Final Fantasy

The Pressure is Off

By Ryan Frisco

Well, I can finally breathe again!  My fantasy team finally lost a week, so the quest for perfection is over.  It's time to work the Waiver Wire and build a team that can make it through the nitty gritty of the season and carry me to the playoffs! 

First things first, I need to figure out what to do on defense. I took the route of not choosing a defense until the last round of the draft, and am paying for it now.  I pick up a different defense each week based off of the matchup, but stats like the Buffalo Bills D 4 points against the New York Jets last week won't win me any games.  Any suggestions for me?

Photo Cred www.sportsbusinessdaily.com

I'm in five leagues, but really only care about four anymore.  This one guy I've never met invited me to a Dynasty League, where you keep the bulk of your team from year to year.  I missed that draft...in a 16 Team league...needless to say, my chances the next 10 years are most likely shot.

So, the beginning of Week 4 is only one day away!  Let's take a look at what to expect fantasy wise this first week of Byes...

Quarterbacks: Peyton Manning is a no brainer this week.  He is playing the Philadelphia Eagles defense...the same defense that let up four touchdowns and a million yards to Phillip Rivers.  It's amazing that Manning is still relevant in the fantasy world so many years into his career AND two years after serious neck surgery.  Peyton is a total dork in every commercial he appears in, but a total stud on the field.

The second quarterback I think is worth a go is Jay Cutler.  The Bears have been on a tear this year, and the Detroit secondary is the only reason they aren't undefeated.  Forte is a beast in the receiving game, Martellus Bennett is becoming a Top 10 TE option and Alshon Jeffery is starting to live up to his pre draft hype. 

I'm choosing Ryan Tannehill as the Sleeper at QB.  Coming off of an unexpected victory over Atlanta, the New Orleans Saints powerhouse offense/kinda shabby defense is next.  This should be a good game, high scoring and definitely in the favor of your fantasy team!

Photo Cred www.terezowens.com

Running Backs?  I'm taking a stab at Doug Martin.  The Muscle Hamster has been bottled up so far this season, especially with the Bucs playing from behind so often.  This week, I'm picking him to have his breakout game of the year! Tampa Bay is going to an unproven rookie QB in Mike Glennon, which I hope means they will rely on Martin to carry them!

Also, Trent Richardson.  With the news that Ahmad Bradshaw is out, the only man left to shoulder the load is Trent.  Against a horrible Jaguar squad, look for Richardson to have the game of his career Sunday afternoon!

Sleeper: Lamar Miller.  The running situation in Miami is a bit hairy, but I think Miller is going to see the Lion's share of the carries Monday night.  His chances against New Orleans are good, as it will most definitely be a high scoring affair.  This is the week Lamar permanently separates himself from Daniel Thomas.

On to Wide Receivers...I'm taking Brandon Marshall as the top start of the week.  The Bears have played superbly this year, and the Lions defense gives up points.  Marshall should be an easy lock for 100+ yards and at least one TD.

Photo Cred www.redraiders.com

I'm also going with Stephen Hill, of the Jets.  He seems to have some chemistry going with Geno Smith.  Let's see the magic continue this week against the Tennessee secondary!

My sleeper at WR is Greg Jennings.  He hasn't been able to get much going so far with the Vikings, but he's up against a very bad Steelers secondary.

Game Prediction:  I've heard a lot of talk this week about the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos.  Most people are expecting a massacre.  The spread currently sits around 11.5.  What are my thoughts on this game?

I think it will be closer than many think.  The Eagles play up to the challenge when they face teams like this.  Will they win? No.  Will they cover the spread?  Yes.  The Eagles have scored as many touchdowns as their opponent in every game so far this year.  The difference has been field goals.  I'm choosing Philly to score as many touchdowns as the Broncos (4) but lose the field goal battle. Denver 34 Eagles 28.

What you got readers?  Any questions/comments/insults?  Let me have it!

Left Handed Larceny

Preseason Power Rankings

by Eric Berkenpas

Seemed like all I did was blink and the 2013-2014 NHL season is upon us! There was a lot of activity in the offseason and a lot of expectations for some up and coming teams. Also, this is the first year of the newest rendition of NHL Division Musical Chairs. There is a ton of reason to be excited about the upcoming season so let's jump into my preseason rankings!

Photo cred www.pantagraph.com

1. Chicago Blackhawks - With virtually the same team that blew through the playoffs last year to win the Cup, there is no reason to believe the Hawks will not be as dominant as they were last year. They still have their strong core of young players and guys like Brandon Saad are only going to get better.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins - You may think this is a biased pick and, well, maybe it partly is but I truly think the Penguins will be the team to beat in the East again. Morrow, Iginla and Murray are gone and the team is back to the basic structure that ripped off 15 wins in a row last year. Rob Scuderi, who was a key part of the '09 championship team, is back and will certainly have a positive effect on the team.

3. Ottawa Senators - Out with the old and in with the new. Ottawa traded old man Alfie away to Detroit and brought in Bobby Ryan from Anaheim who was arguably the most talented player to move in the offseason. On top of that, they brought in Clarke MacArthur from Toronto and increase the depth of their attack. With the success that Ottawa had with a broken and battered team last year, they should prove to be one of the best this year with a full lineup featuring Spezza, Karlsson, Ryan, Conacher and Anderson.

Photo cred detroitjockcity.com

4. Detroit Red Wings - After a lackluster year last year, the Red Wings made some moves in the offseason that should elevate them back to the dominant form they took on in past years. They brought it Alfredsson from Ottawa who, though he is aging and isn't as effective as he used to be, should still have a significant effect on this star-studded team. Another addition is Stephen Weiss from Florida who has tremendous skill that never fully blossomed in Florida. If the defense can improve, Howard remains a rock in the net and youngsters like Gustav Nyqvist, Joakim Andersson and Danny DeKeyser can contribute, the Red Wings will be challenging the top dogs in the East.

5. Los Angeles Kings - The Kings can never seem to put a whole season together but the potential strength of this team is too undeniable to not have them in the top 5. They have great defense, arguably the best goalie in the league and a ton of weapons offensively. Greene will be back in the lineup after missing all season last year and will definitely improve this team defensively. Expect to see LA at the top of the standings for the majority of the season.

Photo cred www.startribune.com

6. St. Louis Blues - The Blue made some big moves in the offseason in acquiring Derek Roy from the Canucks and just recently snatching Brenden Morrow out of free agency. Halak and Elliot look to tag team net-minding responsibilities with the same strong defense in front of them. Tarasenko could also have a monster season. He was dominating last year before he got hurt and there is every reason to believe he will be just as good and probably better. St. Louis has potential to be a complete power house, it just remains to be seen if they can reach that potential.

7. Carolina Hurricanes - Call me crazy, but the Hurricanes are lookin' good. With Cam Ward back, the acquisition of a solid backup in Anton Kudobin and the extreme potential and skill of first round draft pick Elias Lindholm, the Hurricanes could be a serious threat this year. Eric Staal, Alexander Semin and Jiri Tlusty comprised one of the top lines in hockey last year and the second line is almost as good with Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner. Defense was the issue last year but this team was one of the best until Cam Ward went down. With him healthy, the sky is the limit for the Canes.

Photo cred articles.washingtonpost.com

8. Columbus Blue Jackets - The Jackets finished strong last year and barely missed playoffs. They kept Jack Johnson and Marian Gaborik in the offseason and acquired Nathan Horton from Boston. Bobrovsky who had a Vezina-like season will be premiered between the pipes. The rest of the team is a core of young players who will only be improving with time like Mark Letestu, Cam Atkinson, Boone Jenner and Artem Anisimov. Ryan Murray looks like he is going to get his first taste of NHL action too and should be a big help for the Jackets' D. The pieces are in place for Columbus to make a good run at the playoffs.

9. Montreal Canadiens - I hesitate putting the Candiens this low. There is all the reason in the world to think they will be as good, if not, better this year than last. Carey Price is coming off arguably his best season yet and they added Danny Briere who should fit in perfectly. Subban also had one of his best years and highly touted rookie Galchenyuk could have a monster year this year. There is still just something about the Habs though that makes me not have as much confidence in them as I should.

Photo cred tracking.si.com

10. Washington Capitals - The Caps were the best team in the league in the last month of the season. They live and die by the play of one man, Alexander Ovechkin. He was in a year and a half slump but when he broke out of it, he went on a scoring rampage that has not been seen since possibly the days of Lemieux and Gretsky. Mike Ribeiro is gone but the Caps brought in Mikhail Grabovski from the Leafs who will be a significant 2nd line contributor. Braden Holtby is still the guy in net and could break the 40 win mark this year.

11. San Jose Sharks - The Sharks had a very up and down season last year but definitely have a lineup that can do some damage on the ice. With guys like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and Antii Niemi, you are pretty much a shoe-in to make the playoffs. Tyler Kennedy was the only one brought in in the offseason who always plays an extremely intense style of hockey and has had a 20 goal season. Additionally, the Sharks have brought in their 2012 premier draft pick Tomas Hertl who they have very high hopes for and could be a piece that propels San Jose to compete for the top spot in the West.

Photo cred www.zimbio.com

12. Anaheim Ducks - Bobby Ryan is no longer present but Jakob Silfverberg should make up for the loss. He is one of the top rated prospects in the league and got a lot of experience last year in Ottawa. The Ducks still have their dominant tandem of goalies and with Getzlaf, Perry, Cogliano, Palmieri and now Silfverberg, the Ducks posses potentially one of the most dangerous attacks in the league. I don't expect them to stay at #10 on my list for very long.

13. Boston Bruins - The Bruins had a great team last year and made a great run to the Cup Finals. This yeah, however, the B's are not looking quite as strong. They gained Iginla and Eriksson but lost Jagr, Horton, Seguin, Peverley and backup goalie, Khudobin. Boston will still be a solid defensive team and still have one of the best goalies in the game, but they could struggle finding the back of the net. Julien will have a harder time coming by wins this year but his team still has the potential to be great, I just don't think they will be.

Photo cred oilonwhyte.com

14. Edmonton Oilers - Gotta think this is finally the year where Edmonton's consecutive high draft picks will finally pay off and put together a playoff-worthy year. Taylor Hall had an outstanding year last year and Nugent-Hopkins will be back. Dubnyk started showing some positive signs in the second half of the season that he could be the goalie that puts the Oilers over the top. The addition of Andrew Ference will make for defensive improvement. Nail Yakupov had a pretty good rookie campaign and will only get better with time. I expect the Oilers to be competing for a playoff spot this year.

15. New York Islanders - I may be a Penguins fan, but I love the Islanders when they aren't playing the Pens. John Tavares has proved to be one of the elite players in the league and almost won his firs Hart Trophy. They gained Clutterbuck and Bouchard in the offseason to add more grit and offense to their team. There are still many question marks surrounding their defense and goalie situation but they should still be vying for a playoff spot throughout the season.

Photo cred newyork.cbslocal.com

16. New York Rangers - The Rangers made no major offseason moves but will still be a contendor in the East. Clowe got picked up by the Devils so the Rangers are bringing a far less flashy lineup into this season. Rick Nash will have to play a prominent part in their success as will Brad Richards. Callahan will need to start producing more offensively and Brassard will be expected to take on a bigger role. Alain Vigneault will have some work to do to get the Rangers back in dominant form. Always helps to have King Henrik in net though.

17. Vancouver Canucks - Like every year, the season depends on one man, Roberto Luongo. The Nucks have gone back to putting their trust in him when they shipped Schneider out to NJ. The Sedin twins will be a force as they always are and the Canucks will definitely be in the playoff picture throughout the season. They have potential to be one of the best, but they could also be a train wreck. We must wait and see.

Photo cred www.baynews9.com

18. Tampa Bay Lightning - If I were basing this off of preseason, Tampa would be in the top 5, because they looked extremely good. Last year, Stamkos just barely got edged out for Rockey Richard honors and St. Louis nabbed the Art Ross. Outside of those two though, the Bolts were not a team to write home about. They had possibly the worst defense and goalie combos in the league and were forced to score way too many goals to stay competitive. This year, they have a better (and finally younger) goalie in net with a defense that looks improved. They brought in Valtteri Filppula from Detroit and drafted youngster, Jonathan Drouin 3rd overall in this year's draft. Things are looking to be on the rise in Tampa and this is definitely not going to be a team to take lightly anymore.

19. Philadelphia Flyers - I would not be surprised at all if the Flyers finish better than 19th overall at the end of the year, but last year left too many question marks and the offseason answered some while it also created others. Danny Briere is gone and the Flyers bought out Bryzgalov's contract, leaving Ray Emery to man the crease this year who had a great season last year, but mostly in part to a highly disciplined and skilled group of defensemen in front of him. Lecavalier is one guy who will make a big difference this year. The other is Claude Giroux. He needs to be better. If he can play back up to his potential, the Flyers could be back to their 2011-2012 form.

Photo cred bluejackets.nhl.com

20. Minnesota Wild - The Wild eventually got going last year and squeaked into the final playoff spot. Suter had a great year whereas Parise was about average (though he did lead the team in points). The Wild added Cooke and lost Clutterbuck which is a move in the offensive direction, but only barely. Backstrom was a large reason for the playoff berth and will need to be as good and likely better this year for the Wild to make the playoffs again.

21. Dallas Stars - The Stars were really bad last year and it is apparent by the offseason that they were none too pleased about it. Gonchar, Horcoff, Seguin and Peverley were added along with the skilled youngster, Valeri Nichushkin in the draft. Now it's just a question of can Lindy Ruff put the players together effectively. Lehtonen will be the guy in the crease again and the defense is the main question mark. If they can perform, the Stars are going to be very good. If not, they could be the Lightning of the West.

22. Winnipeg Jets - Plain and simple, the Jets could be really good this year. They just missed playoffs last year but have a lot of players starting to really mature into solid hockey players. Bryan Little, Evander Kane, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Zach Bogosian, Grant Clitsome, Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom and Ondrej Pavelec are all improving and could definitely take their team to the playoffs. I expect this team to turn a lot of heads in their first year in the West, but there is also some room for failure.

Photo cred nhl.si.com

23. Toronto Maple Leafs - This year may not bode as well for the Leafs as last year did. They added Bernier who will likely be the starter sooner rather than later and Clarkson but lost two key players in MacArthur and Grabovski. With Kessel, Lupul and Kadri, the Leafs will still prove to be a difficult team to beat, but I don't expect them to repeat or improve on their season last year and would be a little surprised to see them in the playoffs.

24. Phoenix Coyotes - Mike Smith is good enough that on his own he keeps Phoenix from the bottom of this list. They have some pretty solid defensemen in Yandle, Ekman-Larsson and Michalek. The addition of Mike Ribeiro and the potential of 2013 12th overall pick Max Domi, Phoenix could find themselves to be pretty competitive again. On paper though, they still look pretty weak compared to the rest of the west.

25. Nashville Predators - The Preds will be relying heavily, once again, on Pekka Rinne to carry their team. They drafted projected first overall pick, Seth Jones, 4th overall in the 2013 draft and he could show immediate results on the blue line. In addition to him, role guys Stalberg and Cullen were added to improve the depth of the Preds. Problem is, those guys were added to an extremely weak roster that lacks any semblance of goal scoring capability. We will see what Barry Trotz can put together this year, but I don't expect much. Not yet, at least.

Photo cred yle.fi

26. Florida Panthers - This is the team I am pullin' for this year, I just don't have a lot of confidence in them. Jacob Markstrom, who is arguably the top goalie prospect, got some good experience last year but it looks like Tim Thomas may be moving in to take his starting spot. Huberdeau is fresh off a Calder Trophy worthy season and will only improve each year. 2013 2nd Overall Pick Alexsander Barkov will very likely have a spot on the roster from the get go and will be an immediate candidate for the Calder Trophy. The Panthers have one of the youngest teams in the league which can be a bad thing, but can also be a very good thing, especially in the future. Expect the Panthers to surprise you this year, but also don't be surprised if they finish near or at the bottom.

27. New Jersey Devils - The Devils were bad this year and things only got worse in the offseason when Ilya Kovalchuk left to go play in the KHL. The Devils brought in Jagr, Clowe and Ryder to try to offset the loss of their superstar, but those three will hardly get them back to even. Corey Schneider was brought in to help aging Brodeur carry the load in net, but the Devils are just not deep or skilled enough to compete with the rest of the Conference.

28. Colorado Avalanche - The Avs have some of the best young forwards in the game with Duchene, Stastny, Landeskog, Parenteau and possibly MacKinnon, the first overal pick in the 2013 draft. The problem with the Avs is they are very weak defensively and mediocre in the net. The only way the Avs are going to make any noise this year is if they outscore their opponents; and they will definitely be scoring goals.

Photo cred www.gettyimages.co.uk

29. Buffalo Sabres - Sabres need to start rebuilding. They have a pretty good group of defensemen and a proven goalie in Ryan Miller, but outside of Vanek and maybe Ennis, there are gaping holes in the group of forwards that will need to be addressed before the Sabres go anywhere.  Mikhail Grigorenko will get some good NHL experience this year, but he isn't enough to turn this team completely around. I expect them to finish last in the east this year.

30. Calgary Flames - They are finally rebuilding! It all starting with letting Iginla go. The future faces of this team are going to be Sven Baertschi and Sean Monahan but until they blossom and are given good complimentary pieces to fill the gaping holes in every part of this team, they are going to be the weak link in the West. But their day will come...

Eric Berkenpas is the newest member of Sports Eye View and can be reached at ejberkenpas22@gmail.com

Random Sports Ramblings

NHL Draft Strategy

by Eric Berkenpas

Not sure how many of you play fantasy hockey. It certainly doesn't attract appeal like Fantasy Football does, but then again neither does the NHL compared the the NFL. However, if you ask me, Fantasy Hockey is the best fantasy sport. Why? Because Hockey is the greatest sport known to man, duh! And that is a fact. Now that we have that settled, lets talk drafting. I have yet to draft a team this year so I would like to discuss some strategies. Obviously there are almost endless formats your leagues can take so I will focus on the most popular.

Photo cred www.thestar.com

Standard League, Head-to-Head

If you are one of those people who thinks draft order has everything to do with who gets the best team, think again. There are ways to master your draft no matter what draft position you get. The first overall pick will snatch the top player but then they have to wait for everyone to draft twice before they can grab their second player whereas the last pick is the first team to draft two players in a row. If you get first pick, you better get ready to think. Many years, there is a clear cut obvious player that needs to be taken first overall. This year, that is not the case. I am going to propose 5 players who I think could all legitimately land a first overall pick.

1. Sidney Crosby (Pit) - 15G, 41A in 36 Games

2. Alexander Ovechkin (Was) - 32G, 24A in 48 Games

3. Evgeni Malkin (Pit) - 9G, 24A in 31 Games

4. Steven Stamkos (TB) - 29G, 28A in 48 Games

5. Patrick Kane (Chi) - 23G, 32A in 47 Games

Photo cred www.therichest.com

Please note, arguments can be made for other players who are deserving of that top pick, but you can't really go wrong any of these guys. Crosby was on pace to finish with roughly 75 points before getting injured which would have landed him 15 points ahead of Art Ross winner, Martin St. Louis. Can he regain chemistry with Kunitz and Dupuis and can they produce like they did last year? Hard to say, but Crosby will get his points regardless of who he plays with. Ovie woke up halfway through the season last year and scored goals at an unimaginable click. If that Ovie comes to play this year, he has Art Ross and likely a second straight Hart Trophy written all over him. Evgeni Malkin has always been a very inconsistent player (other than is 2011-12 campaign) but we have all seen what he is very capable of. Steven Stamkos has been living under the shadow of Crosby, Malkin and Ovie since entering the league but is in every way as legitimate of a scoring talent as those three. He has immense hockey smarts and always finds himself in the scoring areas of the ice. His wrist shot is second best only to Ovechkin and he is a threat to score at any point when the puck is on his stick. Patrick Kane had his best season last year and with the high powered talent he plays with combined with his nearly unprecedented skill set, the sky is the limit.

Photo cred www.nhlsnipers.com

From there, keep an eye out for guys like Claude Giroux, Nicklas Backstrom, Taylor Hall, Anze Kopitar, Erik Karlsson, Matt Duchene, Jordan Eberle, Jason Spezza, Bobby Ryan, Nail Yakupov, Jamie Benn, Marian Gaborik and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who I fully expect to exceed their preseason rankings when it is all said and done.

Goalies: They tend to be the make it or break it aspect to any fantasy hockey team. Let me shoot straight real quick: you will need at least one good goalie if you want to succeed! Goalies are the only position that gives you stats that are consistent and reliable (unless you are in a league using Hits, Blocks, FW, FL, SOG, etc...). Here are my rankings of who I think the top 10 fantasy goalies will be this year:

1. Jonathan Quick (LA)

2. Henrik Lundqvist (NYR)

3. Tuukka Rask (Bos)

4. Jimmy Howard (Det)

5. Corey Crawford (Chi)

6. Sergei Bobrovsky (Cls)

7. Antti Niemi (SJ)

8. Craig Anderson (Ott)

9. Marc-Andre Fleury (Pit)

10. Pekka Rinne (Nas)

Photo cred www.maxpreps.com

Rinne is way over-valued in most leagues. He is one of the best goalies in the NHL, but you have to take into account how bad the team around him is an how effective he will be for fantasy. His wins will be down and he will be facing a lot of rubber so there is a good likelihood his GAA may be higher than usual. Marc-Andre Fleury is the go to goalie in Pittsburgh, a team that will likely compile a ton of wins this year. He tends to have good numbers during the regular season too and since playoff stats have no bearing on fantasy, Fleury is a good bet for 2.50 GAA and 35+ wins. Craig Anderson played a little over his head last year but will still be a solid contributor to your team. Bobrovsky also played a little over his head but the Blue Jackets are a steadily improving team which will most assuredly spell success for the man between the pipes. Corey Crawford no longer has his partner in crime (Ray Emery) with him so he will now be the go-to guy. Can he handle the pressure? I think his numbers will be down from last year, but that's not sayin' much. Tuukka Rask proved last year in the playoffs how good he can be. Unfortunately, he will have to be that good because Boston lost a lot of talent in the offseason. Now for our top 2 guys. Quick struggled in the season last year but recovered just in time to finish strong and put up his normal numbers in the playoffs. Lundvist was also not as good last year, but that is mostly due to the team around him not being as good. He is still arguably the best goalie in the league. The only other guy who can compete with him for that title is Jonathan Quick. Reason Quick is first in my rankings is simple: I think the Kings will be much better than the Rangers this year.

Photo cred www.thestar.com

There are two strategies to take when drafting defensemen. Offensive stats, or minor stats. Offensive stats include G, A, P, PPG, PPA, PPP, SHG, SHA, SHP, GWG and S%. Minor stats are all the other ones that have little to do with the offensive production of the individual; +/-, PIM, SOG, FW, FL, Hits and Blocks. If you draft highly offensive forwards, you are going to need defensemen who get you your other stats. If you draft dynamic forwards who are more geared towards your minor stats, you are going to want to help out your offensive production with high scoring defensemen. You can easily search on your own who the top producing defensemen are. I am going to give you a list of defensemen who are best for the minor stats. These are in no particular order.

1. Dion Phaneuf (Tor) - High hits, blocks and PIMs. Decent +/-

2. Brooks Orpik (Pit) - High hits, blocks and +/-. Low PIMs

3. Dennis Seidenberg (Bos) - High hits, blocks an +/-. Low PIMs. Decent offense

4. Shea Weber (Nas) - High hits and offense. Decent blocks. Low +/-

5. Ladislav Smid (Edm) - High hits and blocks. Decent PIMs. Low +/-

6. Luke Schenn (Phi) - Very high hits. High blocks. Low PIMs and +/-

7. Mark Frasor (Tor) - High hits, blocks, PIMs and +/-

8. Drew Doughty (LA) - High hits and offense. Low blocks and PIMs.

9. Dan Girardi (NYR) - High blocks. Decent hits and +/-. Low PIMs

10. Brent Seabrook (Chi) - High blocks. Decent hits, offense and +/-. Low PIMs.

Let's finish this off with my top 10 players in each position (refer above for goalies):

Center
1. Sidney Crosby (Pit)
2. Steven Stamkos (TB)
3. John Tavares (NYI)
4. Evgeni Malkin (Pit)
5. Nicklas Backstrom (Was)
6. Claude Giroux (Phi)
7. Eric Staal (Car)
8. Jonathan Toews (Chi)
9. Henrik Sedin (Van)
10. Anze Kopitar (LA)

Left Wing
1. Taylor Hall (Edm)
2. Daniel Sedin (Van)
3. Thomas Vanek (Buf)
4. Bobby Ryan (Ott)
5. Alexander Semin (Car)
6. Jamie Benn (Dal)
7. Henrik Zetterberg (Det)
8. Patrick Sharp (Chi)
9. Joffrey Lupul (Tor)
10. Matt Moulson (NYI)

Right Wing
1. Alexander Ovechkin (Was)
2. Patrick Kane (Chi)
3. Phil Kessel (Tor)
4. James Neal (Pit)
5. Corey Perry (Ana)
6. Martin St. Louis (TB)
7. Nail Yakupov (Edm)
8. Rick Nash (NYR)
9. Marian Gaborik (Cls)
10. Jordan Eberle (Edm)

Defense
1. Erik Karlsson (Ott)
2. P.K. Subban (Mon)
3. Kris Letang (Pit)
4. Ryan Suter (Min)
5. Duncan Keith (Chi)
6. Shea Weber (Nas)
7. Justin Schultz (Edm)
8. Alex Pietrangelo (Stl)
9. Keith Yandle (Pho)
10. Mark Streit (Phi)

There you have it. This is not an exhaustive guide but it should provide some help if you are totally lost going into your draft. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions!

Eric Berkenpas is the newest member of Sports Eye View and can be reached at ejberkenpas22@gmail.com

Caleb's Dream Journal

Day 1 - A Fan's Higher Standard
By Caleb Musselman

I have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and stop placing athletes on a pedestal that exempts them from the law of common man. Seems simple enough right? If only it were that easy. 

As a child, every kid dreams of greatness. We stood alone in our driveway and practiced buzzer-beating fade-aways and last second free-throws. We ran unmarked post routes and called pass interference on the ghost marking us if we didn't make the TD grab. We toed the rubber and shook off 4 straight signs from our dad before firing a 40 mph heater into his mitt at the local park. These were the days.

About halfway through high school, most of us began to realize it is a bit harder to catch those deep post routes when being marked by a defender of equal skill; tougher to hit those buzzer-beaters when the clock doesn't reset when we miss; more difficult to throw strikes when someone is trying to hit them back at us. It was about that time when we started considering playing collegiate sports and starting realizing we had a better chance of becoming the next PhD than the next MJD. So we slowly started to mature (over the next few years) and think about our futures outside of sports. We thought about what it would look like to raise a family and who we would potentially want to spend our lives with (that is still a fantastic question). In short, we started to grow up.

www.thevalleymom.com

Well, there are a select few high school athletes who don't have those same issues. For these elect, they rise above the defender to catch that TD; have the stroke to consistently sink those buzzer beaters; and throw hard enough to make any hitter back up off the plate. These are the ones whose dreams could potentially turn into reality. And believe me, they know it. These phenoms play their sport 365 days out of the year and pour every waking moment into their craft. These players are first the king of their hometown, then they are the king of their college-town.

Now here is my disclaimer: There are many athletes who are exceptional at every aspect of life. In fact, I would argue that the majority of them turn out to be model citizens, but my argument is not about them, rather about the public's perception of them.

www.post-gazette.com

Fast-forward to yesterday. I'm listening to talk radio here in Pittsburgh and the topic falls on Russell Shell. Russell is a stand-out running back who broke nearly every possible record in PA about 3 years ago. Russell played at Pitt for two years where he ran into some trouble. Not achieving the results he was expecting, Russell decided to quit the team and transfer. He'd never faced athletic adversity in his life and quitting was his knee-jerk reaction. Russell searched the nation and after having trouble finding a suitor, he decided he wanted back into Pitt.

When Russell came crawling back to Pitt head coach Paul Chryst, Chyrst didn't even give it a second thought. No thanks, Russell. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

OH MY GOODNESS. HE DID NOT. HOW COULD YOU TURN AWAY SHELL????!!!!!

A caller's exact words, "He deserves a second chance. He's just a kid."

www.sportsgrid.com

Well, Mr. ill-informed Caller, Russell did receive a few different second chances during his time at Pitt. Further, while Mr. Shell might be only 19 years-old, he is no child. In fact, he is a father. Shell is a father of twins. The fact of the matter is that Shell forfeited his childhood when he became a teenage father. While many of us make tough choices in life, it seems only the rich and famous can get away with them. While the 18 year-old working 50 hours a week at McDonald's to support his child is looked down upon as "someone who made a bad decision", Shell is given the get-out-of-jail free card. He's just a kid! Kids make mistakes!

Yes they do. And when kids make big mistakes, they are called into adulthood very quickly. Unfortunately, athletes often have an easy out with there fan bases. This caller put his own hopes and dreams for Pitt football and his own selfishness in front of what is best for the program. His perspective on athletics is not unusual.

The examples are endless. In the NBA, players are often featured on social media at a night club after a big win. 30 year-old men who have young children...at a night club. Is this real life?

photo cred: www.drizzydrake.org

Think about someone else who you look up to. Your boss? Your dad? A political leader? Do you see them hanging out at night clubs after a long day at work? So if they aren't, why do we idolize these men who play a game for a living as a separate entity that can elude the rules on a consistent basis?

There is a colossal difference between malehood and manhood. As a nation the line between the two is quickly becoming blurry. The good Lord chose to make you a male; it is up to each one of us to choose to become a man. Our best and brightest young stars model themselves after the athletes they hope to become. It has always been that way and it won't change any time soon. These same prodigies see that real consequences only come when you are caught in a scandal or charged for murder.

So what is the call to action? The call is pointed at the public. Stop making excuses for your favorite athletes. Stop basing your biases on who is on your fantasy team. Don't buy the jersey of the guy who acts like a spoiled, entitled child on the field. I don't care how fast he is or how many touchdowns he catches. Why? Because whether you realize it or not, you have a similar effect on athletes as they have on you. They desire twitter followers just as much as you do. They want 1 million just as bad as you want 1 thousand. If we continue to make excuses for the foolishness, they are going to keep peeing on the carpet. If we continue to laugh at the ridiculous, they will remain the king of comedy.

If the public establishes a standard, the results will follow. The role models will begin to emerge, and the youth will rise stronger and more prepared to lead. Fans, stand up and be a man. You might be surprised how many males will follow suit.

www.g33kwatch.com

30 Degrees of Banking

The Chase is On!!

By Ryan Frisco

Photo Cred www.onlyagame.wbur.org

We are one week removed from the final race of the regular season, and the drama has yet to cease!!  Carl Edwards ended up with the win, Kurt Busch raced his way into the Chase finishing second, and Ryan Newman - not Martin Truex, Jr. - snagged the up for grabs second Wild Card!  I'm not going to try and explain in writing all of the details that emerged after the race with teams cheating and fixing the results.  All you need to know is Michael Waltrip Racing sabatoged Ryan Newman's chance at victory,  made it so Jeff Gordon had no chance at the Top 10 and opened up the second Wild Card spot for Martin Truex, Jr. by forcing Joey Logano into the Top 10.  Oh, and new intel states that Penske and Front Row Motorsports had a little side deal that helped Logano move into the Top 10 as well.  Needless to say, NASCAR found out, Truex was booted and Newman took his spot.  On to the Chase!

***UPDATE*** Since I wrote this article, Jeff Gordon has since been reinstated as a 13TH CONTENDER in the Chase!  This is an unprecedented move by NASCAR and has created a lot of drama and controversy in the sport.***

Now, I'd like to break down the Chase Contenders, from the order of who I think has the best chance to come out on top.

Photo Cred www.autoracing1.com

1. Kyle Busch - This pick isn't necessarily original, but you just can't deny how good he has been this year!  The driver that many are stunned hasn't won a Sprint Cup Championship yet, Kyle will win one, and this year's as good as any to do it.  He has a fast car every week...the only things that might get in his way, like crashes or engine problems, seem out of the picture at this time this season.  Busch is going to have to have a lot of things go wrong for this to not work out in his favor!

2. Kevin Harvick - The Closer has had himself a steadily consistent season.  He's finished in the Top 15 pretty much everywhere except the restrictor plate tracks, and there's only one of them in the Chase.  Kevin has a great car every week, and is usually in contention at the end.  Now that the whole 'playing it safe' bit is over, I'm sure we'll see him snag at least one victory in the Chase.  He will be there in the end.

3. Jimmie Johnson - It seems silly to put him so low, but I justify based on the last three weeks performance.  Engine troubles, blown tires, other people's problems...the 48 team has encountered more trouble this year than other years.  He has a high Chase seeding with his four regular season wins, and will no doubt be in the hunt, but races like the last three...that just can't happen in the Chase.

Photo Cred www.mikemulhern.net

4. Carl Edwards - Carl has been like Harvick this year, very consistently keeping himself in the picture. It's amazing, after all year, he actually goes in the Chase leading the point standings!  The fact that he didn't battle for victory often kind of left him out of the hype, but this seems awfully familiar to 2011...without Tony Stewart in the picture to battle it out with this time.

5. Matt Kenseth - 'What?!  You're ranking the high seed in the Chase this low?!!!' I know this is the question you are all asking. And yes, I am ranking him this low.  Matt has had an extraordinary year.  In his typical 'boring' fashion, as some call it, Kenseth has managed to win five races along with 13 Top 10s.  Unfortunately, I'm not that impressed.  He runs well much of the time, and at some points is downright dominating, but he's had some not so hot races more often then a Championship Contender should.  The only thing he's got going for him is he's dominated the 1.5 mile tracks, which is practically half of the Chase tracks.

6. Kasey Kahne - If you've followed me all season, you know Kahne is my preseason pick to win the Cup.  I knew he'd make it into the Chase, but assumed he'd be higher in the rankings.  Like last year, Kasey has been plagued by bad luck, but his standing outside of the Top 10 in points reflects a lot more than bad luck. This team has had problems.  Kasey has a shot at the Championship, but they can't have races where they just can't figure the car out...like Richmond last week.

Photo Cred www.newsfiber.com

7. Ryan Newman - Newman is the Lucky Dog for the Chase. He lucked out from the crazy twist that booted Truex, Jr. from the Chase.  Ryan is being let go from Stewart Haas racing after this year...this is his tryout, the chance to prove he's worth another shot in the big team era.  What's he gonna do?  I think Newman has what it takes to make some noise...just a little, probably not Championship noise though.

8. Kurt Busch - Single car team out of Colorado, Furniture Row Racing becomes the first of its kind to make the Chase since its inception.  It makes sense that they did it with a past champion in Kurt Busch, but the feat is still a huge step for the sport.  Busch raced his butt off trying to get into the Chase, and now that he's there, I'm not sure if anyone knows what will happen!  He has shown he has the speed and ability to compete with the big boys.  They haven't won yet, but if the crew can get things figured out on pit road, that first win isn't far away. Who knows, maybe Kurt Busch will go all Tony Stewart 2011 and win five races in the Chase!

Photo Cred www.usatoday.com

9. Joey Logano - One big revelation of the year; Joey Logano is a legit NASCAR driver, finally!  He has found a home with Penske Racing, and should be able to thrive there for a long time.  Can he win the title this year?  No.  He's young, and won't be able to hang at this stage, but the fact that he was a legit competitor this year, won a race and made the Chase speaks volumes to the world!  Logano will be back again, and a championship may very well be in his future...just not 2013.

10. Greg Biffle - The Bif has not been impressive at all this year.  He won a race, and had three Top 5s in the entire season.  That is a lame stat line for a Chase driver.  He has been no where near the front for  months now.  He should be a non factor, I'm completely counting him out...watch him win the stinkin' Championship now that I said that.

Photo Cred www.yahoosports.com

11. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Junior Nation gonna be hatin on this ranking, but deep down they all know I'm right.  Dale had an adequate start to the year, placing himself in contention often.  He never won, and his competitiveness sort of died off over the Summer.  It's even at the point now where you hear Danica Patrick's name more than Dale Junior.  My how the times are changing.

12. Clint Bowyer - That was quite a stunt him and Michael Waltrip Racing pulled.  I say NASCAR makes sure Bowyer's chance at a title are slim to none this year.  'What's that, Bowyer's leading the race with three laps to go?!  Oops, I thought I saw debris in Turn 2, Caution!'

13. Jeff Gordon - Well, since I just found out about this, I really don't know where I would place Gordon.  He's run well this year, but not dominated by any means.  He's run into a lot of bad luck.  I can't see him being a serious threat for the cup.  Like I said before, maybe next year, but this just isn't his year.  But, with new life being issued him by NASCAR, who knows what could happen!!  This is playoffs baby!

Rounding the Bases

The Home Stretch

by Eric Berkenpas

We are in the final month of the Baseball regular season so it's time to break down the playoff picture as well as make some bold predictions! So without further ado, let's jump right in.

AL East

Photo cred: boston.sportsthenandnow.com

Things have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride in the AL East division this year but the one consistent thing is that the Red Sox have been in first almost the entire year and don't look like they are going to lose that spot. Led by 9-time all star, David Ortiz, this rag tag bunch of young stars look to get their team back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Clay Buchholz was having himself a turn-around year and was leading a sub-par pitching staff with a 1.71 and no losses until he hit the DL with a neck strain. He appears to be re-joining the club and starting Thursday's game which can only bode well for the Bo Sox.

Behind the Red Sox is a pretty tight race for second, currently being led by the Rays. In July it was looking like they were going to run away with the division when they went 21-5 overall and 8-2 against divisional opponents, but everything came to a head in August which allowed the Red Sox to pull comfortably ahead. Behind the Rays are the media blasted Yankees and pitching deficient Orioles. One might say that if the distraction of A-Rod wasn't there, the Yankees might be vying for the top spot in the division, but injuries have had something to say about that. Teixeiria and Granderson have sat out almost the entire year and Jeter has also been battling injury. Vernon Wells has contributed nicely, as has Kuroda, but the team just isn't complete enough to be a legitmate playoff contender. The Orioles have arguably the best lineup in baseball with Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado, JJ Hardy, Nate McClouth, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis but their pitching staff led by their "ace" Bud Norris is nothing to write home about. Can't win playoff baseball without good pitching.

Prediction: Red Sox win the division, Rays grab the second wild card spot.

AL Central

Photo cred: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

This division for the most part has been a one man....er...team show for the majority of the year. The Miguel Cabrera's (aka the Detroit Tigers) have been given some pressure by the Indians but now hold a comfortable 5.5 game lead in the division. Cabrera has been battling nagging injuries in the past couple weeks while trying to chase his second straight Triple Crown but Detroit has too many other weapons to let that hold them back. Prince Fielder, Victor Martinez, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter lead the batting when Cabrera is out and with as formidable a pitching staff the Tigers have, batting issues will not hurt them too bad. Verlander is having an off year with 182 Ks and a 3.64 ERA (yes, that is considered an off year for him) while Max Scherzer took the reigns of the pitching staff. It took months before he suffered his first loss and he sits now with a 19-2 record, a 2.88 ERA and 209 Ks. This team is primed and ready for the post season and not a single team in the division will have anything to say about it. The Indians are a good team but they lack the pitching to truly compete with the Tigers.

Prediction: Tigers win the division by 10+ games.

AL West

Photo cred: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

At the beginning of the year I would have told you that at this point in the year, the Angels would be leading the division and storming into the playoffs like Gandalf charging into battle at Helms Deep...pardon the nerdy analogy). Needless to say, that is not the current situation. The Angels sit 15.5 games out of first and will need a miracle if they want a playoff berth. Texas, yet again, reigns supreme out west. Beltre is having a monster year (.322 AVG, 28 HRs, 83 RBIs) with Kinsler, newly acquired Rios, Andrus and Moreland as quality compliments. Even without PED violator Cruz, the Rangers win. Yu Darvish has been everything the Rangers needed and more. He is 12-7 with a 2.91 ERA and 240 Ks. 240!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Outside of him, the pitching staff is average, but they have all pitched well enough to give their team a chance of winning each night, which is really all you need to ask for with the formidable lineup that the Rangers posses.

Photo cred: www.sfexaminer.com

Oakland has been hiding in the shadow of the Rangers but have just recently made a move into first place and now sit 1.5 games ahead of Texas. Once again, the A's have done it with starting pitching, only one of which anyone has ever heard of. Bartolo Colon has resurrected his career and leads a group consisting of Jarrod Parker, A.J. Griffin, Tommy Milone and Dan Straily to the 2nd best team ERA in the league. This year, however, the batting lineup is a little more potent. 3 players (Brandon Moss, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson) have hit the 20 HR mark and Coco Crisp is only 2 away. It's still nothing close to the best lineup in baseball, but it's much better than prior years when Coco Crisp was leading the team in every stat.

Prediction: Rangers regain first and take the division. Athletics fall short against the Rays in the play in game.

NL East

Photo cred: www.mobypicture.com

The Phillies need to officially hit the reset button in the coming years as the Braves look like they are set to take over the division in those years. Washington got rudely pushed aside by Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman and the MLB's best pitching staff. There is no team better than the Braves right now and they appear to be a shoe-in to the World Series. Through development of young talent, the Braves have constructed an extremely dangerous pitching staff, even after losing Tommy Hanson in the offseason to the Angels. There are too many dangerous weapons on this team to not consider them a legitimate contender for the World Series and there is most definitely not another team in this division who can be put up against the Braves. Washington could hit a hot streak and maybe sneak into a wild card spot, but other than that, the Braves are the only team worth talking about in the NL East.

Prediction: Braves win division by a landslide while Phillies and Nats carry big question marks into the offseason.

NL Central

Photo cred: www.zimbio.com

Arguably Baseball's best division all year, the NL Central may well showcase the most exciting playoff race of the year. The Cardinals were the best team in Baseball for the first half of the season with the Pirates and Reds trailing closely behind. Now, It's anyone's division to take. The Reds have come back after letting the Pirates and Cardinals battle for first for a couple months but now it's very much a 3 team race. Pirates made some big acquisitions in Marlon Byrd and Justin Morneau in hopes that their lineup will be one that can win some playoff baseball games behind one of the top pitching staffs in the league. So far, it does not look any better than before. Cincinnati has it all going for them right now. The bats are hot and the pitchers are all giving the team a chance to win each night. At this point, it's pretty safe to say that these 3 teams will all be playing in the playoffs in some capacity, all we need to see is in what order they finish.

Prediction: Reds storm into first and edge out the Cardinals. Pirates finish in third and lose play in game to the Cards.

NL West

Photo cred: www.fangraphs.com

Midway through the season it didn't look like anyone wanted to take control of the division. Colorado had a big start to the year while San Fran faltered in their post-world series hangover. Arizona has shown some fleeting moments of solid baseball while San Diego has been the same old boring team that just can't seem to get out of the gutter. Los Angeles had the most pressure on them from the start as they command the highest payroll in the MLB and made big offseason acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Josh Beckett. They appeared to be headed in the same direction as the Angels until a spark lit as they went 42-10 in July and August, vaulting them comfortably into the top spot in the division. Gonzales leads the team in AVG, HRs and RBIs but behind him is nothing impressive. The strength of this team resides in the pitching rotation which may be the most intimidating in all of Baseball: Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Nolasco and Capuano. To this point in the season, Kershaw still maintains a sub 2 ERA. His strikeout numbers are down but that only seems to have helped him. Greinke battled a broke collar bone compliments of Carlos Quentin but battled back and has been very successful and huge part of why the Dodgers have been so successful. Ryu in his first year in the majors has been just about what everyone expected him to be; solid. Having that caliber of skill for your 1, 2 and 3 pitchers in the playoffs cannot be undervalued. Needless to say, the Dodgers are going to be extremely tough to beat in the playoffs.

Prediction: Dodgers win division by 15+ games.


Playoff Prediction: Tigers rematch the Rangers in the ALCS. Reds play the Braves in the NLCS. Reds win World Series over Tigers 4-3 behind the bat of Jay Bruce.

Well folks, there you have it! Make sure to drop comments about what you think will happen.


Eric Berkenpas is the newest member of Sports Eye View and can be reached at ejberkenpas22@gmail.com

Final Fantasy

Ryan's Fantasy World

By Ryan Frisco

So, I went to bed last night at halftime, feeling pretty good about the first half of football I had watched.  Peyton Manning was against my Fantasy Football team, and had only scored two touchdowns and 162 yards before the half.  I assumed he might add one more score in the second half, but it would definitely be tough versus the Baltimore Ravens defense.  Needless to say, I slept soundly.

Photo Cred www.gazette.com

What did I wake up to find? The headline of NFL.com was 'Seventh Heaven,' with a picture of Manning in the background.  I thought to myself, "Surely that means something like the 7th time he's beaten the Ravens, or seven times he escaped the clutches of Terrell Suggs, surely not that he threw seven touchdowns."  Upon further review, the last option was exactly what happened.  For the first time since 1969, a Quarterback threw seven touchdowns in a game.  Seriously?!  In week one, against the defending Super Bowl Champions?!!  Peyton Manning, 37 years old, one year removed from serious neck surgery, proves again that he is the best in the game....and on your fantasy squad.

So, I'm already looking on to Week 2, cause there's no way my Fantasy team is overcoming Manning's 60 point performance.

In this column, I'm probably going to talk about a lot of things you don't care about.  I'll give you some of my top picks fantasy wise each week, a couple of big game predictions and any other random thoughts I might have.  Most of you will tune in for the comic relief of my picks, as long as you tune in I don't care why.  So let's start!

Photo Cred www.espn.go.com

First, I'll give you my QB picks.  Since Manning already played, I can't choose him, but I wouldn't have anyway (just shows how much I know).  My top two QBs this week are playing in the same game actually, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.  This game has shootout written all over it, and neither defense is solid.  We're probably looking at a 45-41 final score, with four touchdowns and 450 yards for each QB.  If you have them, play 'em;  I'm hoping Matt Ryan will match Peyton's 7 TD performance and keep me in the game.

I'm taking Andrew Luck as my Sleeper this week.  He seems to fly under the radar, but he did break all of the rookie records passing wise last year, and he's facing possibly the worst defense in the Oakland Raiders.  I'd start him this week if I were you, he's looking at a solid stat line.

Photo Cred topteamfantasy.com

Now, for the running backs...we all know to start AP each and every week no matter what.  That's implied.  So, who else?  1. Alfred Morris.  The Eagles' defense stinks like cow manure.  2. Jamal Charles.  It's a new era for Kansas City with Big Re(i)d in town, which means new life for Charles.  He should see more touches, and has a QB who can manage the game better, keeping the offense on the field longer.  He should thrive against the porous Jacksonville defense.

My sleeper in the running game is Daryl Richardson.  Finally out of the shadow of Steven Jackson, Richardson should have a killer 1,000 yard season, starting this week in Arizona.

Photo Cred www.rosterdoc.com

How bout them Wide Receivers?!  First up is another combo in the same game, Julio Jones and Marques Colston.  The shootout taking place in New Orleans is going to boost a lot of fantasy teams out there, and these guys are going to have a LOT  to do with it.  I'd also put Antonio Brown up there as well.  The Steelers don't really have a running game right now, so Big Ben will get the ball to Brown early and often as they roll over the Titans in Week One.

Sleeper: Kembrell Thompkins.  This rookie's made a lot of noise in preseason.  We've seen Tom Brady make stars out of every average guy catching the ball, so this should be no different.  With a below average Buffalo team on the field, Thompkins should have no problem scoring at least one touchdown, with a good amount of catches and yards to go with it...and remember, New England doesn't mind running up the score.

Photo Cred www.espn.go.com

Now, let's talk a little big game prediction; Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers.  Clash of the Titans, the meeting of two powerhouse offenses!  These two battled it out last year in the playoffs, and the Packers' inability to contain Colin Kaepernick led to an early exit.  With that experience, I think Mike McCarthy comes out this year with a completely different gameplan, definitely not letting Kaep run 56 yards for a touchdown this time.  This game will come down to the end, but I'm going to go with San Fran upending Aaron Rodgers and the Pack once more, 31-24.  It might be different on a cold, December night in Lambeau, but at Candlestick, the Gold Rush will start their next campaign for the Lombardi Trophy!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this upcoming weekend.  And, if any of you are crazy enough to ask, let me know what fantasy advice you are looking for! It's September 7th, and NFL Football is finally underway!!