Fantasy Football - Worth the Risk? 4for4.com Guest Blog

Fantasy Football - Worth The Risk?

The Hot Stove Blog at 4for4.com

August 2, 2009

For those of you new to the Hot Stove world, we look at fantasy differently here. As has been our mantra, we encourage interaction and it is your responses that keep us stoked. Think of us as your neighborhood tavern, and as the media tells us that we are not getting out as much these days, we’ll do our part to keep you engaged.

RYAN GRANT – POSTER BOY FOR 80%?

NFL news trickling out now has the requisite stuff that clubs wish for us to accept, and we feel particularly annoyed that the Packers now tell us that front liner RB Ryan Grant, was, in fact, limited through out the ’08 campaign with a hamstring injury, sustained shortly after returning from a pre-season hold out. The severity was news to us; it took a few weeks to realize that what we drafted as a sleeper #1 turned out to be a weak #3, with a pathetic TWO plays over 20 yards all season. Probably took one week for club DCs to notice; why do you think QB Rodgers “struggled” somewhat last season? We now are expected to accept that Grant will be fine –don’t think about what we didn’t say last year, OK?—and the next time I read that an attack player is “80%” healthy, I want to throw up.

INJURIES YOU NEED TO WATCH

2009 Players on our injury BS watch list include:

QB: Brady (NE),
Palmer (CIN),
Hasselbeck (SEA),
Anderson (CLE)

RB: Addai (IND),
Barber (DAL),
Forte (CHI),
Westbrook (dang it!) (PHI),
LT (SD)

WR: Colston (double dang!) (NO),
Branch (SEA),
Marshall (DEN),
Avery (STL)

Speaking of Brandon Marshall, we see that the WR divas are in full stride, so to speak, with nearly half of the 2009 Pro Bowler WRs in some kind of angst, usually involving money or attention. Boldin (ARI), a Stove-admired warrior but a diva by definition here, and White (ATL), join Marshall in the annual WR-thinking-they-are-the-show-and-want-to-get-paid-for-it parade. Making the Pro Bowl apparently does this to you. But divas beware; former recent ‘Bowler WRs will be jettisoned without remorse. Just look at Owens(BUF), Holt (JAC) and Harrison (F/A), banished to foreign or obscure outposts. Once the NFL exports to Canada, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, or worse (San Antonio? only joking) – with BUF and JAC first in line to move, they’ll really have their Siberia firmly in place for these guys.

The Stove Cool Link Feature:

http://www.lariotsquad.org/

Also speaking of injuries, divas, and annoying hypocrisy, we have the embodiment of all in one package, namely, futbol’s David Beckham, reacting petulantly to the LA Riot Squad’s really mean words last week. Those Yanks just don’t get the sports celebrity thing, do
they?

Stove Kudos to….

Kick ass competitor Michael Phelps, who dissed diva Milorad “I’m an Animal of Emotion” Cavic in the World’s 100-fly this weekend. Cavic offered to buy Phelps one of his really cool looking X-Glides to level the field days before the race. Phelps didn’t need it. Stud.

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For more from Joe and for some of the best Fantasy Football Information and Analysis you’ll find on the planet, visit http://www.4for4.com

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Representing 4for4.com during the Expert Fantasy Football Mock Draft at The Texas Testosterone Festival on Saturday, August 15 will be Jeff Owens. For more information on the amazing panel line-up please visit this link and then go get your credit card so you can buy a few tickets for Saturday in advance (that is, unless all your friends are in your Fantasy Football league, in which case you should tell them the Mock Draft is on SUNDAY).

You really can do anything you want in Brazil, I guess

“But Hershey was forced to settle with her FFF mosquito bites because “the state of Texas has limits on the amount of silicone that can be injected into breast implants,” noted ABC. Reading this, we found ourselves impressed by Texas, because we didn’t think it was the kind of state to impose limits on such things, what with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and the state priding itself on everything being bigger there and whatnot.”

I’m glad ABCnewyork.com let us know about this. Who cares what Obama, Michael Phelps or Christian Bale are up to. This is the kind of news worthy of attention. And as the article so accurately ponders about the World Record book this woman so desperately wants to be in: “We wonder if Guinness has a category for worst back pain.”

Don’t bring pot onto the school bus

From the “Anyone seen my stash?” department - KEYE reports someone left 5 tons of pot on an abandoned school bus in Webb County. (We heard there was 6 tons but the patrolman with the munchies said he only found 5).

Guaranteed this is the 4th scene in the Cheech and Chong reunion movie. The rest of the film will be the guys trying to get their stash replaced while Chong retains his job as a bus driver for the Webb County Independent School District. Hilarity ensues after cameos by Dave Chappelle, Jim Breuer, and the Harold and Kumar guys.

If your neighborhood dealer is not Cheech or Chong and starts telling you he’s had a bad few days, “No man, I mean REALLY bad.” and then asks YOU for pot, the DPS asks you give them a call.

Mike Modano has a Perfect Life

There are a few athletes that are tough not to like - Michael Phelps, for instance. He’s an exceptional athlete in an obscure sport that gets mainstream attention for only a few minutes every four years. Plus he’s incredibly goofy looking. What’s not to like?

Mike Modano, on the other hand, has been an elite hockey forward for nearly twenty years, a Stanley Cup on his resume, a lifer with a single franchise, more points than any other U.S. born player, and the adoration of Texans (and Canadiens) world-wide. Plus he’s good looking with a beautiful wife (he’s married to Willa Ford from The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 (she hosted the competitions, she wasn’t a fighter) and Dancing With the Stars). You gotta hate him. And his money.

But he starred with Brett Hull in the greatest NHL TV commercial ever (please post it below if you can find it on the web) and you still love him for being an elite hockey player for twenty years, a Stanley Cup on his resume, a lifer with a single franchise, let me think, more points than any other U.S. born player, and has the adoration of (Texans and Canadiens) world-wide. We’ll try to suppress the envy part.

Mike has been named to the Western Conference All-Star team for the eighth time yesterday. His plans include scoring more goals than the Eastern Conference team, going home to his hot wife, looking at his own beautiful face in the mirror, and counting his money until he falls asleep. Damn you, Mike Modano.