Category Archives: sports

2014 March Madness: #6 Ohio State vs #11 Dayton

We are picking every NCAA Tournament game in an effort to help you fill out your bracket and win your office pool.

Ohio State came into the season with high expectations. They started off hot, but had issues during the Big Ten schedule. Aaron Craft is the kind of player that excels in the guard-driven NCAA Tournament.

Dayton plays in the Atlantic 10. The toughest mid-major conference. They have over a dozen wins against teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

These teams are less than an hour apart from each other. The game will be played in Buffalo, so if you live in the area, expect a lot of ‘O-H’ & ‘I-O’ chants all weekend.

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket.

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2014 March Madness: #4 UCLA vs #13 Tulsa

We are picking every NCAA Tournament game in an effort to help you fill out your bracket and win your office pool.

UCLA had to crawl and scratch to get through a difficult PAC 12 conference schedule. They are battle-tested and new head coach Steve Alford has them playing really well.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes hit ‘restart’ after the new year. They had a hellish non-conference schedule and lost every game against a team from a major conference. They rebounded to win the Conference USA tournament. The conference took a hit when may of the top schools joined the American Athletic Conference.

Is UCLA a legit contender in the South Region?

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket.

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2014 March Madness: #5 VCU vs #12 Stephen F. Austin

We are picking every NCAA Tournament game in an effort to help you fill out your bracket and win your office pool.

VCU seems to outperform their seeding in every NCAA Tournament. Head coach Shaka Smart has had every opportunity to leave town, yet it stays in town.

Stephen F. Austin could be a popular upset pick since they are coming into the tournament with only two losses. The Southland Conference isn’t exactly the Big Ten, so their undefeated conference record should be taken with a grain of salt.

Does VCU have another deep run left or will the Lumberjacks find themselves in the second round?

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket.

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2014 March Madness: #8 Colorado vs #9 Pittsburgh

This is the first of many NCAA Tournament games we are picking to help you fill out your bracket.

The Big 12 and ACC were both strong conferences this season. Colorado and Pittsburgh faced elite competition and have a few marquee wins to hang their hat on.

Colorado is a different team than the squad they dressed in November. Injuries have caused players to step up.

Pittsburgh is playing great right now. They didn’t look like a NCAA Tournament team for a period of time, but turned this around late.

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket.

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2014 March Madness: Which Bubble Teams Didn’t Get In?

There are 345 Division-I teams in college basketball eligible for the postseason 2014 NCAA Tournament. Obviously, not every team can get an invite.

These teams were all on the bubble, but failed to make it into the field of 68.

There were some big upsets (NC State) and a few teams that deserved a nod, but were passed over. I honestly can’t believe the Wolfpack made it into the tourney.

Here is a list of bubble teams which had their bubble burst.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles (27-6) – Southern Miss was on the bubble last season as well and didn’t get in. The were the Conference USA regular season champions, but the 2/3rds of the conference was horrible. The don’t have any marquee wins and had a cake non-conference schedule.

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2014 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 100 Outfielders

Since most of us play in fantasy leagues that start five outfielders, I decided to super-size my rankings for outfielders. We all know Mike Trout is the best fantasy player in baseball, but the rest of the field is very deep. There are a dozen guys who can help you in every category in a 5×5 standard roto league.

My outfield fantasy baseball rankings are based on a standard 5×5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me BobbyMcrib@gmail.com.

1. Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels – Trout is the consensus #1 overall fantasy player this season. He’s a yearly threat to be a 30/30 player and who knows, he could be a 40/40 player at some point. He’ll be an MVP candidate and be near the top of every major offensive category.

2. Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates – The reigning National League MVP should meet or exceed last year’s numbers. He’s in his prime and could even top 30 home runs this season.

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2014 MLB Team Preview: San Diego Padres

The injury bug bit the head off the San Diego Padres last season. It started with Cameron Maybin and just started taking out every position player one-by-one.

They couldn’t even make it through Spring Training injury-free. Maybin will start the season on the disabled list with a ruptured biceps injury. Also, Chase Headley suffered a calf strain, but should be ready for Opening Day.

San Diego didn’t make many offseason moves. Their roster is nearly identical to the one they ended the season with in 2013. It’s hard to evaluate your team when most of them are in the trainer’s room getting treatment. If they have similar issues again, expect changes to be made.

Here is the 2014 MLB season preview for the San Diego Padres.

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2014 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 40 Shortstops

It was once hard to find power at the shortstop position, but now there are a dozen options who could hit 20+ homers this season. You have all the usual suspects (Hanley Ramirez & Troy Tulowitzki) and a few emerging stars (Andrelton Simmons & Jean Segura).

This will be Derek Jeter’s farewell season. Does he go out with a relevant fantasy season?

My shortstop fantasy baseball rankings are based on a standard 5×5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me BobbyMcrib@gmail.com.

1. Hanley Ramirez – Los Angeles Dodgers – Before the injury bug hit Ramirez, he was once the #1 overall fantasy player. He has missed an average of 50 games each of the last three seasons. He only appeared in 86 games, but he hit .345 and smacked 20 homers. If he can stay healthy, I expect some big numbers from Ramirez.

2. Troy Tulowitzki – Colorado Rockies – Tulo had a few injuries that kept him from playing, but they were random injuries. His injuries weren’t any associated with someone breaking down. He came back from core muscle surgery last season and put up decent numbers in only 446 at-bats. If he gets near 550 at-bats, he should have another 30/100/.305 season. That is worth #1 or #2 on this list.

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2014 MLB Team Preview: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies championship window has officially closed. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins may be playing their last season together. They should be busy at the trade deadline this season, because they need to get younger.

Manager Ryne Sandberg took over after Charlie Manuel mid-season. He’s great with younger talent, which leads me to believe they are about to blow up this team. I doubt Ryan Howard is going anywhere with his bloated contract on the books through 2016.

Can Rollins and Sandberg squash their beef and get along this season?

Here is the 2014 MLB season preview for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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2014 MLB Team Preview: Oakland Athletics

The Oakland A’s always surprise us. Even with all the major additions the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have made the last two seasons, they are back-to-back AL West division champions. Do we need another ‘Moneyball’ movie to explain how this happened? Jonah Hill has gained most of his weight back, so he’s ready to reprise his role as Peter Brand.

Oakland’s young pitching staff is one of the major reasons they keep winning. They also have a knack for getting the most of their players. I mean, Bartolo Colon looked ten years younger last season.

The A’s didn’t make any budget-destroying free agent signings this offseason. They bring back the same starting lineup and all but one of their starting pitchers (Scott Kazmir replaces Colon). Can they hold off Texas and Los Angeles again?

Here is the 2014 MLB season preview for the Oakland Athletics.

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2014 MLB Team Preview: New York Yankees

The Yankees made the biggest splash this offseason by signing Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka. A dozen teams were vying for his services and the Yankees had to pay through the nose to get him. They definitely need him since the rest of their rotation leaves a lot to be desired.

Since Boston won the World Series last season, the “we’re trying to cut payroll’ excuse they’ve been using, well, it went out the window. They opened up their deep pockets and signed Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. If the Red Sox didn’t win, who knows if they would have spent as much.

The AL East is expected to be great and the race will be competitive until the end. Will the Yankees send Derek Jeter out a winner?

Here is the 2014 MLB season preview for the New York Yankees.

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2014 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 40 Third Baseman

You want power numbers from your third baseman. It’s a position that is loaded with players with 30+ home runs. There are even a few with .300 batting average and major power. If you get the right player at third base, you could be in a nice position to win your fantasy baseball league.

Will Miguel Cabrera contend for another Triple Crown?

My 3rd base fantasy baseball rankings are based on a standard 5×5 league. If you have any specific questions about a different league, email me BobbyMcrib@gmail.com.

1. Miguel Cabrera – Detroit Tigers – This was a no-brainer. He’s the #2 overall best fantasy baseball player right behind Mike Trout. I expect another MVP-caliber season from him.

2. Adrian Beltre – Texas Rangers – Beltre is one the most consistent players in baseball. He consistently hits 30+/100/.305+ hitter, year after year. I’m interested how his numbers will improve with Prince Fielder hitting around him. There isn’t much more room to improve, but he should see better pitches.

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