Top 10 Fantasy Quarterbacks - 2012 NFL Season

In a lot of leagues, the Quarterback is the player that produces the most amount of points for a fantasy team in each and every week. With the season only 3 weeks away, and a lot of drafts coming up, we listed what we felt were the top best NFL quarterbacks to draft this season. Let us know what you think.

1. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay)
2. Tom Brady (New England)
3. Drew Brees (New Orleans)
4. Matthew Stafford (Detroit)
5. Matt Schaub (Houston)
6. Michael Vick (Eagles)
7. Peyton Manning (Broncos)
8. Eli Manning (Giants)
9. Tony Romo (Cowboys)
10. Cam Newton (Panthers)

Please note that this does not necessarily represent the ten best QBs in the league, but the ones that are likely to give you the most amount of fantasy points.

Who Will Make The Top 4 - Hell's Kitchen Season 10

Season 10 of Hell's Kitchen doesn't exactly have a clear favorite like previous seasons. That being said, there are definitely a few contestants that stand out from the others. Here's my prediction on who will be the last 4 remaining (in order of best to worst).

1. Christina: She fits the criteria in what Chef Ramsey is looking for. She can cook, she doesn't get overly stressed when things get tough, and she's a leader in the kitchen. She's had very little hiccups this season and is the favorite so far.

2. Justin: Justin is definitely a close second. Achieving the perfect score on the pallet challenge definitely helped and he has had very little mishaps in the kitchen as well. While he has demonstrated some leadership abilities, it can be misconstrued sometimes as "Barking orders" more than leading a team which makes him slightly below Christina.

3. Dana: Dana was in the top 2 until the last couple of episodes where she has demonstrated some inconsistencies. She will definitely get the coveted black jacket (6 chefs total get it), but can't see her beating out Justin and Christina unless something big happens.

4. Barbie: The #4 spot could be almost anyone at this point, but giving it to Barbie. Chef Ramsey likes her for whatever reason and she has proven herself to be a great cook. While she's too quiet and can be slow at times, she'll probably beat out everyone else. Brian and Clemenza have messed up too many times at this point (especially Clemenza), Kimmie is way too quiet, and Robyn can't seem to work with everyone else (her or Clemenza are next to go).

2012 NFL predictions

It's a little early, but the draft is done, the saints received their punishment and I'm craving football season since my mets look like crap. Here are my 2012 NFL predictions. Playoff seeding in paranthesis.

AFC East:
Patriots: 12-4 (1)
Bills: 9-7
Jets: 9-7
Dolphins: 7-9

AFC South:
Texans: 11-5 (3)
Titans: 9-7
Colts: 6-10
Jaguars: 3-13

AFC North:
Ravens: 11-5 (2)
Bengals: 10-6 (5)
Steelers: 10-6 (6)
Browns: 4-12

AFC West:
Broncos: 11-5 (4)
Raiders: 9-7
Chargers: 7-9
Chiefs: 7-9

NFC East:
Giants: 12-4 (2)
Eagles: 10-6 (6)
Cowboys: 8-8
Redskins: 6-10

NFC South:
Saints: 10-6 (4)
Panthers: 10-6 (5)
Falcons: 10-6
Buccaneers: 4-12

NFC North:
Packers: 12-4 (1)
Lions: 10-6
Bears: 9-7
Vikings: 6-10

NFC West:
49ers: 11-5 (3)
Seahawks: 8-8
Cardinals: 7-9
Rams: 5-11

A Song for Trayvon

Came across this video by Jasiri X on MoveOn.org's YouTube chanenl: "A Song for Trayvon". If the title didn't give it away, the song is a reaction to the Trayvon murders. Song is based on "No Church in the Wild" by Jay-Z and Kanye and has some pretty controversial lyrics (which I pasted below). You can check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOahRYtw3lo

It's Sunday the God's day, a day of rest
The NBA all stars are playing next. But right outside that same city the celebratory atmosphere would
change quickly
Who watching the game with me you know lil Trayvon was
reppin his home town
D Wade and LeBron
He had just came up from
Miami to see his daddy
Who knew such a great weekend would end so badly
In a place where you move because it's safe for your family
But some people got a ingrown hate for your family
Halftime just a short brake from the slammin
Bout to go to the store lil cuz you want some candy?
Bet I grab you some skittles kid. I'll be right back in a little bit
How bout I grab you some skittles kid. I'll be right back in a little bit.

(Chorus)

Paid for lil cuz's skittles and a iced tea walked out the store and felt the chill of the night breeze
It seemed a little colder than before he didn't know
it was a boy like a soldier in a war that was watching him clocking him
thinking about stopping him
nine milly cocking them
who's this nigga
walking in my neighborhood?
He fits all the specifics of criminal statistics-- he
looks suspicious "911, what's your emergency?"
A black man's walking through my hood purposely
stay clam, it's just little Trayvon but he wanna
be the hero so he put's his cape on
George Zimmerman neighborhood block captain
loaded glock strapped in fake cop has been got out the car
ignoring what the cops asked him
"They always get away this time that will
not happen!"

George Zimmerman didn't take his Ritalin drunk off adrenaline says he
making a citizens arrest
Trayvon looks at him vexxed "I just walked to the
store nothing more nothing less"
Just steps from his home he ignored his
request George grabs him, Trayvon swings and connects
Starts screaming out for help
but Zimmerman see a threat so he pulls out his gun and he
points it at his chest
He fires but he misses Trayvon pleads for forgiveness
"I didn't do nothing" this is senseless
but George Zimmerman was so vicious he made sure the second shot hit em no survivor no witness
Trayvon never gave his cousin his skittles, missed the all star
game didn't see another dribble

And George Zimmerman wasn't even arrested.
The message is only white lives are protected In America.

2012 MLB predictions

This is my first post from my iPad so please pardon the autocorrect errors. I call this time of year sports limbo because it's between the super bowl and MLB season. As a mets fan though, I have very little to look forward to. That being said, here are my predictions for the 2012 MLB season standings.

AL East:

New York Yankees: 99-63
Boston Red Sox: 98-64
Toronto Blue Jays: 87-75
Tampa Bay Rays: 85-77
Baltimore Orioles: 62-100

AL Central:

Detroit Tigers: 93-69
Chicago White Sox: 84-78
Kansas City Royals: 82-80
Cleveland Indians: 74-88
Minnesota Twins: 74-88

AL West:

Texas Rangers: 92-70
Los Angeles Angels: 90-72
Oakland Athletics: 82-80
Seattle Mariners: 72-90


NL East:

Philadelphia Eagles: 103-59
Florida Marlins: 97-65
Atlanta Braves: 85-77
Washington Nationals: 76-86
New York Mets: 72-90

NL Central:

Milwaukee Brewers: 97-65
St. Louis Cardinals: 86-76
Cincinnati Reds: 84-78
Pittsburgh Pirates: 76-86
Chicago Cubs: 73-89
Houston Astros: 70-92

NL West:

San Francisco Giants: 93-69
Arizona Diamondbacks: 90-72
Colorado Rockies: 82-80
Los Angeles Dodgers: 77-85
San Diego Padres: 76-86

How to Win at Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the more fun options at the casino and also has one of the better odds out of any game. As someone who has played a lot of games, I've learned a lot on the best ways you can improve your odds at winning at blackjack. Keep in mind that it's still gambling and there is no sure fire way to win at every hand, but following the below 10 tips and it will help significantly improve your odds. Keep in mind, these are NOT for single deck blackjack (most of the games in casinos aren't single deck anyway).

1. Follow "the book" - There's a guide that will give you insight on when to hit and when to stay along with the odds  if you do either/or. You can find an example here that tells you when to hit or stand based on what the dealer has and what you have. Some people will say "it doesn't matter" because it's all random, but by always going by which odds favor YOU it will help increase your chances (plus the table won't get mad at you by sticking with the book :) ).

2. Understand You're Competing Against the Dealer - This is something overlooked by people who don't follow "the book". I can't count how many times a person hit with a 15 when they shouldn't have only because "it's a 15". If the dealer is showing a 6, there is a strong chance that they'll bust their hand. Why risk busting with your 15 then? Stay and go with the odds. A 15 with a dealer showing the 10, however, completely changes what you should be doing.

3. Get a Good Table - So you're following the book, making sure to pay attention to what the dealer actually has, but asshole to your left has no clue what he's doing. He's not only going to fuck up his hand, but possibly fuck up your as well. I know it's tough finding open tables sometimes, but you don't want to sit with a wildcard like that.

4. Double Down!! - To win significant amounts of cash at Blackjack, you need to take advantage of Double Down / Split opportunities. If the dealer is showing anything but a 10 / Face and you have an 11, DOUBLE DOWN. If a dealer has a 4 - 6 and you have an 8 - 11, DOUBLE DOWN. Also, split cards when you can. 8's and Ace's should always be split (never split 10's or face cards) and the others are dependent on what the dealer has. If you have the opportunity to split 3 or 4 times DO IT. It's how you win.

5. Be Consistent with Tough Calls - Not every hand is black and white and some can go either way. My least favorite blackjack hand is one of those examples. If you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 7, it's a very tough call. If you hit, there's a decent chance you'll bust, but there's also a decent chance the dealer is showing a 17. Whatever you decide to do on this type of hand, make sure you're consistent. Think of it as a coin flip. If you call heads and lose, chances are if you keep calling heads you'll win next time or the time after. If you keep changing it up, you can lose 3, 4, or even more in a row. These type of hands, there is no "wrong answer", just keep consistent.

6. Don't Rush - Who cares if the guy next to you hates that it takes you 2 seconds longer to calculate the total of your hand. Don't feel pressured to rush to "hit" or "stay" because you're holding up the table a bit. It's your money and you want to win.

7. Avoid the Sucker Bets - Many casino's have these side bets where you can bet that you'll be two identical cards (or something similar) and then you'll win some extra money. These are a waste of your money and a good way to burn through your cash.

8. Unsure? Ask the Dealer - The dealer is on your side. If you win money, there's more of a chance they'll get tips. Following the book takes some experience to remember completely, so if you're unsure about whether or not to hit or stay ask "what does the book say to do here". They'll tell you (with a disclaimer saying "but you can do whatever") and follow the book's advice. People who know how to play at the table will appreciate it too.

9. Don't do Insurance - Another sucker bet in my opinion. It works some times, but if you do insurance every time the dealer shows an Ace you'll lose money. Remember, the casino wants to make money so the reason why it's available is that they earn more from insurance than lose from it.

10. Understand "Always" Hands - These are hands that I dub as ones where you always complete the same action. If you have a 3 - 11 ALWAYS hit. Double down too if need be. Same with soft 12s - 15s (soft meaning that the Ace is used as an 11, but can be also used as a 1). ALWAYS stay on 18 - 21. 17 in most cases too, but I'm not 100% against someone hitting on a 17 if the dealer is showing a 10. ALWAYS split 8's and Ace's. 7's in most cases too.

How to Win at Hanging With Friends

A little while back I created a blog post "How to Win at Words with Friends". Around that time, I discovered a game by the same creators, Hanging with Friends, that has been gaining some popularity over the past few months. For those of you who don't know what Hanging with Friends is, it's a hang man game where you play with friends over your mobile device. You pick a word (based on a few available letters) for your friend to solve, and they have to figure it out within a certain number of strikes. Once they solve or don't solve, they create a word and it's your turn to solve. You keep doing this until the first person reaches five strikes. While a very fun game, it's not always the easiest to win, but follow the tips below to improve your Hanging with Friends win streak.

1. Understand that the Letter Revealed is the Last Vowel: This is important to know for both the guesser and the word creator. Hanging with Friends always gives the guesser a free letter and it's the last vowel in the word. Don't create a word where the last vowel appears more than once in the word, and if you see that a vowel appears with 3 or 4 letters after start guessing consonants that can be bunched together (i.e. rch for porch, or nts for words like flints).

2. When the E is the 2nd to last Letter Guess R, D, or S: While this doesn't always hold true, more often than not if the letter revealed is an E and only one letter is after that E, it will be either an R, D, or S. Guess this before moving onto the other letters. Again, not always the case, but more often than not, it holds true.

3. Get the Vowel Guess Out of the Way: If you have a word with five blanks before the first vowel appears, you know there's another vowel. Always go with the guesses you know will help to reveal a letter.

4. Use Y's as a Vowel When Possible: This is a great way to throw people off. One of my favorite words to play is simply "pyros" because people don't expect that y there. _ _ _ o _ will make them go with a, e, i, o, u before thinking that maybe it's a word without any more vowels. This works even better for longer words with one vowel (besides Y) and Y.

5. Throw People Off with the First Letter: Getting the first letter right opens the doors for guessers and makes it a lot easier to solve the word. A good way to throw them off is by using an uncommon word that has letters (other than the first) that form multiple other words. If you play "wend", for example, if a person gets the "end", they are going to likely guess "send", "tend", "mend", and "bend" before turning to wend. Words like this help players win games.

6. Go for the Longer Word if Possible: Longer words means less guesses. Add the s to the end of the word to give the guesser one less strike (or "ed"). Avoid, however, adding an extra letter that's already within the word.

7. Use Two Letters with an 8 or More Point Value Within One Word: X, Q, J, Z...if you can use two of these letters within one word do it. The guesser might get one, but more often than not they will not think to guess to. Even if you have to use a double letter like "Jazzy", it's still a great choice for a word.

8. Plays Words with Vowels as the First Letter: This works well with words that look like no vowels are left (i.e. "axis"). If you play a word with a vowel as the first letter when the word looks like there are no more (again _ _ i _), it's a good way to throw them off. It shouldn't be done all the time, but playing it infrequently and smart is an efficient way to give them a strike.

9. When Guessing, Think of a Possible Word Before Selecting a Letter: We know T, S, R or all common letters, but it doesn't mean the person forming the word used them. In actuality, if they are trying to stump you they will likely steer clear of those letters. Instead of going with the common letters, think of a word that can be made using the letters provided to you and use that as a basis to guess. Even with only one letter, it's a good way to increase your odds.

10. Form the Word First in a New Game: In close games this can be the difference maker. Making the other person guess first can result in them having to guess an extra word.