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Fantasy Football Week 8 Thoughts

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Fantasy football Week 8: Eli’s falling off the charts

This was quite a week for football games: the Broncos are no longer unbeaten; the once 5-0 Giants are suddenly third in the NFC East; the Titans and Rams are no longer winless; and no one could stop talking about Brett Favre beating the Packers at Lambeau. The story lines were compelling this weekend, and the fantasy lines were just as irritating as usual. Here are your starting lineup’s shining stars and biggest mistakes, and what to look for moving forward.

STEVE SLATON - OK, I remained confident on Slaton this year. The problems with fumbling (seven times after Sunday) were unfortunate, but I stuck with him. This week, Houston benched him against the league’s worst rush defense after he lost yet another fumble, and backup Ryan Moats ran wild for 126 yards and three scores. THOSE POINTS BELONGED TO SLATON! If he hadn’t fumbled AGAIN we’d all be happy campers. Now, not only did we get stuck with one lousy fantasy performance, we have a guy that was sure to be the main ball carrier on a high-octane offense that is now subject to an extremely unpredictable time-share situation. It’s definitely time to panic.

JONATHAN STEWART – So I dropped him a couple weeks ago; so what? Oh great, he’s run wild in three of the past four games for double-digit fantasy points after having little output through the first three weeks. But take this with a grain of salt; two of his strong games came against Washington and Tampa Bay. Even if Stewart gets a few more carries than he has been getting, he won’t be a consistent source of points in the immediate future while DeAngelo dominates for the Panthers.

RAY RICE - Every week, this guy produces. He had over a hundred yards from scrimmage yet again and notched another touchdown against a very stout Denver defense. He’s got some soft matchups left (Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland) and some tough ones (Pittsburgh twice, Indy, Cincinnati, Chicago), but Rice should produce in some way in almost every matchup he sees. Right now, he’s playing like an elite fantasy back, and he should be of that status for the remainder of the season.

MARSHAWN LYNCH and FRED JACKSON – Owners were concerned about how many carries Jackson would steal from Lynch, but it doesn’t really matter – both of them are putting up horrendous stats right now. I’d blame the Buffalo play-calling and other severe offensive struggles before I’d fault Lynch and Jackson – they’re both phenomenal running backs. But you have to park Lynch on your bench until things perk up and you probably have to drop Jackson at this point.

ELI MANNING – After the 5-0 start, Manning has been extremely mediocre through three consecutive losses: just one touchdown in each game, and six total interceptions, compared with two through the first five games. Manning faded fast, and you have to wonder whether he’ll get back on track this year.

RICKY WILLIAMS – Miami’s running game didn’t shine against the tough Jets’ D, but who can ignore Williams’s three scores against the Saints in Week 7? He’s got six total scores and some decent yardage totals, and he’s the 12th-ranked running back in terms of points in ESPN leagues. You can’t overlook that.

BRENT CELEK – Celek is a frustrating tight end because usually, when he has a soft matchup, he doesn’t get points, and when it seems like a tough matchup, he lights it up. After the first three weeks, many made Celek their starting TE, given the lack of tight end talent in the fantasy world. It’s tough to stick with that inconsistency, but almost any tight end, including Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez this year (who were the only three tight ends I trusted for reliability in the preseason, go figure) is going to be inconsistent.

JOHN CARLSON – Speaking of inconsistent tight ends, it’s time to give up on Carlson, if you haven’t already. His monstrous Week 1 (95 yards, two scores) has been followed by zero touchdowns since and no yardage total higher than 55.

DONALD DRIVER – After he underachieved last year, he’s turned in quite respectable numbers this year, accumulating three touchdowns and four games with 80-plus yards receiving. He’s not a stud by any means, but he’s a decent source of points in a shallow pool of productive wide receivers this year.

MICHAEL CRABTREE – So everyone who drafted him, then dropped him: go grab him again! If you’re in deep leagues and he’s still available, you could do worse. He had a decent debut, and then had six catches for 81 yards against the Colts. The Niners are a competitive football team, and that alone warrants a look at Crabtree.

FRANK GORE – Guess who’s back? Crabtree’s teammate ran for 91 yards and a score as well as catching five passes for 43 yards in his best receiving output of the season. Unlike many running backs that come back from injury and falter (see Clinton Portis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook), Gore seems to be showing no ill effects of recovery thus far and appears to be at 100 percent.

WILLIS MCGAHEE – I would only say “I told you so” about a guy that I really dislike. After his early-season explosion, I said on Sept. 20, “I wouldn’t expect too many more days like this from McGahee.” Since Week 3, McGahee has exactly 11 rushing yards, and no touchdowns, of course. Now that Ray Rice is the main man, McGahee didn’t even get a timeshare out of the situation like most backs in the NFL would. Time to drop it like it’s cold, cause McGahee definitely is.

VINCENT JACKSON – Talk about a stud. Flying mostly under the radar in the talks about this year’s elite wide receivers, V-Jack has posted double-digit fantasy points in all but one game so far this season, including four 100-yard games and five total touchdowns. He is money; you’re lucky to have him if you do, because he’s as consistent as they come thus far.

JAMAL LEWIS – I don’t care that he gets the most offense on a horrible team, because that translates to absolute mediocrity. Not in all cases (see Steven Jackson), but this running back is so far past his prime that he doesn’t have a productive bone left in his body.

For more information, listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

Source: bupipedream.com, KFGO News Center

Posted in Entertainment, Jason Spiess, KFGO, Sports & Recreation | 2 Comments »

You Meet the Nicest People on a…….

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
1924 (we think) couple on a motorcycle

1924 (we think) couple on a motorcycle

Going though old stuff is fun, fun, fun. I found an old negative of this photograph that belonged to my Grandpa Engen of Holt Minnesota. KFGO’s Terry Spies assures me that this is a Harley circa. mid 1920’s. Who are they? Well it’s not Grandpa, I have no idea who the man is but we are certain that the woman in my Grandfathers Sister. Gladys Engen Brown. Who was married to Sam Brown and lived in Mayville for many years.

Posted in Bob Harris, Country Life, Entertainment, Sports & Recreation | 2 Comments »

Special Sales Tax Deduction for Car Purchases Available Through End of 2009

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

With 2010 models arriving in dealer showrooms, the Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that purchasing a new car, light truck, motor home or motorcycle could qualify them for a special deduction for the state and local sales and excise taxes on their 2009 tax returns.

Purchases made before Jan. 1, 2010, will qualify for this deduction under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The deduction is limited to the sales and excise taxes and similar fees paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of a new vehicle. The deduction is reduced for joint filers with modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGI) between $250,000 and $260,000 and other taxpayers with MAGI between $125,000 and $135,000. Taxpayers with higher incomes do not qualify.

Taxpayers who make qualifying new vehicle purchases this year can estimate the deduction with the help of Worksheet 10 in IRS Publication 919, How Do I Adjust My Withholding? Lines 10a to 10k of the worksheet show how to take into account purchases above the $49,500 limit, as well as the reduced deductions for taxpayers at higher income levels.

The special deduction is available regardless of whether taxpayers itemize deductions on their returns. Taxpayers who do not itemize will add this additional amount to the standard deduction on their 2009 tax return.

For those who have questions about the deduction for sales tax and other fees, questions and answers at IRS.gov might help. A video on the IRS Youtube.com channel and audio podcasts in English and Spanish are also available to help taxpayers take full advantage of the deduction.

To comment or talk about this article, listen to The Mighty 790 KFGO or visit www.kfgo.com or call the studio hotline at 701-237-5948.

Posted in Business & Professional Life, KFGO, Politics & Government, Sports & Recreation | 3 Comments »

NDSU to be Included in ESPN’s Midnight Madness Broadcast

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

ESPNU

North Dakota State University’s basketball progrom joins eight other high-profile college basketball programs when it officially begins its season with a special ESPNU Midnight Madness event at The Bison Sports Arena.

Midnight Madness currently planned include player introductions, a dunk contest, special non-basketball performances by the coaches and players and a team scrimmage.

For a fourth consecutive year, the ESPN family of networks’ college basketball season will commence on ESPNU, with its extensive whip-around coverage of Midnight Madness events from several top college basketball programs around the country on Friday, Oct. 16, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. PT.

ESPN2 will simulcast ESPNU’s coverage from 8:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. ESPN has been covering Midnight Madness events since 1993.

The four-hour ESPNU Midnight Madness special will showcase nine schools, the most teams ever featured in the history of the network’s coverage of the annual event, including defending NCAA National Champion North Carolina and Men’s Final Four participants Michigan State and Connecticut, as well as 2009 Cinderella standout North Dakota State. Of the nine schools to be highlighted, eight are ranked in Andy Katz’s Preseason Top 25: No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Michigan State, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 7 Kentucky, No. 10 Duke, No. 14 Washington, No. 18 Georgetown and No. 25 Connecticut.

The studio team will provide analysis between look-ins at each Midnight Madness event. Every site will feature ESPN commentators providing coverage of various elements including scrimmages, dunk contests, team skits, three point contests, season previews and interviews with most men’s basketball head coaches.

Additional ESPNU Midnight Madness Highlights:

• ESPNU Campus Connection elements from students at Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina

• Coverage of women’s programs, including NCAA Women’s Basketball National Champion Connecticut

• Bonus reports and interviews from other schools.

ESPNU will once again provide extensive coverage of live college basketball games for the ESPN family of networks. The network will televise more than 300 men’s and women’s college basketball games combined, including action from more than 15 NCAA Division I conferences: the ACC, Atlantic 10, Big 12, BIG EAST, Big South, Big Ten, Horizon League, Mid-American Conference, MEAC, Missouri Valley Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, SEC, Southland, SWAC and more.

ESPNU Midnight Madness Commentators
School/Site – Commentators
Connecticut/Gampel Pavilion – Doug Gottlieb
Duke/Cameron Indoor Stadium – Jay Williams
Georgetown/McDonough Arena – Lou Canellis and Bill Raftery
Kansas/Allen Field House – Dave Armstrong and Fran Fraschilla
Kentucky/ Rupp Arena – Dave LaMont and Jimmy Dykes
Michigan State/Breslin Center – Stephen Bardo
North Carolina/Dean Smith Center – Rob Stone and Hubert Davis
North Dakota State/Bison Sports Arena – Jim Barbar
Washington/Bank of America Arena – Steve Physioc and Steve Lavin

ESPNU
ESPNU launched March 4, 2005. The 24-hour college sports television network televises more than 550 live events annually, including college football, college basketball and Olympic sports from more than 25 Division I conferences, as well as premier high school content. The network also has a wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the NCAA for enhanced coverage of 22 NCAA Championships.

ESPNU also offers comprehensive studio programming, including live simulcasts of ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, and replays the best games of the week from ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNU HD and online at ESPNU.com. In addition, ESPNU Campus Connection, a multi-platform student-generated content initiative, was introduced in August 2007.

To comment or talk about this article, listen to The Mighty 790 KFGO or visit www.kfgo.com or call the studio hotline at 701-237-5948.

Posted in Entertainment, KFGO, Night Time Live with Jason Spiess, Sports & Recreation | 4 Comments »

Whether NDSU administration likes it or not, the student athletes are PUBLIC FIGURES.

Friday, October 2nd, 2009
Students, fans, and yes even media personalities know what Nick Mertens, Shamen Washington or Freddy Coleman look like.  If a local blogger like “Bison Bob” sees any student athlete at a bar getting drunk in public, he’s certainly going to write about it like he did on his blog on 740thefan.com. 
 
If sportscaster Dan Hammer sees one of the star players out at McDonald’s and they are walking with crutches or have a cast on a leg, Dan is going to talk about it on the radio.  So when Bison Bob saw Freddy Coleman with a big boot on his foot out in public, Bison Bob wrote about it.  
 
This casued a certain individual in the NDSU Sports Department to be unprofessional with the person who found out about Freddy Coleman’s injury.
 
If this member of the NDSU Sports Administration doesn’t like that, perhaps they should not allow their student athletes to leave the dorms.  If NDSU is not happy with someone reporting  a possible injury that has not reached the Sports Information Office, perhaps they are not doing their job and need to have better communication with the student athletes.  
 
Maybe the answer is to have the administration prepare the student athletes to simply say “no comment” if someone out in public asks them about a potential injury.   Someone within the NDSU athletic department really need to be more professional and realize that the media is going to report news events that they see with their own two eyes.  If NDSU doesn’t like it, all I can say is that’s just too bad. 
 
The media’s job is to report news stories and they don’t need permission from anyone to report stories as long as they are factual.  Often times media liasons forget to understand they are invited to participate in a story, not dictate when and how it is reported.  If NDSU would like to think they a big time university, maybe it is time to start acting like it.
 
To comment or talk about this article, listen to The Mighty 790 KFGO or visit www.kfgo.com or call the studio hotline at 701-237-5948.

Posted in Entertainment, KFGO, Sports & Recreation | No Comments »

Statement from Athletics Director Brian Faison, State Board of Higher Education

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Statement from Athletics Director Brian Faison, State Board of Higher Education

From Athletic Director Brian Faison: I wanted to personally inform you of today’s decision by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education. Please see the statement below. I would encourage you to read through the entire statement.

Statement from the State Board of Higher Education, 10/1/2009

Today, the State Board of Higher Education voted to extend the deadline on retirement of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo to November 30, 2009, assuming that by October 31, 2009, the Standing Rock Tribal Council requests an additional extension of time not beyond November 30, 2009.

This will allow the new Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council time to determine if the Tribe’s position on the nickname and logo is to be decided by a tribal vote.

As we work toward resolution of this issue, I want to reiterate the fact that Dr. Kelley and the University of North Dakota have the full support of the State Board of Higher Education.  The board has complete confidence that the university will continue to show respect for people on both sides of this sensitive issue.

It is important to remember that the University of North Dakota is nationally recognized for its 29 American Indian-related programs.  The State Board of Higher Education is proud of this distinction and deeply committed to sustaining excellence in American Indian Education.

The board is also committed to maintaining academic excellence in a welcoming and supportive learning environment for all students of the University of North Dakota, as well as its 10 sister institutions.

We have listened to many voices and many perspectives.  This short deadline extension is intended to provide an appropriate amount of time for both tribal councils to take action.  Regardless of one’s position on this issue, many North Dakotans agree that it is time for resolution … and time to move forward with the important work of this university.

For more information listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

To comment on this blog, call 701-237-5948 or studio@kfgo.com

Posted in Business & Professional Life, Entertainment, KFGO, Opinion & Editorials, Politics & Government, Sports & Recreation | No Comments »

More from Great Aunt Hazel

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

My great Aunt Hazel passed away a few years ago, but on one of my last visits she showed me some hand-written pages. She was starting to put down some memories of her years growing up in Marshall County Minnesota. ”Maybe they might get published some day if somebody might think they were worth reading“. Well Aunt Hazel, I hope you don’t mind but I think the folks will enjoy reading some of your memories. Here’s a few more of them right now. 

The Barter System

“My father traded a load of hay for a spinning wheel so my mother & Grandmother could have one together. We didn’t have sheep, but my grandparents did. So Ma got wool from them.  She had to wash it and dry it out in the sun, then she spun yarn and made so many stockings and mittens. I hated to try and put on the wool socks as the were real long.”

The Little House Out Back

“Another thing our bathroom was the little house out back, and our ‘Charmin’ was the Sears Roebuck catalogue. It got pretty cold out there sometimes, didn’t waste much time.”

Stanley Lysne  Gets In Trouble

“This is a story Oscar (my brother) has told me many times. About when he went to school, there were so many children at that time in the two room school. It was about Stanley Lysne (he was Oscar’s age). One time the teacher  kept him after school,  for some reason, either misbehavior and not getting his lessons done. When she told him he could go home, he took off and run past the school and told the teacher  ‘KISS MY ASS’ and run for home. He thought he was safe, but heard something and looked back and the teacher grabbed him and took him back to the school and gave him a licking.”

More to come from Aunt Hazel.

BH

By The way Thank you for all the nice comments please keep them coming.

Posted in Bob Harris, Entertainment, Home & Life, KFGO, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Culture | No Comments »

Hat Tips with Dean Meyer

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Hat Tips with Dean Meyer

Hello,

Man, am I glad we are into late fall. Because that means my farming days are pretty well done for the year. The harvest is running late, and last nights rain will have farmers pulling their last, thinning, gray hairs out.

I have put the sprayer away. And I suppose I should have drained everything, but then, what would you have to look forward to.

The drill is put away, although it looks like maybe the lid on the grain tank is open. Which doesn’t make a lot of difference. In fact, it may keep the mice from living in the drill if it is unprotected!

The harvested grain has been sold. Which, since we don’t have a granary, makes out marketing plan a simple one. Oh, I will admit, there was not a lot of grain. Usually, I figure if we get out seed back, we did pretty well. In spite of the drought, we did manage to get more than our seed back.

And our crop insurance agent was here last week. He has been here so much over the years, we are considering having him over with the rest of the family for Thanksgiving dinner.

This year I raised durum. Now, if you are a town guy, you might not know what durum is used for. It is the grain used in making pasta. And there are several grades of durum. Like No. 1 Hard Amber, Milling, or Terminal. And they talk about stuff like “falling numbers” or “bleached”.

Trust me, if you live in a drought area, and are determined to make it rain, you plant durum. It may not rain all summer, but two days before that No.1 HAD is ready to harvest, the skies will open up and God will bless you with a downpour! And I honestly think He will smile as that durum begins to lose color! But then, maybe I deserve it.

I used to raise malting barley. Cause I felt you should produce what you consume. My idea of a supper would be a plate heaped up with steak and macaroni. A bowl of beer cheese soup for an appetizer. And wash it all down with a mug of beer.

But, my malting barley days were also somewhat of a disaster.

I mentioned earlier that I don’t have a grain bin. Well, a little one to keep oats in for the horses, but that is about it.

So the year I harvested my malting barley, I just piled it on the ground. It was only going to be there a little while. I took a five-gallon bucket to an elevator. An elevator that was a hundred miles from the field. Cause he paid the most for malting barley. The results were outstanding. This was premium-malting barley.

I quickly called a trucker to fire that semi up and start hauling that malting barley. And he did. He called a couple other truckers and they cleaned that pile up in no time. We hauled that barley a hundred miles to Discount Dan.

A week later, I received the settlement sheet. The only barley that made malting was the five-gallon bucket Dad had hauled up! The rest was feed barley. Which I could buy back for twenty cents a more than I received for it. And the trucker would give me a ten percent discount on the back haul!

You can see why I look forward to winter!
Later, Dean

Dean Meyer is a rancher from western North Dakota. His column, Hat Tips, which usually deals with the lighter side of ranch life, has appeared across North and South Dakota for twenty years. When not planting hay, putting up hay, or feeding hay, Dean enjoys teaching his grandkids bad habits.

For more information listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

To comment on this blog, call 701-237-5948 or studio@kfgo.com

Posted in Country Life, Dean Meyer, KFGO, Sports & Recreation | No Comments »

That Good Old Country Music

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

I can still remember the day Dad brought home the family’s first record player. It looked like a suitcase, grey and white in color. Speakers detached from the sides and you lifted up the cover to reveal the silver spindle in the middle of this round plate size rubber mat that went round and round (at various speeds).This long arm with a needle on the end that we (us kids) had to be careful how we handled so we didn’t break it.  Then he pulled out 3 albums (younger kids can “google”  that word) Hank Williams Greatest Hits, Luke the Drifter (who was actually Hank Williams) and some guy named “Whoopee John”. While I was a fan of the early 60’s rock and roll, there was just something about Hank Williams that stuck with me . I often think it was his “moaning” of the blues that stuck in my head back then and continues to this day. LP’s were added as the months went on…Hank Snow, Johnny and Jack, Homer and Jethro, remember the DUKE OF PADUKA. We had one of those also. We kids got some of those little yellow records that spun at 78 rpm. I still have the one that had campaign songs for the 64 presidential election. Yogi Bear’s on one side and Magilla Gorilla’s on the flip. I’ve got the “Mr. Ed” one too.

As the years went by the record player just plain wore out. Needle broke, latchs got loose and couldn’t  hold the speakers together when we put it a way.  A stereo console entered the family and the process started all over again. …oh we did watch TV once in a while too.

Posted in Bob Harris, Entertainment, KFGO, Sports & Recreation | 1 Comment »

Pheasant Numbers Lowest Since Early 2000s

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

North Dakota’s roadside pheasant survey conducted in late July and August revealed the lowest bird count in more than five years, and similar to 2002 when 500,000 roosters were harvested.

Winter mortality due to unusually harsh weather and lower production this summer because of a cool, wet spring kept the number of young birds down and made for lower recruitment of young into the fall population, according to Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the state Game and Fish Department.

Total pheasants were down 50 percent statewide from last year, brood observations were down 46 percent, and average brood size was down 13 percent. The final summary is the result of 265 runs made along 95 brood routes across North Dakota.

Kohn said this summer’s brood data indicates that the high pheasant numbers of 2004-2008 won’t be seen this fall. “Hunters will observe fair pheasant numbers in areas with better habitat but will notice fewer birds overall,” Kohn said. “This season is going to require more walking and extra effort to fill a bag.”

Total pheasants counted in the four districts of the state were down between 43-60 percent. Brood observations – the lowest since 2000 – closely resemble the number of pheasants seen per 100 miles. While the average brood size is down in all four districts, several are comparable to 2008.

“Our poor production the last two years may have been the result of hatching of partial clutches, but certainly indicates a good amount of renesting attempts by hens,” Kohn said. “Renests have fewer eggs, and this makes for fewer chicks in the brood.”

Statistics from southeastern North Dakota indicate 6.7 broods and 56 birds per 100 miles were observed. The average brood size was 4.96. “The southeast took a pretty good hit in pheasant mortality last winter, as both broods and number of pheasants observed this summer were down 60 percent from last year,” Kohn said. “Combine this with late-maturing row crops that most likely will be standing in October, and hunters will have their work cut out for any early season success.”

Results from the northwest indicate 6.4 broods and 48 birds per 100 miles. Average brood size was 5.3. “Pheasant numbers in this district are the lowest since 2000, but there will be some local areas with good opportunities,” Kohn said.

Observers surveying in the southwest counted 15 broods and 113 birds per 100 miles. The average brood size was 5.05. “Though brood and pheasant numbers are down about 40 percent from last year, this area will likely have the best pheasant numbers in the state, albeit well below what hunters have seen the last several years,” Kohn said.

The 2009 regular pheasant season opens Oct. 10 and continues through Jan. 3, 2010. The two-day youth pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed residents and nonresidents ages 15 and younger can hunt statewide, is set for Oct. 3-4.

For more information listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

To comment on this blog, call 701-237-5948 or studio@kfgo.com

Posted in Country Life, KFGO, KFGO Outdoors Live with Doug Leier, Sports & Recreation | No Comments »

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