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Prince Hal Assumes Full Control of Yankees

By Tom Gaffney | November 20, 2008

King George Steinbrenner has officially passed the torch to his son, Hal Steinbrenner in a move ratified by a vote of Major League Baseball owners, today. The teams has been run by both brothers jointly since April when both were appointed co-chairs. So why has sole authority now been given over solely to Hal? "I'm not going to ask the people in the family why they picked one against the other," said baseball commissioner Bud Selig, who visited Steinbrenner in Tampa, Fla., before Game 2 of the World Series last month. "I get enough trouble as commissioner. I don't need to get into family squabbles."It seems like the smart move. Hal is not nearly as impulsive as Hank, and the guy seems pretty bright and cerebral, if a bit detached. I do wonder, sometimes, why George was going to hand over the reins to both of his sons-in-law before going...

Discuss | Tags: MLB, Yankees

Still Hope For The Chargers?

By Jeff Williams | November 20, 2008

In a year that will someday be defined by "Hope" (whether it is warranted or not), can we say that the Chargers truly have any? Well, technically they aren't out of it, thanks to the horrible level of competition provided by the rest of the AFC West. But do the Chargers really have any hope for a playoff berth, or are they headed for an offseason filled with some much needed "Change"? Let's take a closer look... The AFC Wildcard berth currently looks like this: With the Jets, Steelers, Titans, and Broncos leading their divisions, the wild-card standings have the Colts, Ravens, Dolphins, and Patriots tied at 6-4 for the two AFC wild-card playoff spots. Even if the Chargers do go 5-1 the rest of the way, each of these teams would have to play just .500 football the rest of the way for the Chargers to enter a tie-breaker...

2 Comments | Tags: afc west, broncos, chargers, colts, denver, dolphins, football, jets, nfl, patriots, playoffs, ravens, san diego, steelers, titans, wildcard

85 deactivated!!

By Jeff Gentil | November 20, 2008

As if it wasn't going to be ugly enough, but the Bengals' No. 2 receiver has been deactivated due to an undisclosed violation of team rules according to Rotoworld.com. Chris Henry expected to start in his place. Good Lord!!...

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Notes on Trever Miller, Rick Hummel

By athooks | November 20, 2008

Low hanging fruit? Try rotted out fruit that's been fermenting on the ground for a month. Welcome to St. Louis Trever Miller. Oh, and if you could spell your name right and shave off that ridiculous bush on your chin- that'd be great too. Don't get me wrong, the Cardinals definitely needed left handed relief help for '09... but... if the goal is to win championships (which we're not sure that's the goal for '09, true) than this seems a little back ass wards. The Tampa Bay Rays- who won the AL Pennant in '08- decided that in their quest to repeat, they'd be better off paying Mr. Miller 400K to NOT help in this endeavor. Seems like we'd want to go after players that are, you know, wanted by championship caliber teams. Then again, what do I know? That mini-trophy for forth place is sure purty in Johnny Mo's...

5 Comments | Tags: kevin slaten, low hanging fruit, rick hummel, team 1380, trever miller

Game #17: Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks, Thursday November 20, 2008 at 7:00pm (CST), Xcel Energy Center (GAME PREVIEW)

By Theresa Ferries | November 20, 2008

Minnesota Wild (11-4-1) 23pts 2nd in Northwest Division2.44 Goals per Game (26th in NHL)1.94 Goals Against per Game (1st in NHL)23.2% Power Play (3rd in NHL)93.8% Penalty Kill (1st in NHL)Top 5 Scorers:1. #9 Mikko Koivu ~ 3G 13A = 16pts2. #20 Antti Miettinen ~ 6G 6A = 12pts3. #15 Andrew Brunette ~ 6G 5A = 11pts4. #25 Eric Belanger ~ 4G 5A = 9pts5. #67 Benoit Pouliot ~ 5G 2A = 7ptsTop 3 Penalty Minutes:1. #24 Derek Boogaard ~ 16PIM2. #2 Erik Reitz ~ 16PIM3. #8 Brent Burns ~ 16PIMGoaltenders:1. #32 Niklas Backstrom ~ (11-3-1) 1.92GAA .936SV%2. #29 Josh Harding ~ (0-1-0) 1.84GAA .927SV%vsVancouver Canucks (11-6-2) 24pts 1st in Northwest Division3.10 Goals per Game (8th in NHL)2.37 Goals Against per Game (4th in NHL)16.7% Power Play (17th in NHL)79.8% Penalty Kill (20th in NHL)Top 5 Scorers:1. #33 Henrik Sedin ~ 3G 13A =...

Discuss | Tags: Minnesota Wild, NHL, Vancouver Canucks

JD's Keys Week 12; Rams v. Bears

By Jordan P. Davis | November 20, 2008

Key #1 - Where's the D? It certainly seems odd to implicate the Chicago Bears in this discussion, but as of late, neither of these teams have demonstrated the ability to stop opponents from scoring. The Bears surrendered 37 points in a blowout loss last week; the Rams only gave up 35, but they were all in the first half. The safe money lies with the pride of linebacker Brian Urlacher, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, safety Mike Brown and the rest of the Bears defensive unit to bounce back from last week's performance and take out their frustrations on the hapless Rams offense. Key #2 - Welcome Home Lovie! For the second week in a row the St. Louis Rams will be facing an opposing coach that was once a member of their own football family. Bears head coach Lovie Smith was a well respected and loved defensive coordinator during his...

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What would make you happy? First base edition

By Jeff Gentil | November 20, 2008

Assuming the Reds are not in the running for Mark Teixeira (and let's face it, they're not in the running for Mark Teixeira), what would give you confidence going into 2009? Joey Votto finished second in the NL Rooke of the Year voting and deservedly so with his 24 HR, 84 RBI, .297 BA season. He also came on very strong defensively despite getting off to a slow start. We can all admit we were scared of him in the beginning of the season, but he really improved in the second half. Still, he has played some outfield in his minor league career and has had talk about moving to left field ultimately. So...would keeping Votto at first base make you happy? Or, would moving Edwin Encarnacion to first be better? How about a free agent not named Mark Teixeira? Do you dare try Javy Valentin (YIKES!!!!!) there and then take a shot with Yonder Alonso in mid-season? ...

Discuss | Tags: Alonso, Encarnacion, Reds, Teixeira, Valentin, Votto

Dance With the One Who "Brung" Ya

By Michael Yette | November 20, 2008

In a telephone interview with the late legendary football coach, Paul "Bear" Bryant, I asked him what one piece of advice would he give a young football coach just starting out? His response, in that trademark deep gravely southern drawl, "Always put your best players on the field. No matter what differences or personalities may be involved, put that aside and always make sure you put your best players on the field." This past Sunday, that simple - but very logical - bit of instruction from a football coach that won 323 college football games (at one point the division 1 record),...

Discuss | Tags: Adrian Peterson, Brad Childress, Chester Taylor, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Paul "Bear" Bryant

NBA Stock Market: Mavericks getting back on track

By Joe Boikess | November 20, 2008

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(234,183,276630,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}()Last night was a busy one in the NBA, with two-thirds of the league in uniform and on the court. A number of intriguing matchups took place, including the Cavaliers at Pistons, Mavericks at Rockets, and Bulls at Trail Blazers. Which teams came out on top, and who has been playing well of late? Keep reading to find out who's been looking good, and who might be needing another pep talk from Lou Holtz.Rising:Dallas Mavericks - One of the more intriguing story lines throughout the early part of the season has involved the three Texas teams. Both the Spurs and Mavericks have been struggling, while the Rockets have been trying to figure out how to best integrate Ron Artest into their gameplan. On Wednesday night, the Mavericks got their second chance to show the world that they are still a force to be reckoned with, as...

Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Outsider

Where could Mark Teixeira land?

By Evan | November 20, 2008

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As Thanksgiving approaches with the winter meetings not too far behind, Mark Teixeira is getting closer and closer to figuring out what ballpark he will call home next year.There has not been a ton of chatter surrounding Teixeira, but everyone knows the two big players for 'Tex' are the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees. There are, however, a couple other teams in the mix. Here's a ranking of who is most likely to get Teixeira...1. New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are going all out this winter, economy be damned. With the Yankees set to move into a new stadium that will send their revenue through the roof, they will continue to lead the field for a very, very long time in dollars spent.The acquisition of Nick Swisher seems to have tempered most people's expectations that the Yankees will chase Tex, but I don't believe it for a...

1 Comment | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, MLB, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Week 12: Studs and Duds

By Jay | November 20, 2008

Studs QBAaron Rodgers vs. N.O.- Look for a big night from Rodgers and the Packers on Monday night. This should be a high-scoring affair. Jason Campbell vs. SEA- Seattle ranks near the bottom of the league in pass defense and Campbell will look to take advantage. Moss, Cooley, and Randle El should be nice plays as well. RBWarrick Dunn vs. DET- With Earnest Graham out for the season, Warrick Dunn has an amazing match-up against the Lions. Detroit ranks last against the run. Matt Forte vs. STL- Forte gained 105 total yards last week against Packers, but did not find the end zone. Look for that to change this week as the Bears will surely rely on the young back all game long. WRDonnie Avery vs. CHI- Avery had the most catches of his young career last week and he is matched up against a Bears secondary that has made...

Discuss | Tags: Fantasy, Fantasy Football

Week 11: Studs and Duds Results

By Jay | November 20, 2008

Week 11 was my best week yet. I had 13 GOOD CALLS, 2 BORDERLINE CALLS, and 2 BAD CALLS. This brings my season total to 104 GOOD CALLS, 27 BORDERLINE CALLS, and 54 BAD CALLS. GOOD CALLS StudsShaun Hill vs. STL- 213 yds, 2 TDJoseph Addai vs. HOU- 105 yds, TDVernon Davis vs. STL- 2 yds, TDPhiladelphia vs. CIN- 13 points, 8 sacks, Fum. Rec.Tampa Bay vs. MIN- 13 points, 5 sacks, 2 Fum. Rec. DudsMatt Hasselbeck vs. AZ- 170 yds, TD, 3 int.Philip Rivers vs. PIT- 159 yds, 2 int.Kyle Orton vs. GB- 133 yds.Justin Fargas vs. MIA- 57 ydsDevin Hester vs. GB-.7 yds.Chad Johnson vs. PHI- 34 yardsAntonio Gates vs. PIT- 10 yardsChicago vs. GB- 37 points, 0 sacks, 1 int. BORDERLINE CALLS StudsMatt Forte vs. GB- 104 total yards DudsIndianapolis vs. HOU- 27 points, 2 sacks, int BAD CALLS StudsSantonio Holmes vs. SD- 63 yards DudsRyan Grant...

Discuss | Tags: Fantasy, Fantasy Football

A 'Bulin Wall or the French Battalion? What are the Blackhawks to Do?

By Bryan Thiel | November 19, 2008

Entering the season, the Chicago Blackhawks had a problem; not necessarily a big problem, but a problem nonetheless.As the 'Hawks ended a quality season with a lot of promise, they were driven to make changes. Over the offseason, the Blackhawks addressed their need for a puck-moving defenseman, and they also did a little splurging, nabbing themselves a brand new goalie in Christobal Huet.When this happened, many assumed that it was a foregone conclusion that Nikolai Khabibulin wouldn't even start the year with the 'Hawks, let alone make it out of August.But as teams filled up to their cap limitations, few teams showed an interest in the Russian tender, and even fewer had the means to acquire him.As the weeks and months proceeded, and no suitors came calling, the problem began to emerge:The Blackhawks had two quality goalies, with only enough ice time and crease space for one.Now, one's initial thought...

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A Look Into the Big East: Week 12

By Benjamin Dishong | November 19, 2008

Cincinnati takes control of Big East with win over Louisville Could it be that the Bearcats will represent the Big East in a BCS bowl this year? It became a bigger possibility when the Bearcats outlasted Louisville in a big game for both teams on Friday night. Cincinnati had a great second half, to takedown the Cardinals, and they did so with the run and pass. As a team, the Bearcats, not known for running, put together 132 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Tony Pike led the way passing, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns as well. Dominick Goodman played an exceptional game at receiver, grabbing 10 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. All-in-all, Cincinnati now has to prepare for the biggest game in recent history for the school, as a win against Pitt will likely secure a BCS berth with the last conference game coming against Syracuse....

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Wednesday Night Tip-Off: Cavs-Pistons

By Staff Report | November 19, 2008

MVN Live is happy to announce that its partnership with Gillette and EA Sports has produced yet another giveaway for our listeners. Tune in to Sam Panayotovich and Steve Weinman on the Wednesday Night Tip-Off to hear how you can take home a free copy of NBA Live. Don't miss the opening of the Cavs-Pistons pre-game show, as we'll read off the "million dollar question" to which you respond with your answers via e-mail to live@mvn.com. The best and most colorful response will be awarded a copy of NBA Live '09 for XBOX 360. Interviewees include Cavalier Attitude's Amar Panchmatia and The Wayne Fontes Experience's Al Beaton, who will be asked about the red hot starts for both teams, King James' new found supporting cast, and how the Pistons are adjusting to life with Allen Iverson....

Discuss | Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, MVN Live, NBA

In search of Dodgers fans (a case for Joe Beimel?)

By Alan Smodic | November 19, 2008

Joe Beimel shows off his tattoo - Malingering/flickr.com

...because I need your help on this one. I, like mostly anyone else who will be reading this, go through the news each day and like to sort through the "hot stove" reports that every media outlet has. Today, I ran across this little bit that caught me by surprise. It's a report written by Jason Beck, who covers the Detroit Tigers at MLB.com. In it, the agent for left-handed reliever Joe Beimel claims that at least six different teams have interest in the journeyman pitcher. "Across the board, things are starting to pick up some," agent Joe Sroba said Wednesday. "That's to be expected [after the signings]."Sroba estimated that at least a half-dozen teams have had talks with him on Beimel, including the Tigers. He would not confirm whether he has received an offer from any, nor would he speculate whether Beimel could sign soon. Still, it was clear...

3 Comments | Tags: Detroit Tigers, Joe Beimel, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates

Wednesday Night Tip-Off Show: Cavs-Pistons

By Sam Panayotovich | November 17, 2008

This Wednesday marked the second episode of MVN Live, the network's premiere source for live talk on the biggest events throughout the sporting world. Sam Panayotovich and Steve Weinman previewed the Central Division showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. Main headlines included the red hot starts for both teams, King James' new found supporting cast, and how the Pistons are adjusting to life with Allen Iverson. The guys fizzled through the...

14 recommendations | 2 Comments

Thursday Night Pre-Game Show: Jets-Patriots

By Sam Panayotovich | November 13, 2008

This Thursday kicked off the inaugural episode of MVN Live, the network's premiere source for live talk on the biggest events throughout the sporting world. Sam Panayotovich and Brandon Rosage previewed Thursday night's highly anticipated AFC East showdown between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots, and hit on all the latest stories out of Foxborough. The guys fizzled through the hype, broke down the key matchups and served up their "brilliant"...

12 recommendations | Discuss

Boom, Outta Here (Episode 1): Backups rule NFL; Kobe eyes Europe; Manny not impressed

By Staff Report | November 13, 2008

MVN's first original sports talk television show "Boom, Outta Here" debuts with chatter about the Jets' anonymous jab at their Thursday night opponents, backup quarterbacks taking over the NFL and NBA stars eyeing offers from Europe. Hosts Pat McSweeney and Brandon Rosage also take a stand against giving Manny what he wants (opting, instead, for Mark Teixeira) and encourage to NHL to embrace Dallas Stars center Mike Ribeiro's taunting and showboating from Wednesday night's shootout...

7 recommendations | 1 Comment

Building a sabermetrician's workbench, part I

By Colin Wyers | November 14, 2008

Introduction There are a lot of budding sabermetricians out there. (Actually, I'm sure that's not true. But it sure seems that way. Of course, this is because I tend to hang out in places, like Tango's blog and Beyond The Boxscore, that are popular hangouts for budding sabermetricians.) Now let's face it - life is rough out there on the streets, cadging data from websites and working with spreadsheets that start to look like rat's...

7 recommendations | 31 Comments

MVN: Most Valuable Network

Red Sox trade Coco Crisp to Royals

Giants top NFL power rankings

Prince Hal Assumes Full Control of Yankees

Still Hope For The Chargers?

85 deactivated!!

Notes on Trever Miller, Rick Hummel

Game #17: Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks, Thursday November 20, 2008 at 7:00pm (CST), Xcel Energy Center (GAME PREVIEW)

JD's Keys Week 12; Rams v. Bears

What would make you happy? First base edition

Dance With the One Who "Brung" Ya

NBA Stock Market: Mavericks getting back on track

Where could Mark Teixeira land?

Week 12: Studs and Duds

Week 11: Studs and Duds Results

A 'Bulin Wall or the French Battalion? What are the Blackhawks to Do?

A Look Into the Big East: Week 12

Wednesday Night Tip-Off: Cavs-Pistons

In search of Dodgers fans (a case for Joe Beimel?)

Wednesday Night Tip-Off Show: Cavs-Pistons

Thursday Night Pre-Game Show: Jets-Patriots

Boom, Outta Here (Episode 1): Backups rule NFL; Kobe eyes Europe; Manny not impressed

Building a sabermetrician's workbench, part I