CNBNEWS.NET/Gloucester City

The English Premier League 2018-19 Season

 

CNBNews graphics file

 

(CNBNewsnet)(August 31,2018)--Time to log on to your favorite betting site, ready your money, and start betting as the London football season is back thanks to the English Premier League EPL tournament. The intrigues of the football matches have always delivered a twist-packed with action one season after the other. This season too is no different. And with the odds ever so high following the transfers after the world-cup, football fans are yet to see the very best London-club players have to offer this season.

The twenty EPL clubs are expected to battle it out to cement their position as Premier League titans. Chelsea is the top contender this season having topped as the champions of the 25th Premier League championship, 2016-17 season. This was Chelsea’s 5th Premier League title and their 6th English title having beaten West Bromwich Albin 1-0. Expectations are high for new exploits this 2018-19 season with top scorers like Harry Kane on the radar of many soccer fans. The teams are showing a lot of promise this season, and it is going to be exciting to how the top names such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool fair in the competition.

NFL Power Rankings May See Future Impact From 2019 Defensive Line Class

image courtesy of Pinterest

CNBNewsnet)(June 13, 2018)--Just a week or so after the NFL Draft of 2018 had concluded, a new NFL power rankings list came out from the official NFL website. This newer edition featured the Los Angeles Rams climbing up to the No. 2 position, ahead of Super Bowl contenders like New England Patriots. Much of that climb is attributed to the way the Rams added to their defense, something which the 2019 NFL Draft Class could help a number of teams with.

At WalterFootball.com website, they provide regular updates about the college prospects that scouts are keeping tabs on ahead of the next draft. Walter Football also provides their own mock drafts, with one for 2019 already in effect. The website has also mentioned that one area generating early buzz from scouts ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft is the defensive linemen class. That's good news after the 2018 NFL Draft resulted in just two defensive linemen getting drafted in the first round.

Youth Football: How Young Athletes Are Exposed to High-Magnitude Head Impacts

 

Newswise — Charlottesville, VA (October 17, 2017). The majority of football players in the US (70%) are elementary and middle school students. These young athletes enthusiastically put on their gear, learn strategy, acquire skills, and participate in games with their peers. Unfortunately, like their professional counterparts these athletes sometimes get injured. Fairly often they sustain head impacts during tackling and blocking maneuvers. Exposure to head impacts in American football has become a national concern: neurocognitive and brain changes can occur from repeated head impacts, even when no evidence of concussion is found.

The Real Football Network Review of Denver QB Brock Osweiler's Passing Map

 

NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The Real Football Network is the ultimate destination for individuals who want to better understand what's going on in the world of football, including the weekly football matchups and fantasy football analytics. The Real Football Network challenges its viewers to understand the game on a deeper and more advanced…

42Freeway.com : Brooklawn Diner's Bright Future

We saw this earlier in the week over at the Brooklawn Facebook page, and stopped over tonight to take a look ourselves. 

The Brooklawn Diner owners have turned on the exterior lights and the colors look amazing.  It will be an awesome welcome to one of Brooklawn's key entrances.

Click over to 42Freeway.com to see two larger pics.    And please like our Facebook page.

 

 

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NFL legends partner with Fanright Fantasy Exchange

 

GREEN BAY, Wis., Aug. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Packer legends including Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green, Nick Collins, and Gilbert Brown has teamed up with Fanright Fantasy Exchange (FFE), LLC to participate in a new fantasy football platform that's uniquely catered to their former team's fan base. The concept is designed to bring attention to veterans' health issues by providing fans with the most immersive fantasy experience available.

"Fantasy Exchange is changing the way we play Fantasy Football. Our model allows fans to directly interact with the legends of the NFL, gaining insights into player selection on a real-time basis," said Fantasy Exchange's co-founder Justin Edmiston. "We're solving the classic fan dilemma of having to choose between competing allegiances to fantasy rosters and favorite teams by putting both in one place. Nowhere else will fans have the opportunity to test their skills against former pros and earn the chance to win incredible prizes like attending a game in a suite with past greats at their side."

 

Can Eagles QB Foles Take Us to the Super Bowl?

 

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Seahawks Rout Broncos to Win Super Bowl Title

 

 

East Rutherford (United States) (AFP) February 2, 2014 at 10:44:37 PM EST

Timothy A. Clary/AFP

The Seattle Seahawks' Jermaine Kearse scores a touchdown during during the Super Bowl 48 game against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014

 

Offense just as much to blame as defense in Eagles loss to Broncos /NJ.com

 

 

Eliot Shorr-Parks/NJ.com September 29, 2013 at 8:28:12 PM EDT

 

 

It was a shoot-out just like everyone expected.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Broncos did most of the shooting.

"The key for us was to keep us in the game offensively," Chip Kelly said after the game. "We didn't do that."

The Eagles offense put up just 20 points in their 52-20 loss to the DenverBroncos, with 13 of those points coming in the first three-quarters when the game was still semi-winnable. The defense struggled like everyone expected, but it was the offenses inability to score that played just as big of a role in the team's loss in Denver.

"We gotta get our momentum back," Vick said. "We lost it."

NFL odds and lines, Chargers vs. Eagles

 

 

By Kenneth Arthur  @KennethArthurS on Sep 12 2013, 11:56a +

 

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

 One of these teams was able to pull off an upset in Week 1, while the other blew a 21-point lead to a heavy AFC favorite. How big of an underdog is San Diego in Week 2?

In Memoriam: Daniel "Snake" Watson (cnbnews.net)

(cnbnews.net) In memory of Daniel Christopher Watson, husband, stepfather, friend. July 29, 1948—June 26, 2011. 

Sleep well, my love,

Dan and Dawn Watson

 

And always know,

You’re in my heart,

You are my soul.

A life lived hard,

At last in peace,

My love for you,

Will never cease.

 From your loving wife, Dawn, stepchildren Dana and Dino Lionetti, and best friend, Steve Healey.

Face of Defense: Deborah Leavitt 2012 Military Spouse of the Year

Deborah Leavitt, wife of the master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard, right, and Vice Adm. Sally Brice-O'Hara, vice commandant of the Coast Guard, present Jennifer Bassett, center, with a medal recognizing her as the 2012 Coast Guard Spouse of the Year during the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., May 10, 2012. Bassett is the wife of Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Josh Bassett.

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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.

Fantasy Football

Cleary’s Fantasy Football Fanatic Stricken

 

  Dan Watson, Cleary’s Notebook Fantasy Football Fanatic columnist, is fighting a battle. While it has nothing to do with football it does have some things in common with that sport.

 

One similarity is that he gets to pick his own team members—from a wonderful group of doctors that make up the Virtua-Fox Chase Cancer Center team of professionals. In addition, he picked one of the best playing fields, around. Fox Chase’ doctors and nurses know exactly what to do to make a patient comfortable, encouraged, and ready to tackle the disease.

 

When we moved here to Gloucester City in September, it was our intention to settle into this lovely community and make a difference. We looked forward to living a simple life, filled with new friends and adventures. We never expected that Dan would be diagnosed with Stage II esophageal cancer before the last leaf fell from the pretty little tree, planted by the Tree & Beautification Committee, outside our door. We never expected he would lose 50 pounds, be admitted to the ICU due to malnutrition, or that he would have a feeding tube implanted directly into his stomach so that he wouldn’t starve to death. We never thought I would have to drive him to a specialist, five days a week, so he could receive radiation that inevitably caused him to be unable to swallow.

And we never expected he would be unable to walk the length of our kitchen, much less the distance from our house to Carr’s Hardware, his favorite store, in the ensuing months.

 

But life throws things at us, sometimes. We can either receive and score a goal when those things come our way or we can drop the ball and wait for the opposing team to crush us. Dan and I have chosen the latter and will stand and fight for as long as it takes.

 

I don’t know what the future holds for us. I’m not sure our Fantasy Football Fanatic will be able to hold instructional classes as he had planned. I’m not even sure if he will be able to supply Cleary’s readers with insight into Fantasy Football this coming season. I am sure, however, that he will do his best to entertain and instruct, for as long as he is able. He’s that kind of guy.

 

If you are so inclined, drop him a line on Cleary’s Notebook. I’ll prop him up to read whatever is printed and I’ll know he’ll smile. When he is able he’ll respond.

 

In the meantime, many thanks to all who responded to last season’s column. It meant the world to Dan, and to me, too. We are honored that Bill Cleary allows us to write for him. We hope Dan can continue to write when he has conquered this terrible disease. We are blessed with good friends, great neighbors, and the support of an entire city.

 

God bless all of you.

Sincerely,

Dawn Watson

Owner and Lead Trainer, Brother of the Wolf, LLC

 

 

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The Fantasy Football Fanatic: The Clock Ticks Down to SUPERBOWL SUNDAY

Image via Wikipedia

Category Fantasy Football

By Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends. We’ve arrived at the Super Bowl that will crown either The New Orleans Saints or The Indianapolis Colts the champions of the 2009 season.

The players simply refer to this game as “The Big Show”. Everyone associated with football is watching this game except the participants. All of the hoopla, expense, media coverage commercials (love the little baby in the E-Trade commercials), 9 hour pre game shows. Half time extravaganzas. What a circus. And through all of it the coaches and players just want to play the game.

I must admit, this year, the two teams at the show are the correct teams. More than any of the other 30 teams, I think the Saints and Colts belong there this year. I think this could be a wild one with lots of scoring. Kick off on February 7, 2010 at 6:35pm.

QUARTERBACK

Peyton Manning against Drew Brees. On the surface, you might think this is a no brainer and pick Manning as the better of the two. It’s hard to argue with that logic. Brees however, has had a revitalization since his move to New Orleans several years ago. The people of that fair city have come to look at Brees and all of the Saints as a shining moment in an otherwise disastrous couple of years. Winning this game would crown the Saints not only as the football champs but also would make their mark in the history of both football and New Orleans for years to come. Don’t think that’s not a motivating factor in this game: Brees is the undisputed leader of this Saints team.

RUNNING BACK

Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are just the types of running backs that are needed for a pass first offense. They’re good but they know their place. Both backs have good hands which is important out of this particular backfield associated with

Indianapolis. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are a bit stronger at the running game and Bush in particular is much more elusive than the other backs on the Saints. I don’t look for the running game to be much of a factor because it’s not that phase of the game that has brought either team to The Show.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Take your pick on the tandems involved. Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie Dallas Clark can give opposing coverage fits. Can the same be said for Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, and Jeremy Shockey? No, it cannot. However, there are other factors—Brees can throw 9 completions in a row to 9 different receivers. The ball gets spread out more than on any other team this year. The reason for this is the depth associated with New Orleans.

PLACE KICKER

Matt Stover against Garret Hartley. This is anyone’s pick as it should be. I don’t see a game like this between these two teams getting down to a kick. Especially since you have a couple of QB’s who threw for about a million yards between them this season.

DEFENSE

Defenses are always fun.

· New Orleans Defense even with Indianapolis unless Dwight Freeney plays for the Colts.

PREDICTIONS

I’m predicting that the Saints hand the Colts a stunner of a defeat and win outright 28-24

Well that’s it boys and girls. I’ve had a great time doing this and hope to be back helping folks decide who to play on their fantasy teams next year. I check Cleary’s notebook every day so if you have any comments or concerns, please bring them up and I’ll be sure to do my best in giving advice.

As always, I enjoy writing this column very much: thanks for reading Cleary’s Notebook!

PS. I’m going to research getting a forum for the spring classes. I’d like to see about locking down Saturday May 1, 2010 as a start date.

Dan “Snake” Watson

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: LET THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN!

By Dan “Snake” Watson    Category Fantasy Football

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to 2009 NFL Championship Round, Week 03 of the NFL Playoffs. The matchups are set and the winners this week will be the teams facing off against each other in the Super Bowl which will kick off on February 7, 2010 at 6:35pm. As we all saw this past weekend, anything can happen here.

Following is the schedule for this week:

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Welcome to the NFL Divisional Round Week 2

By Dan “Snake” Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to 2009 NFL  Divisional Round Week 02 of the NFL Playoffs. This is my favorite weekend in sports. Anything can happen here.

Following is the schedule for this week:

Divisional Round

Sat.-Sun. Jan. 16-17

Sat., Jan. 16, 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS

Baltimore

Indianapolis

Sun., Jan. 17, 4:40 p.m. ET, CBS

N.Y. Jets

San Diego

Sat., Jan. 16, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX

Arizona

New Orleans

Sun., Jan. 17, 1:00 p.m. ET FOX

Dallas

Minnesota

QUARTERBACK

Well, right out of the slot we have Warner facing Brees. Ordinarily, I would like Brees in this contest but after a 29 for 33, 5 TD, no interception, 379 yard performance from “Pop” Warner, you have to like Arizona a little bit. Green Bay has a much better passing defense than New Orleans so this could be a shootout.

Manning should do better than Flacco because Baltimore is more of a running team than passing team. Flacco had 34 yards last week and the running tandem in Baltimore had 234 yards. Unless that game was a pure setup, I’m comfortable giving the nod to Peyton and the Colts.

Dallas travels to Minnesota on Sunday. Nothing would please me more that Favre losing this game. Tony Romo and Dallas are red hot at the moment and I believe they can move forward in the playoffs. Of course, Minnesota is not Philly, Favre has an additional week’s rest and Dallas is not home.

Mark Sanchez has had a sensational rookie season and will have more good times as he continues through his career. With that said, I believe he will not be able to handle San Diego and Rivers will take care of business. He has too many weapons and pro bowl corner back, Darrell Revis cannot handle them all.

RUNNING BACK

The concern that Arizona should have is its running game. It cannot touch the Saints game at this level. Neither team is what could be referred to as a running team but you have to give the nod to the most rested team here and that’s New Orleans. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are well rested and should take care of business when necessary.

As mentioned earlier, Baltimore is a running team. I believe they are the best running team in the NFL. When you have a guy like Le’Ron McClain as your third back, you’ve made a statement. Ray Rice has come into his own this year and the aging Willis McGahee is a nice change of pace. The Colts well rested Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are still no match for the Ravens crew.

Marion Barber has a sore foot and could be benched in favor of Felix Jones with Tashard Choice backing him up. It doesn’t matter. Adrian Peterson will get the ball and take care of business on this day. He’s explosive whether he’s running or catching the rock and Favre is very comfortable going to him in any situation.

Two aging running backs meet in San Diego. The Chargers LaDanian Tomlinson and The Jets Thomas Jones will make a statement before turning things over to Darren Sproles and Shonn Greene. I like San Diego here. Jones averaged 2.1 yards per carry against Cincy last week and the Chargers will be geared on stopping Greene.

WIDE RECEIVERS

I love shootouts. I think the over / under for this game should be about 95.5. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin (maybe), Steve Breaston, add a little Chris Wells and Tim Hightower versus Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore. Throw in a little Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, both excellent receivers, and you have a New Orleans victory.

Last week I said that I could not see Baltimore containing Moss and Edelman out of New England. Even though Edelman had 2 TD’s, Moss was a missing man. So much for experienced analysis. With that said, I believe that the Colts tandem of Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie will handle this game better than Baltimore’s Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton and Todd Heep who may not play due to injury.

For Dallas, Miles Austin has certainly come into his own this year, offset by Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton. The only stiff in this group is Roy Williams. Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian with the outlet passes to Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe proves to be a solid matchup of talent. I like Minnesota receivers a little bit because they’re home and are well rested.

PLACE KICKER

Once again, home field advantage comes into play at this position. Ryan Longwell, should lead all kickers this week. Mott Stover has become revitalized in Indianapolis; Shawn Suisham and Billy Cundiff were perfect for Dallas and Baltimore last week.

DEFENSE

Defenses are always fun.

· Dallas matches up evenly with Minnesota. Give the slight nod to the Vikings.

· Arizona is better defensively than New Orleans.

· Baltimore lives by defense and are a much better unit than the Chargers

· The Jets are better than the Colts but it’s not going to matter.

PREDICTIONS

Dallas, New Orleans, San Diego and Indianapolis advance past the Divisional round

New York, Arizona, Minnesota and Baltimore join the other 28 teams that are watching the games with the rest of us.

If anyone needs any further instruction on the Fantasy Playoffs, drop me a comment, question, or concern on Clearysnotebook.com and I’ll do my best to address it before the games begin on Saturday at 1:00pm eastern time.

As always, I enjoy writing this column very much: thanks for reading Cleary’s Notebook!

PS. I’m going to research getting a forum for the spring classes. I’d like to see about locking down Saturday May 1, 2010 as a start date.

Dan “Snake” Watson

RELATED CATEGORY FANTASY FOOTBALL

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: LET THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN

By Dan "Snake" Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to 2009 NFL Playoffs

For the past few years a few friends and I have gotten together to have a playoff draft. It’s a winner-take-all situation. There are 4 owners and 12 teams make the playoffs. That equates to 3 each of QB, RB, WR/TE, PK and DE. The difference here is that when you draft a position, you get points for all players at that position. If you draft the Eagles WR, you get Jackson, Maclin, Curtis, Brown, Celek etc. Also, from week to week, once your positional players are eliminated, you only have those points. I won this last year on the strength of both the ARZ QB and WR positional players. You readers should try this as it is just a continuation of the obsession that we all share.

Following is a list of the schedule as we know it:

Wild-Card Round
Sat.-Sun., Jan. 9-10

AFC

Sat., Jan. 9, 4:30 p.m. ET NBC

N.Y. Jets

Cincinnati

Sun., Jan. 10, 1:00 p.m. ET CBS

Baltimore

New England

NFC

Sat., Jan. 9, 8:00 p.m. ET NBC

Philadelphia

Dallas

Sun., Jan 10, 4:40 p.m. ET FOX

Green Bay

Arizona

Divisional Round
Sat.-Sun. Jan. 16-17

Sat., Jan. 16, CBS

Sun., Jan. 17, CBS

Sat., Jan. 16, FOX

Sun., Jan. 17, FOX

Championship Round
Sun., Jan. 24

Sun., Jan. 24, CBS

Sun., Jan. 24, FOX

Super Bowl XLIV
Sun., Feb. 7

Sun., Feb. 7, CBS

QUARTERBACK

Just like last week, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo will face off against each other. Maybe this time, BOTH teams will show up. As difficult as it is to beat a team three times in one season, I believe that Dallas has the players to get this done. Philly acted like they were lost, there was no blitz, and they could not stop the run or the pass. I don’t see them getting shut out again but I don’t see either team advancing past this game either.

Sanchez is going to Cincinnati to face off against Palmer. I like Palmer a

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: A Tricky Week

By Dan “Snake” Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to the last week of the regular season. Most of the playoffs are probably done by now but for those of you that are in a Super Bowl this week, it can be quite tricky deciding who will and who will not be on the field this week.

QUARTERBACK

The two at this position that need a win the most are Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo. The fight will take place in Dallas. This is always a battle when these two teams tangle but with a win, the division leader is crowned. Both teams will be bringing their A game so make sure you have both quarterbacks in your lineup. I like Matt Schaub this week at home versu New England. He’s stayed healthy this year and he’s proven to be an elite QB. I think he throws early and often this week trying to crack the 4500 yd marker.

Pittsburgh is playing a 1:00pm game so expect them to come out fighting

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: What to Consider in Week 16

By Dan “Snake” Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to Week 16 in the NFL. For those of you who have made it this far into the playoffs, I congratulate you. Wish I could be there with you but I got bounced this past weekend. Hey! I’ve never claimed to be the Fantasy Guru. I have been known to play the wrong person at the wrong time. I benched the NY Giants this week in favor of Green Bay (gave up 503 yards to Pittsburgh). Who knew?

Anyway, for all of you owners that are still in it and may be looking for a little help, here’s what my crack research team (me) has come up with that should be considered..

First of all, let me mention here that there is an early game on Christmas evening when San Diego is visiting Tennessee. Make sure if you have Rivers, Gates, Chris Johnson, Bironas, that you have these folks in your lineup. Christmas is always hectic. Try to get this done the day before Christmas so you don’t think about it when you’re on the road to Aunt Martha’s for Christmas dinner.

The other thing to consider is who needs what in the way of making the playoffs. Naturally every team wants to win but this is a strange week where you could see some players being rested especially in Indianapolis and New Orleans.

QUARTERBACK

Eli Manning needs a win at home v Carolina if his Giants are going to make

The Fantasy Football Fanatic: Right in the Middle of Playoffs

By Dan “Snake” Watson

Hello again fellow Fantasy Football Friends and welcome to Week 15 in  the NFL. We are right in the middle of the playoffs. If you had Randy Moss, any of the Arizona threesome, (Warner, Fitzgerald, Bouldin) or Detroit’s Calvin Johnson in the lineups this week then it’s possible that your season is actually over and done with. Lousy games happen. It’s a big part of Fantasy Football

QUARTERBACK

As mentioned earlier, Kurt Warner had a horrible game; worst effort this season. With that said, Arizona has Detroit this week and they still only need one game to clinch a playoff spot. I think Kurt redeems himself this week against the lowly Lions. The last time he came off of a game this bad he threw 5 TD’s.

Jason Campbell and Washington are hosting the Giants this week on Monday night. There’s nothing like a grudge match to keep the season going even if the season is actually over for Washington.

Speaking of over, Dallas is doing what they’ve been doing in December, losing. I just don’t see them knocking off Brees and the Saints. With that said, I’d actually start Tony Romo because he’ll more than likely be playing catch up in the fourth quarter. Actually, this is a Saturday night game and the Colts at the Jags is the game for Thursday night. Make sure you have that part of your lineups set.

Matt Schaub visits St. Louis this week and should have a field day against