/bfts/worldfinals2010/eventload.cfm?id=3266.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special slideshow presentation of PBR's historic event in the heart of Times Square.

By RMM with No comments