Misty May-Treanor  and Kerri Walsh in beach volley ball

Woman’s beach volleyball is a big draw. Mainly because it’s hot women in bikinis but hey whatever works. Seemly for as long as most people can remember the team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have dominated that sport. They have won the past 2 Olympic gold medals and are seeking their third. Going to 3 Olympics is a feat in and of its own because that a 12 year span of being tops in your sport let alone winning 3 gold medals. What’s interesting this year is that Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have not had the greatest of years. They are no longer ranked number 1 but they did just get their first win of the season at the last event before the Olympic. This year also presents a different task with a man-made beach since London is beach less and what little is may have is rocky. And the weather in England is warm but not hot like most of the beach volleyballers will be used to. It will be a test for the once dominant duo to win a medal at the games. A magical run will excite everyone around the world

The men’s basketball team.

After winning the gold in 08 there is a lot of pressure on the men’s team this year. There were a lot of injuries leading up the Olympics taking out players like D Wade, Bosh, Blake Griffin and others.  Coach K has said this team could be better than the 08 team but only another gold medal will prove that. The US team should be a class above the other teams due to their stacked amount of NBA talent but that hasn’t always been the case. The basketball team is in a catch 22. Everyone expects them to win a gold so if they do its not big news or very exciting. If they fall short it will be front page news as well as a subject of a future Bleeping Idiot’s article. The team is possibly one more injury away from coming home empty handed.

Ryan Lochte vs Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is the golden boy of swimming in America. Not like that says a whole lot because most Americans can’t name another swimmer but in the most recent events Phelps has fallen behind someone who I think is a better swimmer, Ryan Lochte. Ryan started to make his name in 08 when he helped win the gold for the US in the team event and is continuing his push to be the best swimmer in the world. He could and should come out of this Olympics as the top American athlete and secure his rightful spot as a house hold name. The rivalry between him and Phelps has pushed both of them to train hard and to constantly be on tops of their skills all the time. I believe that there will be a lot of gold medals won between the 2 of them and Lochte.

Usain Bolt

The fastest man in the world might not be. He recently lost both he 100 and 200 to Yohan Blake. He blamed a bunch of stuff from a runner moving early which caused him to lose focus. He might as well blame alien and global warming. A top notch athlete shouldn’t let another running getting set distract him. Can the fastest man in the world retain his spot there or has he lost a step? Even though he runs for Jamaica Americans have adopted him as a native son. We could see some spectacular races between the 2. Maybe even a new world record from one or both of them.

The Blade Runner

South America has named Oscar Pistorius nicknamed the blade runner to their track team. He is a double amputee who runs on two carbon fiber legs. It’s a slightly controversial because people say his prosthetic legs give him an advantage. He could have a longer stride then normal and doesn’t have the issues of cramps, knee problems and ankle sprains not to mention the difference in weight. If he does well it will spark a huge debate in the sport. The track world needs less controversy after the whole coin flip/run off situation

Andy Murray

The Scotsman came really close to being the first Briton to win Wimbledon in almost 90 years. He was bested by one of the greatest grass court players in roger Federer. With a short turn around its anyone’s game. Murray reached the finals at Wimbledon because he didn’t have to face Djokovic or Nadal who both had early upsets. If he’s that lucky again he could recapture some of that magic. Murray is already Britain’s golden boy and a gold medal win would put him in the likes of the royal family.

Woman’s soccer

Soccer isn’t that big in the USS. Never will be. The woman’s team is the only one that draws any real attention. Mainly cause they have had some success in the past and have some good looking players. It will be interesting to see how the team does this year. Hope solo just tested positive for a banned substance and got a minor slap on the wrist. Megan Rampinoe just came out of the closest so there are a lot of story lines within the team. A 3-peat gold medal will do a lot in the ratings and could be one of the highlights for the US in these Olympics. They have lots of experience and talent and a balance of offense and defense.

Gymnastics

What was one of the biggest draws for American viewers has lost some of its luster in the past few Olympics. The woman got silver in the team event and the men took bronze and with a handful over individual medals the Chinese team was really the tops of the class. Gone are the household names that captured all of our attention. Can this once great draw reclaim its spot at the tops of the tv rating, medal podiums and our hearts?

England men’ soccer team

After having a magical run in Euro 2012 the England team wants to continue that run in the Olympics and set the whole country on fire. They left David Beckham off the team which surprised most people in the world. Beckham made a huge push to get the Olympics in London and says he will be pulling for the team to win. With England’s history of losing in shoot outs in big games there will be a lot of people who will think Beckham could have out them over the top. The farther they make it the less clamoring for Becks there will be until they loose and then everyone will have wanted Beckham on the team. It will be a fascinating story line if the team can make a run deep into the Olympics

We have come to that days that every spots fan hates. The 2 days after the MLB all-star game. It’s the 2 days all year that here is no games in any of the big 4 sports.  The NBA and NHL free agency has cooled now that all the big names have signed and NFL training camps have yet to start not that they bring much enjoyment unless you’re there. On this the day when there are no games going on let’s look at the top 6 most exciting non-game sporting events

6. Nathans hot dog eating contest- this event draws around 30,000 fans to the event and is nationally televised on ESPN. Now being an avid competitive eating fan this is like the super bowl of the sport. It brings one of the biggest prizes and the famous mustard belt. It’s a Fourth of July tradition. It combines all the things Americans like. Hotdogs, competition, and a long running champ trying to win another. For those in the Philly area I believe Wing Bowl is a way better competition but it’s not nationally known as Nathans.

5. MLB home run derby- the only thing good about baseball is the long ball. Baseball got big during the steroid era when everyone was hitting home runs left and right. Who didn’t watch the race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.  Say what you want about how steroids ruined the game but the homerun is an exciting thing. The home run derby is exciting. It’s the best hitters in the game all trying to hit it out of the park. It’s the only highlight of the all-star weekend in baseball

4. NCAA basketball selection Sunday- this is a great day for most people. It sucks for the teams that don’t get into the big tournament. Every year there are at least 6 teams who think they should be in but don’t make it. Sucks for them, win more games next time or transfer to a better conference. March madness is one of the most bet on and watched events in the country. I myself who doesn’t follow college basketball that much get into at least 2 bracket pools a year. March madness has it all. Compelling story lines, underdogs, favorites and it all starts on selection Sunday. On selection Sunday the collective college sports nation lives and dies on every breath of the announcer. Living in Madison and working at the University of Wisconsin I got a first had experience of that. There was no doubt that the Badgers would get it but what seed would they get was a much talked about topic on campus.

3. NHL skills competition – Every league should take a clue from the NHL. The skills competition is one of the greatest events there is. You get to see players with such great skill and finesse do things that every youth hockey player will be trying to emulate the following day. It’s got something for everyone. Great passing, speed skating, hardest shot and crazy break away goals. The NBA has tried something like this with their 3 point shooting and other various competitions but it just doesn’t measure up to what the NHL puts on ice.

2. The day of your fantasy football draft- fantasy football is huge. It dominates ESPN on the web and air. It has numerous magazines and websites dedicated to it alone. Fantasy football has grown because it enhances people’s football watching experience. It gives you something to root for during games where your team isn’t playing. You can watch a game between the redskins and the browns and have a vested interest. Your whole experience of watching football will hinge on your fantasy draft day. Your favorite home town team can run the table be undefeated and win the superbowl yet you will be disappointed when your first round pick puts up numbers of a 10^th rounder and you miss the fantasy playoffs. The day of your fantasy draft is the culmination of hours and days of reading magazines, ranking players and crafting a well-balanced draft strategy

1: The NFL Draft- the king of non-game sporting events. It has been stretched out over 4 days and still gets millions of viewers. It’s no denying the fact that myself and a few other Bleeping Idiots writers love the draft. Unlike other sports the NFL draft can change the fortune of your team. NFL draft picks are expected to play right away. MLB draft picks may never start. NHL picks can take up to 5 years to break into the league. NBA first rounder’s are expected to play but not as much as an NFL player. You can have 3^rd or 4^th rounder’s starting week 1 in the NFL. The right picks can take you from the bottom to the top and the wrong picks can set your team back 5 years. Just look at the Ryan Leafs of the world. The difference between drafting Tim Couch and a pick later getting Donovan McNabb. The draft is exciting; it has suspense and the joy of seeing young men’s dreams come true. In my mind its one of the best events in all sports game and non-game.

This Saturday is UFC 148 and it is set to be one of the best events in a long time.

It starts with 4 solid fights before the 2 co main event fights. The fighters going into these fights know that they will have to put it all on the line if they want to win fight of the night honors and the bonus check that goes with it. I expect to see a lot of solid competition from these 4 fights.

Then we get to the Tito Ortiz vs Forrest Griffin match. This is the rubber match between the 2 and neither is still at the top of their game anymore. Tito is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame that night before the fights and Griffin hasn’t done so well in his last few fights. Each has won one of the previous fights and needless to say there is no love lost between the two. Dana White wouldn’t put a 3^rd fight together unless both fighters wanted it and so did the fans. A win for each would be a huge bump in their career and egos. For Tito it would be the best way for him to go out, on top, dominating a solid fighter in Forrest Griffin. For Griffin beating Ortiz would be a big push for him. He needs a big dominating win to get back in the title race picture.  Beating a hall of famer is one way to get the attention of the fans and UFC executive’s minds

Then the main event. Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen. This will be a great fight. Too often the main events are slow as fighters feel each other out not wanting to get caught early and loose the fight. They dance around for a round then are tentative to get in close afraid of a counter strike or a take down. Anderson Silva is one of the biggest culprits of this doing it in most of his fights. I don’t see that coming from him this time. This fight has more than just a title on the line. It has more than the share of the winner’s purse. It’s personal for Silva. He seems to downright hate Sonnen. He feels that he doesn’t deserve to be in the ring with him and has taken a lot of offense to the remarks Sonnen has made about his wife and country. I see Silva coming out swinging. Silva has dominated most of his fights except one. That one happens to be his last fight with Chael. In their previous fight Sonnen dominated the fight for 4 rounds until he got caught in an arm triangle and had to tap out. He is the style of fighter that gives Silva a problem. He’s big and strong and can punish you on the ground or standing up. Chael also seems to not like Silva much. The two almost got into blows at the press photo shoot. When guys can barely be in the same room as each other you know there is actual hatred there. They could barely stay on the same phone call together. I see this fight going at least 4 rounds. I see a lot of stand-up action with Silva using a lot of kicks to wear out Sonnen then trying to tap him out. I know Silva would love to knock out Sonnen and he may try which might get him in trouble with Sonnen. I see Silva coming out with the win and the belt but I would love to see and wouldn’t be surprised if Sonnen won and set up a 3^rd bout. Either way I see it being fight of the night and everything the fans and Dana White want in a rematch.

This year was the 97^th annual Nathan’s famous Hot Dog eating contest held on Coney Island on the 4^th of July. Here’s a recap of what we learned this year

1)      Joey Chestnut is still the man to beat. He ate 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes matching his personal best. He beat his closest competitor by 16 dogs. He shows no sign of slowing down and is still ranked number 1 in the world. He has impressive form and unlike the other competitors he seems to speed up once the 5 min mark hits.

2)      Matt Stonie isn’t worth all the hype at least not yet. The young 19 year old came out of the gate strong but fell really far behind after about the 4 minute mark. Stonie may have a bright future in the world of competitive eating but he is far from the tops.  He definitely didn’t deserve a spot next to Chestnut.

3)      Patrick Bertoletti needs to prove he can compete with the big guys. I know hes ranked 2^nd in the world but he came in 3^rd this year and never really gave chestnut a run for his money despite that’s the story line everyone wanted to see.

4)      The competition needs someone to challenge Chestnut. They banned Kobayashi because he won’t sign an exclusive contract with the IFOCE which is like the NFL for competitive eating. This isn’t the first time the IFOCE has had issues. They are banned from Wing Bowl which happens to be one of the biggest prizes in the world of eating because the radio station that puts on the event doesn’t like the way the IFOCE wants to control everything. Nathans needs to bring in someone like Kobayashi or find someone who can really push Chestnut to get the event more interest.

5)      George Shea can give any of the Buffers a run for their money in the announcing world. He gives intros that are exciting, electrifying and crowd pleasing.

6)      Tim “eater X” Janus just might be poised to make a run in the world of competitive eating. He

came into the weekend ranked 3^rd in the world and has had some impressive numbers in other events but I think doing this well in this competition will boost his confidence which just might be what he needs to push through the wall at big events.

Its moving time of year in sports. NFL teams are solidifying their roster for training camps, NHL and NBA are just a few days into their free agency period and MLB clubs are looking at what trades can be made before the deadline. I’m happy to see one growing trend in sports signings. Its not big contracts which are still happening or a bunch of guys  going to one team its players signing with their home town team.

The big news was that Zach Parise and Ryan Suter signed with the Minnesota Wild. A team far from tops of the conference. It had been rumored that the usual places were on their list including Philly, Detroit, and New jersey among the few but both players choose the wild due to their family connections. Parise is from Minnesota, has a home there and his parents are still there. Suter is from Madison, Wisconsin which is about 5 hours away and with Wisconsin not having a pro team this makes sense for Suter. His wife is also from the Minneapolis area as well. I know both players have a long relationship from their years on junior teams and obviously every player wants to play with the best players out there. But playing at home is always a huge plus.

Other players are following the trend. In NBA news Steve Nash was part of a sign and trade that sent him to the Lakers. Now disregard the fact he gets to play with Kobe Bryant. It was rumored that he was thinking about retiring to be closer to his kids who happen to live in…you guessed it LA. Martin Broduer who I know is Canadian decided to sign with the devils which has been his home for 20 years..

Its also not a new trend its just now growing in popularity. Back in 2010 Joe Mauer signed an 8 year contract to stay with his home town team the Twins. Derek Fisher has chosen family over career a lot in the past few years. He asked to be released from the Utah Jazz to be closer to LA so his sick daughter could get treatment and then after being traded to the Houston Rockets decided to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder which is about as close as to a home team as he could have being from Arkansas.

Derek Rose is currently playing in Chicago his home town and I can’t imagine him leaving the city for anywhere else. Perhaps its just a reversal in mind set from the LeBron choice to leave his home town to play in Miami but its nice to see players put family and home first. If only the Sabres could get Patrick Kane to come home life would be good, but for now lets aplaud those athletes that decided there is no place like home

Justin Tuck is turning heads and churning out headlines with his new facemask that he unveiled at minicamp. It’s a small gapped wire mask that is drawing a lot of comparisons to Optimus Prime. Not only is Justin Tuck a ferrous end in the league. One the strikes fear in the heart of lineman and quarter backs but now he has a look that magnifies that. Let’s take a look at other intimidating mask in sports history,

Brian Dawkins

For year Dawkins ruled the middle of the field in Philly. He was hype personified. His muscles and intensity just showed you were in a world of hurt when you met him. Probably one of the most intimidating without a helmet but when he strapped on the dome with the tinted visor you never knew what he was capable of. The most intimidating aspect was probably the extra padded chin strap. Like Dawkins knew that he was gonna hit you and hit you hard.

Tuukka Rask

Even though Tuukka doesn’t play as much as he would like when he does there is something about his game that must scare even the most accomplish goal scores. His mask just seems to scream at you. It plays well with the Bruins colors of gold and black and combined with the ice like stare strikes fear into oncoming skaters. There will be a lot more of his ice stair this upcoming year with Tim Thomas taking a year off. (see article on site)

Curtis Joseph

For many years the only bright spot for the maple leafs was the man between the pipes. Cujo as he was known took the name and put it to his mask. The yellow eyes coming out of a deep blue fur is as scary as it gets. It’s not the gross out factor or straight shock factor but like a good Hitchcock movie it’s a deep rooted psychological fear

LaDainian Tomlinson

A fierce runner that never went down with one hit. He always seemed to make defenders miss and stutter in their attempt to tackle him. He was the player that really brought the tinted visor to the game. He managed to combine the fierce and the sleek much like his running style.  Never has anyone embodied his team as much as LT did with the chargers. A lightning bolt. Fast and powerful but also shocking and deadly. Just what LT did with his running thanks in part to his helmet

Gerry Cheevers

One of the original goalies to paint their mask. The stiches on his mask were added every time he was hit in the face with a puck. Long before Mike Myers this was the mask that children and skaters feared. Just a simple yet scare design. A plain white goalie mask like that is scary but start adding stiches and you have come up with something truly menacing.

Vesa Toskala

The goalie that has never found a permanent NHL home has found a permanent mask. One that incorporates the colors of the team he is on as well as the macabre, the super natural and the ferocious. I’m not really sure what it is but it’s scary. I can’t imagine skating in on a breakaway and see that down the ice from me.

Gary Bromley

Another original goalie mask. The skeletal look with the missing teeth seems to echo the hockey mentality and persona. it to this day seems to be one of the scariest mask ever made even with all the improvement in graphic design and painting. The undead are all the rage now but Bromley brought that too the ice way before anyone ever thought of a zombie apocalypse

Dale Earnhardt

The one the only Intimidator. Not really as ask but with those black shades and mustache he was a force to be reckoned with on the track. He drove hard and strong and looked and played the part as Nascar’s bad boy. Even with his bad boy persona the world was shaken by his death. To this day race fans will hold up 3 fingers in tribute to the man, the myth, the legend Dale Earnhardt

Gays in sports have been in the news a lot lately.  Now I’m not here to debate people opinions on homosexuality but to talk about gay athletes in sports. A lot of the buzz lately is whether locker rooms are ready for openly gay athletes to be in the same locker room. The University of Connecticut hockey team recently released videos titled “you can play” saying as long as they can help the team win they are welcome on the team.  My question is whether gays are ready to be in sports locker rooms.

Now I have never played sports. But I do have a lot of guy friends and understand the dynamics of a locker room.  There is a lot of joking, razzing and fun jabs and there are at times some cliques and divisions.

Let’s start with the joking. There is a lot of talk about bullying and what not in the news. Locker rooms and just a bunch of guys and in general can quickly turn to what I consider to be good natured joking and name calling. Its not uncommon for guys to poke fun at their friends or team mates in areas that will affect them the most. Not to hurt their feelings or be mean but as a way of showing they care. There was a recent report of Tim Tebow getting razzed by his new teammates about Lolo Jones. Someone who seems might be a good match for Tebow is not actually seeing at all. If teammates feel comfortable with a new teammate like Tebow then I can only imagine how comfortable they will feel with a guy who’s been around for a few years that comes out of the closet. Are Homosexual players ready for that sort of kidding? I want to be clear that by no means do I think gays are overly sensitive I actually think the opposite.  Then there is the inherent problem that no one will want to be the guy who jokes around with the openly gay player in fear of the media backlash. So then they are treating that player with kid gloves and that kind of singles them out more than anything.  I doubt any gay player wants to change the dynamic in a locker room.  Wade Davis recently came out as being gay. He retired 7 years ago and said he didn’t come out earlier because he wanted to be known as a football player not as gay.

Then there is the cliques in locker rooms. Now I know they are the same team. Striving for the same goal. Win the games, win the championship, be the best, but there are always groups that form. Whether it’s as simple as offense and defense or guys from the same college hanging out. It just happens.  When you’re practicing with a group of guys you form bonds. Then with in those larger groups there are smaller ones. The single guys who go out to the clubs together (IE Plex and Peirce for the NYG or Richards and Carter for the flyers). The married guys who go home after practice and spend time talking about their kids. The bikers and the golfers. Not to say that gays will be forced into their own group because they are gay or that sexual orientation should be why you hang with one another but you generally hang with the persons you have the most in common with. The worst part of cliques is there is always a group that is kind of the outcast. In football it seems to be the kickers and punters. In track it’s the high jumpers and pole-vaulters.  Would the homosexuals become the outcast of the locker rooms? I don’t think right off. I think people will go out of their way to include players who come out more so then they would normally but I think after a while that will fade. Every homosexual person I’ve talked to or have read an article on they all echo the same sentiment that they just want to be treated like everyone else, That their sexual preference doesn’t make them any different than anyone else. Teammates will respect other teammates regaurless of race, sexual orinetaion or political alignment. Just look at the way the bruins supported Tim Thomas when he decided to skip the white hosue visit because he wanted to make a political stand.  His coaches and teammates came out and supported his choice because at the end of the day it was his choice and it didn’t affect the way the team played. Do I think every player in that locker room agrees with him? No not at all. I believe there were people who believe that it was rude to not go. You don’t get that opportunity often but they respect Thomas as a teammate and supported him. Support doesn’t equal agreement.

Now in a perfect world your skill and ability would be the key factor to making a team and being accepted. It shouldn’t be based on your sexual orientation which plays no factor into the game or your race or back ground. But if gays want to be open about then there is a lot that goes into it. Wade Davis also said that he thinks an openly gay fringe player may not make the team because of it. I think he might make the team because of it. It would be good PR for a team. I think it’s good that the issue is being talked about. There are always going to be the old timers who can’t look past that in someone. Whether you agree or disagree with Homosexuality its around and you can’t ignore it. For the first time ever the NFL added a gay diversity training to their rookie symposium this year.  I hear a lot of Homosexuals saying they want to be treated like everyone else. If that’s the case then leave the issue alone and just play sports

The patriots just released Chad Ochocinco or Chad Johnson or whatever he is going by these days.  It’s been rumored he was on his way out since the pats signed Brandon Lloyd and a whole mess of other wide receivers in the off season. Chad Ochocinco is 34 and still possibly has some left in the tank. Here are my predictions as spots where Ochocinco could end up

The Buffalo Bills

The Bills are looking for someone to go opposite of Steve Johnson. The Bills will probably go with a spread offense this year under Chan Gailey. Ochocinco played last year for the patriots who have been tops of the AFC East for as long as any current Bills player can remember. The Bills would love to sign a guy who knows the pats offense and could give them an edge. They tried it with TO a few years ago and their new management could want to try it again.

The Carolina Panthers

Carolina will be hard pressed to win the NFC South with the falcons and saints still looming big. Cam Newton has shown he is great on the run but the signing of mike Tolbert seems to make 3 solid runners in the back field which means they are trying to save Newton’s body from all the pounding. The problem is they are seriously lacking in the pass catcher department. Steve smith has been a staple in Carolina for years but they have never given him a partner on the other side of the field. Now there could be an ego clash if the bring in Ochocinco but they just might give it a shot and try to capitalize on the instability of the saints coaching and make a run at the NFC south crown

New York jet

The jets seemingly will bring in anyone. The Plax experience last year seemed to work out last year and Rex Ryan may see this as a way to bring some of that magic back. Plus he loves any chance to stick it to New England and if bringing in Ochocinco in can win him the division he will make a push for it with the front office guys.

Miami dolphins

With the departure of Brandon Marshall they are lacking a true number 1 WR. I don’t think Devon Bees or Brian Hartlin will cut it. Despite who the starter is in Miami they could benefit from a veteran guy like Ochocinco. Unlike T.O. he is generally a good team mate and sticks up for his quarterback. Plus his elaborate touchdown celebrations would be just the right thing for the Miami area

UPDATE: Ocho Cinco has signed with the Dolphins, just so its clear that most major sites had him pegged for Jacksonville.

Washington redskins

The redskins gave up a lot to draft Robert Griffin III and need to surround him with talent. Santa Moss, Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon are talented but Ochocinco would open up a lot of room and bring a little more spark to the redskins that they have been missing.  Ochocinco has never been out of the AFC so tis may be the change he need. He could instantly be the main target for their new QB. The redskins are not afraid of spending money not that Ochocinco will cost a ton.

Every year it seems that more and more people are joing fantasy football leagues. From wives who like to competition to newer fans just not getting on the trend or the friend you convince to join to fill out your 12 team league there are more and more people playing who have little or no clue what they are doing with fantasy. I want to give you my tips to doing well in fantasy

1. Know your league.

Make sure you know what type of league you’re in. there are tons of different types of leagues, from keeper leagues, head to head, rotisserie. And even more types of scoring. Make sure you know all the little quirks of your league. For example are passing TD’s worth 4 or 6 points? Are there points per reception? A points per reception league can really change where players get drafted. It puts extra focus on WR and TE and RB who catch a lot of passes out of the backfield. Other common scoring quirks are extra points for long field goals. Negative points for interceptions and fumbles, points for 300+ passing games or 100+ yards rushing games. In my family league we only get 3 add drops per week. Make sure you know all the quirks of your league

1.  Know the other owners in your league

I’m in a league with all my family members. Now like me most of my family is Buffalo Bills fans or eagles fans so most of those players get drafted early. If you’re in a league with people you know you can always get some info before the draft. Talk to the other owners. Here’s a key tip. Most owners will not mention the players they think are their key sleepers. They will keep that a secret. Any player an owner mentions are probably players they won’t take. They are doing what you should be doing. Trying to over hype players who you think won’t do well and trying to hide the players you want. Now everyone wants Aaron Rodgers but not many people were talking about Arian Foster before he broke out. That may have been because not many people knew he was and maybe the ones that did knew to keep him a secret. Feel other owners out. If they have a favorite team there’s a good chance they will want those players and may not want players on rival teams.

1. Rank your players

Every website will have their own ranking of players. I highly recommend that you take the time to at least look over the rankings and make adjustments as you see necessary. If there are players you don’t like for whatever reason then make sure you mark that down. There may also be players you really like. Also looking at the rankings will help you get comfortable with who’s who. There is nothing worse than getting to the late rounds and have no clue who you should take and you ended up taking a player who has retired.

1. Work the waiver wire

Too often a player will come out in the first 2 weeks and put up huge numbers and I will let him slip y because I think my draft picks will pan out in the end.  It’s a huge risk to pick up players. But if you get the next Arian foster you look like a genius. They may just take you to the championship. Don’t get tied to players for any reason. A lot of times owners get attached to players they drafted or players from their home tams or players who have done well for them before. Take a risk and pick up someone, you can always drop them if it doesn’t pan out. Also keep an eye on injuries. If someone goes down with a major injury then there back up may be ready to take over and put up numbers. A few years ago Jerome Bettis went down and I told my dad to pick up his back up Rashard Mendenhall. That turned out well for him

1. Know a coaches and teams system

There is nothing worse than drafting a running back from a pass happy team. A lot of coach’s change teams every year so make sure your up to date on the coaches and what they like to do. And that’s not just the head coach. Often an offensive coordinator can have a big impact on a team’s pass/run ratio.

1. Don’t miss the draft

There is nothing worse than missing the draft. You start off the season with no real control over your team. The draft never goes the way you expected it to. Someone always takes a kicker in the 7^th round and leave a great WR for you in the 8^th round. Not to mention there will be other guys who miss the draft and are on auto pick and will leave plenty of good picks for you in later rounds.

1. Have fun

Fantasy football is at the end of the day a game. A very fun game that has enhanced people viewing of football, brought people together and formed new friendships. Don’t let fantasy ruin your life. It should be fun. It should give you and your friends something to talk about. Yes it’s frustrating when your QB only gets you 4 points and you needed 5 to win that week but let it be fun.

Tim Thomas the goalie for the Boston Bruins has decided that he will take at least a year off from hockey in 2012/2013 season.

In the 09/10 season Thomas didn’t play much due to injury. He came back in 10/11 season and won the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP and won the Vezina as best goalie. He became the first goalie since 1975 to win all three. So maybe a year off will be good for his game. Even though Thomas had a good year putting up top 5 goalie numbers (35-19-1,.920 save percentage and 2.36 goals against average)but Thomas had some health issues. He came into the year in great shape but seemed drained and was dealing with health issues late.  So maybe Thomas can take a year off somewhat like his 09/10 season that was filled with injury and come back and be at the top of the goalie mountain once again.

This break makes sense if Thomas really wants to spend the time as he put it with Friends, Family and Faith. He’s got 3 daughters who are no older than 13. I don’t think anyone can be mad at someone wanting to spend more time at home.  Thomas seems to be a very thoughtful and introspective guy and if he believes he is neglecting things at home he should take a break. Hockey demands the most out of players, More so than other sports. They play 82 games over a 5 month period. A month of pre-season games and training camp. So that’s September through April and playoffs run all the way into mid-June. That only gives you 2 ½ months off to spend time with family. So you can see how he lacks a lot of time at home with his friends and family. He’s been playing for a long time and even in the off season runs multiple camps for kids and works out a lot.

Maybe Thomas is even thinking about the Olympics in 2 years. By taking a year off he gives his body rest for a full season which I’m sure he’s hoping goes long into the playoffs and with the Olympics in there it would do his body good to get time off. He served as the backup to Ryan Miller in the last Winter Olympics. If they were to pick a roster now I’m sure Thomas would be the starter given Miller’s drop off in performance the past year. Thomas is not a clear starter with a year off. Jonathan Quick is one game away from a sweep to win the Stanley cup and if he puts up good numbers in a Thomas-less NHL year the USA Hockey team might see Quick between the pipes not Thomas. Not to mention Miller could have a rebound year and there are other guys like Detroit’s Jimmy Howard and Cory Schneider of the Canucks.

This break DOESN’T make sense for a few reasons. First being that Thomas is still on top. He put up really good numbers this past year. My fear if I was him would be losing my starting spot that I worked hard so long for to Tukka Rask who this past year when having to play put up numbers close to Thomas.

If Tukka puts up a good year with Thomas at home there may not be a spot left for him if and when he wants to come back. Now I don’t think he needs to worry because there will be a long list of teams wanting to get a rested, still fairly young former Vezina, Stanley cup winning goalie. But if Thomas is taking time off to spend time with family and then wants to come back he could get traded which means either moving his family to a new city or spending less time at home because he can’t fly home on his days off between games or after an early practice.

He’s also going into the last year of his contract. There is talk that the bruins were looking to trade him and that this decision was to diminish his trade value. He’s scheduled to make 3 million this up coming year with a cap hit to a team being 5 million. So he’s basically entering the 13/14 season as a free agent. That a huge risk since you just toke a year off. Yes I think teams will be willing to pay him but they may not be the teams Thomas wants. In hockey more so than other sports there is always a lot of trade activity and a lot can happen between now and when he comes back. If winning another cup is what he wants then the teams poised to do that may have figured out their goalie situation by then. I can’t see the Caps going another year without getting someone better in net. They just traded Vokoun so maybe they are clearing the way to trade for someone else. You’re also looking at Roberto Luongo probably getting traded in the near future, as well as possibly one of the Flyers Goalies. That’s a lot of top end talent available now where Thomas won’t be available till the 13/14 season.

If I’m the bruins I’m more then confident in Rask as my starter going into next year. You have a talented team and have a good mix of old and young players and a lot of fire power. I would look to sure up my back up goal tending just to make sure. You’ve seems what having a great goalie can do for your team. I would make a serious run at Dominick Hasek. It’s been reported he wants to come back. He may not be the dominator of old but he can still come in and play every 5 r 6^th game and if Hasek has a glimmer of the old dominator he will be pushing Rask for the starting job. Now I know Hasek is old but just look at the current Stanley cup finals and how Brodeur has been able to channel his younger self.  There is also Marty Turco who has been floating around for years from team to team.