The Hit or Miss Nature of Fantasy Football

Fantasy football is anything but predictable, and I was reminded of this as one of my teams was eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend. While my team has suffered from having the 2nd most points scored against it(50 more than it's scored so far), the rest of the problems can be traced back to what I thought was a good draft. Altering just a few of my first picks on draft day probably would have had me in the hunt for a title.

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Is Meyer Behind the Newton Leak?

The Cam Newton eligibility saga got a little more interesting today. First, it was reported that Newton was caught cheating at Florida, and left the school before appearing in front of the Florida Student Conduct Committee. Then, it came out that the FBI was getting involved, and would like to speak with John Bond.

Throughout the day, one thing has remained constant, the murmurs that somehow Urban Meyer and/or someone on his staff is behind this entire thing. Some theories paint Meyer as a jilted former coach that wanted to thrust Florida back into the spotlight while diminishing Newton's accomplishments. Others have him just being a "bad guy" that's looking to get Newton declared ineligible prior to a possible Auburn vs Florida SEC Championship Game.

In any case, what would Urban Meyer gain from leaking this info?

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In All Kinds of Weather...

...We'll all stick together. For F-L-O-R-I-D-A.

I'm not sure this season is exactly what the composer had in mind, but hopefully we can all stick together and make it through this perfect storm of ineptitude that's hit.

There's a lot of noise in the machine right now calling for various changes. Some want Addazio fired. Others just want him to go back to being strictly an offensive line coach. And still others want Brantley benched in favor of Trey Burton. Three straight losses, two at home, will cause that sort of loud displeasure when the fanbase is used to the success that occurred over the past 5 seasons. So, what moves can be made to get the Gators pointed in the right direction?

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6 Week Mini-Snapshot: Is it Just UF's Offense?

The Gators are 4-2, and many fans believe that lackluster offensive playcalling is to blame for much of the team's woes. Voicing displeasure about the way offensive coordinator Steve Addazio has run the offense is quickly becoming a tradition much like the Gator Walk. So, is it really his fault? How do the Gators stack up on both sides of the ball when compared to the first 6 games of last season?

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At Least Someone's Getting Fired...

...Right?

Seriously, tonight's loss to LSU doesn't feel like '07 where UF's offense was off the charts, but the defense was a sieve. Right now it's more like shoehorn Brantley into the offense instead of taking advantage of his strengths. And Demps? All reports indicate that he was game ready, yet he has no chance to contribute? Good call coaching staff. Honestly, the coaches better have their collective heads on swivels because the boosters won't take back-to-back losses quietly.

Ugh. I'll breakdown this inexcusable loss further on Sunday.

The Chris Rainey "Situation"

By now, most college football fans are probably aware that Florida wide receiver Chris Rainey was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking this past Tuesday. It's been reported that he went to the home of a woman that he's dated on and off for three years after she missed a call from him. Then, after leaving, he sent her at least one threatening text message. Currently, Rainey is not with the team.

I've read and heard a number of opinions ranging from he should be booted immediately to he should be suspended indefinitely and assisted with any anger issues he has. There are also people questioning the severity of the incident, and seem to think it's along the lines of a boyfriend-girlfriend spat.

Personally, I can see the validity in just about all of those points of view, and I'm pretty torn on exactly what Coach Meyer should. Obviously, a lot is being made of the number of arrests under Meyer, and being a Florida alum I don't like seeing any school "representatives", be they athletes, coaches, AD's, etc., in trouble with the law. From that side I can see why people think Rainey should be dismissed from the team.

However, I've coached youth sports, and while it's not quite the same as being an FBS head football coach, I do have a little insight into how athletics can be the only release for some kids. Rainey has always seemed to have a pretty good relationship with Meyer, and I'm sure that the decision of whether or not to take football away from him is something that Meyer will agonize over. I would imagine that Meyer really feels like he can help Rainey through this, but because of prior transgressions with UF football players he might not get the chance to.

In the end, there can be a delicate balance between using your athletic abilities to achieve success, and using them to gain preferential treatment that allows you to escape what the public deems as proper punishment.

Ok, Commissioner Stern, I'll "Make Your Day"

"And if someone wants to try me in the rest of this playoffs, you know, make my day. Because the game is too important and I don't think that the people who trash it are respecting it, and we'll do what we have to do-the players and coaches alike-because they give the impression to our fans that the referees somehow have an agenda." -NBA Commissioner David Stern

Apparently, Dwight Howard "tried" Mr. Stern with his recent blog post concerning the foul calls made against him the Charlotte series because he was hit with a $35,000 fine. It was the same amount that his coach Stan Van Gundy and fellow teammate Matt Barnes received. And you know what? I think it's weak.

I get that the commissioner has to stand behind each and every call the officials make, especially with the whole Tim Donaghy debacle still on the minds of some people(no matter how misdirected that might be). I also understand that coaches probably shouldn't be able to ramble on and on about calls without the fear of some type of punishment. However, I do have a problem with players not being able to voice their concern or frustration even just a little bit. Anyone that watched the Charlotte series probably felt at least one time that Dwight Howard was the victim of some very questionable calls.

Seriously, by the third and fourth games it became comical, and I was shocked if more than a few minutes went by without Dwight somehow drawing a whistle.

So you know what commissioner? I'm going to make your day, and question every call that I think is b.s. right here on The Sports Oasis. You might not have issued a directive to the refs but it feels like the NBA is gunning for an LA/Cleveland match-up in the Finals, and I'm going to document any of the bad calls that might contribute to making that a reality.