4 Sporting News

Fantasy Versus Reality

2008-11-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

Is it fantasy or is it reality? That is the question certain people need to start asking themselves when they embark on the journey of fantasy sports.

Recently in my Fantasy Football League I witnessed a most unpleasant experience. Two of the players started talking smack in the "smack room". One of the players was really giving the other one a hard time. He was telling him that his team sucked and that his drafting skills sucked etc...

Then things got ugly. The other player looked up the name of the guy that was smack talking him and got personal. He did a search for this individuals' name on Google and discovered that the persons' dad had died and also found out what religion the other person was.

He then went on to make very ruthless and cowardly remarks about this boy's dead dad, sexual comments about his widowed mother and then making racist comments about the boys' religion.

I was truly disgusted. I would suggest to anyone that takes fantasy football too seriously that they should be spending Sunday's at the psychiatrist instead of on the computer in fantasy land.

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Seattle Seahawks Hoping Young Recievers Can Get The Job Done

2008-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Seahawks are entering the final season with Mike Holgmren as the head coach. This will be his tenth and final year coaching Seattle and he hopes to go out with a bang rather than a whimper....

Making his job more difficult is the fact that he doesn't have the strong and proven presence of wide receivers that he enjoyed just last year.

Seattle lost wide receiver D.J. Hackett during the off season to the Carolina Panthers. Hackett along with Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram led the Seahawks to their fourth consecutive Division Title last year.

But Bobby Engram broke a bone in his shoulder during this preseason and will be out for most of the season. Deion Branch is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery and most people don't expect him back until half way through the season.

This leaves only Nate Burleson to carry the load. Or does it? Nate will be joined by fellow Seahawk wide receivers, Ben Obumanu, Courtney Taylor and Jordon Kent.

Holmgren is certainly hoping that some or all of these young guns can step into the void that was left by Engram, Branch and Hacket and provide Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck with the solid hands and route running that he requires.

Matt Hasselbeck is a good quarterback and they will definitely be throwing the ball alot. The only question is will the receivers be able to make the plays on offense that the seasoned wide receivers used to.

BAMA - Football That Is

2008-07-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in Bama Football, there is only one true source for the most up to date news and information on this team.

I am of course talking about the Bleacher Report. The Alabama football team is more often known as the Crimson Tide.

From player reviews to the latest team news, you will find it all at the Bleacher Report. They have the Alabama Crimson Tide play by play running down the right side of the page and the have a host of quality featured writers giving you fresh perspective.

Read through the featured stories and even leave a comment. This is an actual community of Alabama-Crimson-Tide football supporters.

Harris Could Be The Answer

2008-07-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

The Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team has been lacking experience at their linebacker spot for a while. But once in a while you will come along some freshman so special that their play might make you forget about the experience factor.

Jerrell Harris is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound outside linebacker from Gadsden City High. He can run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has a 34-inch vertical leap. Plus, he squats a whopping 500 pounds. As a senior Harris had 140 tackles, 18 sacks, and 3 interceptions.

Harris has all of the tools to be a great player for the Crimson Tide. He will need to work with the staff but he should be a great player. Harris is a very good linebacker and might even be able to help Bama Football this year.

Suns Just Can't Beat the Pesky, Flopping Spurs

2008-04-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Suns, even with the "Diesel" on there team, just can't seem to get past the annoying play of the San Antonio Spurs.

What is it with these Spurs anyway? Almost all of their scoring comes from the 3 stars of Genobli, Parker and Duncan. You would think the Suns could devise a way to stop these 3 from getting so many points.

But, no matter what the Suns try, the end result is always the same. The ball seems to roll the way of the Spurs. The calls all seem to be made for the Spurs. The refs seem to favor the Spurs. And even more importantly, the Suns just can't seem to get up enough mojo to beat them no matter what.

So come on now Big Cactus. Show us what you have left. Or is the Diesel Truck on Empty?

Seahawks add Depth at Cornerback/Safety position

2008-04-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

Looking to add depth to their defense and special teams, the Seattle Seahawks reached a one-year, $605,000 deal with Falcons defensive back Omare Lowe.

Lowe, who is expected to sign the agreement Monday, gets a chance to return to his home state to play the 2008 season. He grew up in Maple Valley, Wash., and played for the University of Washington. This will be the sixth NFL team for Lowe, who turns 30 on April 20.

Read more here

Georgia, You'll be Missed....

2008-01-19T08:19:00.001-08:00

Long time St. Louis Rams owner Georgia Frontiere died of breast cancer in Los Angeles on Friday. She had been battling the cancer for several months.

She inherited the Rams from her husband in 1979 and was a devoted owner ever since. The players, coaches and entire Rams organization will miss you Georgia.

SeaHawks VS Packers - The Rematch

2008-01-07T14:29:00.001-08:00

Do you remember Matt's famous words? I do. This is when Matt Hasselbeck, quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks made his now infamous remarks at a playoff game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay against the Green Bay Packers in 2004.

After playing to a tie in regulation time, during the coin toss going into overtime, Matt's words were captured and broadcast never to be forgotten. His words were "We want the ball, and we're going to score".

Moments later, Matt was intercepted by Green Bay's Al Harris who ran the pickoff back for a touchdown and just like that, the Seahawks season was over.

This is a big game and it is a game of interest for more than just Matt's infamous words.

Mike Holmgren has a street named after him in Green Bay and he was the last coach to take the Packers to a Superbowl in 1996.

He would like nothing more than to go into Green Bay and take this game for Seattle. This would be sweet redemption for him and for his QB Matt Hasselbeck.

NFL Playoffs Begin - Time to Find out Who is Real

2008-01-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

Redskins at Seahawks

Well we finally made it. The playoffs begin this Saturday and kicking things off are the Washington Redskins visiting the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington.

The Redskins are looking extremely tough right now as they have won 4 straight games and handily took down the Dallas Cowboys to clinch a playoff spot last weekend.

The Seahawks have lost 2 of their last 3 games and are coming off a horrific performance against one of the leagues worst teams, the Atlanta Fellons or is it the Atlanta Falcons?

In fairness to Seattle, they did pull starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck from the game and proceeded to have a very bad ending with backup QB Seneca Wallace committing 2 turnovers and the Seahawks defense giving up 3 touchdowns all in the final two minutes of the game.

The Seahawks are tough to beat at home but the Redskins have a team that is playing great at the right time. They have an excellent coach in Joe Gibbs and they are playing as a team with great chemistry. This should be an entertaining game and if the Seahawks show up mentally, they should take this game handily.

Jaguars at Steelers

Next up on Saturday evening the Jaguars visit the Steelers in a repeat of the previous matchup at Pittsburgh when the Jaguars were able to outlast the Steelers and bring home the win.

The Steelers have not finished the season on a strong note while Jacksonville has been dominating for many weeks now.

I personally like the way the Jaguars are playing and I look for them to grind out another tough win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Giants at Buccaneers

On Sunday, the Giants travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers. The Bucs lost their last two games as they didn't play most of their starters. That will change this week when Jeff Garcia and Earnest Graham come back into the lineup.

The Bucs will be tough to beat at home but the Giants are an extremely physical team and can play well on the road.

The story of this game will come down to how well Eli Manning plays. If Eli can make good decisions and stay out of trouble on the turnover front, the Giants could win this game.

Otherwise, look for Tampa to dominate on defense and then pound the ball with Graham.

Titans at Chargers

Sunday afternoon will see the Titans travel to San Diego to take on the Chargers. The Chargers, who started the year off in a rough way, have returned to form as coach Norv Turner has found the sweet spot of his offense and the defense has gelled at the right time.

Ladanian Tomlinson has been in rare form and his coach is finally giving him the ball enough to make him dangerous.

The Titans squeaked into the playoffs with a win against the Colts this weekend. The Titans were barely able to beat a Colts team that rested most of its starters starting in the 2nd quarter. This does not bode well for them as the Chargers are looking mentally and physically tough.

Look for the Charges to defeat the Titans handily.

Can Seattle SeaHawks Thrive Without A Running Game?

2007-12-22T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Seahawks have been struggling all season with the running game. Their once all star running back, Shaun Alexander, has not been even close to as effective this season as he has been historically.

Many people are calling for the end of Shaun's career. Shaun has battled through injuries the past two years including a broken foot and a broken wrist. More importantly, he seems to have lost a step and maybe the desire to succeed.

In his absence, Maurice Morris has filled in admirably, but the Seahawks continue to struggle week in and week out in the running game.

Shaun is back in the starting line up and Maurice is healthy, but last week showed again how week this team is in it's running game.

Knowing this, coach Mike Holmgren has shifted to a pass 1st run 2nd style of offense and with the exception of last weeks game against the Panthers, it has worked fairly well.

The key to their success now lies with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. When he is on, he is dangerous. This is one of his better years as well. He has looked sharp for most of this season with the exception of a couple of games such as against New Orleans and last week against the Carolina Panthers.

When Matt is throwing accurately and making good decisions, the offense has been able to move the ball in spite of the running problems. If Seattle is going to be able to do anything positive come playoff time, Matt and his receivers will have to carry the load.

A big part of Matt's success lies with his offensive line. They cannot open holes for the run, but they have been getting slowly better at giving Matt adequate pass protection. This is probably the most important part of the Seahawks offense.

So can the Hawks make some waves without pounding the ball with the running game? Maybe.

Seahawks recover from woeful start against Bears

2007-11-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

The Seahawks, playing at home against the Bears, came out looking flat at the start of this game and dug themselves into a hole early in the game. This game reminded me of the way the game started when the then winless Saints visited Seattle earlier this year.

That was the game where the Seahawks started with the ball and went three and out. On third down Matt Hasslebeck was sacked for a loss and then on fourth down, Seattle new long snapper, making his first appearance as a Seahawk, proceeded to hike the ball into the turf just out of reach of the placeholder. The Saints recovered the ball and rumbled into the endzone for an early touchdown.

The Seahawks never did recover from the poor start against the Saints as the Saints went on to score the first 21 points and ride them to their first victory of the year.

This game looked to have all of the same markings. The Seahawks kicked the ball off to start the game this time though. Upon the short kick that only went to the Bears 27 yard line, Devin Hester proceed to return it to the 50 yard line.

Rex Grossman then completed a short pass for 7 yards on first down to the Seattle 43 yard line. On the next play, Cedric Benson, the Chicago running back known best for NOT making long runs or big plays, proceeded to break his longest run of the year for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Just like that, Seattle is down 7 to nothing. Next, Seattle went 3 and out and punted the ball to the Bears. The bears made it into the Seattle red zone and put another 3 points on the board.

Seattle was now down 10 to nothing just about half way through the first quarter. But, this is not the same Seahawks team who featured Shaun Alexander at running back and were a run first team at the time. No, this time, Holmgren came out calling passing plays and letting Matt Hasslebeck work from the shotgun.

Matt had his best performance of the year and the running game once again opened up for the Seahawks backup running back Mo Mo (Maurice Morris). Seattle regained their composure and came back to beat the Bears with a final score of 30 to 27 and now Seattle remains atop the division with a 6 and 5 record.

Percy Harvin Misses Practice With Sinus Infection

2007-11-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

Two days in a row now, starting Wide Receiver Percy Harvin missed practice because of a sinus infection. UF Coach Urban Meyer says that he expects Harvin to be available to play in Saturday's matchup at South Carolina.

Used Golf Balls

2007-11-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

I love to golf but I am not that good. One thing I don't like is paying the high prices for new golf balls.

With the amount of golf balls that I lose in the brush, grass and water hazards I am a person who prefers to buy used golf balls.

I think that the Titleist Pro V ball is a wonderful ball with excellent distance and a great feel when putting. I can buy these used for $1.00 each instead of paying $4.00 or more each new.

This is great because now I am getting 4 times as many balls as I used to get and I can afford to play more golf.

About

2007-11-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

4 Sporting News is a sports information resources site dedicated to providing updated sports information on a daily basis as well as providing fresh and unique articles on the sporting world.

To contact us please send an email to: 4sportingnews (at) gmail (dot) com.

Travis Henry = Fantasy Question Mark?

2007-10-06T09:02:00.001-07:00

Travis Henry has been a fantasy running back stud so far this season. He is the NFL's leading rusher. Although he is not the top points earner, because he hasn't been getting many touchdowns.

But all of this may be coming to an end as Travis Henry has been charged with violating the league's substance abuse program. He is challenging this in court, but his future is all of a sudden cloudy.

In fact, after this week who knows if he will be running in the NFL ever again? For those of you who own Travis on your fantasy team, good job so far, but make sure you are prepared for his possible demise by picking up Selvin Young if he is still available.

Selvin Young is the next in line to pick up where Travis left off on a team that is designed to run the ball and run the ball often.

Ravens Barely Survive Cardinals Comeback

2007-09-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Ravens were soundly beating the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday when a funny thing happened. Curt Warner replaced a struggling Matt Leinart to lead the Cardinals on a fast and furious comeback attempt.

After Matt Leinart showed that he wasn't up to the task as he completed 9 of 20 passes for a measely 53 yards, Warner was brought in to fire up the Arizona offense. And that is exactly what he did. Warner was 15 of 20 passing and he scored two TD's as he and the Arizona Cardinals came back to tie a game that looked like it was a lost cause.

The other star on the Arizona team was Anquan Boldin. Anquan is a super star who is at his best gaining yards after the catch. Anquan had a magnificent game catching 14 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Larry Fitzgerald struggled throughout the game as Boldin put on the afterburners.

But in the end, the Cardinal did what they have done best for the past 20 years, they lost. There were some questionable calls of course, but in a game this close, you need to put up or shut up.

Peyton Manning's Value In Real World and Fantasy is Revealed

2007-09-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Peyton Manning showed his true value as a quarterback in the NFL when he dismantled the defense of the New Orleans Saints during the opening game of the NFL season. Peyton was able to disect the Saints defense with uncanny precision as he handed them a loss they won't soon forget.

Peyton Manning also showed whey he is the most valuable quarterback for fantasy football as well. If you drafted Peyton in the 1st round and have been second guessing yourself, stop! He has proven once again why he is in such high demand.

Peyton started off a little slow throwing one touchdown in the 1st half of the game but he picked up the pace in the 2nd half. He threw a total of 3 touchdown passes in the game, two of them to Reggie Wayne and another to his trusted receiver Marvin Harrison. He also was 18 of 30 for passing and racked up a respectable 288 yards.

Not too shabby at all, especially if you compare his stats to Drew Brees who went 28 of 41 passing for 192 yards. He had no touchdowns and he threw 2 interceptions. Not very impressive for someone who is expected to put up big numbers.

Fantasy Football Draft

2007-09-04T10:43:00.001-07:00

I had my fantasy football draft today. It was extremely satisfying to sit there with my freinds and battle it out for the best football team. Being a Seahawks fan, it makes me a little biased on my choices as I love to have my star players on my team be the people I am cheering for each game.

Here is my team:

Running Backs:

Shaun Alexander
Cedric Benson
Travis Henry
DeAngelo Williams

Quarterbacks:

Matt Hasselbeck
Tony Romo

Wide Receivers:

Donald Driver
Larry Fitzgerald
Bernard Berrian
D.J. Hacket

Tight Ends:

Randy McMichael
Chris Cooley

Defense & Special Teams

Seattle Seahawks
Denver Broncos

Kickers:
Josh Brown
Jason Elam

I am pretty satisfied with my team although I know it could be better. Of course, if the Seahawks shine this year, my team should shine as well. On the other hand, if the Seahawks implode, it may be a long season.

Jerome Bettis Claims He Faked Knee Injury To Avoid Being Cut

2007-08-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Jerome Bettis claims has claimed in a new book that during the 2000 training camp he faked a knee injury so that the Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn't cut him.

This is great stuff. I'ts always interesting to see how things really work even if it is after the fact. Of course, this is just what Bettis says and isn't the definitive truth. I'm sure if you asked the Steelers, they may have a different take on the story.

Walter Jones is back on the field

2007-08-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

Seattle Seahawks most prized Offensive linesman, Walter Jones, is back on the field after missing 5 straight practices with a sore shoulder.

Holmgren says that he was giving Walt a cookie by letting him sit out of practice. Holmgren also wants to be sure that Walter is in top shape for the long season as the offensive line without him would not be nearly as stout.

It looks as though Jones will be heading to San Diego to play the Chargers on Sunday, but don't expect him to play much as he has already proven his worth many times over and has nothing to prove.

Who are the hot teams in the NFL this year?

2007-08-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is always a fun question and soon we will find out.

I have to think that these teams are going to be in the chase for the SuperBowl:

1. Baltimore Ravens - Almost the same defense as last year which is saying alot. Also, a small improvment to the offensive line and a better running back (Willis -VS- Jamal) makes them more dangerous than ever.

2. Indanapolis Colts - Powerful offense similar to last year. They were good enough to take it all last year and might still be.

3. New England Patriots - A strong team gets even stronger. With one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL (Brady) and a powerfull offensive line in addition to a strong running back these guys are for real. Add to that an improved defense that already was very good and this team is ready to go all of the way.

4. San Diego Chargers - Quarterback (River) has a full year of experience in this offense now. LT is ready to tear it up once again. This team is explosive. Watch out!

Rasmus trying to get back on track after battling bad sinus infection

2007-08-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Colby Rasmus was selected in the first round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. Right now, not too much is making sense for him on the field. Rasmus, widely regarded as the top prospect in the Cardinals organization, is discovering a new side of the game. This side of the game is one he does not like.

He is struggling like never before. He is not hitting as well as he or anyone else expects him to. It seems that alot of his problems have been caused by a nasty sinus infection that really made him ill.

This bad sinus infection caused him to lose over 10 pounds and he just couldn't focus. He was quoted as saying "I was dead tired all the time. My head felt the size of a beach ball," Rasmus said. "It all kind of went downhill from that point."

He is hoping that now that his sinus infection symptoms have subsided that he will return to his old form.

Two Bizzare NBA Robberies Using Duct Tape Ocurr in Chicago

2007-07-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

In a very bizzare twist of events, two NBA stars have been tied up with duct tape and robbed at gunpoint inside of their own properties. Both of these robberies took place in the Chicago area.

The NBA stars were New York Knicks forward Eddy Curry and Miami Heat forward Antoine Walker.

Check out the rest of the story here.

Matt Hasselbeck Returns to Form

2007-07-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Matt Hasselbeck is returning this year from a season he is ready to forget. He played through injuries not only to himself, but to his main running back Shaun Alexander. Hasselbeck missed several games last seasons with a broken finger as well as suffering a shoulder injury and a sprained knee.

He took a bad (questionable) hit after the end of a play where his knee got wrecked. According to the Seattle Times, Matt has been working out more diligently this pre-season then he ever has in his carreer. He is also getting old now and must take advantage of what time he has left.

Look for Matt to do everything in his power to return his team to glory and go for the SuperBowl ring.

Fantasy Football Time

2007-07-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! It's finally here! No, not Yahoo the search engine, portal etc... but Yahoo! like WooHoo!! Yipee!!!! Yes!! Finally!!!!!

It is finally time to start beefing up on the latest and greatest sporting news and information about the NFL.

Which running backs will be the best this year? Will Shaun Alexander bounce back after his horrible year playing with the Madden curse?

Shaun's Stats

Rushing

Year Yds TD's
2001 1318 14
2002 1175 16
2003 1435 14
2004 1696 16
2005 1880 27
2006 896 7

To put this in perspective, Shaun Alexander went from 1880 yards rushing with 27 TD's in 2005 to an abysmal 896 yards rushing with 7 TD's in 2006. I can't imagine he will do any worse.
How about LT (LaDainian Tomlinson)? Will he continue to burn up the field like he did last year? Is Larry Johnson going to return to form from injuries?

How will Willis Magahee do now that he is on the Ravens? What about Cedric Benson on the Bears now that he doesn't have to contend with Thomas Jones?

I love this time of year. I'm getting ready to join a fantasy football leauge soon.