Premier League Fantasy Football Preview.

I thought about doing separate blogs on the English Premier League teams (see previous blog for Arsenal and Aston Villa) for their fantasy preview but instead, I’ve decided to do one behemoth of a blog. Here goes,

The inspirational Blackburn Rovers and All Whites captain
might be struggling to keep clean sheets this year.

Blackburn

If you want to have a good fantasy season don’t go near Blackburn. They are going to struggle this year. If you are really desperate and want a bench player who will play every week, you can pick up Morten Gamst Pedersen, but this is clutching at straws. Avoid Blackburn.

Bolton

Is it just the team’s starting with ‘B’ that are terrible fantasy teams? Bolton is even worse than Blackburn fantasy wise. Some people will think about Kevin Davies, but for that price, you can pick up a forward such as Grant Holt, Demba Ba, or Peter Odemwingie who’ll get you more points. Try and stay away from Bolton this year – they are relegation material.

Chelsea

We go from one end of the spectrum to the other. Our premier league champions for 2011/12. Chelsea has so many good fantasy players it is hard to pick players who will be starting each week. There are a few who are guaranteed to get you points and stay relatively injury free.

Expect to see Lampard doing a lot
of celebrating this year.

Frank Lampard – The best midfield fantasy option in the EPL. He takes penalties (and Chelsea will get their fair share), some free kicks, and corners. He’ll get you 20 goals this season and 10+ assists. Better than a striker.

Ashley Cole – Every season Cole produces for Chelsea. Although he didn’t score last season, he was still amongst the top fantasy defenders. He’ll start every week and he is relatively injury free, so expect a lot of clean sheets, and a few assists along the way.

Daniel Sturridge – A bit of a sleeper amongst the heavyweights of Chelsea’s front line but I think he’ll be given the chance to start on the right wing in a 4-3-3 formation. Great goal scoring form last year and he is on fire in preseason, he could be a very good option on the bench and to use against lesser teams.

Everton

The toffees are a bit under the radar this year with the other folks in Merseyside taking up all the attention. David Moyes and his men won’t mind at all.

Leighton Baines – You must have Baines in your team this year. I didn’t last year, and it cost me a lot of points. A defender who takes penalties and free kicks is so rare and he is still relatively cheap. Amongst a decent defence, expect a decent amount of clean sheets along the way.

Jermaine Beckford – I’m expecting Beckford to break through this year. I almost put Louis Saha in this position but his injury history scares me. Beckford finished with lethal efficiency last season and he will only improve with a strong midfield of Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill providing the ball.

Tim Cahill – He seems like the forgotten man this year. His form was fantastic last year until he went away on international duty and he never quite recovered his form. He plays just behind the strikers and with his prolific goal scoring from set pieces, a great pick up again this year.

Fulham

I don’t know quite what to make of Fulham this year but there are a couple of players I would consider for your teams this year. Apologies to Clint Dempsey this year but with a fit Zamora, his opportunities will decrease.

Bobby Zamora – He was a great acquisition for teams at the tail end of last season providing a steady stream of assists and goals. He is the man at Fulham and wouldn’t do your team any harm.

John Arne Riise – A bit of a risk as we don’t know if he’ll start but if Martin Jol gives him a licence to roam, he could be a great pick up at a really cheap price. If he does start consistently, get on the band wagon quickly.

Liverpool

Possibly the hardest team to pick players from, with the possibility of picking up to ten viable players for fantasy this year. From the likes of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez to Pepe Reina at the back, Liverpool is littered with talent. I’m going to avoid their midfield as we really don’t know who is going to start, but Charlie Adam will be a great pick up for the first few games until Steven Gerrard is fit.

Andy Carroll – With all the rage over his strike partner, we are forgetting the damage that Carroll did last year at Newcastle. With a solid preseason behind him, and Suarez easing himself back in after the Copa America, expect Carroll to start paying back some of the hefty price tag that he cost Liverpool.

Luis Suarez – What a great player. He was in such good form last season and in the Copa America, he could really tear up the premiership this year. I’m a bit cautious to put him in straight away as I don’t know if he’ll start due to fatigue, but once fully fit, get him in your team.

Will Agger finally have a productive
season at Anfield? Yes he will.

Daniel Agger – This is a bit of a wildcard but he just scored two goals in their most recent preseason game and with Martin Skrtel injured to start the season, Agger has a huge chance to impress and cement his place. A bit of a punt early on, but worth the risk.

Manchester City

City is a tough team this year with so many players up front and a midfield that does not score a lot of fantasy points; we are mainly looking at the defence for points. A minor point on Sergio Aguero – as we don’t know if Carlos Tevez is leaving yet, we don’t know who will be taking penalties and free kicks. Depending on how things pan out, Aguero could be a very good buy as the season gets underway.

Joleon Lescott – Lescott can give his manager headaches with some of his defensive mistakes, but that doesn’t punish us as fantasy managers, and the goals he contributes are fantastic. Add that to a sturdy City defence, and you’ve got the recipe for a lot of points.

Alexander Kolarov – This is a risk and I would only pick Kolarov as a bench player but he could turn into something special. Used as a left winger for part of last season, he underperformed for City, but classed as a defender, he could get you some huge points if Mancini plays him in a forward role again.

Manchester United

Man Utd are a bit like Liverpool with their midfield and you don’t know who is going to start. Until we see a few games, I’d be cautious about picking players from Man Utd’s midfield. Their defence on the other hand...

Nemanja Vidic – The best defender last season and no reason to think he won’t be again this year. A threat from set pieces and the team captain, he’ll contribute a lot of points to your fantasy team this year. On a side note, it’ll be interesting to see how David De Gea goes. He might leak some early goals as he gets used to playing in the EPL.

Fabio – At the end of last season Fabio had overtaken his twin as the best right back on the Man Utd squad. At a good price for a Man Utd defender, and for a player who loves to get forward and play with the ball, if you can’t afford Vidic or Patrice Evra, Fabio is a fantastic alternative.

Wayne Rooney – It’s hard to ignore Rooney. He is such a wanker that you just don’t want to pick him for your team. If Robin Van Persie is injured, Darren Bent starts missing penalties, Sergio Aguero doesn’t live up to standards, or you’re just one of those wankers who support Man Utd, Rooney should be okay for you.

Newcastle United

Where will Joey Barton end up this year?

Newcastle are a team you want to avoid this season for fantasy points as we just don’t have any players this year who will consistently contribute. If Joey Barton stays, he’s a viable option but apart from him...Demba Ba is a good third striker to have on your bench if Newcastle is playing a weak team, but unless you are really stuck on options, I’d avoid Newcastle players this season.

Norwich

The Canaries are a bit of a tickler this year. Their players are very teasing after such a goal scoring romp last season in the championship. After having the second least amount of clean sheets, their defence is not even worth spitting at, but a couple of players on attack could come in handy.

Grant Holt – A good option similar to that of Ba. Holt will get his fair share of goals as he takes the penalties, but don’t expect a goal every game.

Wes Hoolahan – A roaming midfield player similar to Chris Brunt last year. He is again a good option for your bench, and he’ll regularly chip in with the odd goal and assist. Only consider playing Holt or Hoolahan if they’re playing an average defence.

Queens Park Rangers

QPR are an interesting side. A strong defensive unit last year, but their defence is not worth looking at in the prem. If you want a really cheap keeper, pick up Paddy Kenny as he’ll be making a lot of saves, but apart from him there are only a couple of players worth considering.

Adel Taarabt – Almost sold their best player before the season started (that could’ve cost them £90 if they got relegated without him), but luckily he is still there. He plays a roaming role and will likely pick up 10 goals and maybe 10 assists for the season. A good bench player if you are desperate.

Jay Bothroyd – A bit of a sleeper is Bothroyd. A prolific scorer who I think will really trouble premier league defences along with DJ Campbell. A good pick up at a great price.

Stoke

I know that Matthew Ethrington had a good year last year but let us avoid the Stoke attacking players this year.

Robert Huth – The huge German was a great fantasy player last year picking up six goals from the back. Although I wouldn’t start Huth every week, if Stoke have an average team coming to the Britannia, he is worth using your transfer to get him in for that week.

Sunderland

It pains me to say this, but Sunderland could have a couple of hidden fantasy gems this year. With a fit squad, Steve Bruce’s squad could really scare some teams this year, and pile misery on lesser teams.

Sessegnon could be one of the top scoring fantasy
 midfielders this year playing as a striker for Sunderland.

Stephane Sessegnon – Classed as a midfielder but playing as a second striker (always a recipe for success), Sessegnon has already scored three preseason goals, and looks a classy player. Playing alongside Asomoah Gyan, I think these two could have a great season up front for the Black Cats.

Michael Turner – I remember Turner from his Hull days in the prem where he regularly chipped in with goals. After an injury riddled season last year, Turner will be a great option this year. Sunderland has shored up their defence and Turner could quite likely start alongside the experienced Wes Brown, and after leaking a lot of goals last year, Sunderland will have a stellar defence this year.

Swansea

Sorry Swansea fans, but you aren’t worth touching with a barge pole. Not as bad as Bolton as Scott Sinclair may be productive, but if you still want to care about your team after Christmas, you’ll stay away from the Swans.

Tottenham

Spurs fans could have a tough time of it this year. Playing in the Europa league is not a fun experience (ask Liverpool fans about last year) with all the travel, and it can really affect your squad. The defence of Spurs is not steady enough – we don’t even know who’ll start in goal yet, but there attack offers one very good (albeit obvious) option.

Rafael Van der Vaart – The Dutchman was the pickup of the season last year and he’ll look to pick up where he left off. He was hampered by injuries at the tail end of last season, but I think Harry Redknapp will keep him out of the early Europa League fixtures to try and get Spurs into the top four again. The best midfield option after Frank Lampard this year.

West Brom

A bolter for the Baggies and for fantasy teams
around the world is Peter Odemwingie.

The Baggies are a tough team to predict fantasy wise.  They comfortably stayed up last year, but no one really had a great fantasy performance. Chris Brunt, Jerome Thomas, and Youssouf Mulumbu were all okay performers for West Brom.

Peter Odemwingie – A definite player to consider as your third forward (or second depending how you structure your team). Odemwingie picked up 15 goals and nine assists last term, and at a good price again this year, he could be a great buy.

Wigan

Do I have to write about Wigan? Nope. Good. (Sorry Mr Martinez – you are not as bad as Bolton if that helps).

Wolves

Wolves’ players will struggle this year fantasy wise. They will be lucky to stay up again. If you are confident in Wolves, you can look at acquiring Matt Jarvis or Jamie O’Hara but you’d really be clutching at straws if you thought these guys will push you to the top.

Arsenal and Aston Villa fantasy outlook.

Arsenal

RVP will be looking to stay injury free and
take the Golden Boot this season.

Arsenal go into this season with a lot of uncertainty over their squad but one thing we can be sure of is their stand out player. Robin Van Persie will once again lead the line and he is a player you cannot afford to let go if Fabregas leaves – meaning RVP will take the all the penalties.

A sleeper for Arsenal this year could be Kieran Gibbs at left back. At a cheap 5.5, he has no competition and is guaranteed starts. He likes to roam forward so he could get a fair few assists this year. If Arsenal shores up their defence, you may even steal a few clean sheets out of Gibbs.

The other player to consider is Theo Walcott when he is fit. I would only play Walcott against lesser opponents though as he takes no set pieces. He is very good against teams where Arsenal can rack up a few goals but in the tight games, it may be better to go with just RVP.

Aston Villa

Shay Given could transport Villa's defensive woes from
last season into one of the top defensive sides this season

Aston Villa goes into this season with a completely different fantasy outlook to last year. Last year we were wondering how good Gabby Agbonlahor may be and if Stewart Downing and Ashley Young could transform Villa into a top four team. Now we are wondering if Darren Bent, Marc Albrighton, and Charles N’Zogbia can keep them in the top half of the table.

From a fantasy point of view, Bent is the man this year. Expect 20 goals from Bent – he’ll take their penalties now that Young is gone, and he’ll be receiving some good service from Albrighton and N’Zogbia. Albrighton and N’Zogbia are worth  having a look at when Villa is playing weaker opponents, definitely worth saving a spot on the bench for one of these two.

Villa’s defence could be very good this year, and some players will be at a bargain price thanks to their shambolic defence last year. Luke Young, Stephen Warnock (who is in line for a good come back year) and Carlos Cuellar all come in at a bargain 5M thanks to the brilliant Shay Given between the posts.

Fantasy Football Guide

The screenshot of what your team
looks like on
fantasy.premierleague.com

As we approach the start of the new Premier League season, most of us will be starting to pick our line-ups for the first game of the season. This season promises to be evening more unpredictable than last season with as many as five realistic title contenders, and more importantly for fantasy, a host of new players with different teams. I’ll base my advice on having a starting XI and four reserves as in www.fantasy.premierleague.com, with one transfer each week, and with player prices based on this site.

Team setup

The core of your team should not change over the course of the season. If you have to change more than one player over the first few weeks, you are already losing too much ground. Start with a team of players who are guaranteed to start, and who stay out of injury trouble. Your defence should be strong and consistent all season, with at least two top defenders in your starting team. I would go with defenders who can also contribute goals – those who come up for set pieces, i.e. Nemanja Vidic, Michael Dawson, Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, David Luiz, and Robert Huth. Your attack can be a bit more risky, players who may contribute a lot one week, and then not so much the next week (this is where you can use your free transfer each week).

Glen Johnson is in line for a bounce
back year - assuming he can stay healthy.

Strong picks for the full season

There are a few players this season that will stand out and provide a steady influx of points to your team. I try and pick players here who will be taking a lot of set pieces, team captains (going to play each week), and team leaders (i.e. Frank Lampard). Some of the players that will have a stellar season this year are Lampard, Vidic, Luiz Suarez, Florent Malouda, Robin van Persie, Joleon Lescott, Glen Johnson, and David De Gea (which means basically the whole Man U defence – the trouble is picking the starters besides Vidic).

Sleepers for the season

Charlie Adam is in line for a huge season. He may be the highest scoring mid-
fielder this year come the end of the season.

There are a few players who I think will either come out of the blue, or be overlooked by most people. The first one is Charlie Adam. Steven Gerrard has been ruled out for at least the first few games and if Adam performs well in these which I suspect he will (he’ll take free kicks and probably take penalties (he took a penalty in pre-season)), he’ll be a great addition – even at the inflated price tag of 9M. Another player to look out for is Adel Taarabt. Playing from midfield, he plays a role like Frank Lampard, and expect Taarabt to be a great steal, similar to that of Chris Brunt last year. The last sleeper I’d suggest is a bit more obvious but he will no doubt get overlooked for cheaper midfield options such as jack Wilshere, Gareth Bale, or Ashley Young. That player is Frank Lampard. Although not an under the radar player, not many teams will pick him up this year. After a lacklustre performance from Chelsea last term, not many are focusing on them (Liverpool and Man City seem to be gaining all the attention), and I expect Lampard, Malouda, and Torres to click this season. He takes the penalties, free kicks, and gets goals from open play; Lampard will be a great player to have.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll do a team by team analysis of who to pick in your team, and what players you should avoid.

US Congress – A Member of New Zealand Golf?

I write this article as much in amazement today, rather than shock. As most of you know, we live in a democracy, where decisions that people disagree on, are usually voted upon. In some situations, one person has more sway, but more often that not, the people in the positions of power, will make the sensible decision (as much out of fear of losing power). I’m getting slightly off point now, but I just want to reinforce that we do live in a reasonable country, where common sense often prevails.

I have recently learnt that someone who has represented their country less than four years ago, has had her privilege taken away of playing in the local competition at her golf club. I assumed that there would be a good reason for this. Maybe this person has bad etiquette and was suspended; maybe this person got caught cheating; maybe this person rubbed some people the same way? All of these I asked myself. But it was none of these.

She has kids who play sport Saturday morning, therefore she can’t play golf in the morning so she plays in the afternoon. She has been doing this for the previous four years honing her skills to be in the top percentile of women golfers in the country! She is self employed throughout the week also having to look after her kids, the only time she can (not wants to), but can play golf is Saturday afternoon.


Ladies have been playing in the afternoon in their local competitions where half the field would play Saturday morning (those without commitments in that time) and the other half plays in the afternoon. This has been the case for the previous four years. But apparently four years ago this was not voted through the ‘proper’ channels. Even if it has been working for the past four years, hey let’s change things because old Betty Jones didn’t take the minutes of a meeting four years.


If things aren’t broke…It seems more confusing that the US Congress doesn’t it? Just let it be. Don’t afternoon golfers have it tougher because of the wind anyway?

Sorry Rory



Not needing any of the Irish luck this week,
McIlroy has been flawless.

 I hope this column is not premature. After two days of the US Golf Open, it is obvious just how good Rory McIlroy is. Although this isn’t his first major as a professional, McIlroy certainly reminds me of a young players who tamed Augusta National 14 years ago.

Currently sitting at 131 after two rounds (a US Open record), McIlroy sits six shots clear of Y.E. Yang in second and nine shots clear of the rest of the field. In the past two majors where McIlroy has held a sizeable lead (last years British Open and this years Masters), he has blown out in one of his remaining rounds.


I can’t see McIlroy losing from this position. There is no way that someone from the pack catches him assuming he doesn’t slip up. That would require them going 66, 67 in the weekend of a US Open. Congressional will get harder over the weekend. The organisers will not want to be remembered as the course where the leader finished 20 under par. The only way he will lose is if he repeats his final round meltdown at Augusta. The way he has been striking it (32/36 greens, 20/28 fairways), there is just no chance he blows this one.




Is Tiger Woods leaving the stage to be taken
by a 22 year old Northern Irishman?

 I hate to say this, and compare someone to Tiger, but we haven’t seen someone dominate the course and the opposition like this since Tiger tore the field apart at the US Open at Pebble Beach a little over a decade ago. I just hope I haven’t put the mockers on him,



Sorry Rory.




P.s. I predicted Dustin Johnson would win the US Open. Not looking good sitting at +4...
 
 
Sorry Dustin.

The Will to Win



Happy in his not so 'happy place' yet
 he found a way to win.

 Watching the State of Origin last night when New South Wales beat a highly vaunted Queensland side in the 2nd match of the series, inspired this column. Unexperienced, out-classed and with less pedigree than Queensland, NSW were able to win through sheer will. This made me think of a few other instances of where teams have won through will and not much else.

1) South Africa beating New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final. The All Blacks were the better team by a large margin having flown into the final, but it was the Springboks playing in front of their nation, playing for their nation, prevailing in a dour yet, tense affair. They were able to do this (with the help of Susie the lunch lady) through determination and sheer bloody determination to win in extra time.

2) Detroit Pistons beating the LA Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. Looking at this series on paper, the Pistons stood no chance. The Lakers comprised of four future hall of famers (three first-ballod), where the Pistons were comprised of five mix and match players. A bunch of misfits v hall of famers. The Pistons played as a team whereas the Lakers looked disjointed and as if it was for granted that they would win because of their superior talent. Flip Saunders and co epitomized team basketball which the Dallas Mavericks replicated all but three days ago in beating the much touted, Miami Heat.




The Azzuri getting knocked out in the first round thanks in
large part to a 1-1 draw against the All Whites.

 3) The All Whites 2010 football World Cup campaign. It’s almost too hard to put this into words. First there was the final qualifying game against Bahrain in Wellington (including a penalty save in the 2nd half which would’ve knocked the All Whites out of the World Cup), then the three World Cup games. All against much more talented opposition, New Zealand held it’s own, not through greater skill or simply ‘parking the bus’ (see Brighton & Hove Albion for this), but through determination to succeed. Epitomised by the captain Ryan Nelsen, who was the only player to make the tournament XI by a team which got knocked out in the first round. Inspirational stuff.



Dustin getting practice at
lifting trophy's before the US
Open this week.



Although it’s great for sports to have these dominant figures and teams, it’s great when you see people through hard work and a willingness to succeed, knock them down.

P.s. Dustin Johnson to win the US Open this week and a fiver on Adam Scott to finish in the top 5.

Who is the NBA MVP – The Top 10 rankings for 2010/2011 season.

At the forefront of everyone’s minds now is the eminent announcement of the NBA MVP. There have been many candidates, and this year seems to be one of those years where it is difficult to pin-point a definite MVP.


Great to see a (white) man dominate
the NBA like Love did this year.

 
To decide an MVP, we must first define it. MVP stands for ‘Most Valuable Player’. We define valuable, as precious, respected, appreciated, and of course, valued. We must be impartial when deciding this race and not look at history (in Kobe’s 1 MVP over his career or Lebron’s reigning 2 time MVP hold). In saying this, this is my personal MVP wish list, not the actual votes I think will happen come decision time. So enough rambling, let us look at this year’s MVP votes.


Here is a look at some honourable mentions for the 2010/2011 NBA season,


Kevin Love (pictured above right) – broke Moses Malone’s record of consecutive double doubles and I’d hate to think what the Timberwolves record would have been without him.

Doug Collins – although not a player – his work as coach of the 76ers to get them into the playoffs after many writers (including the sports guy http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/story?id=5722920) wrote the Sixers off, is astounding.

Deron Williams – It’s not his fault he got traded to the Nets. If he had stayed in Utah – we’d be talking about the best PG in the game, instead we’re talking about billboards and Jay-Z.

Tim Duncan – When will Duncan and the Spurs finally give up their mantle as team of the decade? Well it could be about 3 minutes away as Memphis could knock the number one Spurs out of the Playoffs.


Their expressions sum up the
result of the trade so far.



Amare Stoudemire (pictured left) – This guy would’ve made my top 10 list if Carmelo hadn’t come along. He was the leading MVP candidate after two months. His team got blown up and the offence got ripped apart. I hope Carmelo is sending Amare a massive Christmas present for stuffing up his season.

Chris Paul – An up and down season marred by injury – he’ll be back next year.

Rajon Rondo – Narrowly misses out on my top 10 list. Great season overall but had a terrible March/April where he cost his team the top seed in the NBA.


Number 10: Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs)

The best player this year on the team with the league’s second best record. Was huge in crunch time and without Ginobili – the Spurs would be sitting in the 7/8 spot entering this year’s playoffs.

Number 9: Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)

Pierce just gets this position over Rondo due to his consistency level throughout the season. Played in 80 games averaging 18ppg, 5 boards, 3 dimes, and 1 steal. Impressive stats for someone in their 13th season. Will be the key to the Celtics run towards the Finals.

Number 8: Dwayne Wade (pictured below right) (Miami Heat)




Two MVP's on one team. Does it win
you MVP's? Ask Scottie Pippen.
Does it win you Championships?
Ask Scottie Pippen.

  It is hard to argue against having Wade in this list. Although not the best player on his team, he is the heart of this team. His numbers alone are enough to get him onto this list (25ppg, 6 boards, 5 dimes and 1.5 steals) not including his big game play. On a side note – he will be the 2011 NBA Finals MVP.

Number 7: Lebron James (pictured right) (Miami Heat)

Although the best player in the game – the two time defending MVP champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers, this is an MVP vote, and I would argue the Heat would still be a decent team without Lebron (about level with the Knicks). His stats this year should stick him higher in this race, but deflecting to a team with two other very good players, means Lebron will have to have a ridiculous year to win MVP again.

Number 6: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

If this were a lifetime achievement award – Kobe would win. However it is not. Kobe was again very good this year, but not the most valuable. I would argue that Andrew Bynum was almost as valuable as Kobe, as when Bynum came back, the Lakers went on a surge after the All Star break. Good season, but not MVP calibre.

Number 5: Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

Although Derrick Rose will in all probability, be given the MVP this year, he does not deserve it. Let us take Derrick Rose off the Bulls. How valuable is he? You still have Carlos Boozer, Loul Deng, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Keith Bogans, C.J. Watson, and Kyle Korver. This team would still be good for 45 wins in the East (oh yeah, and the real MVP of the Bulls – Brian Scalabrine). The reason the Bulls got the top seed in the NBA was not because of Rose, but because of their defence. Rose is arguably the worst defensive player in the starting 5. Coach Tom Thibodeau is the Bulls' MVP this year.

Number 4: Lamarcus Aldridge (pictured below) (Portland Trailblazers)



Aldridge checking around the corner
to see if he will ever get someone close
to as good as Dwight next to him. Would
Mr Greg Oden please stand up?

 This guy has taken his game from a poor man’s Chris Bosh, to Chris Bosh being a homeless Lamarcus Aldridge. What a season. Without Brandon Roy for the majority, Aldridge improved in minutes per game, points, rebounds, blocks, free throw percentage, steals, and committed less fouls than the previous year. That is what a leader is all about. Without Aldridge this year, the Blazers would have been lucky to win 30 games.

Number 3: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma Thunder)

Led the NBA in scoring, led the Thunder to 55 wins, bought the Thunder Kendrick Perkins (without Durant, he wouldn’t have come), will lead the Thunder to the NBA Finals (okay that hasn’t happened yet but it will), and maybe most importantly for the Thunder, helped Russell Westbrook become a superstar. Durant’s case for MVP is similar to Iverson’s in 2001 when he won - I’m the man, I’ll score you points and I’ll win you games. He hit numerous game winners, and is so vital to the Thunder. Unfortunately, not as vital as the top two MVP vote getters.

Number 2: Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)

Dirk is so valuable to the Mavericks. Without him this season, the Mavericks went 2-7. With him they went 55-18. That would give them the equal best record with the Bulls at 62-20 with Nowitzki in the line-up. Nowitzki’s supporting group though, is abysmal compared to Rose’s – Caron Butler (their second best scorer), missed half the season with injury, Jason Kidd is ageing (although still pretty good), and Shaun Marion helps you out a little bit everywhere. Dirk is the man though. His fadeaway’s are unguardable, he is money from the free throw line, and he comes from the same line of ancestry as ‘the Hoff’ (okay that last past isn’t true, but just imagine it is – that would be cool).

Number 1: The NBA MVP: Dwight Howard (pictured below right) (Orlando Magic)


Superman (Dwight Howard) in full flight.

The Most Valuable Player in the NBA this season. Howard averaged 23 ppg, 14 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.5 steals, and 59 percent from the field. Great numbers. All near career best (except for blocks). How much help did Dwight have? Okay, he had an owner who bought in Gilbert Arenas. Should I say more? They sold and bought Hedo Turkoglu in the space of three years. They did bring in Jason Richardson which bought another poor defensive player to add to Howard’s woes (at least J-Rich can shoot it), and then there is Jameer Nelson. Someone with a bit of game. Here is where Dwight Howard becomes the MVP. Replace Howard with whoever you want. Nowitzki? 40 wins. Kobe? 40 wins. Lebron? 45 wins. Durant? 35 wins. Duncan? 45 wins. Dwight Howard? 52 wins. Dwight Howard with a supporting cast? 65 wins. Howard is so indispensible to the Magic that it can’t be described adequately. If he wasn’t there, that team would be lucky to win 30 games. Dwight Howard – please learn to shoot free throws though.



The nuts and bolts of Aussie Rules

AFL or Aussie Rules as it is more affectionately known to the wider world, has taken my attention over the last few days. Now the word affectionate, may be a strong term for my views on the game of the three I have watched, however, I can see why Aussies love this game.

Having watched the previously winless Gold Coast Suns - with the truly original eye popping logo... (pictured right) come from 30 points down in the last quarter, and win against Port Adelaide in Adelaide was bloody exciting stuff. Seeing the expression on the Port Adelaide player’s face when he missed a game winning kick – for lack of a better Mastercard expression, was priceless. If every game was like that, I could really take a fancy to the sport.

You have to wonder though, the narrow minded-ness of some of the Australian public towards the sport. Sydney, the largest city in Australia, has only just been granted a second expansion team. You would think Sydney would embrace this. Instead they are being so negative and pessimistic towards it because they think it is ‘rugby league’ territory. This is Australia’s national game. For Aussie Rules to prosper, it must be supported by Australia and not just those living in the garden state.

Aussie Rules is a non-stop game comprising of four 15 minute quarters. The players barely stop, and for a sport where the players still look as though they are dressed in the 80’s, it is enthralling stuff. The big hits, the skill that some of these guys have, and the extreme fitness (I swear one of these guys could win a long distance race at the Olympics!), makes it a spectacle.


If I was to support Aussie Rules, I would happily pick up the Gold Coast Suns (a new team where my family live), and root for them until the cows come home. Unfortunately, I don’t live in Australia and the lack of coverage overseas is non-existent. Considering you can pick up NRL games in the UK, you’d think you could pick up Aussie Rules. Maybe it is that stubborn streak from the like-minded Sydney folk who don’t want to share their wonderful game with the rest of the world. If you do make a trip to the land down under – whilst you’re munching a Vegemite sandwich - make sure you spread both sides to fully appreciate the greatness of Vegemite (although not as good as Marmite) (pictured above), make sure you catch a game of Aussie Rules.

NBA Betting Advice - 6th April

Good Morning everyone,

Well we have a full day of action today after yesterday's action. On a side note - U Conn got up over Butler and secured a spot in the championship game.

I have picked two bets today - I may pick a couple more after the morning games (I'm talking in NZ time by the way).

The first I have gone with is Atlanta to cover the spread v the San Antonio Spurs. The spread is +5.5. The Hawks are playing at home, have won their last three at the Philips Arena, and are facing a Spurs team who have been in disarray of late. I expect this to be close, mainly due to the Hawks not getting blown out on their home court.

Lock in Atlanta +5.5

The second bet I have gone with is the Orlando/Milwaukee game. I have gone over the total points where the line is 181 and over. Orlando are playing at home and they will score at least 100 against an average Bucks team. The Bucks have Michael Redd back in the lineup which will help their 3 pointers and free throws, but more importantly, will help push those points over 181. Expect a scoreline similar to 104-90 easily covering the total points.

Lock in Orlando/Milwaukee Over 181.

The other bet that I would seriously consider is for Philly to cover the spread against Boston. The only reason why i'm not betting on this is that this is a potential playoff matchup and the Celtics can be downright scary when they want to be. They may be taking this game very seriously. Apart from that though, the Sixers have been playing great, and recently beat the Bulls in Chicago.

NBA Betting Advice.

I've made a little bit of money by betting on the NBA over the last 5 years. I have my moments where I also lose a bit, but if you can regularly check results and do a little bit of research each day (I'd suggest about 20/30 minutes), you can be successful. I've started my TAB account in NZ at $20 and i've got it above $1000 on two seperate occasions. I'm not saying i'm a guru, but i'll offer regular advice on what to look at, what to bet on, and free picks for games.

Now you have to have a good source for information for your research. I mainly use Yahoo Sports (the site seems to be quicker than ESPN and NBA.com) although I do use SBR and betus.com to check out other people's opinions. When I bet on an NBA game, I usually stick to covering the spread or doing the total points in a game. I find total points a lot easier to pick dead certs, as there are always 1 or 2 favourable odds each day. For example, Minnesota were playing last week minus Kevin Love, and the total points were quite high, but Minnesota missing it's best player, it was always going to be under.

The thing with the NBA, is that there are usually at least 3/4 games every day, so you can research your options and pick what suits you. I usually do 3/4 bets per day, and as long as you pick up at least 2/4, you're not losing money. With a bit of research you'll start to get 2/3 more often than not, and you can eventually increase your account.

Now there are no games on today due to the college basketball Final Four taking place (I don't know enough about this to bet but if I was, I'd be taking U Conn due to the fact that Kemba Walker looks unstoppable), but i'll get my picks up tomorrow for the NBA games.

I am going travelling for a couple months in two weeks time, so my posting will be sporadic at best, but hopefully we can have a good week or two now, and then we can be ready for the start of the regular season in November later in the year.