1. Continue playing the Waiver Wire

Unlike the regular season, the waiver wire action in fantasy doesn’t stop after Week 13. You must stay away during the playoffs to give your team the best possible chance of winning the next matchup. While most of the time the stars of the waivers are gone due to their appearance earlier in the season, there are still some difference makers sitting on the wire who have a good chance of getting ahead given the shared opportunity. Look for players who are replacing injured stars like backup running backs or hot shot rookies who for whatever reason have eased as the season progresses, but coaches are ready to take the training wheels like the NFL usual. the season is reaching its climax. Never rest because it could cost you a fantasy football playoff win and it’s win or go home. In 2015, my friend picked up David Johnson from the Arizona Cardinals on the Wednesday before Week 15 of the season. For most leagues, including ours, this week is the semi-finals to decide who plays in the fantasy league championship. There are only 4 teams left at this point, so every mistake or success is magnified. Going back to Johnson, the Arizona running back ended up scoring more than 40 points to give my friend victory from the jaws of defeat as he was projected to lose by more than 30 before David Johnson’s game. It’s a reminder that the exemption cable always continues long after the regular season concludes.

2. Look at the pairings

Setting up rosters is usually a fluid activity, but it can be tough for a couple of weeks and that includes weeks in the fantasy football playoffs. Sometimes you may have two players who are side by side with each other in skill. That’s when you have to do a little research, like for a business project. The investigation in this case is to look at the opponents that those players face during the week. The fantasy site has rankings of how those opponents have fared against the positions of those players, such as running backs and wide receivers. After determining the pairing to see if it is a strong, medium, or weak opponent, you can make an educated guess to see which one is starting over the other. Usually the right move goes well, but sometimes it doesn’t go your way and you could have a situation where benching the wrong player could cost you a win like in my case when I was playing for the fantasy championship in 2016. That is. brings me to my final key topic of how to navigate through these playoffs.

3. Luck

At the end of the day, sometimes (in fact, all the time) you need good luck to get on your way and win a fantasy championship. The old adage “it’s better to be lucky than to be good” really applies in a homecoming or win situation like the playoffs. Your team could be strong all season long, making all the right moves, but then a bad week happens and all of a sudden your dream team is eliminated. That’s the cold truth about fantasy football. Sometimes you just need a little bit of luck to fight your way through to win that elusive title. The underlying point of this final key aspect is simply to have fun, you cannot control how well your team performs on any given Sunday. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but be prepared for any scenario so that you can maximize your experience of playing in the playoffs.

The playoffs are a fun and exciting time. Sometimes playing in the playoffs is like going through a storm that’s hard to get out of. Hopefully these tips will give you a better chance of winning a fantasy title, as that is what we all look for when we play fantasy football.

Here are the consensus bowl picks from the SportGamble.us staff.

Tuesday December 14

New Orleans Bowl

North Texas vs South Mississippi

SG Pick: North Texas

If the So. Miss Defense can stop Jamario Thomas from adding to their flashy stats, they should be able to keep this close.

7:30 pm

Tuesday December 21

Champions Sports Bowl

Georgia Tech vs Syracuse

SG Pick: Georgia Tech

7:45 pm

Wednesday December 22

GMAC bowl

Memphis vs Bowling Green

SG’s Pick: Bowling Green

I want to pick Memphis to win this battle, but the Falcon’s fourth-highest scoring offense in the nation will simply surpass Memphis no matter how well they play.

8:00 pm

Thursday, December 23

PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl

Cincinnati vs. Marshall

SG’s Pick: Marshall

Marshall has appeared to play in big games this year. I consider a bowling game to be a “big” game, right?

6:30 pm

Las Vegas Bowl

Wyoming vs UCLA

SG’s choice: UCLA

UCLA should burn Wyoming with its passing and passing game. Although Wyoming is playing its first bowling game in 11 years … that’s certainly motivating.

9:45 pm

Friday, December 24

Hawaii bowl

UAB vs Hawaii

SG’s pick: Hawaii

The NCAA’s all-time passing leader should have a day off against this no-show UAB defense

7:00 pm

Monday December 27

Bowl MPC Computers

Fresno State vs. 18 Virginia

SG’s choice: Virginia

Fresno State couldn’t play the big dogs this season and Virginia is on the horizon to become one.

2:00 pm

Motor City Bowl

Toledo vs Connecticut

SG election: Toledo

Does Connecticut have a soccer team? Well that’s what we would have said last season, but they have a quarterback who can destroy the secondary. You probably haven’t heard of him, but NFL scouts know him all too well. Connecticut has a chance if it captures the mindset it had when it met with Pittsburgh earlier in the year.

5:30 pm

Tuesday December 28

Independence Bowl

Iowa State vs Miami (Ohio)

SG Pick: Iowa State

Iowa state’s explosive offense will give Miami everything they want … plus something.

6:30 pm

Insight bowl

Oregon State vs Notre Dame

SG’s pick: Notre Dame

Notre Dame will fight with all its heart in defense of Tyrone Willingham. Oh, did we mention they’re a pretty good soccer team anyway?

9:45 pm

Wednesday, December 29

Houston bowl

Texas-El Paso vs Colorado

SG Pick: Texas-El Paso

Jordan Carson (does the name sound familiar?) Will finally get a chance to showcase his talents on national television. Colorado still wonders what happened in the Big 12 championship …

4:30 pm

Alamo bowl

24 State of Ohio vs State of Oklahoma

SG Pick: Ohio State

The state of Oklahoma is no stranger to big games. Unfortunately, they have not learned how to win them.

8:00 pm

Thursday December 30

Continental Tire Bowl

25 Boston College vs North Carolina

SG’s Choice: Boston College

North Carolina has a lack of “big game” experience, while Boston College has the “secret of success” to winning bowling games, they have won 4 in a row.

13:00

Emerald bowl

New Mexico vs Marina

SG’s choice: Marina

Did we say Marina? That’s how it is! These guys finally learned to play soccer.

4:30 pm

Holiday bowl

4 California vs 23 Texas Tech

SG Pick: California

Cal will punish Texas Tech for being kicked out of the BCS landscape.

8:00 pm

Silicon Valley bowl

Troy vs. Northern Illinois

SG Pick: Northern Illinois

Troy has never been to a bowling game and he’s not ready to win one, either. N. Illinois has a rushing attack that will outmatch this Troy defense.

11.00 pm

Friday December 31st

Music City Bowl

Alabama vs Minnesota

SG Pick: Alabama

This is not because we like the SEC. Minnesota doesn’t play at home …

12:00 pm

Bowl of the sun

Purdue vs 21 state of Arizona

SG’s Pick: Purdue

Arizona State comes with its second quarterback that Purdue’s young but very good defense should contain. Wait for Purdue to light up the scoreboard on this one!

2:00 pm

Liberty bowl

10 Boise State vs. 7 Louisville

SG’s pick: Louisville

This may be the bowling game of the year. If you like fast attacks and aggressive scoring, this game is for you! Vegas will explode with “total points” bets in this case.

3:30 pm

14 Miami (FLA.) Vs 20 Florida

Peach bowl

SG Pick: Florida

If Chris Leak (Gators) isn’t the best quarterback in the country, he will be. When the Gators are running full steam ahead, I’d pick them to beat anyone in the country. Keep an eye out for this one because it should be a money maker!

7:30 pm

Saturday, January 1

Cotton bowl

15 Tennessee vs. 22 Texas A&M

SG Pick: Tennessee

The Vols simply ran out of time in the SEC championship. I suspect they will pick up where they left off. Neither team “should” be here, so it will definitely be one of the best games to watch.

11am

Outback bowl

16 Wisconsin goes 8 Georgia

SG election: Georgia

Wisconsin can play offense, but GA’s quick defense will stop the run and force Wisconsin to pitch, resulting in too many mistakes to overcome. Georgia wins.

11am

Gator bowl

17 The state of Florida passes to West Virginia

SG Election: State of Florida

Florida State has outgrown Florida’s loss. Bowden’s ability to master bowling games has a “W” written all over it.

12:30 pm

Capital One Bowl

11 Iowa vs 12 LSU

SG choice: LSU (restrictions apply …)

LSU is young, but he managed to fight his way to a good game of bowling this year. If the LSU defense can keep the score close, they can do it.

13:00

Vase

13 Michigan vs 6 Texas

SG Pick: Texas

If Mack can persuade his players that they are as good as he is, the coaches of the nations, Texas, will outperform a strong Michigan team.

4:30 pm

Party Bowl

5 Utah vs 19 Pittsburgh

SG Pick: Utah

Pittsburgh slipped out the back door to win the Big East, but I’m afraid Utah will show Pitt what it’s like to play for the Big Boys.

8:30 pm

Monday, January 3

Sugar bowl

3 Auburn vs 9 Virginia Tech

SG’s Pick: Auburn

Auburn should play for the national title. Look for Auburn to win big for the small chance of title sharing.

8:00 pm

Tue, Jan 4

Orange bowl

1 Southern California vs 2 Oklahoma

SG Pick: Oklahoma

This should be reduced to the last trimester. Oklahoma should prevail with vigor.

8:00 pm

Feng shui cures or enhancers are used to suppress bad chi or to encourage good chi to visit you. At Flying Star School, items must be moved annually and monthly to make the necessary changes properly. Annual troubles should always be addressed first, and then ‘little tai chi’ is used to tend to monthly afflictions.

One thing that is rarely addressed with articles is that of broken or chipped objects. First of all, it is considered bad chi to preserve damaged items. The standard example concerns clothing – if your clothing has holes in it and the zippers no longer work, you would get rid of them. The same principle applies to damaged feng shui elements. The most important are protective cures.

For things like the 5-element pagoda, the ringing bell, crystals, and statues of celestial deities, a splinter or broken limb is believed to be an indication that that object has protected it. In essence, it has “hit him” and saved him from some disaster. While those who don’t understand this may scoff, those of us who have suffered immensely from being hit with the bad chi of the unfortunate stars, we make sure that we are adequately protected. As stated in previous articles on this topic, “I didn’t even know things like Flying Stars existed, but they got me anyway.”

Some Flying Star Feng Shui practitioners have had some really strange things happen to them with those protective cures (see some of my previous articles on the subject for my stories). People who can feel subtle energies can immediately notice when the energy has changed for the better. Something as simple as hanging a wind chime on the axis of a bad star can illuminate the area and make it comfortable. Also, to replace a broken or repaired cure; the energy changes immediately and simply feel best.

Even if one does not practice feng shui yet, certain items of protective jewelry could have taken a hit to the wearer. This is especially noticeable with new age glassware. Once you have worn a protective glass carving and it has exploded to dust while wearing it, you will understand. Since items that have belonged to other people can still carry your energy, it is also a good idea to clean everything before using them. Salt can be rubbed onto the item or it can be ‘stained’ with steaming sage leaves, or it can be placed in a salt bowl in sunlight for several days, or it can be placed in a candle flame or whatever another traditional means of cleaning.

For feng shui practitioners, all cures and enhancers are cleaned every year before moving in their new directions. Some should be replaced; certainly the damaged ones. Broken items should be treated with respect, not just thrown away. They can be buried, burned or thrown into the sea after the owner appreciates being protected from some cowardly event. In any case, old or new, the new year requires new energy, so it is nice to be able to have enough cures to let some rest in the storage area while the new ones take over next year.

© 2010 Dr. Valerie Olmsted All rights reserved

The AP Top 25 and Coaches Top 25 College Football polls are nationally recognized, but after more than 50 years of watching and / or covering college football games, and being a former daily newspaper sports editor, here is other view:

Auburn and Oregon continue to score and win, so they remain in the top two for another week.

1) Auburn (9-0) – Defeat Mississippi 51-31. He just keeps winning behind Heisman’s favorite Cam Newton. Where will Auburn be if Cam Newton is injured? The Tigers don’t want to know. Auburn has a child’s game against AA Chattanooga this week. Are you kidding me? Not really. The Tigers are not out of the jungle yet; they must face Georgia and then Alabama on the road. Trust me, Crimson Tide hides under the radar in thick brush, waiting to strike like a diamond rattlesnake.

2) Oregon (8-0) – Exploded at Southern Cal, 53-32, after the Trojans led in the third quarter. He kept SC scoreless in the final 25 minutes and scored 4 times. The Ducks have outscored their opposition 180-38 in the final half. They lead the nation in scoring offense (54 points per game) and total offense (572 yards per game). Go ahead, try to stop them. He then receives Washington. Wow, the Huskies are going to get run over.

3) Wisconsin (7-1) – Inactive this week. He has played such a weak schedule (67th) as Boise State (74th), TCU (72nd) and Utah (98th), but he has done something the Broncos, Horned Frogs and Utes have not done, and that is beat 2 first. ranked teams: Ohio State and Iowa in consecutive weeks. That’s why they’re No. 3. The Badgers travel to Purdue next, and they better win big.

4) Boise State (7-0) – Just beat Louisiana Tech 49-20. It then hosts the Hawaiian air raid and the Warriors. Hawaii leads the nation in passing offense, averaging 395 yards per game. The Broncos’ pass defense ranks eighth nationally. Let’s see who the fraud is.

5) TCU (9-0): thrown into the UNLV 48-6 bin. He then travels to undefeated Utah (8-0). Finally, this should be a good test for horned frogs. Utah is third in scoring offense, TCU is ninth. TCU ranks first nationally in scoring defense, Utah is sixth. Someone is going to suffer their first loss of the season.

6) Utah (8-0) – Just beat the Air Force, 28-23. TCU beat Air Force 38-7. Utes has the home field against TCU. What more can you ask for?

7) Alabama (7-1) – Inactive this week. I had the Crimson Tide at LSU this week when they actually travel to LSU (7-1) next week. If ‘Bama hadn’t lost to South Carolina earlier in the season, Crimson Tide would be 8-0. They have had to wait for the right moment, and now is when they must win and dominate.

8) LSU (7-1) – Like Alabama, idle this week and waiting for its chance to rise.

9) Nebraska (7-1) – Just finished visiting Missouri, 31-17. He then travels to the state of Iowa and must win big to stay here.

10) Oklahoma (7-1) – Shattered Colorado, 43-10. You must now travel to Texas A&M. The Aggies just beat Texas Tech, 45-27, and they don’t care how good the Sooners can be.

11) Stanford (7-1) – I just traveled to Washington and knocked out the Huskies, 41-zip. Next up is Arizona (also 7-1) in a huge Pac-10 showdown on Cardinal’s turf.

12) Arizona (7-1) – Managed to pass UCLA 29-21 in Los Angeles in a not-so-impressive victory, but a team of substance nonetheless. He has a golden opportunity for promotion by beating Stanford.

13) Iowa (6-2) – Big unexpected win with ease over Michigan State, 37-6, ruining the Spartans’ perfect season. They have lost to Arizona and Wisconsin, two good teams, but if you think they are an easy mark, play against them at home. Then travel to Indiana.

14) Michigan State (8-1): Iowa delivered lunch to the Spartans, but only 5 other teams have 8 wins so far this season. The Spartans host Minnesota next, and they must win big over the Golden Gophers to regroup and regain some strength early in the season. Too much success proved difficult to handle, but now he must try to win the rest of the season to qualify for a major game of bowling.

15) Ohio State (8-1) – Just beat Minnesota 52-10. The only loss was in Wisconsin, not bad at all. It will be inactive next week, and then will host Penn State the following week.

16) Missouri (7-1) – Lost to Nebraska on the road, but still a strong team. He then travels to Texas Tech, and must recover and win to stay here.

17) Oklahoma State (7-1) – Defeated by Kansas State 24-14 in an away game. He hasn’t really played with anyone; the only loss was to Nebraska. He faces a tougher opponent this week when Baylor (7-2) arrives. The Bears just beat Texas 30-22, which is good for their ego, even if this is a bad year for Mack Brown and the Longhorns. The Cowboys better be ready for the Baylor Bears.

18) South Carolina (6-2) – Just beat Tennessee 38-24. The Gamecocks are 18th just for beating Alabama earlier in the year. South Carolina has lost to Auburn (like 8 other teams) and the Kentucky Wildcats.

19) State of Mississippi (7-2) – Defeat Kentucky 24-17. They have only lost to Auburn 17-14 and in one road game at LSU. Not many other teams with 7 wins can say that. He has a week off and then he must travel to Alabama and face the Crimson Tide, which will tell us a lot about the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

20) North Carolina State (6-2) – Just beat Florida State, which is ranked 16th, 28-24. You must have something to do. He lost to Virginia Tech and in an away game at East Carolina. They have played the 45th toughest schedule among the top 120 teams. Then travel to Clemson.

21) Hawaii (7-2): Beat Idaho 45-10 and has the best air offense in the nation. You get real change to do some major damage on your next visit to the state of Boise. Boise State has the eighth best passing defense in the nation, so let the battle begin.

22) Baylor (7-2) – Beat Texas on the road, 30-22. He has played a tougher schedule than Boise State, TCU and Utah. You do not have a winning signature; lost to TCU and Texas Tech. He then traveled to Oklahoma State (7-1), a perfect opportunity to advance in the polls.

23) Nevada (7-1) – Won a shootout against Utah state, 56-42, which isn’t saying much, but has 7 wins with just one loss in Hawaii.

24) Oregon State (4-3) – Put a 35-7 beating on visiting California. Best 4-3 team in the country. They lost to TCU 30-21 and Boise State 37-24, but have beaten Arizona, Arizona State and crazy Washington. The Beavers have played the toughest schedule of any team, and Sagarin has ranked them 15th nationally. Then travel to UCLA.

25) Illinois (5-3) – Defeat Purdue 44-10. He has wins over Penn State and Indiana, and has played the 26th toughest schedule. Travel to Michigan for an interesting showdown.

Week 10 will find another undefeated team losing when TCU (9-0) travels to Utah (8-0) in a key Mountain West Conference clash. Other major games include Alabama at LSU, Arizona at Stanford, Arkansas at South Carolina, Baylor at Oklahoma, and Hawaii at Boise State.

Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley

The calories you burn while walking depend on two factors: your weight and the distance you walk.

Ideal for people of all ages, walking is kinder to your joints and most people can comfortably walk for a longer period of time than if they were going for a run.

Also remember, the heavier you are, the more calories you will burn doing any activity, even sedentary ones.

Based on your weight in pounds and walking at a speed of 3 miles per hour (20 minute mile), you burn calories at the following rates:

130 to 140 pounds: 3.5 calories burned per minute or 70 calories per mile

145 to 155 pounds – 4.0 calories burned per minute or 80 calories per mile

160 to 170 pounds – 4.5 calories burned per minute or 90 calories per mile

175 to 185 pounds – 5.0 calories burned per minute or 100 calories per mile

190 to 200 pounds – 5.5 calories burned per minute or 110 calories per mile

205 to 215 pounds – 6.0 calories burned per minute or 120 calories per mile

So, for example, if you weigh 150 pounds and walk at an average speed of 3 miles per hour, you burn about 4 calories per minute. Walking 30 minutes a day 5 days a week burns 120 calories a day and 600 calories a week.

If you fall outside this range, for every 10 pounds add or subtract 0.5 calories. For example, if you weigh 235 pounds and walk 3 miles per hour, you will burn 7 calories per minute. Walking 30 minutes a day 5 days a week burns 1,050 calories a week.

Expressed as calories burned per mile from walking:

weight in pounds 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 250 275 300 pounds

2.0 miles per hour 57 68 80 91 102 114 125 142 156 170

2.5 miles per hour 55 65 76 87 98 109 120 136 150 164

3.0 miles per hour 53 64 74 85 95 106 117 133 146 159

3.5 miles per hour 52 62 73 83 94 104 114 130 143 156

4.0 miles per hour 57 68 80 91 102 114 125 142 156 170

4.5 miles per hour 64 76 89 102 115 127 140 159 175 191

5.0 miles per hour 73 87 102 116 131 145 160 182 200 218

If you work with metrics:

2.0 miles = 3.2 kilometers

2.5 miles = 4.0 kilometers

3.0 miles = 4.8 kilometers

3.5 miles = 5.6 kilometers

4.0 miles = 6.4 kilometers

4.5 miles = 7.2 kilometers

5.0 miles = 8.0 kilometers

Walking 3.0 miles per hour is known as a 20 minute mile

Walking 3.5 miles per hour is known as a 17-minute mile

Walking 4.0 miles per hour is known as a 15 minute mile

Walking 4.5 miles per hour is known as a 13-minute mile.

The reason you burn more calories per mile at very low speeds, “walking in the museum,” is because with each step you stop and start without momentum propelling you forward. At the other end of the spectrum, walking at very high speeds of 4.5 miles per hour using a running step and arm movement puts more muscle groups into play, resulting in burning additional calories with each step.

When you start out and want to burn as many calories as possible, gradually walk more, instead of walking faster.

When you feel ready to work on your speed, for optimal fat burning, walk for 30 minutes at a pace where your breathing is noticeable but you can carry on a conversation in complete sentences. This would be 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.

If you want to increase your pace even more, learn to walk in races. The unusual gait allows you to walk at speeds in excess of 5 miles per hour, which builds well-formed muscles (especially your butt and legs), which causes you to burn more calories even when resting.

Many people, including cardiologists, say they burn the same number of calories running a distance as walking; the only difference is that the runner would do it in less time than the walker.

Runner’s World reports differently. They say that according to their tests, running is more difficult and burns more calories than walking at speeds less than 12 minutes per mile. But at 5 miles per hour and faster, walking burns more calories than running. The reason for this is likely because walking at very fast speeds forces your body to move in an inefficient and unnatural way, increasing your heart rate, oxygen consumption, and burning calories.

Whichever option you choose, walking is a great form of exercise. Do it regularly, most days if possible.

Both obesity and inactivity are growing problems. Walking five or six days a week improves your aerobic condition, strengthens your bones, helps fight disease, improves your psychological well-being, reduces stress, increases your metabolism, strengthens your muscles, increases your flexibility, improves your respiratory function and helps your concentration and memory.

Regardless of your weight and age, when walking becomes a habit, it clearly improves the quality of your life.

If you are a fan of MLB, you must know the lovable losers: the Chicago Cubs. It is a professional baseball team from Illinois and is a member of the National League. Why have they been called the adorable losers? That’s because they haven’t been able to pull off any championship wins in the past 102 years. This is the longest continuous lost time for any team in the national circle. The North Siders, The Cubbies, and The Boys in Blue are also fan-generated titles for this team.

Like any other Cubbies season, there was no sign of improvement in the Cubs’ ranks and their game in Season 4 of 2010. So they continued their legacy of playing to lose, negatively affecting the overall team spirit.

It will be a tough game for the Chicago Cubs against the hard hitting force that was the Cardinals’ main component, so they will focus on that when they compete with the Chicago Cubs. Tom Gorzelanny could come out as a game winner for the Cardinals. While, on the other hand, the Chicago Cubs will depend on their left handlers, as they are also on a three-game winning streak. The field at Wrigley could prove favorable for the cubs, as they have racked up numerous victories playing here, but never, of course, a championship.

There is great news to share when we are in the process of writing this post. The Chicago Cubs have beaten the St. Louis Cardinals with a stunning 5-0 victory. Although the start of the game was not very favorable for the Cubs, things began to fall in the returns of the Cubs. They were successful in pressuring the Cardinals with their outstanding pitches, punches and home runs.

Still, they haven’t beaten the champion in over a hundred years, but sometimes they have the motivation to outmaneuver their much more powerful opponents. We can well predict that The Boys in Blue will continue their winning streak and attempt to clinch the championship in real time as it happened today. We look forward to your matches with other teams.

If you are a fan of MLB and interested in cheap custom MLB jerseys, you must go here:

The early days of basketball often saw slow and unfriendly games for fans that often left viewers bored. Games often only reached their 40s and many of the best players averaged less than 15 points per game. Many of the early basketball games were more like a glorified version of the keep the kids away game than an action-packed professional sport. This style of play culminated in a game between Minneapolis and Fort Wayne, where the Fort Wayne Pistons held the ball for most of the second half with a 1-point lead over the Lakers. The Pistons would win 19-18 in the lowest-scoring game in NBA history. Before that, the fewest points scored 33 points, just 4 fewer than both teams scored, and that game was the opening night of the NBA, or BAA, as it was called back then.

This pace bored fans, many of whom were promised an action-packed fun experience and attendance and interest in the new league had started to wane. The NBA needed a solution and it needed it fast. The solution was ingenious and would revolutionize the game as we know it. A simple clock, with only 24 seconds on it, would change the game forever.

The watch was the brainchild of Syracuse Nationals general manager Leo Ferris, a man the NBA has long forgotten in one of the greatest parodies in game history. Ferris, is as important to the early days of the NBA as anyone and it could be argued that without Ferris there would be no NBA today; and there would definitely be no Atlanta Hawks or Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA would look very different today without the input from Ferris all those years ago.

Ferris began with basketball not in the NBA but in the NBL when in 1946 he helped found the Buffalo Bisons. The Bisons were practically a flop in upstate New York and after just 13 games the Bisons regained and left the shores of Lake Erie and headed for the American Heartland in Molina, Illinois. Technically, the team played in Molina and Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa, but most of its games were played in Molina. The team was called the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and as they struggled, they laid the foundations for one of the longest-serving NBA teams. The Blackhawks would eventually move to Milwaukee, where they took the nickname the Hawks, and then they would move to St Louis and finally Atlanta.

Shortly after the team moved to the Tri-Cities, Ferris would make one of his first major changes in the basketball world when he signed Pop Gates to the New York Black Ren on a contract. African American players had played in the NBL before, but only in the early 1940s, when World War II took away many of the white players in the NBL. Gates was the first black player to sign a contract when there wasn’t a need for them, and the first one signed because of his ability and talent and not because the league needed players. Gates would rejoin the Rens when they joined the NBL as Dayton Rens two years later.

After just one season with the Blackhawks, Ferris returned to his home state of New York and started as the general manager of the NBL’s Syracuse Nationals. As manager of the Nationals, he scored a major blow for the Nationals and the NBL when he lured the coveted big man Dolph Schayes away from the upstart BAA’s New York Knicks.

The rivalry between BAA and NBL only got worse, with the BAA snatching most of the best players from the NBL and, beginning in 1948, the BAA also began taking over the best teams. In 1947 the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals and Indianapolis Kautskies left the NBL for the BAA. The Nationals were now in an uncertain league and they and the NBL desperately needed to find a solution, and Leo Ferris would find that solution.

Beginning in the spring of 1949 Ferris began meeting with BAA executives, initially an attempt to get the Nationals into the growing league, but it would soon expand to merge the two leagues. The talks ended in August 1949 when an agreement was reached to merge the NBL and the BAA and form the NBA. The BAA only wanted to absorb two teams; the Nationals and the Indianapolis Olympians upstart; who would replace the Jets. Ferris managed to convince the BAA to accept both teams, as well as the Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Redskins, Anderson Packers and the Blackhawks. He originally wanted the merger to include Oshkosh, Hammond and Dayton, but the financial backing ruined Oshkosh’s attempt to relocate to Milwaukee and Hammond was thought to be too close to Chicago, where the BAA already had a team. The Dayton Rens weren’t allowed to join because their players were black players. In addition to the Rens not being allowed to join, the black players in Syracuse also had to be fired.

The merger proved successful as all 17 NBA teams had initial success, but the old NBL teams had given up too much power in the merger and despite Ferris’s best efforts, the league expelled 5 of the NBA teams. former NBL teams next season.

The 1950 season saw the Lakers continue their dominance and the Pistons figured the only way to stop them was to hold on to a lead point and the ball. This was the usurer event on the Leo Ferris watch or more commonly known as the shot clock. Ferris had always liked and been good at math, and he used math to get to the 24-second clock. He took the number of seconds in a 48-minute game (2,880) and divided it by the average number of shots in a game (120) to come up with 24 seconds.

It took the league 4 more years to implement the shot clocks and when they did, the league saw a jump in the score of almost 20 points per game and the game days ending in the 40s were gone. In fact, from the pitch clock introduction, there have only been 20 regular season games in which a team scored less than 60 points, and only one was a team scored less than 50 and only one playoff game was a team scored less than 60 points. points.

The introduction of the shot clock ushered the game into an era of frenetic paces, with teams scoring what was once thought of as an impossible number of points. In 1954-55, Neil Johnston led the NBA in scoring with 22 points per game, seven years later, Wilt Chamberlain would set the NBA record averaging 50 points per game.

Ferris would only stay in the NBA for one season after his watch was introduced before permanently leaving the league and the game to develop real estate. It was a surprisingly short run for someone who would have such a profound impact on the game.

Despite all that he accomplished, Ferris has yet to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. He has been a finalist a couple of times, but never made it to the consecration part. This is likely due to the utter disregard and disdain the NBA has often shown towards the NBL and its former players and staff.

Excluding Ferris has been one of the worst tragedies the NBA has done in its more than 70 years of existence. Many people are in the Hall of Fame with fewer resumes than Ferris, and yet Ferris is overlooked time and time again. Perhaps, hopefully, 2018 will be the year for the man who may have saved the NBA.

With the start of the NBA season underway, NBA fans across the country are lining up to play fantasy basketball. The two most popular formats used include season-long fantasy leagues and daily NBA fantasy contests. Both formats are available online through popular sports sites like Yahoo.com, NBA.com, DraftKings.com, and FanDuel.com, among others. Each format requires a different approach, providing something for players of all experience levels.

NBA fantasy leagues

For years, fantasy sports leagues have been conducted for the benefit of managers who want to manage their own team through the rigors of an entire season. While most leagues are played for fun, some league commissioners will host leagues with an entry fee and the prize money will be distributed at the end of the season.

The process begins with an organized draft. The most popular draft format is the standard “snake-draft” where a player’s position in the draft is determined by random drawing. For returning goalkeeping leagues, draft positions could be determined by the location of the coach from the previous season. In recent years, auction drafts have increased in popularity. With this format, each manager is given a fund, which is used to bid on players until their roster is full.

In both formats, each coach is required to draft a full squad of players based on league setup. Most leagues have up to 10 starting roster positions plus bench players. Depending on league rules, managers can make player moves on a daily or weekly basis. Scoring is determined by league rules and competition is head-to-head on a weekly basis. Towards the end of the season, the teams with the best overall records head to the playoffs, which generally cover the last 2-3 weeks of the NBA regular season.

Daily NBA fantasy contests

For managers who like their fast and furious action with cash on the line, popular fantasy sites provide access to daily contests. These daily contests come in a variety of formats that are listed on the website. Managers can choose to compete head-to-head with a smaller group of managers ranging from 2 to 25 contestants. These contests are generally designed and posted by one of the contestants, who then opens the registration process to any contestant who wishes to participate based on the contest settings. Entry fees range from $ 5 to $ 1,000 per contestant. While in some contests the winner takes all, contests with more than 10 contestants may offer small consolation prizes. In all contests, the fantasy sports site will charge a fee (usually 10%) to cover administrative costs plus winnings.

The other popular format is the sponsored contests provided by the website. These contests typically have thousands of entries with huge guaranteed prize packages on offer for a relatively small entry fee. The greater the participation in these contests, the greater the number of places that will be paid. Prize packages can include large cash prizes, consumer goods, or prize packages for special events where something like a Super Bowl weekend could be at stake. Often times, managers can earn a free entry fee by winning smaller satellite contests along the way.

The website provides the contest rules and scoring parameters. Each manager receives a salary cap (typically $ 50,000) to use when selecting players. Each player who is scheduled to play on a given night will be assigned a salary cap value. Obviously, the better the player, the higher the value. The team structure is usually PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and UTIL player.

Now that you have a general idea of ​​how to play fantasy basketball, it’s time to join the fray. If you choose to play in daily contests, you should remember that many coaches have a lot of experience, which could put you at a disadvantage. The bottom line is that you should never put more money at stake than you can afford to lose.

It’s not often that a last-place team has the distinction of possessing the longest active winning streak in MLB. Going into another baseball weekend, though, the Washington Nationals (just 46-56 overall), are on a six-game winning streak in their three-game series at Dodger Stadium (10:40 ET).

My free game for Friday is in the Bal Orioles over the Chi White Sox at 7:05 ET. After spending two of the last three days, I open the weekend with a single play on Friday. He’s a Las Vegas Insider as I try to improve my 25-13 streak since May 1 with these exclusive plays.

Washington’s six wins have come at home (three against the Cubs and three against the Giants) and while they will be on the road tonight (where the team is just 20-32), the good news is that they are playing the Dodgers. LA has lost eight straight games (MLB’s longest active losing streak) and is 1-13 since halftime.

The Dodgers have been outscored 81-29 in that span, and the team that went into halftime with the best batting average in the National League can’t seem to hit (or score) these days. LA hasn’t lost nine straight games since June 1992, when the Dodgers suffered a 10-game losing streak.

Tonight’s pitching showdown isn’t a classic, as Tony Armas goes for the Nats and rookie Chad Billingsley for the Dodgers. Alfonso Soriano is clearly not allowing the trade rumors to bother him, as he is hitting. 422 from the break, leading Washington to an 8-4 record.

It’s a full schedule of games tonight (15), with the Tigers / Twins reunion taking center stage. Detroit owns the best MLB overall record at 68-33, but no team has garnered more attention these days than the red-hot Twins, who have been 34-8 since June 8.

Minnesota was 11 games away from the AL wild-card spot before his current career, but enters this three-game series at home with Detroit tied with the White Sox at 59-41, just half a game behind the New Yankees. York (59-40).

The bad news for Minnesota is that the Twins are 2-7 against Detroit this year (outscored 64-25), including a three-game sweep of the Tigers at Comerica Park in late April in which the Tigers outscored the Twins, 33 -1! More bad news for the Twins comes from the fact that the Tigers’ 30-13 record in the AL Central is the best record of any team in MLB against its own division.

Tonight’s game (8:10 ET) features two rookie pitchers, Detroit’s Zack Miner and the Twins’ Francisco Liriano. Miner has pitched in the shadow of Justin Verlander this year, but after being called up in early June, he has pitched very well. He lost his first start, but then won six in a row, with a 2.13 ERA.

However, Miner has been bombarded in his last two outings, allowing 15 hits and 10 ER in just 6.2 innings. That’s not good news against the Twins, a team that owns MLB’s best home record at 37-11, after winning 20 of its last 21 home games.

Liriano, of course, as has been important news this year. He had his first start on 5/19 and is 11-2 in his 13 starts in 2006, posting a 1.93 ERA. He started the year in the bullpen and has faced the Tigers twice this season.

He allowed 11 hits and seven ERs in just 3.2 innings of work against Detroit in those two appearances and it should be noted that the Tigers are 23-7 against left-handed starters this year, including 13-4 on the road. Those two relief appearances don’t seem like much of a concern to me though, as the Twins are the favorites under $ 1.75 (and climbing!).

While the Tigers / Twins series is the marquee showdown of the weekend, the Angels and Red Sox also open a three-game series of note tonight. The Angels are 17-5 in July and enter the A’s midgame weekend in the AL West.

The Red Sox have the second-best record in the MLB at 61-39 and while they have made the postseason in each of the last three seasons, including the World Series in 2004, they have not won the AL East since 1995.

In fact, the archrivals of the New York Yankees finished the first eight years in a row and nine of the last 10. Boston enters the weekend with a game and a half advantage over the Yankees in the East.

A quick review of the “money line” ranking shows that the Tigers continue to dominate the majors, at more than $ 3,047 for the year. The Twins’ recent hot streak and Chicago’s recent slump (the White Sox are just 2-10 since halftime and have lost 12 of their last 15), has caused a change behind Detroit.

The White Sox have fallen into the top five, with more than $ 569. Meanwhile, Minnesota is in second place with more $ 1,870, the Red Sox are third with more $ 1,341, the Mets are fourth with more $ 1,028 and the Reds (only 54-48) are now fifth with over- $ 641.

A look at the bottom points shows the Pirates at minus $ 2,283, the Indians at minus $ 1,968, the Cubs at minus $ 1,808, the Astros at minus $ 1,698 and the Phillies at minus $ 1,579. Despite MLB’s worst record (35-66), the Royals are under $ 510 on the year.

The lines are removed for the NFL Hall of Fame Game (the Eagles are minus 3 and the total is 36), Week 1 of the preseason, and Week 1 of the NFL regular season. My NFL previews will start on Monday.

Ness Notes is available Monday through Friday at 1:00 ET.

Las Vegas has started to offer its usual smorgasbord of soccer contests and, as always, there are more selections to choose from than the buffet at Bellagio!

The most important, of course, is the Hilton Las Vegas Supercontest, which has been around for years and proclaims its winner as the best handicapper in the world.

Canadian Tony Ricci of Vancover (the blue team) won $ 303,000 in 2005.

The entry fee is $ 1,500 and participants choose five NFL games a week against a margin of competition.

Twenty places are paid.

Last year, the competition attracted a record 505 participants.

This year, registration began in mid-July and registrations have been slow, according to an employee, as backlash appears to be mounting in protest at the large number of participants.

Some of the top Las Vegas handicappers have stated that they will not participate in the SuperContest this year, although SuperBook officials have predicted that a new mark of around 600 will be set.

SuperBook supervisory staff are said to be pushing to increase the entry fee to at least $ 2,000 in 2007.

Only 20 players had signed up as of Monday, but the Hilton expects a series of entries to occur on the last weekend of August, as well as on Labor Day weekend.

The early-bird deadline, which gives players a chance to win $ 10,000 in a three-week mini-contest at the end of the season, is 4 p.m. on September 1.

The Hilton will get solid competition at the top end this year from Harrah’s, whose resorts are naming a new NFL competition, Glory of the Gridiron, which already has a $ 2,000 entry fee.

The company will add $ 50,000 to the pool.

Participating resorts, in addition to Harrah’s, are Caesars Palace, Bally’s, Paris, Flamingo, Rio, and Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe.

The registration deadline is 2 pm on September 9.

With the legendary Stardust about to be demolished, probably before the end of the year, there will be no Stardust Invitational this season after a successful 11-year run.

ProCappers.com handicapper Marc Lawrence won the final Invitational last year, defeating popular leader Fezzik in the seven-game final.

That void is being filled with Leroy’s Money Talks football contest, in which the top two players each week make seven grad plays, college or career, against Leroy’s Friday night line.

The competition debuted last season, with 16 players each betting $ 2,500 to enter and Leroy’s, which operates more than 60 Silver State books, throwing in $ 10,000.

Former Las Vegas bookmaker Nick Bogdanovich took home the $ 40,000 jackpot and ProCappers.com handicapper Bryan Leonard finished as runner-up.

The bets are doubled this time.

The buy-in is $ 5,000 and Leroy is winning another $ 20,000 for a $ 100,000 pot.

About three dozen people have expressed interest in securing one of the 16 locations.

An announcement about the field’s selection was due last week, but, according to media relations director Jimmy Vaccaro, it was postponed until certain documents are signed.

“We know who we want, but we have to put points on all i’s and cross out all t’s,” Vaccaro said late last week.

Leroy’s will also host its $ 250-per-ticket college football contest, but the lead man, Vic Salerno, has decided not to host a similar NFL competition.

Rather, Leroy’s will continue their professional Pick’em & Win contest.

Details on all Leroy contests will be posted shortly.

Station Casinos, which continues to add new properties to its ever-growing family, will sponsor two contests, including the No-Points Great Giveaway, consistently voted the best soccer contest in town by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Tickets are $ 25 each and those who buy two get a third free.

The Great Giveaway is offering $ 1,000,000 in cash prizes, with $ 510,000 reserved for weekly winners and another $ 490,000 awarded at the end of the season.

Weekly prizes will total $ 30,000, with $ 10,000 for the contestant who chooses the most winners and another $ 5,000 for the contestant with the most losers.

The first place winner at the end of the season will receive $ 100,000, the second place $ 50,000 and the third place $ 25,000.

The person with the most losses will win $ 50,000.

Additionally, $ 200,000 will be divided among players who “Fiddle in the Middle” or are closer to selecting the 50 percent winners and losers.

Participating resorts are Palace Station, Boulder Station, Sunset Station, Texas Station, Santa Fe Station, Red Rock Station, and Green Valley Ranch.

The Challenge of Stations of $ 1,000 per entry will also return, with a guaranteed jackpot of $ 100,000.

Players can buy up to three tickets

Contestants will also compete for the use of a Mercedes Benz for one year and $ 12,500 to be awarded the winner of a four-week mini-contest.

An additional $ 10,000 is up for grabs for early bird contestants who register by September 1 in a “Beat the House Bookmaker” competition.

Coast Casinos, which merged with Boyd Group earlier this year, will renew Friendly Frank’s $ 1,000,000 Pick the Pros Contest with no points for the 29th consecutive year.

Tickets are $ 25 each and contestants who buy four receive a fifth free.

The prize is $ 100.00, with $ 50,000 for the second, $ 25,000 for the third, $ 10,000 for the fourth, and $ 5,000 for the fifth.

The next 300 winners will receive $ 1,000 each.

An additional $ 30,000 will be awarded per week, including $ 10,000 for the weekly winner.

Those who register before 4pm on September 7 will be eligible to win $ 3,000 and other prizes.

The casinos involved include Gold Coast, Barbary Coast, Suncoast, South Coast, Fremont, and Sam’s Town.

The Palms will return your Pigskin Payoff Contest, which offers $ 300.00 in cash prizes.

The partial breakdown is $ 271,000 in weekly prizes and a $ 10,000 end-of-season prize.

Tickets are $ 25 each and those who buy three before August. 20 will receive $ 10 worth of slots.

More information about the contest will be available in a later story.