Week Halloween Preview! Boo!
This really is how halloween should be celebrated. Watching The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (Go Gators), then game 3 of the World Series (Go Phillies), all while drinking other people’s beer and eating other people’s pizza. Traditional Halloween activities for me have been limited to walking around my neighbourhood in East Glasgow. Or as I like to call it, the Low Rises.
Scary shit right here in the projects.
Anyway, if this year has taught me anything, which it hasn’t, it’s that the real world doesn’t matter much when there is tv, sports and fantasy sports to absorb. And on that note, let’s recap how things stand in the Mango Tour League.
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All those cocky unbeaten teams just a few weeks ago… not so far out in front anymore huh?! The Hustle still have a 2 game lead, but no one is safe! We’re at the half way stage now, 7 games remain until the divisions are settled, and really, everyone’s still in the hunt.
Now the most important part of these previews… yup, your Mighty Commissioner stuffed ESPN in picks again last week, taking me to an incredible 6-1 record. It will take a minor miracle for me to lose. I’m still deciding on what kind of trophy I want. Next year we’re going to expand the MTL to include your picks, and NFL picks. I’m still gonna win. I’d also like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the fact that although the Prairie Dogs are having an up and down (mostly down) season, my fantasy skills are really on showcase elsewhere. On ESPN’s Gridiron Challenge, a salary cap game not unlike NFLUK’s shoddy fantasy attempt, but way way better, i’m ranked in the top 0.2% of all competitors. That’s 480th place out of hundreds and hundreds of thousands. Check me out motherfuckers.
Anyway.
ESPN Lines
Warriors (+41) @ Red Tops (-41)
Hustle (-3) @ Baby Bulls (+3)
Tantrum (-3) @ Box Turtles (+3)
Prairie Dogs (-10) @ Goblins (+10)
Giant Rats (+30) @ Wranglers (-30)
Boilermakers (+30) @ H’Birds (-30)
Commish Picks
RED TOPS over Warriors
Hmmm. I’m saying this match up is much closer once JONNY BAILIE sorts out his bye week players. Even taking that into consideration, he’s pretty weakened, and the RTs have decent match ups, especially at running back, which is saying something, because Matt Forte has been terrible and Steven Jackson couldn’t find the end zone if… well i’m to lazy to come up with something, but yeah, he just can’t score touchdowns. He has the usual problems at wide receiver, although with Harvard man Ryan Fitzpatrick under centre, Lee Evans is starting to look productive week to week. As usual, Owen Daniels looks like the stud TE of the week. For the Warriors, Rivers and Jackson in junk time at Oakland? I like the sound of that match up. Plus the Vikings will likely need a big performance from All Day, so the Warriors will be in the hunt, but give me the Red Tops.
You know in my head, Matt Forte was the spitting image of Avon Barksdale. But on looking for photos, this has been disproved.
BABY BULLS over Hustle
GRUDGE MATCH GRUDGE MATCH GRUDGE MATCH! Let’s go Baby Bulls by the way! Way close match up though. The upside for Phil is that with Leon Washington’s season being over, Thomas Jones looks set to see an increase in carries, and Larry F is playing at Carolina. Mmmhmm. Superstar Matt Schaub’s success might well depend on the weather in Buffalo. The forecast says no wind, but Steve Slaton’s twitter tells me it’s really windy. He hasn’t got the big arm to cut threw the wind, and the Bills’ pass D is pretty good all things considered. The Baby Bulls probably won’t be able to rely on Deangelo Williams this week, Arizona are number one against the run this year. I like Beanie Wells getting more carries again this week, and as long as Reggie Wayne and Percy Harvin are fit enough to play well, i’m giving this to the Bulls in a close one!
TANTRUM over Box Turtles
Is it just me or are the Tantrum a scarily good team going forward? I don’t like how strong this team looks. This week they can expect the usual consistent points from Barber and Grant, Brees should do well against Atlanta… the only worry is maybe the downturn in production from The New Steve Smith. The Box Turtles will be hoping for nice numbers from David Garrard at Tennessee who have just forgotten how defense works. Sadly Frank Gore and Ronnie Brown have tougher match ups this week. I think the winner depends on who gets the most targets out of Austin Collie or Pierre Garcon, and i’m giving it to the Tantrum.
PRAIRIE DOGS over Goblins
Trust me, I don’t like picking my own team. As usual, the whole line up is hit or miss, but I do like Sims-Walker, Sidney Rice and Steve Slaton this week. It’s more than likely that Housh will continue to disappoint, and that Jay Cutler throws 11 picks. So the Goblins, with LDT at Oakland, could steal it comfortably. Roddy White at New Orleans? Michael Crabtree? Dallas Clark against the Niners? Lots of questions. I’m nervous.
I don’t watch South Park, but that resemblance is striking don’t you think? Come on Jay, it’s the Browns. Focus.
WRANGLERS over Giant Rats
Another close one I think. I love MJD and I love Ray Rice this week, but at wide receiver the Rats have some problems. Greg Jennings continues to break fantasy hearts, Patrick Crayton barely exists… Plus after a sharp start, Tony Gonzalez’ numbers at Atlanta have really dropped over the last few weeks. The Wranglers, well Aaron Rodgers is going to have a great week, Jared Allen or no Jared Allen. We should all hope that LeSean McCoy gets the carries this week, there is no way on Earth Brian Westbrook should be allowed on the field after a concussion. I’m sure Neil was nervous seeing Andre Johnson coughing up blood on the sidelines last week, but we’re told the lung contusion has healed well, and he’s a tough motherfucker. Can Miles Austin keep up these incredible numbers? He’s playing the Seahawks, so why not. Give me the Wrangers.
H’BIRDS over B’Makers
Miiiichael, you’ve got bye week and injury issues again. It’s a tough week for everyone on the Boilermakers, apart from Peyton and Greg Olsen… maybe DeSean Jackson can break off for a long one. The Hummingbirds, well, Chris Johnson, Marques Colston, Devin Hester is red hot… yeah I like how this looks for them this week.
That’s scary enough for Halloween.
That’s enough for this week. It feels like for the first time in a while there’s a decent slate of games this week. Eagles Giants, Broncos Ravens, Jets Dolphins… yeah. I’m excited. Bring on Sunday.
Good luck kids.
