Sports Blog

As I noted last Friday, the first few weeks of the fantasy basketball season are of the utmost importance. I promise when you look back at the end of the season at the roster of the championship team you will see that many of their big contributors are players they scooped up off the waiver wire early. 

With that in mind, last week I pointed out five players that were readily available in standard leagues that I believed were going to be key contributors for the foreseeable future. It is just as important, though, to identify players that are not likely to perform at a high level over the long haul that may have found their way on to your roster. We are specifically looking to identify two types of players:

1) A player that has started off better than expected and is unlikely to keep up that production.

2) A player that was drafted with potential that doesn’t look like he will live up to it.

Identifying these players is important because it will allow you to make better trades and avoid picking up flash-in-the-pan players after single-game breakouts. For instance, if you own a player that is playing above expectations but for whatever reason cannot be reasonably expected to continue to do so, you can trade him at his peak value for a player you believe will help your team more for the rest of the year.

Now that you have a better understanding of what we are looking for, here are a few players that you should either sell high on or avoid picking up on the waiver wire.

G Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings (Drafted in 45.8 percent of ESPN leagues): Evans was drafted by a lot of people (including myself in one league) as a rookie point guard with a lot of potential to play big minutes on a team that lacks a lot of talent. How foolish we all were. While Evans may have a bright future ahead of him, he is a rookie playing the most difficult position to learn in the NBA and, as a result, will struggle at times. From a fantasy perspective, owners can look forward to a lot of turnovers, nights of poor shooting, and fewer assists than you would like because the Kings are by far the worst team in the still brutal Western Conference.

F Channing Frye, Phoenix Suns (Drafted in 5.9 percent of ESPN leagues): Frye had back-to-back games in which he hit an impressive six 3-pointers and saw his ownership rise all the way up to 50.1 percent. While those two outings were indeed great from a fantasy perspective, there is absolutely no reason to think he can have that type of production from here on out. Frye has shot 35 percent from behind the arc for his career and offers little else in terms of fantasy production. I would not drop a more reliable big to pick him up unless you feel you can parlay him in a trade for a better talent.

C Brad Miller, Chicago Bulls (Drafted in 78.9 percent of ESPN leagues): His ownership has already dropped to 68.1 percent, so the window of opportunity for savvy owners to trade him for another big man is closing fast. There are many reasons to not like him from a fantasy perspective — he plays under 25 minutes a game, doesn’t get enough rebounds or blocks for his position, and isn’t on the floor enough for his solid field goal and free throw percentage to make an impact on your team. My advice is to trade him while it is still possible or consider dropping him for a less heralded center like Roy Hibbert.

Image Source: Yahoo! Sports

For the first time since 2000 the New York Yankees finish the season as Major League Baseball’s World Series Champions. The Philadelphia Phillies made a valient effort to defend their title but ultimately the Yankees were too talented to be denied their MLB record 27th World Series title. To put that in perspective the team with the second most World Series titles, the St. Louis Cardinals, have won “only” 10 titles. There are also eight MLB teams — the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals — that have never won a World Series.

From signing big free agents (A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia) to opening their 1.5 billion dollar stadium, it has been an exciting year for the Yankees. The expectations for them from the beginning of the season were sky high and for good reason — they have a payroll of over $200 million, which is by far the league’s highest. Although they struggled at times throughout the season and had to overcome a lack of depth in their starting pitching in the playoffs, you can’t argue with their end result.

So, to celebrate the end of the season and the Yankees historic World Series victory, here is a collection of officially licensed gear that is on sale now.

The New York Yankees authentic 2009 World Series Champions cap is the authentic locker room cap worn by the players after their big win. This stretch fit cap is a one size fits all item and is currently on sale for $29.99.

The New York Yankees replica home jersey with 2009 World Series Champions patch bears the official team colors and logos and is made of 100% polyester. It comes in sizes small through quadruple-extra large and is on sale for $94.99.

The 2009 Official World Series program is the perfect way to learn about the World Series. According to the product description, the 250-page program contains many interesting facts and stories like the history of the World Series, full rosters for the Phillies and Yankees, features from some of the best baseball writers in the industry, and insights into the game’s biggest stars. At only $15 the World Series program is a tremendous value for fans looking to remember the World Series.

The Highland Mint New York Yankees 2009 World Series Champions Commemorative 24KT Gold Coin is a limited edition (5,000 made) collectible item that any serious Yankees collector would love to own. It is on sale for $29.99 and will more than likely sell out fast because of its limited availability.

The New York Yankees 2009 World Series Champions Official Club House T-Shirt is made from 100% cotton and has screen printed graphics. It is available in sizes medium through double-extra large and is on sale for $24.99.

Find more deals on Yankees gear at Smarter.com.

If the NBA is where amazing happens, the AT&T Center is where extermination happens. In case you haven’t seen the first NBA highlight of the year that has gone completely viral, take a look here. A word of caution, if you are a bat lover you may not want to see what San Antonio Spurs’ guard Manu Ginobli had in store for a bat that somehow made its way into the arena.

YouTube - Watch 

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. During a home game for the Spurs on Monday night there was an interruption to the game because of a bat that was flying around the court. Ginobli, who apparently is a man who likes to take matters into his own hands, swatted the bat in midair instead of waiting for arena personal to take care of the matter. After he struck the bat he proceeded to pick it up off of the floor and carried it over to the nearest arena attendant.

All good, right?

Wrong!

As a quick look (and common sense) over at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website will tell you, a small percentage of bats carry the rabies virus. And since the bat was not available for testing, Ginobli had to receive four shots on Monday and is scheduled for four more sessions in the next month.

The moral of the story: while it might be fun to play Batman, animal extermination is best left to the pros (not the NBA variety).

As you read in yesterday’s post, this past weekend was an incredible one for sports. Having Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Football League all playing at the same time makes late October and early November a real treat (is it too late for Halloween puns?) for fans.With so much going on at once it has been easy to forget that the Major League Soccer playoffs are also in full swing, but with the United States national team recently securing their spot in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa it is a great time for casual sports fans and hardcore soccer fanatics to check out Major League Soccer’s postseason action.

And what better time to shop for great MLS gear than while you are tuning in to watch some of America’s best soccer players take the pitch. Here are four sweet deals on MLS merchandise that will help you get in the mood for the playoffs and American soccer in general.

The 2009 Upper Deck Soccer Trading Cards are the perfect way to get to know the best players in the MLS. There are 10 cards in each pack and 36 packs in each officially licensed box set. This wonderful collector’s item also includes three game worn jersey cards and special inserts like MLS All-Stars and Super Draft 2009. It is currently on sale for $71.99 and is eligible for 20 percent off with the purchase of a Beyond MLS item.

The A&E Home Video History Of The MLS Cup DVD is an excellent way for newcomers to learn about the history of the MLS Cup or for longtime MLS fans to relive the best moments of the past. This documentary guides viewers through the inception of the MLS and through the first 12 MLS Cups. It is currently on sale for $19.99 and is also eligible for 20 percent off.

Not all American sports fans watch the MLS but I am sure a good portion of them can put this Great American MLS 4pc Shot Glass Set to good use. This set includes four 2-oz square shot glasses and is currently on sale for $31.99. Let me remind you to please drink responsibly!

Of course, what MLS merchandise collection would be complete without an authentic jersey from one of the 2009 MLS Cup playoff teams. This adidas Los Angeles Galaxy Authentic Home Jersey is made from 100 percent polyester and is the same jersey worn on the field by players. It is currently on sale for $89.99 and is available in sizes small through double-extra large.

Shop for more discount MLS gear at Smarter.com.

This past weekend in sports was one of the most eventful of the year. It was the first weekend of the NBA season, the midway point of the NFL season, the start of the MLS postseason, and the final stretch of the MLB season. Sprinkle in some big games in college football, international soccer, and the NHL and there was really too much to watch on this Halloween weekend.

However, for those that did find the time to take in all the wonderful sports action it will be a weekend they will not soon forget. And for those who were not able to catch all the excitement, here is a quick recap of the weekend’s three biggest stories.

World Series: The New York Yankees inched their way closer to their 27th championship and first since 2000. Joba Chamberlain gave the Yankees a scare Sunday night when he allowed the Philadelphia Phillies to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, but a three run top of the ninth started by an amazing at bat by Johnny Damon propelled the Yankees to a 7-4 victory and 3-1 series lead. A.J. Burnett will take the mound in game five for the Yankees tonight against Cliff Lee and attempt to close out the series in Philadelphia.

NFL: The Denver Broncos entered week eight of the NFL season as one of three undefeated teams in the league. Unfortunately for Broncos fans, the team will not enter week nine with the same status following a 30-7 blowout at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. The Indianapolis Colts remained undefeated after narrowly beating the fading San Francisco 49ers and the league’s other unbeaten team, the New Orleans Saints, is host to Atlanta tonight on Monday Night Football.

Arguably the biggest NFL story of the weekend, though, was Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field to face his former team. Although he already beat the Green Bay Packers earlier this year, it was the first time he has played at Lambeau Field as a visitor since leaving the team to play for the New York Jets last season. He was booed heavily in the beginning of the game, despite there being a fair number of purple jerseys in the crowd, but received the last laugh as he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 38-26 victory.

NBA: Finally, the NBA season is here and opening weekend did not disappoint. We saw some of last years playoff teams take care of business (the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic are all undefeated) and others come out of the gate struggling (the Cleveland Cavaliers are 2-2 and the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Hornets are 1-2). What is more interesting (although we shouldn’t be surprised) is how some of last years bad teams are seemingly worse than they were before.

The New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, and Golden State Warriors are a combined 0-17. It is not as though any NBA analyst was predicting these teams to make it to the NBA finals this season, but their play so far has been less than encouraging for fans hoping they would make a strong push to get into the playoffs and possibly cause some damage.

What do you think was the biggest story of the weekend? Any predictions for next weekend?

Image Source: Guardian.co.uk

Fresh off of fantasy baseball and right in the middle of fantasy football, the start of the fantasy basketball season could not come at a more hectic time. Yet, here we are in week one of the NBA schedule with a few days of games already under our belts.

An NBA season is a grueling, 82 game marathon. And while most fantasy drafts have already been completed, fantasy basketball, perhaps more so than any other fantasy sport, is all about picking up free agents early in the season. During the early parts of a season head coaches are experimenting with different lineups and figuring out how to best utilize new players. As a result, you will see certain players surprise you with great production and others disappoint you with poor production.

The key to winning in fantasy basketball is determining early on which players off to a hot start are for real and which ones are imposters. Conversely, it is just as important to figure out which players off to slow starts are most likely to turn it around. This week we will take a look at players off to a hot start that should continue to make a positive impact on your fantasy team.

As always, the players recommended here are available in a majority of leagues because you do not need me to tell you that Lebron James is going to have a good fantasy season.

PG Randy Foye, Washington Wizards (Owned in 27.4 percent of ESPN leagues): Foye is technically a combo guard, but he is eligible to start in fantasy at both guard positions. A good sign for Foye is that in the Wizards’ first game of the season — a game in which Foye came off the bench — he logged more minutes (30) than starting shooting guard Mike Miller (22). Although he isn’t quite the three-point threat that Miller is, the fact that he can take over point guard duty for Gilbert Arenas makes me believe that he will continue to log more minutes than Miller this year. Plus, with Arenas’ laundry list of injuries, it is not absurd to assume that Foye will find himself as the starting point guard sometime this season.

SG Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Owned in 64.8 percent of ESPN leagues): Yes, I am well aware of head coach Don Nelson’s propensity for switching lineups more often than he does underwear, but Stephen Curry is too good to keep off of the floor. The rookie has a deadly outside shot and is somehow already more dependable than teammates Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson, the latter of which is being actively shopped around the league.

SF Shane Battier, Houston Rockets (Owned in 54 percent of ESPN leagues): The fact that Battier is not owned in all but the shallowest of leagues is mind boggling. The Rockets are without their two biggest scoring threats (Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady), playing with a relatively inexperienced point guard (Aaron Brooks), and an offensively irrelevant center (Chuck Hayes). Someone has to put up fantasy points and they won’t all be coming from new teammate Trevor Ariza.

PF Yi Jianlian, New Jersey Nets (Owned in 5.3 percent of ESPN leagues): I’ll admit that he has been a mild disappointment thus far in his career, but let me remind you that he is only 22 years old and still learning the nuances of the NBA. He opened with a very strong game against the Minnesota Timberwolves (17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks), and while it may be unrealistic to expect that level of production all season, I see him as a legit fantasy contributor in 12-team fantasy leagues.

C Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies (Owned in 16.3 percent of ESPN leagues): The center position is arguably the toughest to fill in fantasy basketball, and this is especially true for leagues that require you start two of them. Gasol may not be as good of a scorer as Al Horford or the dominant shot blocker that Dwight Howard is, but he his above average in both and also grabs a lot of rebounds. The Grizzlies also have a lot of players that like to jack up a lot of bad shots early in the shot clock (Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Allen Iverson, Zach Randolph), so if your fantasy league counts offensive rebounds as a category Gasol is even more valuable.

Halloween is often thought of as a holiday for children but it really is an occasion for both young and old to dress up and have some fun. With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year there will be even more reason to stay out late trick-or-treating or to attend a Halloween party with your family and friends.

A couple weeks ago we showed you some great sports related costumes for kids, but what about for those adults who look forward to celebrating the spookiest holiday of the year right alongside the kids? Well, if you plan to join in on the Halloween festivities but haven’t had the time to look for a costume there is no need to worry because we have tracked down some hilarious sports themed costumes for you to wear.

Baseball has a taught us a lot of things but perhaps nothing more important than this — chicks dig the long ball. And if sluggers of the last 20 years have taught us anything it is that to hit the ball longer than you ever thought possible all you need is to get “juiced” up. This “adult juiced body muscle costume” comes with muscle arms and baseball jersey and is currently on sale for $99.99.

Are you a fan of Will Ferrell? Did you enjoy the movie Semi Pro? If you answered yes to either of those questions (or even if you didn’t), this is the perfect costume for you. Party in style as fictional 70s basketball player Jackie Moon as this costume comes with an authentic Flint Tropics basketball jersey, white basketball shorts, and headband. Embrace your inner Ferrell and pick up this Jackie Moon costume for $29.99.

Whether you like it or not referees are an integral part of sports. Their calls on the field, like we saw this Major League Baseball post-season, can drastically change the course of a game. Harness that larger than life power with this larger than life costume. It comes with a one piece referee costume that has a flexible hoop inside so you can change just how fat you want to be. It is on sale for $39.99 and also comes with a penalty flag that you can throw at party-goers who spill their drinks.

Shop for more funny sports costumes at Smarter.com

People under the age of 25 might not realize it but men’s tennis in the United States was immensely popular in the 1980s and 1990s. And arguably no player during that time span was more popular than Andre Agassi, whose flashy clothing, abundance of charisma and undeniable talent made him one of the sport’s worlds biggest stars during his tennis career.

That is why it is so surprising that his soon to be released book, “Open: An Autobiography,” reveals that he used crystal meth during his playing career. The details of his use — like how much he used, how frequently he used and if he ever played while under the influence — are still unknown to the public but the fact that he has admitted to using the illegal drug is nothing short of shocking.

Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that another athlete has used drugs, but this case is a bit different than usual. Known performance enhancing drugs are often illegal and usually banned from professional sports, but at least they are used by athletes with the intent to enhance their game. While that doesn’t make it right to use them, it certainly has a different feel from a fan’s standpoint than an athlete using a recreational drug like crystal meth.

Unfortunately, we will have to wait until the book’s November 9 release date to find out more information. Until then, we are left with only questions about the latest athlete to fall from grace.

What do you think about the news? Is it better or worse than being caught for using performance enhancing drugs? Should an athletes personal life matter to fans?

After a nearly five month break in the action, the 2009-10 NBA season is finally upon us as the Boston Celtics head on the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first of four games tonight. A lot has happened across the NBA since the Los Angeles Lakers took home the title last season, but one thing remains the same at the start of every season — all 30 teams start with the same record and have aspirations to be world champions.

And what better way to kick off the new season than with some fresh NBA gear and goodies. Whether you are looking to pick up a new jersey from a star that has changed teams (like Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, or Ben Gordon) or want to relive the season through an officially licensed NBA DVD, there are plenty of awesome NBA related items to check out.

Here are a few discounts from the NBA Store to help you get ready for the season:

While today may mark the start of a new season, there are still plenty of reasons to sport a Lakers’ championship t-shirt from last season. This “NBA Exclusive Collection Los Angeles Lakers “Got Rings?” T-Shirt proudly shows off the Lakers 15 championship titles and is currently on sale for $19.99.

Of all players that changed addresses this off-season, Shaq is literally the biggest. Some day he will end up in the hall of fame and be recognized as one of the best big men the game has ever seen, but this season all anybody will care about is whether or not he can help King James bring a title to Cleveland. Whether you are a fan of the Big Aristotle or the Cavs, make sure to grab his jersey while it is still on sale for $44.99.

One of the more memorable NBA stories of the summer was the induction of Michael Jordan into the basketball hall of fame. He is arguably the greatest player in NBA history and provided numerous breathtaking moments for fans throughout the years. Celebrate his greatness with the “NBA Ultimate Jordan: 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition DVD” ( and see how one of the greatest of the past generation stacks up against players from the current one.

Shop for discount NBA gear at Smarter.com.

After grinding out 162 regular season games and nine playoff games, the New York Yankees finally punched their ticket to the World Series Sunday night with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It will be the Yankees first trip to the big dance since 2003 when they lost to the Florida Marlins in six games. Although they have struggled sealing the deal this decade, the Yankees history is quite illustrious. This marks the 40th time they have won the American League pennant and a win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series would be their 27th time winning it all.

Of course, the Phillies will more than put up a fight to defend their World Series crown. The match up features some of the best pitchers in the game (Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, CC Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, etc.) as well as some of the leagues’ premier hitters in Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez. Game one is scheduled Wednesday in New York at a time to be determined.

Other baseball news: The Yankees victory over the Angels and subsequent berth in to the World Series was not the only piece of interesting baseball news over the weekend. After much debate in St. Louis over whether or not manager Tony La Russa would return to the club next year, it was announced that he and management agreed to a one year deal for 2010 that includes a mutual option for 2011. However, the real buzz surrounding the agreement was word that the Cardinals will be replacing hitting coach Hal McRae with a former slugger most recently known for his refusal to speak about the past during a Congressional hearing on steroids. That slugger is none other than Mark McGwire, who was coached by La Russa during his time with the Cardinals and Oakland Athletics.

College football: For those of you (like me) who do not like the BCS and desperately want to see a playoff system implemented, the storm clouds have started to brew with the most recent set of BCS rankings. The top four teams in the current standings — Florida, Alabama, Texas and Iowa — are all undefeated and barring an upset, three of those teams will likely end the season that way. A one-loss USC team comes in at number five and is followed by another set of undefeated teams in TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati. Even if only half of these top-eight teams win out we are looking at plenty of BCS drama and will hopefully move one step closer to a playoff system.

NFL: After seven weeks of play there are still three undefeated teams (Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints) attempting to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the NFL history books. The Dolphins ran the table that year and remain the only team to have ever completed a perfect season. The field was nearly trimmed down to two teams this week as the Saints struggled against, ironically, the Dolphins. The Saints found themselves down 34-24 at the end of the third quarter but scored 22 unanswered points in the fourth to secure the victory.

What do you think was the biggest story of the weekend? What are you looking forward to the most this week? Let us know in the comments section below.