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Dan Watson, CNBNews Columnist Succumbs; Vietnam War Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient

(CNBNEWS.NET) Daniel Christopher Watson, age 61, a proud citizen of Gloucester City, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning, June 26, 2011. He fought a courageous battle with cancer for the last two years of his life.

Photo: Dan and Dawn Watson

Dan is survived by his wife of 21 years, Dawn Watson; his loving step-children, Dana Lionetti, who resides in Gloucester City, and Dino Lionetti, who resides in Philadelphia, his three sisters, his brother, his many friends, and his beloved best friend, Steve Healey.

His writing for CNBNEWS.NET (The Fantasy Football Fanatic) was a source of real enjoyment in his busy life. He looked forward to sharing his tips and stats with readers near and far.

Dan's trips with his buddies are legendary.

He was employed at SunGard Recovery in Philadelphia. He loved his job and his co-workers, who had a benefit for him last October.

Dan served in the Air Force and did two tours of duty in Vietnam. He received the Purple Heart for his efforts, there. He was an active member of the Democrat Club of Gloucester City.

Dan and his wife moved to Gloucester City from Voorhees, less than two years ago, “to make a difference” in the community. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer two months after their arrival.

Dan loved the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Daniels, the color black, all types of music, and the Phillies. He treated his step-children like friends and his pets like children. He sent his wife to college and supported her through her transition from cleaning lady to office worker to small business owner and never once dropped the ball. His cool exterior kept his family grounded and secure as detailed in a painting his wife made for him, called The KiteMaster, which shows Dan sitting on the ground holding the strings of a kite while his wife and stepchildren float about overhead.

A memorial service will be held at St Mary’s church in Gloucester City on Friday, July 1, 2011 at 11 AM. There will be no viewing. In lieu of flowers, please send a live plant to the home at 700 Market Street, Gloucester City, as a living memorial to be placed in the courtyard that Dan designed for his family to enjoy.

Funeral services were private under the direction of the Etherington Funeral Home, 700 Powell Street, Gloucester City NJ.

Just Sayin': Resolutions

   I’ve made some New Year’s resolutions and thought I’d share them with you. One of my first resolutions was not to make any resolutions but I thought it over and vetoed it, so here goes the list of six:

6.  Lose weight. I got a bicycle for Christmas so I intend to become “That Lady”, as in, “Oh, yeah, that lady who rides her bike around town even though she’s as old as dirt.” Now, instead of walking to Carr’s or Troxie’s I can ride my bike. Of course, I’d better stop at Carr’s before the first ride so I can buy a bicycle lock and hope no one steals the basket because the bike, itself is all chained. Then, I’d better remember where I put the key or it’ll become a Shrine to Schwinn, languishing there for the entire world (or at least the city) to see. Then, I’ll be known as “That Stupid Lady”.

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again, all of you fanatics and welcome to week 17, the last week of the regular season. Most of you folks have already had your Super Bowl and this column is for those of you who waited for the Bowl until this week. We stopped doing the week 17 Bowl about 4 years ago. Most of the premier players were not going to play in what could be termed a meaningless game. I won both of my bowls this year and nobody is more surprised than me.

Let’s get started here!

QUARTERBACK

Ben Roethlisberger is at Cleveland this week he appears to be dealing well with his injured foot, and the Steelers have an important game in the season-finale against the Browns to lock up the AFC North and a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed. Look for Roethlisberger to go all out, and his last game against the Browns in Week 5 resulted in 257 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He's capable of reaching those totals again this week.

Matt Ryan is hosting Carolina on Sunday. He should get back to form this week

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

 

Happy Holidays to all of you Fantasy Football Fanatics out there. Here’s hoping this is a safe and happy holiday season filled with good meals, lots of presents for the kids and good cheer to all.

It’s week 16 already. I’m in the super bowl in both of my leagues but my work is certainly cut out for me. I’m facing Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Darren McFadden and the New England Special Teams / Defense in both leagues. All I can do is hope that something falls apart for a couple of those guys so I can pull off a couple of wins. Only one thing better than a trophy for the year and that’s having two of them.

Let’s get started.

QUARTERBACK

Joe Flacco is in Cleveland this weekend. He had a nice game against New Orleans last week and he should continue in this spot. In week 3, Flacco had 262 yds and 3 TDs vs. the Browns. Even though the Browns have had a nice 4 week run, that’s been against lesser opponents. Flacco should bring them down to earth.

Pet Tip of the Week

 
How to Recognize Parasites

   There are four main types of worms, each of which live in the dog’s intestine and feed on undigested food there. Roundworms are the most common in puppies; almost every puppy is born with them present. They look a little like a rubber band and can be several inches long. They are spread through the environment and other dogs’ feces, which is another reason why people that fail to pick up their dog’s waste should be fined. 

   Several types of tapeworm can afflict dogs. The most common lives in the dog’s small intestine where it attaches its head to the lining. As it grows, new sections are added so that by the time it is visible to the human eye it resembles a string of white grains of rice joined together. 

   Hookworms are less common than roundworms and feed on the dog’s blood. They can cause anemia.

   Whipworms are thread-like parasites that live in the colon and small intestine. They are transmitted via eggs that have infested a dog’s feces and can only be passed on to dogs that ingest them directly. These too are bloodsuckers and, if present in large numbers in a dog, can cause bloody diarrhea and lead to significant weight loss. Whipworms do not produce many eggs and are trickier to diagnose. 

   This information was gleaned from the Internet and transposed from U. K. English into American English. The author is Garry Jenkins. 

    If you need information on this topic or on any other dog-related issue please feel free to call me at 856.349.2508. There is never a fee for phone or email consultations.  

   Next week’s topic will be a repeat of a previous, popular column. As always Cleary’s notebook encourages dialogue so your comments are welcome! 

Wado, udohiyu, (thank you very much, in the Cherokee language)

Dawn Watson

Brother of the Wolf, LLC

700 Market St, Gloucester City NJ 08030

Pictured: "Jack Walker" was recently adopted by his foster mother. She is a volunteer with Crested Guardians, a rescue group for Chinese Crested and Crested-mix dogs. Jack has several physical problems as well as a tumor. God bless the kindhearted lady that chose to give Jack his Christmas wish--a Forever Home!

 

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

    Hello again fellow fanatics. Welcome to Week 15. In most leagues, we’re deep into the playoffs and things are getting a bit hairy in the games. It’s not like it had been in the past though. I remember picking up Jim Sorgi (who?) in 07 when I won my championship. Peyton Manning entered the week 17 game, threw a 6 yard completion to Marvin Harrison and they both sat down. They were replaced off of the bench by Reggie Wayne and Manning’s backup, Jim Sorgi. It may as well have been the Super Bowl for Sorgi, 296 yds and 3 TDs which was very welcome in week 17. 

   Anyway, the playoffs continue so let’s see if there are any surprises as we near everyone’s Superbowl. Mine is next week and I’m still alive in both leagues. 

QUARTERBACKS

Just Sayin': Holiday at the Office

    My husband went back to work a couple of weeks ago, after a long illness. He immediately got back into the swing of things and returned to his throne as the social hero of the office. He’s a friendly guy, always has been, and so attracts people like a magnet. I, on the other hand, sometimes repel them as though I had cooties. I’m not what you’d call a social butterfly. More like a moth: it won’t hurt you but it’s not pretty to look at so you just ignore it. Eventually, it will fly away.

   Yesterday, he said, “Don’t forget—my office party is Friday and I promised to bring brownies. And my Secret Santa wants a gift card for Starbucks.”

   “Well, maybe you can buy brownies at Starbucks when you pick up the gift card,” I replied casually. He frowned. There was electricity in the air you could cut with a spatula. Finally, he made a noise that our dog makes when you scratch him at just the right spot. I sighed. He smiled. Game over.

   I remember a couple of years back when we attended an office function and a woman came up to me and exclaimed, “You’re so lucky! My husband wouldn’t touch a mixing bowl.” Attempting to be more social than my reputation suggests, I responded, “How awful for you!” She hesitated a moment and went away. “What was that all about?” I asked hubby. He blushed, cleared his throat, and said, “I might have implied that I made the cookies and cakes I’ve brought in to work for the last few years.” 

   I spent the rest of the evening fake-smiling until my jaws ached. The ride home was really really quiet.

   Since that time I’m a little bit more forgiving when it comes to folks bragging about their achievements and accomplishments; life is too short to judge so it’s better to just sit back and enjoy the story. Do something kind or thoughtful. Make a difference. It’s more fun to have folks notice what you’ve done than for them to hear you talk about it.

   Wishing all of you a happy holiday, a merry Christmas, and a joyful New Year. Thanks for reading.

Just sayin,

Dawn Watson

 

  

 

 

 

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again fellow fanatics. Welcome to Week 14. In most leagues, this is the first week of the playoffs. If you’re fortunate enough, the playoffs carry a lot of excitement, heart ache, and lots of ups and downs. Here’s hoping there are not many downs and more than enough ups. 

Let’s get started on this week’s recommendations. 

QUARTERBACK

Joe Flacco is visiting Houston this week. The Texans have allowed 9 QBs to pass for multiple TDs this year.  In his past three road games, Flacco has averaged 267 passing yds with 6TDs and 1 interception. This game will be played indoors and the Ravens are catching a favorable matchup against an opponent who is horrible vs. the pass.

Kyle Orton will be in Arizona this weekend and he should rebound from a disastrous game vs. Kansas City last week. A warning here as Denver has a new coach and there could be an intent to lower the amount of passes per game and raise up the running game plays.  That said, this is the Cardinals and they are 25^th vs. the pass. Orton likes the road this year as he has three 300 yd passing yard games this year.

Jay Cutler is home vs. New England this week.  Make sure you have the weather

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again fanatics and welcome. This has turned into a very quick season. It’s hard to believe we’re sitting at week 13 already. I’m having a great season and am now sitting at 11-1, I’ve clinched my division and a BYE week in the playoffs. I can only hope that my luck continues. We all know that there is more of luck than anything else in this obsession. I’m hoping for the best.Let’s get started on this week’s recommendations.

QUARTERBACK

Kyle Orton visits Kansas City this weekend and this should be a shootout. In the first game against the Chiefs, Orton threw for 296 yds and 4 TDs. Also, he has a great history vs. the Chiefs with 907 yds and 7 TDs in just 3 games. Orton is coming off a solid performance vs. the Rams last week. He should do well here.

Jay Cutler is at Detroit this week and the last time he faced the Lions, I recommended him. I was right about him them as he had 372 yds and 2 TDs. He also carried the rock for 22 yds. He has 8 TDs in 3 meetings vs. the Lions. Last week he tore Philadelphia apart with 242 yds and a career high 4 TDs. The Lions are struggling vs. the pass and Cutler should shine here.

Matt Ryan visits Tampa Bay this week. Ryan is a much different QB on the road

The Fantasy Football Fanatic by Dan "Snake" Watson

 
   Hello again, fanatics and welcome to the first of the short weeks. We’ve arrived at 

Thanksgiving week and there are three games slated for today. The early game has New England traveling to Detroit. Dallas is also the traditional host on this day and they will be hosting New Orleans. The night game has Cincinnati traveling to the New York Jets. Week 12 should start off with quite a bang. Don’t forget to get your lineups in on time for these games. I’ve still got my good year going and I’m sitting at 10-1. I had hoped to get this column out yesterday but as sometimes happens life got in the way.

Let’s look at the games for today and the remainder of the week.

Pet Tip of the Week

All About (Dog) Food

     There are so many different types of dog food on the market that sometimes it’s confusing: which one is the best for Fido?

   It’s important to remember that, when you adopt an older dog, you must mix whatever it was he was eating with the dry dog food of your choice so as not to upset his digestive system. Mix ¼ cup of your food with ¾ cup of the food he was eating, previously. Gradually increase the food of your choice until he is weaned off the food he ate previously, otherwise he may develop diarrhea or vomiting. Nothing is more unpleasant than welcoming a furry family member by following the trail of his digestive problems!

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again, fanatics and welcome to Week 11 of this column. I got back on track this past week and am now sitting at 9-1 going into this week. I was losing going into Monday night but I still had NcCoy, Akers and the Philly D I won by 12 points.

Let’s look at this week’s games:

QUARTERBACKS

Carson Palmer hosts Buffalo this weekend. This is a quality matchup against the Bills who have allowed opposing QBs 18 TDs this year. Palmer should have a great day here along with former Bill, Terrell Owens.

Shaun Hill is in Dallas this week and the Cowboys pass defense has allowed 14 QB TDs in the past 4 games. Six QBs have thrown for multiple TDs against Dallas and Hill should do fine in this matchup. With Kitna back on track as well, this should be a high scoring affair.

Speaking of Kitna he is hosting Detroit this week and is coming off his best game in two years. The entire team responded to Jason Garrett being promoted to head coach and the Bows can only hope this continues. The Lions have allowed 9 TDs on the road this season.

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

 

Hello again, Fantasy Football Fans and welcome to Week 10. Well it finally happened; I lost last week and my record is now 8-1. I hope to get back on track so that my league doesn't begin razzing me!  (Having Roddy White was a step in the right direction).

Let’s look at this week’s games:

QUARTERBACKS

Ben Roethlisberger plays host to New England this week and although he’s struggled in his last two games against New Orleans and Cincinnati, he should recover here and have a good game. The Patriots have allowed 5 QBs to pass for multiple TDs this year and 3 of those QBs reached 300 yds. The Pats are 29th vs. the pass and Big Ben has 7 TDs and 1 interception in his past 4 meetings with New England.

Kyle Orton hosts Kansas City this weekend and Denver is coming off the BYE and is well rested. Orton has attempted at least 35 passes in 5 of the games this year as the run is often abandoned early for the Broncos. In the 2 games last year vs the Chiefs, Orton threw for 611 yds and 3 TDs.

David Garrard hosts Houston this weekend. In his past 3 games Garrard

Just Sayin': Holidays

 

   Christmas is coming.

   I know it’s coming because the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and television commercials have stopped calling political candidates names and are now telling us what toys to buy. Sometimes, the voice-over is the same guy. If he got his scripts mixed up Rob Andrews would be available at Toys R Us and they’d throw in a free Lautenberg to the first hundred buyers.

   I figure we have one paycheck coming before the big event but a lot of that will be spent on Thanksgiving. Unless I decide that it’s going to be pot luck this year. Not a bad idea but several of our guests will likely bring Jack Daniels. That’s okay, too; a couple good shots and no one will notice that we’re serving tuna noodle casserole.

   Back to Christmas. I still don’t know what to buy for my mother, unless it would be a carrying case for all the foil she’s saved over the years. As a child of the Depression she ‘keeps’ everything. The other day when I visited I was knocked unconscious when I opened the wrong door and twenty five year’s worth of T.V. dinner trays fell on my head.

   Shopping for just the right gift is not my idea of fun unless the gift is for me. I’m too old to shop on Black Friday because stampedes are beginning to alarm me. It’s like being in a mosh pit. Without the music.

   I know for sure my daughter is all grown up; I asked her what she wanted for the holiday and she said, “New kitchen counters.” Hard to wrap.

   My husband wants socks. No, really. I get him a dozen pairs every year and by August they’ve disappeared. Sounds like a failure to negotiate. Let’s blame the firemen.

   So, anyway, my husband decided on a real tree. It better be a cheap one because we’ll have to budget the money to have someone take it down in January and clean up the pine needles. It’s a lonely job and I’m not doing it this year.

   I crochet so I could easily make scarves for the family but you can get them at Family Dollar for, well, a dollar.

   I guess I’ll just give everyone in the family money. They won’t have to return it because it’s the wrong size or color. It’ll be light weight enough that it won’t knock me unconscious, and the old man can buy (and hide) his own socks. And I can window shop to my heart’s content without being burdened by boxes and bags that weigh me down and wear me out.

   Before anyone has the chance to spout off on the true meaning of this season let me say this: I’m thankful for my family and the friends that put up with me, all year long. I try to be nice to folks, give to local charities, and to keep my curbs free of grass and litter. But it sure will be nice to sleep in on Black Friday and to not worry about saving receipts for gifts gone awry.

   And personally, I love tuna noodle casserole any time of year.  

  

 

Just sayin’,

Dawn Watson

 

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

   Hello again, fellow fanatics and welcome to week 9. Amazing that we’re half way through the season already. Even more amazing that I’m 8-0 in one league and 6-2 in the other. I sincerely hope everyone of my readers is doing as well if not better. Let’s get things started!

 QUARTERBACK

   Matt Ryan is hosting Tampa Bay this week. Ryan is having a quietly great season. More importantly, in three games at home this year he’s averaging 266 yds with 7tds and 3 interceptions. The Falcons have the Bucs as a favorable matchup in Atlanta. The Bucs have given up multiple tds in their past 5 games.

   Jay Cutler is at Buffalo this weekend and as always, there’s a lot of risk in starting Cutler. That said and in spite of the 19 sacks in his last 3 games, he should do well in this spot. Coming off the last 3 BYE weeks, Cutler has thrown for 855 yds, 7 tds and 7 interceptions. The Bills have allowed 5 QBs to throw multiple TDs this year. Cutler is no longer an every week starter but this could be a good week to start him.

   Joe Flacco is hosting Miami this weekend and in his past five games prior to the BYE week, Flacco had 10 TDs and 1 interception. The Dolphins have allowed multiple TDs in their past 3 games with two 300 yd performances during that span. Joe should be good to go here.

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

x category Fantasy Football Fanatic

Welcome to week 8 all of you Fantasy Football Fanatics. This past weekend Dallas went from bad to worse with the loss of Tony Romo at the QB position. Jon Kina actually did pretty well considering he hasn’t taken a first team rep in practice in two years. This is a week when a bunch of good to fair QB’s are on BYE and you could do a whole lot worse than someone throwing to the likes of Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dev Bryant and Jason Witten. The Cowboys are home vs. Jacksonville so Kitna could be a very good BYE week replacement.

I have 7 wins in one league and 5 wins in another so I’m doing good. I hope you all are too and that this column is helping you out.  

Let’s get to the recommendations besides Kitna.

QUARTERBACK

Matt Cassel hosts Buffalo this week and the only issue that I have here is that Buffalo is lousy vs. the run. That said, Buffalo has allowed 2 passing TDs in each of their past 5 games. This is a very favorable matchup for Cassel and he should do quite well here.

Carson Palmer is hosting Miami and he should be in your lineup after throwing for 412 yds last weekend. He threw for 3 TDs and he now has a viable 3rd target with Jordan Shipley. The Dolphins have allowed two 300 yd passers in the last two games, Roethlisberger and Rodgers have each fared quite well vs. the fish.

Kyle Orton had a lousy game last week when Denver got blown out by the Raiders. This week, the Broncos travel to London to take on the 49ers who have allowed 4 QBs to pass for multiple TDs this year. San Francisco will have their hands full staying with the Denver receivers this week and Denver should get back on track heading into the BYE week.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is at Kansas City this week. I normally would not recommend Fitz in

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

x category Fantasy Football Fanatic

Hello again, Fantasy Football fans. Here we are at Week 7 of this column in Cleary’s Notebook.  I hope that all the readers of this column are sitting at 6-0. I am 6-0 in one of my leagues and 4-2 in the other. This is a terrific start to the season and I hope it continues.

This week I have some pretty good suggestions about who should and should not be in your starting lineups. As I mentioned earlier in the year, if you have a stud player and he’s not on the BYE week, he should be in your lineup regardless of the match up. That said, always look over the lineup and try to learn as much as you can about the opposition as that is always helpful in setting your lineup.

 Let’s get into this week’s lineups.

 QUARTERBACK

   Ben Roethlibberger had a nice debut last week against Cleveland getting 257 yds, 3 TDs and only 1 pick. He may build on that performance when he visits Miami this week. He closed out last year against the Dolphins with 220 yds, and 3 TDs so we’re looking for that same kind of production here.

   Kyle Orton will host Oakland this week and although he struggled against the Jets last week having his worst game of the season. This week, Orton faces the Raiders who have allowed 2 TDs per game in each game this season. There is some downside here as only one QB (Philip Rivers) has passed for more than 200 yds this season. Last year in the two games against Oakland, Orton passed for 435 yds 2 TDs and no picks.

   Matt Ryan will host Cincinnati this week. The Bengals are down a few key players and Ryan should take advantage of that especially since he now has Michael Jenkins back in the wideout complement. He has averaged 249 yds in his last 3 home games with 8 TDs and 3 picks. Actually, Carson Palmer of Cincy should do well in this shootout because Atlanta is also missing a cornerback and linebacker. Could be a high scoring affair.

   Matt Cassel will host Jacksonville this Sunday and the Jaguars are tied with Houston for most passing TDs allowed at 14. The Jags are coming off of the short week where they got handled by Tennessee. They could be flat coming into this contest and Kansas City should take advantage of this.

   Joe Flacco is home vs. Buffalo this week and Flacco has shown he can take advantage of mismatches as he did last week vs. Cleveland.     The Bills have allowed 11 TDs in the past 4 games to opposing QBs and they’ll have trouble keeping up with all of the Ravens weapons.

Brett Favre travels to Green Bay this week and he’s always up for this matchup He passed for 515 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions vs. the Packers since he left Green Bay. Favre appears to be OK with his elbow tendinitis, and you can expect him to get Randy Moss and Percy Harvin involved in this matchup.

   I do not recommend Donovan McNabb at Chicago, Chad Henne vs. Pittsburgh, Alex Smith at Carolina, Sam Bradford at Tampa Bay, Kevin Kolb at Tennessee or Jay Cutler vs. Washington.

RUNNING BACKS

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

 x category Fantasy Football Fanatic

 

Hello again, Fantasy Football fans. We’ve arrived at Week 6 of this column in Cleary’s Notebook.  I hope that all the readers of this column are sitting at 5-0 I am 5-0 in one of my leagues and 4-1 in the other. This is my best start in the 25 years I’ve been involved in fantasy football.

QUARTERBACK

   If Ben Roethlisberger had not been suspended, he would have been a top 10 QB this season. He has a great starting game for week 6 as Pittsburgh. This week, Big Ben will host Cleveland and he should come back with a vengeance. Last year he threw for 417 yds and 2 TDs. He should stick with those numbers.

   Eli Manning will host the Detroit Lions this weekend. Detroit has given up 4 TDs and had 6 interceptions in the past 3 games. Not bad numbers given the likes of Favre, Rodgers and Bradford. That said, Manning had 297 yds vs Houston last week with 3TDs and he should build off of that momentum.

   Kyle Orton is home vs the Jets this weekend. So far, Orton has not thrown for less that 295 yds and has 3 games with multiple TDs. New York will be without Darrelle Revis this weekend and Orton should be able to take advantage of this with both Eddie Royals and Brandon Lloyd.   

   Tom Brady faces Baltimore at home on Sunday and even though he no longer has

Brother of the Wolf Offers Canine Good Citizen Evaluations

   On October 18, Brother of the Wolf, located on Market Street, will be offering canine residents of Gloucester City FREE Canine Good Citizen evaluations!

   The AKC (American Kennel Club) awards qualified individuals the title of Evaluator to promote responsible dog ownership and obedient and trustworthy dogs. Dawn Watson, owner of Brother of the Wolf, has been an evaluator for 6 years.

   The test requires that dogs must come when called, sit and stay on command, be friendly toward other dogs and strangers, and be able to walk on a loose leash.

   This evaluation usually costs $35.00. However, in keeping with the training facility's outreach program and sensitivity for today's economy, the evaluation will be done at no cost on October 18.

   Registration is required. No drop-ins, please. Dogs must be on a buckle collar and cloth or leather leash. No choke collars, pinch collars, head collars or harnesses are permitted during testing. (Choke and pinch collars are never permitted at Brother of the Wolf).

   If a dog passes the CGC test, the owner is required to send a check or money order in to the American Kennel Club in order to receive the certificate.

   Call 856-349-2508 to register. You will be assigned a time slot that is convenient for you.

Pictured: "Toscana", owned by Tammy James

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: A Lot Has Happened This Week!

  By Dan Snake Watson 

Hello again, Fantasy Football fans! We’ve arrived at Week 5 of this column in Cleary’s Notebook.  Here’s hoping that everyone is at 4-0 heading into this week. I am 4-0 in one of my leagues and 3-1 in the other. This is my best start in the 25 years I’ve been involved in fantast football.

   A lot happened this week. Guys like Cutler, Vick, Portis, etc were hurt badly enough that the decision has already been made to not play them this week. For the status of other folks that are important to fantasy football lineups I recommend watching Fantasy Football now on ESPN2 beginning at 11:30am Eastern Time on Sunday morning. It’s a very complete program aimed at fantasy football and the status of players and last minute changes are given during the program.

   Another big event this week was Randy Moss being traded to Minnesota. I like Moss and I always have but he’ll be more of a decoy over the next couple of weeks until he’s learned the playbook of the Vikings. I think the player that moves up during that time will be the now healthy Percy Harvin who will go back to his more comfortable role of the slot receiver.   

Here are my recommendations for week 5:

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Week 4 More Recommendations

category Fantasy Football Fanatic

 

by Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again, Fantasy Football fans! We’re already at Week 4 of this column in Cleary’s Notebook. Here’s hoping that everyone is at 3-0 heading into this week. I am 3-0 in one of my leagues and 2-1 in the other. Here are my recommendations this week.

Quarterbacks:

    Michael Vick is making a name for himself. This time around, in a good way. He has the best passer rating in the league, 750 passing yds, 6 TDs and no turnovers. He also leads the league in rushing yardage at his quarterback position. This week, Vick is motivated by his opponent, Washington Redskins new home of Donovan McNabb. This is a great match up against a bad pass defense and Vick should do quite well in this situation.

   Donovan McNabb is equally motivated as he revisits the town that he called home for 11 seasons. He will be facing a strong secondary that he knows quite well. Look for McNabb to exploit match ups this week and turn this game into a shootout. Carson Palmer has a chance to regain footing this week against a Cleveland team that he has exploited in past season. In his last 5 games vs. the Browns, he has averaged 270 yds passing, 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. If he does the same as Baltimore did vs. the Browns last week, it should prove to be a big day for Ochocinco and Owens.   

   Matt Ryan should take an Francisco apart this weekend. They stink against the pass

Pet Tip of the Week: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

   By Dawn Watson

This week's tip is a re-do of topic posted, previously. My favorite critic, Tom, asked for it, so here you are!

   Okay so you just rescued Spot from the local animal shelter. They say he’s about a year old but when you get him to your veterinarian he tells you, Noooooo, he’s about six years old! You can do one of the following things when you’re offered this news:

1. Get him a cushion and retire him to the corner of the living room and give up on teaching him anything OR
2. Get him a trainer who is willing to work with an older dog and make him the best dog he can be!

    Many times an older dog is capable of an unlimited amount of new behaviors, from

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: WEEK 3

BY  Dan Snake Watson

 

 

Greetings once again, Fantasy Football fans and welcome to Week 3 of this column in Cleary’s Notebook.  Here’s hoping that everyone is at 2-0 heading into this week. I am 2-0 in one of my leagues and 1-1 in the other. 

 

   I wanted to mention my starting lineups for anyone who is following this column.

  

In the league where I am 2-0, I start Peyton Manning, Cedric Benson, LeSean McCoy, Roddy White, Brandon Marshall, Antonio Gates, David Akers and Philly defense.

 

   In the league where I am 1-1 I start Donovan McNabb, Clinton Portis, Michael Turner, Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin, Antonio Gates, Matt Prater and Philly Defense.

 

   I expect to do better in this league. I do have Jay Cutler and the rest of the bench is fair but this is my best starting team from week to week.  That said, I am not afraid to bench a stud in favor of a lesser player who has a better matchup. I think it’s always important to conduct the research prior to making a decision on the starting lineup.

  

   Moving on, here are my recommendations this week:

 

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Week 2

By Dan Watson 

Greetings once again, Fantasy Football Fans and welcome to Week 2 of the 2010 season. Hope everyone did well last week and we are all at least 1-0. This week looks like a challenge in some ways but I have some recommendations in all categories. Let’s get started.

QUARTERBACKS: Brett Favre taking on Miami at home this week and he should fare better in the friendlier confines. The Dolphins defense is not nearly as good as New Orleans and they won’t have the same pass rush giving Favre extra time. He also has not played since September 9 which allows him (and the team) to be well rested. 

Eli Manning is recommended as he takes on brother Payton in Indianapolis. I expect Indy to win this one and for Payton to come out throwing which will mean that the Giants will be in catch up mode the entire game. 

Donovan McNabb has his home opener vs. Houston this week. Although he only threw for

First Pet Grief Workshop in Gloucester City a Success

    Brother of the Wolf, LLC, of Gloucester City, held its first Pet Grief Workshop last evening. Christine Re and Larry Fine, who will graduate next month from Brother of the Wolf's Apprenticeship Program, were facilitators.

   "We grieve over the loss of a beloved pet as though he or she was a member of the family," said Dawn Watson, who hosted the event. "It's important to be able to share memories and get closure with like-minded individuals. That's why I will continue to hold these workshops."

   Most of the seminars and workshops are free for Gloucester City residents and residents of the surrounding areas.

   "We were impressed that so many people wanted to share their stories," Ms. Re commented. "I will consider a program like this when I open my practice in Westfield."  "It's a sensitive topic, but one which affects so many people," added Larry Fine, of Bala Cynwd. "Since I'm taking a holistic approach to professional dog training I plan to incorporate a program that deals with the emotion of losing a loved one, as well."

   Both Mr. Fine and Ms. Re will be in attendance for the Honors Ceremony on October 23rd, along with students from the Animal Behavior College, Hector Rodriquez and Paul Cropper.

 

Just Sayin': Grocery Shopping

Just Sayin’ is a parody and/or reflection of current social trends.  

  

   I think there should be Quality-of-Life Officers in grocery stores.

 

   If there were uniformed guards in charge shoppers wouldn’t leave the ShopRite with high blood pressure and heart palpitations that have nothing to do with the price of hamburger. Let me give you a few examples of what I consider cardinal offenses and causes for incarceration, or at least a ticket.

 

   Last week I carefully clipped coupons, loaded my thermal bags into my car, and headed for Brooklawn. (I’d love to ‘shop locally’ but the butcher at the store on Monmouth was mean to me last year and I haven’t forgiven him, yet).

 

   After struggling with a cart (while half a dozen cart-clerks watched) I went inside. I couldn’t get to the produce department because there were three vendors blocking the way. Each vendor was selling something I didn’t want so I danced around them and finally reached my destination. A little boy, left unattended, was happily antagonizing the avocados, mutilating the melons, and lobbing the lettuce into the lemons. I decided I didn’t need roughage. Further on, a guy was lifting the lids of every pre-cooked chicken and peering inside the plastic covers. I decided not to buy chicken.

 

   A broken jar and a mudslide of mayonnaise greeted me next. I decided to pass on the condiments and headed for the meat section. There, women were poking the pork butts, handling the hamburger, and bruising the brisket. On second thought, I can buy T.V. dinners this week.

 

   I skipped to the dairy aisle where several carts were blocking any accessible means of entry so I circled back to frozen foods, only to find that most of the doors were standing wide open, rapidly thawing the contents, therein. Oh well, my ferret can eat canned peas for a change and frozen dinners are over-rated, anyway.

 

   If there were Quality of Life Officers (QOLO) on duty I would have a shopping cart filled to the brim with needs and wants, four or five guys would have jobs and spiffy uniforms, and I wouldn’t be searching in the back of my cupboard for Ramen Noodles all week.

 

   Maybe we should put the word out on the street; maybe ShopRite wants to borrow some of our guys. You know, the ones that walk around the city, counting blades of grass in cracks of the sidewalk and making sure you don’t have too many cats. They can moonlight at the grocery store and arrest or ticket offenders, thus improving the quality of life for those of us that care more about contaminated food products, unsupervised kids, and botulism than we do about grassy sidewalks and multiple kitty-cats.

 

   I think I might even apply for the job before the rush is on.

 

 

Just sayin’,

Dawn Watson

 

Pet Tip of the Week: Dawn Watson

Why the ‘Sit’ Command is Important

   As a professional trainer, one of the first commands I teach a new puppy or a newly adopted dog is the ‘sit’ command. Allow me to tell you why I feel that particular command is important.

 

   When a dog sits on command it is as if he is saying, ‘please’. Now, I know dogs don’t speak in the human sense, nor do they understand the concept of ‘please’. However, they soon learn that nothing is free, everything is earned, and you are the giver of all things good! Besides, when Fido is sitting he is not jumping or running away, so you have his complete attention for that moment in time.

 

   Most dogs thrive on structure, boundaries, and attention. When you say, “Sit”, and your dog immediately sits you can praise him and move on to the next activity, whether it’s putting on his leash or giving him his meal. You are guiding him, he is accepting your authority, and both of you know which one is the leader of the pack!

 

  If you would like more information on this topic or any other please give me a call at 856-349-2508 or reply to this column. I’ll be glad to help you!

 

  Next week’s topic will be entitled, “Statistics”. As always Cleary’s notebook encourages dialogue so your comments are welcome!

 

Wado, udohiyu, (thank you very much, in the Cherokee language)

Dawn Watson

Brother of the Wolf, LLC

700 Market St, Gloucester City NJ 08030

 Pictured: The author at Woofstock, August 2010

  

 

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Dan "Snake" Watson

 

   Greetings, Fantasy Football fans and welcome back to this column in Cleary’s Notebook.  This is the sport that always manages to get our hearts pumping.

  I’m going to make some recommendations each week that are not so obvious.  That means if you have Peyton, Maurice or Randy on your fantasy team, you start them each week unless they are on a BYE week or injured. This column is about who to start when the choices are not so obvious.  Let’s get into it.

Quarterbacks

    Jay Cutler should have a good week vs. Detroit this week. Forget about last year,  he should put up solid numbers here especially with Mike Martz as his new offensive coordinator. I won’t recommend him every week but against Detroit you gotta give him the nod. He threw 6 TDs in the two games vs. Detroit last year. I also like Carson Palmer this week. The Patriots have some inexperienced corners that will be taking on Ochocinco and Owens. This should be a high scoring affair.

THE FANTASY FOOTBALL FANATIC by Snake Watson

Our Predraft Choices: Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

 

Greetings, all of you fantasy football fans! Welcome back to my little slice of the world  here on Cleary’s Notebook. I sincerely hope that everyone had a better “off season” than I did.

I was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in November, 2009. My fight began in late January, 2010. It was a struggle but I am on the mend now, & pleased to say that I haven’t smoked in 213 days.

I’d like to give thanks to two people who’ve been instrumental in helping me through this difficult illness. Steve Healey, who just started writing Where Is Steve’s Shoe?, for Cleary’s, is my partner in crime, wing man, and all around Other Brother. I also want to thank my wife, Dawn Watson, who owns Brother of the Wolf LLC and writes ‘Pet Tips of the Week’ and ‘Just Sayin’’ for Cleary’s Notebook. Dawn is a rock and has been there for me through this whole ordeal. I’ve really put that “better or worse” thing to the test.

I thank them both. I know I would not have accomplished as much as I have without their love and support.

 

Thanks to all of you for allowing me to share that. Now let’s talk some football!

 

We’re all aware of the first pick issue between Chris Johnson (RB – TEN) and Adrian Peterson (RB – MIN). My thought on this is to take Peterson. He’s more proven than Johnson and he will again play at least half of his games in a dome. Add to that, Tennessee has a rougher schedule this year and that makes for Peterson being a safer pick at one. The top 5 is completed by Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Frank Gore.

 

At Quarterback this year I like Manning in the top spot, followed by Rogers, Romo, Brady and Brees. Taking Brees 5^th is not a mistake here. The toughest thing to do in football is to repeat as Super Bowl champs. For that reason I really don’t like any Saints this year. Rogers has his full complement of receivers back as does Romo plus Dez Bryant. I like them both better than Brees.

 

Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin, Roddy White and Randy Moss are my top 5 at WR. Each of them brings savvy and experience to the field and all should do well.

 

Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley, Vernon Davis and Jason Witten are my top 5 at Tight End. They will all do more than enough to warrant picking them for your team.

 

As far as rookies are concerned Dez White (WR – DAL) C.J.Spiller (RB – BUF) and Ryan Matthews (RB – SD) should be immediate impact players.

 

Locally, Kevin Kolb should do ok as long as the fans are aware of the support needed for a first time quarterback. LaShonn McCoy will be good with the backing of newly acquired Mike Bell and the steady Leonard Weaver. I actually think Maclin will have a better year than DeSean Jackson. Brett Celeck goes way back with Kolb and they room together on the road. You can’t do much better than David Akers. The Philly Defense should be in the top 10 again this year.

 

That’s all I have for this week. I’m really looking forward to this season. Please look for this column each week in Cleary’s Notebook. Now is the time for your comments and questions. I’m here to help with your season and I look forward to the ‘back and forth’ that we started last year. I’ll address the questions and comments as early as possible.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Dan “Snake” Watson

Just Sayin': Being critically ill can make a man (or a woman) out of you

Just Sayin’ is a parody and/or reflection of current social trends.

 

  Being critically ill can make a man (or a woman) out of you.

 

  I’ve known some tough guys in my life—bikers, pot-heads, rebels with and without a cause. But nothing beats being in the hospital to make you or break you. It’s almost like being involuntarily ‘jumped in’ only the gang members are all wearing stethoscopes and scrubs.